Rural Limpopo gains from public-private push, but gaps remain

Agriculture in Limpopo’s rural villages is showing promising signs of transformation, driven by collaborations between government and private sector players. Yet, for many local producers, access to key support systems remains limited.

This was a key takeaway at a panel discussion at the recent Limpopo market day, hosted by Agda, De Beers, and Food For Mzansi.

Andy Cyster, socio-economic development manager at the De Beers Group, said he has observed firsthand the changes unfolding across the province. The shift goes far beyond numbers and statistics. “The passion is huge. I can see people making a difference,” he said.

One example he shared is the roadside activity around Avon, Limpopo. Just four years ago, it was rare to see anyone selling vegetables by the roadside. Today, the area is alive with local traders and fresh produce.

Farmer development through agri-hubs

According to Agda CEO Leona Archary, the organisation is working with partners like the De Beers Group to scale up farmer development across the province. She pointed to early progress at the Blouberg Agri-Services Hub, which offers land preparation, training, market access, and funding support.

Archary credited strong foundations and collaboration for the success so far, adding that the long-term plan is to establish a global organic resources hub over the next eleven years.

“The idea of the hub is not just to support new entrants into agriculture, but actually the agricultural sector in totality. That will include the black and white farming sectors. There’s no differentiation because agriculture is about working together.”

Addressing persistent challenges

Archary also addressed mechanisation and finance as two recurring challenges. “Mechanisation itself is not to be used for one planting season and then [abandoned] because there’s no one to fix it, or there’s no diesel, or there’s no driver.”

She proposed a shared model to lower costs and improve sustainability. On the topic of finance, she acknowledged that while funding is reportedly available, the real challenge lies in ensuring that enterprises, regardless of their size, can access it.

Offering further insight into on-the-ground realities, Spha Ngobani, zone manager for the Lima Rural Development Foundation, who works closely with farmers in Blouberg, spoke about the lived experiences of small-scale producers.

“I think transformation is a very good thing for small-scale farmers. But there is quite a lot of improvement needed for the farmers on the ground in terms of the production part of it.”

Ngobani emphasised the importance of skills development, noting that many farmers have a solid understanding of aligning production with market demands. However, he pointed out that challenges like mechanisation still hinder progress, particularly when it comes to timely energy access and transporting produce to market efficiently.

“Another aspect that we need to improve on our transformation is the issue of the land; most of the farmers are not farming in good territory.”

Ngobani stressed that access to water remains a serious challenge and called for a collaborative workshop to address the issue.

Land Bank on finance, security & partnerships

Representing Land Bank, Shetrina Maremane reaffirmed the institution’s commitment to supporting farmers of all scales. “We have seen farmers moving from your small scale to commercial, within this area,” she said.

Maremane recognised that partnerships play a crucial role, noting that part of their responsibility is to track how funding contributes to job creation and report these outcomes to the relevant departments.

In terms of financial support, she outlined Land Bank’s approach, which includes both grants and loans. Grants, she explained, are designed to ease the burden on beneficiaries by reducing repayment obligations.

Maremane noted that the bank is working to simplify its application process.