NATIONAL NEWS - Deputy President Paul Mashatile will engage with the agricultural sector on 15 Thursday May, at the Nampo Harvest Day. 

Hosted annually by GrainSA, the 56th Nampo Harvest Day is one of the largest agricultural shows in the Southern Hemisphere.

The event kicked off today and will wrap up on Friday at Nampo Park in Bothaville, Free State.

According to the Deputy President’s Office, the event attracts over 80 000 visitors annually and features more than 750 exhibitors from the entire agricultural value chain, including mechanisation, technology, inputs, financing, agri-services, and farmer support.

“It is a proudly South African event that brings together commercial, developing, and emerging farmers in a spirit of collaboration and shared learning,” the statement read. 

The theme for 2025 is: “Global Agriculture, Local”, highlighting the adaptation of global agricultural innovations to South African conditions.

“As the Chairperson of the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Agriculture and Land Reform, the Deputy President is known as a keen supporter and enthusiast of agriculture. 

“His attendance underscores the significance that government places on agriculture as the biggest contributor to job creation, food security, and economic growth in South Africa.”

During the visit, the Deputy President will undertake a walkabout through the exhibitions to witness the best agricultural technologies and products on offer and also engage with selected agricultural groups.

The first Nampo Harvest Day took place in 1967 on a farm in Donkerhoek, near Bloemfontein, and was attended by 200 producers. 

Following this, Harvest Day was held at various farms until the growing size of the event required a more permanent location. 

In 1974, the Nampo Harvest Day was established on a dedicated site outside Bothaville, which is now known as Nampo Park. – SAnews.gov.za

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