‘Meticulous student’ wins university horticultural science award
The HORTGRO Science/Prof Daan Strydom Award for the best final year student in horticultural science at Stellenbosch University (SU) was recently awarded to Helen Marais of Ceres.
Africa Big Seven conference
The Africa Big Seven (AB7) conference at the Gallagher Convention Centre from 21 to 23 June will see major foreign agricultural producers exhibiting this year.
Minister urges youth to choose agriculture as a career
In an effort aimed at wooing young people to farming, the department of agriculture recently launched a youth outreach programme career expo.
Food prices could increase up to 1% due to energy crisis – Winde
Eskom’s proposed tariff increase, coupled with load-shedding, will result in multi-billion rand losses to the economy and food price increases for consumers.
New Robertson fruit handling depot
A new fruit handling depot in the Robertson area of the Western Cape was opened by Constitution Road Wine Growers (CRWG) recently.
Poor communication between consumers and agriculture
Communication between SA’s consumers and the agricultural sector was lacking, according to Tutti Rudman, SA National Consumer Union (SANCU) chairperson.
SA women sacrifice healthy meals to feed men, children
A high percentage of South Africans living in poverty-stricken urban areas are food insecure and women often end up foregoing nutritious meals to feed the men and children in the...
Gwede Mantashe encourages dialogue
ANC general secretary Gwede Mantashe said recently that he appreciated Agri SA’s approach to engage government constructively on agricultural policies, after discussions by him and Agri SA leadership this week.
Astral’s Chris Schutte hospitalised due to heart condition
Dr Chris Schutte, CEO of Astral Foods, has been admitted to hospital for a heart condition and will take a leave of absence from his official duties for a period...
SA agriculture grows jobs towards 1 million target
In the first quarter of 2015, South Africa’s agriculture sector made significant headway towards meeting the target of creating one million additional jobs set for it by the National Development...
Research on kudu rabies in Namibia begins
Sufficient funds have been raised to start with research on the ongoing kudu rabies epidemic that has annihilated thousands of kudu in Namibia since 2001, according to Dr Reiner Hassel,...
FAO Food Price index falls
The Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) Food Price index for global food prices fell to its lowest since September 2009.
World Environment Day
If current consumption and production patterns are not changed, and the global population continues to increase as before, we shall need the equivalent of three Earths to sustain us by...
‘Jackals, hyenas’ will prey on R2 billion agri-parks fund – Afasa
Government’s urgency to implement agri-parks across the country will make the process very vulnerable to corruption and abuse by contactors, said the African Farmers’ Association of South Africa (Afasa).
FMD in northern Namibia “well controlled”
The recent outbreaks of foot-and-mouth disease in the Northern Communal Areas (NCA) of Namibia were well controlled and do not pose a danger to the commercial farming areas to the...
DAFF needs clear policy on freshwater fisheries resources – WRC
A study launched by the Water Research Commission (WRC) has found that a clear policy needs to be drawn up if South Africa intends to establish a successful inland fisheries...
Co-ordinated predation management desperately needed
Predation damage in SA’s game and livestock industries amounted to R383 142 807/year, said Prof HO de Waal from the Free State University.
News-making headlines in FW – 29 May
Farmer's Weekly news editor Jaco Visser spoke to OFM's agri-editor Sabrina Dean about the top articles in the 29 May issue of Farmer's Weekly:
Carl van der Merwe wins WC Young Farmer of the Year 2015
A fruit farmer from the Koue Bokkeveld, Carl van der Merwe, was named the Western Cape Young Farmer of the Year.
Standard Bank advises farmers to ‘cut the dead wood’
Farmers should avoid the risk of placing too much emphasis on economic and global issues they have little or no control over, according to Nico Groenewald, Standard Bank’s head of...
