Introduction to volume 60 of Agrekon

This year marks the 60th anniversary of the existence of the Agricultural Economics Association of South Africa (AEASA). This is young by most standards, but the milestone still makes us the 12th oldest surviving Agricultural Economics Association in the world. We are, however, in this celebratory year mourning the untimely passing of our Past-President and leader in the agricultural economics profession in South Africa, Prof. Mohammad Karaan. We will miss him dearly, and so to honour his role and contribution to our association, we pay tribute to him in this issue of Agrekon (page 88). The COVID-19 pandemic has also resulted in the deaths of a number of our other agricultural economics colleagues early in 2021. They include Prof. Micah Masuku, Dean of the Faculty of Agriculture and Professor in Agricultural Economics at the University of Eswatini, and Bokkie Strauss, former Agricultural Attaché in Washington and Brussels and later a senior Executive and Director of Capespan. May their souls rest in peace. The March 2021 issue of Agrekon introduces its 60th volume, which presents an ideal opportunity to reflect on the history and evolution of the journal. This editorial, as well as the contribution by Prof. Nick Vink (pages 7–10) on his experience as editor of Agrekon, provide an introduction to this very important milestone. The inaugural issue of Agrekon was published in the first quarter of 1962, following its establishment by the South African Department of Agriculture. Its aim was to “communicate important events in the field of agricultural economics and to serve as forum for the exchange of topical views”. Agrekon was the personal brainchild of Mr SJJ de Swardt, Head of the Division of Economics and Markets in the Department of Agriculture for many years. He was a pioneer in agricultural economics research and education, and it was under his guidance that many a young graduate was sent overseas for post-graduate study, training and research. In the first issue of Agrekon in January 1962, De Swardt described its aim as being to spread information about the policy and actions of the Department, Control Boards and other organisations, as well as to act as an organ for publishing research results to stimulate scientific debate. This was clearly evident from the contents of the first few decades of Agrekon. The journal largely contained opinion pieces and overviews of economic trends, as well as descriptive pieces on the controlled agricultural marketing system. Between 1962 and 1989 (volumes 1–28), 40% of authors were affiliated with government departments, control boards and other parastatals, while 56% were affiliated with South African universities and 4% with universities abroad (mainly the guest speakers at the AEASA annual conference). In the next three decades, 64% of authors were affiliated with South African universities, 9% with parastatals (such as Agricultural Research Council, Human Sciences Research Council and Water Research Commission) and government departments and 27% with international institutions and universities. In the first editorial, mention was made of the formation, in 1961, of AEASA. Ties between the association and Agrekon became stronger over time. Papers presented at AEASA conferences were published in Agrekon from 1969 to 2002. Also, as AEASA did not have an official publication, Agrekon developed into one of the most important publishing venues for South African agricultural economists. Since the late 1970s in particular, academic articles came to make up the bulk of Agrekon’s pages. It is for this reason that Wissing and Groenewald (1987) could come to the conclusion that after 25 years, Agrekon had achieved the status of a scientific publication. A factor contributing