Stewardship is a life-cycle approach to crop protection product management to ensure safe production, transportation, storage, handling, application and use of the product, as well as the proper disposal of waste.

The use of crop protection products is essential for maintaining and increasing agricultural productivity and improving farmer livelihoods in South Africa. However, this must be achieved with minimum risk to human health and the environment so as to ensure sustainable, safe and affordable food production, and therefore food security, in South Africa.

The life-cycle approach to stewardship is a responsible and ethical way to manage crop protection products from their discovery and development to their use and the final disposal of any waste. The overall aim of the stewardship approach is to maximise the benefits and minimise any risk, from using crop protection products.