Growing veggies on a small plot of land
Albertina Nontwazana Stungu, a domestic worker in Port Elizabeth, is testament to the fact that a farming operation does not necessarily require vast tracts of land.
Parliament to rule on amnesty for expired firearm licences
Minister of Police Bheki Cele’s request to Parliament for a six-month amnesty period for firearm owners whose licences have expired, has been referred to the Parliament Portfolio Committee on Police where it will be discussed on 16 August.
New Chinese hatchery to produce 60 million chicks annually
A new hatchery for layer hens, the Huayu International Poultry Incubation Centre in Handan in China’s Hebei Province, said to be the largest in the world, is expected to produce about 60 million commercial layer chicks/year.
200 more SA elephants destined for Mozambique
A further 200 elephants from South Africa have been donated to Mozambique, this time by the De Beers Group. This follows the donation of 53 elephants by two KwaZulu-Natal conservation areas that were recently translocated to the Zinave National Park in that country.
Northern Cape wind farms come to the rescue of sheep farmers
More than 100 drought-stricken Northern Cape sheep farmers, who have been struggling to keep their livestock fed and supplied with water, have been thrown a lifeline by two local wind energy farms.
A new beginning for crisis-hit Coligny
Agribusiness NWK is funding a project launched by the South Africa Day Project in order to contribute to the regeneration of the Coligny town and community in North West province.
Claws out for lion bones quota increase
The decision to increase South Africa’s annual lion bone export quota to 1 500 skeletons has been taken to task by the Endangered Wildlife Trust (EWT).
Attracting investors to Africa
For Africa to attract investment to the agricultural sector, it needs a stable policy environment that allows trade to flow, according to Dr Doaa Abdel-Motaal, trade specialist and former deputy chief of staff of the World Trade Organisation.
‘Land reform: SA needs to learn from other African examples’
We need to connect the land debate in South Africa, specifically in terms of land expropriation without compensation, to how land has been governed and is governed elsewhere in Africa.
Recent rain will have ‘minimal effect’ on maize harvest
Farmers do not appear to be overly concerned about the impact of recent winter rain where the maize harvest is still underway in the summer cropping area.
Weathering the storm of global trade turmoil
The major power players in the world such as the US, the EU, China and India hold very divergent positions with regard to trade from those held by developing nations in Africa and elsewhere, according to Dr John Purchase, CEO of Agbiz.
“DAFF must play bigger role in disease prevention’
The Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (DAFF) needs to make a substantially greater effort to prevent the possible introduction of the TR4 strain of Panama disease (TR4) into South Africa’s commercial banana plantations.
Grain SA celebrates Mandela’s 100th birthday
Grain SA’s Nampo personnel, in Bothaville, Free State, undertook the mammoth task of overhauling the premises of the local Nala Ratabile Children’s Home to commemorate the 100th anniversary of late president Nelson Mandela’s birthday.
Help save the African pangolin
At least 10 000 pangolins are trafficked out of Africa every year, according to Catherine Ritchie, marketing and communications manager of the newly launched NGO, Pangolin.Africa.
Free State junior tops the log in Fauresmith endurance ride
A 14-year-old Free State girl, Marjulyn Myburgh of Bethlehem and her Arabian mare, Rasheeq Amor, left the competition in the dust during the first week of July to come home in the fastest time in the annual Fauresmith 200 endurance race.
Bonsmara bull sold for a record R1,8 million
Derek Ralfe of Up George Bonsmaras has sold the Bonsmara bull, LAR 14 173, for a record price of R1,8 million at the 20th annual production sale of Up George Bonsmaras held near Wasbank in KwaZulu-Natal.
Strong tractor sales figures for June
Analysts of South Africa’s agricultural machinery sales expressed surprise about the 18,8% year-on-year increase in tractor sales for June.
Entries open for 2018 Tru-Cape Packhouse Challenge
Thousands of entries are expected for the 2018 Tru-Cape Packhouse Challenge to be held on 25 August.
Brucellosis control faces multiple challenges
State and private vets as well as animal health technicians (AHTS) face many challenges in their efforts to control brucellosis in South Africa.
Urgent access to more avocado export markets needed – Subtrop
A large avocado harvest means the industry needs to access more export markets to remain sustainable, according to the South African Subtropical Growers Association (Subtrop).
