Adam’s apple farm

From L to R- Mr. B. Bagwasi-LEA Knowledge Manager ,Ms. A. Mmamelodi-LEA Branch Manager , Mr. L. Mampadi How it all began -LEA Business Advisor and Mr. Adam Arbi, Managing Director and proprietor of Adam’s Apple farm He squats down to the ground beside a head of cabbage, reaches out and smoothes a large leaf between his fingers, squinting ahead at the vast expanse of neatly aligned vegetation that seemingly stretches into the distant horizon. “It’s the green”, he says, a twinkle in his eye. “I love the green. It’s addictive. “

“I’d finished high school and, like many a young so begins the story of Adam Arbi, and And man ready to take on the world, had a head and the fruit of his life’s work and passion; Adam’s heart full of ideas and enthusiasm but no real Apple farm; a place he, his wife and two children sense of where or what I wanted to channel that also call home. Born in 1963 and second to last into. So I started with a three year stint in the in a family of 7 children in the small village of telecommunications field but eventually left , it is almost hard to believe that Adam to take over my father’s supermarket business started his career life as a telecommunications in 1984. It was also around the time that my technician. brothers and I began maintaining a hobby; a little 1 hectare piece of land on the outskirts of Mochudi.”

1 Mr. Adam Arbi (Adam’s Apple), Mr. B. Bagwasi (LEA Knowledge Manager)

low and unpredictable rainfall, and although “piece of land” is today the immense That we’ve always had to rely on underground 60 ha known as Adam’s Apple farm, one of the sources of water for irrigation, these levels can largest local producers of fruit and vegetables. also become low. This of course calls for the “It took a long time and lots of hard work to get improvement of irrigation systems, which cost to what it is today, and there will always be the a lot of money.” constant challenges of maintaining a farm of this size. If anything, I am at least certain of one Adam’s Apple then approached CEDA and “The farm follows a seasonal thing; I’ve found my passion, and I’m doing it for was granted a P500 000 cash injection. With production cycle, and the a living. So I can hardly refer to this as work.” these funds Adam’s Apple was able to acquire various designated plots are tractors, irrigation equipment and various other rotational. Crops are rotated Crop farming is highly capital and labour- types of machinery needed for the expansion in the vegetable fields as they intensive. That, and the fact that it is at the total of the farm. The farm has also since received are in the tunnels. Each plant mercy of climatic conditions, the availability a further loan of P500, 000 to endeavour into family is planted in a different of water as well as the ever-present danger of tomato production. “With the second loan from block each year and this helps pests mean that as an industry, it is one of the CEDA we have bought greenhouse equipment to prevent pests and diseases toughest to maintain trouble-free successfully for tomato production. With this, CEDA have building up in the soil. In the without even the basic needed requisites. Such certainly pushed me further than I would have field, the majority of work is are the challenges Adam has had to face not been on my own. They not only check up on done by tractor, while in the only in maintaining the farm, but in his quest the progress of my projects on a weekly basis, tunnel the work is carried out for its expansion as well. “My greatest problem but also offer me basic courses in accounting, manually.” until very recently had been mainly that of water marketing and other courses that have proved availability. has a very dry climate with to be very helpful in my line of work. “

2 Adam’s Apple Farm

Situated in Ntlhopeng Ward, Mochudi, Adam’s Apple is mainly a horticultural farm, growing a diverse array of produce. Although 60 ha in size, the current allocation designated to produce only occupies about two-thirds of that, the remaining piece of land is reserved for expansion drive.

The farm’s main produce consists of Onions (5ha), Tomatoes (2ha), Watermelons (2ha), Cabbages (10ha), Potatoes (4 ha), Oranges, Mangoes and Grapes (all occupying a total of 1 ha), Butternuts (10ha), Pumpkins (2ha), as well as numerous produce of smaller quantities including Cucumbers, Spinach, Aubergines, Cantaloupes and various species of Chilli Pepper. The farm utilises a double scheme of open field growing and the use of tunnels- a name used for specialized greenhouses. There are ten of these tunnels on the farm, bought from Spain with the help of the loan from CEDA.

