Agricultural events such as shows and farmers’ days provide a wealth of information for farmers in particular and the public in general.
Several excellent agricultural shows and a large number of farmers’ days are held around South Africa every year. Some of the shows include the recently concluded Nampo in Bothaville, arguably the largest agricultural show in the southern hemisphere, and the Royal Agricultural Show in Pietermaritzburg, the oldest agricultural show in the country, dating back to 1851.
When looking at farmers’ days, one must distinguish between those hosted by a single company trying to convince farmers that its specific products are the best, and the more informative ones hosted in collaboration with several partners.
One example is the FNB/Voermol/BKB Sheep Farmer of the Year farmers’ day, where I had the privilege of presenting an address recently. Hosted by the 2016 winner, Julian Southey, on Manor Holme near Middelburg in the Eastern Cape, it was attended by more than 180 farmers, some from as far afield as Vrede, more than 700km away.
The Sheep Farmer of the Year competition has three broad objectives: to recognise the important role that livestock farmers play in the sector, to gather information about the industry (on-farm information, not just guesstimates), and most importantly, to disseminate information on best practice to farmers.
SMALLER SHOWS DISAPPEARING
هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة 26 May 2017 من Farmer's Weekly.
ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 8500 مجلة وصحيفة.
بالفعل مشترك ? تسجيل الدخول
هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة 26 May 2017 من Farmer's Weekly.
ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 8500 مجلة وصحيفة.
بالفعل مشترك? تسجيل الدخول
'SA agriculture adapts to challenges and change'
Although the agriculture sector’s contribution to South Africa’s GDP is calculated at under 3%, its extended impact on GDP stands at between 10% and 12%.
Solutions to common cannabis cultivation challenges
Cultivators can improve output, quality and profitability while supporting the sustainability and prosperity of the cannabis industry by implementing best practices in pest management, environmental control, nutrition management, genetic selection, and harvesting procedures.
Training kit boost for small-scale poultry farmers
A new series of training materials to help small-scale poultry farmers improve their methods and incomes has been released by the World Poultry Foundation (WPF).
Eastern Cape Livestock Identification and Traceability System launched
New technology could be the key to help farmers put an end to stock theft, writes Jyothi Laldas.
State-of-the-art abattoir handed over to farmer
The KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (DARD) recently handed over a multimillion-rand abattoir to a Hluhluwe farmer.
Vineyard School helps workers build skills
A new four-day course urges employees to think outside the box to ensure their employability, writes Glenneis Kriel.
SAFDA hosts sugar regulations imbizo
A milestone has been reached on the sugar industry's journey to transformation, writes Jyothi Laldas.
Thailand wants to recriminalise cannabis after earlier unbanning it
The government of Thailand has announced that it will be relisting cannabis as an illegal drug by the end of 2024, two years after lifting the initial ban.
Climatic conditions result in challenging wine grape season
The Western Cape's wine production is expected to be lower this season, reports Glenneis Kriel.
UK promotes trade and investment at Nampo
The 2024 Nampo Harvest Day, themed ‘Agriculture in a Digital Age’, attracted more than 900 national and international exhibitors, with 400 prospective exhibitors on a waiting list. This year the UK also formed part of the event.