Farmer's Weekly
Maize Production Faces Uncertain, Volatile Future
The Bureau for Food and Agricultural Policy (BFAP) recently presented its South African Baseline Agricultural Outlook for the period 2019 to 2028, which provides a comprehensive summary of the agriculture sector and its projected growth over the next decade.
1 min |
August 30, 2019
Farmer's Weekly
Informal Beef Herd Is ‘SA's Largest Uncounted Agri Asset'
The demand for beef will grow 23% over the next decade, according to the Bureau for Food and Agricultural Policy (BFAP).
1 min |
August 30, 2019
Farmer's Weekly
Dealing With The Data Produced By Precision Farming
Erik de Vries, a director at precision farming consultancy Agri Technovation, says the number and diversity of data points generated by precision agriculture technologies require capable central platforms to allow the information to add value to farming businesses.
6 min |
August 30, 2019
Farmer's Weekly
Global Malnutrition Due To 'Trend To Eat Less Meat'
The majority of consumers worldwide suffer from malnutrition due to a trend to eat less meat.
1 min |
August 30, 2019
Farmer's Weekly
Bigger, Better Nampo Cape
After the success of the inaugural Nampo Cape in 2018, Grain SA says it’s preparing for an even more impressive show at Bredasdorp this year. Denene Erasmus and Jeandré van der Walt report.
5 min |
August 30, 2019
Farmer's Weekly
Award-winning Goat's Cheese From Clarens
After teaching herself cheesemaking, Estee van Aswegen entered her Baris cheeses at the South African Dairy Championships and won top of class.
4 min |
August 30, 2019
Farmer's Weekly
Kubota Goes Big In North America
After announcing earlier this year that the company will launch a range of high-horsepow tractors for the North American market, Kubota recently unveiled the M8 Series, its largest tractor ever.
2 min |
Farmer's Weekly August 2019
Farmer's Weekly
Preventing Aflatoxin Poisoning
Aflatoxins can cause severe liver damage and may result in death, says Dr Mac. As such, proper feed storage is crucial.
2 min |
Farmer's Weekly August 2019
Farmer's Weekly
Planting Cabbages
Cabbage is grown from seed. Eight weeks before planting, remove all weeds on the land. Plough the soil immediately before planting with a disc harrow or other suitable implement to a depth of between 450mm and 600mm. If necessary, fumigate the soil two weeks before planting to control nematodes.
2 min |
Farmer's Weekly August 2019
Farmer's Weekly
Mondi Overcomes Hurdles To Post Strong Half-Year Results
The Mondi Group has shown overall positive financial results for the half-year ended 30 June, despite facing a number of challenges, including an international corporate simplification process, and a decline in revenue from its South African operations.
1 min |
Farmer's Weekly August 2019
Farmer's Weekly
Let's Hope The Tv Channels Never Go On Strike!
My bakkie’s licence expired on 31 July. I went to our local municipal office to renew it – only to discover that the employees were on strike and behind locked doors.
1 min |
Farmer's Weekly August 2019
Farmer's Weekly
Inside Sa's Biggest Orchid Business
What started out with a couple of plants bought at an orchid show in the 1960s, has turned into one of South Africa’s biggest orchid companies, Duckitt Nurseries. Wilferd Duckitt, the co-owner of the company
6 min |
Farmer's Weekly August 2019
Farmer's Weekly
How Award-Winning Broiler Producer Stayed The Course
Bhefika Matshenja of Inhlakanipho Projects and Farms, winner of the Star of Buhle Award for 2019, says that by implementing sound management principles, such as reinvesting profits, he has been able to see his business grow.
5 min |
Farmer's Weekly August 2019
Farmer's Weekly
Harry Wolhuter And The Lions: A Tale Of Tooth And Claw
His encounter with two lions while on duty as a game ranger made Harry Wolhuter a celebrity throughout the British Empire and elsewhere.
5 min |
Farmer's Weekly August 2019
Farmer's Weekly
Duck Breasts With Chopped Onions And Garlic
This exceptional meal deserves a special occasion.
