BY PHESHEYA KUNENE - EDITOR
RIDERS RANCH, SIDVOKODVO– Day Two of the Woman Farmer Top 10 training at Rider’s Ranch unfolded with disciplined focus, as SEDCO led participants into the strategic core of farming as a business.
The workshop, hosted in partnership with the Woman Farmer Foundation, is more than a training session, it is a masterclass in transforming resilient farmers into visionary agripreneurs capable of redefining Eswatini’s agricultural landscape.
Today’s agenda zeroed in on the fundamentals that underpin profitable farming: business planning, pricing, costing, and cash-flow management. These sessions pushed participants beyond the romance of harvests, confronting them with the realities of strategy, numbers, and enduring business models.
“What happens in this room does not stay in this room,” the Woman Farmer Foundation noted, “it strengthens the backbone of Eswatini’s future food economy.”
The Top 10 winners of the 2025 Woman Farmer of the Year Competition, spanning both adult and youth categories, are spending three intensive days refining their entrepreneurial skill sets. Beyond technical farming expertise, they are learning financial management, market linkages, business formalization, and sustainable, climate-smart agriculture practices.
This combination of knowledge positions them to transform award-winning farms into high-growth enterprises that can drive both rural economies and national food security.
SEDCO’s investment in these women is strategic, precise, and transformative. By equipping them with the tools to plan, manage, and scale their operations, the programme not only cultivates confident leaders but also signals to potential investors that Eswatini’s agricultural sector is fertile ground for innovation and sustainable returns.
“Broaden your network, woman, don’t sit idle. You can do better,” the Foundation encouraged participants, capturing the spirit of empowerment and ambition fueling this initiative.
At the culmination of the programme, certificates will be awarded by the SEDCO CEO and the Woman Farmer Foundation Managing Director, officially inducting the winners as WOFACO 2025 ambassadors.
These women will not only embody excellence in agriculture but also serve as catalysts for change, inspiring others to invest in farming as a viable, profitable, and life-changing enterprise.
From soil care and water-efficient production to eco-friendly pest management and value addition, the training equips women to operate with precision and purpose.
As they step back onto their farms armed with strategy and business acumen, they carry with them the promise of a new era in Eswatini agriculture, one defined by sustainability, profitability, and leadership.
In a country where agriculture remains both a cultural heritage and a key economic pillar, the rise of these agripreneurs signals a future where women are not only feeding the nation but reshaping its economic trajectory, proving that the intersection of skill, strategy, and ambition can truly change lives.
