How Khaya Burwana Built AgriKey Farming Into a Multi-Income Agribusiness

How Khaya Burwana Built AgriKey Farming Into a Multi-Income Agribusiness. Khaya Burwana started his journey quite differently. Armed with a Master’s degree in IT, he transitioned to farming in 2019 when he launched AgriKey Farming with just 100 chickens in Mfuleni, Cape Town. That bold pivot from technology to agriculture marked the beginning of a journey rooted in passion and purpose.

Building Local Trust through Poultry

At first Khaya focused on broilers and egg production. He supplied informal traders in his neighbourhood with fresh poultry, using bulk discounts and on‑demand delivery as tools to win business. His team initially comprised four staff managing growing operations.

Expanding into Crop Farming and Livestock Diversity

By early 2024 AgriKey had grown well beyond chickens. Today the farm includes organic vegetable crops and a piggery with over 300 pigs. Khaya began innovative community collaborations, building vertical hydroponic structures in partnership with schools. Forty percent of the harvests went to feeding schemes, empowering youth through hands‑on agriculture education.

Winning Recognition and Support

In 2023 Khaya was named Poultry Farmer of the Year and received the Nature Friendly Farmer Award. In 2024 he was selected for Woolworths South Africa’s Youth Makers programme, receiving R130,000 in business development support and access to Woolworths’ retail network. He also earned a spot in the City of Cape Town’s EPWP Entrepreneurship Training Programme. These accolades cemented his growing credibility.

Learning Business Through Mentorship and Training

Participation in EPWP and the Youth Makers programme were pivotal. Khaya gained training in financial management, marketing, operations and leadership from experts. That support helped him professionalise AgriKey Farming from a backyard operation into a scalable enterprise.

Marketing Through Vision and Social Media

Rather than traditional billboards, Khaya used social media as his platform. Under the name AgriKey Farming he shared his farm’s vision and daily operation on Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram. Transparent storytelling about his produce, community gardens, and local food solutions resonated, especially with informal traders hungry for fresh local supply.

Innovating with Community Impact

One of AgriKey’s distinct strengths is its partnership with five local schools. Khaya spearheaded the installation of vertical farming structures and gardening programmes. Students learn food production skills while schools receive a portion of vegetables to support feeding schemes. The whole model speaks to sustainable agriculture intertwined with social upliftment.

Scaling with Regional Ambition

Khaya’s vision extends beyond Cape Town’s perimeter. He has opened five community braai‑meat stalls and plans to build a compliant abattoir to supply retailers locally. He also sees potential in processing, packaging and distributing across South Africa and even expanding to other parts of the continent.

Lessons Every Entrepreneur Can Apply

• Pivot with passion: Khaya chose farming despite an IT background because he saw opportunity and had experience nurturing livestock early in life.
• Start lean, prove fast: He launched with 100 chickens, tested local demand, and expanded only when the model worked.
• Market with authenticity: Khaya’s farm story and fresh produce shared on social platforms became his most powerful marketing tool.
• Leverage learning ecosystems: Government and corporate training programmes grounded his informal business in formal strategy, financial planning and operations.
• Give while you grow: Educating schools and feeding communities positioned AgriKey as purpose‑driven, not just profit‑focused.
• Scale methodically: Poultry, crops, piggery, community stalls, school gardens, each expansion built on proven capacity and aligned with AgriKey’s mission.

Why AgriKey Stands Out

Khaya Burwana’s journey demonstrates how ambition and rooted purpose can transform small ventures into community‑trusted enterprises. From Mfuleni starter farm to multi-product mixed farm, his brand fuses agricultural enterprise with education and food security.

AgriKey Farming is a blueprint for agripreneurs who start with small capital and big dreams, proving that visibility + community impact + continuous learning = scalable growth. Khaya’s story teaches us that you don’t need external affirmations to succeed, just clarity in mission, reliability in delivery, and commitment to uplift others. With that engine, even a township farm can shape food systems and futures.