The Portfolio Committee on Agriculture and the Portfolio Committee on Land Reform and Rural Development held a joint meeting with the Department of Agriculture and the Department of Land Reform and Rural Development. The portfolio committees were briefed on the outcome of the split of the former Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development into two departments, focusing on the allocation, distribution and coordination of the Cooperative Enterprise Development (CED) programme, post-settlement support and related areas.

This split arose from the National Macro-Organisation of Government (NMOG) after the 2024 elections, in which the Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development (DALRRD) was separated into two entities: the Department of Agriculture (DoA) and the Department of Land Reform and Rural Development (DLRRD). The division was finalised on 1 April 2025.

The DoA now focuses solely on agricultural development, food security, farmer support and market access, while the DLRRD focuses on land reform, land administration, restitution and rural development. The start-up organisational structures of the two departments were approved on the 4 January 2025 and were developed in compliance with the NMOG principles. DALRRD was split 60/40, with 60 per cent of posts going to DLRRD and 40 per cent posts going to the DoA.

The committees heard today of challenges with the ECD staff who were transferred from DLLRD to DoA. The DLLRD consulted with the Public Service Coordinating Bargaining Council but, nonetheless, some staff resisted the move, saying that they do not have the relevant qualifications in agriculture and demanding to be returned to DLRRD. The Bargaining Council still has to engage with the respective directors-general of both the departments on the matter. The committees are aware that this delay has resulted in stalled service delivery affecting civil servants under the Cooperative Enterprise Development, cooperatives and small-scale farmers who depend on CED for support.

Both the portfolio committees of Agriculture and of Land Reform and Rural Development have called for this matter to be speedily resolved.

The committees also noted that the creation of fit-for-purpose structures, aligned to the mandate and strategy of each department, is key for enabling them to deliver on their mandates and targets. In terms of the DLRRD’s 2025/26 annual performance plan, the Minister is set to approve the department’s structure by the end of 2025/26. The department has indicated that there have been no job losses and all staff have been integrated into both departments.