The Department of Rural Development and Land Reform joins the world in celebrating the International Day of Rural Women on 15 October 2016. The United Nations' (UN) International Day of Rural Women is celebrated annually on October 15 to recognise the role of rural women in supporting their communities.
This year, the International Day of Rural Women and World Food Day will focus jointly on the theme "Climate is changing. Food and Agriculture must too".
The Department of Rural Development and Land reform has played a key role to provide resources to support women's empowerment and capacity building in agriculture across the country.
The Department through its various programs and initiatives targets rural women for empowerment and beneficiation. Such programs include; the Recapitalisation and Development Program, the One Household One Hectare program and the Rural Enterprise and Industry Development Program amongst others. These have contributed positively toward the improvement of lives in rural areas in South Africa.
As part of these initiatives the Minister of Rural Development and Land Reform Mr Gugile Nkwinti launched the first Co-operative Financial Institution for the Rural Women in Arts and Craft in Durban in August. The Mzansi Rural Arts and Craft Financial Institution Co-operative is to serve as a banking platform for rural crafters who are members of co-operatives that have been established in Kwa-Zulu Natal, Eastern Cape, Limpopo and Mpumalanga.
The Institution allows the women access to the National Payment System, automated operations, accurate prudential reporting and will enable members to transact at Point of Sale, ATM and with other Co-operative Financial Institutions across South Africa.
The Department continues to improve its programs and policies to ensure that women in rural communities enjoy the benefit of service delivery and empowerment. It also recognizes that a lot more has to be done.
Rural women are key agents toward the achievement of rural economic transformation, environmental and social changes required for sustainable development. The world over, rural women play a role in food security and creating sustainable rural areas yet they do not have sufficient power to secure land in many instances or vital resources such as credit, inputs costs of farming, extension services, training and education.
