Policy And Implementation: Land And Agrarian Reform In South Africa

In developing nations, particularly in Africa, agrarian and land reform is part of economic development. The main reason is that no country sustained a transition out of poverty without raising productivity in its agriculture sector (Timmer, 2005). This article examines the process of balancing land and agrarian reform in the agricultural sector in South Africa, where the need for social justice has to be weighed against the potential loss of agricultural production. The process has been likened to “balancing deck chairs on the Titanic” (Davis, 1993). In addition, the article seeks to measure the level of success achieved since 1994 and to suggest ways forward, by drawing on Brazil’s experience, where the process has evolved to developing ecological citizenship and agro-ecological production