Indholdsfortegnelse for 30 June 2023 i Farmer's Weekly

Our chickens may just be coming home to roost. This week, US lawmakers published an open letter to the Biden administration at the White House to move the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) Summit, set to be held in South Africa in November, to another country. The legislators cite South Africa’s seemingly close relationship with Russia as the reason for their request, claiming that by allowing the summit to be held in South Africa, the US would be sending mixed signals regarding its support for Ukraine. Ukraine, of course, was unlawfully invaded by Russia in February 2022, and despite taking a so-called “non-aligned” stance on the Russia-Ukraine war, South Africa’s government certainly seems to be aligning itself with Russia. The US legislators cite the joint naval exercises undertaken by…

ARCHIVE This article described how tobacco seedlings, from a shaky start in trays, ended up larger, healthier and hardier than those grown in seedbeds. The first on-farm proof of a new system of raising seedlings in special trays has come from tobacco farmers in the Limpopo Lowveld. Here, two members of a burley tobacco study group run by farmers in the Ohrigstad Valley, L Vosloo and JMF Havenga, have been astounded by the difference between seedlings grown in trays and those raised in conventional seedbeds. Though the same age, and planted out at the same time, the tray plants were head and shoulders above the ordinary seedlings after 30 days. Leaf development was far further advanced and all the tray plants had survived transplanting, in sharp contrast to the conventionally…

As the fire season in the summer rainfall region approaches, farmers have been cautioned to keep a watchful eye on Eskom lines and transformers. The lack of maintenance on these structures has been responsible for runaway fires that have caused significant damage to farms. Janneman Robberts, a grain and livestock farmer in Ermelo, Mpumalanga, told Farmer’s Weekly that there have been two incidents in the past two years in which faulty lines had created sparks that set his veld alight. “Fifty hectares and 100ha of maize [fields] respectively [were] burnt just before it could be harvested,” said Robberts. He said that transformers from Eskom poles would just fall to the ground after not being properly secured and resecured over time. “Farmworkers have been [electrocuted], but our pleas to Eskom to…

World Wide Fund for Nature South Africa (WWF-SA) recently launched an app that allows the public to report incidents, ranging from poaching to pollution and marine wildlife strandings, in the Kogelberg Biosphere Reserve, which extends from Gordon’s Bay to the Bot River Estuary in the Western Cape. The app, called Kogelberg Coastal Area Reporting and Engagement (C.A.R.E), is intended to promote more effective mobilisation of authorities. According to WWF-SA, the data collected will be used to produce “heat maps” of where and when incidents could occur to assist authorities in improving their resource planning. Among those involved are CapeNature, the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and Environment, the Overberg Wildfire Volunteers, Overstrand Local Municipality, the National Sea Rescue Institute and the Kogelberg Biosphere Reserve Company. In addition to allowing users to…

INDIA Cotton farms in Maharashtra have felt the effects of unpredictable weather and this could affect exports to Western countries, according to the Cotton Association of India. As a result, the association has downgraded its production forecast, and the price of cotton could increase drastically due to the weak harvest. India is the second-largest cotton grower in the world. CANADA Farmers in Canada plan to increase planting of wheat as the Russia-Ukraine war tightens global supply, according to Statistics Canada. Global stocks of wheat have been limited due to obstacles facing Ukraine’s exports, and Russia has signalled that it may not allow a deal securing a safe Black Sea grain corridor. Statistics Canada forecast that wheat planting would increase 6% from 2022, exceeding industry expectations. Canada is the world’s fourth-largest…

World Food Safety Day 2023 was commemorated on 7 June under the theme “Food standards save lives” to highlight the need for proper food handling at all stages of production. The day aimed to draw attention and inspire action to help prevent, detect and manage foodborne risks contributing to food security, human health, economic prosperity, agricultural production, market access, tourism and sustainable development. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), an estimated 600 million (almost 1 in 10 people worldwide) become sick each year after eating contaminated food, and 420 000 of these die. The FAO said safe food was critical, not only for better health and food security, but also for livelihoods, economic development, trade and the international reputation of every country. On the…

