Through regenerative agriculture training and strategic partnerships Avo Vision is equipping rural women with the skills to restore land, strengthen livestock enterprises and build sustainable livelihoods in Ga-Kibi.
Transforming Agriculture in Ga-Kibi
In the heart of Ga-Kibi in Limpopo’s rural villages where cattle farming has long been a way of life, Tumelo Ramashia is reshaping what leadership in agriculture looks like. Working as a Field Coordinator within the Agri Regen programme under the Avo Vision Green Business Value Chain programme, Tumelo supports crop management land restoration and animal herding, all part of a broader effort to rehabilitate degraded landscapes and restore them to productive and sustainable use.
Training That Changed Everything
Tumelo’s passion for working with animals began at a young age, especially with livestock commonly found in rural households such as cows. However she noticed early on that many families lacked proper knowledge on how to care for their animals or build sustainable income streams from them.
“The training I received from GIZ in partnership with Avo Vision changed everything for me,” Tumelo said. “We were taught animal husbandry herding for health land restoration and financial literacy. These trainings impacted me in a very positive way because I learned so much that I didn’t know before especially about the business value chain. Most people including myself had never heard of it. Now I’m able to share this knowledge with the businesses and animal associations that I work with.”
Empowering Farmers and Building Livelihoods
With this new expertise Tumelo is committed to helping farmers understand how to care for their livestock, improve animal health and sell their cattle at fair market prices. Her goal is to empower families to generate reliable income and build long term livelihoods from resources they already have.
Breaking Barriers in a Male Dominated Sector
But her journey has not been without challenges. “People are still not used to seeing women in this line of work,” she said. “For years men have dominated agriculture and now women are stepping in to prove that we are just as capable. Opportunities for women in this sector are still limited so I feel very fortunate to be in this position to wake up every day and do something I am passionate about.”
Tumelo also works as an animal technician in Limpopo further strengthening her contribution to sustainable farming practices in the province.
A Message to Young Women
Her message to young people especially young women interested in pursuing work with animals is simple but powerful. “Go for it. Work hard. Don’t listen to what people say because everything is possible,”she said.
Programme Impact
Over the past two years Avo Vision’s Green Business Value Chain has created more than 1,600 green jobs while restoring hundreds of hectares of land. Through partnerships with GIZ and the Industrial Development Corporation’s Social Employment Fund SEF the programme has supported over 70 green enterprises with training tools and resources building economic resilience and driving environmental sustainability across rural communities.
What Regenerative Agriculture Means
Regenerative Animal Husbandry is the farming approach that aims to restore and enhance the health of the whole ecosystem while raising livestock rather than just minimising harm. It actively improves soil water biodiversity and carbon cycles.
Regenerative Crop Management is the strategic planning and care of crops to restore soil health boost biodiversity and build climate resilience while reducing reliance on synthetic inputs.
Land Restoration is the process of reversing land degradation to restore its ecological function productivity and biodiversity. It is about healing damaged landscapes so they can support sustainable farming water retention and community resilience.
