Crops

The 10-year agricultural outlook by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations predicts that income growth in middle-income countries will see consumers transform their diets from staples to higher-value products, such as fats and animal-based protein. Meanwhile, environmental and health concerns in high-income countries are expected to support a transition from animal-based protein towards alternative sources.

Learn how to use digital media to your advantage, and avoid the debilitating pitfalls of addiction.

The latest edition of the ‘State of food security and nutrition in the world’ has found that the number of people affected by hunger globally has been slowly on the rise since 2014. The report, published by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, estimates that almost 690 million people went hungry in 2019, an increase of almost 10% over the past five years. The high costs and low affordability of healthy and nutritious diets also continue to contribute to the malnutrition of billions of people.

Traditional meets modern in this easy-to-make meal. A roasted leg of lamb meets a boozy ice cream bombe to really ignite the jolliness of the season.

By disrupting international supply chains, the COVID-19 pandemic has triggered much debate about the need for deglobalisation. This presents an ideal opportunity for Africa to explore the regionalisation of agribusiness on the continent, writes Louis van Ravesteyn, head of Agri Business Pan Africa within the Personal and Business Banking division at Standard Bank Group.

The varying effect of the coronavirus pandemic in each country has depended entirely on the way in which its leaders have managed the process. Take note.

In the past, Christmas lunch in our family was an event of 50 to 60 relatives, friends and neighbours, held on the back lawn of my grandparents’ house under the enormous old pecan-nut trees.

Turkey has long been the traditional Christmas lunch on our farm. It takes my mother two days to prepare the whole bird, starting with an overnight brining and ending with half-an-hour in my father’s smoker.

Hennie Hattingh is responsible for original equipment sales at the Johannesburg branch of a major Southern African tyre and tube distributor. Stehan Cloete spoke to him about the effect of tyre pressure and tractor ballasting on fuel efficiency and productivity.

Demand for nuts is set to continue growing strongly worldwide, but this does not mean the industry can grow complacent about improving production efficiencies. This is the opinion of Axel Breuer, CEO of AgroPress, which publishes The Clipper, an international magazine dealing with nut and dried fruit production and processing.

The South African irrigation and manufacturing company Agrico recently introduced a new GPS controller that offers users of its web-based irrigation control system a new solution for running pivots in a more energy-efficient way, thanks to better pressure control.

To achieve high productivity and ensure all-round business excellence, you need buy-in from your employees. Here’s how to build a committed, enthusiastic workforce.

While gene editing has the potential to reduce human suffering, irresponsible use could be devastating, according to Dr Jamie Metzl, futurist and author.

The Fendt IDEALDrive joystick steering system for combine harvesters eliminates the steering wheel in the brand’s IDEAL Combine series. The joystick steering solution promises to deliver greater visibility for less operator fatigue.

Only farmers know what it really takes to yield the best results, and only the right footwear can equip them to do that.

Pierre Cloete, CEO International Wealth & Prosperity, writes that the future of South Africa is gloomy and that investors and workers need to protect themselves by diversifying their portfolios with offshore investments.

While it may be appealing to spend less on generic or counterfeit replacement parts, there is no substitute for the real thing, as the team at Husqvarna explains. You may spend less over the short term, but in the long term you will actually spend more.

Farmers, and businesses generally, have all lived through disruptions, but never before have we experienced anything like this. Here are some ideas on how to get through this trying period.

Maximising water-use efficiency in South African undercover crop farming operations has become both a financial and moral imperative. But selecting the most appropriate undercover irrigation technologies can be a challenge in itself. Three local experts shared their advice on this increasingly complex topic with Lloyd Phillips.

Retirement is not a single event; it involves both emotional and financial considerations, writes Roelof Bezuidenhout.