Too much or too little water can have dramatic effects on the quality of vegetables and fruit. Oranges, for example, can become dehydrated, while still looking good externally. Such fruit may be dry and tasteless. Vegetables can develop root problems if they remain waterlogged for long periods. The idea is to keep the ground moist at all times, but not waterlogged. Beds should not have visible aboveground water for long periods. If you clench damp soil in your fist, you should be able to make a ‘mud cake’. The soil should not squelch through your fingers: it is too wet in this case. Get to know and understand the type of soil in your beds. Water drains away far more quickly in sandy soils than in clay-type soils. Use a…

A woman in her mid-20s sat before Jenny More, director of RecruitAgri, interviewing for a position in the non-profit’s graduate programme, where she would obtain valuable experience as a farm intern. She was struggling to answer the most basic questions More put to her, and getting a conversation going was difficult. “She had exceptional marks for Matric and graduated with an agriculture BSc cum laude. On paper she was the perfect candidate, yet had still not found a job two years after graduating,” recalls More. “We require students to score at least 80% in the entry interview before they are accepted, and the woman didn’t make the cut. She stayed in my thoughts long after the interview. It highlighted how the education system arms students with all the knowledge to…

SERVES FOUR 1 butternut 30ml (2 Tbsp) avocado or olive oil 30ml (2 Tbsp) honey 125ml (½ cup) corn couscous 125ml (½ cup) pumpkin seeds 125ml (½ cup) cranberries 400g tin lentils, rinsed and drained Handful coriander, finely chopped, plus extra 2 avocados Maldon salt, for sprinkling (optional) For the tangy avocado dressing: 1 avocado, mashed Juice of 4 small lemons 3 garlic cloves, crushed • Preheat the oven to 180°C. Cut the butternut (skin on) in half lengthwise and remove the seeds. Cut each half into four wedges and place on a roasting tray. • Sprinkle with the oil and honey. Season with salt and pepper. Roast for about 30 minutes, turning halfway, until caramelised. • Meanwhile, cook the couscous according to the instructions. Combine the couscous, seeds, cranberries,…

The lurid fiction involving vampire bats is probably one of the main reasons people are afraid of bats. While bloodsucking bats are a reality, of course, and occasionally transmit rabies, recent research has shown that bats (of which there are 56 species in South Africa) can play a major role in decreasing the populations of crop-damaging or disease-spreading insects in the country. Certain species are also important for pollination, while others consume overripe and rotten fruit in orchards. Although certain dangerous arboviruses and coronaviruses have been isolated from bats in Southern Africa, there is no evidence that they transmit these viruses directly to other animals or humans. Pesticides used to control insect pests on fruit and crops are a far more dangerous threat to human health than bats are. At…

The views expressed in our weekly opinion piece do not necessarily reflect those of Farmer’s Weekly. This article is based on a journal article by P Wood, L Thorrez et al, ‘Cellular agriculture: Current gaps between facts and claims regarding cell-based meat’, published in April 2023 in Animal Frontiers, 13(12) 68-74. Visit encr.pw/1g7S5. Email Prof Paul Wood at paul.wood1508@gmail.com. Cell-based meat (CBM) is well-perceived only by niche market or animal activist groups. Other drawbacks of these products are the limited data on their long-term human health implications, environmental impact, and obscure risks related to cellular engineering. CBM products are not identical to the products they aim to replace. First, there is still dissimilarity at the level of sensory, nutritional and textural properties. Second, many societal roles of animal production beyond…

There is now a generally held view that South Africa should transition into an El Niño state in the upcoming 2023/24 summer season. However, the intensity of it, its duration and its impact on crop production remain uncertain. Still, South Africa can be expected to produce smaller harvests of field and horticultural crops than the ample harvests of the past four years. A critical factor to note is that the expected El Niño comes after four straight seasons of good rainfall and high soil moisture levels. WEAK EL NIÑO In the event of a weak El Niño state, the current soil moisture conditions could support crop conditions and ensure another decent harvest as in 2018/19, which was also an El Niño period. Notably, the season prior to 2018/19 was not…

