Just Energy Transition Milestone: Grootvlei Climate Smart Horticulture Centre Officially Opened
Eskom, the Government of the Netherlands, and the Mpumalanga provincial government yesterday officially launched the Grootvlei Climate Smart Horticulture Centre at the Grootvlei Power Station. The initiative marks a key step in South Africa’s Just Energy Transition (JET) Programme, transforming repurposed energy infrastructure into opportunities for climate-smart agriculture, skills development, and local economic growth.
Led by the Enterprising Africa Regional Network (EARN) and supported by partners including the Mpumalanga Green Cluster, Seed2Feed Foundation, and Dutch firms such as Holland Green Tech and Ridder, the centre focuses on practical training rather than large-scale production. Eight residents from Dipaleseng Municipality are already training as greenhouse facilitators, while 75 agripreneurs will join a development programme starting in April 2026.
Each is expected to create community jobs, with projections for substantial sustainable employment by 2030. The launch, attended by Electricity and Energy Minister Dr Kgosientsho Ramokgopa and Netherlands Vice Minister Roald Lapperre, featured facility tours and technology demonstrations. Lapperre highlighted long-term collaboration: “If you want to go far, go together. “The pilot aims to inspire a broader agri-economic hub integrating agriculture, logistics, and private investment.
