Indholdsfortegnelse for 14 June 2024 i Farmer's Weekly

I will probably never be a farmer (I simply don't have the guts it takes to make it work!), but I've often thought about what I would farm if I had chosen farming as a career path. And with my love for horses, alpacas and cotton, if I absolutely had to choose something to farm as a labour of love, it would be one of those three. But is there real potential for the farming of commodities in South Africa? I believe there certainly is! I am perhaps more excited than most about the upcoming seminar on alpaca production (see page 8 for more details). In celebration of 2024 being declared the year of the alpaca, the South African Alpaca Breeders’ Society is bringing to South Africa from the UK…

More than 1 000 learners in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) will receive hands-on skills training through a partnership between the KZN Department of Agriculture and the Agribusiness Development Agency. Contracts were signed and tools handed over to 1 120 learners from eThekwini and Umkhanyakude District who will participate in a youth skills development programme that started at the beginning of June. The agricultural programme is aimed at equipping learners with business skills in an effort to promote the establishment of youth-owned enterprises. KZN Minister for Agriculture and Rural Development Super Zuma welcomed learners into the programme at an event in Umkhanyakude recently. He said the learners selected to be part of the Youth Skills Development Programme would play a crucial role in the advancement of the provincial agricultural sector. Funded by the…

India's farmers have been feeling the brunt of the hotter than usual weather which has now led to the depletion of their groundwater. According to the Department of Agriculture of Maharashtra, many farmers in the region have been taking loans to get by due to their failed harvests following months of drought. In the statement released earlier this year, government estimated that more than a thousand farmers died by suicide in Marathwada last year, “and federal government records show the number of farmers and farmworkers dying by suicide across India has been increasing in recent years”. Government said that this is largely attributed to debt, crop failure, alcohol addiction and lack of jobs. In the vast farming area of Marathwada over a million farms share the groundwater resources for irrigation,…

Botswana is seeking to import grains from international suppliers to supplement its supplies after this year's devastating drought. According to a Bloomberg report, the country is experiencing its worst drought in 40 years. According to Adelaide Johnson, spokesperson for the Botswana Agricultural Marketing Board, the country was taking an unprecedented step of seeking grain imports from Australia and Brazil. The country's state grain security agency, which is responsible for maintaining strategic reserves, was turning to seaborne trade for both maize and sorghum. Imports secured from Zimbabwe and South Africa were deemed insufficient. “We continue to explore countries such as Brazil and Australia. The plan is to import regionally and internationally to augment the little harvest expected,” the minister said. According to the report, “The step is another sign of the…

The year 2022 marked the highest level of food price inflation, with the United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization's (FAO) Food Price Index averaging 144,7 points, the highest since records began in 1990. This increase was primarily driven by concerns over commodity shortages induced by the Russia-Ukraine war. Therefore, it was a welcome development when the index decreased by 13,8%, averaging 124,7 points in 2023, as most global commodity prices eased. This is significant because persistently high food inflation contributes to overall elevated consumer price inflation rates. These have remained above target levels set by economies, and consequently led to interest rates remaining higher for longer in many countries. The FAO index decreased from July 2023, reaching three-year lows in February 2024 at 117,4 points before rebounding 1,2% in March…

SERVES 4 1kg chicken pieces Salt, to taste 45ml (3 Tbsp) oil 2 large onions, finely chopped 30ml (2 Tbsp) garlic and ginger paste 15ml (1 Tbsp) curry paste 5ml (1 tsp) garam masala powder 2 x 410g cans chopped tomato 750ml chicken stock Fresh coriander, to garnish Lemon wedges, to serve Basmati rice or roti, to serve For the avocado coconut sambal 1 ripe avocado, peeled, stoned and diced 30ml (2 Tbsp) desiccated coconut Juice and zest of 1 lemon 30ml (2 Tbsp) fresh coriander, finely chopped For the avocado mint yoghurt 1 ripe avocado, peeled, stoned and diced 75ml (5 Tbsp) plain low-fat yoghurt 1 green chilli, deseeded and chopped (optional) 125ml (½ cup) mint leaves, washed and chopped 125ml (½ cup) coriander leaves, chopped • Pat the chicken pieces dry with paper towel and season with salt. Heat the oil in an oven-proof pan. Add…

