News

South Africa’s animal feed industry is regaining its footing, with the latest figures from the Animal Feed Manufacturers Association (AFMA) pointing to a gradual but steady recovery.

With farmers facing rising costs, climate risks, and policy uncertainty, Nampo 2026 is positioning itself as a platform for practical solutions rather than simply innovation for its own sake.

South Africa’s emergency vaccination campaign against foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) is entering a decisive new phase, with improved vaccine supply, early field data, and a structured monitoring programme on the horizon.

Interest in canola production in South Africa’s summer rainfall region is growing, as new cultivars provide promising options for crop diversification.

The disruption of South Africa’s red meat exports stems from the recent implementation of stricter regulatory requirements under Veterinary Procedural Notice 59, a framework designed to safeguard international market access by strengthening traceability, biosecurity, and disease risk management.

South Africa’s citrus industry is set for a positive 2026 export season thanks to strong production conditions and improved logistics performance. However, industry leaders say geopolitical uncertainty, rising costs, structural vulnerabilities in logistics, and market access challenges continue to shape the outlook.

South African sugar industry stakeholders have warned, that without urgent tariff intervention, the gains of Phase Two of the Sugarcane Value Chain Master Plan to 2030 could be undermined before its diversification goals can be realised.

The South African agriculture sector is operating in an increasingly uncertain macroeconomic environment, with the conflict in the Middle East heightening global volatility, increasing input costs, and driving exchange rate fluctuations.

Pressure is mounting on authorities to revise South Africa’s foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) slaughter regulations, after research from the University of Pretoria (UP) found that current rules are not aligned with scientific evidence and are contributing to losses in the livestock industry.

Hundreds of jobs have been secured with the recommissioning of the historic Gledhow Sugar Company mill in KwaDukuza on the KwaZulu-Natal North Coast.

Livestock farmers across South Africa could soon be allowed to vaccinate their own animals against foot-and-mouth disease under a newly proposed government scheme aimed at curbing the spread of 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.

The proportion of the country’s 848 wastewater systems in a critical state rose from 39% (334) in 2021 to 47% (396) in 2024, according to the recently released 2025 Green Drop Report.

The Western Cape Department of Agriculture has approved R22 million in risk-reduction relief to provide fodder support to around 1 100 livestock farmers affected by ongoing dry grazing conditions linked to climate variability.

Africa is not living up to its carbon credit potential, despite rapidly growing global demand for emissions offsets. With more projects emerging in South Africa and across the continent, and agriculture uniquely positioned to develop them, carbon markets could unlock billions in investment.

Water security is fast becoming one of the biggest threats to South Africa’s fruit industry, with climate change, drought, and flooding already disrupting production. This was the stark warning during a recent Sustainable Water Use Footprint webinar hosted by Hortgro.

The Department of Agriculture has confirmed a significant expansion in the distribution of Goss’s wilt across South Africa, with a 2025 national survey showing that the bacterial maize disease is now present in eight provinces.

The South African agriculture sector risks losing competitiveness as ongoing crisis management at government level undermines long-term planning and effective implementation.

The Public Investment Corporation is moving to sell a majority stake in poultry producer Daybreak Foods, as the company continues to grapple with the fallout from financial, governance, and animal welfare crises in 2025.