Staff Reporter
Farmer's Weekly's Staff Reporter team provides accurate, timely, and trusted coverage of South African agriculture, delivering expert-backed reporting on farming, livestock, crops, agribusiness, technology, policy, and industry developments.
Dire outlook for Gamtoos farmers as Kouga Dam falls below 7%
With the level of the Kouga Dam now at below 7%, the Gamtoos Irrigation Board (GIB) has warned water users in the region that it cannot supply water adequately below the 3% water mark.
Starke Ayres cabbage shines in winter planting programme
The Starke Ayres STAR 3316 cabbage cultivar has shown excellent growth and cold tolerance during a very cold winter in 2020. The company offers a range of cultivars for different harvesting periods.
Benefits and risks of a digitised farm sector
Digital technology can make food markets more efficient and inclusive. However, according to a recent report, the digital divide places farmers in some of the world’s poorest regions at risk of being left behind.
A system for efficient irrigation
Water-use efficiency is becoming more and more important due to escalating usage costs. Agrico offers irrigation farmers a clever solution.
A self-adjusting tractor tyre
Agricultural machinery company STEYR, in co-operation with Germany’s Federal Ministry of Education and Research, is developing an ‘intelligent’ tractor wheel equipped with an ultrasonic sensor that ensures optimised tyre pressure at all times and hence reduces compaction.
North West cattle farmer puts his trust in proven stud bulls
Kgomotso Bantsho has been farming Bonsmara cattle and goats full-time in North West since 2017. He says that support from other farmers is critical, and that each farmer needs to learn which management practices will work best for him or her.
WEBINAR New minimum wage: can farmers afford it?
Farmers’ organisations have expressed their concern that the 16% increase in the minimum wage for farmworkers, which will come into effect from 1 March 2021 and see the minimum wage of farmworkers increase to R21,69/hour, will result in job losses in the sector.
Feeding Africa’s fast-growing cities
Africa’s rapidly growing urban food markets offer significant opportunities for the continent’s farmers and agribusinesses. Yet, according to the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa’s ‘Africa Agriculture Status Report 2020’, food can often be imported at lower cost from international suppliers. African farmers will have to become globally competitive if they hope to successfully supply growing domestic markets.
Budgeting basics: Every successful farm has one
A comprehensive and all-inclusive budget is critical to the success of any production operation, according to Anche Suurd, an agricultural economist at NWK. Without this basic financial tool, it is extremely difficult to obtain a clear idea of the actual performance of the business, or sustainably create and build wealth.
Sponsored
African farmers test-drive CASE IH combines
The Case IH Axial-Flow 4088 proved its suitability to tough African farming conditions, and specifically to the needs of emerging field crop farmers, during extensive field tests conducted recently on a variety of crops in Kenya. The machine’s rugged simplicity also won it praise.
Handling the risks posed by Eskom’s load-shedding
Unreliable power supply by Eskom presents a considerable threat to farming businesses. Fortunately, producers have a number of options available to mitigate the impact of both scheduled and unscheduled outages.
Using allelopathy in a weed management strategy
Cover crop residue leaches allelochemicals, which help control weeds. But to achieve good, prolonged results, you will still need to implement effective weed control.
Fine dining and tractor game drives on a Free State farm
Since diversifying into accommodation and fine dining in 1991, Free State Merino farm De Oude Kraal has become a landmark. Brian Berkman recently visited it and soon understood why it has gained its excellent reputation.
Table Mountain tiramisu
Dominique Marchand says her recipe for tiramisu was inspired by Table Mountain. This tiramisu needs only a few ingredients, requires no baking and can be made in a jiffy!
How agriculture can limit Earth’s shocking biodiversity loss – WWF report
Nature is essential for human existence, providing and sustaining the air, freshwater and soils on which we all depend. It also regulates the climate, and provides pollination and pest control. According to the World Wide Fund for Nature’s (WWF) ‘Living Planet Report 2020’, while more food and energy than ever before are supplied, overexploitation of plants and animals is increasingly eroding nature’s ability to provide these in the future.
All you need to know about cutworm control
The common cutworm is a prominent maize pest in South Africa. Professors Johnnie van den Berg and Hannalene du Plessis, researchers at North-West University’s Integrated Pest Management Research Group, provide some useful tips on identifying and controlling this pest.
Be part of Farmer’s Weekly’s 110th commemorative edition
Farmer’s Weekly celebrates its 110th anniversary this year and this is your chance to get involved and be featured in the collectors’ commemorative edition.
Invitation for Expression of Interest In Milk Afric
The following document sets out the terms and conditions for those interested in becoming a strategic partner of Milk Afric, a start-up enterprise in Lobatse, Botswana.
Valtra’s remote-controlled, 5G-connected tractor
In a major step towards achieving complete autonomous driving for agricultural machinery, Valtra has joined forces with a telecommunications company to develop technology that enables tractors to be controlled remotely on the 5G network.
All about the Namaqua Afrikaner
This long-legged breed has a smooth, white hair coat with a black or red head.
