Agribusiness

Social media has opened myriad avenues for reaching consumers through targeted advertising campaigns. However, the algorithms are notoriously tricky, especially when trying to maximise exposure to specific audiences on a set budget.

Regenerative agriculture is often framed as a choice farmers can weigh at their leisure. However, adopting these practices is becoming unavoidable, as sustainability has moved from aspiration to operational baseline, says Zhann Meyer, head of agricultural finance at Nedbank Corporate and Investment Banking.

Karen Swanepoel, executive director of the Southern African Essential Oil Producers’ Association, spoke to Octavia Avesca Spandiel about South Africa’s essential oils industry and its rise from a small niche market to a quality-driven, globally recognised, and fast-growing business.

In farming, success rarely happens by chance. It starts long before a seed is planted or the first raindrop falls. Looking ahead allows producers to make decisions that will shape their future successful harvests.

Roland Urwin, café owner and coffee researcher, spoke to Octavia Avesca Spandiel about how South Africa’s evolving specialty coffee culture mirrors global trends, prioritising craftsmanship, origin, and quality-driven consumer experiences.

Octavia Avesca Spandiel spoke to Adele Cutten, founder of Adele’s Mohair, to explore how a small spinning experiment grew into a thriving rural craft enterprise rooted in South Africa’s rich mohair heritage.

Petri Swart never planned on pursuing a job in agriculture. Yet, his hands-on approach, technical focus, and willingness to challenge conventional raisin production systems has earned him recognition as SA Raisins’ 2025 Young Farmer of the Year.

A platform, PropelMapper, is transforming how agricultural consultants, sales agents and researchers capture and use field data, producing insights that can be shared across teams. Tech entrepreneur Reghardt Pretorius, co-founder of PropelMapper, spoke to Glenneis Kriel about the solution.

Bezalel Wine and Brandy Estate has evolved from a bulk grape supplier to a producer of small-batch, high-quality wines, brandies, and infusions. Martiens Bezuidenhout spoke to Glenneis Kriel about his family’s journey.

Vanessa Collocott runs a free-range Pekin duck enterprise in Curry’s Post, KwaZulu-Natal. She explains that with a seven-week production cycle, disciplined management, and secure restaurant markets, duck farming provides steady cash flow and a viable diversification option for small-scale farmers.

Managing thousands of bee colonies as a pollination service provider is a complex, logistical feat. Added to the challenge is keeping the swarms fed amid dwindling natural resources and crops that offer little nutrition. Jaco Wolfaardt, commercial beekeeper and founder of Ubusi Beekeeping, spoke to Henning Naudé about keeping the bees and business abuzz.

The success of a farming operation in Botswana is largely due to the accessibilty of equipment and technical backup from reliable service providers, like Agrico.

The South African agriculture sector faces growing pressure to ensure food security, sustainable farming, and innovative livestock production, requiring a skilled workforce with theoretical knowledge and practical experience.

While the agriculture sector faced significant headwinds in 2025, the year has ended on a strong note. Dawie Maree, head of agriculture information and marketing at FNB, talks about navigating challenges and opportunities in 2026.

At Schenkfontein in the Western Cape’s Swartland, the Hanekom approach to winemaking reflects a deeply held belief in family values.

Many Christmas plants such as poinsettia, holly, and mistletoe are deeply rooted in Northern Hemisphere traditions and aren’t naturally adapted to South Africa’s warm December climate. Horticulture expert Andy de Wet talks about traditional plants and indigenous alternatives.

Welma Viljoen, owner of Mobjadi Farm, spoke to Carol Sutherland about the greenery she produces for the flower market, and the challenges she faces in production and getting her product to market.

Glenneis Kriel caught up with Kevin Ruck and Gabriel Lee to learn more about the production of these succulent bivalves.

The cannabis hype in South Africa has been dampened by the reality of pricey compliance and start-up costs. Hemp presents the solution to both, requiring low input costs while offering promising marketing opportunities. Lindi Botha visited Green Route Hemp Industries in Walkerville, Gauteng, to find out about the value chain development needed to propel the local industry forward.

The 2025 UN Climate Change Conference, taking place this month in Brazil, will highlight the role of agriculture in combatting climate change, as it becomes increasingly clear that the sector is not only vulnerable to climate change but is also one of the most powerful levers we have to address it.