CATEGORIES

An Innovative Mobile Macadamia Dehusker

When Fairview Farm was using a static Macadamia Dehusker, KwaZulu-Natal macadamia farmer Robert Carlton-Shields estimated that his pickers each lost about two hours’ productivity a day during the harvest season. He set about remedying this, and his subsequent collaboration with an engineering company has resulted in a mobile macadamia dehusker that saves time and money. Lloyd Phillips reports.

Mentor-Breeder's Strategy For Profitable Beef Farming

Johan Erasmus, who farms near Derby in North West, is one of the pioneers of the Boran cattle breed in South Africa. He uses his experience as a stud breeder and a commercial crop farmer to assist and mentor new farmers in a number of Southern African countries. Pieter Dempsey reports.

A Deadly Face-To-Face In A Fjord

On 10 April 1940, a fierce naval battle took place in a Norwegian fjord between the Royal Navy and the German Kriegsmarine. A South African-born naval officer, Lieutenant Lindsay de Villiers, was amongst the many men who perished in the encounter.

South Africa's Expropriation Law: What It's All About

Elmien du Plessis, associate professor of law at North-West University, outlines the long road that has been travelled to get to South Africa’s Expropriation Bill in its current form.

Getting To Know Earthworms

More than 2 000 species of earthworm have been identified worldwide and there are 300 known species in South Africa. The presence of earthworms is a good indication of soil health.

Growing Success For A Small-Scale Wattle Farmer

Mthandeni Ntanzi has combined ingenuity, expert advice and sheer hard work to improve production on his small black wattle plantation, becoming an award-winning farmer in the process. Lloyd Phillips visited him at his operation in KwaZulu-Natal.

Dorpers: The Great Survivors

According to Northern Cape sheep breeders Hennie and Hercules Erasmus, the Dorper was bred to thrive on harsh veld. Putting these animals under feedlot conditions ‘waters down’ their hardiness, they explained.

Benefits And Risks Of A Digitised Farm Sector

Digital technology can make food markets more efficient and inclusive. However, according to a recent report, the digital divide places farmers in some of the world’s poorest regions at risk of being left behind.

The role of forests in global food security

The expansion of agriculture increases the risk of deforestation, which will not only have a negative impact on climate change mitigation, but also diminish food security for millions of desperately poor people. This report looks at the link between food security and forest ecosystems.

Collaboration and safety high on agenda of new Agri Western Cape boss

Villiers Loubser, newly elected president of Agri Western Cape and a farmer near Durbanville, is keen to see the old divisions in agriculture give way to greater unity between all role players, creating a better future for all farmers. Jeandré van der Walt spoke to him about this and other pressing issues in agriculture.

Take the bite out of rabies

Domestic dogs are the most common reservoir of the virus, with more than 99% of human deaths from the disease caused by dog-mediated rabies.

Growing guavas: Part 4

This week’s article deals with pests and diseases you need to guard against to ensure healthy plants and a good yield.

Breeding wireworm-resistant Meatmasters

Through rigorous selection, Meatmaster stud breeder Nico Grobler from North West has succeeded in significantly reducing wireworm infestation in his Kern Meatmaster flock. This has enabled him to run the stud successfully in an area highly susceptible to the parasite. Annelie Coleman reports.

Dragon Fruit: A Weapon To Fight Food Insecurity

With hunger and food insecurity a reality for thousands of South African households, any effort to reduce this problem should be welcomed. Retired business owner Frikkie Adams is convinced that dragon fruit is ideal for growing at home, as its high nutritional content can benefit families. He showed Lloyd Phillips his experiments at propagating the plant.

A Bright Future For Solar Energy In South Africa

Against a backdrop of severe economic pressure and an unreliable base-load power supply, the local uptake of renewable energy is gaining momentum. Henri van Eetveldt, solar and storage consultant at Energy Partners Solar, explains the nuts and bolts of solar energy to Jeandré van der Walt.

Climate-Proof, No-Till Crop Production In The Maize Triangle

Cocky Mokoka has been farming since 2007, but only started incorporating conservation agriculture principles to improve his soil in 2015. He spoke to Pieter Dempsey about the practices he implements on his 740ha farm.

