Western Cape Department: Agriculture

Overview

The mission of the Western Cape Department of Agriculture is to unlock the full potential of agriculture to enhance the economic, ecological and social wealth of all the people of the Western Cape through encouraging sound stakeholder engagements; promoting the production of affordable, nutritious, safe and accessible food, fibre and agricultural products; ensuring sustainable management of natural resources; executing cutting-edge and relevant research and technology development; developing, retaining and attracting skills and human capital; providing a competent and professional extension support service; enhancing market access for the entire agricultural sector; contributing to alleviation of poverty and hunger; and ensuring transparent and effective governance.

The Department’s strategic goals are: supporting the provincial agricultural sector in maintaining its export position by growing its value added; ensuring that 70% of all agricultural land reform projects in the province are successful; supporting the sector (farmers and industries) in increasing agricultural production (primary provincial commodities); optimising the sustainable utilisation of water and land resources to increase climate-smart agricultural production; increasing agricultural and related economic opportunities in selected rural areas based on socio-economic needs; enhancing the agri-processing capacity at both primary and secondary level to increase with 10% over baseline; and facilitating an increase of 20% in relevant skills development at different levels in the organisation and the sector.