Since its formal launch in May 2022, the Agriculture and Agro-processing Master Plan (AAMP) has set out to transform South Africa’s agricultural sector into a more inclusive, competitive and sustainable industry.
Developed jointly by government, business, labour and civil society, the plan is built on six strategic pillars, from improving infrastructure and farmer support to expanding markets and strengthening agro-processing.
Three years later, the question many producers are asking is whether the plan is translating into measurable progress on the ground.
Production shows upward movement
According to the latest AAMP progress report, there are early signs of growth in the sector. Minister of agriculture, John Steenhuisen, told the AAMP executive oversight committee meeting in Stellenbosch late last year that overall agricultural production volumes increased from 11% in 2015–2019 to 13% in 2019–2023.
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Several key commodities recorded notable gains over three years:
- Maize: 34% → 65%
- Soya beans: 72% → 80%
- Wheat: 17% → 53%
- Deciduous fruits: 17% → 49%
- Viticulture: 25% → 62%
- Tomatoes: 8% → 94%
Steenhuisen said growth targets of a further 12–15% in the coming years are achievable if stakeholders remain united and focused.
Gains and shortfalls
Agricultural economists Dr Siphe Zantsi and Dr Walter Shiba noted that the AAMP has strengthened coordination across government, industry and organised agriculture, particularly through structured public–private dialogue platforms.
These platforms have improved alignment on priorities such as market access, transformation, biosecurity and value-chain competitiveness.
They highlight several important gains: better policy coordination, a stronger focus on animal health systems and traceability following disease outbreaks, and improved integration between primary production and agro-processing as drivers of rural industrialisation.
The AAMP has also placed greater emphasis on integrating smallholder and emerging farmers into commercial value chains, signalling a clearer commitment to inclusive sector growth.
“The AAMP has improved strategic alignment across the sector and created a more structured platform for engagement between government and industry. However, the real test lies in translating this coordination into measurable operational outcomes at the farm and value-chain level,” said Zantsi and Shiba.
Despite these advances, progress remains uneven.
Zantsi and Shiba pointed out that implementation has moved further at a strategic level than at an operational one. Performance indicators and accountability mechanisms vary across commodities, limiting consistency in delivery. Access to blended finance and risk-sharing instruments for smallholders remains limited, a concern that threatens transformation ambitions.
“Infrastructure bottlenecks, limited blended finance instruments, and uneven provincial alignment continue to constrain impact on the ground. Without stronger monitoring frameworks and embedded climate-smart strategies, long-term competitiveness could be compromised,” they said.
Stronger execution needed
Despite reported production gains, some producers remain cautious about the plan’s effectiveness.
Phaladi Matsole, a commercial maize farmer, acknowledged that the AAMP’s six pillars are well-crafted and achievable. However, he raised concerns about implementation.
“Any agricultural plan without clear time frames is as good as a pretty waste of time and planning.”
Phaladi Matsole
Access to funding remains a key concern. Matsole noted that red tape at provincial development agencies and banks continues to hinder emerging farmers from fully participating in the plan.
At the same time, he credited certain sectors for tangible progress. “The citrus sector, for example, has shown excellent movement recently with huge export opportunities. That’s a good story to tell,” he said.
However, he argued that the AAMP does not yet provide a clear strategy to mitigate risks facing agricultural production and markets, an issue many farmers consider critical in an environment of climate volatility, input cost pressure and trade uncertainty.
For farmers, processors and agribusinesses, the next few years will be decisive. While production indicators suggest positive movement in parts of the sector, the ultimate test of the AAMP will lie in practical delivery, especially around funding access, risk management and measurable support for producers at the farm level.
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