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South Africa (SA) is a vast country covering 1.2million km2 with varying climatic regions ranging from Mediterranean to subtropical to semi-arid.Only 13% of the land is arable.The country has as a dual agricultural economy with a well-developed commercial sector on the one hand and a largely subsistence-based farming sector mainly in the rural areas on the other.The largest fanned crop is maize (corn),most of which is used for domestic consumption; followed by wheat,sugarcane and sunflowers.Primary agriculture contributes 2.6% to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of South Africa,whereas the agri-food sector (primary production and processing) contributes about 15% and is a major provider of formal employment (9%).