Breaking the chains of duality: Towards a truly inclusive South African agriculture

SOUTH African agriculture stands at a crossroads. The recently concluded Annual Conference of the Agricultural Economics Association of South Africa (AEASA) once again illuminated a painful truth: the agricultural sector remains deeply divided, still shaped by the enduring legacy of colonial and apartheid structures.

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At the heart of the debate was the uncomfortable but unavoidable issue of duality — the coexistence of two agricultures operating side by side but worlds apart. On one side lies a sophisticated, export-oriented, capital-intensive commercial agriculture that rivals the best in the world. On the other side, a vast and fragmented smallholder and subsistence sector, where millions of black farmers continue to face structural barriers to land, finance, markets, and technology.

During his keynote address, Mooketsa Ramasodi, the Director-General of the Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development, captured the urgency of the moment. He acknowledged the duality that continues to define the sector but lamented the scarcity of concrete policy advice and actionable solutions. “We have described the problem many times,’ he said in essence, “but we are yet to chart the trajectory that leads us out of it” He challenged agricultural economists to move beyond analysis and provide solutions that can drive transformation and inclusivity in practice — not just in theory.

Dr Sifiso Ntombela, the outgoing AEASA President, was even more forthright. He reminded delegates that the duality is a deliberate outcome of historical policies — designed to privilege a minority while excluding the majority. “We cannot achieve transformation and inclusivity using the same laws that created the duality,” he argued. His call for new legislation — a new policy architecture — resonated deeply across the conference halls.

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