DE NOVO FARMER TURNS CSRD R350 INTO A LIFELINE FOR HIS FAMILY AND COMMUNITY

By Precious Mupenzi

• Instead of spending his cSRD income on short-term needs, Nick Jafta bought seeds and compost, launching a backyard garden that grew into a micro-scale farm.
• ⁠Though he made a turnover of about R20,000 last year, he reinvests much of it back into his business.
• Jafta plans to start a social media account to teach others to grow their own food and impart practical skills for self-reliance and entrepreneurship.

When President Cyril Ramaphosa announced the introduction of the Special Covid 19 Social Relief of Distress (cSRD) to cushion South Africans from the devastating effects of the pandemic, the crises marked a turning point for now 61 year old Nick Jafta from De Novo, Kraaifontein — a small town on the north-eastern outskirts of Cape Town.

Faced with the economic stand-still of the COVID-19 pandemic, out of his trucking job and unable to take up the usual piece jobs, Jafta made a decision that would change his life.

“I was not working and I decided that I must do something to earn extra money,” he recalls. “That’s how I started with this business.”

Armed with little more than determination and a Covid-19 Social Relief of Distress (cSRD) R350 at that time, he planted the seeds of what would become a thriving vegetable farming business. Before the pandemic, he worked as a truck driver and took on various piece jobs to make ends meet. But during lockdown, like many others, his options vanished.

Instead of spending his cSRD income on short-term needs, Jafta used it to buy seeds and compost — launching a backyard garden that would grow into a microscale farm. What began as a modest effort to survive soon grew into something much bigger. Today, Jafta operates a flourishing micro-farm that supplies spinach, green beans, onions, potatoes, butternut, squash, and more to households across De Novo, as well as in Worcester, Stellenbosch, and Cape Town. His green beans are especially popular, and last year, he proudly harvested over 500 pumpkins.

Jafta lives with his wife, a pensioner who helps him with the farming work. “It’s a lot of work,” he admits. “I wake up at 4am to plan my day and start working.” Despite the challenges, he remains optimistic. “The community supports me. It’s not a big place — we’re about 80 households — but they’re always buying from me.”

His commitment and resilience caught the attention of the South African Institute for Entrepreneurship (SAIE), which awarded him a certificate through its Backyard Food Garden Training programme in 2023. “Those guys helped me a lot,” says Jafta. “They gave me advice on planning, how to manage my books… they really walked with me through the journey.”

Though he made a turnover of about R20,000 last year, he reinvests much of it back into his business. “I divide my earnings into three — household needs, reinvestment, and a bit of profit. It’s not much, but I have a plan.”

That plan includes expansion. Jafta dreams of building a proper garden structure, hiring his first employee, and fencing the area to protect his crops. As he gets older, the physical demands of farming are becoming more challenging, and having an extra pair of hands would ease the burden — especially when it comes to carrying heavy equipment and managing larger plots. Right now, he borrows tools — often at a cost — and struggles with accessing the resources he needs to grow. “If I could get help from government or private donors, I would ask for small-scale farming equipment and fencing. That would make a huge difference,” he says.

Jafta’s operation has expanded dramatically. In 2023, he cultivated a 100×100 square meter plot. Now, he’s working on a 200×200 space — land granted to him for farming by the state. He made a turnover of around R20,000 last year and has ambitions to scale even further.

Water access and pests remain a challenge, but Jafta has learned to adapt. He prices his produce reasonably, selling directly to the community from home or via word-of-mouth. “People know me now,” he smiles. “They trust the quality of what I grow.”

For others facing hardship — especially the youth — Jafta has a clear and heartfelt message: “Get up and do something — even if it’s small.” He believes that young people, in particular, have the energy and potential to create change in their own lives and communities. That’s why he’s planning to start a social media account dedicated to teaching others how to grow their own food, hoping to inspire and equip the next generation with practical skills for self-reliance and entrepreneurship.

His story is more than one of survival — it’s a blueprint for resilience, community upliftment, and the transformative power of turning challenges into opportunities. With the right support and just a little seed money, a better future can indeed be grown — one row at a time.