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.
New software helps farmers extract value from drone images
Since its launch four years ago, agri tech company Aerobotics has been working on algorithms to improve the interpretation of aerial data. James Paterson, Andrew Sheard and Marloe van Niekerk spoke to Glenneis Kriel about the software.
‘South Africans must brace themselves for higher food prices’
While there is currently little evidence of price pressure compared with a year ago, supermarket chain Shoprite has warned that food prices could increase over the next few months.
Almonds: High value, huge potential
The establishment of an almond-processing facility in Robertson has the potential to turn South Africa into a leading exporter of these nuts. Stephan and Hans le Roux of Amanteco Almonds spoke to Glenneis Kriel about the opportunities and pitfalls associated with this crop.
Hedging market and climate risks on a family wine farm
Boplaas Family Vineyards shows that farm size does not really matter if you want to makeit in the wine industry. Owner Carel Nel spoke to Glenneis Kriel about how he and his team in this relatively small operation have weathered market fluctuations by experimenting with Portuguese grape varieties and introducing new products.
New net solution to protect fruit from sunburn
Some growers in the Southern Cape are using nets that can easily be draped over tree rows to protect pome fruit against sunburn. Apart from their convenience and flexibility, the new nets cost a fraction of fixed net structures. Daan Brink of Two-a-Day and Ebbie Raubenheimer of Nulandis spoke to Glenneis Kriel about the technology, which was developed in Australia.
How De Wetshof stays ahead in the wine business
Agri Western Cape’s Young Farmer of the year for 2018, Johann de Wet of De Wetshof Wine Estate, tells Glenneis Kriel how he and his brother, Peter, are keeping their family’s wine-making legacy alive.
Small stone mill adds value to Western Cape wheat
Gideon Milling, a stone ground milling company in the Western Cape, was launched in 2013 by a group of entrepreneurs to improve farmers’ profitability and food security. Aubrey Terblanche and Jurianne Schreuder spoke to Glenneis Kriel about the company’s vision and success.
Leafroll virus in vines can be beaten – here’s how
Leafroll virus is a serious threat to South Africa’s viticulture industry: it shortens the lifespan of vineyards and has a negative impact on wine quality.
SA Chardonnay deserves better prices – experts
It was evident at this year’s Chardonnay Celebration, hosted by De Wetshof near Robertson, that Chardonnay had come a long way over the years.
A healthy profit from pasture-raised eggs
As a technician specialising in the installation and repair of gates, Rico Vergotine had little reason to be interested in agriculture. His life changed, however, after a chance meeting, and today he manages 2 500 pasture-raised chickens that produce 1 900 eggs a day. Jeandré van der Walt visited him on Boschendal wine estate to find out about his farming techniques and future plans.
Learning from Israel’s water woes
During a recent tour to farms and the AgriTech Israel exhibition in Israel, it was revealed that despite the large volumes of water used during irrigation, South Africa could learn from that country about managing water infrastructure.
Farm on the stock market, and increase your profits
While food and agricultural stocks are often overlooked as investments, many companies offering these products represent excellent value for money. Glenneis Kriel asked a number of investment officers about the opportunities available, and what advice they had for would-be investors.
Niche farming: Organic seed production in the Sandveld
After venturing into the organic fresh market, the owners of Sandveld Organics on the West Coast created a niche for themselves in the organic seed market. Susi Engelbrecht spoke to Glenneis Kriel about their journey.
Rethinking sustainable development
Growing awareness of the interconnectedness between water, energy and food security is resulting in a more holistic way of measuring sustainability, says Dr Nadine Methner from the African Climate and Development Initiative at the University of Cape Town.
Biosecurity: your first line of defence against disease
Dr Fambies van Biljon, veterinarian at Sovereign Foods, talks to Glenneis Kriel about the crucial need to establish a well-run biosecurity programme at a poultry production facility.
Zokwana urges smallholder farmers to register on new database
With data on agricultural production being both dated and skewed towards higher-end commercial agriculture, the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (DAFF) and Statistics South Africa have launched a campaign to gather more information about smallholder farmers in the country.
Confusion around Ramaphosa’s land expropriation announcement
President Cyril Ramaphosa’s announcement on Tuesday that the ANC would move to amend Section 25 of the Constitution to “explicitly” allow for expropriation of land without compensation, has caused confusion in many quarters.
How pioneers make mango production work
Bernie van den Heever and Danie Smit are proving that mango production can become a thriving enterprise in the Western Cape.
Conservation agriculture pays off in drought
Long-term conservation trials conducted on rotated grain crops in the Swartland and Southern Cape during the drought have produced promising results. Dr Johann Strauss, agronomist at the Western Cape Department of Agriculture, spoke to Glenneis Kriel.
Diesel tree: fuel for the alternative energy sector
Christo Smit, a former researcher at the Agricultural Research Council, is working on developing a sustainable biofuel industry from the diesel tree.
