Farmer's Weekly 25 February 2022

Climate change is an increasing reality for everyone, everywhere, and has manifested in extreme weather patterns, which have had a particularly dire effect on farmers. While the discussion around climate change is one that we must have, the greatest concern for farmers and agriculturalists in this regard is scapegoating. Livestock farmers, in particular, are easy targets for anti-animal-farming activists. Yes, there is an argument to be made in terms of the ethics of animal production and slaughter, and as someone who was a vegetarian and then a vegan for many years, I am well acquainted with this debate. However, this is not the discussion I wish to address today; my issue is with the widespread belief that livestock farmers are primarily responsible for greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, and that by eliminating livestock…

“Climate change is already manifesting itself rapidly in the form of droughts, fires, floods, resource scarcity and species loss, among other impacts. In 2020, many cities around the world experienced extreme temperatures, such as a record high of 42,7°C in Madrid and a 72-year low of -19°C in Dallas, and regions such as the Arctic Circle have averaged summer temperatures 10°C higher than the norm. Governments, businesses and societies are facing increasing pressure to thwart the worst consequences of climate change. But a disorderly climate transition characterised by divergent trajectories worldwide and across sectors will drive countries further apart and bifurcate societies, creating barriers to co-operation. Unfortunately, given the complexities of technological, economic and societal change on this scale, and the insufficient nature of current commitments, it is likely that any…

2 March, Premier Hotel, Umhlanga The How Israeli Tech Can Add Value to South African Farmers conference will look at various topics in the crop production space, including the future of agritech and its implementation on farms. Expert speakers from various smartirrigation and agritech companies will also speak on the day, offering insight and information on this exciting industry. Email the Israeli Trade and Investment Commission at johannesburg@israeltrade. gov.il. CONFERENCES, WORKSHOPS AND EXPOS 3 TO 4 MARCH Agro-processing Conference 2022, Radisson Blu Hotel, Sandton. Phone Mathema Conferencing and Training on 011 862 4001, or email info@mathematraining.co.za. 9 TO 10 MARCH ICTforAg 2022 Conference (online). Visit ictforag.com. 31 MARCH TO 1 APRIL Agriculture 4.0: Future of Farming Agriculture Summit, Radisson Blu Hotel, Cape Town. Email Charity Wockelmann at charity@agriculturefmi.co.za. 12 TO 13 MAY Drone and Unmanned Aviation Conference, Emperors Palace, Kempton Park. Email info@bussynet.co.za. COURSES…

In this article, a father-and-son team discussed their paprika operation, as well as the market constraints that South African paprika farmers and processors faced at the time. Paprika has enjoyed a boom in recent years, as the price paid for the pods has increased by about 200% on the European market. This has enabled several South African farmers to recover from virtual bankruptcy, and created the impression in some quarters that this is a bonanza crop. The foreseeable result of this will be that, in the next few years, there will be a huge increase in production in many developing countries in the Southern Hemisphere, says Koos Meintjies. He is the owner of Paprikor, the largest of South Africa’s three processing plants for extracting colouring oil from paprika pods. “For several years, South African…

How to grow marigolds on grass cuttings alone Dear Farmer’s Weekly, I wish to point out how easy it is to grow marigolds by practising my method of sowing the seed on a bank of dried grass, thereby creating a beautiful display within just a few weeks and simultaneously restoring the topsoil. My grass bank is in a cemented area where nothing wanted to grow, so I came up with an idea to restore it. Over the years, through this method, I have created a few centimetres of topsoil, which I can also use to grow other types of flowers that aren’t as hardy as marigolds. I take fresh lawn cuttings, which I water well, and then apply these to the grass bank. This also helps to hold the marigold seed in place. After…

Africa’s agriculture sector is often at the mercy of climate shocks. If it isn’t droughts that lead to poor crop yields and the destruction of livestock, then it’s excessive rainfall that floods farmland. These shocks can devastate food security on the continent and are a wake-up call about the increasing difficulties that come with climate change. The 2021/22 summer crop season has been no different. The Southern Africa region, and South Africa in particular, has experienced heavy rainfall since October 2021. Meanwhile, our neighbours Zimbabwe, Zambia and Tanzania shared a different start to the season, which was generally dry, and began receiving heavy rainfall only in December. UNDESIRABLE WEATHER? Ordinarily, rain is welcome and boosts farmers’ optimism about increasing crop plantings. When South Africa’s 2021/22 summer crop season started in October 2021, this…