Graduation Day is our most joyful day of the year, and the highlight is always introducing the Star of Buhle – a graduate whose positivity and determination have resulted in such farming success, that he or she inspires our latest group of graduates.

At our November 2023 graduation we had the pleasure of introducing the latest Star of Buhle, the remarkable Ben Modieginyana.

Ben gained a love of farming from his father, also a livestock farmer. Now, Ben is now following in his dad’s footsteps, farming with cattle, goats, sheep and grains in Mafikeng, North West province. Some years ago, he realised that his lack of knowledge was holding him back, causing a host of problems that included high mortality rates among his animals.

He began seeking a place to learn more, and came to train in Livestock Production at Buhle in 2018. After graduated in June that year, he returned to his farm, which had just 14 goats and 16 cattle at the time, and began to apply his knowledge enthusiastically, determined to grow his farming enterprise.

Ben was extremely successful. He was able to take better care of his livestock, eradicate deaths completely, and grow his herds significantly: there are now 62 cattle, 73 goats and 42 sheep on the 150 hectare farm he leases for his livestock. This year alone has been a testament that Ben has a flourishing enterprise, as he was able to sell 80 goats, 35 sheep, and 51 cattle. His breeds consist of Bonsmara, Brahman and Red Angus cattle, Boer and Kalahari Red goats, and Dorper sheep.

The livestock farm is now also very well-equipped: it has fencing, water troughs, drinking troughs, solar panel to pump water from a borehole, and two 5000l JoJo tanks. The business is doing so well that Ben was able to use the profits to buy two tractors along with farming implements this year, to help him plant grain on another 138 hectares.

With the tractors he bought, he is now preparing another 138ha of land where he plants his grains. This season, he plans to plant sugar beans and sunflowers. Mafikeng is dry and hot, and as Ben is farming on dry land, it takes a while to see a significant quantity of rainfall.

Ben’s farming business employs three workers during quiet period, and more during the grain-planting season.

Buhle could not be prouder of Ben’s hard work and dedication, and we wish him continued success and prosperity in all his future endeavours.

Congratulations, Ben!