The Programme, through its sub programmes - Research, Infrastructure Support Services and Information Services - renders a research, research support and information service to all stakeholders within the Province. To support competitiveness and sustainable agriculture with cutting-edge technology, three centres of excellence, namely, the Institutes of Animal Production, Plant Production and Resource Utilisation were established in 2004. Laboratory Services are also offered.

• Institute for Animal Production
• Institute for Plant Production
• Institute for Resource Utilisation

The main objectives of the programme are:

• To research, develop and adapt appropriate agriculture technology to enable agricultural producers to compete in the modern global economy and to solve production and marketing constraints
• To transfer appropriate agriculture technology to farmers and other users of natural agricultural resources
• To provide agro-economic information to serve as a basis for macro and micro economic decision-making
• To convert the research rand into an information rand to the benefit to all producers in the Western Cape, irrespective of scale.