drought - search results

Feeding sheep flocks during a bad drought can be like throwing money down a bottomless pit, because no one knows when it will rain again. Jan Hoon of the Grootfontein Agricultural Development Institute offers some tips to farmers willing to take the risk. Roelof Bezuidenhout reports.

Arguments about CLIMATE change have been dominated by the role greenhouse gas emissions play, but the old sunspot theory is regaining lost ground. Will Alexander, a retired professor from the Department of Civil and Biosystems Engineering, University of Pretoria, insists there's a link between solar activity, climate and drought.

The severe drought in many of KZN's canegrowing areas has caused staggering losses in the sugar industry. Reduced production means that 318 000t of sugar will not be exported, robbing the industry of R1,1 billion of foreign exchange Of this, KZN growers will lose R665 million.

Sugarcane growers in the Darnall and Maidstone areas of KwaZulu-Natal have already lost more than 35% of their revenue to the drought.

The southern Western Cape is experiencing the worst drought in more than a century and running a profitable dairy has become next to impossible. But with clever management and stringent production methods, Brian Hume and his family are confident their dairy farm in Riversdale will survive. Denene Erasmus visited him on his farm.

You have to confront sentiment about your livestock head-on when faced with drought, says Trenly Spence, a Nguni stud breeder and holistic cattleman who has weathered 25 months of drought in the Karoo. Heather Dugmore reports.

"What have we done wrong to incur the wrath of God?" I asked neighbour Jan as we watched the swarm of locusts darken the sky.
Issue date : 30 January 2009

The Eastern Cape Province is experiencing its worst drought in 50 years, Cerneels Pietersen, president of Agri Eastern Cape, told Farmer's Weekly.
Issue date : 30 January 2009

For the first time this season mohair sellers felt the full benefit of a weaker rand, when the market increased 3,6%.
Issue date: 04 April 2008

Water restrictions associated with global warming and urbanisation are forcing farmers to find innovative ways to use less water. Deon van Zyl, estate manager of Vastrap fruit farm, spoke to Glenneis Erasmus how they kept the farm alive during two years of severe drought.
Issue date 21 December 2007

The prolonged hot and dry weather has seen a slow-down in retail sales of agricultural equipment, according to Dr Jim Rankin, secretary of the SA Agricultural Machinery Association (Saama).
Issue Date: 23 March 2007

White maize prices on 19 February rose by R45/t for a second consecutive day, hitting a four-year high, amid grave concerns that the dry weather will severely damage crops in the main growing areas.
Issue Date: 2 March 2007