Lessons from Danish researchers and farmers
Research and development in agriculture is accelerating to keep up with the numerous challenges in the sector. On a recent agricultural tour of Denmark, Lindi Botha discovered the many different ways...
The approaching crisis threatening SA’s bees and beekeepers
With bees pollinating approximately one-third of the world’s crops, commercial pollination services are a crucial and sought-after resource for many farmers. However, unscrupulous industry players are doing more harm than...
Using livestock for healthier soil
Angus McIntosh, a livestock farmer at Spier, recently hosted an information day during which he discussed the importance of ‘outdoor’ livestock production for the future of food security.
The unique pollination strategies of plants ensure their survival
South Africa is filled with an array of remarkable plant species. Landscape designer Leon Kluge spoke to Magda du Toit about this mysterious world of flora and the tricks they have...
Floating wetlands: a cleaning solution for polluted farm dams
Floating wetlands are successful at improving the quality of nutrient-polluted water, and can be made from a few basic materials, says Dr Alanna Rebelo, a senior researcher in the Department...
Healthier trees, thanks to pest-control partners
Professors Almuth Hammerbacher, Bernard Slippers, Brett Hurley and Chris Weldon of the Forestry and Agricultural Biotechnology Institute at the University of Pretoria speak about the importance of protecting South Africa’s...
Contaminants threatening the health of soil and water
The fouling of fresh water supplies with pollutants emanating from primary agriculture has become a serious issue in South Africa. In this article, the Agricultural Research Council discusses the origins...
Tips for making your farm dung beetle-friendly
The beneficial role of insects in agriculture should not be underestimated, and this is equally true of dung beetles. As these fascinating recycling experts go about their daily business of...
Conservation alliances protect natural heritage
In 1984, when Charl van der Merwe purchased Brakfontein in the Northern Cape for sheep production, he could never have guessed that his farm would one day become a key...
Beware! The locusts are swarming this summer
South Africa looks to be heading for another large-scale brown locust outbreak this season, according to Dr Gerhard Vedoorn of CropLife South Africa and Dr Roger Price of the Agricultural Research Council....
Preventing and fighting veld fires
Fire protection associations play an integral part in managing fire risk during the dry winter season. Pieter Dempsey spoke to Johann Breytenbach, general manager of the Free State Umbrella Fire...
Breaking the cycle of child labour in agriculture
Across the world, child labour is practised more in agriculture than in any other sector. This is despite the numerous hazards involved in farm work, including unprotected exposure to chemicals,...
Varied tech solutions required for small-scale farming
The dual nature of South Africa’s agricultural landscape precludes a one-size-fits-all approach to technology solutions. Small-scale farmers have limited budgets and challenges that cannot be solved without taking their distinctive...
Is data the new soil in agri?
With today’s rapidly evolving digital technology, farmers have many options, but at a high cost. Discerning between the hype and the useful is therefore crucial to buying the right tools...
The role of farmers during the COVID-19 crisis
The COVID-19 pandemic had brought new appreciation for the pivotal role that South Africa’s agriculture sector plays in the provision of healthy, sufficient and affordable food, according to Derek Mathews,...
Making agriculture more bee-friendly
With the majority of food crops being pollinated by bees, dwindling colonies pose a threat to agriculture. But while pesticides play a major role in declining bee numbers, monocultures and...
Get ready to profit from plant- and insect-based proteins
Across the world, food consumption patterns are undergoing vast changes, necessitating changes in the agricultural landscape. Lindi Botha spoke to Mark Hassenkamp, agri-tech adviser to Blue Horizon Corporation, which holds...
Biodiversity: a valuable ally for the farmer
Caring for the indigenous vegetation on a farm not only helps protect plant species from extinction, but benefits the production of crops in several crucial ways. Glenneis Kriel spoke to...
Dealing with the data produced by precision farming
Erik de Vries, a director at precision farming consultancy Agri Technovation, says the number and diversity of data points generated by precision agriculture technologies require capable central platforms to allow...
Corteva Agriscience: Relentless innovation, bold leadership
In tackling the problems that affect the lives and the livelihoods of millions of people, there is no room for mediocrity and no time to be timid.
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