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President Cyril Ramaphosa has appointed Mr Wandile Sihlobo, Chief Economist of the Agricultural Business Chamber of South Africa (Agbiz) and member of the Presidential Economic Advisory Council, to serve as Presidential Envoy on Agriculture and Land.
 
Mr Sihlobo is a Senior Lecturer Extraordinary at the Department of Agricultual Economics of the University of Stellenbosch and has published widely on agricultural policy, land reform, and food security. He has more than a decade of experience in the sector and academia.
 
Sihlobo holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Agricultural Economics from the 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 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.

The Envoy will also 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.

Issued by Spokesperson to the President Vincent Magwenya