Business

Small-town agricultural schools often struggle in today’s educational climate, characterised by departmental underfunding. But Winterberg Agricultural High School has maintained its high standards, and developed its farm into a self-sufficient entity. Grant Hollins visited the school to learn more.

A visitor to the Feed a Child feeding scheme is greeted by a heartwarming and humbling sight: laughing children anticipating a nutritious hot meal. The project, started in 1988 with the help of regular volunteers from the local township, is a blessing to the lives of many poverty-stricken children. Project managers William Wessels and Johan Meiring spoke to Annelie Coleman.

De Kock Boerdery’s award-winning farm worker choirs have been the saving grace for many of the singers. Choir leaders Elsie Oliphant and Willem Krotz told Denene Erasmus how singing in the choir had changed their lives.

Apart from a new generation of winemakers and marketers that is making a name for itself, upcoming industry leaders are embarking on a fresh strategy to ensure the industry’s success. Jacques Claassen reports on these latest developments.

Mojala Mosoeu has been farming with cattle for 16 years. In 2011, after a nine-year wait, he received a farm as part of the government’s land reform programme. Now he stands to lose everything after the state recently decided to stop supporting him financially. Jaco Visser visited Mojala’s farm outside Heilbron.

Headman Manyota, a developing farmer, farms citrus in the Kat River Valley near Fort Beaufort. Last year, he achieved a massive 874% increase in production over 2013. Grant Hollins visited his farm.

Breeding association Konsortium Merino recently announced a breakthrough strategy to ensure its members’ success over the next decade. This entails new forms of ownership to overcome the growing difficulties associated with smaller farms and the lack of economy of scale.

You don’t have to own a farm to make money from agriculture. Getting involved higher up the value chain is easier and less risky. Derich Priga, owner of D&M Fresh Products, tells Glenneis Kriel how he became a packhouse owner and fruit distributor.

Recent research into land reform projects in the Western Cape sought to establish the differences between successful and unsuccessful projects. Jacques Claassen visited an example of each and explains how they were rated.

Zeder Investments recently concluded the largest transaction in its existence, boosting its investments in agriculture to more than R10 billion and proving the company’s positive outlook on the industry. Jaco Visser interviewed CEO Norman Celliers.

South Africa’s food label laws have been modified several times in recent years. Now, further far-reaching changes to food labelling legislation could be implemented by the end of the year if proposals gazetted by the Department of Health (DoH) on 29 May are passed.

With a land size of just over 78 000km², Scotland is only slightly bigger than Mpumalanga. Yet its total annual food and drink exports amount to £5,3 billion (R97 billion). Anneli Groenewald explains how branding boosted the industry, and how farmers continually seek new opportunities.

An informal trader is described in Western Cape government legislation as “any person who carries on a business as a street vendor or hawker, including an employee of such a person, and includes any person who trades in a public place”.

Wensleydale Farms in Centurion, Gauteng, is well established as an organic grower. New owner Magapa Phaweni plans to use her business skills to build on the farm’s success and expand its exports.

Five years ago, Beefmaster Feedlot near Christiana embarked on a strategy to encompass the entire value chain. Today, its operations extend from producing feed to selling its meat at retail outlets.

Ten developing Free State maize farmers are achieving success, thanks to the help of a dedicated mentor and the support of agricultural companies. Susan Botes-Marais reports on the VKB-GFADA Maize Project on state-owned land near Senekal.

David Matobako, an ambitious young farmer, is proving that agricultural reform is not an idle dream. Susan Botes-Marais visited him on his Free State farm and saw how a sound partnership is making his dream of commercial grain farming come to life.

Erik Phinallephe (55) was born and raised in Stellenbosch and started working as a general farm labourer when he was only 12.

Thorn Park trading store began farming chickens 19 years ago after fortune walked through the door – literally. Now raising in excess of 10 000 chickens, the enterprise is proving to be the store’s proverbial golden egg. Grant Hollins visited the operation outside East London to find out more.

According to various climate change models, the average temperature in South Africa will increase by 2°C within the next 40 years and by as much as 6°C within the next 80 years.