Farmers Weekly (South Africa)

THE RISE OF WAGYU: PART 1

YEAR-END MESSAGES FROM AGRI LEADERS

Policy Perspective: State needs to rid itself of the scarcity mindset to grow the economy

As Minister of Finance Enoch Godongwana delivered his Medium Term Budget Policy Statement, terms such as ‘fiscal discipline’ and ‘tightening the belt’ were likely to dominate headlines. I can understand that we need to be prudent in the financial...

Agribusiness Perspective: Shifting trade landscape could well benefit South African soya bean producers

The global soya bean trade has been reshaped by geopolitical tensions, particularly those stemming from the Trump administration’s tariff policies. While much attention has been given to the impact on American farmers, who lost significant market...

Political Perspective: Ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas Gaza conflict will have more than just a regional impact

The arrival of US President Donald Trump in Israel to address the Knesset (Israeli parliament), and after that to chair the signing of the peace accord between Israel and Hamas, was truly a global event. It was done in typical Trump-style that...

BEAT THE BUGS: WINNING THE BATTLE AGAINST PARASITES

GET YOUR ANIMALS SHOW-READY!

THE RISE OF A FAMILY-OWNED CANNERY TO A HOUSEHOLD BRAND

Agribusiness Perspective: Weathering the storm – navigating risk and opportunity in the South African agriculture sector

At the recent Bureau for Food and Agricultural Policy (BFAP) 2025 Baseline launch, a clear message emerged: South Africa’s agriculture sector is at a crossroads, facing a complex web of risks that must be navigated to unlock future growth. These...

Breaking down the international court’s ruling on climate change

Zunaida Moosa Wadiwala, a doctoral candidate in international climate law and litigation, and sessional lecturer at the University of the Witwatersrand, discusses what the climate change ruling recently passed down by the International Court of Justice...

FORTIFIED ENCLOSURES CAN HELP LIVESTOCK AND PREDATORS CO-EXIST

Lessons from SA’s first regenerative verified wine farm

Earlier this year, Hartenberg Wine Estate, owned by the Mackenzie family, became the first wine farm in South Africa, and the second in the world, to achieve regenerative verification under the Ecological Outcome Verification framework. Viticulturist...

Agribusiness Perspective: South Africa’s agricultural exports remained robust in the first quarter of 2025

In a year where trade has dominated the headlines since the US started imposing higher tariffs on its trading partners, it is worth paying closer attention to agricultural export activity. Encouragingly, the start of the year has remained positive for...

Spekboom: SA’s carbon warrior

Spekboom (Portulacaria afra), a proudly South African succulent indigenous to the Eastern Cape, is an evergreen shrub with small, round, water-retaining leaves and reddishbrown stems. In its natural habitat, it can grow into a tree up to 5m high, while...

‘The functionally efficient and profitable Beefmaster’

Guy Rensburg owns and runs the Rensgrow Beefmaster Stud, situated near Komga in the Eastern Cape, along with his wife Louise and sons Luke and James. “Farming has always been a passion of mine, and being a fifth-generation cattle farmer, I guess it was...

Resilience, innovation, and energy partnerships are key in South Africa’s agricultural outlook

The views expressed in our weekly opinion piece do not necessarily reflect those of Farmer’s Weekly. Agriculture remains one of South Africa’s most vital sectors. It feeds the nation, fuels rural economies and provides millions of livelihoods across...

Unlocking the potential of SA’s hemp industry

The cannabis hype in South Africa has been dampened by the reality of pricey compliance and start-up costs. Hemp presents the solution to both, requiring low input costs while offering promising marketing opportunities. Lindi Botha visited Green Route...

WEEKLY NEWS WRAP Breakthrough in fight against Sclerotinia diseases in South African crops Smartphones, demographics

The South African Sclerotinia Research Network (SASRN) is leading a multi-institutional charge against one of the country’s most destructive crop diseases: Sclerotinia sclerotiorum. Since its establishment in 2018, the SASRN has united researchers,...

Profitable irrigation: key to sustainable smallholder farming in Africa

The views expressed in our weekly opinion piece do not necessarily reflect those of Farmer’s Weekly. This article was written by Dr Karen Parry, theme leader for equity and inclusion in the Circular Food System at Australian National University; André...

Agribusiness Perspective: Trade recalibration is essential to safeguard SA’s agri economy

South Africa will soon face a more volatile and complex global trade environment, particularly in its agriculture sector. With the recent imposition of a 10% universal tariff by the US, alongside a 31% country-specific surcharge, the long-Ȳstanding...

FOCUS ON SUMMER CROPS How intercropping helped a Free State maize farm grow

The main goal of intercropping is to achieve the highest possible yield on a particular piece of land by using the available resources to their full potential. And that is precisely the route that father-and-son team Francis and Mike Mandy took on...

