South African News
South Africa Poised for Record Canola Harvest Despite Early Season Challenges
South Africa’s 2025–26 canola harvest is projected to reach a record 311,640 tonnes, marking a 7% increase from the previous season despite early difficulties, including snail infestations that forced some Western Cape farmers to replant. The growth is largely driven by expanded planting areas, now covering 164,900 hectares, compared with just 17,000 hectares in 1998–99. While the revised forecast is slightly lower than August’s estimate, the result cements South Africa’s status as a net exporter of canola, with shipments reaching markets such as Germany and Belgium.
Read full story: African Farming
Date Published: October 9, 2025
Organised Crime Drives Surge in Livestock Theft Ahead of Festive Season
South Africa is facing a rise in livestock theft as the festive season nears, with organised crime networks increasingly behind the trend. Farmers are urged to heighten vigilance as relaxed routines and high meat demand make herds vulnerable. Recent data shows over 61,000 goats, 37,947 cattle, and 36,486 poultry were stolen in 2024/25, with the Free State, KwaZulu-Natal, and Eastern Cape hardest hit. Experts warn that underreporting masks the true scale of losses, costing farmers millions. Improved cooperation, surveillance, and identification of animals are key to tackling this persistent rural threat.
Read full story: Food For Mzansi
Date Published: October 9, 2025
African News
African Development Fund Transforms Zambia’s Farming and Education Sectors
Zambia’s agriculture and education sectors are being reshaped through African Development Fund (ADF) investments that have boosted fertilizer production, enhanced food security, and expanded access to higher education. The new Nitrogen Chemicals of Zambia plant has positioned the country toward fertilizer self-sufficiency, cutting costs by 40% and enabling potential exports by 2030. Meanwhile, ADF support for the University of Zambia has modernised facilities and improved learning for over 250,000 students. Officials credit the Fund with promoting peace, prosperity, and regional competitiveness through sustainable, locally driven development.
Read full story: African Development Bank Group
Date Published: October 8, 2025
Global News
European Parliament Votes to Further Weaken Green Standards in EU Farm Policy
The European Parliament has voted to roll back key environmental safeguards in the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), going beyond the European Commission’s initial proposal. The decision weakens Good Agricultural and Environmental Conditions (GAECs), effectively allowing damaging farming practices even in Natura 2000 protected areas. Critics, including WWF’s Laurence Modrego, warn that the move dismantles essential environmental requirements, threatens soil health and biodiversity, and undermines climate resilience — all while failing to address the root causes of farmers’ grievances. The vote precedes trilogue negotiations and ongoing discussions on the post-2027 CAP framework.
Read full story: WWF
Date Published: October 8, 2025
Japan’s Organoid Farm to Launch Pilot Cultivated Meat Facility by 2027
Japanese biotech company Organoid Farm, a subsidiary of JGC Holdings, plans to open a pilot demonstration facility in 2027 to advance cultivated meat production from research to industrial scale. Based in Kanagawa Prefecture’s Shonan Health Innovation Park, the company has developed a three-dimensional suspension culture process that eliminates the need for scaffolds and specialised bioreactors, reducing costs and improving scalability. Organoid Farm has already created a 100% cell-based meat prototype and begun selling Wagyu beef muscle cells to other firms. The initiative aims to establish a sustainable, collaborative cultivated food industry in Japan.
Read full story: Foovo
Date Published: October 8, 2025
Million Acre Challenge Launches to Drive Regenerative Farming Across Canada
The Canadian Alliance for Net-Zero Agri-food (CANZA) has unveiled the Million Acre Challenge, a national initiative to help farmers adopt regenerative agriculture practices that enhance soil health, climate resilience, and food system sustainability. Backed by a $7 million investment from the Weston family, part of a broader $50 million commitment, the programme will offer cost-sharing incentives, agronomic support, and access to online sustainability tools. Initially targeting farmers in Southwestern Ontario, the Challenge aims to expand nationwide, supporting producers through flexible, farm-specific approaches that reward environmental and economic value creation.
Read full story: Farms.com
Date Published: October 9, 2025
Brazil Set for Record Soybean Exports as U.S. Supply Falters and Chinese Demand Surges
Brazil is on track to export a record 110 million tonnes of soybeans in 2025, driven by strong Chinese demand and reduced competition from the United States. Data from grain exporters’ group Anec shows shipments reaching 102.2 million tonnes by end-October, already surpassing annual totals from 2023 and 2024. China remains the key buyer, accounting for nearly 80% of Brazil’s soybean exports amid ongoing U.S.–China trade tensions. The bumper trade follows a record harvest of over 170 million tonnes, further cementing Brazil’s position as the world’s largest soybean producer and exporter.
Read full story: Reuters
Date Published: October 8, 2025