“The tunnels are extremely important within our organic system, as this allows us to grow crops year round. We can grow up to three crops a year in every tunnel. This means production is never stopped and that even through winter we can still maintain mass Adam guides a tour through the mango grove at the farm production of all our crops.”

“The farm follows a seasonal production cycle, and the various designated plots are rotational. Crops are rotated in the vegetable fields as they are in the tunnels. Each plant family is planted in a different block each year and this helps to prevent pests and diseases building up in the soil. In the field, the majority of work is done by tractor, while in the tunnel the work is carried out manually.” Needless to say, an operation of this magnitude would require a high dependency on water. Adam’s Apple farm has a total of 7 boreholes, 5 of which are in daily use, whilst the remaining 2 are on standby. The crops in the field and tunnels are fed using a fascinating technique called

3 Adam’s apple farm in pictures

4 Adam’s Apple Farm (continued) fertigation; the supplying of dissolved fertiliser are essentially selling a product that isn’t even to crops through an irrigation system. When in the ground yet; it doesn’t exist! I’m fortunate combined with an efficient irrigation system to have known a number of farmers while I was both nutrients and water can be manipulated still working in the supermarket business who and managed to obtain the maximum possible afforded me good advice around the challenges yield of marketable production from a given I’d be facing, and so I suppose I was relatively quantity of these inputs. prepared for this most important of hurdles. So, In a successful attempt at diversification, the I went about the good old fashioned route of farm has also ventured into producing dairy and knocking on doors, and fortunately managed to poultry. With 14 cows and a milking machine convince a good number of retail shops to jump that can accommodate two cows at any one on board.” time already in place, the farm produces up to 100 litres of milk a day. “We’ve got a good mix At present, Adam’s Apple farm’s biggest supply of Tswana, Holstein and Jersey breeds here. Our contract is with the Choppies Group, with no target is 100 cows, and with our chicken coop existing quota requirements as such. “They currently producing 160 eggs a day, we look purchase most of what the farm produces but to start competing seriously in the dairy and my other clients include various smaller retail poultry markets before very long.” shops, hawkers, and the general public who prefer to come up to the farm and buy the good Adam reminisces to the time when he’d first quality farm fresh produce at its cheapest. Of decided to be a commercial farmer, and had had course, it’s always easier to keep our promise to approach various retail shops to obtain supply of delivery when you have a great team behind contracts with nothing concrete but sincere the scenes working to make sure that promise is promises of good quality and a competitive indeed kept…” spirit. “This of course is difficult because you

“THE FARM’S SUCCESS THUS FAR IS TESTAMENT TO THE HARD WORK PUT IN BY ALL THE WORKERS AND STAFF. WE DON’T HAVE AN ESTABLISHED MARKETING STRATEGY TO BRAND THE FARM’S PRODUCE AS YET BUT THE MANTRA WE WORK BY IS TO PROVIDE QUALITY FIRST, AND TREAT QUANTITY AS A BONUS. IN OTHER WORDS, THE GOOD QUALITY OF OUR PRODUCE SHOULD SELL ITSELF, AND THAT SHOULD BE THE BASIS FOR ANY MARKETING STRATEGY WE MIGHT EMPLOY IN THE FUTURE.”

5 it should be done, then there’ll be nothing to harvest when that time comes around. Farming requires a lot of planning, and forward thinking, not only where the produce is concerned, but in terms of people management too. A good example here is that around the festive season, most of our workers want to travel home to their families. This means that we’ve had to plan in recent years to schedule our harvesting forward by at least a month before the break otherwise there’d be no one here to do the harvesting, and the crops would eventually just rot in the ground.”

