MEC Nakedi Kekana Positions Limpopo as Key Player in Africa’s Agricultural Growth at IATF 2025

The Limpopo Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (LDARD) MEC, Nakedi Kekana, represented the province at the Agribusiness session of the Intra-African Trade Fair (IATF) 2025. The event, recognized as Africa’s leading platform for trade and investment, highlighted the theme “Building Food Security & Moving up the Value Chain.”

MEC Kekana’s participation placed Limpopo at the center of conversations about Africa’s agricultural future. The province is already regarded as one of South Africa’s strongest food production regions, with comparative advantages in horticulture, livestock, and agro-processing. By attending, she reinforced Limpopo’s strategic role in advancing food security and economic integration across the continent.

At the session, MEC Kekana engaged with policymakers, investors, and agribusiness leaders on ways to strengthen food systems. Discussions centered on improving intra-African trade in agricultural goods, scaling up agro-industrialisation, and ensuring smallholder farmers access markets beyond raw production. A key emphasis was on helping agri-entrepreneurs move into value addition and export markets, creating sustainable growth opportunities.

Her presence also reaffirmed LDARD’s commitment to supporting local farmers through practical initiatives that align with South Africa’s national priorities. The department continues to focus on farmer development programs, infrastructure support, and market access strategies that allow small and emerging farmers to grow their operations and compete regionally.

The IATF 2025 session provided Limpopo with a platform to showcase its potential to investors. The province’s growing agro-processing sector, combined with its export-ready commodities, positions it as a critical link in Africa’s journey toward food self-sufficiency.

Through her participation, MEC Kekana emphasized that agriculture remains central to job creation, rural development, and sustainable growth. She highlighted that building resilient food systems requires collaboration between government, private sector players, and farming communities.

LDARD’s active involvement at IATF 2025 signals a broader vision to ensure that Limpopo not only secures its own food needs but also contributes to Africa’s agricultural trade and competitiveness in global markets.