Didiza delivers masterplan for agricultural sector

Minister Thoko Didiza has told a mini-plenary of the South African National Assembly that the department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development has signed a landmark Agro-processing Masterplan with social partners.

Tabling the department’s budget vote on Thursday, Didiza said the signing of the masterplan will allow government to reimagine a sector that South Africa wants – one that is both globally competitive and inclusive.

“Earlier today, we signed the Agriculture Agro-processing Masterplan together with social partners. This plan is a product of negotiations between government, business, labour and civil society organisations in the agriculture and agro-processing sectors,” she said.

The signing of the masterplan comes after the department kick-started the process in June 2020, built on the work done since 2001 when they first developed the Strategic Plan for South Africa’s Agricultural Sector, the Sector Plan, Operation Phakisa and the National Development Plan.

“This Masterplan is lifting our gaze to imagine the agricultural sector we want in South Africa. We want a prosperous and inclusive agricultural sector that thrives on better utilisation of its natural and human resources,” Didiza said.