Agriculture in South Africa contributes around 5% of formal employment, relatively low compared to other parts of Africa and the number is still decreasing, [1] as well as providing work for casual laborers and contributing around 2.6 percent of GDP for the nation. [2] Due to the aridity of the land, only 13.5 percent can be used for crop production, and only 3 percent is considered high potential land. [3]
According to FAOSTAT, South Africa is one of the world's largest producers of: chicory roots (4th); grapefruit (4th); cereals (5th); green maize and maize (7th); castor oil seed (9th); pears (9th); sisal (10th); fibre crops (10th). [4] The dairy industry consists of around 4,300 milk producers providing employment for 60,000 farm workers and contributing to the livelihoods of around 40,000 others. [5]
The South African government has set a target of transferring 30% of productive farmland to 'previously disadvantaged' black people by 2014. [6] Land reform has been criticised both by farmers' groups and by landless workers, the latter alleging that the pace of change has not been fast enough, and the former alleging racist treatment and expressing concerns that a similar situation to Zimbabwe's land reform policy may develop, [7] a fear exacerbated by comments made by former deputy president Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka. [8] [9] On 27 February 2018, the National Assembly voted to set in motion a process to amend the Constitution so as to allow for the expropriation of land without compensation. [10]
The government has been accused of either putting in too much effort, [11] [ needs update ] or not enough effort, [12] to tackle the problem of farm attacks as opposed to other forms of violent crime.
Some predictions show surface water supply could decrease by 60% by 2070 in parts of the Western Cape. [13] To reverse the damage caused by land mismanagement, the government has supported a scheme which promotes sustainable development and the use of natural resources. [14] Maize production, which contributes to a 36% majority of the gross value of South Africa's field crops, has also experienced negative effects due to climate change.[ citation needed ] The estimated value of loss, which takes into consideration scenarios with and without the carbon dioxide fertilization effect, [15] ranges between tens and hundreds of millions of Rands. [16]
Based on prehistorical archaeological evidence of pastoralism and farming in southern Africa, ancient settlements closest outside the present-day South African border region, related to Bantu language speaking peoples, so far was found in sites located in the southernmost region inside the borders of what is now Mozambique, and dated 354–68 BCE. Findings similarly based on pastoralism and farming within South Africa thus far – is from sites identified in what was the Transvaal (province), they were dated 249–370 CE. [17] The earliest written record of farming life in South Africa by Europeans starts slightly after 1500 CE.[ citation needed ]
In 2018, South Africa produced 19.3 million tonnes of sugarcane (14th largest producer in the world), 12.5 million tonnes of maize (12th largest producer in the world) 1.9 million tons of grape (11th largest producer in the world), 1.7 million tons of orange (11th largest producer in the world) and 397 thousand tons of pear (7th largest producer in the world). In addition, in the same year, it produced 2.4 million tons of potato, 1.8 million tons of wheat, 1.5 million tons of soy, 862 thousand tons of sunflower seed, 829 thousand tons of apple, 726 thousand tons of onion, 537 thousand tons of tomato, 474 thousand tons of lemon, 445 thousand tons of grapefruit, 444 thousand tons of banana, 421 thousand tons of barley, in addition to smaller productions of other agricultural products, such as avocado, pineapple, peach, tangerine, pumpkin, cabbage, carrot, rapeseed, sorghum etc. [18] Some of the produce is been exported to the rest of the world by import/ export companies in South Africa.
