From historic farms and agricultural training institutions to specialist livestock breeders and innovative producers, a three-day tour introduced 60 international delegates to the diversity of South African agriculture ahead of the 31st Commonwealth Agriculture Conference, the first ever in Cape Town.
In 1831, farmers gathered at the southern tip of Africa to compare the quality of their produce, exchange ideas and learn from one another. Almost two centuries later, that spirit of shared knowledge remains central to Agri-Expo, South Africa’s oldest agricultural society, which celebrates its 195th anniversary in 2026.
It is fitting that Agri-Expo is welcoming agricultural societies and industry representatives from across the Commonwealth to the Western Cape for the 31st Commonwealth Agriculture Conference, which opens in Cape Town today, marking the first time the prestigious gathering is held in Cape Town. Hosted in partnership with the Royal Agricultural Society of the Commonwealth (RASC), the conference brings international experience into conversation with South African perspectives on the future of agriculture.
The three-day pre-conference tour, held from 29 to 31 October, introduced delegates to 12 destinations across the Western Cape. From agricultural education and livestock breeding to grain production, wine, fruit, conservation and agricultural shows, the itinerary highlighted the breadth of the region’s agricultural economy.
For Agri-Expo, hosting the Commonwealth is an opportunity to share this breadth of experience while learning from agricultural societies working in very different environments.
“After attending RASC conferences in different corners of the Commonwealth, from the UK and Canada to Singapore and beyond, we are proud to welcome our fellow agricultural societies and leaders to the Western Cape,” says Breyton Milford, General Manager of Agri-Expo, a Trustee of the RASC, and the tour organiser.
“Agriculture is about much more than what we grow or produce. It is about people, families, communities and generations of knowledge passed down. It is also about embracing change, finding new opportunities and ensuring that agriculture continues to thrive.”
Milford says the choice of destinations reflected a central message: “ Agriculture is not one industry, nor does it stand still. Education and research, generations of farming knowledge, specialist breeding, diversification and the development of young people all have a part to play in building resilient rural economies.”
The tour also demonstrated how agricultural heritage and new approaches can coexist. Established family farms are adapting production systems and diversifying their enterprises, while specialist breeders invest in genetics and agricultural schools prepare young people for the sector’s future.
Chris Fourie, President of Agri-Expo and Vice-President of RASC, says the RASC brings together more than 50 agricultural societies across 21 Commonwealth countries.
“Its biennial conferences create opportunities for members to exchange ideas, explore shared challenges and consider how agricultural organisations can continue to serve farmers and their communities. Although agricultural shows remain an important part of its work, the conversation extends well beyond showgrounds. Food security, resilience, consumer understanding, biosecurity, leadership and the development of the next generation are increasingly important to the future of agriculture.”
The conference theme, Opportunities of Change in a Connected World – From South Africa to the World, captures that wider ambition. Following the tour, delegates now turn to the broader questions facing agriculture across the Commonwealth.
Fourie says the conference would not have been possible without the support of various South African and international partners collaborating with Agri-Expo, from government to commodity organisations to private business.
“Our sincere appreciation goes to our partners Hollard Insure, the Western Cape Department of Agriculture, Anthonij Rupert Wyne, FNB, De Grendel Wine Estate, Fair Cape Dairies, Alltech, Absa, Mohair South Africa, Agri Wes-Kaap, Plaas Media, the South Africa National Convention Bureau and Wesgro, among others.”