Our story is rooted in seed, soil, memory, and hope. It is a story of youth finding a place in farming through agroecology, a dignified and promising path where young people and elders work side by side: wisdom meeting innovation in the fields.
My name is Patric Thwala from Nhlazatshe and I am Bongiwe Ngwenya from Enkaba, two rural farming areas near Elukwatini, Mpumalanga. We are passionate young farmers who fell in love with farming at an early age. Our journey began as children, observing our parents and helping them with weeding, watering and other simple chores in our fields and gardens. Without naming it as such, they were practicing agroecology every day. They understood and worked with nature. They saved seeds and nurtured the soil. They relied on natural methods and the regular rainfall that fell at that time. Their way of life meant that food was never out of reach. Nature herself was the source of seeds, edible crops, compost, and healing herbs.
From our elders, we learned that farming is not just about producing food; it is about respect for the land and trust in its ability to provide. Most importantly, we learned that when you respect and care for the earth, it cares for you in return. This is what agroecology teaches.
Our elders’ way has solutions to many of the challenges farmers are currently facing, like healthier soils, better harvests, more nutritious food, and resilience during hard seasons, and low production costs by not needing to buy genetically-modified and hybrid seeds, or poisonous chemicals. Today, we continue these practices. Saving seeds keeps us independent and ready for each planting season. Diversifying our crops strengthens our food security and protects the soil. Organic compost and fertilisers heal the soil while increasing our yields. With every season, the land becomes healthier and richer, and so do our communities.
Our story is about farming and youth. Young people should be included in shaping our communities. We need access to land, community gardens, training spaces, and markets where we can grow not only food but also livelihoods. Schools and local institutions can play a vital role by supporting young farmers and creating a steady demand for their produce. It is vitally important for school children to eat fresh, healthy, nutritious meals, as well as the sick, the differently-abled, the elderly,
To reach this future, we must continue learning and practicing agroecology, expanding our production, and sharing knowledge widely. We must also use platforms, like market days and social media, to tell our stories and connect with more communities and spread the work.
Agroecology is more than farming, it is a movement of hope. It is a way for young people to reclaim our future and create viable livelihoods; to restore the land; and to build food systems that are alive, resilient, sustaining and sustainable.
Every traditional seed we save and every field we plant is already growing that future.
Bongiwe Ngwenya is a primary school teaching assistant and a farmer.
“I believe in farming the way our grandparents did without chemicals – just healthy soils, traditional seeds, and respect for nature. I am inspired by Mashudu’s example and have learned from EarthLore Foundation‘s agroecology training how to save seeds, plant indigenous crops and heal the land. I am proud to a part of a group of farmers in my community who are growing our future and rooted in our traditions.”
Patric Thwala is a porter at Embhuleni hospital in Elukwatini, as well as a farmer and beekeeper who loves seeding hope.
“The agroecological training by Mashudu from EarthLore Foundation has taught me to propagate indigenous trees that bring back cultural memories and heal the landscape. I see opportunities everywhere and believe that life can be easy if everyone works together the way communities lived before, using past knowledge from our elders to keep us healthy and happy.”
South Africa marks National Youth Day on 16 June, in honour of school children and young people who fought against the apartheid regime 50 years ago. On 16 June 1976, they rose up to protest the introduction of Afrikaans in black schools, the language considered by many black South Africans as that of their oppressor. On that blood-stained day, known as the Soweto Uprising, 176 school children lay dead as night fell, shot by the police.
EarthLore Foundation is committed to building on the spirit and legacy of these courageous young people. Mashudu Takalani is a passionate young farmer, graduating from Gaia’s Trainings for Transformation to become an Earth Jurisprudence Practitioner and part of the Collective. She now accompanies other young people as Programme Facilitator for EarthLore Foundation.
“The vision of young farmers is to be recognised as valued contributors to South Africa. Too often youth are left out of decision-making spaces. We struggle to find real opportunities. Our voices are unheard, yet our ideas are powerful and necessary for the future.”
