As I write this blog post, it is pouring outside. We are receiving nice rains in the northern, central, and eastern regions of South Africa. This is an ideal time to improve soil moisture so farmers can proceed with the 2024-25 summer crop planting process.

I am even more upbeat after looking at the weather forecast for the next two weeks, which shows prospects of frequent rains – see the coloured parts of the South African map.

This is great for agriculture. 

We are emerging from a tough season of mid-summer drought, and the season ahead promises to be a recovery period. There are prospects of a La Niña weather phenomenon, which, if it materialises, would bring above-normal rains and support agriculture in South Africa and the entire Southern Africa region. Admittedly, there remains some uncertainty about the La Niña occurrence, but most indications are optimistic.

Following the mid-summer drought in 2024, which led to significant crop losses in Southern Africa, farmers needed these rains to recover the agricultural sector. In the coming days and months, we will closely watch the weather conditions and planting progress of summer crops in Southern Africa.