CONSERVATION OF AGRICULTURAL RESOURCES ACT 43 OF 1983

The Conservation of Agricultural Resources Act 43 of 1983 (and its associated regulations) provides a legal framework for the protection of agricultural resources in South Africa. It establishes mandatory control measures to prevent soil erosion, waterlogging, and salination, regulates the use of veld and the management of veld fires, and creates a classification system for combating weeds and invader plants. The document also outlines the administrative functions of conservation committees and the technical specifications for soil conservation beacons.

• Land users are prohibited from cultivating virgin soil or land with a slope exceeding 20 per cent without written permission from the executive officer. For land with a slope between 12 and 20 per cent, restrictions apply based on specific soil forms and series in designated areas.
• To prevent excessive soil loss from water and wind erosion, land users must implement measures such as constructing soil conservation works, utilizing crop rotation systems, leaving crop residues as mulch, and establishing grazing crops to permanently withdraw land from cultivation.
• The regulations mandate the protection of irrigated land against waterlogging and salination through the use of impermeable feeder channels and irrigation furrows, avoiding excessive irrigation or high-salt water, and applying soil ameliorants if salination occurs.
• The use of vegetation in vleis, marshes, water sponges, and flood areas of water courses is restricted to prevent the deterioration of natural agricultural resources. Cultivation or draining of these areas requires written permission from the executive officer.
• Veld protection requires alternating grazing and rest periods and restricting the number of animals to the grazing capacity expressed as large stock units (LSU). The specific grazing capacity for a farm unit is determined by topocadastral maps held by the executive officer.
• Burning veld or utilizing burned veld for grazing is prohibited without written permission. Permission is only granted if burning is an accepted management practice in the area or if exceptional circumstances exist.
• Weeds and invader plants are classified into three categories: Category 1 plants are strictly prohibited except in biological control reserves; Category 2 plants are restricted to demarcated areas or biological control reserves; and Category 3 plants are generally prohibited except for those already in existence at the time of the regulations.
• Biological control reserves may be designated by the executive officer for the breeding of biological control agents by experts, provided the area serves as a refuge for agents to be distributed to other infestations.
• Bush encroachment is identified using specific indicator plants (such as various Acacia species) in designated regions. Land users must apply control measures, including uprooting, felling, or livestock reduction, to maintain the production potential of natural pastoral land.
• Land users who disturb or denude land for purposes other than mining must restore it by separating topsoil, stabilizing hollows, and establishing suitable vegetation. The unprotected area must not exceed one hectare at any time unless approved otherwise.

APA

Centre for Environmental Rights (1984). CONSERVATION OF AGRICULTURAL RESOURCES ACT 43 OF 1983. https://cer.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/CARA-Regs.pdf?x21779

Chicago

Centre for Environmental Rights. CONSERVATION OF AGRICULTURAL RESOURCES ACT 43 OF 1983. 1984. https://cer.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/CARA-Regs.pdf?x21779.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Centre for Environmental Rights |title=CONSERVATION OF AGRICULTURAL RESOURCES ACT 43 OF 1983 |date=25 May 1984 |url=https://cer.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/CARA-Regs.pdf?x21779 |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{centreforenvironmentalrights1984conservation, author = {{Centre for Environmental Rights}}, title = {{CONSERVATION OF AGRICULTURAL RESOURCES ACT 43 OF 1983}}, institution = {Centre for Environmental Rights}, year = {1984}, month = may, url = {https://cer.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/CARA-Regs.pdf?x21779}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }