From the Editor
“A woman is a natural incubator that can grow anything, mold anything into life. Any idea that drops in the lap of a woman [is] already on a well fertilised soil, all it needs is watering.” — Amaka Chukwudum, CEO of Amicable Mondiale Farms.
As the pressures and demands in the farming industry continue to evolve, so too has the role of women in farming. The new cultural norm for working women in farming in most cases looks more equally divided, with both men and women being involved in farm and family management. More often in farming couples, the woman takes the role in farm administration and the man looks after the technical/practical side. And yet, in some farming enterprises, the woman DOES spearhead the whole farming operation. In my career at Bindu Media as a farming journalist, I have the pleasure to meet some of these phenomenal women doing amazing things in the industry; Rose Van De Ruit, an established Dorper farmer; Lianne Herbst and Lorna Jourbet, outstanding cattle stud breeders; and Vanessia Mukarati, a groundbreaker in the soilless horticulture. Inspiration from such farmers has seen the industry grow as it empowers other women to get in the business. In this issue we get to celebrate some of the women in farming and I personally also get to reminisce on the adventures I have had with the other ladies from the ZiMunda Farming team during field days.
With this in mind I wish you all a happy and bountiful harvesting period as well as fruitful start to the 2023 winter cropping season.
