Glenneis Kriel
Glenneis Kriel is a senior agricultural journalist for Farmer's Weekly. Her ventures into agricultural journalism started out by chance, more than 20 years ago, when someone suggested she freelance for the magazine, which turned out to be her dream job. Her passion is to write stories that inspire greatness and make people evaluate the way they are doing things.
Latest articles
SA wine punches above its weight
South Africa’s wine industry researchers achieve a great deal with substantially less funding and capacity than their international counterparts. Broader funding sources, coordinated research programmes and producer involvement could help the industry build on this foundation.
Leaders urged to address red meat industry challenges
South Africa’s red meat industry needs sufficient funding, changes in state animal health management, and stronger farmer participation if it is to achieve its growth ambitions. This was according to speakers at the Road to Recovery event at Nampo Alfa on 2 October.
Red meat industry needs to turn strategy into delivery
South Africa’s red meat industry has no shortage of plans, structures or committed people, yet weak coordination, inadequate funding and poor implementation continue to hamper efforts to turn strategy into results.
Livestock recovery gains ground, but price trends diverge
Lower feed costs and improved grazing are bringing relief to South Africa’s livestock farmers, but better production conditions are not translating into the same price trends across the industry.
Stormsvlei: history, hospitality and a home from home
After a long day covering Nampo Cape, a clean room, good food, a hot shower and comfortable bed are hard to beat. But on Farmer’s Weekly’s second stay at Stormsvlei, it was the genuine warmth of the welcome that made returning there feel like coming home.
Potato prices slide as onion market holds firm
Higher supply delivered sharply different outcomes in South Africa’s potato and onion markets during the first half of 2026, with average potato prices falling by 19% while onion prices rose by 8%, according to Absa AgriBusiness’s latest AgriTrends report.
Langgewens marks 100 years of research that has shaped farming
A century of research at Langgewens, near Malmesbury in the Swartland, Western Cape, has helped transform farming far beyond the boundaries of the research farm, contributing to advances in crop production, soil management, conservation agriculture, and livestock systems.
Olive oil producers urged to focus on quality as global prices tumble
South African olive oil producers will increasingly have to compete on quality, freshness, and provenance as recovering global supplies drive international prices down and see the return of cheaper imported oils to local shelves.
Meyer gives farmers an election checklist ahead of municipal elections
With local government elections fast approaching, Western Cape Minister of Agriculture, Economic Development and Tourism Dr Ivan Meyer has urged farmers to scrutinise municipal candidates on issues that directly affect agriculture before voting.
‘We are far from a free market’ – wheat farmers
Western Cape grain farmers warn that high input costs, weak producer prices, and a distorted wheat market are threatening the future of local production, with potentially serious consequences for rural economies and food security.
R15 billion in water losses threaten agricultural production
The amount of water wasted in Gauteng each year is equivalent to the Western Cape’s entire annual water use, illustrating the enormous scale of South Africa’s municipal water losses at a time when a developing El Niño could place even greater pressure on supplies.
Drought demands a different way of making farming decisions
Farmers facing increasingly uncertain rainfall need to become more flexible in their decision-making and move away from following the same production recipe year after year.
Drought resilience starts below the soil surface
Producers looking to improve their farms’ resilience to drought and heat stress need to understand how well their soils capture and hold water, and then adapt irrigation, nutrition, and crop choices accordingly.
Technology and scale, not land alone, will shape farming’s future – Roodt
South African farmers may eventually get some relief from high fuel costs, inflation and interest rates, but surviving increasingly tight margins will require much more than favourable economic conditions.
Exhibitors upbeat despite lower Nampo Cape numbers
Nampo Cape is expected to have attracted between 38 000 and 40 000 visitors this year, down from last year’s record attendance, but organisers say exhibitors remained upbeat despite wet weather and tough economic conditions.
Drought resilience starts with the farm’s finances
Building drought resilience requires long-term business planning, realistic cash-flow projections, and proactive bank communication. Farmers must match financing to asset lifespans and structure debt properly before tough seasons hit.
‘Don’t panic, prepare’, experts tell farmers as El Niño fear spreads
A panel at Nampo Cape urged farmers to replace El Niño panic with practical preparation, highlighting financial planning, conservation agriculture, and strategic water management as key tools for resilience.
Increased Chinese demand and shrinking supply lift outlook for SA wool
A 54% rise in the South African Wool Market Indicator over the 2025/26 season, tightening global wool supplies and strong Chinese interest in wool are providing renewed optimism for South African wool producers.
Livestock farmers urged to step up fight against stock theft
Speaking at Nampo Cape, industry leaders urged livestock producers to strengthen defences against stock theft and predation.
Wool and red meat producers urged to move closer to their markets
Wool and red meat producers will increasingly need to understand what customers want and be able to prove where and how their products were produced if they want to protect and expand their markets.
