Through partnerships between government, industry, and civil society, the AAMP is unlocking new opportunities for farmers and agribusinesses. Yet, challenges remain. AAMP project manager Dr Solly Molepo explains how the agriculture department and the NAMC are now intensifying provincial collaborations to ensure inclusive growth for all farmers.

The Agriculture and Agro-processing Master Plan (AAMP) serves as a vital blueprint for realising the National Development Plan’s Chapter Six objectives, including bolstering food security, promoting inclusive growth across the agriculture and agro-processing sectors, generating substantial employment, and boosting exports. 

Launched through collaborative efforts among government, business, labour, and civil society, the AAMP operates via six core pillars: driving transformation, alleviating poverty, expanding markets, enhancing competitiveness through technology and infrastructure investments, and providing incentives for farmers. Complementary working groups tackle critical value-chain constraints, building sector resilience against climate vulnerabilities like droughts and shifting weather patterns.

Implemented primarily through Value Chain Round Tables (VCRTs) and targeted production schemes – both co-chaired by government officials and industry leaders – the AAMP has made notable strides since its rollout.

The VCRTs serve as an overarching delivery model for the AAMP and are anchored in public-private partnerships. They are sector engagement established to create a more strategic dialogue to collectively advance industry and government priorities for agriculture and agro-processing sector growth and competitiveness. 

What progress has been made?

At the roundtables, key industry leaders from across the value chain meet with national and provincial government officials. Industry leaders come from areas such as suppliers, producers, processors, food service industries, retailers, traders, producer associations, labour, and civil society groups.

Yet, three years in, persistent hurdles continue to impede progress: limited access to finance for smallholder farmers, inadequate local and networked infrastructure (such as roads and cold chains), and barriers to new market opportunities. These issues undermine the potential for truly inclusive growth and private investment, demanding urgent, collective intervention.

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In October 2025, the Executive Oversight Committee, under the chairmanship of minister John Steenhuisen, convened to assess encouraging progress reports. The committee set ambitious targets for an additional 12-15% sector growth, advancing policy measures like revising Act 36 to foster robust public-private partnerships. These steps aim to streamline regulations, attract investment, and accelerate implementation.

Trade facilitation efforts have propelled exports to unprecedented levels: South African agricultural exports hit a record $15.1 billion in 2025, yielding a trade surplus of $7.3 billion – an 18% jump from 2024. Standout performers include the citrus sector, which exported a staggering 203.4 million cartons in 2025 (up 22% year-on-year), alongside breakthroughs in securing access to high-potential markets in Asia and the Middle East.

The National Agricultural Marketing Council (NAMC) is forging a partnership/collaboration with all nine provincial departments of agriculture (PDAs) to fast-track the implementation of the Agriculture and Agro-processing Master Plan (AAMP), smallholder farmers development and contribute to the transformation of the South African agriculture sector.

The initiative is also aligned with the resource mobilisation initiative, which is meant to unlock collaborations to leverage financial and non-financial resources for the smooth implementation of the agricultural and agro-processing projects. 

Some of the resolutions were to establish small working teams to focus on direct programmes and projects that would execute the partnership. The stakeholders agreed to meet often to monitor the progress on identified areas such as data sharing, research and transformation. 

Unlocking the AAMP’s potential

The department of agriculture, in partnership with the NAMC, urges all stakeholders – farmers, processors, investors, and policymakers – to join forces. By prioritising solutions-oriented dialogue and constructive collaboration, we can surmount these challenges and unlock the sector’s full potential.

Looking ahead, the AAMP catalyses job creation via agro-processing scale-up, value-added processing, and support for youth-led agripreneurship initiatives. Cross-cutting working groups in research, trade, and infrastructure drive evidence-based advancements, ensuring alignment with national priorities for food security and sustainable rural development.

• Dr Solly Molepo is the project manager of the Agriculture and Agro-processing Master Plan. The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of Food For Mzansi.

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