Dear ProAgri Africa readers,

Across Africa, farming is still about one simple thing … getting the job done, season after season, with what you have available. Whether you are a small-scale farmer in Zambia, a maize farmer in Botswana, or a mixed farmer in Kenya, the challenges may look different, but the pressure is often the same: make it work, even when conditions are not perfect.

Right now, many farmers across the continent are dealing with rising input costs. Fuel, fertiliser, feed and transport all continue to rise, and there is little sign of relief in the short term. For most farmers, this means tighter planning, careful spending and making every litre of diesel and every hectare count. The weather is also playing its part again this season. Some areas have received heavy rains that delayed planting or harvesting, while others are watching closely as forecasts point towards more uncertain conditions. It is a reminder that farming in Africa always requires patience, quick decisions and the ability to adjust when things change without warning.

Transport remains one of the biggest hidden pressures in agriculture. Getting produce from farm to market is not always simple. Long distances, rough roads and high fuel costs continue to add strain, especially for commercial farmers and transport operators moving goods across borders. When transport fails or becomes too expensive, the whole chain feels it, from the farm gate to the final buyer.

This is where our cover story for this month comes in. We look at the new FAW J7 truck, recently launched and already making its way into the African transport space. Built for long-distance hauling, it focuses on what really matters for operators here: fuel use, driver comfort on long roads and reliability when the loads are heavy and the distances are long. Read more on page 2. As we move further into the dry and windy periods in many parts of Africa, farmers are also being reminded to stay alert and prepared for veld and farm fire risks. Simple planning, working firebreaks, and having equipment ready can make a big difference when conditions change quickly.

Turn to page 14 for more. Across the region, many farmers are now moving into harvest, while others are still preparing for the final stretch of the season. After months of hard work, careful decisions and working around the weather and rising costs, this is the moment where patience and effort start to show in the field.

We wish all our farmers a safe, smooth, and successful harvesting season ahead. Thank you for reading with us.

ProAgri greetings!

Bianca Pretorius – bianca@proagri.co.za