ASSESSMENT OF AGRICULTURAL INFORMATION NEEDS IN AFRICAN, CARIBBEAN & PACIFIC (ACP) STATES SOUTHERN AFRICA Country Study: South Africa Final Report Prepared by: Craig Morris Agricultural Research Council (ARC) on behalf of the Technical Centre for Agricultural and Rural Cooperation (CTA) Project: 4-7-41-209-6/d 21 September 2007 ASSESSMENT OF AGRICULTURAL INFORMATION NEEDS IN AFRICAN, CARIBBEAN & PACIFIC (ACP) STATES Africa Country Study: South Africa Report prepared by Craig Morris Agricultural Research Council (ARC) on behalf of the Technical Centre for Agricultural and Rural Cooperation (CTA) Project: 4-7-41-209-6/d 21 September 2007 Disclaimer This report has been commissioned by the CTA to enhance its monitoring of information needs in ACP countries. CTA does not guarantee the accuracy of data included in this report, nor does it accept responsibility for any use made thereof. The views and opinions expressed in this report are those of the author alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of CTA. CTA reserves the right to select projects and recommendations that fall within its mandate. (ACP-EU) Technical Centre for Agricultural and Rural Cooperation (CTA) Agro Business Park 2 6708 PW Wageningen The Netherlands Website: www.cta.int E-mail: [email protected] Acknowledgements Jaclyn Tennent and Sian Theron collected information for Annex 2.1-2.2 and Annex 3.1, respectively, while Ernéne Verster (PRAIS) provided useful information on agricultural radio programmes in the Free State. Clemence Namponya (the Regional Study Coordinator) provided helpful editorial support. Most importantly, the interviewees are thanked for their patience and useful input. List of Acronyms ACP African, Caribbean and Pacific [countries] ADSL Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line AGIS Agricultural Geo-Referenced Information System AgriBEE Black Economic Empowerment in the Agricultural Sector AgriSA South African Agricultural Union AgriSETA Agricultural Sector Education Training Authority AIDS Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome AKIS Agricultural Knowledge and Information System AMT AgriMark Trading [Trading name of AGINFO TRADING] ARC Agricultural Research Council ASNAPP Agribusiness in Sustainable Natural African Plants Products AVUP Association for Vegetables under Protection BBBEE Broad-based Black Economic Empowerment – see BEE BEE black economic empowerment CABI Commonwealth Agricultural Bureau International Casidra Cape Agency for Sustainable Integrated Development in Rural Areas CASP Comprehensive Agricultural Support Programme CATNIP Cataloguing Network in Pietermaritzburg CCFD Comité Catholique contre la Faims et pour le Dévelopment CD-ROM compact disc – read only memory CEAD Centre for Environment, Agriculture and Development CEO Chief Executive Officer CIDA Canadian International Development Aid CPATIK Community Participation, Appropriate Technology and Indigenous Knowledge CPO Citizen Post Office CSIC Consejo Superiro De Investigaciones Cientificas CSIR Council for Scientific and Industrial Research CST Community Service Telephone / Terminal CTA Technical Centre for Agricultural and Rural Co-operation DFID Department for International Development [UK] DLA Department of Land Affairs DoA [National] Department of Agriculture – see NDA DORA Distribution of Reference Books on Agriculture DSS decision support system DVD digital video disc DWAF Department of Water Affairs and Forestry EC Eastern Cape [province] EC-DA Eastern Cape Department of Agriculture EED Evangelischer Entwicklungsdienst email electronic mail EMG Environmental Monitoring Group EU European Union FAO Food and Agricultural Organisation [of the United Nations] FED Forestry Enterprise Development FET Further Education and Training FS Free State [province] FSC Forest Stewardship Council i FSG Farmers Support Group GADI Grootfontein Agricultural Development Institute GCIS Government Communication and Information System GDP gross domestic product GIS geographic information system GMO genetically modified organism GNP gross national product GPS global positioning system GWK Griqualand Wes Ko-op HIV Human Immunodeficiency Virus HSDPA High-Speed Downlink Packet Access HSRC Human Science Research Council HST Health Systems Trust IAALD International Association of Agricultural Information Specialists IAC International Agricultural Centre ICASA Independent Communications Authority of South Africa ICCO Interchurch Organisation for Development Cooperations ICFR Institute for Commercial Forestry Research ICM information and communication management ICT information and communication technology IDC Industrial Development Corporation ILISA Integrated Library & Information Services for Agriculture IM information management ISO International Organization for