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Focus on some African women earning a living through farming
Agribusiness has immense benefit for the economy and for those who take up the challenge to explore the opportunities in the sector. The focus in this edition is on some industrious women in Africa who started small and continue to make progress in the agroindustry in their respective countries or localities.
Here are the names and stories of some of the top five ‘Agripreneurs’.
Ms. Sandra Nabasirye
She is a tomato farmer and Founder of Santex Farm located in Nabbingo, Uganda. ‘Slay Farmer,’ as she is popularly known, is a teacher who obtained her Bachelor’s degree in Education from Makerere University but swapped the chalk for a hoe just less than a year into her profession.
“I decided to quit my job after just six months to pursue my passion. I sought the knowledge and started and that is the wisest decision I have ever made. The money I make out of my farm produce is way above the salary earned by a teacher.
“Agriculture is a hub of wealth, we need to embrace it. The young people need to change their mindset, knowing that one can actually ‘slay’ while earning a living through farming,” she says.
Ms. Bupe Chipili Mulapesi
The Zambian born farmer is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of ‘Farm23 Strawberry Zambia’, producers and suppliers of fresh strawberry fruit, pure strawberry jam and ready to plant strawberry seedlings.
She started her own strawberry farm after being inspired and mentored by another female strawberry farmer in Australia and she has proven to be a force to reckon with in the fruit farming industry in Zambia. Mulapesi started with only 20 plants and had since grown to a large plantation of 40,000 strawberry plants, with prospects of increasing to a maximum of 300,000 plants within the next two years.
She says the company aims to supply “high quality strawberry fruit which is affordable and easily accessible to the market” as imported strawberry fruit came at a high cost.
According to her, the goal is to “satisfy both the local and international markets with the best quality of strawberry fruit in terms of taste and a long shelf life.”
Ms. Sne Ngubane
This inspirational poultry farmer is the Founder and CEO of Sne Poultry Farm located in Manguzi, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.
She supplies chickens and eggs to businesses, vendors, communities and schools. The poultry farm started in 2017 after she saw a gap in the market and she has never looked back. She advises aspiring farmers “not do it only for the money but do it for the love,” stressing that they need to start regardless of their circumstances.
Ms. Kgomotso Ramatlo
As founder of PKR Farming & Services in Brakpan, South Africa, her farm produce include tomatoes, sweet potatoes, chillies, spinach, cabbage, beetroot, green beans and onions.
She has five permanent employees and ploughs a five-hectare farm. In December 2020, severe hailstorms damaged her infrastructure and farm produce. This could have easily made her to give up on farming but, against all odds, she never gave up and continued to make her way to the top.
“Chilies are like one of my beautiful things at the moment and I need to explore other kinds. I see myself as a fully-fledged commercial chillies farmer where I would be able to get enough structures to be able to produce all year round,” she says.
Ms. Maanda Elizabeth Sianga
She is the Founder of Agro Queens Trading, a mixed farming entity of aquaculture, poultry, livestock, crops and fresh vegetables.
She holds a Bachelor of Science (BSc) in Agriculture from Mulungushi University, Zambia.
She said her main interest while in high school was to study Medicine but a school trip changed her perception of agriculture. Subsequently, she decided to put more effort in knowing more about farming on holidays. The ‘Young Farmer’ as she is popularly known has trained over 1,000 people in various agricultural skills such as project management.
By Spectator Reporter
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ASWIM lauds Prof Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang
The Association of Women in the Media, (ASWIM) has congratulated Professor Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang on her historic achievement as Ghana’s first female Vice President.
The association said her trailblazing journey with sterling accomplishments from academia to politics, is undoubtedly, a vivid inspiration to countless women and girls across Ghana and Africa.
This was contained in a statement signed by its president, Mrs Mavis Kitcher, and copied to The Spectator on Tuesday in Accra.
“ASWIM celebrates your remarkable career, marked by numerous firsts, including the first female Vice-Chancellor of the University of Cape Coast, (UCC), and the first female to hold a professional chair in Ghana, (UCC),” the statement said.
It said the accomplishments of Prof Opoku- Agyemang were clear testament to the brilliance, resilience and resourceful nature of the complete beautiful African woman.
“As she takes on this new role, ASWIM proudly lauds her commitment to education, women’s empowerment, distinguished public service and patriotism and is very confident that her pursuit of excellence, love for humanity, humility, decency, modesty and commitment to the welfare of the vulnerable will characterise Ghana’s political leadership and public service,” the statement added.
By Jemima Esinam Kuatsinu
Entertainment
Demolition of Fantasy Dome unfair — Mark Okraku-Mantey
Months after the Fantasy Dome was dismantled to make way for construction at the Ghana International Trade Fair site, the Deputy Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture, Mr Mark Okraku-Mantey, has expressed concern over the manner the facility was destroyed.
In an interview on Daybreak Hitz with Andy Dosty, Mr Okraku-Mantey criticised the handling of the dome’s dismantling, suggesting that it could have been done without causing damage.
“I don’t think that leadership gave instructions that they should do what happened. The structure was a prefab but I hear the people destroyed it. That one, we cannot defend it. It is unfair to him (owner). Sometimes, you give instructions and people will go and do things that will make you look bad,” he stated.
When asked about any punitive measure against the workers responsible for the destruction, Mr Okraku-Mantey clarified that the Trade Fair does not fall under his ministry.
He said he had previously contacted the owner, Leslie Quaynor, to discuss relocating the dome, and even suggested the National Museum as a potential site, though it was too small.
The demolition of the 20,000-seater Fantasy Dome occurred on March 16, 2024.
According to Dr Agnes Adu, CEO of the Ghana Trade Fair Company Limited, the action was taken after multiple notices were given to Quaynor to vacate the premises for redevelopment, as per their tenancy agreement.
Dr Adu noted that all previous tenants had complied except for the Fantasy Dome.
Quaynor, in an interview with JoyNews, confirmed that his lease had ended, and was in the process of relocating the dome.
He had requested an extension, which was denied, leading him to seek a writ and an injunction from an Accra High Court to halt the demolition.
Despite this, the demolition proceeded, causing significant damage to the structure.
Quaynor described the incident as a major setback, not only for his business but also for the entertainment industry, which relies on venues like the Fantasy Dome.