AgriSA has identified five key policy priorities aimed at strengthening South Africa’s agricultural sector, calling for greater institutional accountability and closer collaboration between government, organised agriculture and business to translate policy commitments into practical results.

The priorities were outlined at AgriSA’s 2026 Congress, held under the theme “The Path is Clear”. The organisation’s consolidated mandate covers land and development, natural resources, labour, rural safety, and economics and trade.

AgriSA said the next phase of agricultural growth would depend not only on sound policies but also on effective institutions, clear accountability and coordinated implementation involving government, commodity organisations, businesses and farmers.

“You can farm individually, but you cannot build agriculture individually,” said AgriSA president Willem de Chavonnes Vrugt, emphasising the importance of collective action in addressing the sector’s challenges.

Land Reform and Natural Resources

Under its land and development priority, AgriSA is advocating commercially viable land reform, secure property rights, appropriate beneficiary selection, improved access to finance and stronger post-settlement support.

The organisation’s position highlights the importance of ensuring that land reform initiatives support productive agricultural businesses and provide beneficiaries with the resources and assistance needed to sustain operations.

Natural resource management is another major focus, with AgriSA calling for improved water governance and infrastructure, climate adaptation, biodiversity protection and sustainable production practices.

Reliable water infrastructure and effective resource management remain important considerations for farmers facing climate variability and pressure on agricultural productivity.

Labour and Rural Safety

AgriSA’s labour priorities include predictable wage-setting, the introduction of a dedicated agricultural visa, agricultural college reform, skills funding, and improved rural housing and transport.

The organisation is seeking measures that can help agricultural businesses access the skills they need while supporting a more effective and predictable labour environment.

Rural safety also features prominently in the Congress mandate. AgriSA called for stronger policing, intelligence-led enforcement and formal cooperation between the South African Police Service (SAPS) and organised agriculture.

It also highlighted the need for practical rural community safety mechanisms to improve coordination between farmers, communities and law enforcement agencies.

Infrastructure, Energy and Trade

Under economics and trade, AgriSA identified port and rail reform, improved rural roads, energy pricing, embedded electricity generation, trade diversification, biosecurity, rural broadband and policy certainty as priorities.

Efficient transport infrastructure is essential for moving agricultural products to domestic and international markets, while reliable and affordable energy supports production, irrigation, processing and cold-chain operations.

Trade diversification could also help agricultural exporters broaden their market opportunities and reduce dependence on a limited number of destinations. At the same time, effective biosecurity measures remain important for protecting livestock, crops and market access.

AgriSA said greater policy certainty would help create conditions in which farmers and agricultural businesses could make long-term investment decisions.

Implementation Becomes the Central Focus

De Chavonnes Vrugt said the key challenge was no longer simply identifying what government should do, but determining which institutions were best positioned to perform specific functions and how their capabilities could be coordinated.

AgriSA said it intended to connect farm-level realities with national policy and link policy decisions to agricultural value chains through its network and partnerships.

“The five mandates give us the substance. Our network gives us the reach. Our partnerships give us leverage,” De Chavonnes Vrugt said, stressing that progress would depend on implementation by all organisations influencing agriculture.

The Congress mandate places coordinated action at the centre of AgriSA’s next phase of work. Its five priorities address interconnected issues affecting agricultural investment, productivity, employment, infrastructure and market access.

For South African agriculture, the challenge will be turning these priorities into measurable outcomes through effective cooperation between public institutions and the private sector.