Field Crops

While some farmers in the Olifants River Valley are switching to organic production to overcome poor wine prices, others are converting to fruit and vegetables.

The supply of water to Olifants River Valley producers has been frequently interrupted in recent years due to breakages in the irrigation canal. Glenneis Kriel spoke to Johan Matthee, CEO of the Lower Olifants River Water Users’ Association, about the causes of this and its impact on farmers.

Drip irrigation systems have a well-deserved reputation for water-efficiency. Although this gives them an obvious advantage in water-scarce South Africa, irrigation specialist, Mark Zartmann, explains that there are several factors that a farmer should consider before converting to such a system.

People living in the Simalaha Community Conservancy in western Zambia have risen out of poverty through the use of conservation agriculture (CA) methods, according to Chrispin Muchindu, CA manager at Peace Parks Foundation.

Extensive diversification, including vegetable production, livestock sales and a farm stall, has helped Philippi farmer, Leon Rix, to significantly reduce his business risk. He spoke to Glenneis Kriel about the expansion of his enterprise.

A recent study published by the Water Research Commission highlights the urgent need for identifying on-farm treatment options to help reduce the high levels of microbial contamination in irrigation waters, thereby reducing the associated food safety hazards for consumers. Denene Erasmus summarises some of the report’s key findings.

Tobacco producer, Peter Kok, says that tobacco is a cash crop that can assist diversification and expansion.

JH Laubscher Broers has one of the largest potato-growing concerns in the Western Cape, with 300ha under irrigation all through the year.

Seven years ago, Fritz Breytenbach, a wine grape producer in the Robertson Valley, embarked on his biological farming journey. Today, he is reaping the benefits by producing almost double the regional production average using the same inputs as neighbouring farmers.

Grain SA’s Grain Producer of the Year 2016, Jozua du Plessis, was one of the first grain producers in South Africa to implement precision farming practices in the late 1990s. He spoke to Gerhard Uys about how precision farming, coupled with conventional cultivation methods and a keen eye for opportunities, is the key to his successful and sustainable operation.

Since the introduction of industrial agricultural practices in South African sugar cane production, soil compaction has led to a steady decrease in average yield and profitability. Dr Rianto van Antwerpen, a senior scientist at the SA Sugarcane Research Institute, advises farmers on how to care for their soil to avoid this problem.

In the Paardeberg near Wellington, Slent Farms are producers of superior quality olive oil. Michela Sfiligoi and Attilio Dalpiaz spoke to Jay Ferreira about their successful operation.

Poland’s agricultural sector has undergone significant changes over the past 25 years, and the country now has the potential to become Europe’s major food production and processing hub.

The recent drought in the Swartland made Abri Richter realise that he had to adapt his farming techniques to ensure his operation’s long-term sustainability. He spoke to Glenneis Kriel about how he was improving his conservation farming techniques.

The ZZ2 farming business’s nature-friendly agricultural practices have secured it a reputation as a world leader in the field. Wilma den Hartigh visited ZZ2’s farm in Limpopo to find out how the avocado operation combines organic farming principles with technology to achieve high yield.

Globally, the fate of bees, as well as their important role in pollination and food production, have been in the spotlight. Wilma den Hartigh spoke to industry experts about the decline in bee numbers, the causes thereof and what can be done to safeguard global populations.

When Stefan and Anné Pretorius established Katlego Sitrus more than a decade ago, they decided to re-evaluate everything they knew about farming. This involved introducing new technology to improve production processes.

For small-scale mushroom farmers in South Africa, production can be a challenge. But Wilmaré Lotz of Boland Mushrooms succeeded in doubling production in her first year as manager. Specialising in button mushrooms, the business employs 36 members of the local community and produces approximately 6,5t of mushrooms a week.

Many small-grain farmers in the Southern Cape have added brassicas in the form of canola to their crop rotation programmes. Jose de Kock talked to Glenneis Kriel about how he is taking this a step further by including vegetable brassicas, such as broccoli and cauliflower, in the rotation cycle.

Some 16 years ago, Johannes Joubert introduced canola to his crop rotation system on the family farm Kweekkraal. This not only contributed to the health of his soil, but led to his winning the Protein Research Foundation’s Southern Cape canola yield competition with a yield of 2,41t/ha.