NOLUVO MGIJIMA
THE Department of Agriculture in collaboration with the Umzimvubu Local Municipality and different private sector organisations held an awards ceremony for female farmers in the Alfred Nzo district at EmaXesibeni (Mount Ayliff) on Tuesday, July 22.
The theme for this year’s event was to encourage female farmers to participate in the agriculture industry.
The awards were initiated in 1999 as a vehicle to encourage and increase equal participation of women in the agricultural sector, celebrate women’s contribution to agriculture, job creation, economic growth and poverty alleviation. In her policy speech earlier this year, Eastern Cape Department of Agriculture MEC Nonceba Kontsiwe highlighted the contribution of the department to women led enterprises including mechanisation as one of the key drivers of agricultural productivity.
Seven women from different local municipalities under the district were awarded in different categories.
One of the farmers was Kabelo Puling, the CEO of Pula Nala Bataung, a company that grows soya beans and maize in Matatiele. She was awarded for the Best Commercial Producer and Best Overall Seller in the Alfred Nzo district and walked away with prize money worth R30 000. Puling was delighted with the award and thanked the government for contributing towards the support of women in the farming industry.
The mayor of the Umzimvubu Local Municipality Zukiswa Ndevu said that farming was the best tool to fight unemployment and poverty and develop the economy.
She also encouraged women, especially the youth, to participate in agriculture.
