South Africa’s Rainbow Chicken hosts first Farmer’s Day to support Mpumalanga producers
Company brings poultry inputs closer to farmers and links them with experts
SOUTH AFRICA – Rainbow Chicken held its first annual Farmer’s Day on 2 February at its Rainbow Chicks depots in Malelane and Tonga in Mpumalanga, bringing together small-scale and emerging farmers with agricultural specialists and municipal officials to share practical poultry farming guidance.
The event, organised with the Mpumalanga Municipality and the Department of Agriculture, Rural Development, Land and Environmental Affairs, focused on poultry husbandry, bird health, feeding strategies, and other technical skills to help farmers improve production practices.
Representatives from government departments, local economic development forums, and Rainbow Chicken addressed attendees and highlighted the need for improved access to critical inputs, such as day-old chicks and quality feed.
Long distances to suppliers have historically driven up transport costs for small farmers, cutting into their already narrow profit margins, and organisers said bringing supply depots closer should reduce those barriers.
Rainbow Chicken’s agriculture and breed director said the company chose Mpumalanga for the new facilities because prior access to chicks and feed required extended travel from outside the region, and that the depots represent its first major expansion in this segment of its business.
He also discussed the impact of recent flooding in the area and said the company intends to continue providing resources and technical support to help farmers recover and sustain their operations.
A local municipal committee member described the Malelane facility as a demonstration of confidence in the agricultural potential of the surrounding communities and said the depot’s presence was already influencing economic activity.
She said the facility has facilitated more reliable market access, created jobs, improved skills development, and helped service providers connect to the poultry value chain, collectively contributing to rural economic activity.
“As we support farmers with inputs and training, we are also securing jobs and strengthening the local food system,” she said, pledging ongoing cooperation between the municipality and Rainbow Chicken.
Mpumalanga contributes around 11.5% of South Africa’s agricultural income and about 12% of national agricultural employment, and being a major producer of maize and soy underpins the feed supply chain for poultry enterprises in the province.
As part of the Farmer’s Day programme, animal feed supplier Epol gave 1 000 day-old chicks and feed to ten farmers, and Rainbow Chicken distributed food hampers to attendees affected by recent floods, aiming to provide immediate support to those communities.
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