Nation in Conversation, Session Six – Nampo 2025
In this highly anticipated discussion marked by tension and a need for clarity, panel members unpacked South Africa’s recently enacted Expropriation Act and its implications for agriculture, land ownership, and property rights. While there was broad agreement that the outdated 1975 legislation needed replacing, views diverged sharply over whether the new Act offers a clear path forward or deepens uncertainty, especially for farmers and agricultural investors.
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Nation in Conversation, Session Five – Nampo 2025
As water and other resources become increasingly scarce, particularly on dryland farms, emerging technologies such as precision farming and artificial intelligence are transforming commercial agriculture. In this session, facilitator Anlie Hattingh led a practical discussion on how these tools can help farmers boost productivity, use resources more efficiently, and lessen their environmental footprint while remaining financially viable.
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Nation in Conversation, Session Four – Nampo 2025
The fourth session of Nation in Conversation at Nampo 2025 brought together experts from academia, industry, and producer organisations to tackle a vital question: what lies ahead for commercial agriculture, and how can the sector prepare to thrive in a rapidly changing world?
From climate change and digital transformation to shifting global markets and generational transitions on farms, the challenges are real, but so are the opportunities. The panel discussion centred on how South African farmers and stakeholders can adapt, innovate, and implement strategies to ensure a prosperous future for this vital industry.
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Nation in Conversation, Session Three – Nampo 2025
With rising environmental pressures and a growing need for long-term resilience, the third session of Nation in Conversation at Nampo 2025 critically examined how South African agriculture can adapt to meet Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) goals with our available resources. Moderated by Anlie Hattingh, this discussion brought together a dynamic panel including Dr Danie Jordaan (University of Pretoria), Herman de Kock (Nedbank), Jolanda Andrag (AgriSA), and producer Cobus van Coller. Their insights revealed the urgency and opportunity embedded in sustainable agriculture, particularly within global uncertainty and domestic economic strain.
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Nation in Conversation Session One – Nampo 2025
Agriculture is one of the pillars of South Africa’s economy, a sector that feeds the nation, drives exports, and anchors thousands of rural communities. Yet, without functioning rural infrastructure, agriculture cannot thrive. Failing roads, collapsing rail, water insecurity, and unreliable electricity are not just inconveniences but barriers to productivity, investment and growth.
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Nation in Conversation, Session Two – Nampo 2025
For the second panel discussion of Nation in Conversation at Nampo 2025, the hall was packed and with good reason. South African agriculture finds itself at a pivotal crossroads: politically uncertain, economically constrained, and yet full of potential.
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Today the two sessions of Nation in Conversation focussed on collaboration opportunities and the difference that can be made in communities, even with the smallest of contributions. The scene setter kicked off with a quote from Gandhi: Be the change you want to see in the world.
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Whether you manage your back-office function on your farm, or subcontracting it to an external expert, the job needs to be done. This is just as certain as the probability of coalition arrangements South Africa will see like never before after the elections. These two topics came under discussion at Nation in Conversation at Nampo Bothaville today, exactly two weeks before the elections.
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“We are entering an era of de-globalisation with a big focus on regional concepts and agriculture,” said Johann Kotzé, CEO of Agri SA during the first session of Nation in Conversation today at Nampo, Bothaville. “We need to not only survive but thrive within uncertainty.” This set the table for this year’s theme, Conquering uncertainty, where this discussion touched issues like climate change and conservation agriculture.
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“It is a cold day with hot topics,” Anlie Hattingh, eNCA news anchor, said while facilitating today’s Nation in Conversation sessions at Nampo Cape 2023. The first panel discussion focussed on how the Western Cape handles the current electricity crisis, where the second session focussed on challenges the sheep industry is facing.
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