South Africa - Special Agro Industrial Processing Zones

The proposed Technical Assistance and support will enable DALRRD to undertake the much-needed comprehensive preparatory activities for the SA-APP. The GoSA has already demonstrated serious commitment to the realization of infrastructure required for the SA-APPs, in the form of leveraging public sector resources in support of the Farmer Production Support Units in the vicinity of some of the agro-parks. The Bank’s support has been requested specifically to complement the government’s efforts to bring the objectives of SA-APP to reality. A major challenge to the South African agricultural sector is the absence of inclusivity. Measures to develop rural townships and to integrate small and emerging farmers into new and existing values chains are critical. The project is expected to integrate rural producers and small businesses with commercial value chains and markets; encourage the inclusion of informal economic actors into the formal system; enhance the business climate to mobilize private capital; and integrate youth into agriculture as a business enterprise and source of employment.