Agriculture is changing and so must agri economists
It’s not only farmers who have to adapt to the fundamental changes occurring in world agriculture, or go out of business. Agricultural economists also have to adapt. This is the...
Black youths must be made aware of agri sector careers
In his BCom Hons research paper, Mlungisi Mama examines why so few black youths are interested in agriculture as a career. His conclusion is that they believe the sector comprises...
We all want land reform. Let’s make it work!
Meaningful land reform is crucial, not only to allay the farming community’s fears, but to help restore the economy and benefit South Africa’s poor.
How Africa can emulate India’s agricultural success
India’s self-sufficiency in grains is no accident. In the 1960s, in response to food shortages, the country began systematically modernising its agricultural sector. This was achieved through government subsidies, research...
Addressing agrochemical residues on fresh produce
The use of agrochemicals in the commercial production of fresh produce is widespread in South Africa and elsewhere. However, according to Tom Murray, technical manager at Woolworths, retailers realise that...
The role of ‘human error’ in climate change
Speaking at a technical information day hosted by the Dried Fruit Technical Services and Canning Fruit Producers’ Association, environmentalist Dave Pepler focused on individual responsibility in terms of climate change...
Reap returns on investments by ‘farming the markets’
Farming the markets’ originates from the analogy that exists between personal finance (investing) and farming.
The cost of South Africa’s food loss and waste
The 2017 ‘Food loss and waste: facts and futures’ report, compiled by the WWF-SA, investigates food loss and waste in South Africa. According to the report, a third of all...
Low rural calving rates threaten Africa’s food security
During the Agribusiness Africa conference hosted by Farmer’s Weekly, Dr Riaan du Preez, manager of scientific affairs at Afrivet, highlighted a disturbing statistic about cow conception on the continent: six...
SA needs compassionate business leaders
South Africa needs leaders from all sectors of the economy who are proactive, imaginative and understanding of the economic difficulties the country faces. This was according to former finance minister...
Climate variability versus climate change
Climate expert Johan van den Berg recently addressed the Northern Cape Red Meat Producers’ Organisation congress on the outlook for climatic conditions in the future, and how to manage the...
Global food demand and prices to decrease over next decade
The “Agricultural outlook 2017-2026” report, compiled by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, as well as the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, forecasts that over the next decade,...
Farming in Africa: bigger is not always better, studies show
Improving the efficiency of smallholder farmers in Africa is necessary not only to help grow African economies, but also to improve the livelihoods of these farmers and their families. However,...
Take a cue from Asia on successful land reform
Speaking at the AVI Africa Poultry conference, Christo van der Rheede, deputy executive officer at Agri SA, questioned government’s commitment to land reform. In particular, he criticised its protracted and...
Resolving agriculture’s transformation deadlock
James Martin, an independent agricultural transformation consultant and facilitator, says that transformation is a critical goal, but expecting power imbalances and prejudice to simply disappear is unreasonable. He believes that...
China’s love affair with wine, and how SA can benefit
Chinese consumers’ growing affinity for wine, particularly imports from international premium wine producers, presents a growth opportunity for the South African wine industry, according to research conducted by Buyambo Mantashe...
Consumer trends are crucial for production decisions
Independent consumer researcher, Nadia van der Kolf, urges farmers to keep consumer trends in mind when planning production expansion.
Food label claims: true, misleading, or outright lies?
Consumers face a barrage of confusing, sometimes dubious, claims on food labels. This could end up harming consumer trust in the food value chain, and substantially damaging the industry and...
The benefits of ecological beef cattle farming
Dr André Mentz, animal scientist and author of the book, Ecological Cattle Farming – A roadmap to sustainable cattle farming, says that ecologically friendly beef cattle production is now more...
SA’s disaster relief system: making a bad situation worse
The release of disaster relief funds is a contentious issue in South Africa, writes Dr Christo Coetzee, researcher and lecturer at the North-West University’s African Centre for Disaster Management. According to...
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