Inhaltsverzeichnis für 8 April 2016 in Farmer's Weekly

The good rains that came before Easter were just enough to cover some of South Africa’s parched areas in a thin veil of green, but the relief was fleeting. South Africans have already started to see a rise in food prices due to drought-related shortages, and the worst is yet to come for farmers and consumers. It is time for government to acknowledge the urgency and severity of the drought and declare a national disaster. But, according to Agri SA CEO Omri van Zyl, this is unlikely to happen soon. Declaring the drought a national disaster at this time might just be the final nail in the coffin as international credit ratings agencies consider downgrading South Africa to ‘junk status’, says Van Zyl, a scenario government wants to avoid, especially…

Farmer’s Weekly journalist, Jeandré van der Walt (neé Du Preez), who is based in the Western Cape, married her beau, Gerhard van der Walt, at Towerbosch restaurant and function venue on the Knorhoek Wine Estate, Stellenbosch, on 19 March. GOT SOMETHING TO SAY? Send your letters and photos to: Farmer’s Weekly, PO Box 1797, Pinegowrie 2123, SA, fax 011 889 0862, or email farmersweekly@caxton.co.za. The views and opinions expressed on the letters page do not necessarily reflect those of Farmer’s Weekly or Caxton. Readers’ letters will be published and edited at the sole discretion of Farmer’s Weekly.…

Canada’s agricultural sector is facing a labour shortage of more than 60 000 farm workers. According to a study by the Canadian Agriculture Human Resource Council, this figure could increase to 114 000 by 2025. Horticulture workers make up about two-thirds of this figure, while the rest are beef and dairy farm workers, according to ipolitics.co.za. Farmers are under financial strain and miss out on income of about US$1,5 billion (R22 billion) annually, resulting in expansion being delayed. Approximately 3% of immigrants enter agriculture.…

The Land Bank intends improving its service to farmers and would like to interact more meaningfully with the agriculture sector. In a presentation at the recent 2016 Undercover Farming Expo and Conference in Pretoria, Mohammed Sizwe, senior manager for emerging and retail markets at Land Bank, said the bank’s restructuring process would address many of its shortcomings. “As an organisation, we’ve been complacent about customer service, but we’re addressing this,” he said. One strategy would be to change its offering aimed at the top end of the market and to remove outdated products. The specialist agricultural bank has a loan book of R33 billion and has reduced its non-performing loans to less than 10%. It has also increased its market share by 30%. Sizwe said the effect of the drought…

The controversial Vrede Dairy Project remains shrouded in mystery. According to Roy Jankielsohn, DA leader in the Free State Provincial Legislature, management of the farm was handed over to the Free State Development Corporation (FDC) at the end of 2014. In August 2015, the beneficiaries asked public protector Thuli Madonsela to intervene in the project as they had not yet received any form of compensation, even though they hold 51% shares in the project. The beneficiaries asked for full access to the project’s financial statements and for members of their families to be employed by the project. A recent report from the Free State department of agriculture stated that the Vrede Dairy Project was operational. According to the report, the project’s 70-point rotary parlour system was working and 190 of…

Sugarcane farmers along the Mfolozi River floodplain in KwaZulu-Natal are currently embroiled in a heated legal battle with the iSimangaliso Wetland Park Authority. Umfolozi Sugar Planters (UCOSP) has accused iSimangaliso of failing to adhere to an interim High Court order requiring the park’s management to breach the Mfolozi River’s mouth into the sea when back-flooding reaches 1,2m above sea level. Recent heavy rains in drought-stricken KZN had resulted in the Mfolozi back-flooding, as the river’s mouth had been naturally closed to the sea due to the drought. The flooding reportedly threatened upstream sugarcane lands belonging to UCOSP members. In anticipation of this occurring, UCOSP had achieved an interim court order for iSimangaliso to breach the river mouth. iSimangaliso and other residents in and adjacent to the World Heritage Site Park…

The World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) and the World Health Organization (WHO) have released their global framework for the elimination of dog-mediated human rabies. Since more than 95% of human rabies cases were caused by dog bites, the most cost-effective way to eliminate it was to prevent it at source. Sustainable vaccination of 70% of the at-risk dog population was recognised as the key to eliminating the disease in endemic areas, a release by OIE said. “As of today, more than 15 million doses of canine rabies vaccines have been ordered or delivered in many countries through the OIE Vaccine Bank,” the OIE said. KwaZulu-Natal, one of the most densely populated provinces of South Africa, had a human:dog ratio of 6,5:1 in communal areas, according to a WHO rationale.…

