Agricultural output versus SA’s population growth
Nico Strydom and Jean Struweg, researchers in the Department of Finance and Investment Management at the University of Johannesburg, recently published an article in Agrekon, titled, ‘Malthus revisited: Long-term Trends...
Agriculture is paralysed by SA’s poor leadership- Tony Leon
South Africa is currently faced with a paralysed, narrow and inward-looking leadership, according to political analyst and former leader of the Democratic Alliance, Tony Leon.
A few useful WhatsApp basics
WhatsApp was launched in 2009 by former Yahoo employees Brian Acton and Jan Koum. In February 2014, Facebook purchased the app for US$19 billion (about R280 billion).
Getting a head start on farming robotics
On 7 May, the first-ever AgBot (agricultural robotics) competition was held in the US on Gerrish Farms, one of the oldest family-owned farms in Indiana.
Make your mark
This week, South Africans will have the opportunity to vote for their preferred candidates in the municipal elections.
Preparing to meet evolving consumer demands
With the speed at which the world is changing, it is difficult to predict the effects that advancing technology, increased access to information and consumers’ demands for personalised products will...
Information vacuum in the farming sector
One of the reasons why farming has been able to make such impressive strides in productivity in our lifetime is that farmers today have the tools and ability to access...
Get ready for change
Political uncertainty, climate change, water shortages, poor economic growth, and the Fourth Industrial Revolution are reshaping the way that industries are operating. The Western Cape Minister of Economic Opportunities, Alan...
Another day, another disaster
At some point, even the greatest tragedies become old news and a protracted crisis loses its punch.
Broadband alternatives to DStv
Internet connectivity has improved significantly throughout the country in recent years, opening up a range of entertainment options.
Better economic prospects ahead for sub-Saharan Africa
In the PwC Africa Agribusiness Insights Survey 2016, economic advisor, Dr Roelof Botha, looks at some of the most significant macroeconomic trends for agribusiness in Africa, and key challenges affecting...
The HIV/AIDS scourge on farms
Over the past two decades, commercial farmers in South Africa have made significant strides in improving the working and living conditions of farmworkers.
The ethics of climate change
Professor Martin Rees, Astronomer Royal, former president of the Royal Society, and emeritus professor of cosmology and astrophysics at the University of Cambridge, looks beyond 2050.
Censorship
The SABC’s Hlaudi (Good-news) Motsoeneng has joined the philosophical school of thought popular with political leaders such as President Jacob Zuma and EFF leader Julius Malema, which contends that if...
Government out of touch with black farmers’ needs – IRR land report
Government’s land reform policy will not rescue South Africa from its 36% unemployment rate, nor is it a true reflection of the real needs and wants of black emerging farmers....
Do you feel safe in South Africa?
Someone recently showed me a photograph that a friend of theirs had posted on Facebook, showing an aerial view of a city burning.
Setting up a Facebook account
Facebook can be daunting for those farmers who say they were born BC (before computers). However, it’s an excellent way to share ideas with other farmers and stay in contact...
UK farmers were in favour of Brexit
The United Kingdom (UK) voted on Friday to withdraw from the European Union (EU), sending the pound and the rand diving, and David Cameron, former UK Prime Minister, running.
The effects of poor rural road conditions on produce
Highlighting the effects of rural road conditions on agricultural cargo is one way of enhancing the visibility of rural road research, according to Prof Wynand Steyn, an associate professor in...
Why conserving Africa’s biodiversity is so crucial
While the topic of food security is being increasingly discussed in many parts of the world, it appears that in Africa this vitally important subject receives far too little attention,...
