South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has highlighted agriculture as a cornerstone of the nation’s economic growth strategy, pointing to record exports while acknowledging persistent challenges in transforming the sector’s racial ownership patterns.
In his weekly public letter titled “Agriculture is a vital part of our growth story,” President Ramaphosa revealed that South Africa’s agricultural exports reached an unprecedented $13.7 billion last year, with products being distributed globally – 44% to African countries, 21% to Asia and the Middle East, 19% to the European Union and 6% to the Americas.
“The value and volume of the farming sector has more than doubled since the dawn of democracy in 1994,” wrote Ramaphosa, attributing this growth to government-industry collaboration and science-based agricultural policies that have allowed “the private sector to register better seed cultivars and genetics to boost productivity.”
The president emphasised agriculture’s significant contribution to employment, noting that approximately 924,000 people work directly in the sector, with an additional 200,000 employed elsewhere in the agricultural value chain.
“The health and growth of our farming sector is vital to supporting small towns and keeping rural South Africa vibrant,” Ramaphosa stated.
However, the South African leader highlighted a critical imbalance in the sector, citing economist Wandile Sihlobo’s observation that black farmers currently account for only about 10% of commercial agricultural output in the country.
“Our growth agenda must therefore have a bias towards the empowerment of black farmers,” Ramaphosa wrote, linking agricultural transformation to the broader land reform process.
The president outlined several government initiatives aimed at supporting the sector, including sectoral master plans for poultry and sugar production, and a blended finance instrument launched in collaboration with the Land Bank to provide capital to farmers.
Ramaphosa acknowledged infrastructure challenges affecting the industry, noting that “municipal service delivery challenges, and the poor state of key infrastructure such as roads, rail and ports” continue to constrain agricultural goods reaching markets.
He pointed to ongoing structural reforms and infrastructure projects that he said would address these limitations, while emphasising that sustainable growth must include greater equity in farming and land ownership.
“It is in the interests of all South Africans that we have an agricultural sector that is representative and inclusive, that contributes to the growth of our economy and that produces the food our country needs,” Ramaphosa concluded.
The president’s focus on agricultural transformation comes amid continuing debates about land reform in South Africa, where the legacy of apartheid-era policies continues to shape patterns of land ownership and economic participation.
