SAB EMPOWERING WOMEN FARMERS THROUGH MENTORSHIP AND FINANCIAL SUPPORT

Mapula Seboko’s passion for agriculture dates back to 2004 when she actively started farming. Today she is one of SAB’s valued emerging farmers who supplies the brewer with sustainable and responsibly farmed crops.

Born in Taung in the North West Province, Mapula is a member of Tshidiso Cooperative and grows a variety of crops under irrigation in both winter and summer, including barley, maize and groundnuts. She has been a partner to SAB for many years, working closely with FarmSol, a black-owned agricultural services company focused on developing emerging growers, to improve her crop production.

Mapula Seboko

FarmSol agri specialist Ben Wolhuter, regularly visits Mapula to discuss her crop, provide technical training, and support crop management decisions and activities. “The interest-free loans which I received helped me to increase my crop,” Mapula said. She also receives an interest free loan for her maize and groundnuts.

Last year, she received a soil correction grant to assist with the purchase and application of lime onto her fields. Mapula’s healthier soil, along with support from the SAB research and development team for the introduction of new seed varieties and crop management tools, helped increase her barley yield from 7 - 7.8 metric ton per hectare between 2017 and 2018.

“My income from barley increased 98% during the same period,” Mapula said. “It is thanks to SAB and FarmSol and their valuable advice and belief in me that I have been able to improve my farming methods and grow my business.”