“Energy farmer”, wins R100 000 funding for project

Thabang Mabapa was announced the winner of the “business pitch challenge” at an event held in Mamelodi, Pretoria, over the weekend. His Limpopo-based project,  Selokong Sa Dimelana, involves engaging local small-scale farmers to grow castor seed crops. This is used for the commercial production of an alternative biofuel. Mabapa (pictured below) considers himself more “an energy farmer than a chemical engineer”. 

Thabang Mabapa who initiated a biofuel project in Limpopo

Mabapa says the castor seed crop takes three months to grow and requires little water. A hectare yields around 1.8 tons of castor beans. He explains the process and vision of the project in a 3-minute YouTube clip here.

The annual competition is a collaboration between Red Bull Amaphiko Academy and the Old Mutual Foundation.

• The Red Bull Amaphiko Academy offers “a powerful launch pad for grassroots social entrepreneurs who are making a positive difference in their community”.
• The Old Mutual Foundation invested over R25-million in community projects last year.