Graeme Sait of Nutri-Tech Solutions (NTS) in Australia, an internationally recognised expert on sustainable agriculture, will be returning to South Africa in August to present his popular course, the Certificate in Sustainable Agriculture. A ccording to Gill Platt of Van Rijn Agriculture SA, the organisation facilitating Sait’s visit, the intensive course was developed as a result NTS’s determination to educate farmers about how to improve nutrition from the soil up.
“NTS has developed an approach termed nutrition farming, a concept that may eventually be utilised as a marketing umbrella for farmers looking for a genuine alternative to organic production,” Platt explained. Sait clarified, “Organic production involves a long list of what is not allowed, while nutrition farming is all about what can be done to produce highly nutritious, medicinal food. Its principles apply to all forms of production, from crops to flowers to timber.”
T he first four-day course will take place in Paarl in the Western Cape from 19 to 22 and the second from 25 to 28 in Lanseria in Gauteng. cost for each course is R4 332/person and includes VAT and all teas, lunches and a comprehensive manual. “Modules that will be covered over the four day courses will be Mineral Management, Microbe Plant Management and Pest while Human Health will be interspersed throughout the four modules,” explained Platt.
“The material is widely relevant to any organisation desiring to deepen their insight into the world of sustainable agriculture. Thousands of people have completed the course at venues in New Zealand, the UK, India and SA. It’s relevant to farmers, consultants, horticulturists, viticulturists and landscapers – in fact anyone involved in the agricultural sector and related industries.” – Staff reporter Contact Brenda or Gill on (033) 347 2893, e-mail [email protected] or visit www.nutri-tech.com.au.
SpuntaG2 remains a hot potato
developed by the Agricultural Research Council (ARC) the SpuntaG2, a genetically modified (GM) potato variety which is resistant to tuber moth, could be on the market by 2011 – despite misgivings by Potatoes SA (PSA) While Dr Ben Pieterse, PSA’s manager for research development said the release of a GM potato is not opportune at this stage, and expressed his concern over the potential negative publicity for potatoes, the ARC argues the SpuntaG2 will improve household food security by enhancing the storage potential of potatoes in rural communities. he said it would add SpuntaG2 to its breeding programme, but doesn’t plan to release it for commercial farming unless specifically requested.
“As a major staple crop it could be a boon to the smallholder farmer to help ensure food security and alleviate hunger,” said Prof Jocelyn Webster, executive director of AfricaBio, a biotechnology NGO. She added that in SA, no insecticide against the potato tuber moth is registered for potatoes under storage conditions. Before the general release of the cultivar, PSA has requested mandatory labelling to give consumers the choice between GM and non-GM potatoes, the development of a testing system for traceability and identification, and that consumers and retailer’s opinions be finalised. M eeting these requirements, however, could prove difficult and some may only be met after the agriculture department has granted the general release. – Peter Mashala
Pik, FW and others join Expropriation Bill battle
group of organisations and political parties known as the ad hoc Committee for the Defence of Property Rights have launched a petition against the Expropriation Bill, describing it as “the greatest single threat” to South Africa’s democracy. his follows a meeting in Centurion where the committee members, which include the Afrikanerbond, the FW de Klerk Foundation, the African Christian Democratic Party, the Alliance and the Freedom Front Plus, agreed that “the Expropriation Bill will have disastrous consequences: it’s unconstitutional; it will seriously damage the economy; it will threaten South Africa’s food security; it will damage race relations; and it’s unnecessary”.
Former SA prime minister Pik Botha has added his voice to the protest, saying the current implementation of reform policies contradicts the spirit of negotiations during the Convention for a Democratic South Africa (CODESA), where there was no talk of punitive measures against white citizens to rectify the injustices black people may have suffered under the previous government.
political analyst at the University of the North-West, Prof André Duvenhage, also warned that the spirit of hostility against whites perpetuated in the ANC’s National Revolution may lead to political instability, which will also threaten food security. The ad hoc Committee said in a statement that the falsely focuses on perceptions that owners of property in South Africa obtained such property unlawfully. – Staff reporter
SpuntaG2 remains a hot potato
developed by the Agricultural Research Council (ARC) the SpuntaG2, a genetically modified (GM) potato variety which is resistant to tuber moth, could be on the market by 2011 – despite misgivings by Potatoes SA (PSA) While Dr Ben Pieterse, PSA’s manager for research development said the release of a GM potato is not opportune at this stage, and expressed his concern over the potential negative publicity for potatoes, the ARC argues the SpuntaG2 will improve household food security by enhancing the storage potential of potatoes in rural communities.
The said it would add SpuntaG2 to its breeding programme, but doesn’t plan to release it for commercial farming unless specifically requested. “As a major staple crop it could be a boon to the smallholder farmer to help ensure food security and alleviate hunger,” said Prof Jocelyn Webster, executive director of AfricaBio, a biotechnology NGO. She added that in SA, no insecticide against the potato tuber moth is registered for potatoes under storage conditions.
Before the general release of the cultivar, PSA has requested mandatory labelling to give consumers the choice between GM and non-GM potatoes, the development of a testing system for traceability and identification, and that consumers and retailer’s opinions be finalised. M eeting these requirements, however, could prove difficult and some may only be met after the agriculture department has granted the general release. – Peter Mashala