The views expressed in our weekly opinion piece do not necessarily reflect those of Farmer's Weekly. This article was first published by The Conversation. Read the original article at bit.ly/4dPMXLT. “For 140 years, gold mines in Johannesburg have been leaking wastewater contaminated with heavy metals. The acid mine drainage from Johannesburg's estimated 278 abandoned mines and 200 mine dumps includes uranium (a radioactive metal), toxic arsenic, copper, cobalt, nickel, lead and zinc. Acid mine drainage can pollute land and water sources up to 20km away from a mine unless it is remediated by mining companies. The contamination cascades through food webs and poisons river water, plants and animals. Before 1994 in South Africa, African communities were forcibly relocated to places near mine dumps in Soweto, south-west of Johannesburg. Today, Soweto…

ARCHIVE In the Free State there is a Fleckvieh stud breeder who claims there is a marked difference between his breed and German Fleckvieh. According to him, no distinction is made in South Africa between the two breeds, and both are classed as Simmentalers. His animals are out of Swiss Simmentalers. JWA (Xantie) van der Merwe of the farm Drakenstein, near Bethlehem, says he is one of the few stud breeders in South Africa who farms with purebred Fleckvieh animals out of the Simmentaler. Van der Merwe says the most important difference between the Simmentaler Fleckhvieh and the German Fleckvieh concerns the so-called ‘pistol cut’. This is the part stretching from behind the hump along the back muscle – in other words, the eye-muscle to the hindquarters. According to Van…

In the latest Ruminants Veterinary Association of South Africa (RuVasa) Disease Report, Director of Veterinary Network Dr Danie Odendaal compiled some steps that farmers should follow if they suspected foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) cases on their farms. Odendaal explained to Farmer's Weekly that this was important because various other diseases or conditions had symptoms similar to those of FMD. “FMD is usually accompanied by symptoms such as lameness and drooling, but animals can be drooling and lame for various other reasons.” Bluetongue, specifically, could easily be mistaken for FMD, according to Odendaal, because it was accompanied by both lameness and drooling. When it came to a FMD emergency plan, Odendaal said herdsmen should be well trained and report any signs of symptoms that looked like FMD to the farm manager. The…

NWK is using six road scrapers to grade 2 000km of dirt roads to and from its silo complexes around Coligny, Gerdau, Bodenstein, Boschpoort, Ottosdal, Sannieshof, and Barberspan in the North West. Jaco du Rand, senior manager of NWK Grain, said they initially only contracted four road scrapers to do the work, but the project kicked off later than expected because of below-average rainfall in NWK's operating areas which rendered the roads very dry. The scrapers, subsequently, were increased to six to accelerate the pace and progress. He said the project was challenging, because the roads had to be rebuilt in many places, necessitating additional expenses. “We are very grateful to every producer who has been lending a helping hand with the repair process, as it enabled us to progress…

The Zimbabwean government has secured a R672 million loan from the International Fund for Agricultural Development (Ifad) to enhance agriculture production and productivity in the country. Mthuli Ncube, Zimbabwe's Finance, Economic Development and Investment Promotion minister, said the loan would support the horticultural sector and the implementation of horticulture enterprise enhancement, Bulls&Bears Investment Weekly reported. Following the severe impacts of the El Niño-induced drought that affected more than 80% of the country, resulting in a significantly below-normal harvest, the country in April declared the 2023-2024 agriculture season a state of national disaster. According to the UN's World Food Programme, an estimated six million people were expected to be food-insecure in Zimbabwe during the 2024-2025 lean season. “The Horticulture Enterprise Enhancement Project (HEEP) seeks to increase agriculture production and productivity, especially…

CHINA The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs in China announced that a new breed of pig has received approval after 14 years of trials. “Chinese researchers have successfully bred a pig that can provide a large yield of lean protein for its meat-hungry population – a development official media has trumpeted as a boon to the country's pursuit of greater self-reliance in agriculture and a potential replacement for Western imports,” it said. The ministry said that the Lansi pig has the potential to make up a large share of commercial farming in China, the world's top producer and consumer of pork. URUGUAY The government of Uruguay has officially announced its agriculture sector is in a state of emergency following severe flooding in the country in May. Government announced that…

