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Nonopa Tenza, a South African agripreneur passionate about rural economic development and farming

October 1, 2023 Melanie Hawken

Nonopa Tenza, founder of Kevinot Farming (South Africa)

Startup Story

Nonopa Tenza is the founder of Kevinot Farming in South Africa - she is an accountant by training, and a seasoned finance and banking professional. She has fulfilled various roles in financial management, credit risk management, sales, and relationship management roles in SA’s blue-chip companies and has worked in SA and Scotland. In 2017, Nonopa founded Kevinot Farming as a side hustle whilst still in corporate. In 2021 she left a successful career in Corporate and Investment Banking to run the business on a full-time basis. Kevinot Farming is a business that farms in the deep rural Eastern Cape province of South Africa, and is a mixed farming business growing maize and beans and also farming sheep and cattle.



In 2022 Nonopa was awarded the Inaugural Presidential Award for Rural Based SMME of the Year. In April 2023, she was part of a delegation invited to the Union Buildings to meet with President Ramaphosa to discuss challenges faced by small businesses in South Africa. In May 2023, her business was selected to participate in a two-week Outward Trade Mission to Italy. In June 2023 she was awarded Female Commercial Farmer of the Year for Alfred Nzo District. In August 2023 she became the second runner up Female Commercial Farmer of the Year in the Eastern Cape. Nonopa is passionate about entrepreneurship, rural based economic development, women empowerment, business coaching and farming. She serves as a Board Member for an organization that provides micro-finance to rural based women owned businesses. Her business has created jobs for 6 people.

Lioness Weekender spoke to Nonopa Tenza about her passion for legacy making and job creation through agriculture, and her mission to support micro enterprises in the area.

What does your company do?

The business farms in cattle, sheep, maize, and beans. It also offers mechanization services to surrounding farmers, as well as serves as an aggregator by assisting surrounding farmers with access to markets. The business is also behind the establishment of micro enterprises in the area as some of the seasonal workers prefer being paid in either maize or beans so they can on sell to their communities.

“I get satisfaction from creating jobs and contributing to the upliftment of an underdeveloped, underserved community.”

What inspired you to start your company?

The business started out of passion and for legacy purposes. My father-in-law was a farmer and after his passing the farm was underutilized. Starting the business was an opportunity to retain his legacy, as well as utilize an underutilized farm, creating jobs and promoting economic activity in a remote area of the country.

Why should anyone use your service or product?

The business is run by a highly qualified and experienced professional who left a successful banking career in order to create jobs and bring hope to a remote part of South Africa plagued by inequality, poverty, and unemployment.

Tell us a little about your team

The current team comprises of me, a farm manager, two farm workers and two interns. The farm workers and interns are young people. The interns are spending 18 months with us as part of their workplace-based learning in order to receive their agricultural qualifications.

“The plan is to build a vertically integrated agri value chain business where we get into secondary agriculture by beneficiating/ processing the products we farm. This will increase business profitability and create further jobs.”

Share a little about your entrepreneurial journey. And do you come from an entrepreneurial background?

I am an entrepreneur at heart passionate about entrepreneurship, having run businesses on the side for over a decade in sectors such as hospitality, real estate, and the services industry.

What are your future plans and aspirations for your company?

The plan is to build a vertically integrated agri value chain business where we get into secondary agriculture by beneficiating/ processing the products we farm. This will increase business profitability and create further jobs.

What gives you the most satisfaction being an entrepreneur?

I get satisfaction from creating jobs and contributing to the upliftment of an underdeveloped, underserved community.

What's the biggest piece of advice you can give to other women looking to start-up?

Do your research well prior to deciding on a business. Ask yourself what problem are you solving and who is willing to pay for your product?

Contact or follow Kevinot Farming

Email Address: nonopa@kevinot.co.za

Website: http://www.kevinot.co.za

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Kevinot-Farming-102166828978317/videos/as-we-await-harvest-time-having-done-all-we-could-trusting-the-one-who-gives-aut/604060160677467/

Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/kevinot_farming/

YouTube or Vimeo Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tWXLrszE9UI


Why LoA loves it…

At Lionesses of Africa, we are passionate about supporting women entrepreneurs who create impact, and importantly create opportunities and jobs for others in their communities. Nonopa Tenza is doing just that with her agri-business, building a legacy for her own family, but also creating much needed jobs and providing support for budding micro-enterprises in her community. She has big ambitions for the business, with a vision to ultimately extend the value chain through agri-processing. This is an agri-success story in the making. — Melanie Hawken, founder & ceo, Lionesses of Africa

In Startup Story Tags South Africa, Agri-business, Farming
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