South Africa

Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP) investment plans offer significant scope for attracting youth to suitable agricultural value chains, said Dr Tobias Takavarasha, representative of the UN's Food and Agricultural Organisation, at a recent CAADP consultative workshop in Pretoria.

Agri Norhtern Cape expressed its concern about the high water levels of the Vaal, Gariep and Van der Kloof dams following above-normal rainfall in the catchment area since the beginning of March.

Two horses have tested positive for African horse sickness (AHS) in the Western Cape on a property situated within the AHS Protection Zone between Saron and Porterville.

Nulaid, a division of Pioneer Foods, has admitted that animal welfare standards were breached at its cull facility in Rustenburg in North West, where end-of-lay birds are sold live to the public.

South Africa’s fourth quarter (Q4) current account deficit in 2013 amounted to 5,1% of GDP, down from the 6,4% shortfall recorded in the third quarter (Q3) of last year.

Lumpy skin cattle disease has hit Masvingo province, in Zimbabwe, 300km north of the SA border, where more than 5 000 cattle have been affected, reported The Zimbabwean.

Speaking at the Animal Breeding and Reproductive Technology Platform (ABRTP) on Thursday, Richard York, of York Safaris said that the buffalo bull, Mystery sold for R40 million at the Thaba Tholo Auction last year was a ‘genuine gem’ with a 53,5 inch horn span.

Speaking at the launch of the Animal Breeding and Reproductive Technology Platform (ABRTP), Dr Maneshree Jugmohan-Naidu, of the Department of Science and Technology (DST) said one of the key objectives was to create an ‘enabling environment’.

A new pest of commercial Eucalyptus trees appears to have made its way to South Africa. While forest scientists have yet to confirm the pest’s identity, initial indications are that it may belong to the genus Spondyliaspis, more commonly known as shell lerp psyllids.

The Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries is putting the finishing touches to its Agricultural Policy Action Plan, a five-year rolling plan intended to enhance food production and employment, said deputy director Mortimer Mannya at the Southern Africa Bio- technology and Bio safety conference.

The farming community in KwaZulu-Natal’s Camperdown area is relieved after police quickly rearrested eight members of what has been dubbed the ‘Sticky Tape Gang’.

Conservation agriculture (CA) is a good investment for any grain producer. This was according to Dr Peter Johnston, a climatologist at the Cape Town University.

Major increases in the first yield estimates for many of the 2013/2014 summer grain crops over the final yields of the 2012/2013 season are mainly due to the very different weather conditions of the two seasons.

Many men in Africa could go to school thanks to the support their mothers were able to provide through income earned by farming.

Serious thought and extensive town planning needed to go into the concept of establishing agri-villages on KwaZulu-Natal farms before the first sod was turned, according to Utrecht Farmers’ Association chairperson Gerard Potgieter.

The potato industry is bracing for severe production disruptions as Eskom warned of power disruptions scheduled for the week of 9 March. This was according to Potatoes South Africa (PSA) CEO André Jooste.

Former US vice-president Al Gore will be visiting SA for the Climate Reality Leadership Corps Africa Training initiative, taking place in Johannesburg from 12 to 14 March.

Farmers in several parts of the country are grateful for the widespread rain they have received in recent days.

A motion of censure accusing Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Tina Joemat-Pettersson of a criminal offence, based on Public Protector Advocate Thuli Madonsela’s findings in a report last year, has been presented to the National Assembly in parliament.

SA consumers have been cautioned to use electricity sparingly as Eskom declared its fourth power emergency since November 2013 on Thursday morning.