Annelie Coleman
Annelie Coleman represents Farmer’s Weekly in the Free State, North West and Northern Cape.
Agriculture is in her blood. She grew up on a maize farm in the Wesselsbron district where her brother is still continuing with the family business.
Annelie is passionate about the area she works in and calls it ‘God’s own country’. She’s particularly interested in beef cattle farming, especially with the indigenous African breeds.
Cactus pear: one crop, three profitable markets
One of the most important decisions the Van der Berg brothers ever made was to include the production of cactus pear in their farming operation. Dewald van der Berg spoke to Annelie Coleman about their business.
‘South Africa is sitting on a bluetongue timebomb’
Bluetongue posed an extremely serious danger to sheep production in South Africa and the disease was expected to escalate markedly during the rest of summer and in early autumn of 2023.
Beef Shorthorn: a breed made for crossbreeding!
The Beef Shorthorn has a long and successful history in South Africa. Stud owners Hendrik, Henco and Johann Strydom spoke to Annelie Coleman about this adaptable animal that shines at crossbreeding.
‘Eskom rocked by underinvestment and design flaws’
The declining Energy Availability Factor of Eskom’s fleet reflected the cumulative impact of historical underinvestment in maintenance and assets, exacerbated by flaws in the design of new power stations in the last decade, according to an announcement by the South African National Energy Crisis Committee (NECOM).
Northern Cape farmers’ drought misery continues
Farmers in the Northern Cape, where a devastating drought has prevailed since 2011, are still in dire straits, despite the rainfall that occurred recently in some parts of the region.
Significant rise in milk production in Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe is making strides towards self-sufficiency in raw milk production, according to that country’s Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development permanent secretary, Dr John Basera.
Rolling blackouts: SA irrigation farmers at the risk of losing all
South Africa’s agriculture sector is on the cusp of a devastating catastrophe because of the country’s inability to provide sufficient electricity to keep the wheels of the agricultural value chain rolling.
The true cost of agricultural crime in SA
The South African agriculture sector is heavily burdened with crime. Using the Free State as a case study, Annelie Coleman spoke to industry stakeholders about the true cost of crime to the local farming community, and the threat it poses to the long-term sustainability of food production in the country.
‘Poaching can lead to local succulent species becoming extinct’
The poaching of endemic succulent species in South Africa presents a very serious threat that can lead to many species becoming extinct, including those in the Hoodia, Conophytum and Euphorbia genera.
Zimbabwe’s maize imports show a sharp decline in 2022
Zimbabwe imported significantly less maize in 2022 when compared with 2021, according to the most recent statistics released by the Zimbabwe Statistics Agency (ZimStat).
‘Lower fuel prices welcomed, but could increase again shortly’
The drop in South Africa’s fuel prices, which came into effect on Wednesday (4 January), is a positive development that will lower agricultural production costs.
New hopes and challenges for SA wool value chain
This year has been the South African wool industry’s most challenging time in two-and-a-half decades, according to Leon de Beer, general manager of the National Wool Growers’ Association (NWGA).
Expectations for game ranching industry in 2023
The fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic restrictions on South Africa’s game ranching industry will be considerably lower in 2023 than during the past two years.
Sharp increase in area planted to crops in Zimbabwe
In a positive development for that country, farmers in Zimbabwe have reported that they have planted double the number of hectares to maize to date in 2022, compared with the same time the previous year.
Hardy, dual-purpose Dexters make sound business sense
Twenty years ago, Gauteng livestock producer Kobus van der Linde bought a handful of Dexter cattle as a hobby for his children. Today, Van der Linde’s 100-head Lundi Dexter stud is a profitable operation, and his sole business. Annelie Coleman visited him to find out why he concentrated on this remarkable breed.
First global study on the effects of livestock grazing
The first-ever global assessment of the impact of livestock grazing, in which the University of Pretoria participated, has revealed the important role gazing plays in the ecology of dryland regions.
Meticulous management drives success for mushroom grower
Marietjie Kruger of Heidelberg grows and sells fresh mushrooms and processed food in Gauteng. She spoke to Annelie Coleman about the complex growing process that is required before harvesting.
Agri confidence declines, despite positive GDP contribution
South Africa’s agriculture sector has bounced back to again be among the largest contributors to quarter-on-quarter (q/q) GDP growth in the third quarter of 2022.
Plans for more Nile tilapia farming in Zimbabwe
A strategy that will see a nearly threefold increase in farmed Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) in Zimbabwe has been announced by the Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (OACPS).
Celebrating the vital role of healthy soils in food security
This year, World Soil Day aims to raise awareness of the importance of maintaining healthy ecosystems by addressing the growing challenges faced in soil management.
