General Notice 1652 of 2007

General Notice 1652 of 2007 outlines the animal improvement policy of the South African Department of Agriculture. It serves as a guideline for implementing the Animal Improvement Act, 1998, aiming to enhance food security and poverty alleviation through the sustainable use and conservation of animal genetic resources. The policy emphasizes the need for objective animal recording schemes, the protection of indigenous landrace breeds, and the regulation of genetic material imports and exports to ensure a globally competitive livestock sector.

• The Animal Improvement Act, 1998 (Act No. 62 of 1998) was developed to replace the Livestock Improvement Act, 1997, addressing several shortcomings including the protection of an "elitist pedigree farm animal industry" and a lack of support for "small-scale and black farmers, particularly in communal settings."
• The policy identifies a critical need for national animal recording schemes to provide objective data for genetic improvement. These schemes are intended to benefit farmers through increased income, consumers through better quality and quantity of products, and the nation via enhanced food security.
• South Africa recognizes 'landraces' as indigenous or locally developed breeds, such as Nguni and Afrikaner cattle and the improved Boer goat. The policy stresses the need to monitor the export of these breeds to protect breeders' rights and prevent the loss of intellectual property through foreign patents.
• The policy proposes the use of the integrated Registration and Genetic Information System (INTERGIS) as a national database. This system is designed to integrate pedigrees and performance data to help identify genetically superior animals and predict breed trends.
• To prevent 'dumping' and ensure biodiversity, the policy suggests that no new animal breed be recognized or imported without a detailed risk assessment and biological impact study. Commercial sale of such material is prohibited until the study is complete and the animal is registered under the Animal Improvement Act, 1998.
• The policy outlines two primary conservation strategies for animal genetic resources: ex situ conservation, involving the creation of a repository of cryopreserved germplasm for emergency backup and research, and in situ conservation, which focuses on sustainable utilization and keeping animals in their natural state.
• Game farming is recognized as a legitimate agricultural activity that is increasingly replacing conventional cattle farming in some northern areas of the country. The policy calls for an Inter Departmental working group (comprising DEAT, NDA, and ARC) to develop a legal framework for the industry.

APA

Centre for Environmental Rights (n.d.). General Notice 1652 of 2007. https://cer.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2003/11/Animal-Improvement-Policy-FULL.pdf?x21779

Chicago

Centre for Environmental Rights. General Notice 1652 of 2007. n.d. https://cer.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2003/11/Animal-Improvement-Policy-FULL.pdf?x21779.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Centre for Environmental Rights |title=General Notice 1652 of 2007 |url=https://cer.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2003/11/Animal-Improvement-Policy-FULL.pdf?x21779 |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{centreforenvironmentalrightsndgeneral, author = {{Centre for Environmental Rights}}, title = {{General Notice 1652 of 2007}}, institution = {Centre for Environmental Rights}, url = {https://cer.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2003/11/Animal-Improvement-Policy-FULL.pdf?x21779}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }