Crops

Lucia Zinzi Ndlala’s path into agriculture began as a quiet childhood curiosity in her Kamhlushwa garden, watching her mother plant, tend, and harvest. That early spark grew into a career rooted in science, meaningful impact, and dedicated mentorship.

Raised in the village of Shimawusa in Giyani, Limpopo, Dr Tlangelani Baloyi’s passion for agriculture began beside his mother in the local irrigation scheme. What started as a chore became a lifelong drive to help strengthen South Africa’s food security.

Edwin Muturi, who holds a BSc in agribusiness management from the University of Nairobi in Kenya, is questioning why some agriculture graduates in Africa don’t pursue farmwork.

Reggie Mchunu’s roots run deep in the farming soils of Tugela Ferry, a rural community near Greytown, KwaZulu-Natal. Raised by a single mother who sold crops to support his education, Mchunu’s first lessons in agriculture were personal and profound.

The G20 Summit has delivered a sweeping set of commitments that place agriculture, food security, and African rural development at the heart of the global agenda.

Indulge your sweet tooth this holiday season with a rich, comforting sticky toffee pudding.

Poor cell phone signal translates directly into lost productivity, compromised safety, and reduced revenue. At WaveBoosters, we deliver professional-grade 2G, 3G, LTE 4G, and 5G cell phone signal boosters that resolve connectivity issues immediately and permanently.

Dairy flavour profiles are often overlooked. Many factors can affect how milk looks, smells, and tastes. Rina Belcher, co-owner of Belnori Boutique Cheesery in Bapsfontein, Gauteng, explains how goat’s milk characteristics change with the animals’ living conditions.

Nonduduzo Adelaide Simelane and her siblings grew up helping their grandmother tend maize and bean fields in Schoemansdal, Mpumalanga, and now she is studying towards a PhD in plant science at the University of Pretoria, reflecting her perseverance, passion, and purpose.

Stacey Fisher never imagined she’d find herself in agriculture let alone completing a PhD in plant biotechnology, but everything changed when she joined the Plant Omics Laboratory at the University of the Western Cape.

During her academic journey, Meryl Awkes, now a Standard Bank business centre head, pivoted from chemistry to agriculture thanks to the Maize Trust Bursary Scheme and has since built a career that feeds people and the economy.

In Limpopo, about 30km from the mining town of Marble Hall and surrounded by citrus orchards, fertile farmland, and maize plantings, lies the Tompi Seleka College of Agriculture, South Africa’s northernmost agricultural training institution.

Farm security measures enforced by farmers and supporting organisations play a crucial role in preventing attacks and livestock theft. Farmers are also adopting tools to discourage criminal activity and strengthen prevention.

This flexible finance programme provides farmers with a Prime -5% variable rate, three-year term, and choice of monthly or annual instalments when buying tractors.

If there were any doubts about South African farmers’ optimism for the 2025/26 summer crop plantings, strong tractor sales should provide reassurance.

The powerful Braud 8.50L grape harvester is ideal for large vineyards, but is compact enough to work in smaller spaces.

The rural safety crisis in South Africa remains dire, with farm attacks and murders on the rise. Jacques Broodryk, chief spokesperson for community safety at AfriForum, talks about how the organisation’s farm watch initiative helps farmers protect their communities, improve security, and reclaim control over their farms.

European mist blower spraying technology is now available in South Africa, which allows users to work faster and with greater efficiency.

From my time in the National Treasury, I’ve seen how agriculture’s role in economic planning is underestimated. Too often, it is viewed as a siloed primary sector of harvests and food security rather than a powerful tool for holistic development.

Successful soya bean production depends on keeping plants healthy from planting to harvesting. Using fungicidal, insecticidal, and plant growth regulator seed treatments helps seedlings reach their full yield potential by protecting them from disease and insect pests.