The strategic plan consists of three core strategies: equitable access and participation, global competitiveness and profitability and sustainable resource management. It aims to enhance equitable access to and participation in agricultural opportunities, enhance profitability through sustained global competitiveness in the agricultural sector’s input supply, primary production, Agri processing and agritourism industries, and also enhance farmers’ capacities to use resources in a sustainable manner.

The strategic plan consists of three core strategies: equitable access and participation, global competitiveness and profitability and sustainable resource management. It aims to enhance equitable access to and participation in agricultural opportunities, enhance profitability through sustained global competitiveness in the agricultural sector’s input supply, primary production, Agri processing and agritourism industries, and also enhance farmers’ capacities to use resources in a sustainable manner.

This National Communication Strategy is based on the strategic communication framework adopted by the Cabinet and finalised in the light of the President’s State of the Nation Address. It identifies priorities for government communication for 2008, including cluster communication priorities, and inform the development of detailed communication programmes by clusters, departments and provinces.

The objectives of this policy are to facilitate poverty alleviation through the sustainable utilization of animal genetic resources within the framework of the Animal Improvement Act, 1998 (Act 62 of 1998), to promote and support the identification, evaluation, breeding and use of genetically superior animals to improve the production and performance of animals used for food, agriculture, sport and recreation. It also aims to promote the sustainable use of Animal Genetic resources (AnGR) as a major contributor to National food security, facilitate the conservation of animal genetic resources for food and agriculture and reduce the risk of disease transmission through animal improvement.

This plan supports the objective of the National Department of Agriculture Framework for Sustainable Resource Use and Management that was released in 1999 to facilitate a coordinated approach to achieving an ecologically and economically sustainable agricultural sector in South Africa. This plan provides necessary information on the institutional arrangements and programmes relating to environmental aspects.

This policy applies to Department of Agriculture bursars not employed based on experiential training, agricultural science students in need of experiential training, unemployed agricultural graduates and volunteers with appropriate skills needed by the department of agriculture. The purpose of this policy is to provide guidelines for the implementation and management of an Experiential Training and Internship Programme in the Department of Agriculture in terms of the department’s responsibility for the development of agricultural human resources. The policy also intends to give effect to the broad national strategies, namely the internship framework for the public service led by the Department of Public Service and Administration (DPSA), the National Human Resource Development Strategy, the National Skills Development Strategy and the Department of Agriculture (DoA) Workplace Skills Plan.

This manual introduces exporters of liquor products to the directorate plant health and quality and supply guidelines regarding the export of liquor. The manual outlines the procedures for the export of liquor products. Among other things, it emphasizes that export certificate is required in order to export liquor (excluding medicine and beer) in terms of the Liquor Products Act (Act 60 of 1989). The certificate must be presented to obtain clearance from customs and excise for a consignment of liquor.

This document supports the prime function of the Agricultural Bursary Scheme to contribute towards human resource development in the agricultural sector, in line with the following strategic objectives to mobilize learners at pre-tertiary level, increase the number of agricultural scientists in designated groups and contribute towards making the agricultural sector more competitive and representative of South Africa’s demographics by providing learning opportunities to those previously marginalized. It outlines eight agricultural programmes and their objectives.

The Integrated Agriculture Development Finance Policy Framework (IADFPF) initiative has an overarching objective to create an enabling environment for a sustainable and viable development finance support system in the agricultural, forestry and fishery sectors. Some of the specific objectives are to make financial services accessible to a large segment of the potentially productive population which otherwise would have little or no access; and to promote synergy and mainstream the internal sub-sector into national financial system.

The Integrated Growth and Development Plan (IGDP) is developed to provide a long-term strategy for the growth and development of South Africa’s agriculture, forestry and fisheries sectors, to enable them to address key national priorities and outcomes. Its primary purpose is to develop a common vision encompassing all three sectors, and to develop an integrated implementation framework which allows common issues to be addressed in unison, and specific issues to be addressed in separate policies and strategies. The IGDP is furthermore a response to achieve the national goals outlined in the Medium-Term Strategic Framework (MTSF) document, adopted in July 2009.

This policy allows the National Department of Agriculture to provide resources to potential trainees in the agricultural field. It also outlines principles for international training programmes,

Land Redistribution for Agricultural Development is designed to provide grants to black South African citizens to access land specifically for agricultural purposes. The strategic objectives of the sub-programme include: contributing to the redistribution of 30 % of the country’s agricultural land over 15 years, improving nutrition and incomes of the rural poor who want to farm on any scale, de-congesting overcrowded former homeland areas; and expanding opportunities for women and young people who stay in rural areas.

The objective of this policy is to set the guidelines with regard to the provision of production loan/working capital to smallholder operators along the value chains (from inputs, production and value adding to retailing) through accredited Retail Lending Entities (RLEs). It is developed to achieve Micro Agricultural Financial Institutions of South Africa (MAFISA) objective to provide financial services which are more accessible, relevant and responsive to the needs of the target market.

This manual outlines the mission and vision of the department of agriculture, the description, proposed structure and functions of the department of agriculture.

The goal of this research strategy is to enhance the contribution of agricultural research towards attaining at least a 6 % economic growth rate through sustainable agricultural productivity, sustained competitiveness to ensure food security and eradication of poverty in South Africa. The implementation of this strategy aims to improve the efficiency and profitability of the sector; improve business opportunities; and ensure social upliftment and improvement of the quality of life for all the citizens of South Africa. It is guided by 16 principles mentioned in chapter two. It also provides information on governance and institutional arrangements in chapter 4.

The objectives of this policy are to improve legislative framework to ensure that South Africans are better protected from health and environmental risks posed by pesticides; to encourage the development and use of alternative products and techniques and reduce dependence on chemical plant protection products; to integrate relevant international agreements and initiatives from other government departments; to enhance transparency, access to information and improve public participation in the registration of pesticides. These objectives will be achieved through the application of relevant and existing international agreements, policies and regulatory frameworks.

Chapter one of this document introduces plant variety protection systems, and emphasizes that it is important to ensure that South Africa participates and engages in the relevant fora in a coherent manner. Chapter two defines important terms acronyms and abbreviations. Chapter three outlines some of the problems associated with Plant Breeders’ Rights. It includes farmers’ rights, intellectual property and sustainable use of biodiversity, exploitation and biopiracy of indigenous resources etc. Chapter four outlines the objectives of the Plant Breeders’ Rights policy to provide an internationally recognized system for plant variety protection; stimulate economic growth by ensuring the availability of plant varieties for South African agriculture and to contribute towards the sustainable use and conservation of plant genetic resources for food and agriculture.

The objective of this plant breeders’ rights policy is to stimulate economic growth by providing an internationally recognized system for plant variety protection, ensuring the availability of plant varieties for South African agriculture, encouraging the participation of those previously excluded from economic activity by recognizing their informal systems of innovation and creativity, and encouraging the sustainable use and conservation of plant genetic resources for food and agriculture.

This is a policy document that sets guidelines for the effective and environmentally friendly management of the locust problem in South Africa. Its primary goal is to ensure sustainability. Hence, it focuses on sustainable agricultural production without it affecting biodiversity. It also aims to contribute to the development of all communities, society at large and the national economy in order to enhance income, food security, employment and quality of life.

This policy recognizes that traditional artisanal fishers were excluded from the long-term rights allocation process under the General Policy on the Allocation of Long-term Fishing Rights, 2005, and the effect that this had on Small Scale fishing communities. Therefore, It provides a mechanism for allocating fishing rights to Small Scale fishing communities and ensures equitable access to marine living resources for these communities.