As South African agriculture steps into 2026, the debates, innovations, and insights from 2025 are no longer just discussion points. They’re blueprints for action. From land reform and climate-smart farming to trade opportunities and youth empowerment, these 10 thought leaders from Food For Mzansi are shaping the policies and practices that will drive the sector forward.
1. Post-claim support: Turning land into livelihoods
Ownership is just the start. Peter Setou, CEO of Vumelana Advisory Fund, argues that skills training, financing, and partnerships are what truly make land reform succeed. With 26 projects creating 2,500 jobs and mobilising R1 billion, Setou calls on policymakers to back rural communities with the tools they need to thrive amid unemployment and global trade pressures.
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2. Farming within planetary boundaries
Agriculture must be profitable and sustainable, insists Dr Ndeke Musee, founder of Beyond GenBeta Solutions. His Planetary Boundaries framework and Agricultural Audit blueprint evaluate the full farm-to-fork value chain, tackling climate change, biodiversity loss, and ensuring South Africa’s production remains resilient in a changing environment.
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3. Greylist exit: Unlocking export power
Buhlebemvelo Dube, NAMC trade economist, celebrates South Africa’s FATF greylist exit as a game-changer. By saving exporters of citrus, maize, and wool an estimated US$60 million annually, Dube shows how restored credibility lowers risk, accelerates payments, and gives emerging farmers a real shot at global markets, especially under frameworks like the EU Green Deal.
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4. Small-scale farmers as a national priority
Hunger affects 15 million South Africans, and Zukile Majova, Scrolla Africa political editor, argues that supporting smallholders with seeds, tools, and market access is essential. Praising Minister Steenhuisen’s R1.7 billion allocation for 6 000 producers, Majova also warns against politicising land, advocating instead for backyard farms that create dignity, jobs, and food security.
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5. Fresh produce markets need a fix
Markets are more than trade hubs. They’re moral institutions, says Ivor Price, Food For Mzansi co-founder. Exposing mismanagement in Tshwane and Mpumalanga, Price calls for infrastructure upgrades, transparency, and private partnerships. Joburg Market’s reforms and APAC oversight demonstrate that reliable markets are essential to national food security.
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6. Bridging the agri-finance gap
Africa’s “missing middle” agripreneurs need structured support, argues Dr Langa Simela, Absa AgriBusiness manager. By sequencing grants, concessional loans, and commercial credit, and linking them to strong record-keeping and market ties, Simela shows how to close the $100 billion finance gap and unlock growth in a sector contributing 30% to GDP but receiving just 6% of lending.
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7. Sorghum deserves zero-rated VAT
Lesedi Mokoena, agricultural economist, points out that the 15% VAT on sorghum unfairly burdens low-income households and erodes cultural heritage. By linking this tax to SDG failures, drought vulnerability, and forced imports, Mokoena calls for urgent policy reform to protect both food security and tradition.
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8. Women driving agri-innovation
The future of farming must be inclusive, emphasises Shandini Naidoo, founder of Avoport. She calls for male allyship, mentorship, and boardroom inclusion to close gender gaps, highlighting how collaboration, innovation, and equity can build a resilient agricultural sector in 2026 and beyond.
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9. Youth as catalysts for change
South Africa’s agricultural future depends on young farmers, stresses Diale Tilo, executive at Kgodiso Development Fund. Showcasing tech-savvy growers like Simphiwe Mabuza, Tilo champions programs like KDF that provide land access and capital, enabling youth to tackle aging demographics, unemployment, and drive food security and economic growth.
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