As water becomes increasingly scarce, competition over this resource is ramping up. This has increased corruption with water allocations and licences off the back of inefficient government oversight, according to Robert Davel, CEO of Mpumalanga Agriculture. “It would appear as if there are government officials who are paving the way for mining at the cost of agriculture,” he said. “It is most concerning that many of the mines are run without the necessary permits and permissions. We have to date yet to see a complete public mine register with details about lawful mining operations.” He noted that it was a punishable crime to mine without a water licence, yet the organisation had observed those who were doing so, without any attempt from the authorities to investigate and prosecute. “Farmers are…

There were nine farm attacks and two farm murders in South Africa during the month of May alone. This was according to TLU SA, which also reported that 19 murders and 75 attacks had taken place so far in 2023. Statistics from AfriForum’s annual farm murder report for 2022 show 333 attacks and 50 murders occurred last year. The attacks have led to the DA appealling to the Presidency for a commission of inquiry into farm murders in South Africa, with many organisations agreeing with the DA that the spate of attacks and murders must be dealt with at a higher level to make headway. In the most recent incidents, Anneke Claassen (73) was set on fire at Klipfontein farm near the Echo Caves outside Ohrigstad in Limpopo on 3…

The fact that South Africa’s state power utility Eskom forecasts a “very difficult winter” was highly disconcerting, according to Derek Mathews, chairperson of Grain SA. He said this meant a further spike in input and production costs for grain producers as they were price takers and not price makers. He expressed serious concern about the possible power woes that Eskom predicted in its outlook for the winter of 2023: “As price takers, farmers are directly responsible for the cost that agribusinesses had to incur for alternative sources of electricity. And in the long run, the additional costs also had an impact on the consumer via the agricultural value chain. “The bottom line is that South Africa desperately needs strong leadership dedicated to leading the country out of the multi-level quagmire…

Why did you start Sun Exchange? I came to South Africa from England to work as a solar financial adviser in 2014. At the time, I was struck by the poor adoption of solar technology, which I later realised was because of the absence of subsidies, government incentives and funding solutions. To help solve the situation, I launched Sun Exchange in 2015. How does it work? Sun Exchange is a crowd-based solar leasing platform, where people and businesses around the world unite to enable solar power for schools, non-profit organisations, farms and other smallto-medium sized organisations in South Africa. A crowd sale of solar cells for each unique solar project takes place through thesunexchange.com, where anyone, anywhere can buy cells online for a limited time. The cells are leased to…

Michigan State University (MSU) researchers have sequenced the Montmorency tart cherry genome, the Michigan Radio news outlet recently reported. According to the researchers, this study will have a major impact on the future studying of tart cherries and breeding efforts. “The Montmorency tart cherry is a widely grown variety,” Michigan Radio said. Intially, the researchers wanted to identify genes associated with cherry trees that bloomed later in the season. This was done through comparing the cherries with the corresponding genes in a peach that already had its entire genome mapped. “I thought that this would be an easy endeavour; we would simply sequence a few early- and late-blooming cherry trees and align the sequences to the peach genome,” Courtney Hollender, an assistant professor in the College of Agriculture and Natural…

Five defendants in the Pampoenkraal case have been acquitted on all charges that stemmed from two deaths during the violent protest action on the farm in April 2021. The acquittal has been welcomed in the farming community as a sign that the truth will prevail and racially charged discourse will not influence court proceedings. The five defendants, Danie Malan, Orchard Kligenberg, Cornelius Greyling, Ignitius Steinberg and Senzele Yende, were acquitted on charges of murder, attempted murder, kidnapping and defeating the ends of justice. The men argued that they had acted in selfdefence when a protest turned violent on their farm, but the community accused them of murdering protesters Zenzele and Mgcini Coka. During the protest, several guns were fired, one of which killed the brothers. However, the police were unable…

Climate change is having a huge impact on Asia’s farming market, drastically affecting economic growth, according to India-based agriculture and risk management company Weather Risk Management Services (WRMS). Small farmers have felt the impact the worst as they have been hit by extreme weather, including droughts, flooding and an extreme drop in temperatures. They have had to adopt more sustainable agriculture practices, including water and soil conservation and diversifying crops, WRMS said. It added, however, that predictive data models could help farmers manage weather impacts by providing valuable information on weather patterns, forecasts, and potential risks. With early warnings of unexpected weather changes and pest threats, farmers could make better decisions about farming operations.…

