Limpopo women rewarded for farming
The 2019 Female Entrepreneur of the Year ceremony was held at Dzanani Community Hall near Nzhelele earlier in August.
LIMPOPO – The Department of Agriculture and Rural Development in partnership with the Vhembe District Municipality celebrated Women’s Month by rewarding women for farming excellence.
The 2019 Female Entrepreneur of the Year ceremony was held at Dzanani Community Hall near Nzhelele earlier in August.
Participants vied for top honours in four categories: best female worker, best subsistence producer, top entrepreneur: smallholder, top entrepreneur: commercial producer and the overall winner.
The winner in the category of best female farmer was Azwinndini Gandini of Easy Farm (Thulamela), while Joyce Baloyi from Makhado was named best subsistence farmer.
Best commercial farmer was Shonisani Ndou from Musina, while Joyce Khodoga from Musina scooped the event’s top honours as overall winner.
Eunice Matukane from the Department of Agriculture said the ceremony was first held in 1999 to encourage and increase women participation in agriculture.
Matukane said the event involves local level municipalities, districts, and that of provincial level, and culminates with the National Female Farmer of the Year Awards taking place at the end of August.
Vhembe Mayor, Dowelani Nenguda said he had called upon the Vhembe community to build upon the achievements women continue to register in the agriculture sector.
“I would like commercial farmers to play a role in the emancipation of women in this sector. This is the time to come forward and pledge your support for our mothers and sisters. Today’s awards must also be used to sound an alarm to every household in the country where hunger may hold a grip, to heed the message of ‘one household, one food garden; one food garden, one household”, Nenguda said.
Khodoga said she was overjoyed at the recognition her hard work has earned her. She hopes to apply her prize to advance her business and create jobs.
