TWEEFONTEIN — Residents and local farmers gathered at the Vezubuhle Community Hall on Wednesday, 27 May 2026, for a farming workshop organised by Land Bank and Agrimall in partnership with Thembisile Hani Local Municipality.
The workshop, supported by the municipality’s Local Economic Development (LED) Department, aimed to educate residents, particularly farmers, about the importance of insuring their farms and accessing support services to sustain agricultural businesses.
Agrimall Director Thabo Qhabhashe said the institution operates digitally and was established to assist entrepreneurs, particularly those in the agricultural sector, to grow their businesses.
Qhabhashe said Agrimall identified a need to invest in Mpumalanga because the province is surrounded by farms and continues to show strong growth in the agricultural sector.
He said investing in the province would help farmers protect and sustain their farms against crime, natural disasters and illegal activities, which is why Agrimall encourages farmers to attend workshops and insure their farming operations.
Young farmer Carol Stols, 21, from Thembalethu said the workshop was beneficial as it highlighted the importance of tagging livestock and registering them with the Department of Agriculture for identification and security purposes.
“I am delighted to be part of this workshop because we need more programmes like these in our villages,” she said.
“They help us gain knowledge about farming and protecting our farms. I now know I can access funding through the Land Bank and insure my farm against risks such as theft, fire, hail and storms.”
Stols added that she now understands the importance of branding and tagging livestock, as well as registering her farm with the Department of Agriculture.
“Livestock gets stolen every day, therefore I think it is important to insure my livestock so that it can be easily tracked if it gets lost,” she said.
“As farmers, we sell and trade livestock and crops with each other, therefore it is very important to ensure that products are legally branded and registered.”
Executive Manager for Local Economic Development, Itumeleng Mashishi, emphasised that the municipality welcomes such initiatives because they bring growth, stability, knowledge and development to local communities.
“It is encouraging to see local farmers receiving support and recognition,” said Mashishi.
“We want to see farmers entering larger markets and supplying local malls so that our local economy can grow and unemployment can be reduced.”
Mashishi explained that the LED Department focuses on infrastructure-related support, including repairing damaged rural roads, fencing irrigation points, and supporting pack houses and cold storage facilities.
He added that the LED Department also supports farmers by connecting them with Land Bank, Agrimall, the National Youth Development Agency (NYDA), the Department of Small Business Development (DSBD), cooperatives and grant funding opportunities.
Mashishi further said the department assists farmers in forming cooperatives so they can purchase seed and fertiliser in bulk and negotiate better market prices collectively.
“One farmer alone may struggle to negotiate prices, but 50 farmers working together have stronger bargaining power,” he said.
The workshop highlighted the municipality’s efforts to strengthen local agriculture by connecting farmers with institutions that provide funding, insurance and technical support.
The municipality encouraged farmers to participate in future workshops, saying they provide valuable information and knowledge. Farmers who missed the session were also encouraged to contact the LED office for follow-up assistance and support.
