CEO, Grain SA
The agricultural sector is at the crossroads of profound transformation, driven by advancements in biotechnology, artificial intelligence (AI) and automation.
These innovations promise to revolutionise how food is produced, processed, and distributed, offering solutions to pressing global challenges like food security, climate change, and resource optimisation. However, with these opportunities come significant responsibilities, especially in ensuring that regulatory frameworks are robust enough to keep pace with rapid technological progress.
Agriculture and technology
AI enables scientists to rapidly identify and create new molecules with potential biological or industrial significance. By accelerating the analysis of molecular variations, AI facilitates faster development of new compounds for agriculture and industry, leading to a surge of new chemical and biochemical products entering the regulatory pipeline in the coming decades.
In addition, current technology combined with AI is revolutionising breeding technology, allowing precise and rapid breeding of crops with traits like drought resistance and pest tolerance, far more efficiently than ever before.
Similarly, AI is driving advancements in precision farming. By leveraging robotics, machine learning and advanced analytics, it optimises crop management, predicts weather patterns, and detects pests or diseases early. These innovations lead to more sustainable farming practices, reduced resource waste, and improved yields.
Access to advanced agricultural technology is critical for South Africa’s competitiveness and food security. Post-apartheid policies focused on affordable food, often at the expense of further investment in agricultural innovation that left producers vulnerable to global competition without adequate support. Without access to the same technologies as their international competitors, South African producers risk losing competitiveness which can diminish national food sovereignty.
Technology enables producers to produce more food with fewer resources such as land, water, and fertiliser and less environmental impact. However, delays in regulatory approvals often hinder these advancements. Expedient access to new technologies is essential for producers and the agroprocessing value chain to achieve affordable, sustainable food production.
Regulations – work smarter, not harder
Regulations are often perceived as restrictive but are essential for ensuring safety, fairness, and access in agriculture. They protect consumers and producers, regulate trade, and enable global market access, fostering clarity, certainty, and trust among stakeholders.
However, the regulatory system must balance caution with efficiency. Excessive delays or overly complex processes can stifle innovation, impede economic growth, and prevent producers from accessing essential technologies. For instance, the prolonged approval process for a drought-resistant GMO gene in South Africa resulted in missed opportunities for producers and the broader economy. Although the gene was eventually approved elsewhere, South African producers lost valuable time and competitiveness.
Regulations must also adapt to new technological realities. As AI accelerates innovation in agriculture, regulatory frameworks need to be agile and robust enough to evaluate and approve novel technologies efficiently while maintaining safety and efficacy standards.
To prepare for a technological future, South Africa’s regulatory system must evolve to keep pace with innovation. One key step is to remove superfluous regulations and bureaucratic processes, ensuring that every rule serves a clear purpose. For example, by distinguishing between GMOs and new breeding technologies, other countries have expedited approval processes, allowing for faster adoption of advanced genetic tools.
Additionally, streamlining regulatory processes to address requests based on their complexity can reduce bottlenecks and improve overall efficiency. Automating procedures can also enhance compliance while easing the workload for both government and industry, as seen in successful systems like South Africa’s eNATIS and Home Affairs’ passport renewal service.
Lastly, aligning South Africa’s regulatory frameworks with those of key trading partners will help streamline trade, reduce duplication, and ensure that the country benefits from globally tested and approved technologies without unnecessary delays. Together, these changes can help create a more agile and efficient regulatory environment.
Self-regulation also offers a pathway for easing governmental burdens while maintaining high standards. Transparent standards, collaborative development, and robust accountability mechanisms can ensure the integrity and effectiveness of self-regulatory frameworks.
The integration of AI and biotechnology represents a turning point for agriculture, offering immense opportunities to enhance productivity, sustainability, and competitiveness. However, these advancements will only benefit South Africa if supported by an agile and efficient regulatory system. It is not just a bureaucratic necessity – it is a strategic imperative. Now is the time to act decisively, ensuring that South African producers and consumers reap the full benefits of these revolutionary advancements through a future-ready regulatory framework.
