Project Portfolio
2026
PROJECTS PLANNING
RMIS is calling on all stakeholders to propose new projects or to expand on current priority projects for implementation from 2026 onwards.
The Field to Future process was established to drive a fresh approach to research, development, and priority-setting in the red meat sector. This process ensures that investments and initiatives are aligned with the industry’s long-term vision.
To support the Red Meat Strategy 2030, eight focus groups were created, each tasked with guiding priorities within their specific area of expertise. Stakeholder input into these groups is critical to ensure relevance, alignment, and maximum impact across the value chain.
Next Round of Focus Group Engagements
The next round of discussions will hybrid meetings (Pretoria & Microsoft Teams) held in the last week of September 2025.
Monday 29 September @ 09:00 – Competitiveness: Production, Genetics & Nutrition
Monday 29 September @ 13:00 Inclusive Growth: Small-scale Farmer Development
Tuesday 30 September @ 09:00 – Sustainability: Environment & Social
Tuesday 30 September @ 13:00 – Innovation: Technology
Wednesday 1 October @ 09:00 – Public Health: Meat Safety & Consumer
Wednesday 1 October @ 13:00 – Market Access: Development & Insights
Thursday 2 October @ 09:00 – Value Chain Risk, Resilience & Change Management
Thursday 2 October @ 13:00 – Animal Health, Biosecurity & Traceability
Please complete the RSVP form to confirm your attendance and indicate which priorities you would like to discuss.
Focus Group Explanations
Animal Health, Biosecurity & Traceability
Strong animal health systems are the backbone of a resilient and competitive red meat industry. By safeguarding livestock against diseases such as Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD) and brucellosis, strengthening veterinary services, and embedding robust traceability systems, we not only protect food safety but also unlock access to high-value export markets. This focus group is driving initiatives such as the development of a national Livestock Identification and Traceability System, disease control protocols, vaccine strategies, and expanded diagnostic and veterinary support services.
The challenge – and opportunity – lies in pushing these efforts further. How can we design innovative traceability tools that seamlessly connect the entire value chain? What new veterinary service models or partnerships could strengthen rural support? How might we expand laboratory networks and real-time surveillance to stay ahead of outbreaks? And what additional biosecurity or vaccine solutions could future-proof the sector?
Now is the moment to shape the next generation of animal health and traceability systems – your ideas can help set the foundation for a safer, more trusted, and more globally competitive red meat industry.
Public Health: Meat Safety & Consumer
Food safety is at the heart of consumer trust and the future of South Africa’s red meat industry. By enforcing rigorous meat inspection standards, residue monitoring, and hygiene protocols, we not only safeguard public health but also ensure our products remain competitive in both local and international markets. This focus group is already driving critical work around national residue monitoring systems, consumer perception studies, and training for inspectors and abattoir workers.
But there are opportunities to go further. How can we create a seamless national monitoring and reporting system that works across both formal and informal abattoirs? What new insights into consumer behaviour could strengthen confidence in meat quality and grading? How might One Health approaches better link animal, human, and environmental health outcomes? And could innovative training, digital compliance tools, or awareness campaigns raise standards and reduce risks in every corner of the value chain?
We invite stakeholders to propose new ideas or expand on existing initiatives – ensuring that from farm to fork, South African red meat remains safe, trusted, and valued by all consumers.
Sustainability: Environment & Social
The long-term success of the red meat industry depends on how well we balance productivity with responsibility – to the environment, to communities, and to future generations. By addressing climate change, promoting sustainable grazing and water use, and upholding high standards of animal welfare, we protect both ecosystems and livelihoods. Social sustainability is just as vital, ensuring that rural and communal farmers are active participants in an inclusive value chain that strengthens food security and supports thriving communities.
The opportunity now lies in expanding this vision. Could we develop region-specific climate-smart strategies tailored to local conditions? What new welfare standards or certification systems would inspire greater consumer trust? How might we build community-based natural resource management models that safeguard both people and the land?
Your ideas can help shape a sustainable, fair, and resilient future for South Africa’s red meat sector – one that balances economic growth with environmental stewardship and social equity.
Competitiveness: Production, Genetics & Nutrition
A competitive red meat industry is built on strong foundations of genetics, nutrition, and resilient production systems. By improving animal performance, enhancing productivity, and strengthening farmer capacity, we can ensure South African red meat continues to thrive in both local and global markets. Breed improvement programmes, regionally adapted feeding strategies, and risk-resilient production systems are already shaping this path forward.
But the question is: how do we take it further? Could we expand genetic improvement programmes to reach more producers, especially smallholders with limited access to top-quality breeding material? What innovative feeding strategies or nutritional supplements could unlock efficiency in diverse production environments? How might we build production systems that are more resilient to drought, disease, and stock theft? And what training initiatives could empower producers with the skills to drive productivity gains sustainably?
This focus group is about unlocking the full potential of South African livestock. Your ideas can help strengthen competitiveness, ensuring our red meat industry stands tall on the global stage.
Market Access: Development & Insights
Access to dynamic, high-value markets is the key to unlocking growth for South Africa’s red meat sector. By aligning with export protocols, reducing trade barriers, and positioning our products strategically, we can increase both domestic consumption and global market share. This focus group already prioritise initiatives such as the development of a comprehensive red meat marketing strategy, market intelligence platforms, and a grading system benchmarked against international standards.
