About Lowveld College of Agriculture (LCA)

The Lowveld College of Agriculture situated in Nelspruit, is one of 11 Agricultural Colleges in South Africa.

During the early fifties, South Africa was divided into seven agricultural regions for agricultural services. At that time five of the seven regions had agricultural services and Agricultural Colleges. In October 1955 Minister P.M.K. le Roux approved the opening of a new Agricultural College in the former Transvaal Region.

Initially the new Agricultural College was to be situated at Roodeplaat, 25km North East of Pretoria. The Lowveld area however had undergone phenomenal agricultural development and in May 1974 the Cabinet approved the building of an Agricultural College at Nelspruit or in the Northern Lowveld. Eventually Nelspruit was selected as the most strategic location. Land was purchased from various farmers and the last transactions were concluded in 1982. Portions of the farms, Friedenheim and Boschrandt were acquired for this purpose.

The College has a total area of 282 ha of which 100ha is irrigable.

The surface area of the College buildings is approximately 10 000m2 and consists of the administration building, lecture rooms, library, a computer centre, dining room and kitchen facilities, student accommodation as well as centres for practical classes. The student accommodation consists of four hostels; two for men and two for lady students. Provision has been made for practical training in the production, handling and processing of all the important crops of the Lowveld, as well as practical training on farm implements, welding, and etcetera. A complete hydraulics laboratory is available for the demonstration of pump- and irrigation equipment for practical training in irrigation.

In 2012, Lowveld College of Agriculture established another satellite campus in Marapyane.

COLLEGE PRINCIPALS

Nelspruit Campus

Marapyane Campus