A young female livestock farmer at the ARAF Trade Fair urged her peers to participate in agricultural shows and overcome challenges.

The four-day ARAF trade fair at Usakos provided a platform for farmers to showcase their livestock at the agricultural show.

Just like last year, 33-year-old Elaine Kharuxas stood out, as she was the only female in the male-dominated competition.

Kharuxas started her farming journey when she was 21 years old, at a plot outside Outjo in the Otjozondjupa Region.

Her father gave her two goats, but the livestock has since increased to more than 100 goats, 25 of them studs.

"I'm getting better at this competition. And this year, I learnt that the competition is high. So for me, I have to upgrade. So, I think this year's competition was a bit tight, very tight. But still, my best ewe, my female goat, got first place. This shows me that my female goats are making progress."

Although she did not scoop the overall prize in the competition, Kharuxas said her participation in the ARAF Agricultural Show should encourage women to establish farming enterprises.

"I'm a bit disappointed because this year I was thinking maybe there would be a female joining me. Women out there, please, don't put yourself down and believe in yourself. That's the most important thing. And have confidence in everything that you do. Have confidence and ambition. You can achieve anything you set your mind to. So, women, please don't feel discouraged. Push. Let's push for women's empowerment in farming."

The Erongo Chief Agricultural Technician, Joel Kootjie, urged women to use the ARAF Agricultural Show as a learning and networking platform, which can improve their farming activities.

"I am unsure if it is traditional or cultural that most participants are male, but we focus our awareness efforts on encouraging youth and women to participate in this programme. So even though we have subsidy programmes we receive from the government, that's where we are promoting that women should participate, start coming up by themselves and improve. We are actively creating awareness and encouraging women to become farmers."

Kooitjie called on women to familiarise themselves and take advantage of various government programmes intended to empower them.

He said farming is not only for men, but women should take their rightful place and transform the agricultural sector.