Crops

The Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport SA (CILTSA) and the Institute for Customs and Freight Forwarding (ICFF) have signed a landmark memorandum of understanding.

Farmers visiting Nampo Cape in Bredasdorp this week are getting a first look at New Holland’s latest innovation in harvesting technology: the CR10 combine.

Amid the forested valleys, pine plantations, and grassy hills of the Eastern Cape’s Amatole District is Fort Cox Agriculture and Forestry Training Institute.

Dr Sharon Nobuhle Lungu, an animal nutrition researcher at the University of Pretoria, says that although moringa offers benefits for sustainable farming and human health, its potential as a poultry feed additive remains largely untapped. She looks at the obstacles facing the industry and how they can be overcome.

Today, agriculture is driven by two global obligations: feeding a growing population and protecting our planet. The overriding message is clear: environmental, social, and governance strategies must enhance profitability.

More than land or yield, farming is a home, a way of life and a future. It deserves cover that can change with it.

For six decades, ISUZU Motors South Africa has been deeply rooted in the agricultural heart of the nation. As South Africa’s farmers have worked tirelessly to feed the country and sustain the economy, ISUZU has stood beside them — not just as a commercial vehicle manufacturer, but as a committed partner who understands the unique challenges of life on the land.

The success of the T1250 lies in its efficiency, robustness, and adaptability. The ripper’s performance was tested on a farm with sandy soils in the Free State and it came through with flying colours, writes Jaco Cilliers.

For half a century, the company has played a crucial part in the agriculture sector, and is now set to showcase their next-generation machinery.

In this first article in Farmer’s Weekly’s series on agricultural training institutions in South Africa, we look at Grootfontein College of Agriculture. This Eastern Cape institution has a strong focus on the sheep and goat farming industries.

With climate change intensifying the risk of droughts, and urban development putting pressure on already scarce water supplies, farmers are under increasing pressure to make every drop count.

Precision farming is rapidly evolving, with Raven Industries leading the charge. Nico Myburgh, CNH’s head of precision technologies for the Middle East and Africa, spoke to Glenneis Kriel about this.

Rabbit farming is gaining traction in South Africa. Farmer Daisy Moleko spoke to Octavia Avesca Spandiel about the breeds, biosecurity, and market access opportunities driving growth in this niche livestock sector.

On 6 August, I delivered the 11th Annual Archbishop Thabo Makgoba Lecture at the University of Limpopo. The theme was the role of agriculture in improving rural development.

It was vivid childhood memories of fishing the streams of Barkly East that lured Mike Burgess back to spend three glorious years in these dramatic highlands of the Eastern Cape.

Those in government will have to carefully allocate their resources and time, given the many urgent matters that currently demand their attention.

Irrigation efficiency and uniformity are largely determined by correct sprinkler selection for your farm and your crop.

Drip irrigation has long been a trusted method for irrigating sugar cane, as it is widely recognised for its ability to reduce resource use and increase crop yields, writes Marike Brits, Netafim Southern & East Africa.

Mike Burgess has fished the Saalboomspruit in the Eastern Cape’s Barkly East district for almost four decades. He shares how he has never been disappointed with the exceptional indigenous yellowfish this pristine highland ecosystem produces.

For some time, the South African livestock industry has been struggling with foot-and-mouth disease (FMD), which presents enormous costs to farmers and agribusinesses. As the disease persists, the country's ambitions for export growth are increasingly at risk.