(a),(b) The Department is implementing a three-pronged land reform programme. These are:
- Land Redistribution using the Provision of Land and Assistance Act, Act 126 of 1993. To give effect to this Act, the Proactive Land Acquisition Strategy and the Beneficiary Selection and Land Allocation policy are implemented to acquire and redistribute land;
- Land Tenure Reform programme implemented under the Extension of Security of Tenure Act, Act 62 of 1997 (ESTA); and
- Land Restitution programme implemented by the Commission on Restitution of Land Rights using the Restitution of Land Rights Act, Act 22 of 1994.
These land reform programmes are supported by various agrarian reform instruments to address both the financial and technical support for different categories of producers to maintain and improve agricultural productivity and poverty alleviation. These instruments are as follows:
- Comprehensive Agricultural Support Programme and Ilima/Letsema which are aimed at resourcing and equipping producers towards increased food production and other value chain activities;
- Land Development Support which supports land reform farms with infrastructure; farm machinery and equipment, production development/inputs, and technical support including mentorship provided through commodity organisations;
- Blended Finance Scheme which supports the commercialisation process;
- SA-GAP Certification Programme which assists farmers to meet minimum food safety and quality requirements and thus eases access to markets;
- Collaborations with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), wherein the Department implements the Smallholder Horticulture Empowerment and Promotion (SHEP) approach, and the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) for the implementation of the Farmer Field Schools. Both interventions enhance the provision of extension services for small-scale farmers towards attaining sustainable food production and market access;
- In our endeavour to reduce the ratio between farmers and extension officers for more extension and advisory services to farmers, the Department continues to recruit extension personnel. Over 4 500 Assistant Agricultural Practitioners were recruited to provide technical support to farmers;
- Skills assessment and mitigation strategy is implemented to attain sustainable growth and equitable participation in the sector. As part of the comprehensive farmer support, the Department provides capacity development interventions that are focused on capacitating producers with requisite skills and mentorship based on their needs at a farm level. This capacity building assists farmers to optimize both production and marketing operations;
- Presidential Employment Stimulus providing production inputs for the most vulnerable producers for household food security and self-employment;
- Farmer Production Support Units provide a centralised service centre for producers to get production inputs, mechanisation, and technical support;
- Land Care Programme to protect and preserve natural resources and create employment at a rural level;
- Animal and Veld Management Programme to provide animal husbandry-related infrastructure like fencing, handling and dipping facilities, and livestock water including boreholes;
- River Valley Catalytic Programme designed to revitalise irrigation schemes in our former homelands;
- Micro Agricultural Finance Institute of South Africa provides affordable loans for producers; and
- National Rural Youth Service Corps (NARYSEC) Programme targeting unemployed rural youth for skills and capacity building for sustainable opportunities in the agricultural sector.