YOUNG FARMER OF THE YEAR WINNER 2025
We are proud to announce that Mr. Hendy-Hein Mathews is the winner of our 2025 Young Farmer of the Year competition. The announcement was made at a special ceremony held on Saturday evening, 5 June in White River after AgriMP’s annual congress. He was recognised for his outstanding achievements, innovation, and dedication to sustainable farming.
Mr Mathews is the livestock manager at Janvos Landgoed in Davel, Mpumalanga. He heads up the commercial sheep, commercial cattle, and Boran stud divisions on the farm, and plays a key role in the management team of the dairy division. He also believes in empowering everyone on his team to reach greater heights together by utilising each worker’s strengths.
By winning the provincial title, Mathews automatically qualifies to represent Mpumalanga in the national ToyotaSA/AgriSA Young Farmer of the Year competition. The national contest, taking place in October, will bring together top young farmers from across the country to compete for the prestigious title.
After receiving the award, Mathews expressed his gratitude, stating that it was an honour to be recognised among such dedicated peers. He emphasised that agriculture is not just his profession, but his passion. Looking ahead to the national competition, he said he is eager to represent Mpumalanga on a larger stage and remains committed to learning, growing, and contributing to the future of farming in South Africa.
Mathews believes that while many of the challenges faced by this generation are unique, farmers will overcome and continue to produce food, just as their forefathers did.
We are incredibly proud of Hendy-Hein’s achievement.
As Mathews said: “It’s not a job, it’s a pleasure!”
Photo credit: Susan Marais
