Dinokeng Game Reserve, 40 minutes from Pretoria, opened its doors in 2011 as a model of future conservation where people and wildlife live in harmony in a sustainable way. Now, a 122ha smart farm that sits right near the reserve and close to the community of Hammanskraal is taking root and producing crops while uplifting the local community, with the help of WWF South Africa.
The farm fits in with the United Nations approach of One Health - an integrated, unifying approach to balance and optimise the health of people, animals and the environment. The farm was purchased by Inqaba Biotec, a DNA and genome sequencing company, for its corporate social investment work. The organisation's executive director, Dr Oliver Preisig, had often visited Dinokeng and admired the piece of land on its doorstep as the perfect spot for innovation that would also enhance the tourism offering of the reserve.
Because of their interest in promoting agroecology as a farming method that considers both people and nature, WWF and Inqaba are now working together on this 'smart farm' project. The 'smart' component of the farm is that it reduces waste, works with the rhythms of nature, optimises the use of fuel, water and organic fertiliser, while boosting the livelihoods of those involved in a way that goes beyond mere wages.
"Through our Business Development Unit, in 2022 Inqaba teamed up with us," explains Luyanda Njanjala, Smallholder Farmer Programme Manager at WWF, "and in January 2023 we started drawing up our plan to test an agroecology model close to a metropole area."
Denne historien er fra May 10, 2024-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.
Allerede abonnent ? Logg på
Denne historien er fra May 10, 2024-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.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
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.
