Eswatini Daily News
By: Nomzamo Jiyane
26 November 2021
The Woman Farmer Foundation yesterday announced the winners of the Woman Farmer of the Year competition during a presentation event held at Rider’s Ranch at Sidvokodvo.
According to Sanele Mtsetfwa of the Woman Farmer Foundation this year’s competition targeted 50 farmers competitors per region and a total of 157 farmers joined the competition countrywide. Worth noting is that the number of young people participating in the Women Farmer of the year competition is increasing with a total of 41 farmers who joined.
Zintombi Dlamini- Sikhondze, a nursery Farmer from Siphofaneni and Vuyisile Lauretta Bhembe- Mwelase, a nursery, piggery, poultry and vegetable Farmer from Nkhaba have been crowned the 2021 Adult Woman Farmer of the Year and Young Farmer of the Year respectively. Dlamini-Sikhondze took home prizes worth E145 997 while Bhembe-Mwelase took home prizes worth E74739.
Speaking during the event Minister of Agriculture Jabulani Mabuza said, “I urge all farmers to ensure they follow the recommended Agronomic practices to increasing crop yield such as proper variety selection, limiting where required, application of adequate fertilizer, timely weeding and spraying. Let us increase our productivity in crops like maize and beans which are our stable food”.
The Woman Farmer Foundation worked in collaboration with different stakeholders and parastatals in the competition namely the Ministry of Agriculture, NAMBOARD, DAIRY BOARD,NEDBANK and World Vision.
The Woman Farmer of the Year competition started in 2017 and is an initiative of businesswoman Sonia Paiva, who also launched a Woman Farmer Foundation in 2014.
