CONNECTING THE AGRIFOOD VALUE CHAIN

In the encouraging words of Ben Leyka, CEO, African Agri Council, “Market Access Africa 2025 is where Africa’s agri-food industry meets with global opportunity through its vision to unlock international and regional markets, empower agro-processing and smallholder farmers, and to accelerate Africa’s journey towards self-sufficiency in trade.”

There is every truth in this statement of intent, as ministers from across the African continent, leading South African political influencers, large and small-scale farmers, youth, and industry service specialists converged at the ICC in Durban on 2-3 June 2025.

Their collective goal was to hear about, speak about, and to forge collaborations to ensure the realisation of the conference’s purpose to:

■ Diversify Africa’s export landscape

■ Promote unique agricultural products

■ Enhance collaboration and coordination

■ Increase Africa’s global market share

■ Empower agro-processors and farmers

Breadbasket of the World

Africa, as echoed through dialogue throughout the conference, has the potential to be the breadbasket of the world, with some 60% of the world’s arable land. We ask, why then, do we have such extreme poverty and unemployment within the African continent? We have the ability to feed the whole world with nutritious fresh food, and through the expansion of the agriculture industry, to create large-scale employment opportunities. T he answer is not straight forward, but vast improvement on current conditions can be gained through our ability to unlock potential by harnessing technology, data, and innovative solutions that improve farming practices, foster collaboration among farmers, and meet international market standards for value chain expectations and food safety. By leveraging these tools and approaches, Africa can capitalise on its agricultural strengths, create employment opportunities, and drive economic growth.

 Food safety and traceability are of course critical in creating the confidence consumers need to have to purchase agricultural products from South Africa and Africa. We in many circumstances do meet these exceptional international standards through our large scale farmers, whose operations are aligned with Global GAP Certification requirements. However, there is considerable opportunity to grow our agricultural production and exports through involving SMEs and micro business in agriculture value chains.

Strong Demand for SA’s Exports

South Africa’s agricultural exports are substantial, and reached a record high of USD 13,7 billion in 2024, driven by strong demand for citrus, wine, and nuts. South Africa’s largest trading partners are on the African continent, where 44% of its export produce is distributed. Other significant trading partners for South Africa are Middle East countries at 21% and the European Union at 19%. Top exports by value include citrus, maize, apples, pears, wine, nuts, soyabeans, sugar, grapes, berries, fruit juices, and avocados. To ensure healthy and productive farming and distribution practices within South Africa and on the continent, basic sustainability and ethical norms must be maintained. In particular, adherence to health and safety regulations, protection of the environment, complying with labour laws, maintaining business ethics, upholding animal welfare standards, ensuring traceability of products, and meeting food and safety standards, is required.

Africa’s Trade Future

The two-day Market Access Africa Conference consisted of plenary sessions and workshops, where insights, experience, innovation and guidance were shared. John Steenhuisen, minister of agriculture and land reform, while contributing to a panel discussion on harmonising agricultural standards, reiterated the importance of a united, integrated, and self-sufficient agricultural sector in South Africa and Africa.

Minister Steenhuisen further highlighted Africa’s trade future in a compelling keynote address, outlining South Africa’s strategic vision as chair of the G20 Agriculture Working Group. He noted four key priorities driving South Africa’s agriculture agenda: ■ Inclusion of smallholder farmers, women, and youth

■ Accelerated innovation and technology transfer

■ Resilient and sustainable food systems

■ Fair global financing for African producers

The minister said, “It is not about aid, it’s about equity. It’s about unlocking Africa’s full agricultural potential.” The minister called for a reimagined African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) that empowers African SMEs and firmly challenges non-tariff barriers that hinder growth and market access. The minister said that South Africa will continue to lead efforts focused on blended finance and de-risking of agricultural investments, by supporting export ready infrastructure, facilitating regional integration under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), and ensuring a united African voice in global food system reform.

Accessing Global Markets

Moore Global, a specialist accounting and advisory firm, facilitated two panel discussions as a knowledge partner.

Stan Whiting, a business development specialist, explored global value chains, focusing on retail and food manufacturing. Meanwhile, Jeff Blackbeard, director of markets, moderated a discussion on farmers’ challenges and successes in accessing global markets. Jeff highlighted the importance of understanding tariffs, incentives, investment, AI, and market access for farmers. He noted, “African agriculture is transforming through digitisation, sustainability, and market innovation.”

With a network of member firms across Africa, Moore Global offers deep insights into local agricultural markets and supply chains. Their expertise can support farmers and businesses in navigating complex global value chains. SME compliance, governance and sustainability service providers, DRG and BusinessFit ran a workshop for emerging farmers speaking about the importance of ensuring compliance and governance in the creation of sustainable business and markets.

Nothando Khanyile spoke about Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) certification, describing each of the steps needing to be followed to gain such accreditation. Emerging farmers found these contributions on adherence to rules, regulations, and standards essential in helping them to better understand their enterprise’s compliance and risk mitigation requirements, and their responsibility to meet stakeholders’ expectations. “Compliance and governance are not just about ticking boxes,” said Andrew Kruger, CFO at DRG, “but about doing what is right to protect people, the planet, and the reputation of the agri industry.”

A strong theme emerging from the contributions of each panel and workshop was the enormous importance of food security, especially in an Africa context, where the population is expected to grow from its current estimate in 2025 of 1.5 billion people to 2.5 billion people in 2050. Knowledge was shared at the conference, building confidence that it is quite possible for Africa to meet its fast-growing demand for food, by analysing successes of small scale farmers in countries like Kenya, using drones, agronomists, soil specialists, and through the sharing of relevant data.

Aggregation hubs were considered essential in helping to manage legitimacy requirements across supply chains, where for example large-scale farmers, through their localisation and industry controls, could give small, medium, and micro business the opportunity to contribute their produce into value chains that are able to help them meet compliance expectations, and to benefit financially through their contributions.

The conference was a huge success, and left participants and delegates feeling inspired by the level of commitment, purpose and ability at every level of the agriculture value chain. From farmers to service suppliers, to government officials and policy makers, there was a sense that not only our own African food security needs will be met through cooperation, technology and effective use of our arable land, but we as Africans have the ability, through our farmers and value chains, to feed the world.

Big ‘Thank-You’s’ were shared with the African Agri Council and the Market Access Africa conference team, in particular with Programme Chair Dr Gostina Gabby Malope and Programme Director Zimkhitha Mquteni-Mabanga. The African Agri Council, African Agri Investment Indaba, will take place on the 23-26 November 2025 in Cape Town.

DRG, BusinessFit, and SA Chamber UK Contact David White

T: +27 (0)31 767 0625

E: david@drg.co.za

W: www.drg.co.za