Savvy producers use social media to maximise profit

Social media offer small food and farm businesses a cheap and effective means of advertising. Yvonne Fontyn spoke to three e-commerce entrepreneurs about how they identify their target market, decide which platform to use for marketing, and go about advertising their goods and services online.

Making every drop of rainwater count

In this first of a two-part series, Dr Louis du Pisani, an independent specialist agricultural consultant, explains the basic components of the water cycle and how these apply to the growth of grass on the veld.

The wheat blast disease threat

The recent detection of wheat blast in Zambia raised alarms in the wheat industry in the SADC region. Once established, the disease is difficult to control, say researchers Dr Tarekegn Terefe of the Agricultural Research Council’s Small Grain Institute and Dr Willem Boshoff of the Department of Plant Sciences at the University of the Free State.

New Technology To Detect Mycotoxins In Animal Feed

Prof Cobus Visagie, a mycologist studying fungi at the University of Pretoria’s Forestry and Agricultural Biotechnology Institute, was recently awarded a prestigious research grant under the Future Leaders’ African Independent Research programme. He explains the impact of mycotoxins on humans and animals.

More money for the Land Bank

Minister of Finance, Tito Mboweni, announced in his Medium-Term Budget Policy Statement that despite serious efforts to curb government spending over the next three to five years, the Land Bank would be allocated another R7 billion to finance its restructuring plans. Denene Erasmus reports.

What's behind the locust swarms damaging crops in Southern Africa?

In this article, originally published by theconversation.com, Prof Frances Duncan of the School of Animal, Plant and Environmental Sciences at the University of the Witwatersrand, whose research involves investigating the survival strategies of brown locusts, explains what is behind the migratory locust outbreak ravaging crops and pastures across Southern Africa.

Surprise: Africa's farmers are relatively young!

Thomas Jayne, a professor of agricultural, food and resource economics, and Felix Kwame Yeboah, an assistant professor of international development, both at Michigan State University in the US, say it is simply untrue that Africa’s farmers are mostly old and, on average, getting even older. It is also a misperception, they argue, that the continent’s young people are not interested in farming.

New mower and header attachments from CLAAS

German-based agricultural machinery manufacturer CLAAS has announced the launch of two new mower ranges, as well as changes to its line-up of ORBIS row-independent front attachments for the JAGUAR self-propelled forage harvester.

PUTTING NATURE BACK INTO BEEKEEPING

With bee populations dwindling globally, beekeepers are looking for ways to improve the resilience of their colonies. Albertus van Zyl spoke to Glenneis Kriel about how he achieves this.

One Agripreneur, Two Enterprises. Success Despite The Odds!

When the COVID-19 lockdown forced Ncumisa Mkabile to shut down her catering business, she put her entrepreneurial spirit to the test by starting two small-scale farming businesses on a piece of land in Khayelitsha. Jeandré van der Walt reports.

A Vicious Circle Of Poverty - The Scourge Of Child Labour In Agriculture

Across the world, child labour is practised more in agriculture than in any other sector. This is despite the numerous hazards involved in farm work, including unprotected exposure to chemicals, working with potentially dangerous livestock, and carrying heavy loads over long distances. Moreover, a lack of access to quality education means these children not only suffer in terms of development, but are unlikely to escape the poverty trap. Janine Ryan investigates.

The Latest Generation Of Seed-Sowing Robots

AGCO/Fendt is developing the next generation of field robots as part of a strategic research project. The new series of Xaver sowing robots differs markedly from the past two iterations, and in more than just appearance. The inner seed units of the machines are also entirely new.

Know When Your Soil Is Ready!

It’s always a good idea to get soil fertility in balance by providing enough fertilizer and, perhaps, organic matter, but treating the soil well is also very important.

How To Keep The Family Business In Business

Very few family farming operations transition effortlessly from one generation to another. The process requires careful planning, hard work and a lot of patience. Annelie Coleman spoke to several experts about the factors that drive success, and found that timeous succession planning, a family constitution, and a willingness to allow new entrants topped the list.