The main objective of this paper is to highlight some of the changes that have occurred in South Africa since the 1980s and to show their impact on the profile of the farming population and on farm management training and extension. Main conclusions: 1. The change in government and the enormous hunger for land had a dramatic influence on the South African agricultural sector and is of such a nature that major adaptations must be made to farm management training and extension. 2. The beginner farmer will become very important and farm management training and extension must be made available to all levels of farmers in order to ensure sustainable agriculture for the country as a whole in the long run. 3. The University of the Orange Free State with its Centre for Agricultural Management is well geared to train farm management advisers. At present course material is being adapted to cater among other for the needs of advisers to beginner farmers.