The Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (DAFF), in partnership with Total South Africa hosted the annual Female Entrepreneur of the Year Awards at a gala dinner in Kimberley yesterday, 23 March 2012.
In her congratulatory remarks Ms Tina Joemat-Pettersson, Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries said “our aim is to create female entrepreneurs who have access to markets, we need women to plant food for the nation”. She further emphasised the need for the department to support the participation of women in the awards by increasing awareness about the competition and the role of women in agriculture.
In her address to the nominees, the General Manager of Sales and Marketing at Total South Africa Ms Qetello Zeka said “we are proud of women involved in agriculture who work tirelessly”. She congratulated all the women that entered the competition and added that she hopes the participation of Total South Africa in the awards will contribute to the economic growth of the country.
This competition started at a provincial level where all nine provincial Departments of Agriculture participated in different categories which started in the provinces in 2011.
It was conceptualised to encourage and increase the participation of women, youth and people with disabilities in the sector. In line with the government’s Programme of Action as it seeks to contribute in the following priorities – mainstreaming of women, youth and people with disabilities in the sector through food security, job creation, economic growth and poverty alleviation.
The awards categories and winners are:
- Best Female Worker in the Sector and the winner is Sithembile Buthelezi from KwaZulu-Natal
- Best Subsistence Producer in the Sector and the winner is Margareth Mabasa from Limpopo
- Top Entrepreneur in the Sector: Smallholder and the winner is Elizabeth Magdalena Smit from Mpumalanga
- Top Entrepreneur Processing in the Sector and the winner is Zuleika Karoda from Gauteng
- Top Female Entrepreneur in the Sector: Commercial and the winner is Jacky Goliath from Western Cape
- Top Entrepreneur in the Sector: Export Markets and the winner is Pamela Margaret Fyvie from Free State
The 2011/12 Overall Winner of these categories went to Pamela Margaret Fyvie from Free State. The reigning farmer will be in this position up until August 2013 when the new overall winner will be announced.
For more information please contact:
Steve Galane
Director: Communication Services
Cell: 083 635 7346
E-mail: SteveGAL@daff.gov.za
