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Country profile - South Africa

The Republic of South Africa covers an area of 122,3 million hectares and has a total population of 37,9 million people. It is a country of contrasts: abundant rain followed by severe droughts and extreme temperatures. Varying climatic zones and topography enable the production of almost any kind of crop, enabling the country to be self sufficient in a vast variety of agricultural products. With an estimated 6 million people dependent on the land for a livelihood, agriculture constitutes one of the key industries in South Africa's economy.

Natural resources

The conservation of Agricultural Resources Act controls the utilisation of the country's agricultural land. About 13% of South Africa's surface area can be used for crop production, but of the total area of arable land only 22% is of high potential. A major function of the Department of Agriculture is the conservation of natural resources which it promotes though the use of sustainable agricultural practices.

Rainfall

The availability of water is the most important factor limiting agricultural production with just over 1,2 million hectares under irrigation. The country is divided into three main rainfall regions; a winter rainfall region in the south-western Cape, an area with rainfall throughout the year along the southern coastal region and a summer rainfall area in the rest of the country. Another feature is an increase in rainfall from the western to the eastern parts. Only 10% of the country receives an annual precipitation of more than 750mm.

Land use and production

South Africa is suitable for the cultivation of a large variety of crops and despite severe droughts during the last decade the country is still self-sufficient as far as most primary foods are concerned. The most important crop is maize; approximately 3,1 million tonnes were used during 1996 for human consumption while 1,2 million tonnes were processed as farm feed by the industry. The remainder of the crop is usually exported to neighbouring countries. Wheat production usually amounts to 2,3 million tonnes, but as a result of varying weather conditions, during some years wheat has to be imported. Other predominant crops, produced on a lesser scale, are oats, sugar cane and sunflower. South Africa is also well known for the high quality of its deciduous fruit. During 1996 1,2 million tonnes were produced. Up to 40% of deciduous fruit and 50% of citrus fruit are exported.

Agricultural land in South Africa is mainly used for grazing. The country's national commercial cattle herd is estimated at 13,4 million, including various international dairy and beef-cattle, as well as indigenous breeds such as the Afrikaner and Nguni, Drakensberger and Bonsmara. Owing to the relatively low carrying capacity on the natural pastures, extensive cattle ranching is practised in the lower-rainfall regions. South Africa is also an important producer of meat, hides and skins as well as wool and milk.

In 1996 South Africa produced 34% of Africa's wool crop and 106 000 tonnes of mutton. The main breeds of sheep are the fine-woolled Merino, the South African Mutton Merino, Dohne Merino, Dormer, Dorper and the Karakul. The Karoo is one of the main sheep-farming areas in the country with the karakul industry limited to the dry north-western regions of the Cape Province. In 1996 the national herd was estimated at 28,9 million sheep.

Access to land

An urgent challenge that goes beyond agriculture in South Africa is the access to land demanded by many thousands of rural blacks. Historically, the most productive cropland and pasture have been settled by white farmers and, under apartheid, black people were relegated to "homelands". There the often intrinsically poor soils were further depleted and ravaged by over exploitation caused by over crowding and lack of education, training and resources to farm sustainably. The post '94 government started the process of acquiring land from white farmers and distributing it to black owners. But this process of re-distribution is neither going far or fast enough for most of the rural black poor. Tensions and bloodshed have resulted with violent and often murderous attacks on white farmers and their families. However, land re-distribution alone will not be enough: new owners must be offered training and resources to farm productively. Otherwise, South Africa's overall agricultural productivity will decline and good crop and pasture lands will be rapidly degraded leaving the new black owners with no more of an economic future than they had when they were landless.

Conclusion

Although the country represents only about 6% of the total population and 4% of the total surface area ow the African continent, it nevertheless produces a significant proportion of the total agricultural production of the African continent. South Africa has the necessary expertise and specialised knowledge of various farming enterprises to greatly increase productivity. Even in areas where information is still lacking the success of the national agricultural research programme has given the country the capacity to address problems with regard to agricultural and food production in Southern Africa.

Date published: March 1999

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