Women Urged to Lead the Fight Against Poverty
Tuesday, August 15, 2006
Women have been urged to take central stage in the fight against poverty in their communities.
Addressing the Limpopo Female Farmer Of The Year awards ceremony, Land and Agriculture Minister Lulama Xingwana said women needed to use agriculture to overcome hunger and unemployment.
“Women farmers have to contend with the social difficulties of life, deal with the challenge of food security and strike a balance between entrepreneurship and skill transfer.”
The awards ceremony was introduced seven years ago as an initiative to empower and reward women, who diligently used agriculture to address social challenges in their communities.
The event also takes place as part of Women’s Month celebrations in honour of those who marched to the Union Buildings in Pretoria 50 years ago in protest against pass laws.
Ms Xingwana said new techniques were constantly being developed to sharpen women’s skills and raise the standards of competitiveness.