Parliament, Wednesday, 2 April 2025 – The Portfolio Committee on Agriculture received a briefing from the Department of Agriculture on the Africa Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and heard that it is all-systems-go for South Africa’s implementation of the trade agreement.
AfCFTA brings together 55 member states within the African Union (AU) to create a single continental market.
The committee learnt that the implementation is slow, as many state parties are still finalising their internal legal and regulatory requirements. However, South Africa is all set, as internal legal and regulatory requirements have been finalised to start trading under AfCFTA. “South Africa is part of the pilot programme known as the Guided Trade Initiative, which seeks to pilot implementation by testing the efficacy of the AfCFTA institutions, instruments and systems. South Africa launched trade with the first shipment destined for Ghana and Kenya in 2024,” the department said.
Briefing the committee about AfCFTA, the Department of Agriculture said it was signed on 21 March 2018 in Kigali, Rwanda, aiming to boost intra-Africa trade. It seeks, among other things, to establish a larger regional market among African Union (AU) member states by progressively eliminating trade barriers. It is by far the largest free trade area in the world, the committee heard.
The committee welcomed South Africa’s AfCFTA membership in order to diversify the country’s agricultural export basket and increase the export of value-added agricultural products.
Providing an update on work thus far, the department said that 54 African state parties have signed the agreement (excluding Eretria). Of the 54, 48 have ratified AfCFTA and 49 have submitted tariff offers – category A covering 90% of the tariff book. The 54 states are expected to submit their complete offers by October 2025 and all key instruments have been concluded for trade to commence, the department explained.
The committee also learnt that the South African agricultural sector has been prepared for the start of trade through a series of industry workshops at regional, national and provincial level. “Industry consultations and reporting takes place through the Agricultural Trade Forum (ATF). The Department of Agriculture is also part of the AfCFTA National Implementation Committee (NIC) and government work and monitoring will take place through the NIC,” the department said.
The committee also received a presentation on the Agriculture and Agro-processing Master Plan. Briefing the committee, National Agricultural Marketing Council CEO Dr Simphiwe Ngqangweni said this sectoral economic framework is designed to coordinate efforts, bring efficiency and transparency in implementation, and provide a common goal and indicators of success in contributing to the National Development Plan, in particular Chapter 6 and the Economic Reconstruction and Recovery Plan after the Covid-19 pandemic.
The plan was signed on 12 May 2022 by agriculture social partners, including policymakers and industry captains. “It is a template for inclusive growth, investments, sustainable jobs, transformation and market development,” Dr Ngqangweni said.
The committee asked questions about small agro-processing and the support provided to this sector of the market. It was also concerned about the low participation of black chicken farmers. It further urged the department to explore a strategy for promoting goat farming in South Africa, to supply markets in the Middle East and elsewhere on the African continent.
ISSUED BY THE PARLIAMENTARY COMMUNICATION SERVICES ON BEHALF OF THE CHAIRPERSON OF THE PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURE, MS DINA PULE.
For media enquiries or interviews with the Chairperson, please contact the committee’s Media Officer:
Name: Malentsoe Magwagwa (Ms)
Cell: 081 716 5824
Email: mmagwagwa@parliament.gov.za
Arrange a tour