“Other challenges are those of a monetary nature. Farming is highly capital intensive, and this is especially true of the amount of money we need to spend just on fertilizer, fuel and electricity alone. Our biggest financial The farm has a work-force of 15 permanent efficient, come and take a look at the eggs our challenge is keeping a positive cash flow. Crops staff, 7 of whom live on the farm.”Of the 15, chickens produce, as compared to those from take on average 6 months until they’re ready just the one, the farm manager, is skilled, but farms that swear by mass production above all for harvesting, and a further 2 months before everybody knows their job and goes about else. Ours are almost twice as big in size, and the we can realize the money from the sale of that it expertly. Farming is a team effort where yolk is golden, whereas the other is a dull, pale produce. Our permanent staff are paid with the everybody is as important as the next one.” yellow.” money from the main crops, while our casual During the planting and harvest time there staff and various other daily expenses are paid can be as many as 80 additional casual staff, “We try to carry our mantra in everything we for with the money we receive form the sale of all of whom he sources from the village. do, and this is what we hope gives us that our dairy and poultry produce.” “The farm’s success thus far is testament to the competitive advantage over other farms. We hard work put in by all the workers and staff. We try to accommodate our clients’ needs in the Currently, we are very competitive in the sense don’t have an established marketing strategy to best ways possible. If they need their produce of our proximity to our main markets, especially brand the farm’s produce as yet but the mantra packaged, we will provide that for them, right that of . 1-6 hours after harvesting, our we work by is to provide quality first, and treat here on the farm. If they need a delivery made to produce can already be packed into shelves, quantity as a bonus. In other words, the good their premises, we will also see that through. We ready for sale. This is also a good advantage in quality of our produce should sell itself, and that want the Adam’s Apple name to be synonymous that it means we keep our promise of always should be the basis for any marketing strategy with quality, not only through our produce, but supplying the freshest produce around. we might employ in the future.” by our delivery and commitment as well.”

This mantra is evident all over the farm, even Challenges down to the conditions in which the animals Running a farm of this size and magnitude are kept. “I like to call it ‘stress-free farming’ ”, obviously comes with its fare share of daily he laughs.”I really don’t approve of the way challenges. For example if a tractor breaks down, some poultry farms keep their chicken coops, it needs to be fixed as soon as possible otherwise sometimes 3 or even 4 stuffed into a cage, being this affects the planning schedule, in terms of confined like that for long periods of time all in the job it was intended to carry out. “We try and the sake of mass production. Our chickens are plan everything as far as planting and harvesting allowed to roam within an enclosed but airy times are concerned, because it goes without LEA Branch Manager Mochudi - structure and are fed on organic feed. If there saying, if we don’t plant a certain crop when Ms. A. Mmamelodi, Mr. Adam Arbi and was any question as to which method is more Mr. B. Bagwasi (LEA Knowledge Manager)

6 , Mathubudukwane, Artesia, Oliphant The LEA Intervention Drift, , , , Malotwane, , . Adam’s Apple farm has gone from strength to strength in the local

market, accomplishing and sometimes even surpassing its own self-set The horticulture sector was identified in NDP8 goals. So when the next frontier arrived in the form of an opportunity for as a priority area for diversifying the agricultural expansion in the exporting of produce, Adam approached LEA for their production base. assistance. There are several challenges faced by this sector, in this region and in Botswana in general, they “Adam is quite knowledgeable and has an farm registered with LEA in March are: the high cost of production inputs, poor The infectious passion for his chosen business”, 2008, its main challenge being that the local infrastructure in production areas, inadequate says Mr. Mmapadi. “He has also embraced all market was unable to absorb all the produce technology to name a few. This sector is also the government initiatives as evidenced by it produced and also that there was a veritable dominated by micro farmers and they are assistance he gets from other organizations will and intention to expand the business in the faced with lack modern agricultural equipment such as NAMPAAD and CEDA.” near future. Adam was assigned a LEA Business and also have limited access to credit, these “It had always been a dream of mine to export Advisor, Mr. Leonard Mmapadi . The Client farmers also view access to markets as a major my produce to places beyond our borders, and I and the Busines Advisor sat and identified constraint which has confined them to selling couldn’t have imagined it would have happened both challenges and future plans for the farm. their produce to vendors so quickly; but LEA’s hands- on professional This culminated in a plan to overcome the LEA has come up with a horticulture programme approach to this was truly amazing. They were challenges and to achieve the future plans. The in order to make this sector competitive to fully involved and committed in every step we most notable challenge being that of breaking improve the livelihood of Batswana involved took to achieve our goal.” into the horticultural market in RSA and the in horticulture related businesses through multimillion tomato production. sustainable job creation and increased The is located on the South profitability of such businesses. The Mochudi Eastern part of the country, and has a very small Through an intervention by one of LEA Branch currently oversees 54 horticultural land area of 7600kms: The LEA Mochudi Branch departments responsible for market access SEDS projects. covers the following area: Mochudi, , (SMME Environmental Development Services), , Morwa, , Kgomodiatsaba, Technical assistance, was delivered to the enterprise at the Tshwane Fresh Produce Market, South Africa by the LEA collaborating partner agent, The PROFRESHIONALS. This assistance covered, among other things, market pricing, and packaging, labeling, branding, market supply and transaction protocol. LEA helped secure an export market for Adam’s Apple in Tshwane, South Africa, to which the farm has now supplied over 60 tons of cabbages. This serves as an alternative competitive market and the farm exports as in when the local market is unable to absorb his produce.

