South Africa and FAO Collaborate on Agricultural Innovation Roadmap to Boost Food Security

Strategic Partnership for Agrifood Transformation

South Africa, in collaboration with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), has embarked on a significant initiative to develop a Science, Technology, and Innovation (STI) Roadmap for Agriculture. This strategic undertaking is designed to revolutionize the country's agricultural sector, addressing persistent challenges and bolstering food security. An inception meeting for the project was held in September 2025, with the roadmap anticipated to be finalized by the end of September 2026.

The initiative is spearheaded by South Africa's Department of Science, Technology and Innovation (DSTI) and aims to foster an inclusive, resilient, and sustainable agrifood system. It seeks to enhance institutional coordination, drive innovation, and align the agricultural sector with national and regional development priorities.

Addressing Key Agricultural Challenges

Despite being a resilient sector, South African agriculture faces numerous structural challenges that contribute to low productivity and slow economic growth. These include high input costs, intense market competition, an unreliable energy supply, and the severe impacts of climate change, such as droughts and shifting weather patterns. Furthermore, widespread rural poverty, persistent food insecurity, and the underutilization of arable land continue to hinder progress.

The STI Roadmap is intended to overcome these historical obstacles by promoting the development of new high-value crops, livestock, and agro-processed products. It also aims to create expanded opportunities for women and youth in rural areas, enhance food and nutrition security through sustainable technologies, and strengthen value chains that support livelihoods and socio-economic transformation.

Anchoring in National and International Frameworks

The development of this roadmap is firmly anchored in South Africa's existing policy frameworks, specifically the STI Decadal Plan (2022-2032) and the 2019 STI White Paper. These documents emphasize modernizing productive sectors and promoting inclusive growth through innovation, creativity, and strategic partnerships.

In alignment with the FAO's Strategic Framework 2022-2031, the initiative supports the 'Four Betters':

• Better production
• Better nutrition
• A better environment
• A better life

This collaboration directly contributes to achieving several United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including SDG 2 (Zero Hunger), SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure), and SDG 13 (Climate Action).

Key Intervention Areas and Future Outlook

The roadmap outlines key intervention areas to achieve its ambitious goals. These include, but are not limited to:

• Plant and animal improvement
• Digital decision-support systems
• Precision agriculture
• Biosecurity
• Early-warning systems
• Agro-processing
• Value chain development
• Skills development
• Farmer development support

A central objective is to build an inclusive and competitive agricultural bioeconomy that specifically targets marginalized groups, women, youth, and smallholder farmers. The roadmap will operate in concert with other national policy frameworks, such as the Agriculture and Agro-processing Master Plan, led by the Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development (DALRRD).

The partnership between the DSTI and FAO is seen as a strategic step towards a knowledge-driven agricultural economy, ensuring that science and technology are central to South Africa's journey toward resilience, inclusivity, and food sovereignty.