The Department of Land Reform and Rural Development has launched a R2 billion support programme aimed at helping land reform beneficiaries turn their land into productive and sustainable businesses.
Minister Mzwanele Nyhontso officially launched the Integrated Land Reform and Rural Development Support Programme on Monday, 26 October 2026, at Nywarha Village in the Mbhashe Local Municipality in the Eastern Cape.
The programme will provide financial assistance, farming equipment, infrastructure, training and access to markets to help beneficiaries make productive use of their land.
According to the department, R1.2 billion has been allocated for the current financial year, with funding distributed across all nine provinces. Provincial allocations range from R100 million to R170 million.
The programme will support various categories of beneficiaries, including communal farmers, cooperatives, Communal Property Associations, land restitution beneficiaries and producer groups.
Assistance could include tractors, seeds, irrigation systems, storage facilities and improvements to access roads. The initiative will also support rural tourism, agro-processing and small manufacturing businesses.
Nyhontso acknowledged that previous land reform efforts had often failed to provide beneficiaries with the resources needed to use their land effectively.
The department said it had already committed R500 million through the Land Bank towards a blended finance scheme intended to support agricultural development.
Applications for development assistance opened in September 2026, and the department is currently assessing submissions for the present production season.
While the programme will operate nationally, the department has not yet specified how much funding will be allocated to the Chris Hani District or which local projects may benefit.
The government says the initiative is intended to strengthen rural economies, improve food production and create employment opportunities.
Source: Department of Land Reform and Rural Development, statement issued 27 October 2026.
