Patricia Mashiri
Women in Agriculture have been challenged to use new technologies to market their products to the world so that they will reach greater audiences and transform from being subsistence to commercial farmers.
Celebrating women’s month under the theme “Innovation and technology for gender equality” the Women in Agriculture were advised to use the internet to their advantage.
Speaking to ZimNow, the Chief Executive Officer Tofara Online, Tofara Chokera said every woman in Agriculture should have digital presence.
“Most women face post-harvest loss because most of the times they do not have the market to sell their produce, and they are not using the new technology to get value added initiatives through technology.
“I advise every woman in farming to have digital presence for them to have a huge market either in Zimbabwe or for export. So, I’m encouraging all women to open social media accounts, create websites and upload their produce such that they will reach to more people and maximise profits,” Chokera said.
Chief Executive Officer, Women in Agriculture Union, Olga Nhari said it was important to celebrate International Women’s Day because.
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“Women farmers constitute 65% of the labour force in agriculture so as a farmer’s union we are saying gone are the days where women were used as ornaments in meetings.
“It is time that the work we are doing is seen. We are here to show case that women are more than ornaments,” she said.
The aim of the adopting the new technologies is to transform subsistence farming into commercial farmers because it doesn’t matter how big or how small your land is, it is about how to utilise the space.
By embracing innovation and technology women can improve their farming to produce more. The digital platforms will also help them identify right people to partner.
Meanwhile, Managing Director, Farirai Makumbe Ma Jerimani Farm said the women’s month was important to her as a woman farmer as they had so much to learn.
“By being here today we have learnt a lot and aggregation of women who are like minded in agriculture. We share ideas, we network with other women in the same line of agricultural production.
“We were taught about the new technology and what it is offering in the agricultural sector,” she said.
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