2 min |
Farmer's Weekly August 2019
Farmer's Weekly
A Better Food Future For SA
Current methods of food production threaten the environment and human health, and change is thus urgently required in South Africa’s food system. In a report, recently published by the WWF-SA, titled ‘Agri-food Systems: Facts and Futures: How South Africa can produce 50% more by 2050’, the organisation’s senior manager of the policy and futures unit, Tatjana von Bormann, details the changes needed to achieve a better food future for the country.
5 min |
Farmer's Weekly August 2019
Farmer's Weekly
Tools To Prevent Build-Up Of Pest Tolerance In Bt Maize
While Bt technology in genetically modified maize helps farmers to control certain crop pests more effectively, measures should be taken to prevent the development of resistance to the technology. Seed industry representatives Grant Pringle and Magda du Toit shared their opinions on this important issue with Lloyd Phillips.
4 min |
Farmer's Weekly August 2019
Farmer's Weekly
The Nitrate Form Of Nitrogen
The nitrate form of nitrogen is highly mobile in the soil. The way in which you apply it will determine how long the plants will have access to it.
2 min |
Farmer's Weekly August 2019
Farmer's Weekly
Biofuels Vs Fossil Fuels
Although biofuels are not used in South Africa, they are commonplace in many countries. Jake Venter compares the combustion properties of biofuels and the fossil fuels petrol and diesel.
3 min |
August 16, 2019
Your Family
A Dog's Life
We’ve compiled a list of fabulous places to walk your dogs, because furry family members deserve a great day out too!
8 min |
September 2019
Farmer's Weekly
Tuli Stud Cattle Flourish In Karoo Small-Stock Environment
Tuli breeder Ben Raath believes his indigenous cattle hold their own against top feedlot breeds in terms of profitability on a weight per hectare basis. Sabrina Dean visited his farm near Britstown to learn about the commercial potential of the cattle, particularly with worsening climate change.
6 min |
August 16, 2019
Farmer's Weekly
Getting Started With Cabbage
Cabbage is grown throughout South Africa, with most production concentrated in Mpumalanga and parts of KwaZulu-Natal.
1 min |
August 16, 2019
Farmer's Weekly
Bringing More South African Game Meat To Dinner Tables
Game meat is an often-prized, but scarce, protein source. According to independent meat safety consultant Dr Tertius Bergh, systems for improving the safety standards of processing game meat could ensure far more widespread consumption. Lloyd Phillips reports
5 min |
August 16, 2019
Farmer's Weekly
Ammonia-based Fertiliser Explained
The situation gets worse when the soil temperature decreases
2 min |
August 16, 2019
Farmer's Weekly
Why Nitrogen Is So Important
Simply put, nitrogen controls the performance of the crop just as the throttle pedal controls the speed of a car.
2 min |
August 9, 2019
Farmer's Weekly
The Female Tractor Technician Who Is Breaking Stereotypes
Lerato Baloyi is currently the only female agricultural equipment technician employed by John Deere Sub-Saharan Africa. Siyanda Sishuba spoke to the 29-year-old Baloyi about her often-challenging journey in this male-dominated industry, and her passion for her career.
5 min |
August 9, 2019
Farmer's Weekly
The American Quarter Horse
This breed is not only fast, but is also versatile, and can thus compete in English or Western riding disciplines,
2 min |
August 9, 2019
Farmer's Weekly
No Slowing Down For This Commercial Cattle Woman
Alwene Ford may be nearing what many would consider normal retirement age, but the 63-year-old commercial cattle farmer has no plans to slow down. Sabrina Dean visited her on her farm near Barkly West in the Northern Cape.
6 min |
August 9, 2019
Farmer's Weekly
New Thoughts On Animal Thinking
Prof Aliza le Roux, head of the Department of Zoology and Entomology at the University of the Free State’s QwaQwa campus, says the latest ideas in animal behaviour hold farreaching implications for livestock farmers.
4 min |
August 9, 2019
Farmer's Weekly
New Markets Vital To Facilitate Avocado Industry Growth
Despite a current undersupply of avocados in European countries and the fact that these markets are growing year-on-year, South Africa did not have an opportunity to significantly increase exports to the EU.
1 min |