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[File photo:] Farm workers tending to crops.
The biggest obstacles for farmers, who try to sustain food security, are climate change, arid soil conditions, scarcity of water and a general lack of resources.
According to the African Farmers’ Association of South Africa’s (AFASA) Mangaung Chairperson Mike Makwa, these conditions limit the farm from producing at full capacity.
Speakers at the G20 meeting on agriculture in Pretoria have highlighted the importance of adapting farming systems to climate change as changing weather patterns present challenges for farmers. President and CEO of the Agricultural Research Council, Dr Litha Magingxa, weighs in. pic.twitter.com/3iI1jlm1gi
— SABC News (@SABCNews) March 19, 2025
As the G20 Summit wraps up, he begged members of governments to also ensure that the trade policies consider small-holder farmers.
“I would love them to assist the smallholder farmers, because there are the major role players in terms of a food security if they can assist in terms of equipping the smallholder farmers in terms of changing their policies, which are going to suit as more older farmers, so that they can be able to be their own players also in the industry,” says Makwa.
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Farming advocacy group Free State Agriculture says South Africa has positioned itself well as an investment destination. The organisation says the government should not lose momentum after the summit and should focus on infrastructure such as roads.
It says it has noted the commitments made by the G20 on trade policies and called for conducive tariffs.
[WATCH] Agricultural scientists from the G20 nations are gathered in the Limpopo capital Polokwane for a summit focused on tackling food insecurity. The meeting is exploring scientific innovations for sustainable farming in the face of climate change. pic.twitter.com/jUu7X0X5al
— SABC News (@SABCNews) May 26, 2025
The organisation’s agricultural economist Dr Jack Armour adds that trade tariffs and barriers are important to protect the local industry from dumping by bigger markets.
🇿🇦 Championing food security, job creation, and rural safety to end poverty!
Watch as the Minister of Agriculture, the DA’s John Steenhuisen, unpacks outcomes to benefit South Africans from the G20 South Africa Summit: Leaders’ Declaration.
ℹ️ Including new export deals signed. pic.twitter.com/QvHlq62eoq
— Democratic Alliance (@Our_DA) November 22, 2025
“I think South Africa has done a lot to position itself for the G20 and getting foreign countries here; getting their ambassadors and their agricultural attachés has been very important. We’ve been to a couple of events where we’ve been informing people of what we’ve got to offer in South Africa. The most important message is that we are an investable destination. There’s a lot of negative news out there, but agriculture is carrying on. We’ve had a record export year this year. Despite all the tariffs, South Africa is still definitely an investment destination,” says Armour.
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