Grains and cereals are South Africa's most important crops, occupying more than 60 percent of hectare under cultivation in the 1990s. [19] Maize, the country's most important crop, is a dietary staple, a source of livestock feed, and an export crop. [19] Government programs, including generous loans and extension services, have been crucial to the country's self-sufficiency in this enterprise. [19] Maize is grown primarily in North-West, Mpumalanga, Free State, and KwaZulu-Natal provinces. [19] As of the mid-1990s, maize production generated at least 150,000 jobs in years with good rainfall and used almost one-half of the inputs of the modern agricultural sector. [19] As of 2018, South Africa produced 12.5 million tonnes of maize. [18]
Wheat production, which is concentrated in large, highly mechanised farms, increased after World War II. [19] Wheat cultivation spread from the western Cape where rainfall is fairly reliable, to the Orange Free State and the eastern Transvaal, primarily in response to rising consumer demand. [19] As of 2018, South Africa produced 1.8 million tonnes of wheat. [18]
Other small grains are grown in localised areas of South Africa. [19] For example, sorghum—which is native to southern Africa—is grown in parts of the Free State, as well as in the North-West and the Northern provinces, with yields often exceeding 200,000 tons as of the mid-1990s. [19] Sorghum has been used since prehistoric times for food and brewing purposes. [19] Barley is also grown, primarily in the Western Cape. [19] In 2018, 421,000 tonnes of barley were produced. [18]
South Africa also produces peanuts, sunflower seeds, beans, and soybeans. [19]
As of the mid-1990s, fruits (including grapes for wine) earned as much as 40 percent of agricultural export earnings in some years. [19] (Fresh fruit finds a good market in Europe because it matures during the northern hemisphere's winter. [19] ) Deciduous fruits, including apples, pears, and peaches, are grown primarily in areas of the Western Cape and the Eastern Cape, where cold winters and dry summers provide ideal conditions for these crops. [19] Almost 1 million tons of deciduous fruits were sold fresh locally or were exported each year in the early 1990s. [19]
Pineapples are grown, primarily in the Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal. [19] Tropical fruits—especially bananas, avocados, and mangoes—are also grown, especially in the northeast and some coastal areas. [19] More than half of citrus production is exported in most years. [19]
As of the mid-1990s, more than 1.5 million tons of grapes were used domestically in South Africa's renowned wine industry, which dates back to the seventeenth-century vineyards introduced by French Huguenot immigrants. [19] More than 100,000 hectares of land were planted in vineyards as of the mid-1990s, centred primarily in the Western Cape. [19] Smaller vineyards are also found in the Northern Cape, Free State, and Northern Province. [19]
Sugarcane is also an important export crop, and South Africa was the world's 14th largest sugar producer as of 2018. [18] [19] Sugarcane was first cultivated in mid-nineteenth-century Natal. [19] Production is still centred there, but sugar is also grown in Mpumalanga, where irrigation is used when rainfall is inadequate. [19] More than 19 million tons of sugarcane were produced in 2018. [18]
Value in millions of South African rand: [20]
Commodity | 2009 |
---|---|
Poultry | 23,165 |
Maize | 16,346 |
Cattle and calves | 12,808 |
Wheat | 6,356 |
Milk | 9,138 |
Deciduous and other fruit | 8,040 |
Vegetables | 7,843 |
Sugar cane | 4,769 |
Citrus | 4,628 |
Potato | 4,058 |
Production of important field crops:
Commodity | 2009 [21] (tons) | 2015 [22] (fifth forecast) (tons) |
---|---|---|
Canola | 40 350 | 101 500 |
Sugar cane | 20 411 000 | |
Malting barley | 216 000 | 357 487 |
Maize | 12 567 000 | |
Vegetables | 2 442 000 | |
Citrus | 2 218 000 | |
Wheat | 1 928 000 | 1 501 190 |
Deciduous and other fruit | 1 829 000 | |
Sunflower seed | 833 000 | |
Subtropical Fruit | 655 000 | |
There are a number of Agricultural cooperatives in South Africa, including:
A lot of the cooperatives have changed with time in line with the changes in their individual business strategies.
In 2015 South Africa experienced the worst drought in 30 years. [23] Many farmers lost whole crops and much of their livestock. South Africa's dams also showed a decline with the Pongolapoort dam losing 20% of its water in just one year. [24]
The economy of Mali is based to a large extent upon agriculture, with a mostly rural population engaged in subsistence agriculture.
The agricultural history of Peru includes agriculture, cultivation of plants and herbs and general changes in the history of farming in Peru or its historical regions.
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Agriculture is a sector of the Nigerian economy, accounting for up to 35% of total employment in 2020. According to the FAO, agriculture remains the foundation of the Nigerian economy, providing livelihoods for most Nigerians and generating millions of jobs. Along with crude oil, Nigeria relies on the agricultural products it exports to generate most of its national revenue. The agricultural sector in Nigeria comprises four sub-sectors: crop production, livestock, forestry, and fishing.
The history of agriculture in India dates back to the Neolithic period. India ranks second worldwide in farm outputs. As per the Indian economic survey 2020 -21, agriculture employed more than 50% of the Indian workforce and contributed 20.2% to the country's GDP.
Agriculture is one of the bases of Argentina's economy.
Roughly one-third of Iran's total surface area is suited for farmland, but because of poor soil and lack of adequate water distribution in many areas, most of it is not under cultivation. Only 12% of the total land area is under cultivation but less than one-third of the cultivated area is irrigated; the rest is devoted to dryland farming. Some 92 percent of agricultural products depend on water. The western and northwestern portions of the country have the most fertile soils. Iran's food security index stands at around 96 percent.
