Makhura, Moraka Nakedi2017-03-012016-12Makhura, MN 2016, 'Agriculture in a developmental state : finding the nexus for development(al) agricultural economists', Agrekon , vol. 55, no. 4, pp. 303-330.0303-1853 (print)2078-0400 (online)10.1080/03031853.2016.1257687http://hdl.handle.net/2263/592172015 FR Tomlinson Memorial Lecture, delivered at Bolivia Lodge, Polokwane on 1 December 2015.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 attendeden© 2016 Agricultural Economics Association of South Africa. This is an electronic version of an article published in Agrekon, vol. 55, no. 4, pp. 303-330, 2016. doi : 10.1080/03031853.2016.1257687. Agrekon is available online at : http://www.tandfonline.comloi/ragr20.AgricultureDevelopmental stateAgricultural economistsEvent