SA agriculture has a plan to unleash growth, but it needs revitalised focus, implementation

South Africa's agriculture plan has the potential to spur growth, but it requires revitalized focus and implementation, according to Wandile Sihlobo, the Presidential Envoy on Agriculture and Land and chief economist of the Agricultural Business Chamber of South Africa. The country's farming sector still holds the potential for expansion and increased output, and government land with title deeds can aid this process.

However, capital injection and training for new commercial farmers are necessary. Partnerships between government, organized agriculture, agribusinesses, and labor remain crucial.

The Agriculture and Agro-Processing Master Plan (AAMP), launched in May 2022, prioritized inclusion and identified key areas that constrain growth across the sector. Despite the AAMP not being fully implemented, its proposals continue to be seen as a viable pathway for partnership in the sector. However, some fatigue has set in due to incomplete implementation, leading to doubts about stakeholders' commitment to the plan.

To overcome this, there needs to be a renewed focus on revitalizing the AAMP, rather than abandoning it. A fresh start to the plan may take more time but is likely to yield the same conclusions as the existing AAMP. The current document is collaborative and backed by academic and deep value-chain insights for each commodity, outlining challenges and how to address them.

The key is to apportion resources and energy well, avoid using challenges as an excuse to delay policy interventions, and demonstrate that plans address the core issues all stakeholders face.