By Nangamso Mabindla
16 May 2005

ONE OF the main aims of the Buffalo City agricultural and rural development department is to promote women in agriculture. This is the word of Thembakazi Tshefu, the City's manager for agricultural and rural development.

The department has several projects that it runs to boost different emerging projects around the city. It is assisted with its capacity-building programmes by the national Departments of Local Government and Housing, the provincial department of labour and the Primary Agricultural Education and Training Authority.

The Balasi Wool Production initiative outside Bhisho is one of the City's training projects. "We capacitate these women with marketing skills, business and other skills needed to run their business," Tshefu said.

The women produced wool and sold it to the National Wool Growers Authority to sell to outside markets.

"They do not have equipment to do everything themselves, but the training we give then helps in dealing with organisations like the National Wool Growers Authority."

Several other training projects are also run by the City, including poultry farming in Nxarhuni, outside East London, and crop production. Planned projects in agriculture include an Agriculture and Rural Development Strategy and the Umqokozo Agricultural and Rural Development Centre.