Sophy Litshani Musabeni, a former nurse who founded the vegetable business Vhegies (Pty) Ltd, has won the 2026 Agricultural Business Pitch Competition of the Agricultural Development Agency (AGDA) in South Africa. She received the award at AGDA's annual stakeholder conference in Boksburg on 22 October: R100,000 in cash and website development support worth R35,000.
Seven entrepreneurs presented their businesses to judges from Masimong, AGDA, Fruit SA and WinField United SA. Entrants had to have traded for at least 12 months and earned at least R500,000 in the previous year, and to show how more capital would raise production, revenue, jobs or market access. The finalists ran businesses in vegetable seedlings, prickly pear farming and processing, potatoes, mixed grain and livestock, and fresh produce marketing.
Musabeni told the judges that Vhegies earns about R5 million a year, aims for R10 million, and employs 30 permanent and about 100 seasonal workers. It has moved from local fresh produce markets to Shoprite and Checkers distribution centres, reaching about 235 stores, and also supplies Angola, Namibia, Malawi and Mozambique. Winter frost in Gauteng pushed her to grow on family land in Limpopo, where the warmer weather allows production through the Highveld winter, and she has invested in processing and packing.
She is now developing about 50 hectares in Midvaal for production and packing, which she estimates will need R5 million, including a refrigerated truck, since hiring one has become costly as volumes grew. After a visit in June she is pursuing baby marrow sales to Germany, and the company is working towards GLOBALG.A.P. and BRC certification. She named shade-net structures and tunnels as the next priority for consistent quality, because produce for Europe must meet strict specifications. The new land has two boreholes, and she has applied for water-use authorisation.
"The R100,000 will help me purchase essential inputs, including seeds, fertiliser, and irrigation equipment, to get production under way on our new farm," she said.
Photo: Schumi4ever (a field of baby marrows) / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Source: Farmers Weekly South Africa
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