“The bottom line is that our soils are degrading at a very rapid rate. [One-third] of the world’s soils are degraded and most of these are in Africa. The main culprit is soil erosion.”
So says Phalesa Motaung, a soil scientist working for Asset Research, an NGO focused on environmental and resource economics. Motaung, who specialises in regenerative agricultural practices, was speaking during a Stellenbosch-based virtual research symposium held on 14 March. In addition to the problem of soil erosion, yields are declining drastically, especially amongst subsistence farmers.
“It’s said there are yield gaps of [up to] 90% between smallholder farmers and commercial farmers.”
Motaung emphasises the duel nature of South Africa’s agriculture sector: a group of large commercial, highly mechanised producers, and hundreds of thousands of smallholder and subsistence farmers who are resource-poor and lack support.
“Both, [however], are dealing with declining soil quality, and part of the reason is that both [groups] are using poor soil management practices [such as tillage and monoculture].”
Motaung stresses that farmers are “the custodians of the land” and “the heroes in our fight against climate change and food insecurity”.
“We need to help them by [giving] them the best armour to go into battle.”
Conservation agriculture (CA), she goes on to argue, should be part of this armour.
REGENERATIVE SOIL PRACTICES AT WORK
Denne historien er fra May 06, 2022-utgaven av Farmer's Weekly.
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Denne historien er fra May 06, 2022-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.
