President Cyril Ramaphosa has appointed Wandile Sihlobo as Presidential Envoy on Agriculture and Land, reinforcing government’s focus on accelerating growth and addressing structural challenges in the sector.
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 the agricultural sector and academia, Sihlobo holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Agricultural Economics from University of Fort Hare and a Master of Science degree in Agricultural Economics from Stellenbosch University.
“President Ramaphosa has appointed Mr Sihlobo as an envoy 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 Presidency said in a statement on Saturday.
The Presidency said the envoy will also work closely with various state-owned entities, such as the Agricultural Research Council, Land Bank, and Onderstepoort Biological Products, as necessary, in support of agricultural development and growth opportunities.
In addition, he will engage other stakeholders from time to time, including the private sector, to unlock progress and realise tangible gains.
“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.