The opportunity now is to build on this momentum. How can we design a robust export readiness framework that helps producers and processors tap into new markets? What innovative market intelligence tools could reveal opportunities and track consumer trends across Africa and beyond? How might we strengthen our competitiveness mapping against global exporters, or rethink the role of live animal trade dynamics in shaping future strategies?
Your ideas can help expand South Africa’s market footprint, ensuring our red meat products are not only competitive but also recognised worldwide for their quality, safety, and sustainability.
Inclusive Growth: Small-scale Farmer Development
The red meat industry cannot thrive unless smallholder and communal farmers are empowered to participate fully in the value chain. By improving access to infrastructure, veterinary services, training, and markets, this focus group is working to unlock opportunities that drive equitable income growth and strengthen rural livelihoods. Tailored support models, livestock desks, and inclusive business strategies are key to creating pathways from subsistence to sustainable commercial participation.
Now is the time to think bigger. How can we map and register smallholder farmers to better target interventions? What inclusive business models or co-op structures could integrate them more effectively into formal markets? Could livestock desk pilots and tailored extension and mentorship programmes help overcome cultural and structural barriers? And what innovations in infrastructure and land tenure solutions could improve productivity and long-term sustainability?
Your contributions can help shape the next wave of inclusive growth, ensuring that small-scale farmers are not left behind but become central drivers of South Africa’s red meat industry.
Innovation: Technology
Technology is transforming the way the red meat industry can operate – from smarter traceability to precision livestock farming. By integrating digital systems across the value chain, deploying mobile abattoirs, and enabling veterinary and extension services through tech solutions, we can boost productivity, efficiency, and market access for both commercial and small-scale producers.
Priorities already include such as data integration between public and private systems, real-time digital platforms, and mobile-based traceability and advisory tools.
The question now is: how do we push these innovations even further? Could we design fully integrated data ecosystems that connect farms, abattoirs, and markets in real time? What tech-enabled disease surveillance systems could revolutionise animal health monitoring? How might precision livestock farming tools be adapted for communal and rural settings? And what role could innovation hubs and agri-tech incubators play in scaling up the next generation of solutions?
Your ideas can help ensure South Africa’s red meat industry harnesses the power of technology to stay competitive, resilient, and future-ready.
Value Chain Risk, Resilience & Change Management
Resilience is the foundation of a sustainable red meat industry. Disease outbreaks, climate shocks, stock theft, and market volatility all threaten stability – but with proactive planning and strong response mechanisms, the industry can adapt and thrive. This focus group is focused on building systems that not only manage risks but also turn them into opportunities for growth and transformation.
Priorities already include early warning systems for disease and natural disasters, risk mitigation frameworks, and adaptive strategies for both communal and commercial systems.
The challenge is to build on these foundations. How can we design smarter monitoring tools and resilience indicators to stay ahead of crises? What new models of strategic foresight and change management could prepare the industry for future shocks? How might we strengthen coordination across the value chain to respond faster and more effectively? And what lessons can we learn from evaluating current crisis response mechanisms?
Your ideas can help create a red meat sector that is not only resilient to risks but agile in navigating change – ensuring long-term sustainability and competitiveness.
RMIS PROJECT PORTFOLIO OVERVIEW
FOR THE YEAR 2025
Our industry-led portfolio delivers practical, data-driven solutions to strengthen the red meat value chain. Each project contributes to one or more of RMIS’s strategic focus areas: Animal & Public Health, Inclusive Growth, Market Access, and Competitiveness & Sustainability.
Below are one-line snapshots of each current RMIS project. These initiatives represent our collective response to the most pressing challenges and opportunities in the red meat industry.
1.
Data Sharing & Communication Platform (Traceability)
Driving traceability through standardised identifiers called Production Unit Numbers, data-sharing platforms, and integration across the value chain. Enables disease management, communication and market access compliance.
2
Inclusive growth projects
- Skills Development: Farmer days, webinars, study group sessions, accredited training.
- Land Development Support Programme: 5 year project to commercialise small-scale farmers.
- Mobile Cattle Handling Units: Branding, vaccination and tagging cattle in underserved areas.. MeatMENTOR: Turn-key support to small-scale farmers.
3
Industry Animal Health Recording System
Enabling real-time disease tracking and proactive treatment via a secure, national veterinary data platform.
4
Meat safety & carcass data recording
Capturing post-slaughter carcass data to support grading, food safety, compliance, and national benchmarks.
5
SA Red Meat Certification
Establishing a trusted certification process from farm to fork to unlock local and international market confidence.
6
Animal theft prevention
Combating livestock theft through integrated training, provincial safety forums, and a digital solution in development.
7
Producer communication & development
Developing tailored messages and materials to uplift producers, strengthen participation, and increase awareness.
8
Education & awareness
- Consumer Education: Campaigns via Beef and Lamb SA.
- E-Learning: Classroom-ready tools for agri-educators across South Africa.
9
Abattoir standard setting
Defining national abattoir and meat safety benchmarks aligned with the Meat Safety Act.
10
Abattoir & export facility audits
Executing audits to ensure regulatory compliance, safety, and export readiness across 300+ facilities.
For detailed project updates or to get involved, contact the RMIS team.
