Resource information
This Act provides for the protection of agricultural land in rural areas, i.e. land that not situated in urban areas (except for provisions for the control of weed that do apply to land in urban areas). The Act shall not apply to mountain catchment areas. The objects of this Act are to provide for the conservation of the natural agricultural resources of the Republic by the maintenance of the production potential of land, by the combating and prevention of erosion and weakening or destruction of the water sources, and by the protection of the vegetation and the combating of weeds and invader plants.The Act prohibits the spreading of weeds and empowers the Minister to prescribe control measures which shall be complied with by land users to whom they apply. Such control measures may relate to: (a) the cultivation of virgin soil; (b) the utilization and protection of land which is cultivated; (c) the irrigation of land; (d) the prevention or control of waterlogging or salination of land; (e) the utilization and protection of vleis, marshes, water sponges, water courses and water sources; (f) the regulating of the flow pattern of run-off water; (g) the utilization and protection of the vegetation; (h) the grazing capacity of veld, expressed as an area of veld per large stock unit; (i) the maximum number and the kind of animals which may be kept on veld; (j) the prevention and control of veld fires; (k) the utilization and protection of veld which has burned; (l) the control of weeds and invader plants; (m) the restoration or reclamation of eroded land or land which is otherwise disturbed or denuded; (n) the protection of water sources against pollution on account of farming practices; (o) the construction, maintenance, alteration or removal of soil conservation works or other structures on land. The executive officer may by means of a direction order a land user to comply with a particular control measure. The Minister may, by notice in the Gazette, establish assistant schemes for purposes of this Act. If necessary for the restoration or reclamation of the natural agricultural resources of any land in order to achieve the objects of this Act, the Minister may expropriate land.The Act establishes the Conservation Advisory Board and empowers the Minister to establish (regional) conservation committees
Implemented by: Conservation of Agricultural Resources Act: Establishment of a Flood Relief Scheme (G.N.R. No. 1046 of 1984). (1984-05-25)
Implemented by: Conservation of Agricultural Resources Act: Establishment of a Flood Relief Scheme for Flood Disaster Areas. (1993-12-24)
Implemented by: Conservation of Agricultural Resources Act: Establishment of an Irrigation Improvement Scheme (G.N. R. 1487 of 1995). (1995-09-29)
Implemented by: Conservation of Agricultural Resources Act: Establishment of a Bush Control Scheme (G.N.R. No. 1045 of 1984). (1984-05-25)
Implemented by: Conservation of Agricultural Resources Act: Establishment of a Weed Control Scheme (G.N.R. No. 1044 of 1984). (1984-05-25)
Implemented by: Conservation of Agricultural Resources Act: Establishment of a Soil Conservation Scheme (G.N.R. No. 1047 of 1984). (1984-05-25)
Implemented by: Conservation of Agricultural Resources Act: Regulations: Declared Weeds and Invader Plants (G.N.R. No. 1048 of 1984). (2001-03-30)