Africa

Mozambique's plans to reduce agricultural imports from South Africa could create new opportunities for investment and regional cooperation, provided domestic production expands without disrupting cross-border trade.

Botswana's foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) crisis is threatening more than its commercial beef industry. Stud breeders say movement restrictions have disrupted the entire genetics pipeline, preventing them from importing new bloodlines, exporting breeding stock, and selling bulls to cash-strapped commercial farmers.

While cattle farmers in Botswana have welcomed the government's decision to reduce foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) slaughter restrictions, they warn that months without income, limited market access, and a growing backlog of slaughter-ready cattle mean the financial fallout from the outbreak is far from over.

More than 260 exhibitors took part in the 2026 ADMA Agri Show in Harare, Zimbabwe, from 4 to 6 June, showcasing livestock, inputs, agricultural machinery, and equipment.

After months of escalating poaching that has decimated wildlife populations, caused livestock losses, and forced farmers to spend thousands of pula on security, prison sentences recently handed down to poachers have raised hopes that Botswana’s courts are beginning to take wildlife crime more seriously.

Zimbabwe has set a target to increase sugar cane yields by 35%, aiming to lift national averages from 81t/ha to 110t/ha as part of its Sugarcane Industry Development Plan (2026–2035).

Lucerne Fields, the Tuli Block farming business behind Botswana's B-Fresh vegetable brand, recently celebrated 15 years of carrot production by opening its farm to its trade partners. The event showcased the investments and innovations that have transformed the business into Botswana's leading carrot producer.

Thousands of tobacco farmers in Zimbabwe say they are frustrated with low prices, pointing to a growing gap between returns and high production costs as the country’s 2026 tobacco marketing season continues.

Zimbabwe has partially lifted its suspension on imports of live cloven-hoofed animals and products from South Africa, reopening trade from the Western Cape only. Animals will be accepted only from farms and compartments certified by Zimbabwean state veterinarians as meeting World Organisation for Animal Health standards.

Cattle pens were empty at this year’s Bulawayo Agricultural Show in Zimbabwe due to the outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) in Southern Africa, but small-stock and young agripreneurs focused on value addition kept the event going.

The Zimbabwean government announced last week that it will return 67 farms seized from foreign nationals from four European countries, whose investments are protected under bilateral agreements.

Botswana is intensifying efforts to control a foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) outbreak while managing investigations into alleged extortion linked to the disease.

Botswana has confirmed a foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) outbreak in the north-eastern part of the country, triggering a swift escalation in containment measures as authorities race to prevent further spread.

Zimbabwe’s agriculture sector faces mounting pressure as rising fuel costs spread through the value chain. Farmers, transporters, and industry experts warn that volatile prices could affect productivity and food supply, particularly for smallholder farmers.

Zimbabwe's rabbit farming sector is poised for significant expansion, with projections indicating a tenfold increase in value to US$25 million (about R400 million) in the medium term, up from a base of US$2,5 million (R40 million), as the industry transitions from informal roots to a thriving commercial enterprise.

Kenyan farmers have received a temporary reprieve in their seed-saving battle after the government failed to overturn a High Court ruling protecting farmers’ right to save, share, and exchange indigenous seeds.

Botswana’s repeated bans on South African fresh produce have raised concerns in the agriculture sector, with industry leaders saying the stop-start restrictions disrupt trade flows and make export planning difficult.

Zambia has suspended all imports of livestock and related animal products from South Africa with immediate effect, citing biosecurity concerns over the country’s escalating foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) outbreak.

The foot-and-mouth disease outbreak in Eswatini, first reported in May 2025, has spread extensively across the country, affecting cattle and pigs, with only one region remaining virus-free.

Zimbabwean veterinary authorities have reported an outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease in Zimbabwe’s Mangwe district in Matabeleland South, near the country's border with Botswana.