Mtwalume, KwaZulu-Natal – With youth unemployment levels in South Africa currently sitting at a staggering 46.1%, according to Stats SA last week, the urgency to find sustainable solutions has never been greater. In rural KwaZulu-Natal, nonprofit organisation Thanda is expanding its Food Security & Economic Development (FSED) Initiative with a renewed focus: supporting youth to build dignified, sustainable livelihoods through agroecology.
Thanda has been running community-based farming programmes in rural South Africa for the past decade. In 2024 alone, participating farmers earned R3.6 million in direct income – money that not only supports their families but also circulates through and uplifts their communities. Now, Thanda is doubling down on supporting young people at a time when KwaZulu-Natal has seen the largest provincial employment decline in the country, with 104,000 fewer people employed in the first quarter of 2025 compared to the previous quarter.
Thanda’s youth-focused initiative equips young people with tools, skills, infrastructure and a mentorship programme to grow both food and income – right where they live. While farming has often been seen as work for the elderly, this programme is reshaping the narrative: young people are stepping into roles as producers, entrepreneurs, and community leaders.
As part of Thanda’s long-term strategy, the nonprofit aims to establish a Youth Case Study Farm – a four-hectare site that, pending the necessary funding, could serve as a practical training ground for eight young farmers, each responsible for managing a half-hectare plot. These are larger-scale plots than any local farmer is currently working with, designed to test and showcase potential for growth. With guidance from experienced Thanda mentors, youth farmers will experiment with different techniques, refine their business models, and gain firsthand experience in managing and scaling agroecological operations. The farm will also serve as a visible and accessible space where the community can see what success in farming looks like.
Once the Youth Case Study Farm is operational and has the right collaborative partnerships in place – Thanda will support the replication of youth farms in other areas, focusing on scaling group-managed farms from one hectare to five. Achieving this level of growth will require significant infrastructure investment, including irrigation systems, fencing, and reliable access to water during the dry seasons.
Over the next five years, Thanda aims to support 1,350 smallholder and household farmers, with at least 100 of them being youth aged 18-35. By 2030, the organisation expects 20% of all supported farmers to reach entrepreneurial-level livelihoods, with year-on-year growth in production of at least 15%. By 2045, Thanda foresees that 40% of programme participants will be youth. That translates to an increase from around 30 youth enrolled in 2024 to 250 youth actively earning income through farming by 2045.
“When we first started the FSED Initiative ten years ago, farming here meant sugar beans and amadumbe, planted by the elderly,” says Angela Larkan, Thanda’s Executive Director and Co-Founder. “Now, young people are farming with intention and innovation. They are running their own operations under Thanda’s mentorship, feeding their families, and building a different kind of future.”
The Youth Case Study Farm is designed not only to produce results – but to change perceptions. “What gives me hope,” Larkan continues, “is watching a 22-year-old step into the field with pride, knowing they’re not just growing food – they’re growing independence, identity, and opportunity. That’s what transformation looks like.”
Thanda’s vision for the future is to develop a model of rural economic development that can be scaled and adapted, with youth at the centre. By investing in agroecology and local markets, the programme is creating sustainable livelihoods and reversing the idea that success only lies beyond the borders of rural communities. Farming, once seen as a last resort, can become a viable and respected pathway to success for youth determined to shape their own futures from the ground up.
CASE STUDY
Mzwandile Cele from Bulhebukhona Farm – Mtwalume, KZN
Mzwandile, was first introduced to nonprofit Thanda three years ago. Since then, he has consistently produced strong results at Bulhebukhona Farm and recently attended a business plan training course and was selected for a business enterprise course after presenting both his current plan and a future ‘dream plan,’ which he is currently digitising. He has shown enthusiasm for all training opportunities and is committed to upskilling himself as both a farmer and a businessman with the support of Thanda.
With mentorship, Mzwandile will independently complete his own production records – tracking what he has planted, harvested, and sold. Subject to funding, Mzwandile is positioned to join an incubator-type programme with Thanda, designed to fast-track his progress as a ‘Thanda trailblazer’ and further develop a scalable model for supporting other young farmers like him.
“When I first started farming with Thanda, I was still finding my feet,” says Mzwandile. “Now I see it not just as a way to sustain myself, but as a step toward becoming an entrepreneur.”
“As we harvest this brinjal, I’m already thinking ahead – how much I need to sell to buy my child school shoes and pay for things at home. This farm helps me provide for my family.”
“Working with Thanda has made me an independent thinker. We sit with our mentor and plan what to plant and how to make it profitable. They’ve really given us ownership – what we reap is from the work we put in.”
“It’s just a matter of being consistent and working as a team. That’s why this youth farm is thriving,” he explains. “We respect each other and we’re open to learning.”
“The weather this year was tough. The soil was dry, and not everything grew as well as before,” Mzwandile says. “But with support, we adapted – adding kraal manure, cutting grass to cover the soil, and learning to mulch. It worked. You can see it in the brinjal.”
“I think the biggest mistake the youth in my community make is being afraid of hard work – and worrying too much about what people will say,” he adds. “Farming isn’t seen as ‘cool’. But every day I wake up and come to the farm with a conscious decision that I want to be better – for myself, for my child, and for the future.”
