Farmer's Weekly 10 December 2021

We have now reached a point in global economic development where hunger and malnutrition can no longer be solved by producing more food. Of course, for some regions and countries, an increase in food production is necessary. But if we look at the situation from a distance, the world is producing enough food. The greater problem now is the distribution of food, and the way in which it is produced and processed. These are some of the takehome messages from the Global Food Security Index (GFSI) 2021, developed by The Economist Intelligence Unit and supported by Corteva Agriscience, which was launched in South Africa recently during an event in Pretoria. The GFSI has tracked the drivers of food insecurity worldwide for the past decade. This year, it shows that seven years…

The views expressed in our weekly opinion piece do not necessarily reflect those of Farmer’s Weekly. This article is an edited excerpt from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations’ report titled ‘The FAO Action Plan on Antimicrobial Resistance 2021-2025’, which was published earlier this year. To read the full report, visit doi.org/10.4060/cb5545en. “Sustainably feeding an expanding global population depends on how well we protect our food systems from threats. This is especially true when it comes to managing antimicrobial resistance (AMR), which is rapidly becoming one of the greatest perils to lives, livelihoods and economies. COMBATING THE PACE OF RESISTANCE AMR is a process whereby micro-organisms acquire a tolerance to antibiotics, fungicides and other antimicrobials, many of which we rely on to treat diseases in people, terrestrial and aquatic animals, and…

24 January 2022, Stellenbosch This WSET Level 1 Wine Course is aimed at wine enthusiasts or those entering the hospitality sector. The course focuses on wine and food pairing, as well as different grape varieties. It also looks at describing the notable characteristics of different types of wine, and the structural components that make up wine. In addition, the course examines the methods of storing wine, and the correct procedures of opening and pouring wine. Email the Wine Centre at courses@ thewinecentre.co.za. CONFERENCES, WORKSHOPS AND EXPOS 1 FEBRUARY 2022 International Conference on Soil, Plant and Water Science, Lille, France. Email the conference coordinator at info@conferencefora.org. COURSES AND TRAINING 5 TO 11 DECEMBER Academy Poultry Module, George. Phone Rothman Livestock Training Services on 078 546 7985. 7 TO 9 DECEMBER Cattle: Artificial Insemination, ARC Irene Campus, Pretoria. Email Mpho Makhanya at makhanyam@arc.agric.za. 9…

At the time of this article’s writing, ginger production was starting to become popular in the Mpumalanga Lowveld, thanks to the rhizomes made available to farmers there. Ginger is hotter than hot in Hazyview and other areas of the subtropical [Mpumalanga] Lowveld, for last season, the 50-odd members of the recently formed Ginger Growers’ Association sold fresh ginger to the value of R600 000 [about R11,9 million]. It is a minor farming boom, a sideline bonus for mainly banana growers, but with a question mark over its future. Will it last and how accurate are the estimates of instant wealth? One farmer, it is rumoured, is grossing R55 000/ha [R990 000/ha]. It is suggested that when the crop is grown out of season (as some farmers are trying to do), escalating prices will push…

Ancient pollen grains found in sediment cores dating back thousands of years are helping scientists to shed light on Earth’s past and future climates. Dr Lynne Quick, a palynologist at Nelson Mandela University, who is currently working on the development of new palaeoenvironmental records in Southern Africa, says: “Pollen is distinct in two ways: it has a unique shape depending on what plant it comes from, and its outer layer is made of sporopollenin, which is chemically very stable and resistant to microbial decay. “Sporopollenin preserves pollen grains in ancient deposits and sediments. When pollen is washed or blown into bodies of water and sinks, they remain preserved in sediment layers in the bottom of lakes, oceans and wetlands. Their unique shape enables us to identify what plant species were in abundance…

The article ‘Proposed uranium mining in Namibia threatens farming’, published on Farmer’s Weekly’s website on 30 September 2021, included some inaccuracies. The ‘scientific report’ referred to was, in fact, information that appeared in a presentation included in a weekly newsletter of the Namibia Agricultural Union (NAU). This information was based on the work of geologist Dr Roy Miller. It was also incorrectly stated that the Environmental Compliance Consultancy (ECC) was the author of the report. All quotes or other information were also incorrectly attributed to the ECC, as the information in the story came from the NAU’s newsletter, which included the presentation by Miller. • Farmer’s Weekly has a high regard for factual accuracy and welcomes reader input.…