Phetole Raseropo
Nominee's Province:
Gauteng
Age:
34
Project Name/Description:
A setback has been the ultimate comeback for this enterprising young botanist. In 2018, Phetole Raseropo closed a fledgling farming business, and today he has been recognised for having the top garden in Gauteng by retail giant Shoprite. Phetole is the founder of P Agricultural Group, a seedling and urban farming enterprise that employs 55 people and has found a niche by incorporating the community into his operation. With a degree in microbiology and botany from the University of Fort Hare, Phetole shares his knowledge with community farmers to overcome challenges like picking the correct cultivars and growing for market. The company has repurposed a school in the area that had been abandoned for 20 years and literally breathed new life into the once-abandoned plot. The Tladi resident credits Inmed, a non-profit organisation that teaches sustainable agriculture practices for giving him the support to get P Agricultural Group off the ground. “They did a lot to assist me, and today I manage two sites, which employ 55 people,” he says. “We are also recognised as the top garden in Gauteng and the third in the country by Shoprite.” The business focuses on fast-growing, high-yield crops like spinach and cabbage.
