Lindi Botha
Lindi Botha is an agricultural journalist and communications specialist based in Nelspruit, South Africa. She has spent over a decade reporting on food production and has a special interest in research, new innovations and technology that aid farmers in increasing their margins, while reducing their environmental footprint. She has garnered numerous awards during her career, including The International Federation of Agricultural Journalists (IFAJ) Star Prize in 2019, the IFAJ-Alltech International Award for Leadership in Agricultural Journalism in 2020, and several South African awards for her writing.
Latest articles
Failing municipalities threaten poultry competitiveness
South Africa’s poultry industry risks losing its competitive advantage against international producers as deteriorating municipal infrastructure drives up production costs, threatens jobs and undermines the industry’s growth prospects.
Early harvest and delayed access to China threaten SA cherry exports
South Africa’s cherry industry had a challenging start to the 2026/27 season, with unusually early harvests, variable fruit quality, and delayed access to the Chinese market threatening export volumes. Despite strong international demand, exports could decline by as much as 30% compared with the previous season.
Groundnut industry eyes growth after strong 2026 season
South Africa’s groundnut industry ended the 2026 season on a high note, with improved yields, favourable prices, and renewed investment in cultivar development setting the stage for further growth. However, concerns over a developing El Niño are dampening prospects for the coming season.
El Niño: farmers urged to protect cash flow, not just crops
South African farmers entered the 2026/27 summer production season better prepared for El Niño than they were ahead of the devastating 2015/16 drought, but economists warn that poor financial decisions could leave producers facing years of recovery.
Royal Show puts a spring in rabbit breeders’ step
From tiny dwarf rabbits to large meat breeds, the rabbit exhibit at this year’s Royal Show in the KwaZulu-Natal Midlands offered visitors more than an opportunity to admire these fluffy animals. Behind the judging and prizes was an effort to preserve rabbit breeds at risk of disappearing from South Africa.
Royal Show exhibitors raise the bar with innovation
Exhibitors at this year’s Royal Show were praised for the exceptional quality of their displays at an awards ceremony held at Tweedie Hall in the KwaZulu-Natal Midlands last week.
Dairy industry’s survival strategy is pushing farmers out
South Africa’s dairy farmers have become so efficient that there is little room left to cut costs, yet most still struggle to earn worthwhile returns. Farmers are being forced to produce more milk to survive, but the market is not growing fast enough to absorb it.
FMD will never be controlled on the current path, farmers warn
South Africa faces the prospect of living with foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) indefinitely unless government urgently improves disease surveillance, and farmers take greater responsibility for reporting infections and vaccinating their herds.
Sugar industry needs protection, not just diversification
South Africa’s sugar industry needs urgent intervention to restore profitability and protect its future, as cheap imports, the sugar tax, and underinvestment in sugar mills threaten the viability of growers and millers alike.
Royal Show returns with an eye on the next generation
After a two-year absence, the Royal Agricultural Society opened the gates to its new home at Tweedie Hall in Howick, KwaZulu-Natal, on Wednesday, marking the start of a new chapter for one of South Africa’s oldest agricultural shows.
New markets no quick fix for SA’s growing avocado crop
South Africa’s growing avocado crop faces a tougher marketing environment this season as heavy competition in the EU squeezes prices, while newly opened markets remain too small to absorb significant volumes.
Layers or broilers: choose the business before the bird
Broilers offer a short production cycle, while layers provide a regular stream of eggs, but neither guarantees easy profits. Feed, markets, infrastructure, and management can quickly erode margins. Farmers need to know not only what it costs to produce a bird or egg, but exactly how they will sell it before investing.
Pig welfare and farmers’ profitability find common ground
Opening the doors of a commercial piggery to a group of NSPCA inspectors could make any farmer apprehensive. But when inspectors visited Taaibosch Piggery to conduct training for NSPCA staff, the exercise offered both sides an opportunity to test perceptions against what was actually happening inside a farm.
Fruit industry must turn rising volumes into better returns
South Africa’s fruit export industry is entering a new phase in which producing more fruit is no longer enough to secure stronger returns, with market access, logistics, and the timing of exports becoming increasingly important for profitability.
Timing could be farmers’ best defence against price shocks
In an increasingly volatile operating environment, farmers can protect their margins by paying closer attention to when they buy inputs and market their produce, according to Absa’s AgriTrends 2026 Spring Edition report.
Farmers cannot carry regenerative agriculture costs alone
Farmers could not be expected to shoulder the financial risk of transitioning to regenerative agriculture regenerative agriculture on their own, with financiers, retailers, and technical partners needing to help make the shift commercially viable.
Farmers urged to chase profit, not tons
Farmers need to shift their focus from maximising production to maximising profit as tightening margins leave increasingly little room for financial inefficiency, according to Dawie Maree, head of agriculture information and marketing at FNB.
Nampo Cape builds momentum as farm pressures mount
Nampo Cape continued to prove its value as a meeting place for agriculture on Friday, as industry leaders grappled with mounting pressure on commodity prices, government support for emerging farmers and the challenges facing food production.
Voters urged to put delivery before party loyalty to protect rural economies
South Africa’s municipalities needed to be judged on their ability to deliver basic services rather than political promises, as failing towns increasingly threatened the communities and businesses that depended on them.
Wheat industry ‘heading for tragedy’ without urgent reform
South Africa’s wheat industry was heading towards a tragedy unless long-standing structural problems were urgently addressed, with producers warning that it should not have taken a crisis to force reform.
