STRATEGIC OBJECTIVE
Strengthen agricultural biosciences innovation to ensure food security, enhance nutrition and improve health, as well as enable job creation through the expansion and intensification of sustainable agricultural production and processing.
Only 13% of South Africa's surface area is highly productive agricultural land, and climate change and population growth weigh heavily in the sector's ability to meet citizen's needs. Biotechnology holds great promise in areas such as improving the productivity and resilience of crops and farm animals, addressing the effects of climate change, and potential loss of biodiversity. In addition, agro-processing has the potential to provide income-generating opportunities in rural areas and enhancing access to food for the poor.
