As part of Women’s Month, the ARC is honouring women in agricultural science who continue to work tirelessly to mitigate food insecurity by using scientific solutions. These women include (from left) Joyene Isaacs, Reneilwe Maake, Dr Nthabiseng Motete and Bongiwe Sokwaliwa. Image: Supplied
The Agricultural Research Council (ARC) is a premier science institution that conducts research with partners, develops human capital and fosters innovation in support of the agricultural sector. The ARC provides diagnostic, laboratory, analytical and agricultural engineering services; post-harvest technology development; agrochemical evaluation; consultation, advisory and food processing technology services; as well as various surveys and training interventions.
As part of Women's Month celebrations, the ARC honours women in agricultural science who continue to work tirelessly to mitigate food insecurity and feed the world's ever-growing population by using scientific solutions, such as climate-smart agriculture.
The Women’s Month theme, "Economic Rights and Empowerment: Building Back Better for Women’s Improved Resilience," reflects on what the ARC is doing to develop women in agriculture, science and technology. It is therefore befitting that the ARC has programmes and policies that develop women scientists to address some of the economic challenges faced by the country.
The ARC creates and provides opportunities to suitable candidates from various disadvantaged backgrounds to develop and promote their skills, potential and talent as well as the ARC, agricultural industry, science and technology for the benefit of the South African economy. Through mentorship programmes provided by senior researchers and ongoing programme reviews, the ARC also helps lessen the skills shortage.
The ARC's development programme for women in agriculture, science, and technology has produced the following individuals as examples:
Joyene Isaacs’ career began in KwaZulu-Natal at the Centre for Low Input Agricultural Research and Development (CLIARD), University of Zululand - focusing on collaborating with resource-limited farmers in vegetable gardens to explore local knowledge, address pest and disease issues, and provide ecologically sound solutions through training and integrated pest management. This work extended to the Land Development Unit operating across Western and Northern Cape Provinces, collaborating with historically disadvantaged farmers, liaising with agricultural specialists, and preparing educational materials. Subsequently, she served as Chief Director at the Department of Agriculture: Western Cape, overseeing agricultural development for emerging and commercial sectors, even acting as HOD. With a history of publishing, presenting and chairing various sessions, she has held the position of chairperson on the Board of the Agricultural Research Council since 2020.
Dr Nthabiseng Motete holds a PhD degree from the University of KwaZulu-Natal and currently serves as Group Executive for Crop Sciences at the ARC in South Africa. She leads research, development, innovation and service delivery on crop-based agriculture to attain impact on sustainable agricultural systems for agrarian transformation, food and nutritional security. She previously held the portfolio of Deputy Director-General for Forestry and Natural Resource Management at the erstwhile Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (DAFF). Her PhD studies investigated the potential impacts of increasing atmospheric carbon dioxide on the productivity and water use efficiency of the South African C4-dominated grassland ecosystem. She is passionate about the agricultural sector, sustainable management, and the use of natural resources for the competitiveness of the sector. She strives to increase the participation of women in primary, secondary and tertiary agriculture. The centrality of land and water in driving sustainable livelihoods is a major area of her professional interest and pursuit.
Reneilwe Maake is a research technician and a PhD candidate in the Geoinformation Science division of the ARC-Soil, Climate and Water Campus. The Women’s Month theme means that women have for decades been facing systemic barriers that have denied them access to social and economic opportunities. The time is now or never to recognise and address gender inequalities and promote the rights and empowerment of women to achieve a long-term of gender equality. This theme further recognises that women often face specialised challenges and vulnerabilities that the other gender does not face. She perceives “Building Back Better” as reconstructing societies and systems in a way that preserves the good practices from the past while improving current practices to create a more equitable, just and resilient system. Her views are not personal opinions, but rather a reflection of the consensus and understanding around the theme. Empowering women economically and ensuring their socio-economic rights have far-reaching positive impacts including enhancing their resilience and reducing vulnerabilities.
Bongiwe Sokwaliwa is a research technician in the Crop Development division at the ARC- Infruitec-Nietvoorbij Campus. She holds a Diploma in Horticulture, BTech in Environmental Sciences and a postgraduate diploma in Environmental Management. She has found a new passion in honeybush, working as a horticulturist with the Honeybush research group. Her primary responsibility is to help with the breeding and cultivation of commercial honeybush plantations in order to conserve natural resources and wild populations. Sokwaliwa also enjoys empowering local communities by sharing her honeybush cultivation knowledge and skills, as well as assisting with the establishment of SMMEs in communities to gain access to the honeybush value chain.