Department of Agriculture Hosts LandCare Awareness Campaign in Graaff-Reinet

On 02 October 2025, the Department of Agriculture (DoA) hosted a LandCare Awareness Campaign at Alex Laing Hall, Kroonvale, Graaff-Reinet. The campaign focused on educating farmers and land users on sustainable practices that conserve land and the environment for current and future generations.

The session highlighted interventions implemented by the DoA, including support for two Land Reform farms in 2024/25 through veld grass reseeding to address land degradation. Farmers were guided on preventative measures to protect soil quality and improve productivity, ensuring long-term sustainability.

The event attracted a diverse audience, including emerging and smallholder farmers, Land Reform beneficiaries, farmer unions, and land users from across the Dr Beyers Naudé Local Municipality, including Aberdeen, Graaff-Reinet, Nieu Bethesda, Klipplaat, and Jansenville.

Officials from the DoA Provincial LandCare Office led discussions, supported by stakeholders including Ward Councilors, the Land Reform Department, the Eastern Cape Development Corporation (ECDC), the Local Economic Development (LED) section from Dr Beyers Naudé LM, and the National Development Agency (NDA).

Key focus areas of the campaign included sustainable land use and conservation, land redistribution opportunities, combating land degradation and stock theft, and disaster risk reduction in agriculture. Participants were equipped with practical knowledge to implement these practices on their farms, ensuring productive and environmentally responsible land management.

The campaign reinforced the importance of collective action between government departments, local municipalities, and farmers to strengthen land stewardship, improve agricultural outcomes, and safeguard resources for future generations.