By this time of the year, I feel like I can jump the month of July straight to August because this is the month when woman are given the platform to celebrate their contributions.
As a young woman working in the agricultural department, I can't wait to see women contesting for the prestigious Gauteng Female Farmer of the Year. I am sure MEC Nandi Mayathula-Khoza feels the same way as it will be her first time to interact with these amazing female farmers.
Every woman in agriculture feels the same at the moment and can agree with me that these awards are the most exciting and vibrant in the country. The Female Farmer awards are an instrument through which the contributions of women in the fight against poverty, hunger and joblessness can be recognised. We need to give praise to these mothers and sisters because we know that, come rain or shine, food will be on the table at the end of the day.
The awards are open for the following categories:
- Top produce for export markets
- National markets
- Informal markets
- Household consumption-backyard gardens
- Consumption-communal gardens.
The adjudication process is very strict and the MEC must approve the composition of the judges. It is followed by lengthy site tours to augment the adjudication process. The judging panel includes all main stakeholders such as sponsors and representatives of Women in Agriculture and Rural Development (WARD) and Youth in Agriculture and Rural Development (YARD).
Profiling all the contestants is in progress and the videos will be flighted during the ceremony. The requirements for the competition is to own the enterprise. In the case of groups, the project or projects must be owned and managed by at least 90percent females.
Organisers of the competition should ensure that all the details of the winners are verified to ensure the smooth processing of payments, especially the banking details. The provinces have a right to identify and award an overall winner on the day of the event. The prize money will not form part of the prize money allocated by the Department of Agriculture for the national competition.
The Female Farmer of the Year awards ceremony will be held on:
Date: 14 August 2009
Venue: Centurion, Thaba Tshwane.
Closing date for the provincial competition has already passed. The closing date for submission of the top five winning entries to the national Department of Agriculture is 19 August 2009.
The national Female Farmer of the Year Awards will take place on Saturday, 9 August 2009 in the Free State.
Entries have to be sent to:
Director: Agricultural Information Services
Block UA, Ground floor, Room 4, 20 Beatrix Street, Arcadia, Pretoria, 0001
Issued by: Department of Agriculture, Gauteng Provincial Government
29 July 2009
Source: Department of Agriculture, Gauteng Provincial Government (http://www.gdace.gpg.gov.za/)
