As an agricultural bastion that has celebrated 99 years in business, AFGRI understands what it takes to be a successful farmer. It is for this reason we launched our new era farmer initiative in 2012, now known as Lemang Agricultural Services. We understand that the perfect farm takes passion, dedication, and something just that little extra.

WHY PARTNER WITH US?

Lemang Agricultural Services offers both farmers and corporates a variety of training and development choices, with the aim of supporting new era farmers in a way that ensures they are viable, independent and economically successful. Our approach draws on almost a century of experience in agriculture in support of continued food security, prosperity and sustainability across South Africa. Lemang unlocks the potential of new era farmers and their land through training, mentorship, technical assistance and exposure, increasing agricultural productivity and access to markets.

PASSION. COMMITMENT.
UNDERSTANDING.
100 YEARS.

Your dedicated partner in agricultural training and development.

About Us

Lemang Agricultural Services continues to expand the horizons of new era farmers and will always, as it has done for 100 years, be with the farmers, for the farmers.

Lemang Agricultural Services delivers new era farmer training and development programmes. As part of this, we use study groups and trial sites to demonstrate the latest technology, including precision farming. Mentors and agronomists are on hand to share practical information and knowledge and offer insight that comes from many years of experience.

Our objective is to unlock the potential of farmers on their farms so that we can deliver successful producers over time.

Our focus on mentorship is arguably the most valuable component of all and has been the secret of our success. By working directly with new era farmers throughout the process, our mentors are able to assist farmers to improve yields. Grain marketing and price hedging are also an integral part of any successful farming operation and of the profit earned from different crops.

We assist new era farmers though AFGRI’s Grain Management services, and farmers are taught the basics of the futures market. Farmers are also provided with basic business skills training.

Finally, our training and development provides finance to farmers and exposure to the latest technology and farming best practice through organised Farmer’s Days. AFGRI has a rich history of conducting these events very successfully to develop historically disadvantaged new farmers and small suppliers to become full participants in the commercial agricultural value chain.

Course applications now open!

Our courses cater to those who have a passion for farming and the capability to farm. Enroll in one of our Learnerships or Short Courses today. Click the button to view all the available courses.

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PASSION. COMMITMENT. UNDERSTANDING. 100 YEARS.

Why Use Lemang Agricultural Services?

Unlocking the potential of farmers and their farms through training, development and mentorship, funding and access to market.

Vastfontein Training Academy

Lemang Agricultural Services has an established training hub known as the Vastfontein Academy, which focuses on the training of micro and large new era farmers as well as community transformation in general. It is important that in every community in which we operate, we are able to improve the lives of the people there, not only through enabling successful farming businesses but by also transforming the community in other aspects. This includes education and health care.

The Academy is fully operational and is situated in Gauteng, around 30 kilometres north of Pretoria. It consists of the following:

Accommodation facilities.
A fully-equipped training room.
A demonstration block where demonstrations and the practical training on the handling of the equipment is provided.
At least 10 hectares of arable land where all the trials are conducted, the purpose of which is to expose new era farmers to all the different methods of farming. The results of these trials are available to the farmers so that they can make an informed decision on which method they want to use on their own farm.
Equipment – all the equipment that a farmer needs on his on her farm to plant grain is available on our training farm.
A training block for the micro farmers where the methods are demonstrated to them and where they can practise.
Relevant stakeholders / service providers are on hand as an industry interface with learners.

Our Operating Model

Lemang Agricultural Services is committed to transformation and believes that agriculture is a key driver of economic transformation.

Most new era farmers have a huge amount of passion for agriculture. The unfortunate reality, through no fault of their own, is that there is often a lack of technical and financial knowledge and support to convert this passion into sustainable business success. This can mean that their credit risk is high and consequently new era farmers cannot access finance from banks and other financial institutions because they have no track record of success.

Our goal is to develop historically-disadvantaged farmers and small suppliers to be full participants in the commercial agricultural value chain.

We set out to:

Provide financial, training and development support
Make a sustainable economic difference in the lives of farmers
Allow other industry players to make contributions

We aim to reduce:

Pressure points that farmers face
Inherent costs
Capital expenditure
Limited access to technical skills
Limited access to business support and training

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By partnering with Lemang Agricultural Services, the dedicated training and mentorship received through the programme builds skills, and over time, helps to reduce credit risk and supports better farming, agronomy and financial success.

The amount of mentorship new era farmers receive from the programme also lessens over time, as mentors pass on their knowledge to the farmers. However, our mentors are always available to be called on if needed.

Areas of Operation

As part of AFGRI Agri Services, a leading agribusiness in South Africa, Lemang Agricultural Services is able to leverage off not only the internal knowledge and expertise built up over the past 99 years as well as the large and well-known local footprint. AFGRI Agri Services also has a presence in Africa, and a growing capacity in Western Australia. AFGRI Agri Services is also able to support Lemang with the necessary skills, and renders a critical support component to the entire Lemang team.

Lemang currently has projects in the Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal, the Free State, Gauteng, Mpumalanga, the North West and Limpopo, with the Vastfontein Training Academy based in Tshwane able to cater for learners, providing accommodation and land for practical demonstrations and tutorials.

OUR PASSION AND DEDICATION PRODUCE RESULTS

Across South Africa, emerging farmers are making huge strides thanks to Lemang Agricultural Services. Here is a snapshot of what has been achieved over the past four years.

2023 AFGRI CSI Impact Report Lemang 1200

Success Stories

IN STANDERTON FARMER D IS MAKING HIS PASSION A REALITY

August 6, 2020

This is the first year in the Lemang Agricultural Services training…

IN MPUMALANGA, FARMER C NOW HAS A 617 HA FARM AND RECENTLY WON FARMER OF THE YEAR WITH GRAIN SA

August 6, 2020

Humble beginnings meant that Farmer C originally farmed on 50…

IN THE NKANGALA DISTRICT OF MPUMALANGA YIELDS ARE IMPROVING

August 6, 2020

In this case, Farmer B began farming in 2011, cultivating 150…

IN METSWEDING, GAUTENG, FARMER A IS FLOURISHING

August 6, 2020

In the 2013/2014 season Lemang Agricultural Services met this…

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