From farm to fork: How red meat fuels jobs and plates across SA

Behind every cut of red meat lies a full chain of work, care, and community. In this article, first published by Heath For Mzansi, learn how South Africa’s red meat sector drives jobs, nutrition, and economic resilience. This article is part of a Red Meat Producers’ Organisation campaign.

Red meat starts with a farmer putting in the daily work: feeding, herding, caring, and cleaning. It doesn’t stop there. The animals go to auctions, feedlots, and abattoirs, and then comes processing, packing, and transporting until that meat lands neatly on a shelf at your local store. Safe to eat and full of goodness and flavour.

Every stage in this journey creates jobs for farmworkers, truck drivers, auction, feedlot and abattoir staff, factory hands, butchers, and shop assistants. When you see red meat, know this: it’s not just food. It’s people. It’s work. It’s a full chain that feeds families and keeps the economy thriving.

Beefing up SA’s economy

Sizwe Thusi, founder of Ndlebenkomo Animal Husbandry in Empangeni, KwaZulu-Natal, says red meat production in Mzansi connects many industries and offers both opportunities and challenges.

He explains that the industry’s impact extends to rural households, with commercial farms, feedlots, and abattoirs providing jobs. More impressive, Thusi adds, is that the red meat industry creates thousands of jobs across the country.

According to Ashell Maenetja, animal scientist and founder of KW Farm Services Pty Ltd from Tlhabeleni village in Limpopo, informal markets play a crucial role in red meat production and contribute to the economy, even though they’re not always recognised in larger-scale production.

Why red meat producers can’t afford to ignore sustainability

We also often forget to account for the economic impact of the input suppliers like feed, medicine, and financial services, many of whom wholly or partly exist due to livestock farmers procuring these inputs.

He adds that from the manufacturing sector to transportation, food processing, and more, all these sectors generate significant revenue, which plays a vital role in job creation and strengthening the country’s overall economy.

“Red meat also supports food security, especially with communal farmers who produce enough meat to meet their families’ protein needs.”
Ashell Maenetja

Thabile Nkunjani, senior agricultural economist with the National Agricultural Marketing Council’s (NAMC) trade research unit, notes that even though the livestock industry does not contribute as many jobs as the horticulture industry, the livestock industry plays a major role.

Nkunjani notes, “The livestock industry, however, contributes significantly to the agricultural sector as it accounts for at least 40% of the agricultural sector’s gross value in South Africa. This is by far the largest contribution.”

He emphasises that since meat can be a highly delicate commodity, cooling and other methods of keeping it safe and healthy for eating are equally vital to this process as nutrition retention.

Keeping up with the trends

No matter where you buy your red meat, always ensure that you source it responsibly and get the most nutritional value by enjoying it as part of a balanced diet.

Nkunjani explains that there is a trend where consumers have become more environmentally conscious.

“Farm-to-table is a movement of food served in eateries or restaurants and school cafeterias, ideally by purchasing directly from the supplier.”
Thabile Nkunjani

He notes that food consumption at home can also fall under the farm-to-fork process. Farm-to-fork, or “table”, as some call it, is a holistic approach to food consumption that promotes a closer bond between people and their food rather than merely a way of producing and distributing meat or food.

“This has grown so significant that consumers now find meat and animal products produced under specific circumstances to be more appetising, and they are frequently more expensive, which gives farmers some incentives.”

So, red meat is far more than a food product – it is a vital engine of South Africa’s economy. From rural farms to urban retailers, it supports livelihoods, strengthens food security, and fuels multiple industries. As consumer awareness grows, so too does the opportunity for sustainable, inclusive growth across the entire red meat value chain.

This story is part of a special series in partnership with the Red Meat Producers’ Organisation (RPO) – a tribute to the farmers feeding our nation, one meal at a time.