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.
Rabbits dying en masse as RHDV sweeps SA
Rabbit haemorrhagic disease virus (RHDV) continues to sweep through South Africa, with the latest wave annihilating colonies in Gauteng.
World Food Day highlights impending water crisis
World Food Day is celebrated under a cloud of water troubles as the increasing incidence of both droughts and floods impacts food security.
World Egg Day celebrated despite shortages
Today, as the world marks World Egg Day, eggs are perhaps more front of mind in South Africans than ever before. Unfortunately, this is due to the shortage of eggs, rather than an abundance spreading across breakfast tables.
Citrus gets quality boost through tighter regulation
South Africa’s citrus industry is set to receive a boost in quality as stricter laws for propagation are tabled. The Citrus Improvement Scheme(CIS) will soon be promulgated after undergoing a two-decade process of consultation in the industry.
Uphill road from small to commercial farming
Driven by passion and a dream to develop his business to its full potential, livestock farmer Petros Sibanyoniis persevering despite trials and tribulations. He spoke to Lindi Botha about the challenges faced by emerging farmers, many of whom seem stuck in the proverbial development freezer.
Nematode infestations on the rise
Nematode populations in South Africa appear to be increasing in both prevalence and species type. Farmers are therefore cautioned to implement full integrated pest management strategies to prevent total crop losses.
Helping unemployed graduates to find work
Armed with a degree and youthful vigour, many a graduate has faced the stark reality of being unable to secure a job despite their qualifications. Lindi Botha spoke to Jenny More, director of RecruitAgri, about why this scenario keeps playing out, and how to solve it.
Pick n Pay’s Tomis acquisition to go ahead
The Competition Commission has approved the sale of meat supplier Tomis Group to retailer Pick n Pay. The acquisition is expected to have little effect on the industry or prices for livestock.
Farm jobs increase, but wage rise could dampen growth
Employment in the agriculture sector is up, but a proposed increase in the national minimum wage could limit further growth.
BRICS summit opens export markets for SA agriculture
South Africa’s avocado and beef industries are set to receive a boost through market access to China, as announced during the 15th BRICS Summit, currently being held in South Africa.
Clarity on drone regulations urgently needed
Greater usage of drones for chemical applications on farms is being hindered by a lack of progress on product label specifications.
Limited consumer spending hits avocado market
Staple food prices continue to rise placing pressure on higher-end produce like avocados. Compared with the same period last year, potatoes were trading 77% higher, with carrots trading 6% higher.
Chicken import tariffs: it’s only fair
Facilities to produce two million chickens per week lie empty in South Africa as dumped imports of chicken elbow local competition out of the market.
Learning through trial and error how to produce kiwifruit in SA
A sunrise industry in South Africa with potential to expand markets locally and abroad, kiwifruit offers good returns on a small piece of land. Malcolm Deacon, owner of Gold Tree Farms, cautions, however, that knowledge gaps abound, and until the industry matures, farmers will have to troubleshoot their way through production.
Proposed tobacco law has repercussions for crime and sin foods
The newly proposed smoking laws have been described as ‘catastrophic’ for the tobacco industry, holding dire consequences for the agriculture sector and the fight against crime syndicates.
The pitfalls and benefits of diversifying your farming operation
Diversification enables farmers to spread risk and add additional income streams, but within the opportunities lie some hazards. Lindi Botha spoke to farmers who have successfully integrated their current operations through multicropping and other methods about how to tackle this juggling act without dropping the ball.
India’s rice export ban to halt progress on food inflation
India has halted two million tons of rice exports with immediate effect as the country seeks to keep local supply and prices stable amid a looming election. The ban impacts all non-basmati white rice and came into effect on Thursday last week.
Potato prices soar, but farmers still under pressure
Potatoes prices have reached record levels for the year and are trading at 77% higher than a year ago. This week, the prices again increased, reaching R81,67/10kg, Johnny van der Merwe, managing director of AM Trends, reported.
How a dairy concern adds value to a diversified operation
With so many variables in the farming landscape, diversification is a useful strategy to hedge one’s risk and ensure a steady cash flow. However, managing multiple divisions comes with its own challenges. Jan Grey, who farms in Mpumalanga’s Bethal region, spoke to Lindi Botha about his winning strategies.
Local problems more of a threat to SA than losing AGOA
While the potential loss of international trade agreements could disrupt South Africa’s trade balance, domestic issues are in fact far more serious, according to Dr Mmatlou Kalaba, commodity market analyst at the Bureau for Food and Agricultural Policy.
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