When the gates opened for Day 2 of the North West Agricultural Show 2025, previously known as the Vryburg Show, one thing became clear: Farmers weren’t just there to browse. They were there to learn, to ask questions and to be heard. And African Farming was there with them, observing and leading.
By Maphuti Mongatane, Business Development Manager at African Farming
As the crowds settled into the day’s activities, African Farming continued doing what it does best: holding space for real conversations, the kind that go beyond exhibitions and glossy pamphlets – conversations about finance, growth, market access and the frustrations that too many farmers still face when trying to build something from the ground up.
Also read: North West Agricultural Show: Farmers spoke and institutions listened
The Gaps that Won’t Go Away
Throughout the show, one message echoed loud: Finance and access to information remained the two biggest hurdles for emerging and smallholder farmers.
Many farmers described funding processes as too technical, too product-driven and too detached from their realities on the ground. At African Farming, we’ve heard this before, and we agree. Access has to be inclusive, simplified and practical, or it’s not really access at all.
For true transformation, the system needs to stop talking around farmers and start walking alongside them.
A Young Farmer With a Big Voice
One of the most inspiring moments of Day 1 came from Andrew Aphane, a passionate young goat farmer and entrepreneur who shared his journey of building a livestock business after studying at the University of Limpopo. Now aligning his enterprise with national and even international markets, Andrew delivered a clear message to fellow young farmers: Go through the process, trust your learning, and stay connected to knowledge platforms like African Farming.”
His confidence and clarity reminded everyone in the room why it’s so important to place young farmers at the centre of the agricultural conversation – not just in photos but also in planning rooms and funding circles.
Also read: Revived North West Agricultural Show puts farmers first
Absa’s Reality Check on Finance
Ringetani Matlou, agri specialist at Absa, brought the heat to the finance panel session. Facilitated by African Farming, the session pulled no punches. Ringetani unpacked what funders are really looking for – and what farmers need to understand if they want to access capital.
She emphasised that the relationship between farmer and bank matters just as much as the business plan. Documentation, compliance, market readiness… These weren’t just checkboxes, but the very foundation of funding success. She also made one thing crystal clear: Young and first-generation farmers are welcome, but they must come prepared.
Her words weren’t just a message to farmers; they were a challenge to banks too: Do more than sell – educate. Meet farmers where they are, and stop assuming everyone understands the language of finance.
As the second day rolled on, African Farming stayed, not on the sidelines, but in the spotlight. We hosted discussions, facilitated sessions and elevated farmer voices. From finance to compliance, from scaling up to market readiness, we kept the mic on. Because this platform doesn’t belong to us; it belongs to the farmers who show up every day, rain or shine, to feed the nation.
What the Road Ahead Must Look Like
If Day 2 proved anything, it’s that farmers are hungry, not just for land and capital, but also for support that speaks their language.
They want:
- Funding they can actually access;
- Mentors who walk the journey with them; and
- And a system that sees them not just as beneficiaries but also as businesspeople.
We saw emerging farmers, young people, women and seasoned producers in the same room, all saying the same thing in different ways: “We want to grow, but we need real support.”
African Farming will continue doing this work in Vryburg, across provinces, in print, on stage and online, because we know that changing the future of agriculture doesn’t happen at a distance.
It happens in rooms like this. At shows like these. With farmers like Andrew. And leaders like Ringetani.We don’t just work for farmers; we work with them.
