Eskom, Netherlands launch Grootvlei climate smart horticulture centre in SA

SOUTH AFRICA – Eskom, the Government of the Netherlands, and the Mpumalanga provincial government has officially launched the Grootvlei Climate Smart Horticulture Centre at the Grootvlei Power Station.

This move sets out a practical link between South Africa’s Just Energy Transition and local economic activity.

The centre forms part of Eskom’s Just Energy Transition Programme and focuses on skills training, value chain development, and climate smart horticulture rather than large scale commercial farming.

Enterprising Africa Regional Network leads the project, with support from the Mpumalanga Green Cluster, Seed2Feed Foundation, Holland Green Tech, Ridder, Bosman Van Zaal, Van der Hoeven and Van der Straaten Acampo, Svensson, and Control Union.

Skills development and local jobs

The project has already started training eight community members from Dipaleseng Municipality as greenhouse facilitators. A further 75 local agripreneurs will join the Agripreneur Development Programme from April 2026.

Each participant will employ community members, with the programme expected to support steady job creation by 2030.

Leaders from national, provincial, and local government attended the launch, including Minister of Electricity and Energy Dr Kgosientsho Ramokgopa and representatives from the Netherlands. The programme included a tour of the facility, live technology demonstrations, and engagement with Eskom leadership and the local community.

Roald Lapperre, Vice Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries, Food Security and Nature in the Kingdom of the Netherlands, stressed the long term view behind the partnership. “If you want to go fast, go alone, if you want to go far, go together. But together, we’ll do our best to turn Grootvlei into a lasting success,” he said.

He added, “I believe in measuring progress not only in numbers, but in economically engaged people.”

International expertise, local leadership

The partnership draws on Dutch experience in high tech horticulture, water efficiency, and energy smart production systems, while keeping South African leadership and local delivery at the centre.

Eskom Board Chairperson Mteto Nyati said the project shows how cooperation can protect livelihoods during the energy shift. “This project is an exciting early example of key stakeholders coming together to develop new economic activities that protect livelihoods and the local community as South Africa moves from a high carbon to a lower carbon economy,” he said.

Market context and future outlook

The centre also connects to wider growth in climate smart farming. The global smart horticulture market stood at about US$28.5 billion in 2025 and is expected to reach roughly US$32 billion in 2026.

Analysts project the market to grow to around US$83.7 billion by 2033, driven by digital farming tools, smart irrigation, and energy efficient systems.

Grootvlei supports national goals around job creation, skills transfer, and local participation, while showing how repurposed energy sites can support new economic activity rooted in community needs.

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