“We hope that Adam’s Apple continues to be sustainable and profitable and create employment and also penetrate more of the regional market,” says Ms. Mamelodi. “I applaud the high quality of his produce, and I hope he LEA Branch Manager Mochudi - continues to work with LEA as we still have Ms. A. Mmamelodi, Mr. Adam Arbi and more products/services that will be useful to his LEA Branch Manager Mochudi -Ms. A. Mmamelodi and Mr. Adam Arbi Mr. B. Bagwasi (LEA Knowledge Manager) project.”

7 Adam’s apple farm

The Future for Adam’s Apple Farm

With the establishment of its export arm- loan (which will be done in three stages) from financiers (BDC and CEDA) and we are at the a venture that bodes real opportunity for CEDA. With this second loan from CEDA, the Business Plan Development stage. ‘’ exponential future growth- Adam has set his farm has bought greenhouse equipment for sights on increasing the farm’s produce market extensive tomato production. LEA is currently Adam squints out into the rows of cabbage and share of a popular fruit in the country; the also handling the facilitating of another CEDA out into the horizon again when asked what he tomato. “Botswana’s consumption of tomatoes loan of P150, 000 as working capital to enable thinks of those who don’t value or appreciate per month currently stands at 600 tons. Our plan the farm to buy the much required fertilizer what farmers do. “You know, it’s amazing but I is really quite simple; by 2009, we want Adam’s for a project of this magnitude. They have also doubt people realize that at any one time in their Apple farm to produce 30% of the total national facilitated learning trips e.g. a visit to Glen Valley lives, a farmer has played a part in it in some way. consumption and by 2010, to be producing 50 to learn more about tomato production. Every time you open your fridge, or walk down % of that. “Presently, progressive work is on for an the isle at a supermarket or sit down to eat at expansion project that will see us cultivating a restaurant; something you ate, was plucked Recognising the need to further expand the 5 hectares with a yield of 3000 tons per year. from the soil of a farm, or reared there. Maybe business, Adam’s Apple received a P500, 000 We have already held meetings with potential then they’d appreciate the green. Like I do.”

About LEA The Mochudi Branch is overseen by These farmers also view access to markets Branch Manager Ms Anastasia Mamelodi, as a major constraint which has confined with the more hands-on relationships them to selling their produce to vendors. being conducted by Business Advisors LEA has come up with a horticulture such as Mr. Leonard Mmapadi. Most programme in order to make this sector of this LEA branch’s clientele intend to competitive and to improve the livelihood venture into agricultural projects or are of Batswana involved in horticulture in agricultural business of some sort, related businesses through sustainable job with about 83 manufacturing projects creation and increased profitability of such registered with LEA. businesses. There are several challenges faced by Contacts: the horticulture sector, in the Kgatleng Local Enterprise Authority region and in Botswana in general, they Private Bag 191, Gaborone are: the high cost of production inputs, Botswana poor infrastructure in production areas, Physical Address: inadequate technology to name a few. Fairgrounds Office Park,2nd Floor, Block A, Lot 50676 This sector is also dominated by micro farmers and they are faced with a lack of Tel: +267 - 36 44 000 Fax: +267 - 36 44 001 modern agricultural equipment and also Email: [email protected] have limited access to credit. Call us toll free on 0800 155 155

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