The bacteria that serve as fertilisers and growth promoters
Dr WJ Botha of the Biosystematics Division attached to the Agricultural Research Council’s Plant Health and Protection Research Institute explains why Streptomyces bacteria are an ideal alternative to chemical fertilisers...
Why small-scale farmers are hit hardest by post-harvest losses
With the relentless growth in population, countries can no longer afford to waste food. Manoshi Mothapo, a researcher at the Agricultural Research Council’s Natural Resources and Engineering division, examines how...
Management: the key to improving soil health
Healthy soil is a crop farmer’s most important asset. Farmers Danie Bester and Tyson Zunckel, both of whom produce maize, soya bean and wheat, spoke to Magda du Toit about...
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...
