As part of the women’s month celebrations, a rural female farmer, Ms Mercy Rambuda, won the Musina Female Farmer of the Year award at an event that was held Malale Community Hall on Friday.

Rambuda went home with a recognition certificate and R4 000. She is a well-known tomato farmer, who exports her products to neighbouring countries like Zimbabwe, Mozambique and Botswana. The event was organised by the Limpopo Department of Agriculture.

The Female Farmer of the Year competition was started by the government in 1999 to recognise and increase the visibility of women farmers and to pay permanent tribute to the women of South Africa.

Speaking during the event, the Chief Whip of Musina Municipality, Cllr Simon Madamalala, said the event marked a very important occurrence on the calendar of the agricultural sector and it is important to celebrate the success and achievement of female farmers in Musina. He said the Female Farmer of the Year Competition was an instrument through which women's contribution to the fight against poverty was being recognised and encouraged. “This competition acknowledges women as the lifeline of society and the custodians of household food security, whose role is critical in improving the quality and quantity of agricultural products through improved delivery, innovation and excellence.”

He added that the Female Farmer of the Year project strived to build a truly united non-racial, non-sexist and prosperous South Africa. “We are happy because this programme complements other government initiatives to fight poverty, create jobs and build an economy that benefits all our people. Combined with other agricultural initiatives, the Female Farmer of the Year project has the potential to reverse the current status of women in the country's agricultural sector and in society at large and to eradicate poverty and to stimulate further economic development in our quest for equality and prosperity.”

He said Musina Municipality’s strategic goals, for the current term of office, entailed increasing agricultural productivity on arable land in the municipal area. “This will be achieved through a programme of intensive group and individual extension support services, focusing primarily on land-reform beneficiaries and on transfer of skills from established commercial farmers. We are aware of the critical need to unlink women's empowerment to the narrow feminist agenda that seeks to benefit only a few. This suggests that we need to explore other tools at our disposal together to ensure that the agricultural sector does benefit the women of Musina, while simultaneously enhancing the lives of all our people."

After winning the prestigious award, Rambuda said she was humbled to note that her good work was being recognised by the government. “Winning this competition was just a bonus. I would also like to encourage other women, especially those who are unemployed, to take farming seriously. I have no doubt that I will represent Musina women well at district competitions that will be held later this month.”

Other winners for different categories during the event are Mesdames Sarah Phaswana (subsistence farmer), Rosinah Nevhutalu (smallholder), Muofhe Mulaudzi (commercial) and Joyce Mukona (processor).