MAHIKENG — In a decisive move to accelerate rural development and expand agricultural output, the MEC for the North West Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (DARD), Madoda Sambatha, has officially tabled the department’s R1 293 755 000 budget policy statement for the 2026/27 financial year.
“It is a privilege to present Budget Vote 13 of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development for the Financial Year 2026-27. This budget is being presented at a time when the agricultural sector is currently engaged in the battle against the Foot and Mouth Disease outbreak, and the country, including our province, is experiencing a high level of uncertainty as a result of the Middle East conflict, and the unemployment rate and poverty levels are persistent,” said Sambatha.
Sambatha has highlighted a troubling shift in the local labour market, revealing that the province shed a staggering 80,000 jobs between the fourth quarter of 2025 and the first quarter of 2026.
Data from Statistics South Africa indicates that eight provinces experienced employment declines during this period, with the North West recording the most severe losses nationwide. For context, Gauteng followed with a loss of 67,000 jobs, Mpumalanga lost 54,000, while the Eastern Cape and Limpopo each saw a decrease of 43,000 positions. This widespread downturn has driven the North West’s official unemployment rate up by 0.2 percentage points, rising from 35.1% in Q4 2025 to 35.3% in Q1 2026.
The R1.29 billion fiscal package places its heaviest focus on direct farmer support and structural administration, which together account for more than 61% of the total department resource allocation.
Producer Support and Development Take Centre Stage
The single largest chunk of the budget, R424 130 000 (approximately 32.78%), has been designated for Agricultural Producer Support & Development. This fund is expected to drive land reform assistance, commercialisation projects for black farmers, and food security interventions for vulnerable subsistence households throughout the North West.
To complement this, Veterinary Services received a robust allocation of R182 812 000 (14.13%) to safeguard livestock health, manage biosecurity risks, and support provincial export frameworks.
Administration remains a large cost center with an allocation of R373 486 000 (28.87%) to ensure institutional compliance, labor management, and efficient service delivery pipelines.
To bridge the skills gap within local farming communities, Agricultural Education & Training has been allocated R83 575 000 (6.46%), funding specialized training colleges and extension service upgrades.
The final portions of the budget balance out critical sector modernization. Rural Development receives R77 669 000 to improve rural infrastructure and alleviate poverty, closely followed by Research & Technology Development at R77 178 000 to find climate-resilient farming methodologies.
The remainder of the budget targets Agricultural Economic Services at R39 182 000 for market access development, and Sustainable Resource Use & Management at R35 723 000 to manage agricultural natural assets, soil conservation, and agricultural disasters.
