Lady Frere Farmer Turns 50 Hectares Into Hemp Success Story

In the rolling hills of Bengu Village, Lady Frere, Eastern Cape, a 50-hectare field of hemp is more than a crop. For Sive Songo, founder of Bonani Entities, it’s proof that resilience can grow from rocky soil.

Her journey began in 2022 with research and a simple question about the future of sustainable agriculture in South Africa. She saw hemp not just as a plant, but as a pathway to jobs for young people and women in rural communities.

That vision led her to apply for a hemp cultivation permit and dive deep into compliance, markets, and industry networks.

The road has been tough. “One of the biggest challenges for small hemp farmers is access to funding, as hemp still has very limited funding opportunities,” Sive said.

The market is just as hard. Like many emerging farmers, she often has to accept what off-takers offer.

She currently has an offtake agreement with Medigrow, which gives her market access, but pricing and conditions remain a struggle for new players.

Access to quality seeds, irrigation systems, and farming equipment is another hurdle. Without mechanisation, Sive relies on hiring equipment when she can.

Processing facilities are also scarce in rural areas, making it expensive to benefit from the full value chain.

Last season, nature tested her too. A hailstorm tore through her crops, damaging plants and driving home the need for proper mitigation measures.

But through it all, she stayed committed.

“Despite these challenges, I remained committed to building something meaningful from the ground up,” she said.

Support from the Eastern Cape Rural Development Agency (ECRDA) helped her take the first steps, providing seed support and industry guidance.

Through that process, Sive also built connections with other farmers and stakeholders across the cannabis and hemp sector.

Today, Alberta Songo’s Farm in Bengu Village has 50 hectares approved for hemp cultivation.

It’s family land, and now it’s the foundation for Bonani Entities’ bigger dream: a fully integrated agro-processing business.

Sive wants to produce hemp-infused water using natural spring water from the farm, plus hemp tea and other value-added products.

“The goal is to keep the value here, create jobs here, and build wealth here,” she said.

What drives her is hemp’s versatility and sustainability.

It uses less water than many crops, grows fast, and feeds industries from food and cosmetics to textiles, construction, and health products. She combines this with indigenous knowledge, organic compost, natural pest repellents, and companion planting, to farm in a way that respects the land.

Beyond business, Sive’s mission is community empowerment. She believes agriculture can fight unemployment and poverty at the roots.

“As the business grows, I hope to create more opportunities for local youth through cultivation, harvesting, processing, and agro-processing initiatives,” she said.

She’s also calling for more black rural women to claim space in the industry.

“The sector is still developing in South Africa, and I see this as an opportunity for women like myself to take up space, innovate, and shape the future of sustainable agriculture.”

To young people watching from villages like hers, Sive’s words are clear:“Start where you are, continue learning, build networks, and believe in your vision even when resources are limited. Agriculture has the power to transform communities, and hemp farming is part of the greener future I believe in.”

From a hail-damaged field to 50 hectares of approved land, Sive Songo is showing Bengu Village and the Eastern Cape what’s possible when you plant hope and refuse to give up.