Spirit of renewal in commercial agriculture

Spring has arrived in more ways than one! After the recent Agri North West congress I feel as if commercial agriculture is moving into a spring time of its own,...

Adapt now to ensure a watertight future

South Africa is expected to lose its self-sufficiency in food within a decade. Environmental advisor and author Dr Anthony Turton recently laid out his expectations.

South Africa’s beef industry: what does the future hold?

The SA beef sector must improve production efficiencies to remain viable, according to former FNB agricultural advisor Jan de Jong. Speaking at a Brangus Information Day in KwaZulu-Natal, he pointed...

Sugar industry ready to produce renewable energy

South Africa’s sugar industry has finally been given the go-ahead to submit formal proposals on their plans to produce renewable energy on a large scale. The SA Sugar Association’s Dr...

Has SA exceeded its limits?

Without first determining a country’s carrying capacity, it’s no use in speaking enthusiastically about ‘growth’ and a ‘sustainable future’, says Ritchie Morris.

Increase the efficiency of livestock production

Increased emphasis will be placed on the reduction of methane gas emissions from livestock in the future, according to Prof Michiel Scholtz, ARC Specialist Researcher: Applied Animal Breeding. He says...

Beware of wildewragtigs!

I call upon our farming community, commercial or otherwise, not to spend any sleepless nights on the Malemas of our country.

Identify long-term economic forecasts

Basing a business strategy on long-term economic forecasts is about as safe as using tea leaves and crystal balls, says Theo Vorster, CEO of Galileo Capital.

Heaven on earth….

I really hope heaven looks like the Kruger Park. I’ve been going to that magical place for nearly a zillion years and should by now be used to coming back...

South Africa needs decisive and enabling agricultural policy

According to Andrew Makenete, CEO of Manama Hole Holdings and Calico Capital, South African agriculture is currently operating in a policy vacuum. Speaking at a Friends of UKZN Agric lunch...

It’s time to remedy injustices to South Africa’s ‘first nations’

Their forefathers were the first to step on South African soil, and their modern-day descendants are finally being compensated for the land they were dispossessed of, says Raymond Trollip, leader...

The voice of reason will prevail

Speaking recently at a KZN Agricultural Union Special Information Day, Grain SA chairperson Louw Steytler said that the voice of reason would prevail when it came to the country’s land...

The fight for food trade

The number of anti-dumping investigations has risen over the past year amid fierce competition for the food trade. But Alexander Amrein, senior investigator for the International Trade Administration Commission (Itac),...

South Africa – there are some good news

While the mainstream media invariably focuses on the negative aspects of life in South Africa, longer-term trends indicate a silver lining for our beloved country, according to Steuart Pennington, creator...

The great Droughtmaster debate

I blame the past few difficult weeks in my life on Johan van der Nest and his passion for the Droughtmaster breed... Oops! I’m not allowed to say that. Sorry,...

The Albrecht System: uneconomical & outdated?

Local soil scientists are refuting the relevance of this 70-year-old system when advances in soil science point to its lack of scientific value and many shortcomings in field conditions.

Land reform – a new perspective

In this brief summary of an innovative model for land reform in South Africa, farmer and former DA MP Errol Moorcroft demonstrates that, despite the inherent difficulties, the redistribution of...

Germany wants to share expertise

Germany has much to offer South Africa in sharing knowledge gained during its post-reunification period. Ilse Aigner, federal minister of Food, Agriculture and Consumer Protection, explains.

Time for some ‘strategic positioning’

Oh boy, the cat was really let loose among the pigeons at this year’s Nampo Harvest Day with political commentator Max du Preez claiming that the time has come for...

Business ethics in the agricultural sector

“The country will not be a good place for any of us, unless it’s a good place for all of us,” argues business consultant André Diederichs. He believes that considerable...

Opinion