Emmanuel Haven voted the top commercial entrepreneur in horticulture.

Port Elizabeth City Hall was filled with song as more than 20 women walked away with cash rewards for excelling in the provincial department of agriculture female farming entrepreneur awards last week.

Nelson Mandela Bay Mayor Zanoxolo Wayile, was the keynote speaker at the awards and hailed the ceremony as a "great and important moment", saying that women were "the bedrock of the community".

The Mavikela Backyard Garden, which farms both livestock and vegetables in Grahamstown, won the overall trophy and R4000 for winning its category of subsistence farming.

Citrus fruit picker Nombulelo Jacobs won the best farm worker award for her lemon picking skills at Luthando Farm in Kirkwood.

Port Elizabeth's Emmanuel Haven was voted the top commercial entrepreneur in horticulture and crops for its hydroponic tunnel where it grows peppers, cucumbers and tomatoes.

The department awarded 11 first place prizes, which included:

• Fisheries youth entrepreneur: Sisakha Youth Fish project, Graaff-Reinet.
• Livestock youth entrepreneur: Vukuzenzele Youth broiler chicken project, Alexandria.
• Horticulture and crops for smallholders: Willowmore vegetable nursery, Willowmore.
• Top smallholder entrepreneur for livestock: Ndyebo cattle farming project, Alexandria.
• Top commercial entrepreneur for livestock: Angora goat breeders, Hardwood Farm from Kliplaat.
• Top smallholder entrepreneur for processing: Mayibuyindlovu compost manufacturing farm, Kirkwood.
• Top commercial entrepreneur for processing: Busisizwe Essential Oils who processes rose geranium oils in Uitenhage.
• Top commercial entrepreneur in citrus farming: Luthando Citrus, Kirkwood.

The first prize winners were awarded R4000, the second prize winners R3000 and third R2000.

The first prize winners will represent the district at the provincial awards which will be held in East London on August 5.