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By Khumo Monde
The North West MEC for Agriculture and Rural Development, Madoda Sambatha, has tabled a R1.276 billion budget for 2025/26, positioning agriculture as a driver of rural development, food security, and economic growth.
Delivering his budget speech at the provincial legislature on Wednesday 23 July 2025, Sambatha said farming is not just an economic activity but a cornerstone of community development. “When you support a farmer, you grow a nation,” he said.
The budget prioritises support for cooperatives, aligning with the UN’s 2025 theme, Cooperatives Build a Better World. A new provincial cooperatives register and a five-year programme will promote household gardens, communal land use, and structured market access for smallholder farmers.
To improve market access for historically disadvantaged farmers, the department will work with SALGA and municipalities to develop marketing cooperatives. A major highlight is the return of the North West Agricultural Show in September 2025 in Vryburg, with annual district shows to follow. These events will boost agro-tourism and honour outstanding youth, women, and breeders.
R36.8 million is allocated to support the red meat industry, benefitting over 7,200 farmers and creating more than 400 jobs. The province will also capitalise on its maize production to strengthen feedlots and cattle farming.
The department will roll out a new Aggregation Model for food gardens and beekeeping in 2026/27, targeting 5,000 gardens annually to empower youth and improve food security. Veterinary services will intensify disease surveillance with mass vaccinations, while R68.8 million is set aside for Crop Massification, benefitting 414 farmers across the province.
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