CATEGORIES

Automated, Intensive, And Independent Soil Sampling

True farm optimisation starts with understanding your soil and its theoretical production potential. Stehan Cloete discusses some ideas around soil sampling with Sion Agri’s lead independent agronomy consultant, Thomas Strydom.

Saving The Planet Depends On A New Agriculture

Nature is essential for human existence, providing and sustaining the air, freshwater and soils on which we all depend. It also regulates the climate and provides pollination and pest control. According to the World Wide Fund for Nature’s (WWF) ‘Living Planet Report 2020’, while more food and energy than ever before are supplied, overexploitation of plants and animals is increasingly eroding nature’s ability to provide these in the future.

Farmer Tackles Hunger And Food Wastage In The Face Of Covid-19

Farmers across South Africa have launched food aid initiatives for their local communities to ease the hardships and suffering brought about by the COVID-19 lockdown. Fruit and vegetable producer Rossouw Cillié of Laastedrif near Ceres spoke to Jeandré van der Walt about his involvement in distributing food parcels to Western Cape families in need.

Why Too Much Iron Is A Problem

Excessive iron in drinking water is hazardous to horses, says Dr Mac, and could lead to permanent liver damage or death.

Will The Pandemic Change How People Eat For Good?

During the recent 2020 PMA Fresh Connections: Southern Africa conference, Dr William Li, a scientist and the author of the bestselling book Eat to Beat Disease, in conversation with Jaco Oosthuizen, CEO of RSA Group, said that the COVID-19 pandemic had given the fresh produce industry a golden opportunity to increase its focus on health and healthy eating.

How Insect Predators Can Help You

Beneficial insects used in integrated pest management (IPM) can sometimes completely eliminate the need for crop chemicals, or at least reduce chemical spraying to a minimum. In addition, there are now crop chemicals that are much safer for parasitoids and predators.

Brahman Stud Owner Strives For Perfection

A dream to farm Brahman cattle saw Auldrich Spies switch from construction to farming. Ironically, it was his initial ignorance that led him to become a successful stud farmer today. Lindi Botha visited SS Brahmane in Mbombela, Mpumalanga.

A New Disease Threat To Papaya And Citrus

Phytophthora palmivora, a disease that causes crown and root rot, poses a new threat to subtropical fruit and citrus production in South Africa. Dr Mieke Daneel of the Agricultural Research Council’s (ARC) Tropical and Subtropical Crops division in Mbombela and Dr Wilhelm Botha of the ARC’s Plant Health and Protection division in Roodeplaat explain the disease and how to combat it.

How Predators Can Boost Profits

If you are like many farmers, you use a spray programme because it gives you peace of mind. Yet, in many cases, you can have protection and peace of mind without the cost of spraying, which, of course, includes the expense of the chemical and running a tractor.

Thorn tree leaves: a nutritious grain substitute in pig feed

Smallholder pig production in Southern Africa is constrained by feed shortages and the demand for grains to feed the ever-growing human population. This makes it important to identify alternative feedstuffs for pigs.

Making lucerne hay while maximising soil health

Free State irrigation farmer Freek Strauss grows lucerne for the local and export markets. At the same time, the crop improves the soil’s condition, thus increasing the yields of other crops in rotation. Sabrina Dean reports.

Wine: the future doesn't look like the past

The COVID-19 lockdown and its effects have undeniably changed South Africa’s wine landscape, according to Mike Ratcliffe, founder of Wine Business Advisors. Jeandré van der Walt spoke to him about what the wine industry would look like after the pandemic and how it should navigate the next few years to stay profitable and build big brands in a fiercely competitive world.

Growing avocados: Part 4

Avocado trees can be arranged in an orchard in a number of ways. Each has its advantages.

19 DECEMBER 1979 - Watering the Holy Land

41 YEARS AGO

Tracing the rigin of the four-legged serpent in SA rock art

According to rock art recorder Victor Biggs, the Nguni belief in river-dwelling serpentine monsters was appropriated from San mythology as depicted in their rock art.

Sustainable game farming in the bushveld

On his 2 500ha game farm near Lephalale in Limpopo, Willem Frost aims to provide local and international hunters with an authentic hunting experience, which promotes the farm’s overall sustainability goals.

Rinderpest: a continuing threat to livestock

Despite rinderpest being finally eradicated from nature in 2011, the threat of re-emergence remains. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations has therefore continued to urge farmers to learn the symptoms of the disease, and to notify state veterinarians if they suspect an animal may be showing signs of rinderpest.

Macadamia prices hold firm amid smaller crop

Despite the challenges faced by the international macadamia industry during the past season, the current crop is looking favourable.

Controlling nematodes in grain crops

The grain production season is approaching and soil-dwelling nematodes are re-emerging after winter. Farmers should start monitoring these pests now, say Prof Driekie Fourie and Dr Gerhard du Preez at North-West University’s Unit for Environmental Sciences and Management.

Why You Need To Budget

A comprehensive and all-inclusive budget is critical to the success of any production operation, according to Anche Suurd, an agricultural economist at NWK. Without this basic financial tool, it is extremely difficult to obtain a clear idea of the actual performance of the business, or sustainably create and build wealth.

Farming Sector Under Siege By Criminals

The COVID-19 pandemic and resultant national lockdown in South Africa have produced a plethora of negative socio-economic consequences. Amongst these is a wave of crime against the country’s farmers. Lloyd Phillips reports on this phenomenon and on how government’s consistent failures have made a difficult problem significantly worse.

Piecing Together Historic Climate Events

Researchers from the University of Melbourne in Australia, Dr John Hellstrom, Prof Russell Drysdale and Ellen Corrick, have managed to assemble the most precise records of major climate events from thousands of years ago. They explain what their research has revealed.

All You Need To Know About Cutworm Control

The common cutworm is a prominent maize pest in South Africa. Professors Johnnie van den Berg and Hannalene du Plessis, researchers at North-West University’s Integrated Pest Management Research Group, provide some useful tips on identifying and controlling this pest.

Healthy Eating Is Getting More Expensive In SA

According to the latest 10-year agricultural outlook published by the Bureau for Food and Agricultural Policy, the cost of healthy eating as a percentage of monthly household expenditure is rising in South Africa, driving consumers towards cheaper food options.

‘Give Us What You Promised' – Black Farmer To Government

Land reform in South Africa has, by and large, been labelled a failure. After 26 years and billions of rand spent on farms and inputs, successes are still few and far between. Solly Letsoalo, a farmer in Limpopo, spoke to Lindi Botha about his experiences over a 13-year period as a land reform beneficiary.

Auctions Go High-Tech

Digital technologies are revolutionising auctions, resulting in better exposure for sellers and a broader purchasing base for buyers. Glenneis Kriel reports.

Parasitoids: pest control for free!

I am frequently asked, especially by emerging farmers, to provide spray programmes for various crops.

Passion and discipline drive young cattle farmer's success

Kgomotso Bantsho has been farming Bonsmara cattle and goats full-time in North West since 2017. He says that support from other farmers is critical, and that each farmer needs to learn which management practices will work best for him or her.

Small, but strong utility vehicles

Some jobs on the farm are too small to be done using regular farm machinery, but too large to be done by hand. John Deere’s range of turf and utility vehicles are just the right size to perform these smaller tasks.

Second-Quarter Agri Expansion Could Be Somewhat Milder

South Africa’s agriculture sector had a solid start to the year, with first-quarter gross value-added figures growing 27,8% quarter-on-quarter (q/q) on a seasonally adjusted and annualised basis.