Crop protection: balancing yields, responsible farming and food safety

Dr Mahlane Godfrey Kgatle, research co-ordinator at Grain SA, spoke to Octavia Avesca Spandiel about the role of crop protection, integrated pest management, and compliance with regulations in safeguarding yields, food safety and the country's agricultural competitiveness.

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At the Mitigating Pesticide Residue Conference for Food Safety conference in Cape Town, Dr Mahlane Godfrey Kgatle, research co-ordinator at Grain SA (GSA), told Farmer's Weekly about the balance between science, policy and practical farming. According to Kgatle, agriculture supports both food security and job security, and that policies should allow farmers to benefit from scientific advances while producing food responsibly.

A CENTURY OF PROGRESS

Reflecting on South African agriculture's transformation, Kgatle said, "Our [maize] yields have grown from an average of 0,6t/ha a century ago to around 6t/ha today." He attributed this increase to economic improvements, mechanisation, genetic innovations and cutting-edge science.