Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fishery

About the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries

The Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, usually shortened to DAFF, was the national government department in charge of farming, forestry and fishing in South Africa. Its head office sat at Agriculture Place, 20 Steve Biko Street in Arcadia, Pretoria. The department set policy, ran research and extension services, and managed animal and plant health rules for the sector.

Government restructuring has changed the picture since then. In 2019, the farming functions moved into the Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development (DALRRD), while forestry and fisheries joined the environment portfolio as the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment. After the 2024 elections, agriculture and land reform were separated again into two departments. As a result, the old DAFF name no longer appears on current bursary adverts, although its work lives on in these successor departments.

How the department supports students

South Africa needs more skilled people in agriculture. For that reason, the department's external bursary programme backs students from poor and rural households who want a career in the sector. The version listed here is the DALRRD bursary, which carried the national agriculture function forward.

Advertised awards have covered tuition, accommodation, books, meals and a monthly allowance. In recent years, the scheme has supported around sixteen agriculture-related fields at undergraduate and postgraduate level. Examples include agricultural (bio-resource) engineering and veterinary science. Postgraduate applicants had to work on research projects that match the department's priorities and study full time. Department staff members could not apply.

Many students also see the bursary as a doorway into the public service. However, the adverts we reviewed did not state a clear work-back period, so check the current notice for any service conditions.

What to know before applying

Applicants must be South African citizens. Advertised requirements for school leavers have included a Level 6 (70 to 79 percent) in both Mathematics and Physical Sciences. Applicants with disabilities are encouraged to apply.

Each year, the department publishes an application form for undergraduates and another for postgraduates. You attach certified copies of your ID, academic records, proof of household income and your university acceptance letter, then send the full pack by email to the address in the advert. The closing date has usually fallen at the end of September, and late forms are not considered.

The department only contacts successful applicants. If you hear nothing within 14 days after Grade 12 results are released and the selection committee has finished, treat your application as unsuccessful. Remember, too, that dates, fields and amounts change from year to year. Always read the latest notice from the Department of Agriculture or your university funding office before you apply, and keep your documents in order well ahead of the deadline.