It’s all system go for the resumption of the much talked about North West Agricultural show in Vryburg, a place affectionately known as “the Texas of South Africa.”
This is due to its extensive cattle herds, large-scale cattle farming, and its significance as a major beef-producing region and hub for agricultural events.
The MEC for the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (DARD) Madoda Sambatha said they are prepared to resume the show from Thursday until Saturday in Vryburg.
“As to why the Agricultural show was not held in the past seven years still baffles me, yet Botswana that started its Agriculture show after benchmarking from our show in the province, has been holding their shows annually.
“But ask yourself who is regularly attending and competing in NAMPO (A big annual Agricultural exhibition and gathering organised by Grain SA in Bothaville, Free State) it’s both black and white farmers from the North West, by the way we are second after Free State in grain production,” said Sambatha.
He said the province is performing amongst the first three best provinces in terms of farming and agriculture in the country.
“North West is number three in the country in terms of agriculture, it is number in poultry, while in beef it is number two in terms of herd of cattle, and in maize we are in position three, trailing behind Free State and Mpumalanga. This is clear that we have a sizable number of Agricultural farmers in the province as entities, but we also have emerging black farmers or breeders in beef production,” added the MEC.
Sambatha said the aim of the show amongst others is to provide a platform for both the information, exposure and for giving access to funding opportunities available in the sector.
“That’s why we are reconvening it and I insist that it should be a permanent feature but then in the next financial year which is 2026/27 it is going to be held at each and every district in the province which will culminate into the provincial show, where all the winners from the four districts will compete amongst themselves.
“We literally want to make farming and Agriculture development in our province fashionable and followed by people who are dedicated in the sector,” explained Sambatha.
The Department has also commended a growing interest shown by the youth and women who want to be involved in the sector in the province.
“The interest has increased amongst the youth and women and in fact we veer towards biasedness to both youth and women on interest of farming as historic legacy contradictions we are dealing with.
“We are seeing a lot of interest again from women and youth because there are structures now in the province representing youth and women in the agriculture and farming sector which are Youth in Agriculture and Rural Development (YARD) and Women in Agriculture and Rural Development (WARD) those are very active existing both provincially and in all our districts.
“We are also encouraged because these structures are led by people who are farmers already, not aspirants, people who still want to be involved in the sector, but people who are already working in the sector,” said the MEC.
Sambatha highlighted that their funding model is also biased towards both the youth and women, whom he said have shown great interest in this sector.
“Yes, there’s an interest even on the funding that I said it’s biased towards both youth and women, even when the funding period is closed.
“We will assess who is funded from the 1 700 applications we have received in terms of women and young people,” concluded Sambatha.
