South Africa

Outbreaks of rabbit haemorrhagic disease (RHD) in the Northern and Western Cape have been confirmed by the Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development (agriculture department).

“Earlier than usual flooding” stretching from the Prieska to Kakamas areas in the Orange River region of the Northern Cape, have left farmers concerned about the climatic outlook for the rest of the season.

Despite the fact that the South African government had spent more than R7 billion between 1998 and 2020 to try to contain the spread of invasive alien species, the struggle to control these plants was continuing, according to a report by Stellenbosch University.

South African farmers are joining the global trend of using professional service robots, called field robots, “to address the multitude of challenges brought on by daily farm life”, according to Agri SA’s head of rural safety, Kobus Visser.

The in-calf Brahman cow SER 19 32 recently set a new South African record when she was sold for R1,2 million at the Prima Genetika Brahman Auction held at Castle de Wildt near Modimolle on 19 November.

Agricultural systems will have to change to adapt to climate change and improve food security. This was the message that emerged from delegates at the 2022 United Nations Climate Change Conference, commonly referred to as COP27, held at Sharm El-Sheikh in Egypt.

The rapid increase in the Kruger National Park’s (KNP) Indian mynah (Acridotheres tristis) population is disturbing, according to Dr Llewellyn Foxcroft, a scientist with the South African National Parks based in the park.

Data on farmers’ summer crop planting intentions for the 2022/23 season point to yet another large harvest, according to Wandile Sihlobo, chief economist at Agbiz.

Although the tractor sales figures for October released by the South African Agricultural Machinery Association (SAAMA) on Monday (7 November) were the highest in 40 years, this was probably based on “necessity, rather than extravagance”, according to Derek Matthews, chairperson of Grain SA, who said that “after several years of drought, many farmers had delayed replacing tractors.”

The petting of captive bred lion cubs has become an enormous problem in South Africa. This was according to Reinet Meyer, a chief inspector at the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and the society’s branch manager in Bloemfontein.

For the first time in two years, the Land Bank has achieved a “clean audit”, after also posting a profit of R1,31 billion for the 2021/2022 financial year.

Those farming alongside South Africa’s border with Lesotho have been forsaken by the South African government, according to Dr Jane Buys, Free State Agriculture’s (FSA) safety risk analyst.

Skewed social media messages about elephants and conservation are leading to greater destruction of the environment, according to Deon Furstenburg, an independent wildlife scientist and consultant to Wildlife Ranching South Africa.

A newly released report by the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP) has uncovered new evidence that the bones and body parts of captive lions bred in South Africa are being traded to Asia in large numbers.

On the eve of yet another fuel price hike, this time in early November, farmers in the eastern parts of South Africa were scrambling to secure adequate volumes of diesel in order to be able to plant their crops. This was according to Henry Geldenhuys, a grain producer near Ermelo and president of TLU SA.

The South African government’s readiness to control large-scale locust outbreaks is a cause for serious concern.

While the agriculture sector has welcomed plans to grow South Africa’s economy inclusively by nearly doubling government spending on infrastructure, there is some dismay about the lack of direct assistance for farmers.

The theft of grain seed in the Free State is escalating alarmingly, with millions of rands worth of seed being stolen in the province since August, according to Dr Jane Buys, Free State Agriculture’s (FSA) safety and risk analyst.

A new R1,95 billion blended financing scheme aimed at the commercialisation of black farmers has been welcomed by Christo van der Rheede, CEO of Agri SA.

A newly established indigenous veld goat project promises to unlock the raw potential of Eastern Cape communities plagued by poverty.