News

South African agriculture posted a surprisingly strong third-quarter performance in 2025, rebounding from two years of contraction. Economists note that, although growth came off a low base, the recovery still represents a meaningful shift for the sector.

Worldwide, the pressures on soil and water are becoming harder to ignore. As weather extremes intensify and productive land grows ever strained, farmers face a truth that science has long warned of: soil and water cannot be managed in isolation.

The African Farmers’ Association of South Africa (AFASA) recently brought together government leaders, agricultural experts, financial institutions, and farmer representatives for its Leadership and Strategic Partnership Conference.

The revived Chris Hani Agricultural Show in the Eastern Cape has renewed efforts to integrate smallholder farmers into formal value chains, with the provincial government and development agencies identifying new market opportunities, infrastructure needs, and potential pathways for commercialisation.

Drones are no longer niche gadgets, they’re fast becoming essential tools on South African farms. At the 2025 Drone & Unmanned Aviation Conference, experts revealed how aerial spraying, crop analytics and predictive AI are reshaping agricultural decision-making.

Grain SA has warned that South Africa’s wheat industry could collapse unless government and the broader value chain act urgently.

Sappo Academy, the training organisation that promotes animal, environmental, and public health in the pig industry through knowledge transfer, hosted a mini development symposium in Pretoria on 26 November.

Geopolitical events have wreaked havoc on the global shipping industry over the last five years, leading to skyrocketing prices and delays that negatively affected the fresh produce industry in particular.

Red Meat Industry Services approved and funded nine new research projects in 2025. Announced on 26 October in Pretoria, they form part of the organisation’s Field to Future framework, which ensures research priorities address real challenges across the industry.

South Africa’s poultry industry scored a major legal victory after the Supreme Court of Appeal overturned a High Court ruling that had sided with importers attempting to block antidumping duties on chicken from Germany, the Netherlands, and the UK.

The future of agriculture took centre stage at the 2025 AgriSA/Toyota SA Young Farmer of the Year Awards, held in Johannesburg on Thursday. Francois Rossouw (30) was named the 2025 AgriSA/Toyota SA Young Farmer of the Year at the prestigious ceremony

At the 7th AU-EU Summit, leaders pledged to strengthen agricultural cooperation, noting that, together with fisheries and aquaculture, the sector will drive growth and create jobs across both continents.

Following recent reports of the illegal use of Kenyan foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) vaccines in South Africa, Red Meat Industry Services (RMIS) immediately alerted authorities, which led to the detection of two suspicious consignments, one in Polokwane and another in Pietermaritzburg.

Zimbabwe’s agriculture sector is set to benefit from decisions taken at the recently concluded 2025 G20 Leaders’ Summit in Johannesburg, South Africa.

South Africa’s G20 presidency concluded with an unexpected diplomatic achievement: securing near-unanimous support for a 30-page Leaders’ Declaration, despite a boycott by US President Donald Trump and reported efforts by Washington to persuade other countries not to sign.

Rising demand for indigenous essential and vegetable oils offers small- and medium-sized producers in South Africa opportunities to expand into local and export markets. However, many struggle to access finance due to limited funding information and complex application processes.

Minister of Agriculture John Steenhuisen announced on Wednesday that the country’s entire national cattle herd will be vaccinated against foot-and-mouth disease, marking a major shift from the long-standing targeted vaccination strategy.

Re-exportation is becoming an increasingly important force in global wine trade, enabling producers and traders to reach new markets through specialised bottling, logistics, and distribution hubs.

Strong winds and network outages have significantly soured port operations in Cape Town over the past two weeks, but Transnet is optimistic that it can still deliver a positive season for fruit exporters.

South African banana farmers face low prices and plant diseases that could threaten the industry’s sustainability if proper safeguards are not put in place.