Agriculture in a developmental state : finding the nexus for development(al) agricultural economists

Abstract

First of all, I feel very honoured and humbled to present this prestigious FR Tomlinson Memorial Lecture, particularly in my home province of Limpopo where I cut my teeth of service as an agricultural economist. It all started in the early days of my primary schooling where I observed extension officers assisting farmers to manage their micro-farm enterprises at our Eldorado village in Blouberg. It was a place well-endowed with underground water, good arable soil and sweet grazing land (though with less than normal rainfall). Years later, I had the opportunity to serve the Agricultural Economics profession through the Agricultural Economics Association of South Africa (AEASA) Management Committee at different (if not all) portfolios3. Then, I persuaded the association to open up to agricultural economists from different spaces, particularly from the provinces. This year marks 25 years since I started practising as an agricultural economist, and having attended