MEC SAMBATHA LEADS FROM THE FRONT AS HE LAUCHES “PLANTING SEASON” SURROUNDED BY HAPPY FARMERS

Madoda Sambatha, the North West MEC for the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, is a man on a mission. He wants all farmers in the province to be equipped with knowledge and skill in their line of work. Too many farmers enter the industry on the ticket of Black Empowerment, and oftentimes many do not have background in the art of farming itself. The results are inevitably dire for any farmer engaging in their vocation through mere guts and determination that is not backed by training. In response to this dilemma, Sambatha this week mobilized impeccable resources to equip farmers with some basic education in order to enhance their enthusiasm and output.

At Sambatha’s remarkable initiative, throngs of commercial and emerging North West farmers converged in the rural heartland of the province – Sannieshof – a hidden gem in the production of food security through both crop and livestock farming.

The Agriculture MEC was leading the official launch of the “Provincial Planting Season” in the vast Ngaka Modiri Molema District, under which Sannieshof is situated.

Under the theme: “Adoption of Climate Smart Crop Production Techniques for Better Profitability and Sustainable Farming,” experts in the field of agriculture were lined up to offer invaluable insights about the secret of success.

For the 2025/26 summer grain season, the programme is set to support at least 50 farmers across 2,700 hectares in all the five local municipalities of the Ngaka Modiri Molema District. A whopping R23 million has been set aside for the programme. It will be used to provide inputs, technical guidance and essential resources aimed at promoting sustainable grain production and enhance food security.

Dozens of staff members from the Department also known as DARD accompanied MEC Sambatha on the massive event that attracted visibly large crowds of farmers, stakeholders and community members eager to interact directly with the departmental leadership. All came together to “sow not just seeds, but the promise of food security, prosperity, and growth”.

According to DARD, the event marked “a powerful commitment to resilience, innovation and sustainable agriculture”.

For farmers that attended the launch of the planting season, they benefitted from live demonstrations on key aspects of the planting season. These included soil profiling to assess fertility and guide fertilizer application, proper soil preparation for optimal seedbed conditions, planter and boom sprayer calibration to ensure uniform seed placement and safe agrochemical use, and effective weed control techniques to enhance crop yields.