Agribusiness

Looking for an investment opportunity beyond the borders of South Africa? Slovenia might just be the answer. Pieter de Waal spoke to Glenneis Kriel about part-time wine production in this beautiful Central European country.

In order to lower production costs and become more efficient, farmers need to track and keep records of their animals. This is where the Farm4Trade app comes in.

Standard Bank and UN Women are actively working towards equipping women farmers to grow their businesses and become long-term successful producers.

An innovative vertical growing system makes it possible to grow fresh, healthy produce without owning a plot. James Dick, the inventor of the HiGro Tower Garden System, spoke to Jeandré van der Walt about his vertical-growing method.

Consumer interest in healthy eating is pushing up sales of fresh produce. But looking at the commodities that experienced the highest growth over the past few years, one thing is clear: information, marketing, packaging and branding hold the key to increasing demand and staying competitive. Lindi Botha spoke to industry experts Jaco Oosthuizen and Kandas Cloete.

Are you a South African woman entrepreneur in agriculture or related sub-sector?

When establishing a new business, investors often struggle with what to focus on first: the market or the product. Pork farmer Hannes Richards had little difficulty with this decision. A single advertisement on social media triggered such demand for his product that he had to expand his operation as rapidly as possible. Lindi Botha visited him on his farm in Limpopo.

Ecosystem and platform thinking are the latest trends coming out of international research This kind of thinking could help unlock Africa’s smallholder and agribusiness potential.

Using earthworms to recycle food waste into compost is not only profitable, but helps to address the increasing problem of food waste. Worm farmer Thato Lekonyane spoke to Siyanda Sishuba about his enterprise.

Nets can significantly reduce climate-related risks, but may result in financial losses if farmers do not do their homework. This was the warning of experts who spoke to Glenneis Kriel.

COVID-19 has caused many disruptions to the agriculture sector, despite the sector being declared an essential service. It is because of events like these that Standard Bank employs a team of agricultural experts to better meet the needs of its agribusiness clients.

The collaboration combines The Lamphouse’s local roots with Fluence’s horticulture expertise to serve the estimated R28 billion South African cannabis industry.

The evolution of agricultural production and value chains requires that agricultural economics adapts quickly to remain relevent and helpful. Prof Theo Kleynhans, head of Stellenbosch University’s Department of Agricultural Economics, spoke to Lloyd Phillips.

The outbreak of COVID-19 and the strenuous efforts to curb its spread have disrupted industries and global value chains on an unprecedented scale. This is especially true of agriculture, with lockdowns worldwide having affected farmers and food supply.

As announced on 18 August 2020, the Competition Tribunal has approved the merger between the Senwes Group of Klerksdorp and the Suidwes Group of Leeudoringstad.

South African agriculture is a uniquely risky environment, yet its farmers are well-known for meeting challenges with courage and resilience. Glenneis Kriel spoke to four prominent farmers to discover how they deal with uncertainty.

As we look to life beyond the COVID-19 pandemic, the world is presented with a unique set of challenges to industries causing severe disruption to global value chains.

A lack of experience prevents many qualified young people from finding their first jobs in agriculture. Recruitment specialist Marianne van der Laarse explained the situation to Glenneis Kriel and called for internships and more practical exposure for students.

With its reduced land and water requirements, tunnel farming is a viable option for farmers with little access to natural resources, says Suzanne Oosthuizen, managing director of the Undercover Farming Expo. She spoke to Lindi Botha about the unique benefits of undercover farming.

The Kasselhoft estate near Leeudoringstad in North West evokes the French countryside with its fragrant lavender and rosemary fields. This is where Trudi and Rina Kasselman run their herbal business and market their cosmetic care and assorted product range.