Cape town: Agriculture Minister John Steenhuisen has officially approved the inclusion of indigenous crops and medicinal plants in the list of declared agricultural products under the Marketing of Agricultural Products Act (MAP Act) of 1996. This landmark decision, approved on 21 July 2025, formally recognises a high potential sector estimated to be valued at about R12 billion annually to South Africa’s economy. The move is expected to unlock significant growth potential for small-scale farmers, traditional healers, and communities who rely on these natural resources for their livelihoods. The declaration of indigenous crops and medicinal plants as agricultural products was requested by one of the directly affected groups in the agricultural industry.

According to South African Government News Agency, the combined monetary value of medicinal plants and indigenous crops represents less than 3% of South Africa’s R450 billion annual agricultural output. Of this amount, the traditional medicinal plant trade contributes approximately R3 billion per year, while indigenous crops account for about R9 billion. Most of this activity occurs outside the formal trade and therefore is an addition to the gross domestic product (GDP). ‘For too long, our people who harvest and trade traditional medicines and indigenous crops, have been operating in the economic shadows. With this legislative change we are granting dignity, recognition and a path to prosperity,’ Steenhuisen said. The Minister emphasised the department’s commitment to keeping its priorities alive, like pushing for a more modern and progressive legislative and regulatory environment. ‘Outdated legislation is a hinderance to the rapid absorption of new technologies, remedies, practices and innovations which ar
e essential if we are to improve yield, health and profitability in the agricultural sector,’ the minister continued.

The original list of declared agricultural products was published in 1997 and since then, there have been several amendments to the list informed by several factors within the agricultural industry. Under the new declaration, indigenous crops include those that have their origin in South Africa, as well as plants that have become naturalised or traditionally cultivated over generations. They are broadly classified into three categories, including grains, fruits, and vegetables. Indigenous grain crops can be defined as any crop yielding starch and protein enriched seeds suitable for food, while indigenous fruit crops feature marula, wild apricot, wild plum, raisin bush, and sour plum. Indigenous vegetable crops are subdivided into roots or tubers such as cassava, amadumbe, marama bean and living potato, and leafy vegetables like cleome, cowpea, amaranth, blackjack and jews mallow.

While the list of the names of these crops and medicinal plants is not yet finalised, South Africa also boasts a rich variety of indigenous medicinal plants, several of which are internationally recognised for their therapeutic properties. These include Buchu, Hoodia, Sutherlandia, Devil’s Claw, Aloe vera, African Wormwood, African Potato, Hooded Pelargonium, and Wilde Als. Each of these plants has unique applications, ranging from treating urinary tract and stomach ailments to boosting the immune system and alleviating joint pain.

With the inclusion of these products under the MAP Act, the Minister noted that representative bodies of the newly declared agricultural products can, in the future, apply for statutory measures, such as levies, records and returns and registrations, as provided for in sections 15, 18 and 19 of the MAP Act. ‘It is important to note that each application for statutory measures will still be investigated and evaluated in terms of its own merits and may be recommended to the Minister for approval, provided that it meets the set criteria. The benefit of a statutory measure is that, once it is approved by the minister, it enables the directly affected groups, among other things, to collect funds and render supporting functions to grow the relevant agricultural industries and create job opportunities,’ Steenhuisen said.