The amended AgriBEE sector code will strengthen the drive towards creating black suppliers, black commercial farmers, and black industrialists, Trade and Industry Minister Rob Davies says. However, on Monday, Agri SA, which represents small and large-scale commercial farmers, expressed "serious reservations" about the codes. The government has been on an aggressive drive to transform the agricultural sector to allow more black people to participate. There are about 39,000 white commercial farmers and just over 5,000 black farmers, according to the African Farmers Association of SA. The sector has been identified as crucial for both transformation and job creation, which could add 1-million jobs by 2030. The government also recently established the AgriBEE Fund, which aims to increase the number of black entrepreneurs in the sector.

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