If there is one place where tractors, technology, and township-to-commercial farming dreams meet, it is at Nampo Harvest Day in Bothaville. And right in the middle of the action, energy company Engen is making sure the wheels of agriculture keep turning.
For Kagiso Mashiane, events manager for Engen South Africa, Nampo is not just an activation site. It is a living archive of South African farming, where heritage machines, modern innovation and future farmers all share the same dusty ground.
One of Engen’s most talked-about attractions at Nampo is the Engen Tractor Museum, a space filled with restored tractors and implements that have been donated over many years. The exhibition features a nostalgic collection of vintage tractors and agricultural machinery.
Mashiane says the exhibition has grown over time through long-standing partnerships in the agricultural sector, including more than 20 years with Grain SA, which presents Nampo, and over 50 years of broader engagement in farming. He describes himself as part of a long line of custodians managing the activation, joking that he may be the fourth or fifth generation to look after it.
The museum itself is built on contribution from the farming community. Farmers and supporters have donated equipment to preserve the story of agricultural development in South Africa.
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Among the standout pieces is a John Deere tractor that turns 98 this year, still preserved and part of the working display.
Veteran tractor club keeps the story alive
A key partner in the museum is the North West Veteran Tractor Club, who Mashiane credits as the backbone of the experience. He says they’re more than partners, describing them as the “grandparents” of tractor restoration because of their deep knowledge and care for each machine.
The club helps maintain the tractors, runs tours, and knows the history behind every implement on display. Their mission is simple: keep the love of restoration alive and ensure agricultural history is not lost.
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For Mashiane, this connection is also about perspective. It reminds visitors how far farming has come, from manual steering and physical precision to today’s GPS-guided and automated machines.
That contrast between old and new is also where Engen’s wider role in agriculture becomes visible.
The company is one of South Africa’s leading fuel and lubricants suppliers, with a strong footprint in farming where reliability and performance are critical to keeping operations moving during planting and harvest seasons.
Its agricultural product range, including fuels like Engen Dynamic Diesel and lubricants such as Agrifluid transmission oils, Agritrac Super Universal, and Agrivac dairy lubricants, is designed for demanding farming conditions. The focus, Mashiane suggests, is on efficiency and durability, ensuring that machinery on farms across the country can operate for longer under tough conditions.
That commitment to performance has also been recognised in the sector, with Engen named Lubricants Supplier of the Year by major agricultural co-operatives for six consecutive years.
Alongside performance, Mashiane says there is a growing focus on sustainability and adaptation. Engen has begun showcasing more environmentally conscious solutions, such as reformulated Dieselube 700 Super, Engen AdBlue, and bio-based materials linked to biodegradable agricultural plastics.
He adds that innovation is also shaping how energy is delivered to farms, with developments in solar and battery backup systems for fuel dispensing becoming increasingly important as farmers look for more resilient and flexible energy solutions.
Fuel, farming and the pressure on margins
Mashiane also spoke about one of the biggest pressures facing farmers today: rising fuel costs. He said fuel is one of the most important input costs in agriculture, and when prices spike, it has a direct impact on profitability.
He explained that crop prices are often set long before harvest, meaning farmers have limited room to adjust when input costs increase.
“It hurts,” he said, noting that shrinking margins are a real challenge across the sector.
While Engen cannot control global fuel shocks, Mashiane said the company works with agricultural partners and co-operatives to support farmers through these difficult periods.
He also added that the issue is personal, as he has family involved in farming, which makes the impact of rising costs feel closer to home.
Getting young people excited about farming again
Despite the pressure points, Mashiane says Nampo Harvest Day remains a space of hope, especially when it comes to youth engagement.
A key goal for Engen is to keep young people interested in agriculture through interactive experiences. This includes tractor simulators that allow children to experience harvesting playfully, even if they are not yet old enough to operate real equipment.
“We want them to love agriculture,” he said.
The idea is to connect the next generation to farming early, blending fun with learning and showing that agriculture is both a tradition and a future career path.
As Nampo Harvest Day continues in Bothaville, Mashiane says the event reflects the full spectrum of South African agriculture. From nearly century-old tractors in the museum to high-tech farming systems on display outside, the contrast tells a bigger story of evolution and resilience.
And for Engen, the message is simple. Agriculture is built on movement, memory and people, and keeping that system running means honouring the past while powering the future.
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