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Can South Africa become independent of Eskom?
The trend of getting off the grid is gathering pace, but total independence is still some way off, says Hartmut Winkler, professor of physics at the University of Johannesburg.
Have a ball in colourful Sea Point
Exciting cuisine, stunning ocean views and invigorating surroundings are all available in spades on Cape Town's Atlantic seaboard, says Brian Berkman, who particularly recommends The Peninsula All-Suite Hotel as a place to stay.
The Christmas Day massacre of 1850
On 25 December 1850, four British military villages recently established along the Cape's Eastern Frontier were attacked by the Xhosa. Mike Burgess explains the background, and results, of this bloody day.
THE HITCHING POST
I’m a 58-year-old lady who lives in East London and runs a small farm. I am stylish and take very good care of myself, yet I get stuck into farmwork and do a lot of it myself.
A 'farmhouse' in the Klein Karoo
Dear Jonno, My wife and I have bought a site in the Klein Karoo, inland from Mossel Bay. The site has a slight slope (about 10°) from back to front.
Fresh and fruity mango guacamole
This updated version of the classic guacamole will keep you coming back for more. It also works well as a taco topping. Recipe and photo: South African Mango Growers' Association.
Wonders of nature (with truffles at the top)
Patricia McCracken interviews a couple who grow truffles in Underberg, reviews a new edition of a stunning David Attenborough book, and suggests a read that savours life's joys. Plus, something special for the kids.
Kia Sorento adventure: Part 3
Alex Shahini of CAR magazine concludes his nearly 1 000km all-wheel-drive Kia Sorento odyssey over some of South Africa's most scenic passes.
Lowering the risk of viruses in your cucurbit crop
Viruses can be devastating to cucurbits, and you should take every precaution to prevent or reduce the damage they cause, says Bill Kerr.
How to wean piglets
The process of weaning is very tough for piglets and the farmer needs to take great care at this time. Bad weaning practices can lead to poor performance and financial losses.
Economically important diseases of maize
Maize is considered the most important grain crop in South Africa, thus there are various maize diseases that farmers need to be on the lookout for. Janine Ryan reports on some of the most dominant of these diseases.
Outstanding breeding cows lead to sustainable beef cattle production
The success of a beef cattle operation rests largely on the performance of its cows, says Dr Hentie van Rensburg, who bred the 2022 Agricultural Research Council National Best Elite Cow in the Afrisim category. He and his farming partner, Lourie van Pletzen, spoke to Annelie Coleman about their approach.
Challenges and opportunities for farming in Senegal
Despite adverse production conditions, Senegal's agriculture sector is an essential employer. Janine Ryan looks at some of the major commodities produced in this West African country.
Growing gerberas in a volatile market
In this second article of a three-part series, florist Carol Sutherland spoke to Tania Henkel, who runs Imbali Cut Flowers in Gauteng, about the challenges of producing gerberas, also known as Barberton daisies.
Astute marketing drives avocado consumption
South Africa's avocado industry has attained the holy grail in marketing for a non-essential product: getting consumers to feel they need it rather just want it. The resulting sales growth has boosted the industry despite recent economic and supply constraints. Glynnis Branthwaite, owner of Protactic Strategic Communications, and Derek Donkin, CEO of Subtrop, spoke to Lindi Botha about this intensive and ongoing marketing effort.
South Africa's black farmers and the 'Karan merger'
If all parties, including government, do what they're supposed to, Karan Beef's merger with SK Caine should open up lucrative opportunities for black farmers in the beef value chain, says Dr Sifiso Ntombela.
Misconduct vs incapacity
Madeleine Els describes the difference between misconduct and incapacity, and the effect each has on the business. She stresses why it is important for employers to understand the difference between the two.
Want higher prices for your calves? Dehorn them!
In crushes and while being transported on trucks, cattle with sharp horns can inflict severe injuries to one another, reducing the price of such animals. Dehorning is the only effective solution, says Shane Brody.
Why no manager is an island
When English metaphysical poet John Donne wrote 'No man is an island', he meant that people need each other and are better together than they are in isolation. Management is just like that, says Peter Hughes.
Persistent inflationary pressures reflected in most produce items
Numerous challenges, ranging from rolling blackouts to adverse weather conditions, have beset South Africa's fresh produce sector since late last year. Absa AgriBusiness examines these market dynamics in detail.
South Africa's sheep farmers under pressure
South Africa's sheep industry has continued to decline due to the effects of devastating drought in some parts of the country, as well as lower prices in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Rice-breeding breakthrough offers hope of feeding billions
An international team, led by scientists from the University of California, Davis in the US, has succeeded in propagating a commercial hybrid rice strain as a clone through seeds with 95% efficiency.
SA study offers new insight into grapevine mites
Grape farmers have long assumed that one species of grapevine mite causes bud strain and leaf galls, while others produce blisters and leaf curl.
UK farmers must adapt food production to climate change
Farmers in the UK are having to change where and what crops they grow due to rising temperatures, shifting rainfall patterns, and prolonged periods of dry weather that are the result of climate change.
Taking communal farming to the next level
The members of a development project undertaken by AfriForum, the Southern African Agri Initiative (SAAI) and the Boiphitlhelelo Co-operative of Noga's Post in the Barolong Boo-Seleka Kingdom in the Free State recently harvested their second grain crop.
Can the agriculture sector overcome some of the hurdles in its way in 2023?
POLICY PERSPECTIVE
Rolling blackouts disrupting farming and agribusinesses
AGRIBUSINESS PERSPECTIVE
Raising pigs in the open: Part 2
In this second instalment of a two-part article that focused on raising pigs in outdoor enclosures, and how such a system could be profitable for farmers, we continue with housing for gestating sows.
Donate veggie seed packets to help others feed their families in a sustainable way
Give a person vegetables, and you feed them for a day; empower a person to grow their own vegetables, and they will feed themselves and their loved ones for a lifetime.
Elephant poaching: solutions to the scourge
Elephant poaching rates vary greatly across Africa, say Timothy Kuiper, postdoctoral research fellow at the University of Cape Town, and Eleanor Jane Milner-Gulland, Tasso Leventis Professor of Biodiversity at the University of Oxford. In this article, they suggest reasons for these differences, and how to fight the problem.