South Africa

The effects of an ongoing violent protest action centred in Mooi River’s Bruntville township in KwaZulu-Natal have spread to the local farming community.

Women farmers were recognised for their role and contribution to Africa’s Agriculture and Food Security at the 14th annual DAFF Female Entrepreneur of the Year Awards in Mahikeng recently.

Former Bela-Bela municipal manager Andrew Dipela has been accused by the Democratic Alliance (DA) of allegedly starving pigs on the government-owned Rietspruit Farm, near Modimolle, Limpopo.

Free State Agriculture (FSA) has decided to facilitate the establishment of an organisation to support mentors and mentorship programmes in the province.

Government has no intention of expropriating land without compensation.

Mentorship must be based on sound financial principles and is not a free-for-all, said Martin Detering, Free State Agriculture (FSA) land reform chairperson at an FSA mentorship workshop in Senekal.

SA’s inflation slowed to 6,3% in July from 6,6% the previous month, remaining above the Reserve Bank’s 3% to 6% target.

Agriculture presented an opportunity for business expansion in Africa as a whole David Hodnett, of the Barclays Africa Group, said at the recent Produce Marketing Association (PMA) Fresh Connections conference.

The new CEO of Land Bank will be announced in September, said chairperson Ben Ngubane.

The responsibility of the health status of SA’s livestock herd rests with the industry at large, SA’s director for animal health, Dr Mpho Maja said at the recent National Red Meat Producers’ Organisation congress in Bloemfontein.

Massmart Holdings, South Africa’s biggest food and goods wholesaler, says it has successfully linked more than 100 farmers into formal retail.

At least 65% of all plants that have gone extinct in South Africa were from the Western Cape.