In an interview with Food For Mzansi, Agri Enterprises Rural Development Project coordinator Banelise Mhlangu and KwaZulu-Natal farmer Nokukhanya Cele from Imisebe Agri Services shared their inspiring stories, shedding light on the challenges faced by women in the farming industry.
Cele, a participant in the Women in Farming (WIF) programme spearheaded by Agri Enterprises in partnership with Momentum Metropolitan Foundation and AgriSETA, revealed her journey into agriculture began modestly. In 2019, she started a garden that not only provided food for her family and community but also ignited a business idea.
Recognising the potential, she joined the programme, which not only provided essential skills but also encouraged her to form a cooperative with fellow aspiring women farmers.
A collaborative success story
The Women in Farming programme, led by Mhlangu, is a community of 60 participants, each with a unique story and farming focus, whether it be crops, animals, or poultry. Mhlangu emphasised the importance of providing hands-on training and mentorship, enabling these women to transform their passion into sustainable businesses.
Another component of the programme is the provision of stipends from the AgriSETA, these stipends not only serve as a financial support tool but quickly they became an instrument that some of the farmers used to fund the transition to their new agri-businesses.
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The Women in Farming programme is a collaborative initiative that brings together various stakeholders to support and empower women in agriculture. The program involves several organizations and entities, including Agri Enterprises, AgriSETA, Momentum Metropolitan Foundation, International Agricultural Academy for Africa-I3A, and Umgibe.
Overall, the programme serves as an excellent example of how collaboration and partnerships can be a powerful driver for positive change, particularly in empowering women in the agricultural sector. It shows the potential for diverse organisations to work together towards a common goal and achieve outcomes that may not be attainable through isolated efforts.
Cultivating resilience, nurturing communities
Despite the challenges faced by women in the male-dominated agricultural sector, including lack of recognition and physical demands, Cele highlighted their determination to overcome these obstacles. With the support of the Agri SA-endorsed programme, she and her cooperative members learned vital business management skills, empowering them to navigate the complexities of entrepreneurship successfully.
The programme’s impact has been significant, with success stories like that of Nondumiso Ngubane and Pinky Mahaye who have not only become thriving farmers but also an inspiration to their respective communities.
Through educational training, financial aid, and mentorship support, these women have been able to reach more clients and unlock new markets in the world of agricultural training. Offering training services to community members, schools, and the province at large, they have managed to diversify their enterprises and establish stable streams of income.
Cele shared her cooperative’s success in marketing their produce. With an offtake agreement with a restaurant and growing demand from the community, their sales have soared, bringing economic empowerment to their members.
Looking ahead, she expressed their ambition to expand, diversify their offerings, and even venture into education to empower other small-scale farmers.
Shaping the future, one harvest at a time
Meanwhile, Mhlangu encouraged South Africans to support women farmers, recognising the untapped potential and determination behind every woman in agriculture. By investing in them, individuals are not only contributing to agriculture but also nurturing resilient communities and sustainable food systems.
To support these remarkable women and their agricultural endeavours, people are encouraged to visit their social media pages, witness the quality of their produce, or even pay a visit to their farms. Through collective efforts, the unstoppable spirit of these women is shaping a brighter future, one harvest at a time.
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