South African Agriculture Body Navigates Trade Tensions and Climate Policy Amid Global Shifts
AgriSA balances advocacy for market access through AGOA extension with climate commitments at COP30, while defending property rights against domestic policy threats that could undermine agricultural competitiveness.
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South Africa's leading agricultural organization is steering a complex course through international trade disruptions and climate negotiations, seeking to protect farmers' market access while positioning the sector for long-term sustainability amid mounting policy pressures.
AgriSA welcomed the United States Senate's approval of a one-year extension of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) in early February, despite acknowledging that new US tariffs have diminished the program's benefits. The extension preserves preferential access to American markets for eligible sub-Saharan African countries, a lifeline for South African agricultural exports worth hundreds of millions of dollars annually.
The relief comes with caveats. According to AgriSA's statement, the so-called "Liberation Day" tariffs of 30 percent imposed by Washington have "distorted the benefits of AGOA to some extent," creating uncertainty for exporters who built supply chains around duty-free access. The organization did not specify which agricultural products face the greatest impact, though South African exports to the US typically include citrus, wine, macadamia nuts, and processed foods.
Climate Commitments Meet Competitiveness Concerns
Beyond trade policy, AgriSA is engaging directly with global climate frameworks that increasingly shape agricultural markets. The organization sent representatives to COP30 in Belém, Brazil, in November 2025, positioning itself at the intersection of climate adaptation and trade competitiveness.
"This global gathering comes at a critical moment for agriculture, as producers across the world confront the escalating impacts of climate change, shifting trade requirements, and rising expectations for sustainability across value chains," AgriSA stated in its COP30 announcement. The organization emphasized that climate resilience and market competitiveness cannot be separated, as buyers increasingly demand environmental credentials alongside product quality.
The dual focus reflects a practical reality for South African farmers: export markets in Europe and elsewhere are implementing carbon border adjustments and sustainability standards that could exclude producers unable to document low-emission practices. AgriSA's participation in climate negotiations aims to ensure that adaptation support and transition pathways remain accessible to developing-country farmers rather than becoming de facto trade barriers.
Domestic Policy Battles Over Land and Resources
While engaging internationally, AgriSA faces significant domestic policy challenges that threaten the foundation of commercial agriculture. The organization raised alarms in August 2025 over the Draft Mineral Resources Development Amendment Bill, warning that it "poses significant risks to South Africa's agricultural sector, food security, and rural livelihoods."
The mineral rights legislation intersects with broader concerns about property rights that AgriSA considers fundamental to agricultural investment and productivity. In September 2025, the organization reaffirmed that "private property rights are the primary basis on which South African agriculture is structured," pledging to "employ all necessary resources to defend property rights."
These domestic battles carry international implications. Agricultural competitiveness depends heavily on long-term investment in irrigation, soil improvement, and infrastructure—investments that require secure tenure and clear property rights. Uncertainty over land and mineral rights could deter both domestic reinvestment and foreign capital at a time when South African agriculture needs modernization to meet climate and market challenges.
Balancing Act for Export-Dependent Sector
AgriSA's multi-front engagement reflects the precarious position of South African agriculture in global value chains. The sector contributes roughly 2.5 percent of GDP but employs significant rural populations and generates crucial foreign exchange through exports. Maintaining competitiveness requires navigating US trade policy, European sustainability standards, domestic resource conflicts, and climate adaptation simultaneously.
The organization's participation in the B20 South Africa summit in Cape Town in February 2025 underscored this balancing act. AgriSA President Jaco Minnaar and CEO Johann Kotzé engaged with business leaders on "sustainable agriculture and investment," seeking to attract capital while addressing environmental expectations.
The one-year AGOA extension provides temporary relief but leaves fundamental questions unresolved. Washington has not clarified long-term plans for the program beyond 2026, while the 30 percent tariff layer creates ongoing uncertainty. For South African farmers planning multi-year crop cycles or processing investments, policy stability matters as much as preferential rates.
As climate impacts intensify across southern Africa—with drought, flooding, and temperature extremes disrupting production—the sector needs both market certainty and adaptation support. AgriSA's strategy appears to be leveraging international forums like COP30 to secure climate finance and technical assistance while defending the domestic policy framework that enables commercial agriculture to function.
Whether this approach can reconcile competing pressures remains uncertain. Trade access, climate compliance, and property rights protection all require sustained political attention and resources that South Africa's government must allocate amid numerous competing priorities.