'Don't be resigned to a life of limitations'

AGRICULTURAL NEWS - "Farming is seen as a man's job, but the men became complacent, and because of our willingness to learn, we could take that gap."

This was one of the views aired by female farm workers at the Southern Cape Land Committee's inaugural Rural Women's Platform (RWP) in Wilderness during the first weekend of August.

The meeting offered rural women - mostly farm and forestry workers and dwellers - the opportunity for collective discussion of their unique experiences in the agricultural and forestry sectors. It also focused on informing strategy, building capacity, and strengthening their network of support.

"The RWP was birthed from the need to create spaces where women can voice their concerns, struggles and achievements, in an intentional way, without the presence of men," said Anne Plaatjies-Hanase, communications officer of the Land Committee.

Some of the key issues raised were empowerment and the breaking down of gender barriers. The keynote speaker, Bridget Davids from the Haarlem Women's Group, called upon the women to be more resourceful in finding ways to advance their lives. "We empower ourselves with the resources we have at our disposal. We know it will not be an overnight transformation, but it is within our power to grow economically."

'Land is our riches'

As an emerging farmer, Davids is familiar with the struggles of women on farms. Yet, she called upon the women not to be deterred and resign themselves to a life of limitations and lack. She noted that they could go beyond hectares to become farm owners. "Land is our riches and we need to find ways to access that wealth."

She also reiterated the need for women to build their own networks. "Through sustaining platforms like the RWP, we become active in writing our own history and we can move from working the land, to being owners of the land."

Through creative exercises the participants were able to highlight the often harsh realities of rural life. Issues of gender based violence, ineffective family planning and resistance to patriarchy and male domination were listed as commonplace struggles.

A discussion between participants in their various age groups highlighted interesting generational differences between younger and older rural women. What became clear was that although women perform their gender in different ways, some struggles remain in the female landscape. This led to the call for women to reclaim their voice in their personal and political space. Men historically held that space, but the shift has become evident through conversations with the participants attending this platform.

A participant from the Brackenhill forestry community shared the importance of having long and short term goals:

"Our long term goal is the transfer of land ownership. Our ancestors, parents and we were born on the land, and now at last we can own this land."

Desiree Remas, an emerging farmer from Fullerton, affirmed that taking control and establishing a network, as well as the sharing of and distribution of resources helped her to advance.