LIONESS WEEKENDER COVER STORY
Summerhill Farm, a high-impact, smart agribusiness employing 350 people and contributing to SDGs in Zimbabwe
Nomhle Maggie Mliswa, is the founder of Summerhill Farm in Zimbabwe, a business launched in 2007 and which today employs 350 people. She is a mother, a successful serial entrepreneur, and also runs a transport fleet and a Tillage service company that tills land for farmers. She is the only woman in the sector. The farm is a diversified entity driven by SDGs and involved in Smart Agriculture, contributing to employment creation, food security, transfer of skills, tourism, and commercial business. Norma (as she us known by friends) has received several social, business and agriculture accolades. As a coach leader, speaker, game changer and mentor, Norma interrogates issues of development, challenging societies, and institutions from their comfort zones. In August 2022, she was the guest speaker at a Baptist Woman Conference in Liberia sharing her farming experiences as a single parent and successful farmer.
Lioness Weekender spoke to the inspirational Nomhle Maggie Mliswa about her entrepreneurial journey, her drive to create sustainable jobs, and her commitment to contributing to sustainable development goals in the country.
What does your company do?
Summerhill Farm is a 345 Ha farm that is located in Doma, Mhangura in the Mashonaland West Province of Zimbabwe. The farm is involved in mixed farming involving crop and livestock production. Some of the crops grown on the farm include, but are not limited to: Small grain crops, Seed and Commercial maize, Soya beans (Seed and Commercial), Potatoes, and Wheat. Part of the livestock on the farm includes Cattle, Chickens and Goats. At a minimum, the farm has the following production levels in terms of crop minimum output per hectare:
Maize:170ha average yield has been 9-10 tons
Potatoes: 50-90ha- Average yield is 65 tons per ha
Wheat: 120ha- average yield 8 tons per ha
Seed Soya Beans: -60 ha average yield 3.52 tons
Seed and Commercial Sugar Beans: -53ha 1.6 tons per ha
Animal Production is as follows: Cattle for Breeding 350 and Goats 70. Apart from crop and livestock production, the farm is also involved in Agro-Education, Eco-Tourism, Biogas production and horticultural activities.
Methods of Farming: Summerhill Farm prides itself in using Smart Agriculture practices and is highly mechanized. Precision farming is key to our day-to-day farming activities, in compliance with SDG 13 on Climate Action, Environmental Management and Conservation. Site specific data is collected for soils, crops, water variability and weather to ensure high yields per unit area. Our motto for an eco-friendly environment is guided by the 5Rs which is Reduce, Reuse, Refuse, Repurpose and Recycle.
Employment Opportunities: The farm is an equal opportunities employer. It has 350 employees, two thirds of them being women. Majority of the workers have sophisticated operational skills and competences. The employment structure is informed by SDG 5 on gender equality. The farm offers equitable practices for both male and female employees.
Farm Strategy: For efficient operations at the farm, the farm has a zero waste policy in terms of time and material. Our well established Just in Time(JIT) strategy ensures timeous delivery of goods to the market, in the right manner, right mode and right state. Land profiling is conducted, with mitigation and adaptation strategies employed, including water harvesting and storage and drilled boreholes.
Farm Structure: The farm is wholly owned by Nomhle M. Mliswa a mother of two a daughter and son. However, in order to complement her agricultural capacity, she entered into a Smart Partnership Joint Venture. The synergy has improved on innovation, equipment availability, capacity boosting and skills transfer.
Impact in the Community: Summerhill has a multiplier effect impacting the community at large.
Economic Impact: Land profiling is conducted with mitigation and adaptation strategies employed, including water harvesting and storage and drilled boreholes. The farm employs 350 giving the employees an improved standards of living. This gives the employees a stable source of income. This has improved the lives of particularly the women employed at the farm.
Social impact: The employees are offered decent housing at the farm. There are abundant clean water supplies from boreholes and taps at the farm. Sanitary needs of the employees are also met. This is informed by SDG 6.
Peace and stability has been established at the farm among the married employees, as both couples go to work. This has ensured food security in the family and reduced Gender Based Violence especially against women. There is also a local school for young children ECD (Early Child Development) and a clinic within Summerhill.
We also have a shop for the employees. The farm offers sponsored ball games for the community and the employees too. It allows the youths and adults to stay away from engaging in anti-social activities and behaviours such as drug and substance abuse
Nutritional benefits: The employees are given potato and chicken rations improving the nutritional values for the employees. This is conducted in respect to SDG 1 and 3.
Centre of Excellence: The farm is a centre of excellence in the farming business. It is leading the pack and an inspirational icon in motivating the society locally, regionally and internationally. The farm has been documented and screened on local and international television stations like Aljazeera. The farm is toured and visited by people from all walks of life. It has hosted several functions on agri-business, tourism and education.
Climate Desk: The farm has an established climate desk assisting local farmers with critical weather information.
Corporate Social responsibility(CSR): The farm has a strong corporate social responsibility. It assists in the repairing of the local road network and bridges. There is free basic education and health fulfilling SDG 3 and 4. The farm also boasts of farming for humanity.
What inspired you to start your company?
I was born from parents who have green hands and always did their backyard gardening and flourished. It brought extra income for us. I also used to help and be a part of the gardening seeing the vegetables growing and harvesting was always exciting. Even rearing chickens, feeding them was a time I looked forward to I guess that inspired me. Then I got an opportunity to get a farm in 2007 and thought why not especially in this environment where Agriculture is being well recognised as a business.
Why should anyone use your service or product?
Being run by a woman in a male dominated sector and producing at high levels. Smart farming and precision farming which makes my farming easier and cuts down on labour costs. I am also one of the first women to run a tillage service in Zimbabwe, a sector which requires resilience. I am a game changer in Agriculture. I even have a school for my workers ECD so that they don't walk far to take their little ones.
Tell us a little about your team
A female dominated area where I employ 80% women. My farm is called a Girls High Farm because there are more women than men. Empower a woman, empower a nation. Women are more focused and committed as they have to fend for their children. I have a great team, hardworking and committed. If it was not for them I would not be where I am today. They are Summerhill.
Share a little about your entrepreneurial journey. And do you come from an entrepreneurial background?
For me this was a new turf to delve into as I am a hotelier by profession. I was taught by my workers on the farm and also by reading. Farming was never something I thought I would develop a passion for. As a woman farmer one faces challenges especially when you going to the banks. You are looked at as a useless cause but I proved my worth, and my farm is now a flagship farm in my Province and the country as it is run by a single mother. I have a spinal injury and have had a microdiscectomy in 2014 but it never stopped me from achieving results. I sometimes walk with a crutch when in pain. God has been gracious to me.
What are your future plans and aspirations for your company?
To do more in terms of preserving the environment as we are faced with climate change and practice mitigatory measures and make women more aware of global warming. Also to make Summerhill Farm an Agro tourism hub and host more educational tours where school children come to look and learn.
What gives you the most satisfaction being an entrepreneur?
To see that I am contributing towards food security and alleviating hunger.
What's the biggest piece of advice you can give to other women looking to start-up?
Remain focused and committed to what you want to do. Know that as Women in Agriculture we are the game changers, but it’s not an easy road. You have to be resilient and stand your ground. Never look down on yourself. We have what it takes, like any other human being.
To find out more about Nomhle Maggie Mliswa and her entrepreneurial journey and her work at Summerhill Farm, send an email to: nmliswa@gmail.com or visit her social media platforms:
