The minister of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development Ms Thoko Didiza will on Friday 07 October 2022 hold a Symposium and Exhibition for Women in Agriculture and Agro-processing, Africa Free Trade Agreement: Market Access in Birchwood, Boksburg. 

 

Minister Didiza will also officiate and deliver the keynote address during this engagement. Additionally, the Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development in collaboration with Total Energies will host a Gala Dinner in recognition of the women farmers with disabilities and those involved in agriculture and Agro –processing. 

This is in light of the recently signed Agriculture and Agro – Processing Master Plan.  The purpose of the Minster’s engagement is to increase active participation of women in agriculture, Agro-processing and agribusinesses for the sustainable social and economic wellbeing of households. 

 

The Symposium and Exhibition will take place under the theme:  Women’s socio-economic rights and empowerment: Building back better for women’s resilience. 

Women’s participation in agriculture, land reform and rural development is generally unequal to that of men in many ways such as access to land, commercial farming, finance, technology, training, infrastructure, water, production inputs, extension support, markets, etc.  African women tend to be at the bottom of the socio-economic ladder because of these obstacles.