Healthy Delights

In this article we talk to Tlotlo Phuduhudu from Molepolole. Tlotlo’s company, Healthy Delights uses natural resources within her community to produce feed that assist small livestock fight internal worms.

Summarize your business:

 We manufacture animal feeds using fodder crops and indigenous trees. we have a maintenance feed for cattle and small stock and one that helps alleviate internal worms in small stock. We also assist farmers in rural areas with information about diseases, medication, feeds and agricultural events.

Why does it suit you?

This is the best business for me as I am passionate about agriculture and I come from a family of farmers. I did a short course at BUAN in fodder production.

Where did you get the idea from?

We started selling seed under the Integrated Support program for Arable Agricultural Development program.  We then realized that while we sold them seeds, a lot of farmers who ploughed through the program did not have a market for their produce. So we then bought  grains from the farmers which we used to made stock feeds. We started with mixed fowl which we sold to Mankwe Agri shop in 2017.

In 2018 I had a problem with internal worm in my goats and a neighboring farmers lost some of his goats. I remember asking my parents how goats survive internal worms back in the day before the era of modern medicine in Botswana. They then showed me some trees  that goats ate which had the natural ability to fight internal worms.

I then incorporated the plants in my feed. I also learned about the indigenous plants during my fodder production course. Ever since then I giving the feed to my goats I no longer have incidences of internal worms.  

How did you get started? Did it take much investment?

To do the supply I was given a loan and other products and services are self funded

How did you find and grow your customer base?

My customers are mostly our farm neighbors at Kopye and other villages around Molepolole.

What skills do you need for the job?

Animal health and science

What’s been your biggest challenge so far? How did you overcome it?

My biggest challenge is getting people with the right skills to join the company. To overcome this, I have asked assistance from some graduates and Lecturers from BUAN .

Where do you see the business in five years’ time?

I see my company seeling stock feeds sold country wide. I want to assist a lot of farmnrs especilly in my region to  move from subsitance farming to commecial farming.

Another aim for Healthy Delights is to create interactive farmers events that encourages farmers to use indigenous knowledge as well as technologies and innovation in order to improve their production. I want to also  promote food security by encouraging farmers and other stakeholders to work together to create a value chain in which local agricultural products can be processed and distributed locally and internationally.

What do you do when you’re not working?

Apart from school and the business I spend my time going to church on Sundays. If not I’m at farm or working at my parents Butchery.  I am also a volunteer at the Kweneng District Show where I help with marketing of the event.

Who inspires you and your business?

I am inspired by my parents. Not to boast but my dad has created a bit of wealth for himself through agriculture. He is involved in many initiatives that promote agriculture.  Despite his age, he still runs a commercial farming enterprise with some of the best cattle breeds in the country. He believes in never giving up.

He always says that “if you want to develop services and products for farmers , you have to be a part of them”  My mum is always there for me. She also keeps encouraging me to excel in everything that I do. To be the best at what I do…