Across agricultural and rural communities, many women are leading change, with some pioneering sustainable farming methods and others advocating for fair policies or negotiating trade deals. Yet, too often, their contributions remain underrepresented in the conversations that shape agricultural policy and practice.
Now in its third year, the Women’s Voice in Agriculture competition continues to highlight the remarkable achievements and aspirations of women who are making a difference in agriculture and rural communities across South Africa.
According to Johann Pretorius, a director of the Future Agri Perspectives Group, custodians of the initiative, the competition is more than an event. It is a platform that shows how women’s voices can influence communities, shape policy, and accelerate progress.
Future Agri Perspectives is a group of like-minded individuals who have come together to create credible, scalable platforms that enable people across the agricultural value chain to share their insights and perspectives on issues affecting the sector, stimulating debate and helping to develop solutions that might otherwise not have been considered.
Selecting the finalists
From all the entries received from across the country, five finalists were invited to a final round of discussions and adjudication during a gala event held at Villa Arcadia on the Hollard campus in Parktown, Johannesburg.
“After reviewing the entries, it’s a pity that only five finalists could be selected. The entries emphasised the meaningful role women play in the agriculture sector and highlighted the sector’s numerous possibilities.
“Through their participation, every entrant has contributed towards her own personal development,” Magda du Toit, a Future Agri Perspectives director, said.
She urged women in the sector to continue championing diversity in agriculture, emphasising that every story shared, every barrier broken, and every innovation fostered contributes to a brighter, more inclusive agriculture sector for all.
“Perhaps, in 10 to 15 years, we’ll look back on this initiative and see a time when every woman had ample opportunity to share her voice, and where their contributions are not seen as the exception or as special but rather as the norm.
“But for now, we are incredibly grateful to provide a platform for women who have valuable insights and experiences to contribute to the agriculture sector,” Du Toit added.
Final round of judging
The finalists had one final opportunity to share their views on a topic of their choice and explain its impact on their lives, agricultural careers, communities, and the environment. Gary Wium, general manager of Farmer’s Weekly, moderated the panel discussion that tested the finalists’ ability to present structured, well-reasoned opinions.
Carla Myburgh, agricultural economist and credit liaison officer at Senwes came out tops during the final round of adjudication. As the winner of the 2026 Women’s Voice in Agriculture competition, she received prize money of R10 000.
In her acceptance speech, Myburgh urged women across the sector to recognise their rightful place within it and believe in themselves and their ability to bring about change.
“I wish more women would act on the belief that agriculture is more than a job, and that it’s a profession that comes from a deep-rooted passion.
“I see this competition as an opportunity to raise awareness of the vital role women play in agriculture. It demonstrates that leadership, resilience, and innovation are not defined by gender,” she said.
Christel Basson, marketing and communications manager at OVK, came in second, and Petru Fourie, operations manager at the Animal Feed Manufacturers Association, took third place.
“By sharing their insights, the finalists in the 2026 competition shed new light on many aspects impacting agriculture,” Andries Wiese, business development manager at Hollard Insurance, the main sponsor of the competition, pointed out.
Industry backs women leaders
The agricultural landscape has become a field of abundant opportunities for women who are bold enough to seize them.
According to Jaclin van Rooyen, Syngenta Seeds’ head of finance for sub-Saharan Africa, women wear many hats, bringing responsibilities and more demands.
“When we choose to be in the corporate environment, we also choose to manage the delicate balance of all these roles to the absolute best of our ability every single day, even though it isn’t always easy.
“To all the finalists, thank you for the work you do every day to drive agriculture forward. Your achievements deserve to be celebrated but, more importantly, your journeys inspire others to believe that they, too, belong in the industry and can make a meaningful difference,” Van Rooyen noted.
According to Johan Bezuidenhout, group manager of corporate marketing and communication at NWK, the competition offers a base for a partnership to amplify women’s contributions to the sector.
“This partnership with Future Agri Perspectives not only works but adds value to the broader agriculture community. Partnerships are important to NWK, and we hope that through this one with Agri Future Perspectives and this competition, we can work together to achieve a common goal: a more inclusive agriculture sector,” he said.
Pioneers honoured
During the gala event, women who play pioneering roles in agriculture were also honoured. They were Dr Fhumulani Ratshitanga, CEO of Fruit South Africa; Wiana Louw, general manager of the Southern African Grain Laboratory; Dr Renée Prins, founding director CenGen; Rona Beukes, senior statistician of crop estimates and agricultural statistics in the Department of Agriculture’s Directorate of Statistics and Economic Analysis; and Annelize Crosby, head of legal intelligence at Agbiz.
