Seemingly thousands of farmers, agribusiness representatives and service providers gathered at Nampo Cape 2026 on 9 September as the four-day exhibition got under way. The event, held in Bredasdorp in the Western Cape, features more than 500 exhibitors across 600 exhibition spaces, showcasing the latest agricultural machinery, technologies, inputs and services.
Speaking to Farmer’s Weekly during the first morning of the expo, Henk Aggenbach, chairperson of Bredasdorp Park NPC, said the expo remains an important platform for producers and agribusinesses to connect, do business and discover new ideas and technologies.
This year’s event also features a stronger international presence, including a dedicated pavilion showcasing agricultural technologies and solutions from China, while a few American and other international companies are exhibiting machinery, equipment and farming tools at the expo for the first time.
Livestock organisations join forces
One of the more significant industry gatherings on the opening day was the first joint Western Cape annual general meeting of the Red Meat Producers’ Organisation (RPO) and National Wool Growers’ Association (NWGA).
The two livestock organisations used the event to highlight the value of greater co-operation on issues affecting both wool and red meat producers. During a panel discussion, speakers identified traceability, biosecurity, food safety and sustainability as increasingly important requirements for securing and maintaining market access.
Rift Valley fever was cited as a practical example of where closer co-operation is already taking place, with the RPO and NWGA working together on preparedness and response planning for future outbreaks and other shared livestock challenges.
New wheat and barley cultivars showcased
The trial and demonstration fields on the edge of the exhibition grounds attracted strong interest from producers.
At the Syngenta demonstration area, visitors participated in an interactive golf challenge while learning more about new wheat cultivars expected to be released from next year. Driecus Lesch, wheat breeder, and Andries le Roux, crop protection sales manager for Syngenta in the Southern Cape, said the company remained focused on developing improved genetics for local production conditions.
Nearby, Agricol’s Herman Grobler, sales manager, and Jaco Jacobs, an agronomist, showcased the Nuseed Griffon TTI canola cultivar, which is expected to become commercially available from March 2027.
Sumarie de Wet, a plant breeder at the South African Barley Breeding Institute, introduced growers to two promising dryland barley cultivars, Jackhammer and Jigsaw, currently under development for the Caledon and broader Overberg production regions. Both cultivars are set to be released over the next two years.
Dairy producers focus on FMD
Foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) dominated discussions at the annual general meeting of the Milk Producers’ Organisation Western Cape held on the first day of the expo.
Ben van Greunen, Western Cape MPO chairperson and a dairy farmer in George, described the challenges farmers have faced over the past year.
“I had rain, then no diesel, then rain again. But the big focus for the industry was on FMD,” he said.
Luke Gibbs, the national MPO chairperson and a farmer in KwaZulu-Natal, added that South Africa’s dairy industry continues to face a supply deficit despite robust demand, but that FMD remained its biggest focus.
Delegates also received an update from Dr Dietmar Holm, chief veterinarian of the MPO, whom is also a member of the ministerial task team on FMD.
“FMD is not going away. We have to learn to work together and ensure that it does not lead to production losses,” he said.
Practical solutions sought
Away from the annual general meetings and formal discussions, farmers spent much of the opening day exploring a large variety of machinery displays, water-management technologies, precision farming systems and a number of technical presentations.
Organisations including Casidra, the Western Cape Department of Agriculture and numerous agribusinesses participated in demonstrations, information sessions and stakeholder engagements throughout the showgrounds.
Aggenbach said this practical exchange of information lies at the heart of the Nampo Cape expo.
“The objective is to connect farmers with the people, products and knowledge that can help them farm more efficiently and more profitably,” said Aggenbach.
