By Pelane Phakgadi
Pearl Shipalana, Acting Chief Director for Corporate Services and Georgina Mogale from Extension Services.
The Limpopo Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (LDARD) MEC has met with the Commission for Gender Equality (CGE) to deliberate on various issues of concern affecting women and vulnerable groups within the agricultural sector.
The engagement which was held at the LDARD Head offices in Polokwane, forms part of ongoing efforts to align departmental programmes with national imperatives on gender equality, social justice, and the empowerment of women in agriculture.
The CGE delegation was led by Commissioner Adv. Thando Gumede, who was appointed by the President as one of the commissioners mandated to advance and protect gender equality in South Africa. She was accompanied by the Provincial officer of the Commission, Tshepang Mokgopong.
The Commission engaged the Department on a wide range of critical matters, including the Department’s response to Gender-Based Violence and Femicide (GBVF), the lack of security personnel on farms, and challenges related to occupational health and safety for women farmworkers.
Further questions centred on access to land for women, the availability of water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) facilities at farms, and the broader inclusion of gender mainstreaming across departmental programmes. The Commission also highlighted the importance of youth education and empowerment in agriculture as a critical intervention to ensure continuity and sustainability in the sector.
In response, the Department reaffirmed its commitment to fully comply with the National Strategic Plan (NSP) on Gender-Based Violence and Femicide. LDARD continues to align its internal and external programmes with the six pillars of the NSP, which call for a coordinated and multi-sectoral approach to ending GBVF while advancing women’s rights and empowerment.
Particular emphasis was placed on Pillar 5 of the NSP, which focuses on economic power and transformation. Through its farmer support programmes, the Department is creating an enabling environment for women farmers and entrepreneurs to participate meaningfully in the agricultural economy. These initiatives not only promote economic justice but also enhance the role of women as drivers of rural transformation and food security.
The Department further underscored the importance of prevention, capacity building, and behavioural change as long-term solutions to addressing gender inequalities and GBVF. By fostering safe, inclusive, and dignified working environments in farms and agricultural workplaces, LDARD remains committed to advancing gender equality and ensuring that women and youth can thrive in a sector that remains the backbone of rural livelihoods and economic growth in Limpopo.
The CGE delegation was led by Commissioner Adv. Thando Gumede, who was appointed by the President as one of the commissioners mandated to advance and protect gender equality in South Africa.
