To celebrate the strides made by women in agriculture, forestry and fisheries sectors during Women’s Month, the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (DAFF) announced the top female farmers at a prestigious ceremony held in Eastern Cape last night.

The DAFF Female Entrepreneur Awards, which are in their 19th year, continue to pay tribute to the efforts and contribution by women, young females and women with disabilities for the roles they play towards ensuring food security, poverty alleviation, job creation and economic growth in the sector. The annual awards are held in partnership with Total South Africa.

In her address at the gala dinner, Ms Tshilidzi Ramauedzisi, Innovation and Corporate Affairs Manager at Total South Africa said that one of Total’s core values is to have a pioneering spirit, and all the women who had made it to the finalist stage were exemplary of this core value. She further indicated that much like Mama Albertinah Sisulu, the female entrepreneurs were fighting a struggle – this struggle is against unemployment and a weakening economy.

During his key note address Minister Senzeni Zokwana said that this programme through CASP grant fund is now going to be increasingly oriented towards capacity building, mentorships and hand-holding exercise for women enterprises. “This is more important in the context of the current land reform review process which will result in expropriation of land without compensation for which women must be major beneficiaries,” he added.