A desire to succeed
Zabion de Wee graduated from the Grootfontein Agricultural Development Institute last year and is doing an internship with the National Wool Growers' Association. An ambitious young man, he has plans to one day farm Angoras in the Free State. He spoke to Heather Dugmore.
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Tractor maintenance: Save fuel, and stay safe, when operating your tractor
In the second-last part of this series, Peter Hittersay looks at fuel conservation, storage and refuelling, as well as safety standards.
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Management & diversification: Two keys to success
Due to poor management, many agricultural co-ops across the country are struggling. Zivuseni Agricultural Co-operative outside Nigel in the East Rand is an exception. Thanks to good discipline, the business is thriving - and mixed farming makes the co-op's prospects even brighter. Peter Mashala reports.
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Tractor maintenance: Regular services on your tractor
In this part of this series, Peter Hittersay describes how to perform the 100-, 250-, 500- and 1 000-hour maintenance services.
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'The government is delaying - and I can't plan ahead'
André Cloete, an apple, pear and sheep farmer from the Overberg, is this year's recipient of the fruit industry's Novice Award. Thanks to hard work and attention to detail, André supplies apples and pears for export through Tru-Cape and Two-a-Day and achieves high yields. But he's reluctant to invest too much in the farm because government has been slow to grant him a long-term lease, as Denene Erasmus found out.
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Becoming a better farmer
Philemone Mahlangu of Potwane village near Makapanstad dreams of one day owning a farm so that he and his sons can run a successful cattle operation. In the meantime, he does his best, under difficult circumstances, to farm on communal land. Peter Mashala spoke to him.
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Profiting from organic farming
No longer do growers have to walk great distances to sell a few pawpaws. The Siyavuna Development Centre finds markets for the smallest of organic farmers - in the process creating rural upliftment and improving food security. Robyn Joubert reports.
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Where there's a will, there's a way
Lesotho's commercial agriculture is almost non-existent, and most of its food is imported from South Africa. However, Tsheliso Lebentlele, a seedling grower in Maseru, says the will to turn things around is there - only the skills and financial support are lacking. And he believes South African farmers can play a major role in this regard. Peter Mashala reports.
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˜Communal farmers should be land beneficiaries"™
Successful farmers on communal land should be specifically targeted as beneficiaries of the land reform programme.
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You can't succeed without mistakes
Marriam Mulungu has faced many challenges and made huge mistakes in her farming career - but that's the only way to learn, she says. Peter Mashala visited her farm in Bronkhorstspruit.
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