The awards also aim to identify national models that can be replicated for the advancement of this sector.
Though women have historically played a major role in subsistence farming, the commercial sector is still dominated by men. Young people and people living with disabilities are also in the minority.
The Female Entrepreneur Awards (FEA) seek to address these imbalances in line with department of agriculture, forestry and fisheries FEA guiding document.
Because candidates are selected from each of the nine provinces, the awards represent not only the diversity of the sectors but also those of its trailblazers.
Rounded off to 49 candidates for this year’s awards, the process started with each of the provinces hosting provincial awards in the eight categories.
Care is taken to ensure transparency and inclusivity. The provincial awards are on their own high profile events so that they spark the attention and interest of diverse candidates.
Winners from each province move on to compete at national level. An adjudication panel weighs the profiles of the nominees and the evidence of the information they submitted using a prescribed adjudication form.
The submissions are then compiled and presented to the minister, who has the power to override the decisions of the adjudication panel.
The minister can increase or reduce the number of categories, including special awards, depending on the quality of entrants, as she did this year when she created the category “Top Entrepreneur: National Markets”.
The judges this year were:
• Nyameka Makonya, sustainable development manager of Total South Africa;
• Pinky Hlabedi, small-scale farmer from Gauteng and a leader in Women in Agriculture and Rural Development;
• Piet Mahlase, Gauteng provincial secretary and national executive member of Youth in Agricultural and Rural Development;
• Livhuwani Ngwekhulu, transformation manager at AgriSA;
• Mahuhudi Masipa, treasurer of the National Farmers’ Union (NAFU) of South Africa in Gauteng and a youth representative in NAFU;
• Howard Mbana, national organiser at the Food and Allied Workers Union;
• Shimi Mokoka, a developing commercial farmer certified by GrainSA;
• Catherine Sehlata of the forestry branch in the department;
• Leope Lephalala, senior admininstration officer in the office of the director general;
• Sitembele Kelembe, director responsible for international relations in the office of the minister;
• Chairperson Mokutule Kgobokoe, chief director responsible for sector capacity development in the department; and
• Co-chairperson Priscilla Sehoole is the chief information officer at the department.