In recognition of the immense role women play in agriculture, we feature four women farmers who are amongst those who have taken farming to new heights. Not only have they ventured into unique modes of farming, but their back stories are filled with awe and inspiration.
Elize Eliphas
In 2007, Elize Eliphas took a bold decision; to get dirty and muddy in soil rain, as opposed to following a career path that would land her a posh office job where her nails would be intact.
A fresh high school graduate at the time, it was not fashionable for a young woman to aspire to be confined to blue overalls and high ankle boots. But for Eliphas, it was a foregone conclusion that she would one day actively pursue her passion of being a farmer by enrolling for agriculture-related courses.
In her mind, she was preparing to manage a farm she was convinced she would own one day; a tall order at the time, as she owned no land nor livestock to set the dream off.
It was, however, to be. She now farms on Foskrun farm Voigtsgrund, located in the Maltahohe district of the Hardap region – some 70 km south of Mariental.
Here, Eliphas practices integrated farming, which she said has managed to keep her afloat in the difficult times of drought, weak market prices and overall economic downturns of some of the products she farms with.
She traces her interest in farming to her humble upbringing in northern Namibia, where her family practised subsistence farming on communal land.
Caroline Hiambazapo
Meet Caroline Hiambazapo, who operates an errand-running business that allows farmers to purchase livestock and related products through her.
She has given new meaning and purpose to the otherwise mundane task of running errands for others.
As if intentionally fulfilling the age-old adage “Necessity is the mother of invention”, Hiambazapo has managed to create a niche market for herself by turning the running of errands into a fully-fledged business.
To the uninformed eye, she is the woman seen trotting from shop to shop and mall to mall, clutching various items which she clearly keeps close to her. But to those who have made use of her services, Himbazapo is simply known as ‘The Errand Lady’.
She caters for the busy farmer who may not have time to run farming errands, such as the purchasing of farm products. Start-up farmers who may want to purchase livestock or feed for their livestock are also part of her clientele.
Also, most of her farmers are those who are overseas and have no trustworthy person to ask for the purchasing of livestock and running of farming-related errands.
Babette Taljaard
A chance encounter turned into a lifetime passion for Babette Taljaard, who had no idea that she would one day become a full-time grower of vegetables, and live to love it.
Following a premature hiatus from university due to ill-health in 2019, she found her silver lining in growing vegetables – a field she hardly even dreamt of whilst growing up.
Farm Veldduin in the Grootfontein area is where Taljaard carries out her passion, and she does not intend to stop anytime soon.
Growing up on the farm, it was almost certain that she would one day lead her own farming enterprise. But she had no idea that she would veer off the traditional livestock production that her parents are into.
Her journey to the current day takes her back to 2019 when she bought her first 10 sheep ewes; a dorper, Van Rooy and Persian breeds’ mix.
But it was in 2020 that she found her true calling – vegetable production. This came after a lessee on her parents’ farm asked if Taljaard could help her with planting tomatoes on a piece of land she had demarcated for this purpose.
She agreed, and unbeknown to her, she had just realised her underlying passion for vegetable production.
Rochelle Neidel
Nine years ago, Rochelle Neidel ventured into full-time farming. Amongst the reasons for taking on farming, she was driven by one significant conviction – to debunk the misgivings that the sector is inhospitable and a rough host for a woman farmer.
If it was up to her, this notion would be changed and farming would be embraced by all, including women.
Neidel wears many caps, amongst them having been a journalist and lately a newspaper columnist writing on agriculture.
It was, therefore, not surprising to her when the calling to full-time farming beckoned.
But to those around her, she was “losing her mind; going through a phase; or had gone completely off the rails”, as they struggled to understand her passion for farming.
Neidel said many of her friends and acquaintances struggled to grasp the thought of her becoming a full-time farmer, with many dismissing it as just a hobby that would fade away with time. But to their disappointment, it didn’t.
In fact, it blossomed into a fully-fledged farming enterprise that has managed to keep her financially steady.