Food For Mzansi will once again be among the key knowledge partners at this year’s Nampo Cape, hosting an exciting programme of thought-provoking discussions that will soon be announced.
Taking place from Wednesday, 9 to Saturday,12 September 2026 in Bredasdorp in the Western Cape, Nampo Cape will bring together farmers, agribusinesses, researchers, service providers and communities from across the agricultural value chain under the theme, “Together we grow.”
A bigger stage for bold conversations
The hugely popular Food For Mzansi lunchtime conversations with Land Bank return to Nampo Cape, once again bringing together some of agriculture’s most influential voices for engaging discussions on the issues shaping the sector.
To meet growing demand, the conversations will this year move into a dedicated Food For Mzansi Auditorium, providing even more visitors with the opportunity to be part of these sought-after sessions.
Nampo Cape will feature more than 500 exhibitors across 600 exhibition spaces spread over 32 hectares, showcasing the latest agricultural technologies, products, services and innovations designed to strengthen South Africa’s farming sector.
Organisers say this year’s theme highlights the importance of collaboration in building a resilient, competitive and sustainable agricultural industry. Strong partnerships between producers, agribusinesses, organised agriculture, researchers, innovators, financiers, government and local communities are increasingly vital as farmers face mounting economic and environmental pressures.
Winter grain producers, in particular, continue to grapple with rising input costs, weaker commodity prices, high financing costs, policy uncertainty and difficult production conditions. Recent developments surrounding the wheat tariff dispensation have added to concerns over competitiveness and the long-term sustainability of local wheat production.
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According to Dr Dirk Strydom, managing director of Nampo, the Western Cape event has become an essential platform where producers can find practical solutions during challenging times.
“Producers in the winter grain regions are farming in an environment where every decision has become more complex. Productivity, profitability, input costs, market access and policy certainty are all part of the same conversation.
“Nampo Cape gives producers the opportunity to step out of isolation, engage with the wider value chain and look for practical answers that can strengthen their businesses and their confidence for the seasons ahead,” he said.
The event offers producers an opportunity to exchange ideas, discover new technologies and participate in conversations that can translate into practical improvements on farms.
Henk Aggenbach, chairperson of Bredasdorp Park NPC, said the theme resonates strongly with the realities facing South African agriculture.
“Across the sector, many businesses are working harder for tighter returns. Production costs remain high, while weaker commodity prices continue to place producers under pressure,” he said.
Livestock producers continue to battle the effects of foot-and-mouth disease, which has disrupted livestock movement, increased financial strain and limited access to export markets. Severe flooding across the Western Cape in May 2026 further exposed the vulnerability of producers by damaging critical infrastructure and disrupting farming operations.
Against this backdrop, Nampo Cape aims to provide a platform where innovation, collaboration and practical solutions can help strengthen resilience across the agricultural sector.
Strydom said the strength of the expo lies in bringing knowledge, technology and people together.
“No single producer can solve today’s production and profitability challenges alone. What Nampo Cape does is bring the right people into the same space producers, suppliers, researchers, organised agriculture and service providers so that conversations can become ideas, ideas can become decisions, and decisions can become practical change on farms.”
In addition to the Food For Mzansi programmes, organised agriculture sessions at the Santam auditorium will feature the Red Meat Producers’ Organisation, Milk Producers’ Organisation, Vinpro and Grain SA discussing sector priorities, challenges and future opportunities.
Visitors can also attend the Ikusasa Water Wise Centre and the Protected Vegetable Production Seminar, making Nampo Cape 2026 one of South Africa’s leading platforms for agricultural innovation, collaboration and knowledge sharing.
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