Business

With renewable energy becoming necessary, could wood gasification present a viable alternative?

Although Zandile Cewu grew up on a farm in the former Transkei, she never imagined she would become a full-time farmer. However, when her father died in 2013, Zandile was left in charge of two family farms. After three years of independent farming, determined Zandile has grown the farming operations and confidently faces all its challenges.

Your farming business is in a one-way financial cul de sac. What remedies do you have at your disposal to solve the problem? Johan Botha, an attorney specialising in insolvencies, and agricultural consultant, Pietman Botha, offer some advice.

It’s important to plan beyond the drought in a sector that will remain a driver of economic growth & social stability.

Fresh produce markets are available to all producers. Yet using them optimally requires know-how.

In order to boost sales, it’s important to know your customers and what they expect.

A rural development project aimed at empowering female farmers is reaching new levels of success.

Dr Gordon Adam, Western Cape coordinator of the Ruminant Veterinary Association of SA (RuVasa), spoke to Glenneis Kriel about developments in the sector.

Applying lean agriculture could help SA's farmers improve operational efficiency

While large farming operations appear to be growing bigger, smaller-scale farmers are becoming more diversified and are targeting niche markets. Their high-quality produce is becoming increasingly sought-after by both local and international consumers. Jay Ferreira visited Fan Olivier on Houdconstant farm.

A passion for pet alpacas lead to the start of an alpaca farm in Wellington.

Eight developing maize farmers plan to better themselves and their community through government and private assistance, hard work and a determination to equip themselves with as much knowledge as possible.

Roelof Bezuidenhout interviews Arthur Rudman, WRSA’s rancher of the year and MD of Blaauwkrantz Farming Enterprises in Uitenhage, Eastern Cape.

Flowershed supplies the local and export markets with indigenous flowers. Here's how they broke into and conquered the indigenous flower market.

Many farmers are not only struggling with the environmental effects of the drought, but experiencing monetary difficulties. Marius Volschenk, Nedbank’s area manager of agriculture in Bloemfontein, spoke to Annelie Coleman about the importance of long-term financial planning.

Agrico has served the SA farming community for more than a hundred years. HEre's how they stay ahead of the game while retaining traditional values.

A small dairy research farm near Gulu in northern Uganda is benefiting from the expertise of a large US-based dairy operation, Country Dairy. On a recent trip to South Africa, Country Dairy herd manager, SA-born Johan Vosloo, spoke to Gerhard Uys about how similar empowerment models could help stimulate the small- to medium-scale agricultural sector in South Africa.

Small-scale farming operations are just as exposed to risk as their larger counterparts. Diversifying production is therefore also an option on smaller farms to mitigate this risk.

The milling operation started out of necessity. Today a successful business, here are lessons from an expert on maize meal and animal feed milling.

Oyster farming offers several advantages: it’s sustainable, has low-impact, and produces naturally organic and healthy food.