A parliamentary committee wants large-scale farms left unused without good reason to pay a levy that rises each year, with the money ring-fenced for land development, irrigation and extension, but an economist says it would not be paid.
CropsLand reform minister Mzwanele Nyhontso launched a programme that gives every province R100m to R170m this year for funding, technical help, infrastructure and market access for beneficiary farmers.
AgribusinessOfficials, commercial farmers and investors at the Agricultural Development Agency's conference in Boksburg said land reform must come with water, infrastructure, timely finance and market access.
South Africa's farm lobby endorsed mandates on land, water, labour, rural safety and trade at its 14 October congress, citing 30% irrigation losses, a record $15.1bn in exports and R4.2bn lost to port inefficiency.
AgribusinessA University of the Free State team surveyed 132 small-scale farming households in two former homelands and found labour, infrastructure and aspirations limit farming more than land does.
AgribusinessWillie Aucamp says the Agriculture and Agro-processing Master Plan needs more momentum, from 10,000 trained extension officers to secure land tenure, faster input registrations and new export markets.
