A 30-year-old farmer and agro-processor from Bizana, Nandipha Sodwele, has been crowned the Best Performing Female Entrepreneur in the Eastern Cape for 2025, earning top honours at the Women Entrepreneur Awards in East London.
Background
The annual awards, hosted by the Eastern Cape Department of Agriculture, celebrate women who drive economic development and job creation through the agricultural value chain. MEC Nonceba Kontsiwe presented the accolades during a ceremony at the Abbotsford Christian Centre on 15 August 2025.
Sodwele, owner of Nolandumbinda Projects Pty (Ltd), walked away with a combined prize of R100 000 after first winning in the Agro-Processing Category before being named overall winner of the competition.
Sodwele’s Enterprise
Her milling plant, established in 2014, processes maize into meal and sells by-products as animal feed to livestock farmers and manufacturers. The operation has become a key player in local food security and rural employment, creating 3 permanent jobs and 16 seasonal jobs.
Her market stretches from Bizana to Flagstaff, Holy Cross, and Ingquza Hill, supplying not only local farmers and shops but also schools such as Majazi Primary and Mzamba Combined through the Department of Education’s Nutrition Programme. Sodwele also grows yellow maize and green beans on 22 hectares of land while purchasing from local producers to sustain milling operations.
Future Plans and Motivation
Sodwele plans to expand milling capacity from 365 kg per hour to 2 tons per hour within five years, while also increasing yellow maize production from 22 to 50 hectares.
Expressing her gratitude, Sodwele said: “I am very excited to be recognised for the hard work I put into this enterprise, and this will motivate me to do more. I will use some of the money to buy production inputs for this planting season and to grow my agro-processing business.”
Despite being a qualified artist, Sodwele chose farming because of her family’s deep agricultural roots. She encouraged youth, especially women, to enter the sector, calling it “a lucrative business that needs patience and resilience.”
MEC Kontsiwe’s Message
MEC Kontsiwe praised the winners as pioneers: “These awards are not simply a celebration of individual achievement; they signal to the rest of the country that women in agriculture are ready to lead from the front. Women farmers are turning small opportunities into thriving enterprises and local challenges into global market advantages.”
Kontsiwe added that society has a duty to ensure young people understand the importance of agriculture, stressing that the government remains committed to creating conditions for the sector to thrive.
Other Winners
- Zanele Matikinca (Idealveg Trading, Mthatha): Best Commercial Entrepreneur, supplying fresh vegetables to restaurants and hospitals – prize R50 000.
- PUFESO Agri Enterprise (Engcobo): Best Smallholder, supplying eggs and vegetables to Spar Group stores, schools, and local businesses – prize R50 000.
- Naudeshoek Farm (Ngqushwa): Best Exporter, producing citrus fruit for international markets including the EU, UK, China, and the Middle East – prize R50 000.
The best performing district was OR Tambo, with total prize money of R290 000 awarded across categories.
Impact Summary
- Highlights a Bizana farmer’s role in boosting local food security and rural jobs.
- Recognises women’s leadership in agriculture and agro-processing.
- Underscores government support for female entrepreneurs in the Eastern Cape.
- Inspires youth, particularly women, to explore opportunities in farming.
- Promotes Bizana’s agricultural sector as part of provincial economic growth.
