South Africa’s agriculture sector is facing growing pressure from recent floods across the Western Cape and other parts of the country, adding new risks to an industry already managing climate volatility, infrastructure challenges, and animal disease outbreaks. While several agricultural subsectors are still expected to deliver strong harvests during the 2025/26 season, industry leaders warn ...

South Africa’s maize industry continues to demonstrate resilience, with production forecasts for the 2025/26 season estimated at around 16 million tonnes, remaining well above the country’s annual consumption needs. Despite this strong output, export prospects are weakening. Total maize exports are expected to fall to roughly 2 million tonnes, largely due to reduced demand from ...

Kenya is facing a looming threat to its 2026 maize harvest as farmers in key growing regions report a critical shortage of subsidised fertiliser, disrupting planting during the peak season. In the North Rift—widely regarded as the country’s breadbasket—farmers are struggling to access essential inputs, leading to delays that could significantly reduce yields. Long queues ...

The Ministry of Agriculture Zambia has announced the lifting of the country’s maize and mealie meal export ban, in a move aimed at improving market access and increasing incomes for local farmers. In a statement issued on Thursday, Principal Public Relations Officer Balewa Zyuulu said the decision reflects government efforts to support agricultural growth while ...

Suresh Lingadahalli Mahabaleshwara (Suresh L.M.), a leading scientist with the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT), has been awarded the Africa Region Food Security Leadership Award for his decade-long contributions to combating maize lethal necrosis (MLN) across Sub-Saharan Africa. Tackling a Transboundary Threat First detected in Kenya in 2011, MLN rapidly spread to Ethiopia, ...

South Africa’s agricultural export sector, a critical pillar of the country’s economy, faces growing uncertainty as escalating tensions in the Middle East threaten to disrupt global trade routes and market access. According to agricultural economist Wandile Sihlobo, the region plays a strategic role in South Africa’s export landscape, serving as both a major destination for ...

South Africa’s maize exports remain weak as the 2025/26 marketing year approaches its close in April 2026, raising concerns that the country may fall short of its projected seasonal export target. According to the latest export data, South Africa shipped 39,584 tonnes of maize in the past week. Most of the grain moved into regional ...

By Brandon Moss The Government of Kenya has issued a 30-day ultimatum to traders and individuals hoarding maize stocks, warning that failure to release supplies to the market will trigger duty-free maize imports to stabilise prices. Speaking at a depot operated by the National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB) in Sagana, the Cabinet Secretary for ...

By Wandile Sihlobo From the outset of the 2024–25 season, it was clear that South Africa would remain a net exporter of maize, with early indicators pointing to a strong crop. That expectation has now been confirmed. The season has delivered an ample harvest of 16.44 million tonnes, a 28 percent increase year-on-year and the ...

The start of the rainy season is the single most important moment in Zambia’s farming calendar. Decisions made in those first few weeks determine whether a household secures food for the year, earns short‑term cash, or plants the foundations of a more profitable orchard. A balanced approach pairs very fast‑turnaround crops that generate immediate income ...