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.
When performance fails to live up to breeding values
Discrepancies between estimated breeding values and livestock performance have led some farmers to doubt the accuracy of these values. They are, in fact, excellent indicators, but animals may not be able to reach their genetic potential.
What COVID-19 has taught us about food security
The COVID-19 pandemic has emphasised the importance of agriculture in South Africa and across the continent because of the sector’s capacity to support economic growth, create and sustain jobs, and boost exports, writes Roux Wildenboer, head of agriculture at Absa Corporate and Investment Banking.
Technology and the value of quality animal feed
The tenth episode of Tech Terrain explores the trends and developments in making good quality animal feed and how technology plays a part.
How agritech solutions can help farmers offset coronavirus risks
As we look to life beyond the COVID-19 pandemic, the world is presented with a unique set of challenges to industries causing severe disruption to global value chains.
Soil health integral to sustainable conservation farming
Conservation agriculture (CA) is an affordable approach for farmers, involving the adoption of regenerative agriculture principles and practices, with the potential to improve food security.
Birdwatching: a novel income opportunity for farms
Avitourism, or birdwatching, has the potential to provide farmers with an additional source of revenue, write Dr Adam Viljoen and Christelle van Zyl, researchers at North-West University’s Tourism Research in Economic Environs and Society.
Rebuilding a livestock enterprise after a drought
In this article, Dr Louis du Pisani, national manager for production advice and development at the National Wool Growers’ Association, explains how to carry out post-drought recovery and reconstruction of a livestock enterprise to achieve optimal, lasting results.
Precision agriculture: The future of technology
The ninth episode of Tech Terrain looks into the future of agricultural technology and the efficiency of these latest developments.
Diversification: an essential approach in a tough economy
Don’t put all your eggs in one basket; if you fall, you run the risk of not having breakfast. Farmers should spread their risk by adding a second component to an existing farming operation, or even by investing in industries unrelated to agriculture, says Dawie Maree, head of information and marketing at FNB Agriculture.
The importance of research in agriculture
The eighth episode of Tech Terrain deliberates over the role research plays in agriculture and how it can increase productivity to meet the food demand of the world.
Farming input landscape and imported inputs
The seventh episode of Tech Terrain looks into and discusses the challenges of South Africa being dependent on imports and how it affects the farming industry.
Traceability: beyond the tag
Any farmer who thinks that a tag in the ear represents a traceability system for a beef herd is far off the mark; it simply links the animal to a production unit. A farm or feedlot should have good management practices across the entire production system, writes Dr Danie Odendaal, a veterinary herd health consultant and director of Veterinarian Network.
Starke Ayres: Sure-fire tomatoes and peppers
All Starke Ayres tomatoes and sweet peppers are carefully selected for local conditions. Its latest hybrids are the best combination yet of reliable growth, exceptional taste, and long shelf life.
High-end agri products most affected by COVID-19 lockdown
A reasonably bright year for South African agriculture is forecast with growth of the sector expected to be strong in 2020, despite the impact of COVID-19 and its attendant regulations.
Farming optimally and getting the most out of your land
The sixth episode of Tech Terrain dives into how you can farm optimally using the resources at your disposal.
Co-op or corporate? Choose between these agri models
Agribusiness VKB, which has been doing business in South Africa for over a century, started as a co-operative, but has since been converted into a company. Managing director Koos Janse van Rensburg writes that the debate on capital formation and value creation within agricultural businesses is as old as the industry itself, and explains the relative merits of the co-operative and corporate models.
Plum production: an overview
Most plums are consumed fresh. The remainder are processed and used as canned or dried fruit.
21st century update of Kubota ‘dream tractor’
Half a century after exhibiting its first-ever concept tractor at the 1970 Japan World Exposition in Osaka, Kubota unveiled a vastly updated version of its ‘dream tractor’ at a new product exhibition held in Kyoto City in January.
Establishing a sustainable agribusiness from the onset
The fifth episode of Tech Terrain looks at important building blocks to give farmers a head start in business and ensure sustainability.
Fraudsters scam public with fake Didiza Facebook profiles
The Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development (agriculture department) has issued a statement in which it warns members of the public about a number of fake social accounts claiming to belong to agriculture minister, Thoko Didiza.
