News

Turkey has long been the traditional Christmas lunch on our farm. It takes my mother two days to prepare the whole bird, starting with an overnight brining and ending with half-an-hour in my father’s smoker.

Demand for nuts is set to continue growing strongly worldwide, but this does not mean the industry can grow complacent about improving production efficiencies. This is the opinion of Axel Breuer, CEO of AgroPress, which publishes The Clipper, an international magazine dealing with nut and dried fruit production and processing.

To achieve high productivity and ensure all-round business excellence, you need buy-in from your employees. Here’s how to build a committed, enthusiastic workforce.

While gene editing has the potential to reduce human suffering, irresponsible use could be devastating, according to Dr Jamie Metzl, futurist and author.

Pierre Cloete, CEO International Wealth & Prosperity, writes that the future of South Africa is gloomy and that investors and workers need to protect themselves by diversifying their portfolios with offshore investments.

Farmers, and businesses generally, have all lived through disruptions, but never before have we experienced anything like this. Here are some ideas on how to get through this trying period.

The re-evaluation of government spending, although much needed, will not be enough to address South Africa’s immense economic challenges. There also needs to be stronger political will and leadership to address poor implementation, writes Dr John Purchase, CEO of the Agricultural Business Chamber.

Tshepo Moloi and Prof Johann Kirsten of the Bureau for Economic Research at Stellenbosch University suggest that a zero-based budgeting approach could offer an opportunity to reassess the role of the state in rural development.

While growth and development initiatives have tended to focus on growing the commercial farming sector, a new school of thought argues for the coexistence of smallholder and commercial farmers to achieve household-level food security in South Africa, writes Dr Sifiso Ntombela, chief economist at the National Agricultural Marketing Council.

To assist in the annual struggle against cold weather, make and serve this hearty, warming, comforting and fine-tasting meat-free pie.

A distressing number of family businesses collapse amid heartache and recriminations. Yet failure is not inevitable! With careful preparation, family members can lay a solid foundation for success.

Any manager worth his or her salt takes the necessary action to mitigate damage from normal business risks. But how well will your farming operation cope with a wholly unexpected emergency?

The COVID-19 pandemic has emphasised the importance of agriculture in South Africa and across the continent because of the sector’s capacity to support economic growth, create and sustain jobs, and boost exports, writes Roux Wildenboer, head of agriculture at Absa Corporate and Investment Banking.

Don’t put all your eggs in one basket; if you fall, you run the risk of not having breakfast. Farmers should spread their risk by adding a second component to an existing farming operation, or even by investing in industries unrelated to agriculture, says Dawie Maree, head of information and marketing at FNB Agriculture.

It’s tempting to put off the difficult job of succession planning. But if you wait too long, you could end up destroying a profitable business and harming family relationships.

The strip of land spanning just over 900km along the Lesotho-South Africa border remains a source of economic loss and trauma for the many rural South Africans living there. Sabrina Dean spoke to Dr Jane Buys and Richard Chelin about the safety and security challenges in the area.

Agribusiness VKB, which has been doing business in South Africa for over a century, started as a co-operative, but has since been converted into a company. Managing director Koos Janse van Rensburg writes that the debate on capital formation and value creation within agricultural businesses is as old as the industry itself, and explains the relative merits of the co-operative and corporate models.

The concept of sustainable development is straightforward: the future should be a better, healthier place than the present. Farmers have a major part to play in forging this future.

Drylands are home to two billion people, many of whom are poor and depend directly on the land’s resources for food and energy. Drylands also generate crucial environmental services and contain 35% of the world’s biodiversity hotspots. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations explains the importance, and challenges, of conserving drylands.

Orkel Dens-X Compactor stationary bale makers were launched in South Africa in January. The event took place at meat value chain company Kameeldrift Voere, based in Cullinan, Gauteng.