- Inspiring Success in Rural Farming: Nokuthula Myeko–Mafikwana’s farming project in Sigubudwini has achieved a significant milestone with a harvest worth R561,000, demonstrating the potential of rural agriculture.
- Community Impact and Job Creation: Supported by the Eastern Cape Rural Development Agency, her initiative has created over 25 local jobs, benefiting families and strengthening community resilience.
- Empowering Women and Local Livelihoods: Nokuthula’s focus on local employment and food production highlights how empowering women in rural areas can foster lasting socio-economic change.
In a small rural village of Sigubudwini, just outside Mthatha in the Eastern Cape, a woman-led farming project has delivered one of the season’s most inspiring success stories. Nokuthula Myeko–Mafikwana, a dedicated farmer and local leader, has harvested yellow maize and soya beans worth an impressive R561,000 marking a significant milestone for her agricultural journey and her community.
This achievement is more than a financial win. With support from the Eastern Cape Rural Development Agency (ECRDA), Nokuthula’s farming venture has created over 25 local jobs, directly benefiting families in the area. Her story shows how targeted support, combined with determination and hard work, can turn rural land into a source of income, dignity, and stability.
Nokuthula’s approach to farming goes beyond the fields. She is growing opportunity and self-reliance in a place where both are often in short supply. By leading a project that puts local hands to work and food on local tables, she is proving that investing in rural women farmers can spark lasting change in South African communities.
Her success demonstrates the potential of community-based agriculture and the importance of empowering women at the grassroots level. It also offers a practical example of how partnerships between rural farmers and development agencies like ECRDA can create long-term value not just in crops, but in livelihoods.
As the season closes on this bumper harvest, Nokuthula is already looking ahead. With her roots firmly planted and her vision clear, she hopes to expand production, reach more markets, and involve more youth and women in farming. Her journey continues to inspire those who believe in the future of rural agriculture, and the power of women to lead it forward.
