ROLE PLAYED BY WOMEN IN AGRICULTURE AND AGRO PROCESSING RECOGNISED
Zanele Matikinca, an ardent business woman from Mthatha, proved passion and dedication is rewarding when she became the overall winner of the awards after she initially clinched the first prize in the best commercial farming category. Matikinca said when she was “written off” from working hard after an operation due to spinal cord challenges in 2010, she ventured into agriculture value addition in 2012. She started by buying vegetables from local farmers, chopping and packaging them for the markets. Her business venture has not only yielded great returns from herself but other people as she has 20 people under her employ. Matikinca sells her vegetables to Spar Supermarkets in Mthatha as well as restaurants and local catering companies. “In 2010, I had problem with my spinal cord and I had to do an operation, as a result of that I was written off from working hard. I used to do catering services where I identified the market of cutting vegetables hence my business to chop and supply vegetables is booming,” Matikinca said. She praised the government for its support after she received a truck and bakkie to deliver the vegetables as well as a processing machine and a big refrigerator. “I used to deliver my products with a vehicle that did not meet food safety standards and as such, I was always chased away by food retail stores. I also had a small fridge that could not meet the demands of my clients,” she added. Now thanks to government intervention, Matikinca is able to meet the standards required by food retailers and is running a thriving business. Matikinca who won R30 000 in total. Another winner, Philasande Mahlakatha who is processing indigenous plants to produce essential oil with which she does cosmetic products said she started the “not very popular amongsts African people” business in 2019. “I started small without any assistance but this is what I wanted to do despite the fact that I did not understand it. I did research and my passion for it grew”, said Mahlakatha.
She added that lack of capital and interest did not deter her from pursuing her business. Mahlakatha who won the first prize in the agro-processing category was assisted by the national Department of Agriculture with a processing machine, packaging equipment and “full package” to brand her products. She said she was elated to have won as she was not expecting to win. She walked away with R15 000. Another winner from the district who will join Mahlakatha and Matikinca when they compete with other districts in the provincial event scheduled to take place in August was Gugulethu Qukula who won the first prize in the smallholder farming category with a R15 000 prize.
FORMER MINEWORKER’S AGRI-ENTERPRISE CROWNED TOP SMALLHOLDER AT WOMEN ENTREPRENEUR AWARDS
Issued by DoA Communications
THE Eastern Cape Department of Agriculture today celebrated the outstanding achievements of female entrepreneurs in the agricultural and agro-processing sectors in the Chris Hani District. Among the winners, PUFESO Agri-enterprise, co-founded by Phumza Sambatha from Xhibeni location in Ngcobo, emerged as the Top Entrepreneur Smallholder Farming.
Sambatha’s inspiring journey into agriculture began after a significant career shift. “I am a former mine worker and after losing my work, I decided to partner with another woman to establish an agriculture business venture where we started with poultry production and later in 2023, we expanded to vegetable production,” shared Sambatha.
Her venture into PUFESO Agri-enterprise was driven by a commitment to ensure food security for their families, with excess produce sold for income generation. Sambatha strongly advocates for women’s participation in the sector. “Women should start farming; there is money in farming – it is a rewarding business. It very essential because we can feed our families and create job opportunities,” she emphasized.
PUFESO Agri-enterprise has successfully cultivated a vast market, reaching from local sales in Ngcobo to major retail shops including Boxer and Spar, as well as the renowned 50/50 restaurant. Their market extends to Mthatha, where they supply most of the Spar retailers. The enterprise currently employs 10 permanent workers and frequently hires casual workers, including two disabled people, demonstrating a commitment to “inclusive employment” said Sambatha.
She attributed their success and newfound knowledge to crucial support from the Department of Agriculture. She highlighted “the frequent visits by the department officials to show them how things should be done as well as the placement of unemployed graduates with vast knowledge by the department has made us winners and knowledgeable.”
Furthermore, the department’s assistance with 500 chicks in May was pivotal, enabling them to sustain and grow their operations. Expressing her joy at the recognition, Sambatha remarked, “As a winner, I was overjoyed and even more joyful when we were announced as the overall winner because I did not expect that. I never expected that the work I am doing is so enormous that it can get such recognition. I am very happy”.
She said the winnings would be used to pay employees and to buy production inputs. PUFESO Agri-Enterprise proudly walked away with a combined prize of R30,000. The awards also recognized other outstanding female agri-entrepreneurs in the district: Mandlovu Ginger, founded by 34-year-old Phuthikazi Swaphi from Komani, won R15,000 for being the Top Entrepreneur in Agro-Processing. Swaphi, who started her enterprise in September 2022 after struggling to find employment in 2021, registered Titchi Holdings and later established Mandlovu Ginger Brand to produce and sell ginger beer. She currently has a strong market with Lukhanji Spar and Mabhovula stores in Komani, regular customers in Lukhanji Local Municipality, small shops in Komani and also caters for corporate and cultural events.The Top Entrepreneur Commercial Farming enterprise, Qwebe-Qwebe, won R15,000. Siyokhana Vegetable Project secured R10,000 as the 1st Runner-Up in the Small Holder Farming category.
WOMEN LED AGRICULTURAL ENTERPRISE WINS TOP HONOURS IN ALFRED NZO Pula Nala, a 100% African women-owned and youth-majority-owned agricultural enterprise, has been recognized with a prestigious award at the Eastern Cape Department of Agriculture (DoA) Women Entrepreneur Awards in the Alfred Nzo District. The Awards, were incepted in 1999 as a vehicle to encourage and increase equal participation of women in the agricultural sector, celebrate women’s contribution to agriculture, job creation, economic growth and poverty alleviation. In her policy speech earlier this year, DoA MEC Nonceba Kontsiwe highlighted the contribution of the department to women led enterprises including mechanisation, one of the key drivers of agricultural productivity.
Marking Provincial Youth Month, Premier Mabuyane and MEC Kontsiwe officially handed over 6 tractors to emerging young farmers, enhancing their capacity to boost agricultural productivity and contribute to provincial food security. This initiative underscores the government’s commitment to empowering youth in agriculture and fostering sustainable economic growth.
The Deputy Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment Bernice Swarts recently led the Eastern Cape Small-Scale Fisheries Summit in Mthatha, OR Tambo District. This summit focused on strengthening cooperatives, addressing sector challenges and empowering communities through oceans economy. The event brought together fishers, funders and government departments to find practical solutions for the small-scale fisheries.
