Song and dance were the order of the day when hundreds of women congregated to congratulate their fellow female farmer, Livhuwani Mulaudzi, after she was declared the top exporter in Vhembe.

The 36-year-old mother of three beat Ms Maria Wilson from Levubu at the Vhembe District Municipality Female Farmer of the Year Competition held on Tuesday, July 18, at the Musina Showgrounds. Mulaudzi and the other three women who took first positions are proceeding to the provincial competition that is going to take place in Bela Bela in Waterberg on 11 August 2006.

After winning the Musina Local Municipality’s competition on June 6, Mulaudzi has been hard at work ploughing, irrigating and selling tomatoes at her farm in Nwanedi. She started farming in 2004, by leasing two hectares from a veteran farmer, Mr Andries Mudau, who has retired. She has since extended her farm to 10 hectares.

With regard to finding markets, Mulaudzi said after her first harvest, she sold her products to local community members and markets located in Polokwane, Pretoria and Johannesburg. “Getting the 10 hectares has made me aim higher and eventually I managed to break into the international market. I currently export my crops to Mozambique, Botswana and Zimbabwe,” she said.

Urging other women to stop complaining about a lack of jobs, she said: “These days there are plenty of opportunities made available by the government to ensure that women are able to enter into any kind of business, including farming”.

Dedicated and successful female farmers Olga Ramagoma and Selinah Mulaudzi are some of the people who encouraged and motivated Mulaudzi to become a crop farmer. Mulaudzi said she has already started grooming her three children about farming. Her 13-year-old eldest son Avhurengwi is keen on farming, she said, adding that, like any experienced farmer, Avhurengwi is able to plough the fields with a tractor.

In the national market category, another farmer from Musina, Joyce Makungo, was the best, followed by Maria Sewela from Thulamela with Tshinakaho Ramarumo from Mutale taking third place.

Elelwani Matidze from Thulamela won the informal market category, followed by Tshinakaho Mutileni from Makhado, while third position went to Anna Rammbuda from Mutale.

Shudufhadzani Nevondo of Thulamela won the household category while Nyamukamadi Mudau of Mutale was second, followed by Vyeboom Community Garden in third position.