Corteva Agriscience’s SoilSistas programme, in partnership with the Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS), continues to transform the landscape for women farmers in South Africa. This year, 50 graduates step confidently forward, ready to transform their communities by applying the skills they have gained to improve food security and create jobs.
Born from a survey identifying the barriers rural women face, the 12-month initiative provides training, mentorship, and a supportive network to help women unlock their full agricultural potential.
After graduating from the programme at Bolivia Lodge in Polokwane, SoilSista Dora Masehela from Moletši Ga-Maleka a Kotama in Limpopo, said the programme empowers women by enhancing their financial knowledge, confidence, and access to funding.
Masehela, who previously had only a backyard garden before joining the programme, described the learning experience as a powerful blend of classroom study and practical fieldwork. The hands-on activities equipped women with entrepreneurial, business, and leadership skills to manage and sustain profitable farms.
She now plans to cultivate beetroot, green peppers, and is waiting for rain to plant maize using Spring seeds. Masehela is also in the process of obtaining the necessary paperwork to register as a sole proprietor, which will enable her to secure farming land from the headmen.
She highlighted that the curriculum comprehensively covered sustainable farming practices, financial literacy, business management, branding, and marketing strategies.
Transforming lives through education and support
Reflecting on the impact, Masehela noted, “The programme significantly helped me… I got empowered, and it also helped women overcome barriers such as limited financial knowledge and lack of access to funding to upscale our businesses.
“It gave us confidence in doing what we do, so that we can sustain what we do [farming] because if you are not confident enough, you won’t last.”
A strong peer network has played a key role in sharing knowledge that supports rural growth and food security. Before graduating, Masehela attended workshops that taught her the value of working together, a lesson she is eager to bring back to her community.
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“In order to sustain our businesses, we have to form some sort of group so that we can combine our crops and sell it on a large scale to the market. In that way, we are winning as a community, not just one person.”
Looking ahead, Masehela ’s ambition is clear: “My plan is to run a profitable but sustainable farming enterprise involved in community projects and help other emerging farmers.”
Helping women thrive in agriculture
She expresses gratitude for the opportunity, saying, “It was a great opportunity that unlocked my potential to be a farmer; not just a backyard farmer, but to think big. We now have the knowledge to do more and to protect our crops effectively.
“They [Corteva and GIBS] provided us with the necessary skills and recognition that allowed us to thrive both as farmers and business leaders. I would like to thank them for this opportunity.”
She describes it as a well-established programme that started just six years ago but feels like it has been running for sixteen.
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