The Kgodiso Development Fund (KDF) has changed the lives of two farmers as they make great strides in the sector. In areas that are plagued with many problems, including climate change, KDF has provided these women with the resources and confidence that are pivotal to their success in the tough industry. Nolundi Msengana and Zelda Masoga are on their journey to success as they take on livestock and crop production. Msengana has been described as a trailblazing female farmer whose dedication to excellence and commitment to innovation have earned her recognition and acclaim in Kalbasfontein Farm in Vanderbijlpark. Masoga said that the path to success in farming was anything but easy. Despite facing pressure to abandon her dreams of entering the agricultural world, she remained steadfast in her commitment to…

The 2024 grape harvest has decreased to 1 099 051t, making it 7,1% lighter than the small crop harvested in 2023 and the smallest crop in two decades, according to the latest harvest estimate by South Africa Wine Industry Information and Systems NPC (SAWIS). The area under production has shrunk to 87 848ha, the lowest since 1997, with more than 36% of vines being 20 years and older. The small harvest is primarily due to challenging production conditions. According to the Vinpro Technical Harvest Report 2024, excellent winter conditions were recorded in most of the wine grape-growing regions, leading to high expectations of the harvest. Expectations, however, had to be tempered as the season progressed and weather conditions evolved. Conditions during spring were challenging, with significant frost damage in Chenin…

The Kwanalu Women and Youth Rural Entrepreneurship (WYRE) project is a groundbreaking initiative by the KwaZulu-Natal Agricultural Union (Kwanalu) aimed at strengthening rural communities through supporting entrepreneurs in the agricultural value chain of producers, traders and service providers. WYRE assists enterprises which range from vegetable production and spaza shops to providing childcare services, food preparation and events, bead design and sewing uniforms. It was started as a response to the humanitarian crisis that faced many rural towns and communities after COVID-19 and the July 2021 riots in the province. According to Kwanalu CEO Sandy La Marque, it was intended to help women and youth in business to upscale their activities and, more importantly, provide jobs in the rural economy to stem the flow of people to the cities and for…

If you have a dream, do something about it. This is the motto of Mac Mabidilala, who owns Terrabosch Wines. The company produces the Terrabosch range of wines and Culinara extra-virgin olive oil brands, and last year signed a five-year lease agreement for some rather sad-looking olive orchards near Stellenbosch. And, while it is still too early to judge his success, Mabidilala is one of the few people who can at least say he tried to do something about his dreams. His inspiration and passion for agriculture stem from his maternal grandfather, Simon Bonga. (Farmer's Weekly featured a story about Simon and Freddie Bonga in ‘Building the Bonga farming legacy’ in 2014.) Despite a rich ancestral heritage of cattle farming, Simon's formal journey into farming started when he lost his…

The most widely grown crop in the world is maize as it is a staple for many people. Researchers from the Boyce Thompson Institute in the US have published a paper showing that the crop can possibly survive in freezing conditions. According to the research, the enzyme known as rubisco in maize shows the same reaction as found in most plants. However, in the study published in the Journal of Experimental Botany, the team shows that enhancing rubisco production could improve photosynthesis and overall growth of maize. Lead author and one of the research members Kathryn Eshenour said: “Our findings demonstrate the potential of modifying rubisco assembly to improve crop productivity. By altering the expression of these proteins, we can unlock maize's capacity to photosynthesize more efficiently and grow more…

HIGHEST: (BULL) R60 000 Burgersdorp – The Alpha and Omega Tuli Production Sale was held on the farm Essex on 23 May on behalf of Harm and Alwyn Marx. The highest price of the day was paid for the bulls AM 20 173 and AM 19 093, which were sold to AWRO OSTRO Boerdery in Burgersdorp and AH Swanepoel in Marquard respectively for R60 000 each. Bulls achieved an average price of R42 200. Heifers achieved an average price of R15 625. Commercial cows were sold for an average price of R16 000, while commercial bulls were sold for an average price of R39 200. The sale was held by BKB, with JP Marais as the auctioneer. – Gavin Isted…

According to Agbiz, South Africa's consumer food inflation rate has slowed further in recent months. As of the writing of this article, the consumer food inflation rate in April 2024 was 4,4%, down from 4,9% in the previous month. Indications from Agbiz's Weekly Market Viewpoint, published on 27 May, suggest that this deceleration was driven by a slowdown across most food products, with the exception of fruit and vegetables, which saw a slight increase from the previous month. The modest rise in the prices of fruit and vegetables was primarily attributed to base effects, according to Agbiz's report. These increases, however, remain mild, as the supply of key dietary fruit and vegetable products in the country is abundant. This abundance ensures that any upward price movements will likely be constrained,…

