Appointed as the youngest and first female chairperson of the Land Bank in late 2021, Bloemfontein-born Thabi Nkosi is leading a transformative journey for one of the country’s most pivotal financial institutions.

Although born in Bloemfontein, Nkosi spent her formative years in Pretoria, where she developed an interest in agricultural economics during university. “My first formal exposure to agriculture was at university, where the faculty at the University of Pretoria, particularly Professor Johann Kirsten, painted such an exciting picture of agricultural economics.”

Her career began at the Agricultural Business Chamber, now known as Agbiz, during her final year at university. Thereafter, she gained diverse experience across various roles, including positions at the Bureau of Food and Agricultural Policy, the South African Sugar Association, and AgriSA.

Nkosi’s depth of experience in finance, coupled with her understanding of agriculture, made her an ideal candidate to lead the Land Bank through a challenging period. When she was approached to chair the board, it was with the expectation that she would bring innovative approaches to the bank’s funding strategies, a challenge she embraced wholeheartedly.

During her tenure, she and her team have been able to restore the entity to profitability and strengthen governance and operational capacity, repositioning the bank for long-term sustainability and ensuring it services the needs of all South African farmers.

Nkosi describes her primary contribution to the sector as “turning the Land Bank around, positioning it to service the agricultural sector, and being a tool for agricultural policy aimed at greater inclusion”. She credits a solid team of experienced financiers within the Land Bank for helping to drive this transformation.

Land Bank Chairperson, Thabi Nkosi, with former Minister of Agriculture, Thoko Didiza. Photo supplied.

Her focus has been on expanding financial inclusion within the agricultural sector and addressing the financing challenges that many farmers face. Her leadership has been instrumental in repositioning the Land Bank as a crucial player in the growth and sustainability of South Africa’s agricultural industry.

Nkosi speaks passionately about the unique resilience of the agricultural sector - a lesson she has taken to heart. 

“We’re in a sector that has faced many challenges - droughts, policy uncertainty, animal diseases – but we always bounce back. During COVID-19, many sectors struggled, but agriculture survived.”

This resilience, she notes, has been mirrored in her career. “In my current role I’ve had to make very difficult, sometimes unpopular decisions, but you need to bounce back. The agricultural sector has really taught me that sometimes we need to face hard conditions head-on, but we will always come out on the other side.”

‘She envisions an entity that is a source of pride for all South Africans’

Asked about her legacy, Nkosi hopes to leave behind a Land Bank that is “fit for purpose, ethically accountable, and responsive to the needs of farmers.” She envisions an entity that not only supports the sector, but is also a source of pride for all South Africans.

Looking ahead, Nkosi is focused on unlocking the full potential of South Africa’s agricultural sector. “I would like to see an agriculture sector that lives up to its full potential, where we’re able to include as many farmers as we can and unlock the potential of our former homeland areas and technology.” 

She believes with targeted decisions on policy, finance, and infrastructure, the sector can reach new heights and play a crucial role in the country’s economy.

OFM Agri/Elzette Boucher-Krüger mvh