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.
Pecan nut farming: high cost, big returns
The boom in nut prices in recent years is expected to continue as consumers opt for healthier foods. This has increasingly led to farmers replacing their crops with nut trees. While pecan farming can be a lucrative venture, aspiring nut growers must begin with a solid foundation, says Shane Eva, farm manager for Halls and Sons.
The basics of groundwater recharge
Recharge may be impeded by farming activities, leading to loss of topsoil and reduced water infiltration.
El Niño forecast may mean better maize prices
Weather forecasts indicate that there was a more than 50% chance of another El Niño event occurring in the coming season, which could result in drought conditions, according to a recent Absa Agricultural Outlook report.
Wildlife Ranching SA’s transformation plans
Newly-elected president of Wildlife Ranching SA, Tebogo Mogashoa, says transformation of the game industry and advocating for the legal trade in rhino horn will be among the top focal points for the organisation this year.
NCT Forestry celebrates its 2018 tree farmers of the year
A woman tree farmer from KwaZulu-Natal’s Greytown area was recently announced as NCT Forestry’s 2018 Tree Farmer of the Year in the competition’s small-scale grower category.
Blockchain: the future of agricultural trade
Many farmers are investing in new technologies that can help increase production and efficiency at farm level, but the uptake of digital trading technology has been slower. As a result, farmers are losing out on the opportunity to increase their share of profit earned along the agricultural value chain.
The basics of maize production
Also known as corn, maize was first domesticated in southern Mexico nearly 10 000 years ago. Many varieties have been bred to suit a range of conditions.
200 more SA elephants destined for Mozambique
A further 200 elephants from South Africa have been donated to Mozambique, this time by the De Beers Group. This follows the donation of 53 elephants by two KwaZulu-Natal conservation areas that were recently translocated to the Zinave National Park in that country.
Northern Cape wind farms come to the rescue of sheep farmers
More than 100 drought-stricken Northern Cape sheep farmers, who have been struggling to keep their livestock fed and supplied with water, have been thrown a lifeline by two local wind energy farms.
Farmer’s Weekly Sommet de L`elevage Tour 2018
(Bookings are closed) Join the Farmer’s Weekly tour to Sommet de l’élevage, Europe`s greatest livestock show the 1 to 6 October 2018.
Ever considered sorghum?
Grain sorghum is not just for making soft porridge; it has many other uses. Climate change has sparked renewed interest in the crop in South Africa, says Prof John Taylor of the Department of Food Science at the University of Pretoria.
Dealing with abortions in sheep and goats
Enzootic abortion, brucellosis and other conditions can seriously reduce the lambing rate. It’s crucial to act swiftly to bring these diseases under control.
Factors that influence the adoption of smart agriculture in SA
Smart technology is a hot topic these days – and notably so in agriculture, where there are many uses, from drones and remote water monitoring, to soil analysis, animal tracking, irrigation control and more.
Managing resistance of African stem borer to BT-maize
Andri Visser, a doctoral student at the Unit for Environmental Sciences and Management at North-West University, explores how assumptions about the behaviour of the African stem borer affect the resistance management strategy and sustainability of Bt-maize.
Unlocking export markets for SA’s vegetable industry
Global opportunities are opening up for South African vegetable producers and exporters with the emergence of new markets in some Asian and African countries. This is due to an increase in middle-income earners, says Ezra Steenkamp, deputy director of international trade research at the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries.
Dealing with liver fluke in cattle
Fasciolosis, also known as liver fluke, occurs throughout South Africa, can cause many problems in cattle.
Wildlife welfare laws need updating
South Africa’s laws governing the welfare of wild animals under the ‘physical control of humans’ need to be updated. This is the view of the Centre for Environmental Rights (CER) and the Endangered Wildlife Trust (EWT).
The main types of irrigation
Overhead irrigation is commonly used for pasture irrigation, while drip irrigation can be used for feed crops such as maize.
Agribusiness confidence down, but still positive
South Africa’s agribusiness sector remains generally optimistic about business conditions in the country, according to the latest data.
Why plenty of food means plenty of conflict
A large body of literature claims that where there is a lack of food, conflict is bound to increase as people battle over limited resources. However, researcher Ore Koren suggests quite the opposite, saying that conflict is likely to increase when food sources are abundant.
