Michael is at the Department of Agricultural Economic and Extension at the University of Fort Hare. Recent papers / reports / seminars include: 

• Economic development in South Africa’s former homelands and rural-urban linkages (with M Maswana, N Nikelo, B Mbantsa and L Bank)

• Forms of agricultural support and the ‘culture of dependency and entitlement’

• The performance of land reform - land knowledge base review paper

• Radical land reform, unfulfilled expectations, and the spell of apocalyptic time

Community engagement

• Working with the Raymond Mhlaba Farmers' Association and eDikeni Water Users association to improve support to smallholder farmers in the area
• Supporting food security study groups in different parts of the Eastern Cape
• Initiated continue to support the Keiskammahoek Farmers' Market