Our ESG Commitment

Global markets increasingly require evidence of responsible environmental stewardship, social responsibility and transparent governance. ESG performance has become a prerequisite for market access, investment attraction and long-term competitiveness.

ESG is not about adding another layer of compliance. It is about securing the future of South Africa’s red meat industry. By measuring and improving the Environmental, Social and Governance issues that matter most, the industry can strengthen profitability, maintain market access, attract investment and build trust with consumers. By acting now, the industry has the opportunity to define a practical, locally relevant ESG pathway that reflects South African realities while positioning the sector as a globally competitive, resilient and responsible food producer.

This position paper presents the outcomes of the RMIS ESG Roadmap process and establishes a common industry vision. The process has been driven by a cross-sector Sustainability Task Team representing red meat industry organisations, producers and value chain partners.

This ESG Position Paper sets out RMIS’s roadmap to 2030 and beyond. Our Vision is clear:
To be a globally trusted and resilient red meat industry by leading in sustainability, food security, traceability and responsible production.

We commit to measurable goals across the three ESG pillars; environment, social, and governance; supported by clear milestones, partnerships, and accountability frameworks. This roadmap is designed to guide red meat businesses, ensuring inclusivity while building resilience across the entire value chain. 

Executive Summary

 The Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD) is a recurring and significant constraint to livestock production, both globally and within South Africa. FMD impacts extend beyond mere animal health; they affect the feasibility of livestock operations and undermine household income. It also threatens food security among livestock-dependent communities, as well as the attainment of the National Development Plan (NDP) of South Africa and SDGs 1-2, which aim to end hunger and poverty. The above-mentioned policies align with the African Union’s CAADP Strategy and Action Plan for 2026-2035, focusing on ending hunger and poverty, and intensifying sustainable food production, agro-industrialization, and trade.

 The finding implies that FMD outbreaks, compounded by the necessary reduction in cattle slaughter rates due to movement restrictions and quarantine, cause significant economic disruption to the agricultural sector, particularly, and to the country’s economy in general. The ripple or multiplier effect indicates that FMD outbreaks create significant direct losses (production and changes in herd structure) and indirect losses (control costs, market access, and limited use of improved production technologies) that cascade through an economy, affecting output, revenue, income, capital, GDP, labor, institutions, enterprises, and households. FMD impairs the efficient use of resources by reducing livestock fertility, lowering productivity, forcing the dumping of animals, and restricting investment in high-productivity livestock.

The ripple/multiplier effect of FMD demonstrates a profound, interconnected, and often negative impact on an economy’s output, income, capital, GDP, labor, and household welfare, ultimately revealing a struggle to use resources efficiently, particularly in controlling the disease. An FMD outbreak initiates a negative multiplier effect, in which immediate production losses (direct impact) cascade through the economy, disrupting value chains, affecting enterprise profitability, reducing tax revenues, and lowering GDP.

Abstract

The 2025 National Listening Study found that South Africa’s red meat industry is active, resilient, and highly interconnected, but fragmented and insufficiently coordinated. While stakeholders broadly agree on key priorities such as animal health, traceability, biosecurity, and market access, implementation remains inconsistent due to weak system-wide alignment, fragmented communication, and uneven decision-making.

Communication is frequent, primarily through WhatsApp and email, but often lacks structure and shared understanding. Trust is strongest in local relationships and varies across institutions, limiting confidence in industry-wide initiatives. Coordination across the value chain relies heavily on informal networks rather than formal systems, resulting in duplicated efforts and inconsistent execution.

Traceability is widely recognized as essential, with most stakeholders already implementing some practices, but adoption remains uneven due to resource constraints, operational complexity, and limited understanding. Awareness of RMIS is moderate, while understanding of the Red Meat Industry Strategy remains low, particularly at operational levels. Support for the statutory levy is closely linked to visible outcomes and demonstrated value.

Stakeholders across producers, emerging farmers, feedlots, auction houses, abattoirs, veterinarians, and other industry groups consistently highlighted the need for stronger coordination, clearer communication, improved trust, practical support, and greater inclusion in decision-making. Common concerns include disease control, market access, infrastructure limitations, and the sustainability of current systems.

The study concludes that the industry’s primary challenge is not a lack of activity, but a lack of alignment. Future success will depend on deliberate system design, structured collaboration, scalable traceability and biosecurity solutions, and translating strategy into practical action. RMIS is positioned to play a central role in enabling system-wide coordination and transforming fragmented efforts into a cohesive, industry-wide approach.

Abstract

Livestock theft remains one of the most significant threats to South Africa’s agricultural sector, undermining rural livelihoods, food security, and economic sustainability. This study evaluates the effectiveness of the Livestock Theft Prevention Forums (LSTPFs), including the National Stock Theft Prevention Forum (NSTPF), Provincial Stock Theft Prevention Forums (PSTPFs), and local Stock Theft Information Centres (STICs), in addressing livestock theft through stakeholder collaboration, crime prevention, and policy influence. Using a mixed methods approach, the study combined quantitative survey data from 628 respondents with qualitative insights from farmers, agricultural organisations, law enforcement officials, and other stakeholders.

The findings indicate that while reported livestock theft cases have declined in recent years, financial losses continue to increase, reflecting a shift toward fewer but higher value theft incidents. Reporting rates to the South African Police Service have improved substantially, demonstrating increased awareness and trust in formal reporting mechanisms. However, recovery rates have remained largely stagnant, highlighting persistent challenges in investigation, prosecution, intelligence sharing, and inter provincial coordination. The study further found low levels of awareness and participation in local prevention forums, leadership ambiguity, inadequate training, limited visibility of forum activities, and insufficient integration of technology into prevention strategies.

Stakeholders consistently identified the need for stronger governance structures, improved communication, enhanced community participation, modernised legislation, and greater use of digital traceability and surveillance technologies. The report concludes that while the LSTPF framework provides an important platform for collaboration and rural crime prevention, its effectiveness is constrained by governance, operational, and coordination shortcomings. Strengthening leadership, improving accountability, modernising the legislative framework, enhancing investigative capacity, and increasing stakeholder engagement are critical to improving livestock theft prevention and strengthening rural resilience in South Africa.