…As Woman Farmer of the Year Competition turns 16
BY KWANELE TSABEDZE
SIDVOKODVO – “I urge Government to trust and invest in Woman Farmers so that we import less, and spend the E1 billion we spend on imports on these women”.
These were the words of the Manzini Regional Administrator, Chief Gija, when welcoming guests and contestants for the 2023 Woman Farmer of the Year Awards at the Riders Ranch at Sidvokodvo today.
The RA was directing his words primarily to the new Minister of Agriculture today, advising him to further invest in the agricultural productivity of local farmers, especially woman farmers. He further made an example of the United States of America, citing that as advanced as the nation is in all aspects, the economy is still heavily reliant on Agriculture.
The RA’s sentiments were echoed by Mathandzima Silombo who was speaking on behalf of the panel of judges for the competition.
“We urge you to diversify your farming operations, such that if you are growing vegetables, you should consider rearing animals and fruits among other means to diversify”, said Silombo encouraging the farmers to gain more market share.
The judging panel included representatives of different Agricultural associations like NAMBOARD, Eswatini Dairy Board, the National Maize Corporation (NMC), and the World Vision, among other stakeholders of the WFF.
The Woman Farmer Foundation was established in 2010 to empower and develop rural youth and women farmers from subsistence to intermediate and commercial level. The 2023 Woman Farmer of the Year Awards mark the 16th year of the awards, which aim to recognise and further empower the best performing youth and women farmers in the year.
The winners will today walk away with a variety of farming inputs, including seeds, fertiliser, pesticides and spraying cans, beekeeping boxes, as well as water tanks, to name just a few.
Also expected to deliver congratulatory remarks to the contestants is WFF Director Sonia Paiva, the Principal Secretary in the Ministry of Agriculture Sydney Simelane, as well as the newly appointed Minister of Agriculture Mandla Tshawuke.
