Our Policy Focus
Shaping policy
Strengthening agriculture
Our Policy Focus
Centre of Excellence (CoE)
Economics and Trade CoE
The Economics and Trade Centre of Excellence CoE drives AgriSA’s strategic work to strengthen the economic foundation of South Africa’s agricultural sector. The centre provides rigorous analysis, proactive insights, and policy leadership to ensure that farmers and agribusinesses operate in an environment that supports growth, sustainability, and global competitiveness.
Through close collaboration with government, industry partners, and AgriSA affiliates, the centre champions policies and interventions that enhance the financial well-being of producers, address structural constraints, and unlock new opportunities across value chains.
Its work spans the critical enablers of agricultural performance, including logistics, energy, taxation, telecommunications, roads, and trade to ensure that South Africa’s food system remains robust, competitive, and future-ready.
By advancing evidence-based economic policies, fostering strategic partnerships, and equipping members with high-quality intelligence, the Economics and Trade CoE plays a central role in securing a prosperous agricultural landscape for all.
Land and Development CoE
The Land and Development Centre of Excellence CoE drives AgriSA’s work to promote a fair, inclusive, and sustainable land reform system that secures private property rights, supports productive land use, and strengthens long-term agricultural and environmental sustainability. Our vision is a South Africa where land ownership and access are broadened responsibly, ensuring both justice and durability for future generations.
At the centre of the centre’s mission is land redistribution, land restitution, tenure reform, and farmer development. These focus areas guide our efforts to build a land reform process that is equitable, transparent, and grounded in economic viability. The centre works to protect the rights of all landowners while enabling new entrants to access land for productive and inclusive growth.
Through evidence-based engagement and collaboration with government and industry, the Land and Development CoE promotes sustainable land reform that delivers secure tenure, improves livelihoods, and supports resilient rural economies. This includes advocating for private property rights, advancing a free-market approach, and ensuring that historically disadvantaged communities can obtain and utilise agricultural land in ways that contribute to food security and rising land value.
The centre also plays a pivotal role in aligning agriculture with national development strategies, ensuring that land reform contributes meaningfully to food security, economic growth, job creation, and poverty alleviation. By equipping members with robust insights and policy leadership, the Land and Development CoE helps shape a land reform environment that is just, sustainable, and supportive of a vibrant agricultural sector.
Labour CoE
The Labour Centre of Excellence CoE serves as AgriSA’s leading platform for shaping labour and employment relations within the agricultural sector. The centre works to ensure a stable, fair, and well-regulated labour environment that supports both the sustainability of farming enterprises and the development and wellbeing of the agricultural workforce.
Guided by its mandate, the Labour CoE leads policy engagement and advocacy on key labour legislation, including the National Minimum Wage, employment equity laws, immigration policies, and broader labour regulations that directly influence the agricultural sector. By proactively liaising with government bodies, industry partners, and organised labour, the centre ensures that the unique dynamics and challenges of agricultural employment are fully understood and incorporated into national labour frameworks.
A major strategic focus of the centre is advancing a fair and evidence-driven National Minimum Wage process. This includes engaging the National Minimum Wage Commission, contributing to independent wage studies, and collaborating with with the broader organised business to ensure agricultural realities are reflected in national decisions. The centre also leads discussions with the Department of Labour on employment equity, working to shape sectoral targets while highlighting agriculture’s specific skill and workforce needs.
The Labour and trade CoE strengthens AgriSA’s role in labour policy by fast-tracking discussions with external stakeholders, gathering intelligence on trade unionism, and ensuring balanced public discourse on working conditions in the sector. Additional areas of leadership include developing guidance on AgriBEE sector codes, participating in the AgriSETA Board to promote skills development, and working with the Department of Home Affairs to address corporate visa challenges affecting agricultural employers.
Ultimately, the Labour Centre of Excellence safeguards members’ rights and responsibilities, promotes job creation and retention, and ensures compliance with labour, immigration, and equity requirements.
Natural Resources CoE
The Natural Resources Centre of Excellence CoE drives AgriSA’s work to ensure a stable, sustainable, and profitable agricultural industry by strengthening environmental governance and protecting the natural resources on which farming depends. The centre supports national strategies to enhance food security and promote economic, social, and environmental sustainability.
Its work is anchored in four key focus areas: water for food security, biodiversity and land use, soil conservation, climate change, and the intersection of mining, fracking, and agriculture. Through these priorities, the centre advocates for policies that balance environmental protection with agricultural productivity.
The centre leads national debates on environmental legislation, expands AgriSA’s leadership role in natural resource management, and supports the adoption of sustainable agricultural practices. It works closely with government and industry partners to secure a regulatory environment that enables agriculture to thrive while safeguarding critical ecosystems.
By providing strategic guidance and evidence-based advocacy, the Natural Resources CoE strengthens the sector’s resilience and ensures that farmers can continue to produce sustainably in a changing environmental landscape.
Rural Safety CoE
The Rural Safety Centre of Excellence CoE advances AgriSA’s mission to ensure that farming communities live and prosper in a safe environment that supports national food security. The centre works closely with government, the police, the SANDF, and private-sector partners to strengthen rural safety systems and protect farming operations.
Its work is anchored in the implementation and continuous improvement of the National Rural Safety Strategy across the national, provincial, district, and station levels. Through this framework, the centre influences policy, legislation, and security programmes to create a regulatory environment that promotes stability and resilience in rural areas.
A core focus of the centre is establishing strong professional relationships with law-enforcement agencies, participating in policy development, and advising members on safety risks and preventative measures.
As the sector’s leading voice on rural safety, the centre provides thought leadership, proactive advocacy, and coordinated support, ensuring that farming communities remain protected, resilient, and able to fulfil their essential role in South Africa’s food system.