The Eastern Cape Department of Agriculture, through the Amathole District, hosted a joint Women Entrepreneur Awards and Extension and Advisory Services Awards event to celebrate excellence, dedication and the strong partnership between farmers and extension practitioners.
Addressing the attendees, Director for Extension and Advisory Services Noluvuyo Nqeno congratulated all the farmers and extension officials who participated in the competitions and encouraged them to continue striving for excellence. She urged smallholder farmers to pursue growth and work towards becoming commercial farmers, while acknowledging their valuable contribution to the agricultural sector.
She emphasised the importance of building a lasting legacy by involving young people in farming. Encouraging farmers to work alongside their children, she said this would ensure that knowledge, skills and farming enterprises are passed on to the next generation, contributing to the sustainable growth of the sector.
Nqeno further highlighted the importance of aligning farmers with extension officials in the joint competition, noting that this approach provides a clear demonstration of the impact of extension support and the progress achieved through collaboration.
Speaking directly to extension officials, Nqeno reminded them that trust is the foundation of effective extension services. She stressed that trust is built over time through consistent support, commitment and working closely with farmers to help them succeed.