Agribusiness Perspective: SA agriculture must build on the current optimism in the sector

South Africa must build on the positive sentiment currently evident in agriculture and agribusinesses by implementing long-standing plans and tackling the long-term growth constraints in the sector. The path ahead for the sector remains clear...

LOW-MAINTENANCE, HIGH-PERFORMANCE CATTLE

Policy Perspective: Resilience and building on our strengths are key to a thriving local citrus industry

Acouple of weeks ago, I attended the Citrus Growers’ Association of Southern Africa’s (CGA) biennial citrus summit (see story on page 20). The theme of this year’s event was ‘Tough times don’t last, tough people do’, which was fitting. Over the...

Brothers’ journey from communal farming to mohair success

Through strategic partnerships and perseverance, brothers Simphiwe, Thembinkosi, and Linda Fani have built Doornrivier Farm in Somerset East, Eastern Cape, into a thriving livestock operation. Simphiwe and Thembinkosi spoke to Octavia Avesca Spandiel...

Agribusiness Perspective: South Africa’s agriculture sector must prioritise selfreliance and diversified market expansion

South Africa’s agriculture sector remains constrained by long-Ȳstanding domestic challenges, including deteriorating infrastructure, inefficient municipalities, unreliable transport networks and the slow release of government-owned land to...

Government, we can’t keep footing the bill!

Last week (FW, 28 February), I wrote about the sugar tax and how I hoped Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana would scrap it to help the country’s struggling sugar industry. I was planning on writing this week’s editorial on the budget for 2025,...

Revolutionising citrus transport: rail as a catalyst for cold chain efficiency

The views expressed in our weekly opinion piece do not necessarily reflect those of Farmer’s Weekly. The need for the fruit industry to transition from road to rail transport has evolved from a strategic ambition to an operational necessity. While...

The latest advancements revolutionising the agricultural landscape

As agriculture continues to evolve in the face of climate change, economic pressures, and global food security challenges, South African farmers are turning to innovative technology to enhance productivity and sustainability. Cobus du Plessis reports...

Gender stereotypes in the climate change debate

By avoiding the portrayal of women as either ‘victims’ or ‘saviours’ in climate and development literature, we can ensure that building sustainable economies does not reproduce gender injustices, write Prof Naila Kabeer, researcher Chung-Ah Baek, and...

Policy Perspective: Revised Network Statement shows clear intent to move agricultural products back to rail

Road transport has steadily taken over from rail transport in South Africa over the past 20 years. Rail has an inherent cost benefit over road for long-haul transport, but reliability is paramount for perishable products. This trend is not good for the...

Web tool helps dairy producers calculate carbon footprints

The dairy industry is often criticised for its environmental impact, but a new innovation called DESTiny aims to empower farmers to take control of their carbon footprints. Riana Reinecke, the tool’s developer, explained to Glenneis Kriel how it works...

How indigenous knowledge can empower small-scale farmers

In a study of small-scale farmers in an impoverished area, Dr Jabulile Mzimela and Prof Inocent Moyo of the University of Zululand found that women in particular had employed traditional farming practices to adapt to drought. Now, the academics are...

Agribusiness Perspective: Focus on key areas to maintain competitiveness and address socioeconomic challenges

As we move get into 2025, with many people across the country having returned from various holiday destinations locally and abroad, we are reminded of the stark contrasts that define our society. While some of us were fortunate enough to celebrate the...

CREATING AN ENVIRONMENT WHERE WEANERS AND GROWERS THRIVE

Meet the Prestige Agri Worker of 2024

Thirty-four-year-old Lindie-Alet van Staden was bubbling over with excitement as she thanked numerous people for their contribution to her success on the night she was crowned the Western Cape Prestige Agri Worker of the Year for 2024. The garden and...

Livestock exports done the right way

Exporting livestock might sound like a daunting business that’s better left for big companies, but Gerrie Ferreira, who farms near Oudtshoorn in the Western Cape, has been doing it successfully for almost 30 years, sometimes in partnership with other...

Agribusiness Perspective: Streamlining feed production to enhance the economic resilience of the livestock sector

The agriculture sector, particularly livestock farming, plays a critical role in South Africa’s economy, providing food, employment and raw materials for various industries. However, the sector is under mounting pressure to adapt to a rapidly changing...

African penguins could be extinct by 2035 – how to save them

Protecting the critically endangered African penguin is good for the environment, other animal species, and the economy, say Lorien Pichegru and Dr Alistair McInnes of Nelson Mandela University, Katrin Ludynia of the University of Cape Town, and Peter...

VEGETABLE PRODUCTION

There are various commercial seedling growing mediums available on the market. These are generally safe to use, but with seedling production you need to keep costs as low as possible while still producing good-quality seedlings. Imported components...

