The Graça Machel Trust team recently visited Mthatha, Eastern Cape, South Africa, to host a two-day capacity-building workshop for women-owned small, medium and micro enterprises (SMMEs). The workshop provided the space for an enhanced understanding of land ownership and essential skills in financial literacy and business planning.
Since 2021, the Trust has offered technical support to the Fair for All project, which focuses on establishing equitable and beneficial value chains, particularly for women in the agricultural sector. Implemented in collaboration with the Oxfam South Africa Consortium and the National African Federated Chamber of Commerce (NAFCOC), the project supports the women who constitute 60% of Africa's economically active population in agriculture.
The workshop provided a platform for women in agribusiness, from small to micro-sized enterprises, to address the challenge of land access and explore new opportunities. Notably, women leaders from Pondoland pledged to assist the women business owners to secure land, demonstrating a spirit of community and support. Nontombaxolo Eddie from the Eladini Municipality also shared valuable insights into the cotton industry, opening up potential avenues for growth for women farmers.
Financial literacy emerged as an equally important theme. The workshop, conducted in collaboration with the National Financial Literacy Association (NFLA), delivered essential training on budgeting, saving, and investing, which are key skills to business success.
The Trust's Director of Programmes, Shiphra Chisha, acknowledged the significance of the Eastern Cape as a contributor to the agro-industry and as an exporter. However, she underscored that there's still a lack of access to land, as the majority of female farmers still cultivate on small plots. She added that "our Gender Analysis report revealed a lack of reliable markets for smallholders and limited land ownership, especially for women."
Ms Chisha also emphasised the importance of women farmers scaling their businesses, using land as a competitive advantage, and addressing food security. She highlighted the workshop's collaborative nature, conducted in partnership with NAFCOC, as a significant step towards these goals. By harnessing the potential of available land, she believes poverty can be reduced, market access increased, and businesses scaled, leading to a thriving agro-industry.