Kobus Pieters, a macadamia farmer from Hazyview, has been crowned Agri Mpumalanga's Young Farmer of the Year 2024. He now proceeds to the national Agri SA Toyota Young Farmer of the Year competition, where he will compete against winners from the other eight provinces for a chance to take home the title and a brand-new Toyota bakkie in October this year. Pieters is a second-generation macadamia nut farmer and member of the Kiepersol Farmers’ Union. He built up his farming business from scratch over the past 10 years, starting with a small, dilapidated macadamia nut farm that he revitalised and expanded. Today he not only grows quality macadamias, but processes and exports the nuts too. His journey to the top saw him excel in all areas contests are judged on,…

The search is on for the next KZN Kwanalu Young Farmer of the Year. Entries for the competition have officially opened as KwaZulu-Natal farmers under the age of 40 showcase their efforts on farms to keep the nation fed, healthy, and employed. The winner stands a chance to win a brand-new Toyota Hilux Single Cab in the national 2024 Toyota SA/Agri SA Young Farmer of the Year Awards later this year. “Recognising the innovative spirit and dedication of our province's young farmers is not just about celebrating their achievements, but about igniting a flame of inspiration for aspiring farmers and the next generation to carry on the vital legacy of agriculture,” Kwanalu CEO Sandy La Marque said. She said that as one of the nation's most diverse agricultural provinces, with…

Bigbucks, the improved Gala mutation from South Africa sold under the Flash Gala brand name, was recently granted plant breeders’ rights in Australia. Anthony Rawbone-Viljoen, on whose farm Bigbucks was discovered in 2011 and co-founder of Pink Vein, a company that promotes BigBucks and Flash Gala, said Australia was a great market, because it did not compete with South African exports. “It is a win-win situation as Australia is a market for domestically produced fruit.” Getting access to Australia was a long, rigorous process, and started when Brendon Francis of Fruit Varieties International in Tasmania came across the variety. “Fruit Varieties International became the licensee for Bigbucks in Australia and managed to get plant material in the form of budwood via the SAPO Trust into Tasmania in 2018,” Rawbone-Viljoen said.…

South African hosted the World Veterinary Association Congress in Cape Town in April. Why was the congress themed ‘Resilience in the face of adversity’? The COVID-19 pandemic had a huge impact on the delivery of health services, including veterinary services, and highlighted the importance of the co-operation of health professionals for the future health of humans, animals and the environment. Veterinarians were not recognised as essential health workers at the start of the pandemic, which prevented them from looking after the health of animals to ensure food safety and security. They were only recognised as essential health workers after some urgent interactions internationally and nationally. Along with this, the longing for companionship led to a massive increase in companion animals during the pandemic, which added pressure on the number of…

10 Golden Stars To Leadership Excellence by Dr Tom Dreyer (Quickfox, R340) Since he was 14, Dreyer has reaped the benefits of being self-directed – through school, to his first job as an operator at Sasol and moving into HR to specialise in learning and development. He continued his studies with a master's and a doctorate and moved to Abu Dhabi in 2019, which gave him a globally central base to present lectures and courses at top business schools and corporates. This handbook on developing your leadership skills distils his thinking into 10 sections, from identifying your leadership style and building trust before building a team to the rollercoaster of communication, feedback, criticism and questioning in the workplace and how to coach and mentor. Whether you're a leader in the…

Dear Prof McCrindle, I'm in the Eastern Cape and I farm with pigs. Can pigs get foot-andmouth disease (FMD), like cattle do? Kind regards, Duncan Dear Duncan, Yes, unfortunately, pigs can get FMD. If you own free-ranging pigs close to an outbreak, they are in real danger. This is a notifiable disease and you should ask your state veterinarian or local animal health technician if your pig farm is within the quarantine area for the current FMD outbreak in the Eastern Cape. In the meantime, it's a good idea to make sure your pigs do not become infected. In a previous outbreak in South Africa, where freeranging pigs became infected, all of them had to be slaughtered and the meat was destroyed. In pigs, the virus affects the tonsils. There…