Sugarcane: lessons from Australia
Situated along 2 100km of the continent’s east coast, Australia’s 385 000ha sugar industry was producing a whopping 32 million tons of irrigated sugarcane in 2008. This was processed to produce 4,7 million tons of raw sugar.
Design a crop cover strategy
Agricultural practices that degrade the soil are responsible for a host of problems: erosion, nutrient runoff, waterlogging, acidification, compaction, crusting, salinisation, nutrient depletion, leaching, organic matter loss, toxic accumulation, and desertification.
From 2ha to commercial success
Ralph Swart, who has lived in Elim, Western Cape, all his life, began farming in 1975 with roughly 2ha for planting, one cow and 10 sheep. Today he farms on 1 280ha. He shares the secrets of his success with Farmer’s Weekly:
Production secrets of a top barley farmer
Award-winning barley farmer Hermie van Zyl of the Western Cape has worked with his father and uncle over the years to fine-tune their production plan. Their success, he maintains, lies in sticking with this method.
From corporate executive to successful farmer
Morapedi Mutloane left his job in the corporate world in 2012 to get back into agriculture.
Innovation drives top young table grape farmer
Western Cape Young Farmer of the Year 2014, Jaco du Toit, is never happy sticking with the status quo. His practical research approach to farming has resulted in innovations in table grape production, and he has become a role model for his peers.
Earthworms boost organic exports
The Rethabiseng Food Garden Project’s new flow-through vermicasting operation not only complements the organic production of vegetables and herbs, but is helping to combat climate change.
Faith in the future of farming – Sakkie van Zyl
Sakkie van Zyl, Agri North West’s 2014 Young Farmer of the Year, is so positive about the economic prospects of SA agriculture that he left the corporate world to join his family’s enterprise near Bloemhof.
SA apples: all set for healthy growth
By embracing new technology to ensure a greater yield and utilising resources efficiently, South African apple producers can look forward to a bright future.
Fine fruit: the heart of top olive oil
Olyfberg Olive Estate, one of SA’s original commercial olive producers, is renowned for its award-winning blended extra virgin olive oil. Estate manager Pieter Kruger stresses that this success begins in the orchards.
Grassroots no-till in Argentina
Argentina is engaged in comprehensive research on no-till – and its crop farmers benefit directly from its results. Lloyd Phillips spoke to a number of no-till farmers operating under various production conditions.
Doing the tango with no-till in Argentina
Argentina’s commercial crop-farming sector is a world leader in no-till practices, ensuring that the country can be confident of a sustainable and productive agricultural future.
Moringa: superfood for the hungry
A KZN husband and wife team are growing and distributing the highly nutritious Moringa tree amongst the poorest of the poor.
Making smallholder farming work
Introducing best-farming practices to developing agricultural communities heavily reliant on manual labour or outdated methods, can dramatically increase productivity, sustainability and job opportunities.
Diversification and value-adding rewarded
Wesselsbron maize farmer Boeboe Louw is the Free State Young Farmer of the Year for 2014. He shares his farming philosophy with Annelie Coleman.
Improving water usage efficiencies in sugarcane
The global sugar industry is often slammed for wasting freshwater resources. In SA, sugar farmers and processors have found practical ways to improve water use efficiency.
Irrigation for protected crops
Paddy de Vries, national technical advisor for Hygrotech, talks to Nan Smith about basic fertigation techniques for tunnel farming.
‘We earn much more from sugarcane’
Supported by the Swazi government, the EU, Illovo and traditional chiefs, a smallholder sugarcane farming project is alleviating poverty in its area of operation.
The farming philosophy of a top maize farmer
American farmer David Hula holds the current world record for maize grain yield. On a recent lecture tour of South Africa’s principal grain farming areas, he shared some of the methods he uses to maximise his yield.
Supreme yield in soya
American farmer Kip Cullers holds the world record for soya bean yield. On a recent lecture tour of South Africa’s grain farming areas, he spoke about maximising yield.
