Arabfields, Sana Dib, Financial Correspondent, Johannesburg, South Africa — South Africa is preparing to release approximately 2.5 million hectares of state-owned land to black farmers, in a renewed effort to address historical inequalities and expand participation in the country’s commercial agricultural sector.

President Cyril Ramaphosa announced the initiative under the government’s Proactive Land Acquisition Strategy, saying beneficiaries would receive title deeds to help establish and grow their farming businesses. The programme is intended to create a new generation of commercial farmers while strengthening food security and supporting rural employment.

For many aspiring farmers, however, access to land has been only one part of a much larger challenge. The cost of seeds, fertilisers, machinery, irrigation and livestock can prevent small operations from becoming commercially viable, even when land is available.

Ramaphosa acknowledged these obstacles, stressing that land redistribution must be accompanied by affordable finance, technical training, mentorship and access to modern agricultural technology.

The announcement comes as South Africa seeks to build on the strong performance of its agricultural industry. According to figures cited by the president, agricultural exports reached a record 270 billion rand in 2025, making the country the world’s 32nd-largest agricultural exporter. The sector has more than doubled in size since the end of apartheid in 1994.

Despite that growth, the benefits have not been distributed evenly. Black farmers account for approximately 10% of commercial agricultural output, while predominantly white-owned commercial farms continue to dominate production.

The imbalance remains a major concern for policymakers seeking to broaden ownership and ensure that rural communities benefit more directly from agricultural investment. Agriculture employs around 944,000 people in South Africa, with another 200,000 working across the wider agricultural value chain, according to figures cited by Ramaphosa.

One example of the potential for change is Redlands Farm, a commercial dairy operation in Stutterheim in the Eastern Cape, owned and managed by young black farmers. The farm has expanded with assistance from the Land Bank through its Blended Finance Scheme, which combines government grants with loan financing.

Its experience illustrates how partnerships between farmers, financial institutions and government can help emerging businesses overcome barriers to growth. For farmers trying to expand production, access to patient capital can be as important as securing land itself.

The government is also looking to strengthen links between emerging farmers and established industry organisations, which can provide practical knowledge on crop management, animal health, breeding and market access. Officials see such partnerships as essential to turning land beneficiaries into productive commercial operators.

The outlook for the programme will depend largely on how quickly the land is transferred, whether beneficiaries receive the support they need and how effectively funding is mobilised. If these measures are implemented successfully, the initiative could increase agricultural production, create rural jobs and expand the number of black-owned commercial farming businesses over the coming years.

However, the release of land alone is unlikely to deliver those results. Without reliable financing, infrastructure and access to buyers, some beneficiaries could struggle to build sustainable operations.

South Africa’s agricultural exports offer an important opportunity for growth, particularly as the government seeks to diversify overseas markets. Nearly half of the country’s agricultural exports go to other African markets, with the remainder reaching destinations in Europe, Asia, the Middle East and the Americas.

For emerging farmers, the immediate challenge will be converting land ownership into reliable income and long-term business growth. For the government, the measure of success will extend beyond the number of hectares allocated to whether the programme produces more competitive farms, broader economic participation and a stronger food supply for a growing population.