Justin du Toit, a scientist in pasture research at Grootfontein Agricultural Development Institute in Middelburg, spoke to Roelof Bezuidenhout about his analysis of rainfall records in the Central Karoo and how farmers can adapt to climate change.
HOW WOULD YOU DEFINE A DROUGHT?
Long-term records allow us to build a historical picture of drought in an area. This can be tricky as drought is influenced by many variables, including the amount of rainfall, its timing, run- off, temperature and humidity, season and the environment. However, because these factors are seldom properly recorded, we mostly use weather data, notably rainfall, to define drought. Simply put, drought is an unusually dry period.
Arguably, the best way to classify an area as experiencing drought is by its effects on the ground, such as crop failure, scarcity of drinking water, fodder shortages, reduced stream flow, and plant and animal mortality.
Droughts are, of course, a feature of semi-arid rangelands owing to the high rainfall variability typical of such areas. It’s small wonder that rainfall is a key driver of ecosystem processes, especially vegetation dynamics, in this type of veld.
With climate change, parts of South Africa are predicted to get wetter, others drier. Perhaps more importantly, variation in rainfall is set to increase, and the number of rain days to decrease. This indicates a future of heavier showers when it rains, with longer dry periods between rains. Here, as elsewhere, droughts and storms are predicted to become more intense, the highest temperatures higher, and snowfalls greater.
Some research suggests that our winters will be drier; springs will be mainly drier but in some places wetter; summers will be mainly wetter, except in the far west; and autumns will be drier.
DESCRIBE YOUR CURRENT RESEARCH AT THE AGRICULTURAL DEVELOPMENT INSTITUTE.
Denne historien er fra November 23, 2018-utgaven av Farmer's Weekly.
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Denne historien er fra November 23, 2018-utgaven av Farmer's Weekly.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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Syngenta Seedcare celebrates a decade of innovation
Syngenta's ambition is to enable their customers' investments to grow in healthy soil from treated seeds to young plants through innovation and collaboration, writes Magda du Toit.
Agri workers shine at Western Cape awards
Lindie-Alet van Staden, a garden and olive orchard manager at L’Ormarins Wine Estate in Franschhoek, was crowned as the Western Cape Prestige Agri-Worker of 2024 at a gala event recently held near Paarl.
Small and large farmers recognised at grain awards
The annual Grain SA/Syngenta awards ceremony bears testimony to the quality of farmers in the grain industry.
Growing partnerships: Fedgroup's flexible and innovative approach
Janine Ryan spoke to Warren Winchester, general manager of impact investing at Fedgroup, about why the company became involved in agriculture, and what it offers farmers and their immediate communities.
Why fish farms fail, and how to avoid becoming a statistic
The popularity of launching fish farms is not matched by their success. Leslie Ter Morshuizen, owner of Aquaculture Solutions, explores the factors that cause most of these businesses to go under.
Where history and modernity meet in a luxurious setting
Brian Berkman kept his eyes peeled for ghosts in the oldest continuously run hotel in South Africa, but all he found was a fabulous two-night stay.
THE HITCHING POST
I'm a stylish elderly lady with a radiant glow and a good sense of humour that keeps me young at heart.
Cutworms: check the weeds on your fields!
Zunel van Eeden explains why understanding the ecological interplay between cutworms and weeds is crucial for effective pest management. Producers should disrupt the life cycle of cutworms to minimise crop damage.
Does high-density grazing mimic grazing patterns of game?
In their paper on high-density grazing in Southern Africa, professors Angelinus Franke and Elmarie Kotzé from the Department of Soil, Crop and Climate Sciences at the University of the Free State say high-density grazing systems may not accurately reflect natural ecosystems. Roelof Bezuidenhout reports.
Global grain outlook: 2024/25 marketing season
In its latest summer crops report, the Crop Estimates Committee says South African farmers intend to plant 4,47 million hectares of summer grains and oilseeds in the 2024/25 season, up 1% from the previous season. As South Africa exports maize and soya bean, Annelie Coleman reports on the latest trends in the international grain and oilseed markets, amid fluctuations in weather conditions and ongoing armed conflicts.
