Editor's letter
We need to make more of opportunities
The rise in the unemployment figures suggest that South Africa’s economy is struggling to pick up after the economic slump. And these statistics will hardly be helped by Rob...
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Exemption from minimum wage not the answer
A lack of criteria for being granted exemption from paying the new minimum wage has left farmers with little hope of finding a solution to the wage crisis.
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Tobacco growing in Zambia: an ex-Zimbabwean’s story
Ten years ago, James and Rita Chance were forced off their thriving tobacco, maize and cattle farm in Zimbabwe. Since then, they have made a success of tobacco farming in Zambia, which they now regard as their home. Heather Dugmore reports.
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Tobacco farming – the growers’ view
New proposals from the World Health Organisation’s Framework Convention on Tobacco Control to regulate international tobacco farming have raised concerns among Africa’s tobacco growers and processors. Francois van der Merwe, chairperson of the International Tobacco Growers’ Association: Africa and CEO of the Tobacco Institute of Southern Africa, provides an alternative perspective.
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How tomato growers can practice IPM
When it comes to Integrated Pest Management (IPM), tomatoes have quite a complex array of requirements which will depend on the varieties planted and the region where they are grown, as some diseases and pests only occur in certain areas.
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WHO proposals threaten 10 000 SA tobacco jobs
The South African tobacco farming sector stands to lose about 10 000 jobs if the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) proposals are passed.
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Death of a Farmer – Part 1
My determination to regularly fire off notes drawn from my rural peregrinations was recently undermined by a larger-than-usual work commitment...
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North West farmers suspicious of R155 million projects
The announcement by North West’s MEC for agriculture and rural development, Desbo Mohono, that she budgeted R155 million for the implementation of a number of agricultural projects in the 2012/2013 financial year was met with caution by farmers in the province.
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SA trade with Russia set to increase
In December 2011, Russia was finally invited to join the World Trade Organisation (WTO). It has until 15 June to ratify its membership and, 30 days later, it will become the WTO's 154th fully-fledged member.
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Agriculture is losing the battle against mines – BFAP
About 30% of all land cultivated to soya beans in South Africa could be lost to mining in Mpumalanga. This was the finding of a report on mining compiled by the Bureau for Food and Agricultural Policy (BFAP).
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