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.
Agricultural Development Agency: The story continues
The Agricultural Development Agency was launched in February 2020, but is already going full steam ahead to support the black farming sector and improve national food security.
Expropriation without compensation: A looming catastrophe
A study commissioned by Agri SA shows that should land expropriation without compensation be pursued, South Africa’s economy will take a drastic turn for the worse.
The building blocks of irrigation scheduling
Having a top-quality irrigation system is all very well, but without accurate irrigation scheduling you will never achieve optimal results, says irrigation expert and agronomist Robbie Childs.
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Things to consider when buying a new Husqvarna ride-on mower
Do you have a big lawn to mow? Here are a few things to keep in mind before you buy a ride-on mower!
Giving the environment a legal right to thrive
Global warming and climate change are expected to lead to the extinction of various forms of wildlife, as well as severe water shortages and famine, threatening the lives of millions of people. The Rights of Nature movement seeks to change this by ensuring that the environment has access to legal restitution in order to ensure that it not only survives but thrives.
Filling the narrowest gap in the tractor market
Buyers of orchard and vineyard tractors have a disappointingly limited range from which to choose. Manufacturers, it seems, have not found this an easy segment to supply. But Valtra now offers a solution that appears to be economically sustainable, writes Stehan Cloete.
Pet and family-friendly accommodation on history-rich farm
Welcoming farm sounds and smells, a large stoep, activities in nature, and tranquillity await visitors of the farm Houtenbek in Mpumalanga.
The Meatmaster: locally developed for low input costs
This composite breed, with its predominantly Damara genetics, is hardy and highly functional.
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.
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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.
