Portfolio Committee on Agriculture visited a Foot and Mouth Disease Vaccination site and a Crop Massification Project in Groot Maricho, Ramotshere Moiloa Local Municipality.

As part of the Ngaka Modiri Molema District Oversight visits that the North West Provincial Legislature is embarking this week from the 06- 09 October 2026, the Portfolio Committee on Agriculture visited a Foot and Mouth Disease Vaccination site and a Crop Massification Project in Groot Maricho, Ramotshere Moiloa Local Municipality.
The Oversight visits form part of the Committee’s ongoing responsibility to monitor the implementation and impact of agricultural programmes, engage with beneficiaries and assess challenges affecting farmers According to a presentation done by Ms E Mnguni, the district director for Ngaka Modiri Molema, the district received generally favourable to above-normal summer rainfall during the production season. Overall, maize and sunflower yields were above average, although production performance varied across localities due to weather-related factors.

Key Challenges Affecting Crop Performance
The following factors may have contributed to variations in crop performance:
• Excessive rainfall and localised flooding in Mahikeng, Ramotshere Moiloa, Ditsobotla and Ratlou Local Municipalities.
• Poor rainfall distribution, including dry intervals during critical crop growth stages, affecting flowering, pollination and grain filling.
• Above-normal temperatures experienced across much of the country.
• Delayed planting following heavy rainfall, which prevented machinery from accessing fields at the appropriate time.
• Late-season excessive rainfall around maturity and harvesting, which delayed harvesting and potentially affected grain quality, particularly in maize.
Overall Assessment
• Although the season generally experienced favourable rainfall, the distribution and intensity of rainfall varied considerably across the district.
• Localised excessive rainfall, waterlogging, flooding, periods of high temperatures and interruptions to field operations may have affected crop performance in some production areas. The extent of the impact differed depending on locality, planting date, soil conditions and crop growth stage.
• Pest and disease pressure was also observed during field-level assessments; however, the impact could not be quantified

ANGELIQUE FARMING PROJECT
At the Angelique Farming Project, the Committee engaged with farmer Mmabatho Maje, who produces red beans for local communities and larger markets. Maje reported that she harvested approximately six tonnes this season, compared to her usual production of about 20 tonnes. She attributed the reduced yield to excessive rainfall, which negatively affected the crop. Despite the challenges, Maje remains committed to farming and highlighted the need for continued government support, particularly access to appropriate farming implements and equipment, to improve productivity.

The Committee encouraged her to remain resilient and committed to her farming enterprise, while emphasising the importance of timely and appropriate support to strengthen agricultural production, food security and sustainable rural livelihoods.
The visit provided the Committee with first-hand insight into the impact of weather conditions on farmers and the practical interventions required to improve the sustainability of agricultural projects.

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