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.
Farming: A labour of love
At Farmer’s Weekly we focus mostly on the ‘how’ of farming and provide a steady stream of practical information that can help farmers improve the efficiency, sustainability and profitability of...
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...
Agriculture needs a confidence boost
The past two years have been tough for the local agricultural sector, and the strain that farmers and agribusinesses have been under is really starting to show.
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...
FARMTALK: we want to get to know you better
Farmer’s Weekly has been proudly serving the Southern African agricultural sector for the past 106 years, and one of the reasons why we have managed to keep going for over...
Politics and farming are intertwined
As the political situation in Zimbabwe started heating up in mid-November, Farmer’s Weekly published a news story on its website about how the departure of President Robert Mugabe may affect...
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.
Drought: a disaster for farmworkers
I don’t think it’s an exaggeration to say that the impact of widespread drought conditions across South Africa over the past three years has now become a humanitarian disaster.
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...
Farm crime: an unbearable burden
It must be at least six years ago now that I first became aware of the real scope of one of the many harassments that farmers face.
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...
#BlackMonday brought out the best and worst in us
As I write this, only one day has passed since thousands of South Africans took part in peaceful protests to say that they had had enough of crime, enough of...
DAFF going from bad to rotten
One plus one normally adds up to two. Unless you look at the performance of our departments of agriculture and land affairs.
Farming’s darkest challenge
When we speak about the challenges of farming, we almost invariably talk about economic difficulties such as the cost-price squeeze and attaining economies of scale.
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...
The beginning of the end of ‘Big Food’
These past two years have been some of the toughest ever for SA agribusinesses hit by supply constraints due to drought. These businesses have also been affected by cheap imports,...
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...
Swiss farming: not as easy as it looks
On first impressions, it is difficult not to be envious of the Swiss and begrudge them their seemingly easy lives. It is one of the most peaceful and prosperous countries...
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