South Africa plans to sell 2.5 million hectares
By the AFREEQUE newsroom, based on RFI
Illustrative image · Khaya Motsa · Pexels · Licence PexelsSouth Africa plans to sell 2.5 million hectares of public land to black farmers to develop agricultural ownership and production. About half of the land is unused, and developing it could increase South African agricultural production by about 30%, according to economist Wandile Sihlobo, cited by RFI.
South Africa plans to sell 2.5 million hectares of public land to black farmers, in order to encourage the emergence of new agricultural landowners. The land has been bought and held by the state since 2006, and half is currently reportedly unused, according to RFI.
Agricultural economist Wandile Sihlobo, special adviser to South African President Cyril Ramaphosa and one of the architects of the measure, estimates that developing the land could increase the country's agricultural production by around 30%. Around one million hectares would be allocated to livestock farming, while the rest could accommodate different crops, depending on the characteristics of the farms.
South Africa already exports around 55% of its agricultural production, worth $15.1 billion in 2025, according to Wandile Sihlobo. The new land is expected to be primarily geared towards exports, he adds.
Ntuthu Mbiko, a farmer and chair of the women's desk of the African Farmers' Association of South Africa (AFASA), says, however, that access to land must be accompanied by access to water, technical support and networks between farmers to prevent new operators from failing, according to RFI.
