‘I take pride in empowering other women’

Sukulwenkosi Dube-Matutu, [email protected]

BEITBRIDGE commercial farmer, Mrs Elani Watson, who runs Double O Ranch in Makhado, employs about 150 women from the surrounding community to pick tomatoes and potatoes as part of her women empowerment drive.

Mrs Watson has 10 hectares under tomato production and she has earmarked 60 hectares for potato production at her farm. She has 75 full-time workers.

Ms Sally Moyo from Siyoka village in Ward 12, is a seasonal worker at the farm, said the money she earns from the casual work has helped her to fend for her family.

“I have been working at the farm for two weeks now and my duties include sorting potatoes. I also come to the farm when it’s weeding time or tomato picking,” she said.

“While the farm can’t employ all of us on a full-time basis, I’m glad that we get seasonal employment, which helps us put food on the table.”

Ms Paulina Sibanda from Madzivhe village in Ward 12, said whenever an opportunity for a part-time job arises at the farm, women are given the first preference. 

“Our exposure to the farm helps to enlighten us. For example, in tomato production, we then copy these methods and replicate them in our own fields,” she said.

In an interview, Mrs Watson said she takes pride in empowering other women. She said women play a pivotal role in farming activities. Mr-s Watson said in the past women were at the forefront of subsistence farming and now they have taken the lead in commercial farming.

“As a female farmer, I love embracing women and empowering them. During tomato picking season we employ sometimes up to 150 women from the local community, to do the picking,” she said. 

“We also employ women for potato picking as well. When you empower a woman you empower the whole community and nation. Besides empowering women, they also have a good technique when picking tomatoes and potatoes.”

Mrs Watson said her ultimate goal is to impart her farming knowledge to other women.

Mrs Watson who is running the farm together with her husband, Mr George Watson has ventured into the first-ever production of dragon fruit in the country, which is set to be exported to other countries. 

Mrs Watson’s farm, which sits on 2  000 hectares, boasts 1 000 hectares of dragon fruit that is destined for export markets, 10 hectares of tomatoes, 60 hectares of potatoes, and a herd of 500 cattle. —@DubeMatutu