Datacentrix Agri Indaba highlights collaboration and technology as catalysts for agricultural growth

The 2026 Agri Indaba brought together agricultural and technology leaders to examine the economic outlook for South African agriculture and the role of digital transformation in supporting the sector.

Agriculture faces mixed fortunes, with favourable summer rains supporting production conditions for field crops, fruit and vegetables, but livestock producers continuing to contend with foot-and-mouth disease and pork producers dealing with African swine fever.

The sector could grow by around 8% in 2026, but performance varies considerably across sub-sectors, and strong export figures do not necessarily translate into greater profitability for producers due to logistics constraints and limited trade agreements.