कोशिश गोल्ड - मुक्त
Blending indigenous farming with innovative business techniques
Farmer's Weekly
|June 20, 2025
Seniren Naidoo, who farms in Upper Tongaat, KwaZulu-Natal, has merged ancestral wisdom with modern business acumen to build a thriving agricultural enterprise. He spoke to Octavia Avesca Spandiel about his operation, which is rooted in indigenous crops, sustainability, and innovation.

In subtropical Upper Tongaat, north of Durban in KwaZulu-Natal, 32-year-old Seniren Naidoo has transformed his family's farming tradition into a thriving, sustainable agricultural venture built on innovation and indigenous heritage.
Naidoo has spent the past 12 years nurturing more than just crops across his 22ha farm; he has cultivated a vision for sustainable agriculture and food security that reflects both a deep respect for the past and an ambitious eye on the future. From the green leaves of amaranthus and moringa to the aroma of mint and thyme, his farm is a sensory journey through a range of indigenous South African vegetables and niche exotic crops.
“I wanted to approach farming by looking at crops that people want and are used to but aren't readily available. That's where the idea of growing indigenous vegetables like imfino [amaranthus], gourds and pigeon peas came from,” he says.
NUMBERS AND NATURE
Naidoo adds that, although his hands are now deeply embedded in the soil, his academic background is in finance. He holds a BCom degree in accounting, with postgraduate qualifications in advanced taxation and advanced financial planning. This might seem an unlikely path for a farmer, but for Naidoo, the transition was intentional and strategic.
“I've always been in farming. I transitioned to finance to understand business management principles, financial planning and financial management that could be applied to running a farm. Agriculture has high operating costs, and without sound financial management, it’s difficult to sustain,” he explains.
His time in the finance world also exposed him to various business models and management strategies, which he now applies practically on the farm.
“Working with businesses allowed me to enhance both theoretical and practical financial knowledge. That exposure helped build the foundation for my agricultural business today,” he says.
यह कहानी Farmer's Weekly के June 20, 2025 संस्करण से ली गई है।
हजारों चुनिंदा प्रीमियम कहानियों और 10,000 से अधिक पत्रिकाओं और समाचार पत्रों तक पहुंचने के लिए मैगज़्टर गोल्ड की सदस्यता लें।
क्या आप पहले से ही ग्राहक हैं? साइन इन करें
Farmer's Weekly से और कहानियाँ

Farmer's Weekly
Pet-friendly family accommodation in Gauteng
Escape the daily stresses of life in this peaceful environment embedded in nature, where hiking trails, a picnic spot on the hill and much more are available to guests Riaan Hattingh.
4 mins
October24 -31, 2025

Farmer's Weekly
Commercial beekeeping: managing swarms and logistics
Managing thousands of bee colonies as a pollination service provider is a complex, logistical feat. Added to the challenge is keeping the swarms fed amid dwindling natural resources and crops that offer little nutrition. Jaco Wolfaardt, commercial beekeeper and founder of Ubusi Beekeeping, spoke to Henning Naudé about keeping the bees and business abuzz.
7 mins
October24 -31, 2025

Farmer's Weekly
Owning and exercising endurance horses on a farm
Endurance riding is a recognised equestrian sport, but as Dr Mac writes, these horses can also be used to monitor farm fields and fences.
2 mins
October24 -31, 2025
Farmer's Weekly
How is snotsiekte spread?
Dear Prof McCrindle, My neighbour's threatening me with legal action because his cattle have snotsiekte. I own a registered game farm where I have kept wildebeest for several decades.
2 mins
October24 -31, 2025

Farmer's Weekly
The story of South Africa's sugar cane industry
South Africa's sugar industry grew from colonial ambition and Indian labour into a pillar of KwaZulu-Natal's economy, blending science, struggle and resilience to sweeten the nation's history and culture.
5 mins
October24 -31, 2025

Farmer's Weekly
Egg patty English muffins
Elevate your breakfast sandwich with these savoury egg patty English muffins! Made with quick and easy convenience, it is perfect for a weekend brunch.
1 min
October24 -31, 2025
Farmer's Weekly
The A to Z of internal parasites in cattle
Internal parasites can cause a loss of production and even death if severe enough. Integrated parasite management is essential for effective control. Janine Ryan reports.
8 mins
October24 -31, 2025
Farmer's Weekly
Heating soil not enough to release CO 2
According to a study by researchers at the North Carolina State University in the US heating alone won't drive soil microbes to release more carbon dioxide (CO2).
1 min
October24 -31, 2025

Farmer's Weekly
Resistance to internal and external parasite control in the beef cattle sector is a worry
Dr Dave Midgley, CEO of the Ruminant Veterinary Association of South Africa, believes that parasites’ growing resistance to anthelmintic remedies and an increasing parasite load among beef cattle in South Africa is a serious cause for concern. He spoke to Annelie Coleman.
5 mins
October24 -31, 2025

Farmer's Weekly
Cannabis roots: the untapped value beneath the canopy
Most cannabis growers obsess over canopy management, trichome development, and final flower weight. But there’s an entire half of the plant we're essentially throwing away, says Thomas Walker.
2 mins
October24 -31, 2025
Listen
Translate
Change font size