CATEGORIES

Living on the brink of a disastrous future

Floods, extreme temperatures and other natural disasters are reducing global agricultural production, threatening the most vulnerable, according a recent study.

Tough year looms but support for sector bodes well

Role players are committed to supporting local production, Jyothi Laldas reports.

This tunnel farmer has gone loco

Western Cape farmer swears by old, converted, coal-burning locomotives A for heating tunnels, and they cost less than conventional units.

Leading family-owned fresh produce business celebrates 130 years in South Africa

The Dutoit Group is celebrating 130 years as a leader in South African agriculture.

A harmonious blend of agriculture, sustainability and luxury

Wine connoisseur Cobus du Plessis finds a case study for sustainable agriculture at Terre Paisible, an estate producing fine wines, olive oil and lemons in the fertile Franschhoek Valley.

Understanding carrot fertilisation

Whether to apply fertiliser or not depends on which crops were grown in the land previously, among various factors,

Ford's new Ranger Tremor built for off-road performance

Ford will introduce its Ranger Tremor to the South African market in the first half of 2024, Siyavuya Mbaduli of CAR magazine reports.

Private landowners are vital custodians of biodiversity

BirdLife South Africa explains why private landowners’ co-operation can be extremely helpful and is actually essential for the protection of biodiversity.

Three beautiful but dangerous aliens

As humans travelled to explore, trade and wage war, plants established themselves in their wake to flourish in areas they had never been seen before. Mike Burgess looks at three alien species whose pretty flowers belie their destructive impact on South African biodiversity.

Good advice and hard work tripled this farmer's potato crop

Potatoes are a notoriously tricky crop to produce, making transformation in the sector extra-challenging. However, through collaboration with Potatoes SA L and mentorship, Limpopo farmer P Walter Mathidi has boosted production. Lindi Botha reports.

Mixing the traditional with modern technologies

Reindeer farming is an ancient practice that involves the herding and hunting of reindeer for meat, hides and horns. Janine Ryan looks at a brief history of reindeer farming, and how modern technologies are being used to improve efficiency.

What does the new year hold for agriculture?

Agriculture leaders and role players look back at 2023 and express their wishes for 2024.

South Africa's grain and oilseed outlook for 2024

Magda du Toit examines the trends and forecasts for maize, soya bean, sunflower and wheat in the year ahead.

From trash to power!

Nkweauseh Reginald Longfor, a doctoral candidate at Sophia University in Japan, explains how to harness energy from Africa's rubbish dumps, and save billions in future damage.

More wildfires means more destruction

Once again the spotlight shines on climate change as wildfires have engulfed large farming communities across Europe, North and Southern Africa and North America during their summer seasons.

Ostrich production enters better times

Ostrich production is likely to see a revival of sorts in 2024

Unfavourable climatic conditions are taking a big toll on pome and stone fruit exports

Pome and stone fruit production and exports are set to take a hit in 2024, reports Glenneis Kriel.

The heritability of blue eyes in Spanish horses

Horses with white faces often have white eyelashes and blue eyes due to the ‘splashed gene’. In the US, testing by means of DNA allows breeders to select for genetic traits in horses, such as blue eyes

Carrots are susceptible to the world's number-one pest

Root knot nematodes, when sufficient numbers are present, cause swellings against the main root or swellings further away

Farming embedded in the core of Young Farmer 2023 winner

JJ de Nysschen, the 2023 Agri Limpopo and Toyota Young Farmer of the Year, grew up in a farming family and knew he would one day choose farming as a career. He spoke to Magda du Toit.

The importance of plant extracts in semen cryopreservation

Dr Cyril Pilane, a researcher at the Agricultural Research Council, explains why plant extracts are becoming the gold standard as supplements for semen cryopreservation.

How aquaponics is being used to feed communities

Green Arch Innovations founder Luvo Gugwana is a social entrepreneur whose goal is to spread affordable aquaponic solutions across rural areas in South Africa through his franchise model

Agritourism kept farm afloat during drought

While tourism plays an important role in the Namibian economy, agritourism adds considerable value on a farm level in this arid country. Annelie Coleman visited the Mount D'Urban camping site near Helmeringhausen to find out more about tourism's contribution to the business.

Table grapes exports expected to return to normal

The table grape harvest is expected to increase season on season.

Crucial for world to embrace sustainable farming

The international headlines about climate change, pandemics and wars show the challenges the farming community faced this year. With this in mind, the agricultural sector is continuously looking for ways to improve the industry to make it sustainable in the long run for both, the farmer and the consumer.

Eliminating growth problems with plastic

There are good reasons for growing strawberries on plastic-covered beds.

Conservation and local communities

Local communities should be treated as valued stakeholders and sustainability partners in conservation and tourism, say Ian Gordon-Cumming and Prof Kevin Mearns of Unisa’s Department of Environmental Sciences.

Want to start a pig farm? Read this first!

There is a lot to consider when embarking on any farming operation, and the same is true for starting a piggery. Janine Ryan reports on some of the things you should consider when thinking about starting a pig farm.

Do you have environmental authorisation to farm?

Farming’s impact on the environment is not usually front of mind when buying a piece of land, but without securing environmental authorisation, farmers could find themselves in a world of trouble. Lindi Botha speaks to Ngwanarachuene Mampane, director of Westleigh Environmental Services, about remaining on the right side of the law, how to apply for authorisation and the time frame involved.

SA's renewable energy programme: the hits and misses

South Africa’s 12-year-old Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme offers insights for countries moving to cleaner power sources, say researchers.