DAFF Female Entrepreneur Awards continue to empower women after 20 years in existence
In partnership with Total South Africa, the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries will host the 20th annual Female Entrepreneur Awards (DAFF FEA) on 29 August 2019 in Cape Town.
The awards continue to honour women entrepreneurs in the sector through this programme which recognises the efforts and contribution of women, young females and women living with disabilities for their contribution towards food security, poverty alleviation, job creation and economic growth in the sector. This year’s awards ceremony will reflect on the 20-year journey of the programme—highlighting its success, impact and challenges.
In the 20 years since inception of the programme, most of the women have shown improvement in accessing markets as they expand contracts with retailers such as Pick ‘n Pay, Woolworths, Shoprite, pharmacies; with others exporting their produce to improve their turnover and create employment. These exports include: Moringa to Swaziland, Botswana, Mozambique and Argentina; bananas and snakes to China; citrus to the Middle East, Europe and the United Kingdom. Others send their produce to many other international markets such as the United States and the Far East.
Through the programme, there has been a visible increase in employment creation of both seasonal and permanent workers on the entrepreneur’s farms. Their enterprises are prime examples of the strength of mentoring workers by exposing them to training; which helps them to venture into their own businesses.
The winners will be announced at a gala dinner in the following categories: Best Female Worker, Best Subsistence Producer, Top Entrepreneur: Smallholder, Top Entrepreneur: Processing, Top Entrepreneur: Commercial, Top Entrepreneur: Export Markets and two Ministerial Awards for young female entrepreneurs living with disabilities in the sector.
This year’s theme is: “Celebrating two decades of women’s victory in agriculture, forestry and fisheries”.
Details of the ceremony:
Date: Thursday, 29 August 2019
Time: 17:30 for 18:00
Venue: Grand West Casino, Cape Town, Western Cape
Dress code: Formal or traditional
Please RSVP for accreditation and entrance to the venue by Friday, 23 August 2019 to
Piwe Mbiko
Cell: 072 937 2337
E-mail: PiweM@daff.gov.za
Jamela Nkayane
Cell: 066 084 6355
E-mail: JamelaN@daff.gov.za
Enquiries:
Reggie Ngcobo
E-mail: reggie.ngcobo@gmail.com
Cell: 082 883 2458
