Food For Mzansi, in partnership with the Agricultural Development Agency (Agda), is rolling out the red carpet in Pretoria this August for a brunch event that promises to be one of the most powerful gatherings of women in South African agriculture this year.
Mark the date: the Soul To Soil brunch returns to Klein Kaap Boutique Hotel in Centurion on Wednesday, 26 August. It will bring together an extraordinary line-up of executives, farmers, economists, agro-processors and changemakers for a morning of hard conversations, big ideas and, of course, a hot breakfast buffet worthy of the occasion.
From boardrooms to piggeries, seed houses to fintech start-ups, this year’s speaker line-up spans the full breadth of the agricultural value chain – and they’re all women who are rewriting what leadership in this sector looks like.
Breaking barriers, building legacy
Opening the morning’s programme, a panel on women’s leadership brings together the likes of Agda CEO Leona Archary and Prof. Hlamani Ngwenya, a researcher and international development consultant whose work has shaped policy conversations far beyond South Africa’s borders.
Next up, the spotlight turns to innovation. Maboang Matlou, a moringa farmer and agro-processor, joins Pretty Kubyane, co-founder and chief technology officer of efamaApp, and Lerato Aliu, CEO of Roadgrass Investments, for a panel that proves agriculture’s future isn’t just growing in the soil.
It’s being coded, processed and scaled by women who refuse to wait for permission.
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Few panels will carry as much industry weight as the one featuring, amongst others, Fhumulani Ratshitanga, CEO of Fruit SA, and Rendani Murovhi, Transformation Manager at Potatoes SA. These powerhouses have a shared mission: steering the sector toward a more inclusive and resilient future.
Closing out the morning, the conversation turns to money, risk and impact – the unglamorous but essential ingredients of a business that survives. Zama Sangweni, agricultural economist at Absa, and Juanita Pardesi, CEO of the Seriti Institute, will get candid about what it takes to build agribusinesses that don’t just grow, but last.
This is just a taste of the inspiring voices coming to Soul To Soil 2026. Even more trailblazers will be joining the line-up, so stay tuned!
How to get Soil To Soil tickets
Between the panel discussions, lucky draws, goodie bags, and plenty of networking over breakfast, this is one morning agriculture’s leading ladies – and everyone who wants to learn from them – won’t want to miss.
Food For Mzansi managing director Ivor Price says Soul To Soil isn’t just another industry breakfast.
“Every year, we are proud to partner with Agda, an organisation we greatly admire for its unwavering commitment to helping emerging and black farmers enter the commercial agricultural sector. By bringing together the public and private sectors, Agda is opening doors to finance, mechanisation and market access, creating opportunities that are transforming lives and strengthening South African agriculture.
“Soul To Soil reflects that same spirit of collaboration. It is where the people shaping the future of agriculture come together to have honest conversations, build meaningful relationships and inspire practical action that benefits the entire sector.”
Tickets for Soul To Soil are available for just R299 on www.soultosoil.co.za.
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