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.

The South African farming sector or farming community is not under siege. And yes, the country has devastating crime incidents, which should remain a major worry for all.

However, it is necessary to state that there is no land expropriation without compensation in the country, that the recent Expropriation Act has been massively misrepresented, and that property rights remain intact. Land Reform is still under the market principles of the willing buyer-willing seller.

The agricultural sector, which some have portrayed as a victim, has actually made enormous progress over time, contributing significantly to the country's overall economic growth. The sector has more than doubled in value and volume terms since 1994.

This expansion was broadly shared across all major subsectors of the South African farming economy, including horticulture, field crops, and livestock.

South Africa has seen growth in its agricultural exports over time, reaching a record US$13,7 billion in 2024. South Africa is now ranked the world's 32nd largest agricultural exporter, the only African country in the top 40 in terms of value.

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Richard Humphries and Sam Mkokeli produce this podcast. Wandile Sihlobo website