Tag: crop production

The agriculture sector is integral to the South African economy. It contributes around R400 billion to GDP each year. Additionally, it supports approximately 870,000 jobs across the country. The sector also generates USD13 billion in export revenue annually. Moreover, it plays a critical role in supporting South Africa’s food security.

The agriculture sector is vital for economic growth. It contributes 3% to GDP, supports 941,000 jobs, and generated US$13.2 billion in export revenue in 2023 – South Africa produces 10% of the global citrus production. But climate-induced changing weather patterns threaten the outlook for certain crop yields in 2024.

Outside, drones fly overhead, keeping an unflinching eye on crops and cattle, while driverless tractors plough the fields precisely and robots methodically gather the harvest. Meanwhile, miles away from traditional farmland, machine-controlled vertical farms grow food without soil in giant warehouses.

The agricultural sector across sub-Saharan Africa is critical to local and regional economies as a developmental base for food security and employment. Within it, there remains an invisible force driving productivity in the region and across the world.

Global and domestic food security remains under extreme threat. Climate change has always been the main driver for the threat, however, the recent invasion of Ukraine by Russia has drastically increased concerns about the impact of war on soaring food prices and input costs.