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Global livestock production is increasingly under attack from certain societal groupings who claim that the sector is causing unnecessary environmental harm. Dr Jude Capper, of UK-based Livestock Sustainability Consultancy, explains how livestock farmers can change this perception.

Costs under your control such as yield and product quality are what determine farming success. Don’t waste time on costs you cannot influence or control.

Achieving optimal yields is greatly dependent on providing crops with the right nutrition at the right time. Understanding the role of fertilisers and ensuring the correct application can make the difference between profit and loss.

If I had to draw a single conclusion from the ‘Agricultural Outlook: 2019 to 2028’ published by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations at the beginning of July, it would be that South African farmers will require much better assistance from government if they are to remain globally competitive.

Indigenous African ingredients and food traditions are underrepresented on the local and international markets. Black Umbrellas Global Entrepreneur Week 2018 overall winner Sipamandla Manqele founded her unique agribusiness to help bridge this gap.

Should African countries fail to increase food production and processing to become at least partly self-sufficient, it will be one of the greatest missed opportunities of the century.

Digital technologies and innovations have the potential to revolutionise the world’s food systems. This is why agricultural education and training, particularly in South Africa, needs to be revisited as a matter of urgency, writes Dr Kobus Laubscher, agricultural economist and fellow of the World Academy of Productivity Science.

A locally developed irrigation system designed to transport water directly to plants’ roots and thus eliminate evaporation has achieved outstanding success in trials.

Three years ago, WA Hugo started farming dairy goats on 8ha just outside Lambert’s Bay. Today, he has a herd of 150 goats and produces various cheese products. Jeandré van der Walt visited him on his farm, Bettiesville, to learn more about the dos and don’ts of dairy goat farming.

Largely failed land reform initiatives are leading to increased tension and uncertainty in the agriculture sector as a whole. Veteran rural development expert Jimmy Lonsdale believes commercial farmers have a key role to play in turning this situation around.

Development in a natural area should maintain the integrity of the environment and never compromise the proper functioning of the ecosystem within the landscape.

New Holland recently received an international award for its concept tractor, which offers huge savings in running costs.