Small-scale farmers in Limpopo are battling to recover after floods destroyed crops and disrupted livelihoods, with some losing up to R350,000 in a single season.
The Vhembe and Mopani districts, among the hardest-hit areas, saw fields submerged, topsoil washed away, and irrigation systems damaged. Farmers were left without income and little ability to replant. Unlike commercial operations, many small-scale farmers do not have insurance to cover climate-related disasters.
Farmers demand urgent support
Eric Mlambo, spokesperson for the Mopani Farmers Association, said farmers are frustrated by what they describe as a slow response.
“When a farm stands still for three weeks, both the farmer and the workers have no income,” he said, adding that individual assessments and replanting support are urgently needed.
The Limpopo Department of Agriculture and Rural Development confirmed that 117 of the 250 registered flood-affected farmers are in Mopani and said engagement on relief measures is ongoing.
Samson Mulaudzi, a maize farmer from Vhembe, lives with his son and depends on seasonal harvests for income and household food.
“Now you can’t plant maize because it’s seasonal. We only make a profit around this time,” he said. “We usually dry the mealies and grind them so the maize lasts longer in the house. That saves money. But the floods destroyed that plan.”
Mulaudzi said the damage affects both income and food security for the year.
Maria Mathoko, a vegetable farmer from Mopani who has farmed since 1984, also lost most of her crops. She grows tomatoes, okra, cabbage, baby marrow, chilli, cucumber and spinach with the help of her children and grandchildren.
“We are struggling because the Sassa grant money is too little, and I have one child who is still at university,” she said.
She added that attempts to plough again have been difficult as tractors struggle to access waterlogged fields.
The scale of the damage
The Mopani Farmers Association Agroecology Hub estimates that affected farmers lost around R20,000 per household in produce and equipment. Meanwhile, the Ahi Tirheni Mqekwa cooperative near Giyani reported seven members losing an estimated R350,000 across 30 hectares.
In Vhembe, crop farmer Nzumbululo Tsanwani of Bono Farms in Niani village near Musina estimated losses of about R120,000 on his five-hectare farm after weeks of heavy rain destroyed nearly 80% of his crops.
“We are trying to recover what is left so we can cover monthly expenses,” he said. “But we must also replant what was damaged, and that will take about three months before we can harvest again.”
He said no formal communication regarding disaster relief funding had yet reached him.
Across affected areas, farmers reported damaged irrigation systems, destroyed water tanks and stalled operations.
How farmers can recover
Farmers affected by the floods are urged to act quickly to restore production. They should report damages to local agricultural extension officers or municipal disaster management offices and document losses with photos and estimates of damaged crops and equipment. This is essential for applying for relief funding through the Limpopo Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (015 294 3000, urgent cases: 060 967 4027, farmercare@agric.limpopo.gov.za) or the provincial Agri SA relief office (015 065 0669).
LEDET has an online reporting link for businesses affected by the floods, which remains open and updated regularly to ensure no one is left out https://forms.office.com/r/5Zt7qpieAn. Farmers can also consult cooperatives or associations for guidance and consider short-cycle crops or short-term finance to stabilise cash flow and meet planting deadlines.
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