President Cyril Ramaphosa has appointed Wandile Sihlobo as Presidential Envoy on Agriculture and Land, a move aimed at accelerating growth and tackling long-standing structural challenges in South Africa’s agricultural sector.
The appointment, announced by The Presidency on Saturday, underscores the strategic importance of agriculture to the country’s economic growth path, amid persistent constraints and emerging opportunities at home and abroad.
Sihlobo currently serves as Chief Economist of the Agricultural Business Chamber of South Africa (Agbiz) and is a member of the Presidential Economic Advisory Council. He is also a Senior Lecturer Extraordinary in the Department of Agricultural Economics at Stellenbosch University, and has published extensively on agricultural policy, land reform and food security.
With more than a decade of experience spanning both the agricultural sector and academia, Sihlobo holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Agricultural Economics from the University of Fort Hare, as well as a Master of Science degree in Agricultural Economics from Stellenbosch University.
In a statement, The Presidency said Ramaphosa appointed Sihlobo “in view of the importance of agriculture in South Africa’s economic growth path, recurrent challenges in the sector and growth opportunities domestically and abroad.”
“In this role, Mr Sihlobo will support The Presidency’s priorities and objectives on agriculture, rural development, land reform and international trade. He will work closely with the responsible departments, in pursuit of The Presidency’s priorities,” the statement said.
The envoy will also collaborate with key state-owned entities, including the Agricultural Research Council, Land Bank, and Onderstepoort Biological Products, as needed to support agricultural development and unlock growth opportunities.
In addition, Sihlobo is expected to engage a broad range of stakeholders, including the private sector, to drive progress and deliver tangible gains across the value chain.
“The ultimate goal of this work is to advance The Presidency’s priorities for overcoming constraints to agricultural growth and boosting competitiveness, inclusion, and the sector’s export profile,” The Presidency said.
