The South African Agricultural Business Innovation Survey describes the patterns of innovation in South African agribusinesses from 2016 to 2018, analysed at an aggregate level for all agribusinesses, and compares trends across three major sub-sectors: agriculture (including crop, animal, and mixed farming), forestry, and fisheries. Of the targeted businesses of 1 326, 303 responses (22%) were realised. There are 132 variables and 303 cases in the data set.