Hoedspruit land claim: coming to fruition

Collapsed land reform farms are depressingly common in South Africa, but in Marulaneng (Hoedspruit) claimants and farmers have teamed up and their fruit estates are flourishing. In fact, the district is shaping up as a model the rest of the country could learn from. But as Stephan Hofstätter found out, red tape threatens to spoil the party.

Wildlife’s healthy tick burdens

Parasites play an important part in natural ecosystems, and wildlife can bear their tick burdens and still stay healthy - if humans stop interfering. So says Professor Ivan Horak (left) of the University of Pretoria's Onderstepoort campus. Cornelia du Plooy investigates.

Goat’s milk – tapping into global health demands

Powdered goat's milk is one of the world's biggest agricultural value-adding businesses because it is more digestible than cow's milk. Now former Zimbabwean farmer Jean Vos and his brother-in-law François de Chalain have tapped into the potentially lucrative local market with their Saanen goat's milk products.

Prelude to a disaster Loskop Dam goes toxic

Mining pollution threatens to turn Loskop Dam into the largest toxic acid lake in Africa, as decades of coal mining on the Mpumalanga Highveld starts to catch up with us. Massive pollution of the upper Olifants River is now decanting throughout eastern Gauteng, and even neighbouring provinces. Susan Botes reports on a crisis that not only threatens farmers.

Don’t blame springhares for chicory losses

Farmers who blame the southern springhare for destroying their chicory crops often hunt it as pest. However, a recent study indicates that the springhare is an innocent victim - the damage is more likely to be caused by the common duiker, an antelope that not only injures the leaf stock but also digs into the soil to expose the chicory root.

Emalahleni by-laws to tame killer dogs

A heated debate took place at the Indwe police station between police, Emalahleni municipal officials and farmers from Indwe and Dordrecht.

The face of the consumer has changed

'The percentage spent on grain decreases with an increase in income and the percentage spent on dairy products increases.'

Sharks beware! Humans in the bay!

'The nets were never designed to keep the sharks away from the beaches but merely to kill them.'

‘We’re going to be the Brazil of Africa’

While much is still uncertain about the local biofuel industry, Mozambique is already planting vast jatropha plantations for biodiesel production. The country's minister of Science and Technology has announced that it aims to become the Brazil of Africa. Fanie van Rooyen went to Mozambique to visit what's probably one of the biggest jatropha plantations in the world, and discovered it's run by a South African.

Handle bean seeds with care

Labour Legislation Has Forced many farmers, who used to plant by hand, to mechanise their planting and harvesting. However, mechanical planting can damage vulnerable bean seeds.

Making SA agriculture a better world competitor

'Joint action between farmers, agribusinesses and government is urgently needed to protect and improve our global competitiveness.'

Mystery of missing birds

Never before in the history of South African pigeon racing have as many birds been lost in training as now. Since May this year, large numbers of racing pigeons have failed to return from training flights and race events.

A jumpstart for sector productivity

Between 2004 and 2005, agriculture's real output grew at 4,1%, although employed labour was down by 10,9%. The National Productivity Institute (NPI) wants to develop a culture of productivity, and plans 39 turnaround solutions for 2007, impacting on more than 9 000 jobs. NPI's corporate services executive Bongani Coka spoke to Cornelia du Plooy

Will SA cope with Zim’s spillover?

Dr Jan du Plessis of the strategic management research organisation, Intersearch, contends that free and fair elections won't solve Zimbabwe's problems, and that Robert Mugabe has paved the way for dangerous, large-scale foreign intervention in the region. He thinks the survival of land reform could be much briefer than politicians thought.

A harvester is only as good as its operator

Recently the UK Farmer's Weekly reported on the UK National Combine Driver of the Year Award. The occasion proved that correct setting and efficient driving can hugely improve combine performance and productivity.

Bringing up broilers

Robyn Joubert visited Hanbury Chickens, a family-run broiler business in KwaZulu- Natal. Modest and efficient, the Hanburys use modern methods to get the most out of their birds - guaranteeing their customers affordable, high-quality chickens.

Why we can’t lose the renosterveld

As it made way for the sprawling croplands of the Western Cape, renosterveld became synonymous with agricultural non-productivity, earning itself names like uitvalgrond. But, as Odette Curtis writes, this shrinking habitat, rich in plant and animal life found nowhere else in the world, should be conserved as it affords farmers unique ecotourism opportunities.

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