Cape town: The Department of Agriculture has announced a significant budget allocation of R3.2 billion to support food security and farmer assistance programmes, marking the largest portion of its 2025/26 Budget Vote. This strategic move aims to enhance inclusion, productivity, and job creation within the agricultural sector.
According to South African Government News Agency, Agriculture Minister John Steenhuisen presented the department's Budget Vote in Parliament, emphasizing that the allocation to Programme Three, Food Security and Support, highlights the critical role of farmer support and extension services in boosting productivity and inclusion. In addition, Programme Two, focusing on biosecurity, research, and natural resource management, received R2.5 billion, with a notable part of the funds allocated to bolster research, diagnostics, and export compliance systems.
Minister Steenhuisen indicated that R494 million of this allocation has already been utilized, leaving R1.607 billion designated for the continuation and expansion of the vaccination programme. Meanwhile, Programme Four, Economic Development, Trade and Marketing, was granted R924 million to promote market access, tackle tariff and non-tariff barriers, and facilitate the integration of producers into more valuable market segments.
The budget aligns with the government's broader goal of expanding agricultural value-add by 30% and unlocking 300,000 jobs across the value chain. The agricultural sector currently supports nearly 950,000 jobs, with further employment opportunities anticipated through targeted interventions. The Blended Finance Scheme, in collaboration with development finance institutions, has already supported over 14,000 jobs, including 7,869 through the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) and 6,480 via the Land Bank.
Additional employment opportunities are being created through government extension support initiatives, with 370 Assistant Agricultural Practitioners already deployed to reinforce frontline advisory services to farming communities nationwide. Over the Medium-Term Expenditure Framework, R306 million has been allocated for the employment of these practitioners, working alongside provincial departments.
The Minister also underscored the significance of agro-processing and energy-linked initiatives in fostering future employment. The Agro-Energy Fund is backing investments in irrigation and cold-chain infrastructure, while the proposed biofuels blending programme has the potential to create up to 25,000 jobs, particularly in rural regions.
The agricultural export sector remains a vital economic driver, with exports reaching R268.7 billion in the fourth quarter of 2025, marking a 9% year-on-year increase and resulting in a trade surplus of R24.6 billion. South Africa has expanded its market access globally, exporting products such as citrus, table grapes, and stone fruit to countries like China, the Philippines, and Vietnam. The nation recently became the world's largest citrus exporter by volume, shipping 2.9 million tons in 2025.
To sustain export competitiveness, the government is investing in regulatory reform and biosecurity. The Agricultural Research Council (ARC), receiving the largest share of entity funding, is enhancing local vaccine production to support disease control, particularly efforts against foot-and-mouth disease. The budget also prioritizes the integration of smallholders into formal markets through the SA-GAP certification programme, which has supported 740 producers, with plans to reach an additional 1,700 farmers in the coming year.
Despite these advancements, structural challenges persist, including uneven transformation and concentration in key subsectors. Minister Steenhuisen emphasized that agriculture must evolve into a sector of deliberate growth, driving jobs, investment, and opportunity while focusing on infrastructure improvement, market access expansion, and strengthening partnerships across the value chain.