Victoria — Twenty-nine women gathered at the DoubleTree by Hilton Allamanda Resort on Friday for an All-Women Farmers Forum, where officials praised their contributions while the stubborn reality remained: only 12 percent of Seychelles’ 712 registered farmers are women.
The Ministry of Fisheries, Agriculture and the Blue Economy organized the event in collaboration with the Office of the First Lady, British High Commission, Enterprise Seychelles Agency, and UNDP. The timing coincided with International Women Farmers Day, celebrated under the theme “Empowered Women Transforming Agri-Food Systems.”
First Lady Veronique Herminie described women farmers as “the silent strength behind food systems,” praising their shift toward organic practices and reduced pesticide use. British High Commissioner Jeff Glekin challenged conventional imagery more bluntly, arguing women should be viewed as “CEOs of the soil” rather than helpers, adding that equal access to land, technology and credit represents “an economic imperative” rather than mere fairness.
Principal Secretary Kevin Nancy, speaking for Minister Wallace Cosgrow, acknowledged the disparity. While women comprise only 12 percent of registered farmers, they represent 55 percent of the agricultural department workforce itself, holding technical and leadership roles. The government reaffirmed commitment to addressing water distribution, animal feed subsidies, and farm theft.
Anicette Labrosse, farming for 26 years, described transforming forest into productive farmland. “Farming is not just a job, it is a way of life,” she said, noting challenges including high costs, limited infrastructure, and transport difficulties. Andrine Denis from Baie Ste Anne, Praslin, has farmed for 43 years. She learned from her father and started when vegetables were scarce and her son was six months old. “I carried produce in bags and on trolleys to sell. Through farming, I raised my two children.” Her children now work in the Ministry of Agriculture.
The forum featured sessions on branding, packaging, insurance, loans, and climate-smart practices, with presentations from experts including principal agricultural scientist Roy Govinden and representatives from DRDM, UNDP, and the Development Bank of Seychelles.
Whether the forum translates into actual policy change, improved access to resources, or simply remains another well-meaning event in a calendar of recognitions is the question that will define its value. For now, the 29 women who attended received validation and information. What they receive in terms of tangible support remains to be written.
