By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
President Cyril Ramaphosa has appointed Wandile Sihlobo to serve as the Presidential Envoy on Agriculture and Land, signalling a renewed push to accelerate growth, boost exports and address structural constraints in farming sector.
Agriculture is a key pillar of South Africa’s economy, contributing to food security, rural employment and export earnings.
However, the sector faces challenges including climate variability, infrastructure bottlenecks, land reform complexities and global market pressures.
In a statement on Saturday, presidential spokesperson Vincent Magwenya said, “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.
Magwenya said, “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, added Magwenya.
Sihlobo is also a member of the Presidential Economic Advisory Council (PEAC), a Chief Economist of the Agricultural Business Chamber of South Africa (Agbiz) and a Senior Lecturer Extraordinary at the Department of Agricultual Economics of the University of Stellenbosch.
With over a decade of experience spanning academia and industry, He has published widely on agricultural policy, land reform, and food security.
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.
Meanwhile minister of Agriculture John Steenuisen has officially received the first shipment of one million high-potency Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD) vaccines.
Steenhuisen received the vaccines on Saturday, February 21, 2026, at the OR Tambo International Airport.
The vaccines, sourced from Biogénesis Bagó in Argentina, mark a decisive step in protecting the country’s livestock industry.
Steenhuisen said the delivery is the first phase of an extensive rollout, with an additional five million doses scheduled to arrive in March.
The programme forms part of the Department of Agriculture’s new 10-Year Eradication Strategy, which aims to vaccinate the national herd of over 14 million cattle and secure what he described as “FMD-Free Status with Vaccination”.