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Today's event marks a very important occurrence in the calendar of the Agricultural Sector as we gather to celebrate the success and achievement of female farmers in the province.

Back in 1999, government deemed it appropriate that we recognise and increase the visibility of our women farmers and to pay permanent tribute to the women. This was done through starting a female farmer development programme leading to what we now have, taking place for the third year in succession, the female farmer of the year competition.

The theme for this year's competition is "FIGHT HUNGER TO REDUCE POVERTY"

It is important to indicate that this theme is indeed very central to the policies and development programmes of our government. These are among other policies like:

* Women/gender empowerment;
* Integrated Sustainable Rural Development; and
* Poverty Alleviation Programme.

When this initiative was conceived, it was meant to accommodate three distinct categories, viz. top food exporter, top food producer for national markets and top food producer for household use. This is still the case to date.

The household food-security programme is extremely important, as it is a programme through which we can mainly feed the poorest of the poor, particularly those who live in rural areas.

Nevertheless, without downplaying the importance of household food-security, as a province and indeed as a nation, we need to graduate from household food-security oriented production into sustainable commercial agriculture where our female farmers will aggressively take advantage of the bilateral and multi-lateral trade protocols and produce competitively for the export market. This need for graduation for production for the few households to being commercial farmers, poses serious challenges.

The past political dispensation has left a legacy of marginalised and disempowered women. This is now history.

Our democratic government has identified key policy areas to unlock the potential of our people in particular women as part of the previously disadvantaged group and set this country on a sustainable growth and development path.

I strongly believe that we will need vigorous implementation of our gender development policies in order to break the monopoly position of our male counterparts.

This, amongst others, should entail having a re-look at appropriate programmes like mentoring, financing and a few others in order to ensure that the rural agricultural economy bolsters the emergence of a powerful cadre of a black and white female farmer and that they also draw on policy benefits at their disposal.

In order to end the marginalisation and disempowerment of our people, particularly women, need-based training and capacity programmes must continue to be developed and implemented.

This is aimed at eradicating the high levels of illiteracy, improving and investing in the human capital within our communities.

Huge backlogs in agricultural and other infrastructure continue to impose severe constraints on the growth and development potential of rural agricultural economies.

Through integrated development approach, like-minded state departments in partnership with private sector will embark on provision of basic infrastructure to address these problems.

Rural agriculture as the mainstay of rural economy stands to benefit from economic spin-offs emanating from these interventions.

The Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Environment will have to identify a dedicated co-ordinator in Women Development at a provincial level. This will ensure that the necessary institutional capacity is built and other support measures are in place so that the important role the women farmers can play in agricultural and rural development is taken beyond rhetoric.

Through this institutional capacity created, will be able to interrogate and contextualise development impact and contribution by women. Conditions necessary for success of those that contribute to failure, role of the state in supporting current effort by women and other related policy measures could be easily evaluated and improved on if we have this suggested coordination.

Today's event is a serious attempt on the part of government to encourage women to become active participants in the building of particularly the rural economy. These efforts constitute an integral part of the Integrated and Sustainable Rural Development Strategy (ISRDS) aimed at radical improvement of the lives of poor people residing in rural areas.

This initiative should be seen as part of a broader programme aimed at facilitating assumption by our women of their rightful place within the economic mainstream.

Beyond the objective of the emancipation of women, is the desire to eradicate poverty and underdevelopment that continue to afflict millions of rural inhabitants. To this end, government has identified as one of its policy thrusts the Land Redistribution for Agricultural development (LRAD) programme.

Through this initiative, government wishes to establish previously disadvantaged commercial farmers by broadening access to agricultural land and other farmer support services. Women and youth are some of the designated potential beneficiaries of the LRAD programme.

As beneficiaries of the LRAD and other government programmes, it is critically important for women to diversify their agricultural activities into downstream processing.

Venturing into value-adding activities will, besides reducing risk, substantially improve levels of profitability.

In conclusion, I wish to share my thoughts with all those involved in the organisation of this event on how we can build on our success and improve on shortcomings:

1. We need to strengthen and consolidate the support from our colleagues from the media fraternity. Aggressive marketing of such an event and its objectives will ensure widespread interest and participation from potential competitors. This will also have added effects of creating healthy competition among prospective female farmer contestants. When this happens, everybody gains including our valuable sponsors of this year's annual event.

2. During the development phase of our projects and eve leading to this competition, we need to share information, assist one another and strive for unity in what we do.

3. A dedicated budget and or provincial sponsorship to cater for all activities related to this event will have to be found.

I take this opportunity to congratulate the winners and all those who participated in this year's Female Farmer of the Year. I wish the winners all the luck in the second leg of this competition which is going to take place at a national level.

I thank you.

Issued by: Office of the MEC for Agriculture, Conservation and Environment, North West, 26 September 2001