PRINCIPLES AND BENEFITS

Public infrastructure holds great potential for revitalisation

Public infrastructure holds great potential for revitalisation The realities of carbon credit schemes Wine estate blends tradition with innovation The small-scale cattle producer continuing his family’s farming legacy ‘Producing grain on marginal soils...

NURTURING DISEASE-FREE GARLIC PLANTS

If you’ve eaten today, thank a farmer

World Food Day, organised by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, is celebrated on 16 October every year and aims to raise awareness about global hunger by drawing attention to the issues of food insecurity and malnutrition,...

Political Perspective: Local governments need to step up to manage disasters and mitigate climate change

During September 2024 we witnessed heavy snowfall in KwaZulu-Natal and especially on the foothills of the Drakensberg and Van Reenen’s Pass, which had a severe impact on traffic and got many people snowed in. The blizzard also had a major impact on the...

FOCUS ON ANIMAL HEALTH & NUTRITION

• DIPPING , DEWORMING AND VACCINATING CATTLE • PROVIDING QUALITY FEED FOR PIGS AND POULTRY

WHY A DAIRY FARM TURNED TO PRODUCING PINEAPPLES

FW GOES TO SWITZERLAND: PART 2 BRIDGING THE GAP BETWEEN FARMERS AND CONSUMERS ARC PARTNERS WITH UNIVERSITY TO PROMOTE RESEARCH AND TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER

Breeding productive, well-adapted Angoras in the Eastern Cape

Pieter Jordaan runs Angora goats and Merinos on 16 000ha near Aberdeen in the Eastern Cape. The 2024 Agri Eastern Cape Young Farmer of the Year finalist spoke to Mike Burgess about how his stud, Legacy Angora, has added value to his farming enterprise...

Agribusiness Perspective: Mixed prospects for South Africa’s 2024/25 winter crop production

South Africa’s 2024/25 winter crop season is under way, and some regions of the Western Cape (the largest province for winter crops) have received excellent rain so far. Some areas of the Western Cape may have received more rain than ideal earlier in...

Pollination innovation: a local company’s solutions to decline in bees

As the world grapples with an alarming decline in bee populations due to environmental changes and pesticide use, the agriculture sector faces a critical challenge: ensuring the adequate pollination of crops. In the coastal city of Gqeberha in the...

Mixed results for SA’s agri imports and exports

South Africa saw a slight decline in agricultural exports in the second quarter (Q2) of 2024 following a large increase in the previous quarter. According to data from TradeMap, exports were valued at US$3,37 billion (around R60 billion) in Q2,...

VISIT NAMPO CAPE 2024!

Grassland restoration: goals, methods and obstacles

Grassland restoration plays an important role in maintaining an ecological balance and promoting sustainable land use. As environmental challenges mount, understanding the goals, methods and obstacles of such restoration projects is crucial. Frits van...

Agribusiness Perspective: Hostility from Botswana and Namibia towards SA is not in the spirit of regional co-operation

On 19 July, Dr Mokgweetsi Masisi, the president of the Republic of Botswana, wrote on X that “Our ban on imported vegetables was a powerful move to boost our local farmers and economy. This initiative empowers Batswana by promoting selfsufficiency and...

OPINION AND ANALYSIS

OPINION AND ANALYSIS Agribusiness Perspective: Agriculture minister’s Budget Vote Speech points to work done and a positive way forward

Agribusiness Perspective: Bountiful harvests and healthy stock levels are good news for consumers in importing countries

While we are still at the start of the 2024/25 global grain and oilseed production season, with the Southern Hemisphere yet to plant in about two months, the International Grains Council (IGC) forecasts a decent harvest. For example, in its latest...

Agribusiness Perspective: Mixed agricultural economic performance in South Africa in the first half of 2024

On 3 July, I attended the South African Society for Animal Science 2024 Congress in East London. Themes included animal diseases, reproduction, nutrition, climate change, and animal welfare. My task was to kick-start the day with reflections on the...

Agribusiness Perspective: Achieving inclusive growth in South African agriculture under the government of national unity

The South African agriculture sector is not immune to politics. Agriculture is a vital sector of the economy. This explains why it earned special attention in the National Development Plan, with the entire chapter 6 dedicated to it. Recently, there...

THE EMERGING ROLE OF EPIGENETICS IN LIVESTOCK PRODUCTION

Agribusiness Perspective: The GNU should focus on leveraging the groundwork laid by previous administrations

New Drakensberg reserve aims to protect unique cultural and ecological resources

A recently established nature reserve in the Northern Drakensberg is set to protect vital grasslands, ancient rock art, and water sources, benefitting wildlife and local communities, writes Caitlin Blaser Mapitsa, an associate professor at the Wits...