Out of the four female farmer projects which represented the North West province during the National Female Farmer of the Year competition held this past weekend in Free State, two were nominated as top producers in different categories.
Ms Ntesang Mogotsi of Malle Fresh Produce of Bojanala Platinum District who won the Top Producer for Household Use: Backyard Garden at Provincial level and Ferenani Food Plot a youth co-operative in the Dr Kenneth Kaunda district which won the Top Producer Household Use - Communal Gardens also at provincial level, were nominated together with other projects from different provinces, as the top three producers in the categories they entered for.
MEC for North West Department of Agriculture, Conservation, Environment and Rural Development, Boitumelo Tshwene says even though the two projects were not declared winners in their respective categories, their nomination to the national top three validates how valuable and noticeable their contribution is, in food production.
"It is indeed an honour for the department and the entire province to have female farmers who continue to uphold the objectives of the Food Security programme to the extent that their efforts are nationally recognised. The national event is the level where this competition becomes tougher, and these farmers have shown the country that they have what it takes to compete with other farmers in their course for production of quality vegetables," expressed MEC Tshwene.
Ms Ntesang Mogotsi grows her vegetables on a half hectare plot in a family backyard in Mabitse village near Rustenburg and sells her produce to a renowned supermarket in Tlhabane.
Youths of Ferenani Food Plot produce vegetables such as tomatoes, green pepper, spinach, beetroot, cabbage and onion on 1,5 hectares of land and their regular clients are street vendors and the local community.
"We congratulate all farmers who made it to the national competition and I further commit my department to actively support and encourage all female farmers in their various agricultural activities," said MEC Tshwene.