The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) recently released a report stating that there had been a significant increase in elephant poaching in some African countries, particularly South Africa, Tanzania and along the Zambezi valley in Zimbabwe. Ranking third on the African illegal elephant killing scale of 2015, Chewore in Zimbabwe saw a 12% increase in elephant poaching, following Ruaha-Rungwa in Tanzania, which experienced a 15% increase. Ranking first on the scale, the Kruger National Park experienced a 23% increase in elephant poaching. Despite the increase, the park’s elephant population was not currently declining. However, this would be subject to change should poaching continue to increase. Johnny Rodriguez, chairperson of the Zimbabwe Conservation Taskforce, said that Chewore was particularly favoured by poachers because of its abundant elephant and…

VARIABILITY BETWEEN STUDIES IS AS INTERESTING AS THE AVERAGE RESULT Holistic planned grazing (HPG), or high density grazing, refers to the livestock management aspect of holistic management (also called the Savory approach or holistic resource management). It is a practice in which the activities of masses of free-moving herds are mimicked in order to better manage domestic livestock for productive and sustainably managed rangelands. Essentially, HPG is a type of adaptively managed, time-controlled rotational grazing. The time that animals spend in any camp is based on a grazing plan, as well as on actual forage offtake (usually 50% to 70%). The number of days before animals return to a camp is based on plant recovery of biomass, depending on rainfall in the area and season. WHY MIMIC THE MASSES? The…

PRODUCTION CLAIMS MUST NOT BE BASED ON EXTRAPOLATION While pond and cage tilapia culture has proved itself in many parts of the world, recirculating systems for tilapia have not. I do not know of a single system in South Africa that could be promoted in its current form as a viable commercial unit with guaranteed production potential. Having said that, there are a few good systems around that, with some fine tuning, have the potential to be viable. Some, in fact, are now putting fish on the table. South Africa has more entrepreneurs selling systems than actual tilapia farms. Most of their designs are at concept stage, with less than a full season of trials – and in some cases, no trials at all. I am always amazed at the…

What are the greatest financial problems agricultural producers have to deal with during times of drought? Increased feed costs, lower yield and significant pressures on natural resources, such as water, are posing major challenges to agricultural producers. Working capital resources are under increased pressure, and more financial assistance from external financiers is therefore needed. Servicing existing debt and obtaining further funding will be challenging, and the farmer must understand that it is not business as usual. A bank’s relationship with the farmer has therefore evolved beyond leveraging the business with loans, to one of forging partnerships based on holistic solutions that deal with opportunities and threats. When and how should a farmer approach a bank for financial assistance? I must stress the importance of clients proactively approaching their banks to…

THE BOVINE GENOME WAS SEQUENCED IN 2009 Sustainability in any enterprise depends on long-term profitability. Many factors contribute to this, including the optimal use of available resources. One such resource, technology, plays a major role in successful livestock production. Livestock feeding and nutrition technologies include evaluation and analysis methodologies, rumen and post-rumen digestibility and feed utilisation, harvesting techniques and treatment of feed, micro minerals and amino acid utilisation, utilisation of micro-organisms in feed, and automated intake control and recording. Equally important are the advanced technologies that influence physiological processes. These include rumen fermentation, hormonal control of reproduction cycles, immune system boosting and inoculation, product quality enhancement, fatty acid and amino acid manipulation, organism specific treatment, embryo, semen and cloning techniques, and automated production recording. Animal breeding and genetics focus on…

The Greenbot can perform a wide range of activities with no manual input whatsoever. It can work the land day and night, spraying or applying fertiliser and more. In addition, it is much simpler than a conventional tractor as the parts and components needed for a driver have been omitted. The compact design results in excellent weight distribution and the narrow track makes the machine ideal for operating in orchards and vineyards. The in-built systems enable precision application and are accurate to within one centimetre. According to the manufacturer, the Dutch Power Company (DPC), future models will have a roof-mounted tank for fertiliser or spray chemicals to create a highly manoeuvrable implement carrier. “We opted for a machine with a low centre of gravity. The four-wheel steering ensures maximum manoeuvrability,”…

