Nampo

After concerns over recent unseasonal downpours at Nampo Park in Bothaville, organisers say conditions have improved significantly, with sunny and mild weather forecast for Nampo from 12 to 15 May.

Whether you are looking for compact orchard tractors or high-horsepower machines built for large-scale operations, this year’s Nampo Harvest Day promises something for every production system. Farmer’s Weekly spoke to some of the leading exhibitors about the showstoppers in their line-ups.

Nation in Conversation, taking place at Nampo 2026 near Bothaville, Free State, aims to bring together industry leaders, academics, policymakers, and producers to unpack South Africa’s most pressing agricultural challenges.

Excitement is building for this year’s Nampo Harvest Day, as thousands of farmers, agribusinesses, and industry stakeholders prepare to converge on Bothaville in the Free State for what remains the largest agricultural show in the Southern Hemisphere.

In a few weeks’ time, the Free State town of Bothaville will once again become the centre of South Africa’s agricultural scene when this year’s Nampo Harvest Day gets under way.

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.

Organisers of South Africa’s largest agricultural exhibition have confirmed that no cloven-hoofed animals will be exhibited at the 2026 Nampo Harvest Day, scheduled for 12 to 15 May at Nampo Park in Bothaville in the Free State.

The air at Nampo Park near Bothaville in the Free State was filled with the sounds of livestock and the buzz of activity as competitions and demonstrations took centre stage at Nampo Alfa 2025.

Far too many conversations about agriculture still happen behind closed doors or on social media, and that’s not the ideal way to solve the sector’s problems, says Dewald Olivier, CEO of Red Meat Industry Services.

The Lamb Champs 2025 National Champion trophy is a symbol of hard work and passion, and it lays the foundation for an exciting future, says winner Hennie Jonker.

African consumers are developing a palate for South African wines, as is evidenced by the fact that Nigeria imported more South African wine than China in 2024.

While expanding red meat exports has been one of the South African agriculture sector’s good news stories, shortcomings in animal health and traceability are dragging prices below those of competitors.

At this year’s South African Sheepdog Association Nampo Cape exhibition, dogs herded with precision, reflecting years of training, trust, and patience. Jurie van der Vyver, owner of border collie Cap, showed Glenneis Kriel what it takes to raise a champion.

Toog Vermaak took the title of Toyota SA National Young Auctioneer of the Year at the finals held at Nampo Cape in Bredasdorp last week.

The human factor, lax policing, and bureaucratic inertia are among the biggest factors contributing to the ongoing foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) crisis in the country.

Nampo Cape 2025 concluded with a record number of visitors on Saturday. Altogether, 49 326 people attended the event, hosted in Bredasdorp in the Western Cape from 10 to 13 September.

Vinpro hosted an information session at Nampo Cape titled ‘Practical Solutions for Today’s Farmer’, offering attendees a wealth of practical, actionable advice to improve their operations and reduce their risks.

The Farmer Patent competition at Nampo Cape drew fewer entries this year, but the overall quality of innovations was higher than usual, according to Donald Brink, Omnia sales manager and one of the competition judges.

Barley production has fluctuated due to hurdles ranging from unpredictable weather to rising costs. This has prompted farmers to plant lower-risk crops like wheat, oats, or canola, disrupting production and market stability and increasing uncertainty in the industry.

A celebration of cheese and changemakers took place on Thursday evening at Nampo Cape in Bredasdorp during a cocktail evening hosted by Hollard.