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Multimedia journalist active in print, radio and online platforms.

Animal disease experts from Africa to get specialist training

Nearly 200 veterinary epidemiologists in Africa are scheduled to undergo training intended to help them better combat animal diseases at grassroots level.

Certainty and support needed to create rural jobs

While the agriculture sector saw a year-on-year (y/y) employment gain in the third quarter of 2018, the level of unemployment in rural areas remains of great concern.

Lucerne: A massive export market for ‘green gold’

Johan Jacobs plants lucerne to ensure mega yields from other crops in his niche farming business, as well as a good cash flow for at least nine months of the year. Sabrina Dean visited him on his farm on the banks of the Orange River in the Northern Cape.

Drought conditions still pervasive in Eastern Cape, despite rain

Farmers in parts of South Africa’s second largest province, the Eastern Cape, were still suffering under hot, dry conditions and water restrictions, while others had received improved rainfall.

Indigenous veld goats: A family’s profitable passion

Indigenous Veld Goat breeder Erik de Witt is following his dream of preserving indigenous livestock breeds. Sabrina Dean visited him and learnt that with innovative marketing, it is also possible to make handsome returns on these unique animals.

Sugar beans: A good harvest against the odds

Shadrack Mbele has been getting good returns from sugar bean since first planting it in 2014. Sabrina Dean visited him in the eastern Free State to find out more about his production techniques, and how he brought this season’s crop back from the brink of disaster.

Pregnancy: the key economic trait in a beef operation

A cow that conceives is destined to be four times more profitable than one that does not. This is according to Professor Cliff Lamb of Texas A&M University in the US.

Agri sector welcomes Mboweni’s appointment

The agriculture sector has reacted positively to the appointment of former SA Reserve Bank Governor and labour minister, Tito Mboweni, as South Africa’s new finance minister.

Water saving urged as dam levels start declining

South Africa’s dam levels are currently at “comfortable” levels but uncertainty over the impact of El Niño on summer rainfall patterns means that water has to be used wisely.

Zokwana speaks out about ‘waste of resources’

Agriculture Minister Senzeni Zokwana has decried the squandering of resources by retaining officials in the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (DAFF) at inflated salaries.

Courts order municipalities to adhere to commonage rules

Two recent court rulings on commonages have outlined the rights of those using the areas, as well as the responsibilities of official custodians.

Free State fires claim first fatality

Fire officials in the Free State expressed hope that the forecast of rain for the weekend could bring some relief for those battling fires across the province, which had already claimed one life.

MPO and Free State agri department agree on small dairies

The Free State Department of Agriculture and Rural Development and the Milk Producers’ Organisation (MPO) have agreed on the need to relook how milk is consumed in the province and South Africa as a whole.

Hi-tech onion business delivering 200t a day!

Willem, Jaco and Kolver Mulke produce onions on a large scale near Douglas on the border between the Free State and the Northern Cape. Sabrina Dean visited their high-tech operation to find out how they have combined their efforts to ensure sustained growth for the future.