Pretoria: Agriculture Minister John Steenhuisen has called for deeper collaboration between government and the private sector to unlock the next phase of growth in South Africa's agricultural sector. Addressing the Agbiz Congress 2026 Gala Dinner on Thursday under the theme: "Embracing Collaboration", Steenhuisen said South African agriculture had consistently demonstrated resilience amid global uncertainty and domestic challenges but warned that future growth would depend on stronger cooperation between stakeholders.
According to South African Government News Agency, the Minister described agriculture as one of the few sectors where practical problem-solving takes precedence over ideology, enabling the industry to remain competitive despite global conflicts, rising protectionism, disrupted shipping routes, volatile exchange rates, logistical bottlenecks, climate shocks, and ongoing biosecurity threats, among others. He highlighted that despite these challenges, the sector continues to grow, attributing this success to the resilience, innovation, and adaptability of farmers, agribusinesses, exporters, and commodity organizations.
Steenhuisen emphasized that the government's role should be to create an enabling environment for growth by removing barriers, opening export markets, strengthening biosecurity systems, and ensuring policy certainty. He argued that prosperity is driven by productive sectors while the government should focus on creating conditions that support investment and economic activity. He noted the importance of stepping back to allow the private sector to drive prosperity.
The Minister stressed that collaboration is not just a slogan but an economic necessity. He stated that the next phase of agricultural growth in South Africa requires practical partnerships focused on execution rather than endless processes. He identified four priority areas where greater collaboration could accelerate growth and improve competitiveness: biosecurity, infrastructure and logistics, access to finance, and technology and extension services.
Biosecurity is central to trade, investment confidence, and food security, especially following recent outbreaks of Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD). Steenhuisen said the government is pursuing a risk-based disease management strategy to achieve an FMD-free status with vaccination and strengthening vaccine procurement, traceability, and surveillance systems.
Infrastructure and logistics were identified as the second priority, with inefficiencies in ports, rail, and freight systems undermining competitiveness. The Minister welcomed reforms and private-sector participation and emphasized agriculture's role in shaping public-private partnerships to restore efficiency and support export growth.
Access to finance was highlighted as the third area requiring stronger cooperation. Steenhuisen urged government, financial institutions, and agribusinesses to expand support for emerging farmers and integrate them into commercial value chains, utilizing commodity-backed lending, warehouse receipt systems, off-take agreements, blended finance guarantees, and inventory-backed facilities.
The fourth focus area is technology and extension services. Traditional models no longer suffice for modern farming, and digital advisory platforms and technology-driven support systems present significant potential. The Minister encouraged collaboration among government, agribusinesses, commodity organizations, financial institutions, and technology companies to enhance farmers' access to information, markets, and technical expertise.
Biofuels were also identified as a potential growth area, offering new opportunities for grain, sugar, and oilseed producers while supporting rural economic development. However, progress requires policy certainty, investment, and coordinated action across multiple government departments and industry stakeholders. Interdepartmental engagements have been initiated to establish a coordinated pathway forward involving agriculture, energy, trade, and industrial policy stakeholders.