Farmers and Communal Property Associations (CPAs) in Tigane, near Klerksdorp, in South Africa’s North West province, are set to benefit from improved access to agricultural machinery following the handover of a tractor and other implements by North West MEC for Agriculture and Rural Development, Madoda Sambatha.
The equipment was handed over on Monday, 21 September, as part of an intervention aimed at addressing limited access to mechanisation among small-scale and emerging farmers and strengthening agricultural activities in rural communities.
The tractor will operate as a shared service for farmers affiliated with the Seven Seasons, Oblate, Thusanang and Ikageng Communal Property Associations in the Tigane community. The provincial department also handed over a boom sprayer and a disc plough to enhance the farmers’ operational capacity.
Limited access to agricultural machinery remains a challenge for many emerging farmers, affecting their ability to prepare land, manage crops and increase production. The provision of equipment is therefore expected to support timely farming operations, improve productivity and contribute to household and community food security.
Local farmer and beneficiary Ramasimane Kalaote welcomed the support, saying the equipment would make an important difference to farmers in the area.
“I want to thank our MEC for Agriculture and Rural Development in the North West, Madoda Sambatha. This will go a long way in assisting us as emerging farmers around here in Tigane. Farming without the necessary implements can be difficult, but we are grateful for this support and promise that the equipment will be put to good use,” Kalaote said.
Speaking during the handover, Sambatha said improving farmers’ access to machinery was essential to increasing agricultural production and supporting livelihoods in under-resourced rural communities.
“We have handed over a tractor and other implements to assist small-scale and emerging farmers in Tigane. This support will help increase commodity yields and sustain livelihoods through improved access to mechanisation,” Sambatha said.
He added that the intervention was part of the province’s broader efforts to transform the agricultural sector, reduce poverty and strengthen the resilience of smallholder farmers.
“This intervention speaks directly to our commitment to uplifting rural farming communities. The tractor and implements we are handing over today are not just machinery; they are essential tools for increasing production, strengthening livelihoods and improving food security,” Sambatha said.
The department said it would continue to prioritise investment in agricultural infrastructure, mechanisation and production resources, particularly in historically marginalised rural communities where inadequate access to farming equipment remains a barrier to agricultural development.
Through such interventions, the province aims to improve farmers’ access to productive resources, enabling them to increase agricultural output, strengthen livelihoods and contribute to food security across the North West.
