The South African agricultural sector has previously operated without a coordinated and comprehensive farmer database. At policy level, the lack of coordinated information constrains adequate planning, responsive policy formulation, design of effective farmer support programs and service delivery. Without accurate and centralized data on the (i) the type of farmers; (ii) where are these farmers located; (iii) what and how do these farmers produce; (iv) where do they sell; (v) who buys the produce; and (vi) what type of farmer support requirements are, the State and other ecosystem participants are likely to be unable to determine operational interventions in terms of identification and support to the right beneficiaries. The consequence to inaccurate data is that beneficiaries are likely to be excluded from the necessary assistance and support whilst others would receive duplicate support due to misallocation of resources. As a result, farmer support programmes, both within the State and the various industries are likely to be ineffective in achieving the vision and mission of the Agriculture and Agro-processing Master Plan (AAMP). Hence, better formulation of customized, comprehensive, and timely farmer support programmes requires a centralized farmer database such as the National Farmer Register.

At the macro-economic level, the lack of an integrated database has also raised questions about agriculture’s real contribution to employment, food security, and the national economy. The contribution of agriculture to the national economy is currently recorded in the national statistical business register. However, the national business register relies on administrative data from South African Revenue Services (SARS) and Companies and the Intellectual Property Commission (CIPC). This often excludes the contributions from farmers that are unregistered in the administrative system.

Various institutional organizations including commodity associations, agricultural trusts, and government departments have mitigated data gaps by initiating and collecting data from their constituent farmers. This approach mitigates data unavailability, although it also fragments agricultural information data sources. Moreover, farmers are likely to be represented in more than one commodity associations, creating potential for duplicating their record in the statistics of farm registration. This fragmented system may encourage uncoordinated data collection and reporting, hindering the ability of policy makers and practitioners to identify best practice that are scalable and adaptable across diverse industries.

Beyond fragmentation of data sources, there are accessibility and usability challenges. The accessibility challenges emerge in several ways viz (i) some organizations restrict data access to paying subscribers; (ii) while others require formal requests to disseminate the data; and (iii) certain data sources remain difficult to uncover through conventional search platforms such as Google. In contrast, usability challenges stem from the diverse data collection methodologies and standards employed by different sources, resulting in inconsistent outputs formats such as PDFs and Excel spreadsheets. PDF-based data is difficult to extract and prepare for analysis. Moreover, many datasets are outdated, lack geographic specificity, and offer limited filtering capabilities. Consequently, users often download large volumes of irrelevant data, which are cumbersome to process and synthesize. A further concern is the prevalence of missing data across most sources, which undermines the reliability and completeness of agricultural information.

The Department of Agriculture (DoA) acknowledged the fragmentation of agricultural data sources. In response, it launched the National Farmer Register (NFR) in February 2022 to collect detailed information on both commercial and smallholder farmers. However, there are several challenges that limit the effectiveness of this initiative. The NFR currently has significant structural and functional limitations that reduce its effectiveness as a national agricultural data system. Its scope is narrow, capturing just basic identifiers such as names, contact details, and farm names, geographic variable and type of commodity, while excluding critical variables such as farm size, production volumes, and income levels. Geographic coordinates are also incorporated, however, about 1% of the records are likely to be inaccurate.

At present, farmer registration is undertaken exclusively by Extension units within Provincial Departments of Agriculture, and this practice persists. External organizations are not currently integrated into the registration system, which is likely to further weaken the NFR efforts. The proposition is for agricultural data sources to be integrated into one. It would strengthen the NFR because ecosystem participants would deposit data files onto the central database. This can be accomplished through formal Service Level Agreements (SLAs) that will provide clear accountability and timelines of data capturing, confidentiality requirements in terms of Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA). The SLAs would also address regulatory compliance issues and standardize data collection.

This shift to a standardized approach, supported by secure technical modalities for electronic data transfer, ensures the predictability and reliability required for a high-quality, and sustainable data ecosystem. Institutional coordination, standardized data protocols, and investment in digital infrastructure are essential to achieve this vision. A living register that is continuously updated and verified will ensure reliability and relevance of information. Active farmer participation will also be vital, and registration must be presented as a means of gaining access to support, funding, markets, and training opportunities rather than as an administrative task. This is already being implemented in other provinces such as the Eastern Cape and Limpopo.

Recommendations

• Allocate sufficient resources for data collation through the National Department of Agriculture and the Statistics South Africa.
• Establish SLAs with government departments, farmer and commodity associations, agricultural trusts and commodity groups. These agreements should establish responsibilities, timelines, and data collection and sharing standards to avoid duplication and promote accountability.
• Develop and enforce uniform data collection frameworks across institutions. This will improve consistency, reduce fragmentation, and enhance the usability of agricultural data for planning and policymaking.
• Build reliable digital platforms that support electronic data capture, transfer, and integration. Secure systems will improve efficiency and reduce risks associated with manual or fragmented data handling.
• Align farmer registration with the national support policy by positioning it as a gateway to funding, training, and market access. This will boost participation and ensure the register reflects sectoral diversity.
• In line with the ongoing Agricultural Statistics Strategy, national statistical systems should be broadened to incorporate farmers who are not registered with SARS or CIPC. This inclusion will generate a more comprehensive and accurate representation of agriculture’s contribution to employment, food security, and overall economic performance.