This report provides an overview of policy changes in South African agriculture over the past three decades, and of some of the associated impacts on output, trade patterns and employment. In agriculture, the story is one of widespread substitution of labour for capital. While the sector has shed more than a million jobs over the past four decades, the paper highlights its continuing role as an employment creator in rural areas, albeit mainly in low-wage occupations. As for its principal analytical contribution, this paper considers future trade liberalisation in the agricultural sector. Using two different economic models, we find a remarkably consistent pattern whereby agricultural trade liberalisation in the region is predicted to increase agricultural employment.
Agricultural Trade and Employment in South Africa
Policy paper
OECD Trade Policy Papers
Share
Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Abstract
In the same series
-
Policy paper11 December 2023
-
10 November 2023
Related publications
-
Working paper22 December 2022
-
Working paper22 December 2022
-
Working paper22 September 2022