CATEGORIES

Pollination's bitter truth

With bees pollinating approximately one-third of the world's crops, commercial pollination services are a crucial and sought-after resource for many farmers. However, unscrupulous industry players are doing more harm than good, exacerbating the problem of dwindling bee populations.

What is the role of financial institutions in sustainable agriculture?

Given the complexities facing the agriculture sector, it seems that the road ahead will be impossible to navigate without both the financial support and expertise of banking institutions and financiers

Keeping tomatoes off the ground

If a tomato plant's foliage or fruit make contact with moist soil, the plant will become diseased. That's why they are usually staked, says Bill Kerr.

Growing wild rosemary

Wild rosemary is indigenous to South Africa. It's very pretty, generally easy to grow, and valued for its flavour and fragrance.

Sisal: a truly local crop

The term 'sisal' may refer either to the plant's common name or the fibre produced, depending on the context.

Brafords: the best of two breeds

The Braford was developed with improved efficiency and meat quality in mind. Today, the breed thrives on the veld and in feedlots. It is also renowned for its early maturity.

Mauritius: paradise is better than ever!

Whether for adults only or families travelling together, Brian Berkman finds Mauritius the perfect holiday destination. It offers luxury hotels, great food and exciting activities, and is just a short flight from South Africa.

How the fiery Grietjie Badenhorst defeated an English general

Margaret Badenhorst of Colesberg in the Northern Cape was a tough lady. She wasn’t the least bit intimidated by John Denton Pinkstone French, 1st Earl of Ypres, when he served as a British army general stationed in her town during the Anglo-Boer War. One of Badenhorst’s direct descendants, Pieter Badenhorst, told Annelie Coleman the tale of this formidable great-great-great-grandmother of his.

How to control powdery mildew in vineyards

When it comes to managing powdery mildew in grape orchards, prevention is better than cure, and the key lies in taking action early in the season. Glenneis Kriel reports.

Monitor your dairy farm's emission rates online!

Milk producers face a multitude of challenges, with low profits and strict biosecurity demands high on the list. In addition, the industry is often lambasted for its perceived contribution to greenhouse gas emissions, despite efforts to mitigate these. Researcher Riana Reinecke now offers dairy farmers a tool to help them measure, and demonstrate, the effects of any regenerative conservation methods they introduce. Susan Marais reports.

The problem with inflation

Jannie Rossouw, visiting professor at Wits Business School at the University of the Witwatersrand, writes that sustained price increases erode consumers' spending power.

Brafords breed abundance

What do you get when you cross a Brahman with a Hereford? You get the Braford: a fertile animal with amazing mothering abilities that has a long life expectancy and produces a carcass that can be compared with South Africa’s best. Susan Marais travelled to Bethal in Mpumalanga to learn more about this exceptional breed from Gert van der Merwe and Johan de Jager, owners of the Bonheur Brafords stud.

Farming Simulator game adds Kubota to its fleet

The popular virtual farming game Farming Simulator has added a range of realistically depicted Kubota machinery to its ever-expanding fleet of agricultural machinery.

Transkei traders: glimpses of a bygone era

Being a trader in the verdant hills of the old Transkei had a romance, not to mention a fragrance, all of its own, recalls Graham Jooste.

WWF marks a decade of water conservation

Fifty per cent of the water in South African rivers and dams comes from only 10% of the surface area of South Africa.

UK to ask Norway for fish exports to help ailing fish and chip shops

The UK‘s National Federation of Fish Friers is appealing to Norway to send fish fillets to that country to moderate the rapidly increasing price of fried fish.

Labour shortage persists amid high unemployment

South Africa’s current official unemployment rate is 34,5%, according to the latest data from Statistics South Africa.

It’s never too late to learn something new

You’re never too experienced to learn. Roelof Bezuidenhout explains why farmers’ days and other get-togethers are such a valuable resource.

A soil biocontrol agent, biofertiliser and plant growth promoter in one

Dr WJ Botha of the Biosystematics Division attached to the Agricultural Research Council’s Plant Health and Protection Research Institute explains why Streptomyces bacteria are an ideal alternative to chemical fertilisers and growth promoters.

Using micro-organisms to improve profitability

Increasing production, reducing mortality rates, and managing diseases and pests are the three pillars of success in chicken production. Studies show that a way of achieving this winning combination may lie in the use of effective micro-organisms, a unique mix of bacteria, fungi and yeast.

The cattle most at risk from lion attacks

In a recent study, researchers at the University of Pretoria attempt to explain why some types of cattle may be more likely to serve as prey for lions.

The spirit of enterprise will give rise to growth

The buck stops with government, whose policymakers should stop scapegoating and allow South Africa’s economy to flourish in a free market, writes Temba Nolutshungu of the Free Market Foundation.

The rise and rise of Egypt's orange production

Egypt has become a global powerhouse in terms of orange production and exports, and its government is aiming to improve production even further.

VEGETABLES Pumpkin and winter squash

Pumpkins and winter squashes should not be harvested until they are fully ripe and the skins are hard. This is about four months after planting.

The financial implications of a family agribusiness transition

Handing a family agribusiness over to the next generation involves financial as well as personal decisions. And personal decisions with financial implications are the most difficult of all! Trevor Dickinson reports.

Reduce your carbon footprint with the correct lubricants

Fuchs's new automotive product packaging is easy on the environment, says Andrew Cowling, sales director at Fuchs Lubricants South Africa.

Is SA's rural economy on the road to ruin?

Dilapidated country roads are a direct threat to South Africa's agricultural and rural economies, yet farmers and communities have largely encountered a wall of indifference from government. In an attempt to be heard, Agri SA and its affiliates conducted a countrywide survey amongst 311 primary production units, many of which expressed frustration over the authorities' lack of action. Susan Marais reports.

Guidelines for recording accurate and reliable BLUP breeding values

Frans Jordaan and Dr Ben Greyling of the Agricultural Research Council provide recommendations to help breeders apply good management and recording practices that can optimise their herds' genetic evaluations.

Fertilising tomatoes

Tomatoes are an expensive crop to grow, so it makes sense to fertilise them according to a soil analysis. The cost of the analysis is negligible compared with the benefits, says Bill Kerr.

Breeding for conformation

Conformation is essential when breeding horses for a specific purpose, says Dr Mac. As conformation is achieved mostly through genetic means, breeders need to choose dams and sires with care.