News

Spring has arrived, and to celebrate, here are two delicious recipes that combine colour, freshness and taste. Both make good use of appetising Sweet Palermo peppers.

When Ina Lessing started her home-made jams and preserves business 25 years ago, she had no idea that she would one day be supplying outlets across South Africa.

The anti-meat lobby and the emerging ‘fake-meat’ industry pose a threat to livestock farmers worldwide. Timely action by meat industry organisations, and exploitation of opportunities to grow crops for the manufacture of these meat-replacement products, are needed to secure the future, says Peter Hughes.

Finding effective and lasting solutions to rural crime will require a collective response from individuals, community organisations, government structures and the police, writes Uys van der Westhuijzen, chairperson of the Agri SA Centre of Excellence for Rural Safety. He cautions, however, that no response can ever be truly effective if it is not supported by an effective criminal justice system.

A crucial link in KwaZulu-Natal’s food security, the Durban Fresh Produce Market, has been shut down since Monday due to the violent protests in the province.

According to the 2021 statistics yearbook ‘The World of Organic Agriculture’, which presents the latest statistics and emerging trends in organic farming from 187 countries around the world, organic farmland increased by 1,1 million hectares in 2019, and organic retail sales continued to grow.

Climate change is inextricably linked to the accelerating destruction of nature. This report discusses how natural climate solutions, which include land management programmes that increase carbon dioxide storage and reduce carbon emissions, can help tackle both problems simultaneously.

So says management legend Peter Drucker. He is right; delegation (done properly) gets the job done, saves time and gets the best out of employees! Peter Hughes explains.

According to Shadrack Ntando Sibisi, executive chairperson of the South Africa Tobacco Transformation Alliance, the five-month long ban on the sale of tobacco products, which formed part of Government’s COVID-19 lockdown regulations, resulted in a sharp increase in illicit tobacco trade, and this trend was not reversed by the lifting of the ban.

Progress towards digital inclusivity is threatened by growing digital dependency, automation, information suppression, and gaps in regulation and capabilities, notes the World Economic Forum’s latest Global Risks Report.

A family business can offer good employment opportunities in a pleasant working environment, but it can come with unique challenges. Understand them and you’ll never regret being a family outsider, says Peter Hughes.

The use of Earth observation has brought about dramatic improvements in agricultural practices and access to water. A new report published by the World Economic Forum details how Earth observations are fundamental to harnessing the innovations of the Fourth Industrial Revolution to support agricultural productivity growth across Africa.

Extracting bad news from referees can be good news if it saves you from employing an unsuitable candidate.

These are the best brownies in the world, and will have your family coming back for more, says Janine Ryan. They have a fudge-like texture and are packed with chocolate!

The present generation of youth has endured a number of profoundly disruptive global events during their lifetime, the latest of which is the COVID-19 pandemic. Leaders need to initiate efforts to assist young people to acquire the tools, skills and rights to find work and cope in the post-pandemic world, or else risk having an angry and disillusioned ‘lost generation’, warns the latest Global Risks Report.

Export markets offer potentially lucrative trade opportunities for South Africa’s red meat industry. However, to profit fully from such opportunities, stakeholders in the industry need to take careful note of the demands of consumers in importing countries. Dr Frikkie Maré, an agricultural economist with in-depth knowledge of the red meat value chain, explains what some of these are.

Never before has it been so tempting to wallow in negativity and pessimism. Beware! It’s an attitude that holds dangers for your business, career, marriage and friendships, says Peter Hughes.

Urbanisation, increased food demand, rising rural wages, and seasonal labour bottlenecks have led to the interest in promoting agricultural mechanisation in sub-Saharan Africa. A new report by the International Food Policy Research Institute looks at the lessons that Africa can learn from Asia in this regard.

The expansion of agriculture increases the risk of deforestation, which will not only have a negative impact on climate change mitigation, but also diminish food security for millions of desperately poor people. This report looks at the link between food security and forest ecosystems.

It is easy to become dispirited, risk-averse or moribund after failure. The real winners in life, whether they are individuals, teams or businesses, are those that choose to press on regardless.