Agriculture in Kazakhstan remains a small scale sector of Kazakhstan's economy. Agriculture's contribution to the GDP is under 10% – it was recorded as 6.7%, and as occupying only 20% of labor. At the same time, more than 70% of its land is occupied in crops and animal husbandry. Compared to North America, a relatively small percentage of land is used for crops, with the percentage being higher in the north of the country. 70% of the agricultural land is permanent pastureland.
Agriculture is the largest employment sector in Bangladesh, making up 14.2 percent of Bangladesh's GDP in 2017 and employing about 42.7 percent of the workforce. The performance of this sector has an overwhelming impact on major macroeconomic objectives like employment generation, poverty alleviation, human resources development, food security, and other economic and social forces. A plurality of Bangladeshis earn their living from agriculture. Due to a number of factors, Bangladesh's labour-intensive agriculture has achieved steady increases in food grain production despite the often unfavorable weather conditions. These include better flood control and irrigation, a generally more efficient use of fertilisers, as well as the establishment of better distribution and rural credit networks.
Agriculture is considered the backbone of Pakistan's economy, which relies heavily on its major crops. Pakistan's principal natural resources are arable land and water. Agriculture accounts for about 18.9% of Pakistan's GDP and employs about 42.3% of the labour force. The most agricultural province is Punjab where wheat & cotton are the most grown. Mango orchards are mostly found in Sindh and Punjab provinces, making it the world's fourth largest producer of mangoes.
Agriculture in Ethiopia is the foundation of the country's economy, accounting for half of gross domestic product (GDP), 83.9% of exports, and 80% of total employment.
Angola is a potentially rich agricultural country, with fertile soils, a favourable climate, and about 57.4 million ha of agricultural land, including more than 5.0 million ha of arable land. Before independence from Portugal in 1975, Angola had a flourishing tradition of family-based farming and was self-sufficient in all major food crops except wheat. The country exported coffee and maize, as well as crops such as sisal, bananas, tobacco and cassava. By the 1990s Angola produced less than 1% the volume of coffee it had produced in the early 1970s, while production of cotton, tobacco and sugar cane had ceased almost entirely. Poor global market prices and lack of investment have severely limited the sector since independence.
Agriculture in Algeria composes 25% of Algeria's economy and 12% of its GDP in 2010. Prior to Algeria’ colonization in 1830, nonindustrial agriculture provided sustenance for its population of approximately 2-3 million. Domestic agriculture production included wheat, barley, citrus fruits, dates, nuts, and olives. After 1830, colonizers introduced 2200 individual farms operated by private sectors. Colonial farmers continued to produce a variety of fruits, nuts, wheat, vegetables. Algeria became a large producer of wine during the late 19th century due to a crop epidemic that spread across France. Algeria's agriculture evolved after independence was achieved in 1962. The industry experienced multiple policy changes modernize and decry on food imports. Today, Algeria's agriculture industry continues to expand modern irrigation and size of cultivable land.
Agriculture in Sudan plays an important role in that country's economy. Agriculture and livestock raising are the main sources of livelihood for most of the Sudanese population. It was estimated that, as of 2011, 80 percent of the labor force were employed in that sector, including 84 percent of the women and 64 percent of the men.
Agriculture in Morocco employs about 40% of the nation's workforce. Thus, it is the largest employer in the country. In the rainy sections of the northwest, barley, wheat, and other cereals can be raised without irrigation. On the Atlantic coast, where there are extensive plains, olives, citrus fruits, and wine grapes are grown, largely with water supplied by artesian wells. Livestock are raised and forests yield cork, cabinet wood, and building materials. Part of the maritime population fishes for its livelihood. Agadir, Essaouira, El Jadida, and Larache are among the important fishing harbors. Both the agriculture and fishing industries are expected to be severely impacted by climate change.
Throughout its history, agriculture in Paraguay has been the mainstay of the economy. This trend has continued today and in the late 1980s the agricultural sector generally accounted for 48 percent of the nation's employment, 23 percent of GDP, and 98 percent of export earnings. The sector comprised a strong food and cash crop base, a large livestock subsector including cattle ranching and beef production, and a vibrant timber industry.
Agriculture plays a crucial role in the lives of Zimbabweans in rural and urban areas. Most of the people in rural areas survive on agriculture and they need support for them to get good yields.
Agriculture in Spain is important to the national economy. The primary sector activities accounting for agriculture, husbandry, fishing and silviculture represented a 2.7% of the Spanish GDP in 2017, with an additional 2.5% represented by the agrofood industry.
Agriculture in the Democratic Republic of the Congo is an industry in the country of the Democratic Republic of the Congo that has plenty of potential.
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