Standardization ISPA Internet Service Providers Association IT information technology IWMI International Water Management Institute KFC Kentucky Fried Chicken KM knowledge management KWV [A South African wine company] KZN KwaZulu-Natal [province] KZN-DAEA KwaZulu-Natal Department of Agriculture and Environmental Affairs LAN local area network LED Local economic development LP Limpopo [province] LRAD Land Redistribution for Agricultural Development MAFISA Micro Agricultural Finance in South Africa MAP mean annual precipitation MDTP Maloti-Drakensberg Transfrontier Programme MEA&T Minister of Environmental Affairs and Tourism MP Mpumalanga [province] MPCC multi-purpose community centre MPCC Multi-purpose Community Centre NAD National Agricultural Directory NAFU National African Farmers’ Union NAMC National Agricultural Marketing Council NC Northern Cape [province] NCT NCT Forestry Cooperative NDA National Department of Agriculture NDA-EU National Development Agency NERPO National Emergent Red Meat Producers’ Organisation NFAC National Forests Advisory Council NGO non-governmental organisation NIL NERPO Investments Ltd NRM natural resource management Nufarmer Nufarmer & African Entrepreneur NW North West [province] NWGA National Wools Growers’ Association NWU North West University OMG Okhombe Monitoring Group ii OPAC online public access catalogue PAIA Promotion of Access to Information Act PC personal computer PDA Provincial Department of Agriculture PDS Publication Distribution Service PG Parliamentary Grant [to the ARC] PGWC Provincial Government of the Western Cape PIT Public Internet Terminal PLAAS Programme for Land and Agrarian Studies PRAIS Programme for Agricultural Information Services PROLINOVA PROmoting Local INNOVAtion in ecologically-oriented agriculture and natural resource management QAS Question and Answer Service QB The Quota Board Rainbow Rainbow SA RDP Reconstruction and Development Programme RIA Research Development, Information and Advocacy [of SPP] RPO Red Meat Producers’ Organisation RSG Radio Sonder Grense SA Cat South African National Catalogue SABC South African Broadcasting Corporation SACU Southern African Custom Union SADC Southern African Development Community SAFFEX South Africa Financial Futures Exchange SAGIS South African Grain Information Service SAMIC South Africa Meat Industry Company SANA South African Nursery Association SANLIC South African National Library and Information Consortium SANPAD South African-Netherlands Programme on Alternatives in Development SAQA South African Qualifications Authority SASRI South African Sugar Research Institute SDC Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation SDI Selective Dissemination of Information Senwesko [South African animal feed company] SFAC Sea Fisheries Advisory Council SFM sustainable forest management SFRI Sea Fisheries Research Institute SITA State Information Technology Agency SMS short message service SPP The Surplus People Project SSI Smallholder System Innovation StatsSA Statistics South Africa SUN Stellenbosch University U.K. United Kingdom U.S.A. United States of America UCC United Church of Canada UFH University of Fort Hare UFS University of the Free State UKZN University of KwaZulu-Natal UN United Nations UNIZUL University of Zululand UP University of Pretoria USAID United States Agency for International Development USDA Unites States Department of Agriculture VoIP Voice over Internet Protocol WAN wide area network WC Western Cape [province] WCDA Western Cape Department of Agriculture Web The World Wide Web iii WRC Water Research Commission YAEDP Young Agribusiness Entrepreneurial Development Programme Currency conversion rate: 1 ZAR = 0.103783 EUR 1 EUR = 9.63545 ZAR From: http://www.xe.com/, accessed on 17 April, 2007, 10:50 am. iv Table of Contents Acknowledgements ..............................................................................................................................i List of Acronyms...................................................................................................................................i Table of Contents ................................................................................................................................v Executive summary ............................................................................................................................ 1 1. Introduction.................................................................................................................................... 3 2. Country Profile............................................................................................................................... 4 2.1 Agriculture, Fisheries, Forestry and Livestock ....................................................................... 5 2.1.1