The Daures Agricultural Show and SME Expo empowered female farmers at the Okombahe settlement and surrounding areas.
Eight farmers took part in the first-ever agricultural show in the Daures Constituency of the Erongo Region.
Among the participants was Lendina Silas, one of two female farmers at the event, who received four awards.
Based in Tubusis, Silas farms goats and sheep in dry weather conditions. She emphasised that the show provided a platform for women to learn new methods of breeding top-quality animals despite harsh conditions.
"I'm very happy as a woman; I'm also calling on my colleagues to participate. It is difficult where you begin, but sometimes it's easy once you get training. Women, they must come up. Come up. Let's work together. I will give the way if you don't know anything; I will give you what I know; I will direct you where to go."
Another farmer, Wilhelmine !Aibes, attended the event to gain new insights, though she did not compete.
Formerly an estate agent, she has embraced full-time farming at Okombahe, following in her father's footsteps.
An officer from the Ministry of Agriculture, Water, and Land Reform, Ismael Ouseb, highlighted the importance of agricultural shows in community development.
"When farmers are exposed to these types of events, it means that they can see the quality; they can see which trait to improve as such for them to offer a better product at the marketing site. As farmers themselves, they can look around themselves and say these farmers are farming with this product, this farmer with that product, and then they can interlink. They can visit each other, and they get the best products among themselves."
Ouseb stated that the ministry aims to support more women farmers due to their notable success.
"Women are the ones that are doing very well in our projects. So therefore, their involvement is of critical importance to us, the women being part and parcel, and we are using them as lead farmers in these cases to showcase how best they can manage, and women are the ones taking care of these, especially small livestock like their kids. So women are driving the industry as well."
He emphasised that prioritising women farmers will remain a focus for the ministry.