Draft Policy on the Preservation
and Development of Agricultural Land
Equitable Trade-offs Between
Mining and Agriculture
09 April 2013
Hein Lindemann
Scientific Manager: Natural Resources
Directorate: Land Use and Soil Management
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 Global
• By 2030
» +120 million ha for crop production
• By 2050
» 1 billion tons of cereal
» 200 million tons of livestock products
 South Africa
• 2012
» Total = 122 mil ha
» High Value: 13.7 million ha
» Class IV: 15 million ha
• 23 % year on year increase in agricultural imports
• More dependant on food imports with less financial resources to pay therefore
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0.4
FAO Recommended
0.35
0.3
0.25
ha/capita
0.2
0.15
0.1
0.05
0
1996
2000
2005
2010
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• Available = 872,007 ha
• Permanently transformed = 18,378 ha
• Mining & prospecting applications = 751,326 ha
• Available = 2,058,727
• Permanently transformed = 34,868 ha
• Mining & prospecting applications = 1,404,224 ha
• May result in a 15% reduction of the available high value
agricultural land in South Africa.
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 Subdivision of Agricultural Land Act, 70 of 1970
• Constitution, not everywhere applicable & outdated
 Research Papers - Agricultural Research Council
• Constitutional & legal frameworks
• Trends in the use of agricultural land
• International best practices
 Consultation with key-stakeholders
• Reference group with representatives from PDA’s
• Consultative Workshops with six Key-stakeholder groups
• One combined workshop
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 Custodians & Concurrent Function
• High Value Agricultural Land – National Function
• Medium Value Agricultural Land – Provincial Function
 Protected Agricultural Areas
• High Value Agricultural Land
 Agricultural Land Register
• Potential, State & Use of Agricultural Land
• On-line Application, Tracking System & Reporting System
 Agricultural Impact Assessments
• Impacts of proposed changes on agro-ecosystem
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 Agricultural Sector Plans
• Formal agreement at Provincial Level
» Social, economic & environmental goals
• PDA’s empowered to establish systems for:
» Agricultural land use planning & regulations;
» Land use zoning of agricultural land;
» Regulate agricultural land conversions; and
» Input by all major role players
• Spatial Agricultural Plans
» Per local municipality
» Refined Land Capability data
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 High Value Agricultural Land (13.7 mil ha)
• Change in land use will not be allowed except if:
» In highest national interest; and
» No other alternatives available.
 Medium Value Agricultural Land (15.0 & 82.6 mil ha)
• Land use changes to be considered and finalised by
Province concerned:
» Province specific norm & standards for subdivision and
rezoning of agricultural land
» Provincial Internal Technical Committee
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 Intergovernmental Committee
• High value agricultural land
» Decision must be well motivated, clear and logical of all
factors considered;
» Reasons for decision; and
» Implications for the objectives of this policy.
 AgriLand Review Board
• High & Medium Value Agricultural Land
» Independent body chaired by experienced judge / senior
advocate
» Review decisions by DAFF and/ or Provinces
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 Long-term opportunity cost must be considered; and
 All impacts and external costs must be considered and
accounted for; and
 All sectors must practise long-term sustainability by means of a
deliberate & evidence based moral choice.
 “How will you be able to buy food if our agricultural land have
been destroyed?”
 “How will you be able to buy clean water if all the rivers (and
groundwater) are polluted?”
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