
=====================================================================
Speech by MEC at the Female Farmer of the Year 2000 competition award ceremony
=====================================================================

Speeches and Media Releases
 Agriculture & Land Affairs

[         w

 EASTERN CAPE PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENT
 SPEECH BY MEC MAMASE AT
THE FEMALE FARMER OF THE YEAR 2000 COMPETITION AWARD CEREMONY
 13 SEPTEMBER 2000



1.Introduction

Master of Ceremonies;
 Our First Lady in the province, Mrs. Stofile;
 Women in Agricultural Development; (WAD);
 Female Farmers;
 Distinguished Guests;
 Ladies and Gentlemen.

Let me greet you today by saying Wathinta abafazi, wathintimbokotho--Igama lamakhosikazi Malibongwe. It is true that our country would 
not be where it is today, without the role played and contribution made by women in the liberation struggle. We, therefore, are saying 
today, that we recognize and acknowledge the multiplicity of the role of women in our society. Women are active social, political and 
economic change agents. We salute them for that.

The constitution of the Republic of South Africa, Act 108 of 1996 forces all institutions in this country to put in place programmes aimed 
at ensuring gender equality in this country. Section 187 of the constitution provides for the establishment of the Commission for Gender 
Equality and its functions. It is therefore, a constitutional imperative for us as the Department of Agriculture to have a programme of 
this nature, Female Farmer of the Year Competition.

2.What is gender and gender equality?

The biological differences between men and women do not change and do not have to change: people are either male or female. It is the 
characteristics that they are thought to have which vary between societies and cultures. Gender is the term used to describe these social, 
cultural and historical differences.

On the other hand, gender equality is a concept that acknowledges that women and men lead different lives by virtue of their gender and 
that although different treatment of women and men may sometimes be required to recognize different life conditions or to compensate for 
past discrimination, gender-based differences must never be used to limit the life choices of either women or men. Gender equality is 
premised on the equal valuing by society of both genders. Section 9 of the constitution on Equality classifies Equality on the basis of 
gender as one of the non-derogable constitutional rights.

Gender equality is, thus;

* the recognition of the necessity to incorporate womens specificity, priorities and values into our government policies;
* a question of valuing both sameness and differences between women and men.
* a kind of equal but different approach;
* freedom from discrimination and adjustment of social and cultural patterns and attitudes that perpetuate discrimination.

2.Policy Perspective

Economic planning in the province is shaped by the Provincial Growth and Development Strategy (PGDS), which in turn is informed by the 
vision of the provincial government and its people: An Eastern Cape which is devoid of the inequalities of the past, unified through 
integrated and sustainable economic, social and cultural development, thus providing an acceptable quality of life for all its people in 
the context of a united, non-racial, non-sexist and democratic South Africa.

The key objective of the National Policy for Womens Empowerment is to advance the dignity and equality of women and men to enable them to 
develop to their full human potential. To achieve this objective, the government commits itself to:

* promote changes in attitudes, structures, policies, laws and practices in order to remove all obstacles to the achievement of human 
dignity and equality in society, including in the family, the community and the state.
* establish and transform state structures and practices to enhance gender equality and improve the status of women;
* meet womens basic practical needs;
* recognize and enhance the participation of women in political, civil, economic, social and cultural mainstream of the country;
* ensure womens equal and effective participation in decision-making processes at all levels;
* provide adequate resources for the above to occur.

According to the Convention for the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), line ministries have made commitments with regard 
to Womens Empowerment policies and the Beijing Platform for action. The National Department of Agriculture (NDA) and the Provincial 
Department of Agriculture in the spirit of cooperative governance guided by the constitutional provisions on concurrent functions, have 
pledged their commitment to Womens Empowerment policies. It is also recognised that female farmers constitute more than 60% of smallholder 
farmers in the rural areas. This means therefore, that they need to be supported as much as possible to enable them to produce more than 
60% of the food products in the province.

One of the policy objectives of the department of agriculture in the province is to ensure increased food and fibre production, thereby 
contributing to food security. The female farmer of the year 2000 competition is linked to the theme Food Production.

A millennium free from Hunger- Womens role in Promoting Food Security.

This objective can only be achieved through technological and institutional innovation in agricultural production. Technological innovation 
involves use of high yielding seed varieties, irrigation, inorganic fertilizers and chemical substances to control pests and diseases. This 
alone is referred to as Green Revolution and can contribute to change rural economy. However, the key to sustainable rural development is 
Human Resource Development through skills development. People must be trained to acquire technical skills to use the technological 
innovation introduced to them.

Rural farmers (women in particular) must be trained fully to look properly after their natural resources. Land is a non-renewable resource 
and when degraded, soil fertility is reduced. When soil fertility is reduced, the standards of living of the people decline.>

Technological and institutional innovations can lead to increased agricultural productivity. Institutional innovation is to make service 
delivery institutions responsive to small-scale farmers especially women farmers. This has been taken into very serious consideration by 
the recent Rural Development Summit Resolutions. Our female farmers need proper infrastructural development, training and ownership of 
assets and means of production to successfully invest in farming. In this respect, the Land Reform Programme in an integrated fashion is 
the key.

3.Conclusions

Full participation of female farmers in agricultural development is encouraged and promoted in no uncertain terms.

Empowerment programmes to empower female farmers are in place.

After-care services in the department in the form of extension services do exist.

Women are the pillars of strength in all spheres of life. Political, social, economic and cultural stability in the country is on their 
hands, heads and souls. Natural resources and capital by their nature are passive factors of production, but people are active change 
agents for economic development. People combine other factors of production to maximize a specific goal. People make decisions, take action 
and bear the consequences of their choices.

You teach a woman, you teach the whole nation- You teach a man, you teach a person.

I thank you all.

---------------------------------------------------------------------
Home | About the Eastern Cape | Documents
 Economy | Structures | International Relations | Site Map
 Premier's Office | Speeches & Media Releases | Links
 Top of Page

---------------------------------------------------------------------

About the Eastern Cape

Premier's Office

Structures

Documents

Speeches & Media Releases

International Relations

Economy

Links


