Jeannette Gurung, WOCAN Executive Director, attended the Fourth Women Leadership Circles in Agriculture and NRM (WLCAN) meeting hosted by the City of Tshwane on 8 July in Pretoria, South Africa. The discussion focused on the need to access more information on issues regarding land tenure, land reform, supply change management and bidding for tenders. The women farmers specifically asked for information on the grants available from the Department of Rural Development and Land Reform, grants for agriculture and forestry from the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries and grants to support economic development via the Department of Trade and Industry.
Susan Mmamereki Maloka, Director of Gender, Elderly Persons and Faith Based Strategic Interest Groups Development – City of Tshwane, expressed that gender is a high priority the City of Tshwane and she is mindful of the challenges in addressing gender issues in agricultural and development projects. She assured the continued support of the City with regards to the facilitation of the WLCAN meetings and also requested that discussions between WOCAN and the City of Tshwane outside the WCLAN meetings be held. The next meeting is scheduled for September where the representatives from the various departments will be invited to provide information to the women farmers.