Introducing Buhle Farmer’s Academy

There are many thousands of new farmers in South Africa who have access to arable land but don’t have the skills or support they need to grow a sustainable farming business. Buhle Farmers’ Academy is a non-profit organisation that trains, mentors and supports these aspiring farmers.

We offer holistic courses covering all the farming and management skills that new farmers need (see Programme section for more detail), and trainees come from all over the country to learn at our campus near Delmas, Mpumalanga. Our farmer support officers mentor as many of our graduates as possible, and we manage several programmes providing financial support to some of our most promising alumni.

Since we opened our doors in the year 2000 we have grown from strength to strength, and have now trained about 6 000 emerging farmers – half of them women and 65% of them youth – in vegetable, crops, poultry and livestock production, and mixed farming. Even better, about 12 000 jobs have been created due to Buhle, based on the assumption that for every new farmer established at least one additional job is created.

Our Mission

Buhle’s mission is to train and supports aspiring farmers from across South Africa to run farming businesses that are both profitable and sustainable. The effect is that we are helping to alleviate poverty by creating jobs while helping to ensure food security. 

Our People

Our staff are the people who make it all happen, and behind us is the highest authority of our organisation, the Board of Trustees of the Food Health Hope Foundation. The Board oversees our vision, mission and activities, donating their time, knowledge and experience to help grow and guide our organisation.