The Allianz Risk Barometer flagged climate change and political upheaval as major risks to the agriculture sector and by extension food security. SA is no exception, with threats to the sector looming due also to increasing encroachment on agricultural land by property developments and mines.
That is according to agriculture minister John Steenhuisen, who told Business Day in an interview that he is settling in at his Pretoria office, one of three he now occupies between his government and party roles.
“Agricultural land, valuable agricultural land and productive agricultural land ... urban sprawl and mineral prospecting, are taking away huge chunks of it,” he said. “You have to do the sums about what is the minimum required of available agricultural land for you to be able to ensure your food security. Once you start to do those sums, you can see how close we are to a critical stage there.”
President Cyril Ramaphosa has signed the Protection of Agricultural Land Act into law, and Steenhuisen is awaiting its promulgation. That would help, but not entirely alleviate the risk.
Steenhuisen is spending his time getting to grips with his shift from the opposition benches to the hot seat as minister of a portfolio crucial to the economy and food security. Agriculture is the one sector that for the past two years has driven economic growth through exports.
While agricultural export growth cooled in the second quarter of 2024 after a stellar first quarter, according to Wandile Sihlobo, chief economist of the Agricultural Business Chamber of SA, Steenhuisen said this was “seasonal” and not a cause for concern just yet. Still, export opportunities to key markets had been missed and more could be done, he said.
Steenhuisen is helping oversee the department’s “divorce”. Agriculture has been split from land reform & rural development, and the ministries and departments are in the midst of the messy separation.
Missed opportunities
While that has caused some instability, Steenhuisen views the break-up as a boon because agriculture requires a dedicated focus due to its enormous importance for food security and its potential to pack a real punch in growing the economy.
“If one looks back over the last decade, the land reform, rural development side, particularly the land reform side has sucked up a lot of the oxygen and attention,” he said. “And I think we’ve missed out on some opportunities in the interim on the agricultural side. I think we missed an opportunity in China with wine ... the French beat us to it. But we do have a plan to wrestle some of that market share back.”
Protecting existing agricultural land and maximising the potential of that land leads the discussion to a key focus for Steenhuisen and the department in the term ahead: modernising the way it works and updating legislation governing the sector. He said some laws had remained unchanged since 1946 and technological advancement had rendered many redundant.
Agri SA CEO Johann Kotzé said there already was a master plan in place for the sector and it dealt with many of the issues flagged by Steenhuisen.
“The government must implement to make the environment conducive for the sector to grow ... the minister needs to push as hard as he can for the sake of food security ... that will be the only saving grace for the country,” Kotzé said.
Another focus for Steenhuisen is biosecurity — protecting livestock and crops from disease and outbreaks — which links back to problems he uncovered at the state-owned Onderstepoort Biological Products. SA’s animal vaccine manufacturing entity has been plagued by mismanagement and, potentially, corruption.
While the transition from the opposition benches into the heart of government has been tough, Steenhuisen said he was privileged to find a strong, welcoming director-general in Mooketsa Ramasodi, who is widely respected. However, it had not been all rosy, with “some snarls here and there”.
Also, the auditor-general’s report indicated a need to bolster internal controls and ensure proper record keeping. “But we’re getting through that. I think it’s inevitable when people come into office ... but the report shows that some changes are needed and we will get to that,” Steenhuisen said. “It’s just five years, not a long time at all.”
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