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.
Proposed new Eskom pricing mechanism could penalise farmers
Eskom’s proposed new pricing methodology is unjust and will penalise rural energy consumers and the agriculture sector.
‘Farmers on Lesotho border left abandoned by security forces’
Free State farmers on the Free State’s border with Lesotho are for all intents and purposes left to their own devices as far as safety and security is concerned.
Over two million hectares destroyed by wildfires in Namibia
An estimated 2,5 million hectares have been destroyed by forest and veld fires in Namibia so far this year.
Diesel price expected to hit highest-ever level in November
Should the price of diesel increase in November as predicted by the Central Energy Fund (CEF), this will be the highest wholesale price of diesel ever recorded in South Africa. This was according to Ikageng Maluleke, Grain SA economist.
Charcoal production ‘a valuable source’ of income on farms
Charcoal production in Namibia formed an important part of on-farm diversification and offered farmers a valuable source of additional income.
‘Livestock farming remains a cornerstone of Namibia’s economy’
The Namibian agriculture sector’s contribution to that country’s GDP grew from 4,5% in 2019 to almost 6,6% in 2020.
Farming ‘essential’ for growth in communal areas – Didiza
In government’s view, South Africa’s proposed Agriculture and Agro-processing Master Plan should focus on positioning the local agriculture sector as an essential industry in terms of national economic growth and development.
Senior Joburg Market official charged with R5,5 million fraud
Corruption and fraud are endemic in South Africa, with such deeds more often than not carried out by people with a misplaced sense of entitlement.
‘Import restrictions could save Namibia’s dairy sector’
In order to save Namibia’s ailing dairy industry the industry would have to restrict the volume of imported dairy products.
Northern Cape wildfires destroy 445 000ha of veld in 2021
The wildfires that decimated large parts of the Northern Cape have not only resulted in millions of rand in damage, but also left emotional scars on local inhabitants.
SA lost 250 rhinos to poaching in first half of 2021
Fighting rhino poaching in South Africa is as much about combatting organised crime as are efforts to dismantle the syndicates behind drug trafficking, arms smuggling, cash-in-transit heists, robberies of gold, and human trafficking.
Millions of litres of fuel being stolen from Transnet pipelines
The theft of fuel from the Transnet pipeline network is an enormous problem in South Africa, according to Christo van der Rheede, Agri SA’s executive director.
New high-altitude national park for Eastern Cape
Work is under way to establish a high-altitude national park in the Eastern Cape mountains close to the Lesotho border.
SA’s agribusiness confidence wanes in the third quarter
South African agribusiness leaders remain optimistic about trading conditions, albeit slightly less so than they were earlier this year.
One million hectares of grazing destroyed by wildfires
More than one million hectares of grazing have so far been lost to wildfires in the North West, Free State and Northern Cape this year.
Game industry still losing jobs and revenue due to COVID-19
The COVID-19 pandemic and associated lockdowns continue to have a negative impact on the private wildlife industry in South Africa.
Reasons behind SA’s high bull prices under scrutiny
Over the last two years, a number of new records have been set for the highest prices ever paid for registered bulls from different breeds sold at production auctions.
The Boer goat mentor who’s changing lives
Stud Boer goat breeder Desré Ferreira from Vryburg in North West provides a valuable support network to developing and commercial Boer goat farmers. She started mentoring a group of about 30 farmers a decade ago, and now supports 150.
Sharp rise in elephant numbers a threat to farms in Namibia
Human-elephant conflict in Namibia has had a significant impact on the production potential of farms, and has become a serious threat to the country’s animal health status.
New foot-and-mouth disease strain detected in Namibia
A new strain of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD), which was first detected in Zambia in 2019, has now been identified in Namibia.
