Women are making a dent in the fight against poverty through farming says KwaZulu-Natal MEC for Agriculture and Rural Development, Bongiwe Sithole-Moloi.
Sithole-Moloi made the remarks at the launch of a black female owned feedlot farm in Franklin, near Kokstad, on Friday.
The MEC said the launch of Tsar Beef Farm which is 100% black women-owned, affirms the fact that women have the power to change their situations.
Lindokuhle Ngubane took over the farm in 2015 and started farming with just few livestock and one employee.
Five years later, the farm boasts 120 cows, eight bulls, 60 sheep, 100 weaners and seven fulltime employees.
This was made possible by the investment of R4 000 000 from the Agribusiness Development Agency (ADA) and the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development’s (DARD) technical and veterinary support, which ensured the sustainability of 1 700 hectares of land with timber, grazing and grain production, as initial activities.
Sithole-Moloi said the rise of passionate young black women like Ngubane, deepens the clarion call for land to be allocated to women, as a matter of urgency.
“Women of Ngubane’s fortitude are an undeniable evidence that women deserve to be allocated land as a solution for a transformed agricultural sector and poverty free province,” said the MEC.
Friday’s event is part of a series of women-owned agricultural projects to be showcased this Women’s Month. – SAnews.gov.za
