Wandile Sihlobo is the Chief Economist of the Agricultural Business Chamber of South Africa (Agbiz) and the author of three books, “The Uncomfortable Truth About South Africa’s Agriculture (2025)”, “A Country of Two Agricultures: The Disparities, The Challenges, The Solutions (2023)” and “Finding Common Ground: Land, Equity and Agriculture (2020)“.
He is a Senior Lecturer Extraordinary at the Department of Agricultural Economics at Stellenbosch University.
Sihlobo is also a Visiting Research Fellow at the Wits School of Governance, University of the Witwatersrand, and a Research Associate at the Institute of Social and Economic Research (ISER) at Rhodes University.
Sihlobo was appointed as a member of President Cyril Ramaphosa’s Presidential Economic Advisory Council in 2019 (and re-appointed in 2022), having served on the Presidential Expert Advisory Panel on Land Reform and Agriculture from 2018.
He is also a member of the Council of Statistics of South Africa (Stats SA) and a Commissioner at the International Trade Administration Commission of South Africa (ITAC).
Sihlobo is a columnist for Business Day, The Herald and Farmers Weekly magazine.
His weekly podcast, “Agricultural Market Viewpoint with Wandile Sihlobo“, is available on all podcast platforms.
He 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.
Notes from my conversation with South Africa’s Minister of Land Reform and Rural Development
Like many South Africans, I spent time this past week clarifying a few aspects of land reform and agriculture in our country following some misinformation about the sector in the White House. The land discussion in South Africa is generally polarising and has been that way for some time. However, the claims that property rights are being undermined are incorrect.
South Africa has temporarily suspended poultry imports from Brazil
Ordinarily, people wouldn’t pay close attention when a country temporarily suspends poultry imports from another country. But at this time of heightened trade friction, such things get more attention and thus require some clarification.
South African farms are not under siege – some clarification after Trump-Ramaphosa briefing
One of the themes that dominated the White House Press session this evening was agriculture – the idea that the farming sector in South Africa is under siege and people are running away. But this could be no further than reality.
Soybean harvest is gaining momentum in South Africa
The warm and dry weather conditions we have been enjoying since the first week of this month are finally paying off for the summer grains and oilseed regions. The fields have dried up in some areas, and the harvest is gaining momentum.
Notes on South Africa’s food inflation
Food prices have been in the headlines for some time in South Africa and indeed globally. The South African situation is clear; we are food secure at the national level, but struggle with food insecurity at the household level.
The outlook for the South African poultry industry is improving
The South African poultry industry typically dominates headlines for various matters such as food security, tariffs, and disease outbreaks. However, they may face a slightly better operating environment in the coming months than in the past. We are emerging from higher feed costs and the spreading avian influenza, amongst other issues.
Wandile Sihlobo is the Chief Economist of the Agricultural Business Chamber of South Africa (Agbiz) and the author of three books, “The Uncomfortable Truth About South Africa’s Agriculture (2025)”, “A Country of Two Agricultures: The Disparities, The Challenges, The Solutions (2023)” and “Finding Common Ground: Land, Equity and Agriculture (2020)“.
He is a Senior Lecturer Extraordinary at the Department of Agricultural Economics at Stellenbosch University.
Sihlobo is also a Visiting Research Fellow at the Wits School of Governance, University of the Witwatersrand, and a Research Associate at the Institute of Social and Economic Research (ISER) at Rhodes University.
Sihlobo was appointed as a member of President Cyril Ramaphosa’s Presidential Economic Advisory Council in 2019 (and re-appointed in 2022), having served on the Presidential Expert Advisory Panel on Land Reform and Agriculture from 2018.
He is also a member of the Council of Statistics of South Africa (Stats SA) and a Commissioner at the International Trade Administration Commission of South Africa (ITAC).
Sihlobo is a columnist for Business Day, The Herald and Farmers Weekly magazine.
His weekly podcast, “Agricultural Market Viewpoint with Wandile Sihlobo“, is available on all podcast platforms.
He 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.