Soil should be alive at all times, even during periods of frost in winter. This, according to researchers, is the answer to soil health.In fact, farmers and scientists recently reaffirmed that soil microbes can directly or indirectly help farmers combat the biggest issues they face today. These include environmental changes, biodiversity loss, declining soil health, rising production costs, declining profitability, rising debt, and the subsequent risk of losing one’s land due to a loan default.
This was the not-so-hidden message that was conveyed during a farmers’ day hosted by the Highveld Regenerative Conservation Agriculture Study Group in Kinross in collaboration with Asset Research. The latter is a group of scientists focusing on the development of capacity within the field of environmental and natural resource economics, as well as ecological restoration.
Asset Research economist Mary Maluleke, who spoke at the event, said that there was a growing need amongst farmers to find a proper adaptation and mitigation solution to climatic factors.
“Farmers need to hedge themselves against financial stress and ensure that their farming model will be viable over the long term. The solution to this lies in the selection of an appropriate farming system.”
According to her, farmers’ three main options are conventional tillage, no-tillage, and regenerative conservation agriculture. The third option:
Denne historien er fra Farmer's Weekly 8 July 2022-utgaven av Farmer's Weekly.
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Denne historien er fra Farmer's Weekly 8 July 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.