Minister of Home Affairs Aaron Motsoaledi has extended the validity of Zimbabwean exemption permits (ZEP), allowing Zimbabweans to stay in South Africa from June until 31 December 2023. The department ascribed the decision to the number of visas and waiver applications from Zimbabweans who would be affected by the suspension, which had increased to up to 1 500 daily since the start of June, along with other submissions. Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr issued a statement in response to the announcement in which it encouraged ZEP holders to treat this extension as the last, unless the minister’s decision was overturned, and to make every effort to submit either a waiver or visa application as soon as possible. The law firm encouraged employers to help ZEP holders to apply for alternative work visas…

A partnership agreement announced by the African Agricultural Technology Foundation (AATF) and the Centre for Coordination of Agricultural Research and Development for Southern Africa (CCARDESA) earlier this month will work towards upscaling agricultural technologies to address farming challenges affecting key staple crops in Africa, including rice, cassava, and maize. The two organisations will use their shared knowledge and resources to implement agricultural and food security initiatives in CCARDESA countries. These countries include South Africa, Angola, Botswana, Comoros, Democratic Republic of Congo, Eswatini, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Seychelles, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe. CCARDESA was founded by Southern African Development Community (SADC) member states to harmonise the implementation of agricultural research and development in the SADC region, while the AATF targets farmers in sub-Saharan Africa, providing them with practical technology…

Politicians and businesses have been challenged via a new billboard campaign to close the food gap in South Africa. The campaign, which has been launched in Johannesburg and will soon be rolled out countrywide, makes use of 300 billboards demanding urgent action to make basic nutritious food more affordable. The project is the brainchild of the DG Murray Trust (DGMT) and the Grow Great Campaign, which seeks to mobilise South Africa towards a national commitment to zero stunting by 2030. DGMT and Grow Great said in a joint a statement that child hunger and resulting malnutrition was a national emergency and should be the number one issue for politicians and businesses ahead of next year’s general election. One in five South African households does not have enough food on the…

If the recent plunge in the value of the rand has not had you worried, you’ve got your priorities wrong, and you’re neglecting a serious business risk. The value of the rand has collapsed and is continuing to do so faster than the currencies of most other developing countries. But that’s not all; the rand is also one of the most volatile currencies in the world. The graphs below show the seriousness of the problem. Graph 1 compares the rand value to the US dollar from 1975 to 1997 and from 2001 to 2023. Note not only the steepening trend of declining value from 2010 onwards, but also the increase in volatility compared with the previous 1975–97 period. South Africa is heavily dependent on imports and exports; indeed, few local…

Small Business, Big Plans by Catherine Black & Belinda Mountain (Kwela, R330) Both authors have earned their stripes in digital marketing and co-founded a content agency. As a result, experience rings through their pages. They have worked with big brands and start-ups and weave those challenges and outcomes into their 23-chapter digital makeover advice for your small business. Just about everything is included, from defining your target customer and brand identity through designing a website and writing the copy, to whether to use influencers in your marketing. Useful panels give more details on hyperlinks, structuring costing models, and the buzz of the moment: content generated by artificial intelligence. Case histories of small businesses taking on the digital marketing world give feedback on how their ideas work in reality. Their breezy,…

The last sale of the 2023 summer season took place in Port Elizabeth on 6 June, with 170 420kg on offer. A sales clearance of 63% was achieved, according to Mohair South Africa. The mohair consisted of mixed quality with good-quality individual clips and Responsible Standard Mohair made up 80% of the lots. The volume was more than usual for a last sale of the season and this put pressure on a market already feeling the effects of the struggling world economy. The average market indicator decreased by 5% from the previous sale to close at R352,97/kg. A highest price of R973/kg was paid for a bale of 23-micron superstyle kid mohair. Compared with the previous sale, prices were as follows: kid mohair down 3%; young goat mohair down 5%;…