South Africa’s leadership in agriculture: A G20 opportunity for growth and global cooperation

Dr Thulasizwe Mkhabela

As South Africa takes the helm of the G20 in 2025, it faces an unprecedented opportunity to champion agricultural reforms that resonate across continents. As the global spotlight turns towards transforming agrifood systems, enhancing food security, tackling climate change, and fostering sustainable development, South Africa can leverage its position to advance its own agricultural interests and elevate Africa’s agricultural aspirations on the global stage.

The G20, a forum where the world’s largest economies come together, has long recognised the transformative power of agriculture in achieving economic growth, food security, and sustainability. However, the agricultural sector remains fraught with challenges, from protectionist trade policies and climate-related impacts to inadequate financing for smallholder farmers. For South Africa, a key player in global agriculture, this chairmanship represents a golden opportunity to drive policy changes that directly benefit its farming communities while aligning with broader global goals.

A primary area of focus for the G20’s Trade and Investment Working Group (TIWG) is creating a more open and inclusive trading system. Agriculture, often shielded by high tariffs and subsidies, has historically been one of the most contentious sectors in trade negotiations. As a significant agricultural exporter of products like citrus, wines, and maize, South Africa stands to gain immensely from efforts to reduce trade barriers, especially given the laissez-faire approach South Africa adopted towards its agricultural trade from the mid-1990s.

By promoting the liberalisation of global agricultural markets, South Africa can reduce restrictions on its key exports and unlock new market opportunities. Additionally, by taking advantage of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), South Africa can enhance intra-African trade and foster a more integrated agricultural economy across the continent. As the chair of the G20, South Africa has a strategic platform to advance these initiatives, ensuring that African agricultural producers are not hindered by external trade barriers and are better positioned in global markets. However, it is important to consider the potential negative effects of trade liberalization on the domestic market, particularly regarding the importation of agricultural products, which can impede the growth of local industries.

The G20’s Food Security and Nutrition Initiative aims to tackle global hunger and malnutrition while enhancing agricultural productivity. For South Africa, leading this agenda presents a chance to influence global policy in favour of smallholder farmers, a cornerstone of its agricultural sector transformation endeavours. Smallholders, who often face challenges in accessing markets, finance, and technical support, require targeted interventions to increase their productivity and resilience, especially in the face of climate change and rapidly changing consumer tastes and preferences.

South Africa can use its leadership to advocate for more support for these farmers, ensuring that they benefit from increased financial and technical assistance. By focusing on transforming African food systems into more sustainable and inclusive ones, South Africa can call for investments in rural infrastructure, sustainable farming techniques, and nutrition security-critical components for addressing the continent’s food challenges. Additionally, South Africa can facilitate collaboration between the G20 and international financial institutions to channel more resources into Africa’s agricultural development.

Climate change presents a severe threat to agricultural productivity, particularly in Southern Africa, where droughts and heat waves are becoming more frequent. Recognising the need for climate adaptation in agriculture, the G20’s Action Plan on Climate and Agriculture calls for the adoption of climate-smart practices to ensure agricultural resilience. South Africa, deeply familiar with the challenges of climate change, is uniquely positioned to push for stronger global commitments to climate-smart agriculture (CSA).

As chair, South Africa can advocate for greater financial support for CSA, especially for smallholder farmers in Africa, who often lack the resources to implement climate-resilient practices. Moreover, South Africa can lead knowledge-sharing initiatives, drawing from its experience with drought-resistant crops and water-efficient technologies, to help other G20 countries and African nations alike develop solutions to climate-related agricultural challenges. By championing a continent-wide approach to CSA, South Africa can drive Africa’s agricultural transformation while contributing to global climate goals.

The future of agriculture lies in digital innovation. As the world increasingly turns to technologies such as big data, artificial intelligence, and precision farming, South Africa has a significant opportunity to push for the digitalization of agriculture, particularly across Africa. With its burgeoning agri-tech sector, South Africa can advocate for the expansion of digital tools that enhance market access, weather forecasting, pest management, and crop monitoring for smallholder farmers.

Furthermore, South Africa can push for capacity-building initiatives to enhance digital literacy and technical training for farmers across Africa. This would not only promote the adoption of digital technologies but also help create an ecosystem where agri-tech startups can thrive, driving both economic growth and job creation in rural areas.

Financing remains a key hurdle to achieving agricultural transformation, particularly in Africa, where smallholder farmers often struggle to access capital. The G20 has committed to mobilising both public and private finance to support sustainable development, and South Africa can play a pivotal role in securing more investment for African agriculture.

South Africa can advocate for increased agricultural financing, focusing on climate adaptation, infrastructure development, and value-added processing. In addition, by promoting public-private partnerships, South Africa can help attract private-sector investment in agricultural innovation and sustainability. Expanding access to credit for smallholder farmers, through microfinance and insurance schemes, can also alleviate some of the financial challenges faced by rural communities, further enhancing agricultural resilience.

The G20’s commitment to the UN’s 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development aligns closely with South Africa’s agricultural priorities. By advocating for policies that support SDG 2 (Zero Hunger), SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production), and SDG 13 (Climate Action), South Africa can ensure that agricultural practices contribute to broader global sustainability goals.

South Africa has an opportunity to push for a more equitable approach to achieving food security, where both smallholder farmers and large-scale agricultural producers have the resources they need to increase food production sustainably. By promoting policies that reduce food waste, encourage responsible consumption, and strengthen climate action in agriculture, South Africa can lead by example and help drive global agricultural policies that support both food security and environmental sustainability.

As the G20 chair in 2025, South Africa has the chance to redefine global agricultural policy. By advocating for trade liberalisation, smallholder support, climate-smart agriculture, digital innovation, and increased investment, South Africa can position itself as a leader in both global and African agricultural development.

The country’s efforts to align these initiatives with the broader global sustainability agenda will not only benefit its economy but will also create a more inclusive, resilient, and sustainable global agricultural system. South Africa’s leadership in the G20 offers a unique opportunity to not just address local challenges but to drive global change in the agricultural sector—benefiting the entire world in the process.

Dr Thulasizwe Mkhabela is an Honorary Research Fellow with the African Centre for Food Security and the University of KwaZulu-Natal and an independent agricultural researcher and policy analyst with extensive experience in South African and African agricultural & development issues. He is also a director and Senior Researcher at Outcome Mapping (www.outcomemapping.co.za): thulasizwe.mkhabela@gmail.com; Dr Mkhabela is also a Food, Agriculture, and Natural Resources Policy Analysis Network (FANRPAN) associate.

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