Farming Basics

A father and daughter team from Zimbabwe bought a hydroponic farm and packhouse in Ballito in 2008. They positioned their business for growth by embracing government’s desire to advance black economic empowerment. Robyn Joubert reports.

Arthur Rudman, chairperson of the Glenconner and District Predator Management Forum, describes how predator control is being tackled as a community project in the Uitenhage bushveld. Roelof Bezuidenhout interviewed him.

Grain SA’s Farmer Development Programme chairperson, Victor Mongoato, says land is only valuable if it is used properly. He told Annelie Coleman that the programme’s main aim therefore is to train and support farmers who are not producing grain optimally on their land.

SABMiller has expanded its African beer brand, Chibuku, into 10 countries across Africa. Hloni Matsela, director of Corporate Affairs at SABMiller Africa, gives an overview of its plans. Robyn Joubert reports.

Too few SA youngsters are interested in agriculture as a career. Puso Segoe feels this is due to farmers failing to expose their children to farming from an early age. Fortunately, his father involved him fully, he told Peter Mashala.

New proposals from the World Health Organisation’s Framework Convention on Tobacco Control to regulate international tobacco farming have raised concerns among Africa’s tobacco growers and processors. Francois van der Merwe, chairperson of the International Tobacco Growers’ Association: Africa and CEO of the Tobacco Institute of Southern Africa, provides an alternative perspective.

Integrated poultry producer Astral is stepping up its presence in Mozambique. Robyn Joubert spoke to Astral CEO Chris Schutte about its African strategy.

Duckitt Nurseries was initially built on passion and four orchid species, but it is now the biggest cut flower and Cymbidium orchid farm in South Africa with a few hundred varieties. Keri Harvey reports.

Having too few production divisions can cause financial stress if markets fail. A Tanzanian operation has minimised the risk by launching a variety of enterprises in a relatively short time. Lloyd Phillips reports.

Eswatini Kitchen Honey is re-invigorating Swaziland’s honey industry through the promotion of bee-keeping as an income stream for poor communities. Robyn Joubert reports.

Go big or get out is the current trend as farmers chase economies of scale. But any system which relies on shedding jobs and increasing monopolisation in order to reduce the price of a shelf item is fundamentally unsustainable, warns Luke Metelerkamp.

It may not be widely known outside South Africa’s commercial forestry industry, but problem animals are responsible for causing extensive damage and financial losses in timber plantations. Professor Justin O’Riain and his team are researching ways around this problem. He spoke to Lloyd Phillips.

Training and performance monitoring are key to encouraging productivity in the workforce. Labour consultant Walter Blore shifts the paradigm and puts farming businesses on track. Robyn Joubert reports.

In early 2010, the South African police began work on a new rural safety strategy. The architects of that plan reached out to organised agriculture. A positive, committed response from Agri SA and its provincial organisations has resulted in a renewal of healthy relations between farming communities and the police. Sean Christie spoke to Kobus Visser, of Agri SA’s Rural Safety Committee and André Botha, chairperson of the committee, about the strategy.

It’s a hard day’s work for the team as livestock farmer Gary Mitchell runs his commercial Drakensbergers and stud Dorpers in the KZN Midlands with minimal labour.

Sweden’s agricultural sector is largely based on environmental principles and organic farming. This has posed many challenges for Swedish farmers, who are losing market share to cheaper imports. Lindi van Rooyen spoke to Helena Jonsson, president of the Federation of Swedish Farmers, about overcoming these challenges.

Clean renewable energy or an imperfect solution? Are wind turbines the magic bullet for energy problems? Roelof Bezuidenhout reports.

Agricultural machinery and implements are vital to any commercial farming operation. It’s equally important that this equipment is well managed and maintained. Lloyd Phillips reports.

In its recently released annual financial report, Land Bank announced that its finances were in good shape. Chief financial officer Lebogang Serithi shared the institution’s recipe for success with Peter Mashala.

Political analyst Max du Preez says SA commercial farmers can no longer afford a laager mentality: by familiarising themselves with the political dynamics and the inner workings of the ANC, they’ll be able to tell the loudmouths from the power players, and spotlight themselves as food producers and fighters against poverty. Annelie Coleman reports.