By Invitation

Schalk Pienaar, Agbiz chairperson, says that the current drought is by far the worst he has experienced in his 35-year career in agriculture. The effects will have an impact on the entire Southern African economy and consumers can expect a major spike in food prices from August.

Dr Frans Cronje of the SA Institute of Race Relations sets out the policy objectives that President Jacob Zuma should emphasise in the State of the Nation Address to rescue South Africa’s struggling economy.

Weak growth among major emerging markets will weigh on global growth in 2016, according to the World Bank’s January 2016 Global Economic Prospects. Sub-Saharan Africa could face muted growth due to low commodity prices, power capacity constraints and China’s economic slowdown.

Farmer’s Weekly business columnist Peter Hughes reflects on the state of South Africa and the world, and in doing so realises that there’s nowhere else on Earth he’d rather be.

As industrialising countries struggle to feed themselves, the world will look increasingly to Africa to be the solution. But according to a new report by PricewaterhouseCoopers, the first step is for African food security efforts to become more urgent so that the continent can thrive.

Farmers today produce a staggering 50% more food than is needed to feed everyone on earth. Why then are millions of people still hungry? The reason, suggests the National Agricultural Marketing Council, lies mainly in the widespread wastage of food.

Given enough opportunity, women entrepreneurs can increase economic growth in Africa, according to Estherine Lisinge-Fotabong of the New Partnership for Africa’s Development Agency. She was speaking at the recent second conference for Women in Agribusiness in Durban.

Climate change alarmism is profoundly influencing policymakers. Yet some experts question the received wisdom on the issue, and worry that current policies can cause harm. Environmental specialist, Dr John Ledger, addressed the issue at the De Beers Diamond Route Conference.

Gerhard Damm, the editor of African Indaba, Conservation Force’s African newsletter, reviews some of the points raised in a recent online debate concerning hunting as a conservation tool.

To make it in the market these days, you have to know exactly who your customer is and satisfy her specific demands. A ‘shotgun’ approach to marketing will get you nowhere. This was the message of Dr Johan van Deventer, managing director of Freshmark, speaking at the Undercover Farming Conference held at Simondium in the Western Cape recently.

Namibia’s commercial farmers have endured hardship over the past year, with their resilience tested by a harsh extended drought and ongoing foot-and-mouth disease. Derek Wright, exiting president of the Namibian Agricultural Union (NAU), paid them tribute at the official opening of the 2015 NAU congress in Windhoek.

The International Renewable Energy Agency recently released its Africa 2030: Roadmap for a Renewable Energy Future report. The report details the fact that Africa has significant potential to implement renewable energy – and can benefit greatly from the technology.