The Eastern Cape Department of Rural Development and Agrarian Reform will this week award top performing women in the agricultural sector, as part of the department's programme to recognise the contribution of women in agriculture.

The department said the objective of the awards is to empower and honour women in agriculture and agro processing.

"The awards are an instrument through which the contribution of women in the fight against poverty, hunger and joblessness is recognised. This will increase participation and visibility of women in the sector," the department said.

The thrust of the programme is to underscore the fact that women play a significant role in food security, job creation, economic growth, and poverty alleviation.

The programme has a long-term ambition of leveraging women entrepreneurs from being subsistence and smallholder producers to commercial and/or processing entrepreneurs who also venture into export markets.

"The programme is also in line with the objectives of the Women Empowerment Strategy (WES) of promoting inclusive development for women in the agricultural, land reform and rural development sector so that they can contribute their full potential towards building a better life for all.

"The strategy advocates that, women should be prioritised in various agricultural and land reform programmes, through which it will provide direction for sound and coherent empowerment intervention," the department said.

The first award ceremony to honour women in the Alfred Nzo District Municipality took place on 11 June 2024 at Maluti Civic Centre in Matatiele.

In the OR Tambo District Municipality, the ceremony will be held on Thursday, 13 June at the Town Hall in Libode.

"The district winners will compete with other women from the rest of the province. The provincial winners will compete for top honours at national level," the department said.