Why South Africa’s crop sub-sector must diversify: A sub-sector deconcentration perspective

For the South African economy to address the prevailing tripple burden of high unemployment (over 30%), poverty (income inequality) and food insecurity (at household level), while at the same time working towards deconcentrating the agricultural sector, there is an urgent need to invest more in, and to promote under-utilised and under-developed value chains. For instance, new value chains (cassava, cowpea, bambara groundnut or amadumbi) present an opportunity for new entrants to participate in the multiplication and distribution of phytosanitory approved planting materials within local communities, especially if the distribution rights are not limited to a handful of market participants.

WHY SOUTH AFRICA’S CROP SUB-SECTOR MUST DIVERSIFY?

Despite that the many indigenous crops that have been grown in the country for many decades in the past, South Africa’s agricultural sector is based on a few commercialised crops. The most important summer crops produced at commercial scale include maize, soybeans, sunflower seed, groundnuts, and sorghum (South Africa online, 2022).