Blending indigenous farming with innovative business techniques

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.

- Octavia Avesca Spandiel

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.