Business

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.

Having suffered several setbacks in their efforts to make their agribusiness profitable, a group of hard-working land reform beneficiaries in KwaZulu-Natal at last got the help they needed from an agricultural transformation organisation. Lloyd Phillips reports on the Gugulethu community.

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.

The Agricultural Writers SA New Entrant to Commercial Agriculture winner in 2019, Dirk Louw, is showing that it still is possible to start farming from scratch. He spoke to Glenneis Kriel about what contributed to his success, his perseverance against all odds and his plans for the future.

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.

Black smallholder farmers are often excluded from the supply chain due to high barriers of entry. A fund established by Tiger Brands is now trying to address this problem. Mary-Jane Morifi, chief corporate affairs and sustainability officer at Tiger Brands, spoke to Jeandré van der Walt about the company’s plans to empower these farmers, as well as black suppliers and distributors.

The Siyazama Community Garden in Khayelitsha has changed the lives of a group of women in the township. During a media tour to the garden hosted by Coronation Fund Managers, two of the farmers, Nokwanda Nkqayi and Liziwe Stofile, spoke to Jeandré van der Walt about their organic farming practices and the impact that the garden has had on their lives.

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.

All Starke Ayres tomatoes and sweet peppers are carefully selected for local conditions. Its latest hybrids are the best combination yet of reliable growth, exceptional taste, and long shelf life.

Hydroelectric power production need not mean massive installations for large-scale commercial supply. KwaZulu-Natal farmer Peter Ward’s small-scale hydroelectric system on his farm generates sufficient power for his dairy enterprise while saving his operation up to R1,3 million a year. At the same time, he uses the precious resource of water sustainably.

The CEO of Onderstepoort Biological Products, Dr Baptiste Dungu, spoke to Glenneis Kriel about the repositioning of the state-owned veterinary company as an international player.

Changes in the livestock business environment have motivated the National Emergent Red Meat Producers’ Organisation (NERPO) to review its strategy and improve services to its members. NERPO managing director Aggrey Mahanjana spoke to Siyanda Sishuba about future plans.

Toyota South Africa/Agri SA’s Young Farmer of the Year for 2019, Johan van der Schyff, whose agricultural concern has operations across the Southern and Eastern Cape, has utilised the advantages of economies of scale and technology to build up his substantial concern. He spoke to Glenneis Kriel about his layer business and other enterprises.

The theft of agricultural produce costs South African farmers billions of rand a year, not only through the loss of produce, but in additional expenses, such as fencing, to improve security. Annelie Coleman spoke to industry leaders Dr Jane Buys, Derek Donkin and Tommie Esterhuyse, as well as a Limpopo-based citrus producer who preferred to remain anonymous.