Empowerment

Land claims on the world heritage site, Greater St Lucia Wetland Park (GSLWP) in northern Zululand, are being settled quickly and amicably between affected parties.

Over 50% of all stock in the Eastern Cape belong to communal farmers, which is why efforts are being made to absorb these animals into mainstream marketing channels and to enable cultural producers to compete successfully in this intricate market.

With the option of buying a controlling share in Kanhym Estates, one of South Africa's most successful agribusinesses, empowerment consortium Kgomo Kgolo seems to have done a good job in allaying any fears the estate's management might have had about AgriBEE. Today Khehla Mthembu is non-executive chairperson of Kanhym Estates and, as Susan Botes reports, the business is more bullish than ever about its prospects.

At the recent mohair producers' conference held in Port Elizabeth in early June, the buying houses, for once, were not the hot topic of debate. Gordon Wright was there and shares his view of events that played out at the conference.

Independent agricultural education institutions catering to the black youth could be an answer to our land reform failures. With the financial support of private corporations and the mentorship of successful farmers, these institutions could turn out black farmers who will make land reform the success it should be. Lloyd Phillips reports. Issue date 15 June 2007

Cape Aloes (Aloe ferox) in the Eastern Cape have provided the Xhosa people with medicinal and cosmetic necessities for hundreds of years. Recently their value has been recognised in helping to alleviate grinding poverty in the region.

To most people Gauteng would not bring to mind the image of lush crop fields or technologically advanced agriculture. Yet the Gauteng Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Environment (GDACE) has a range of projects that aim to promote economic growth and job creation, fight poverty and build strong, sustainable communities through agriculture.
Issue Date 16 March 2007

Farmers have been suffering accusations of human rights violations of employees. However, an Agri Wes-Cape survey last year revealed that most farmers in the Western Cape invest more in their labourers than required by law. Glenneis Erasmus reports on one farming family's commitment to uplift and empower its workers.
Issue Date: 9 March

Young South Africans appear to be in high demand in the United States, especially as seasonal farmworkers.

Sheep farming in KwaZulu-Natal is reeling from the effects of rampant stock theft, and as a result many farmers have either switched to cattle farming or left agriculture altogether. Issue date: 23 February 2007

Too often the South African dream of a united, prosperous farming sector has turned into a nightmare of land invasions, boundary disputes and farm murders. Now a small community of grape exporters in North West is showing the dream can come true if a few simple rules are followed. Issue Date: 9 February 2007

This is the first in a series of five articles on habitat planning in which habitat designer and wildlife biologist Ben Breedlove explains how to create a fully functional and optimised habitat when farming on a ­fragment of land, thus getting the most out of animals and visitors.