More needs to be done to boost participation of women in SA agriculture

On various occasions, I have highlighted the agricultural sector’s gains in the first three decades of democracy. The sector has more than doubled in value and volume.

Better seed varieties in crops, vegetables, and fruits, as well as improved genetics in livestock and poultry, have, among other interventions, been the catalyst for output growth.

The opening up of export markets over the years has also created a solid demand. Today, we export roughly half of what we produce in value terms. 

In 2023, our agricultural exports amounted to a record $13.2-billion.

In appreciating this progress, some often ask about the contribution of black farmers. The data on this is shaky, but based on various industry research, we can say that black farmers account, on average, for around 10% of the commercial agricultural output. This gives one an indication of their contribution to exports.

Issues including why black farmers account for this much produce 30 years into democracy, and how we could build an even more inclusive agricultural sector, are discussed at length in my recent book, A Country of Two Agricultures.

However, another critical discussion is the question of gender dynamics in South Africa’s agricultural sector. As a country, we should continue to improve this area. The data about the current state of women’s participation is shaky. Still, one can lean on a few indicators, such as the recent census of agricultural figures from Statistics South Africa, to make a point.

The census report found that we have about 40,000 commercial farm units in South Africa. To be clear, the census only includes farmers registered for VAT (the threshold is a turnover of R1-million a year).

Therefore, there are many more farmers not accounted for in this figure who are involved in commercial farming as their primary source of income and those who practice farming as a secondary source of income.

Still, if we go with the 40,000 farming units, about 20% are owned or operated by women. However, we also know anecdotally that women’s participation in the subsistence farming sector is perhaps much larger in various areas. In such cases, the question remains: what can we do to help ensure that women are able to progress to the commercial level if they wish to do so?

Another vital aspect is jobs, where women accounted for roughly a third of the 896,000 jobs in the second quarter of 2024. More could be done to improve women’s participation, particularly in agro-processing.

Let’s all agree that agriculture, as an important sector of the economy, could still deliver more jobs and expand in underutilised land. This makes the gender discussion even more valuable.

The South African government has about 2,5 million hectares of land acquired through the Proactive Land Acquisition Strategy. This land should be released to beneficiaries with title deeds and help boost growth and inclusion in the sector.

In selecting the beneficiaries of the land, the government will have to be guided by the existing Beneficiary Selection and Land Allocation Policy. One important aspect of this policy that is less talked about is its focus on boosting women’s participation in agriculture. It states that 50% of land redistributed must be transferred to (black) women.

If we follow this approach as a country, along with ensuring that there are financial instruments to assist, perhaps we could improve in the coming years in racial and gender inclusiveness in the sector.

There are many young women interested in agriculture that one sees online. Some even write to me enquiring about a range of agricultural matters. This means there is interest among women in joining agriculture and playing a meaningful role, in addition to the gains we have made as a country. The policy environment is also supportive.

We will need to ensure that commodity associations, particularly at the development level, continue to encourage women’s participation so that also when the time comes for land release, they can get the land and help ensure that in the next agricultural census, we see an improvement in farms operated or owned by women.

I must stress that agricultural matters are not only about farmers; the jobs in various organisations, agribusinesses, commodity organisations, universities, firms and laboratories all form a significant share of women's contribution to South Africa’s agriculture, food, fibre, and beverages industries. 

Inde'lendlela (this is a long journey), but we are moving forward as a country. DM