Anathi Siphesihle Makamane is a junior lecturer at the Centre for Sustainable Agriculture, Extension and Rural Development at the University of the Free State.  She is responsible for curricula development and teaching, in the newly formed department under the Centre for Sustainable Agriculture, Rural Development and Extension. Anathi holds the following degrees from University of the Free State:

Masters Degree: Sustainable Agriculture

Honours Degree Agriculture: Agricultural Economics

Bachelors Degree Agriculture: Agricultural Economics

Before starting her academic career at the university, Anathi started her career in the public sector where she provided institutional and production support to agricultural cooperatives and commodity groups in the Gauteng province, facilitated access to finance, markets and AgriBEE deals for agricultural cooperatives and commodity groups and monitored statistical indicators of the Gauteng agricultural sector. She further joined Deutsche Gesellschaft fur Internationale Zusammenerbeit-(GIZ) where she was responsible for the AUDA-NEPAD Climate Smart Agriculture Programme. She moderates technical parallel/ panel sessions, stakeholder meetings and conferences and does consulting in the agricultural sector. She also has interests in property investing & fleet management.

Anathi has taken an active lead in the development of the new department in Agricultural Extension at the University of the Free State, she is an active member of the Africa Climate Smart Agriculture Alliance (ACSAA) and the South African Society for Agricultural Extension (SASAE). She has contributed to continental knowledge material including and has presented her work and research at workshops and conferences.

Her vast experience has enabled her to have knowledge on working with the public & private sector, donors, development space and farmers.

• Agriculture and climate change
• Rural Development
• Agricultural Advisory
• Agriculture and Artificial Intelligence/ Internet of things
• Project Management
• Youth and Gender mainstreaming
• Environmental policy
• Research

• Extension for Agricultural Innovation System (AGEX 2614)
• Communication for Innovation (AGEX 2624)
• Extension programme management (AGEX 3724)
• Community mobilization and local organizational development (AGEX 3734)