No matter where we live, no matter what our choice of profession, we have to choose whether to live or die. ‘BUT AS FOR ME AND MY HOUSE, WE WILL SERVE THE LORD’ In Joshua 24:15 we read: “And if it seems evil to you to serve the Lord, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” Joshua made a choice and stuck by it. Many people in the world today are searching for meaning in life. Remember, it’s your attitude that will determine your altitude. A POSITIVE OUTLOOK IN…

Choosing rams for your flock will dramatically affect your business in the long term. Get it right and you’ll boost your profits; get it wrong and you could undo years of hard work. Launched in July 2015, RamSelect.com.au seeks to take the sweat out of using Australian Sheep Breeding Values (ASBVs) to identify the right genetics for a flock using data from MERINOSELECT, LAMBPLAN and DOHNE (for more information on all three, visit sheepgenetics.org.au). You can register for free by going to ramselect.com.au. The app was developed by the Cooperative Research Centre for Sheep Industry Innovation (Sheep CRC) in conjunction with Telstra, Pivotal Labs and the New South Wales department of primary industries. Within four months of its launch, the app covered 5% of Australia’s ram market with details on…

CONFERENCES, WORKSHOPS & EXPOS 14 APRIL Pasture Management Symposium, Farm Inn, Pretoria. Email info@grassSA.co.za or visit www.grasssa.co.za. 21 APRIL Crop Estimates Liaison Committee (CELC) Seminar, Centurion. Phone Lizbé Esterhuizen on 012 807 3002 or email lizbe@agbizgrain.co.za. 21 APRIL Free State Agriculture’s Young Farmer Conference and Young Farmer of the Year, Bloemfontein. Visit www.vrystaatlandbou.co.za. COURSES & TRAINING 4 TO 8 APRIL Introduction to Poultry Production, Pretoria. Phone Jan Grobbelaar on 084 567 8975 or email jan@reveal.co.za. 7 TO 8 APRIL Commercial Gourmet Mushroom Cultivation, Durban. Phone Adriaan Smit on 082 749 8553 or visit www.mushroomacademy.com. 12 APRIL Embryo Transfer in Cattle, Krugersdorp. Phone Di Rothman on 082 772 1208 or visit www.rltsafrica.com. 12 TO 14 APRIL One-Day Practical Home Gardening, Beula Park, Meadowdale. Phone Neill Jackson on 082 407 6774 or…

Extreme heat has resulted in the South African Table Grape Industry (Sati) downgrading its export estimate by 4% from last year’s record harvest of 59,37 million cartons to between 56,05 million and 57,25 million 4,5kg cartons. The Olifants River region has been the worst affected, with the production estimate adjusted from between 3,8 million and four million cartons at the start of the season in October, to between 3,1 million and 3,3 million cartons. Willem Bestbier, CEO of Sati, said farmers in the Olifants River region had already been forced to cope with a 40% water restriction on their quotas at the start of the season. Insufficient water for post-harvest management was also a concern as it would have a negative impact on production next season. According to Wilfred Stephan,…

South African citrus producers farming in areas where citrus black spot disease (CBS) is a problem will most likely have to wait another year until after the US elections before they can export citrus to that country. This is according to Piet Smit, vice-chairperson of the Citrus Growers’ Association (CGA). Currently, South Africa was allowed to export fruit from CBS-free areas only, said Smit. Although the US had agreed in principle about a year ago that other regions would in future also be able to export citrus to that country, South Africa was still waiting for new regulations that would make this possible. It looked as if the US had been too busy with other matters, such as the Agoa negotiations and the elections, to give its full attention to…

Approximately 75% of sausage products in Russian grocery stores do not meet quality standards. Globalmeatnews.com reported that cheaper substitutes for pork and beef such as soya, starch, emulsions and parts of animal skins were used in sausage production. Russian consumer protection organisation, Roscontrol, found that some products contained no meat at all and phosphates were overused in production to lower production costs. According to the Russian Ministry of Health, meat products were not of a high standard and were unhealthy due to a high fat content. Despite these reports, the country’s Federal Service for Veterinary and Phytosanitary Surveillance said that there was no need to address the situation.…

South Africa’s farmers should remain hopeful as 2017 is expected to be a better year for the agricultural sector. In his presentation at the 2016 Undercover Farming Expo and Conference in Pretoria, Wessel Lemmer, senior agricultural economist at Absa Agribusiness, said that while the country’s economic growth was of concern for the industry, production would recover and prices should increase. “[The] El Niño [phenomenon] is declining, and hopefully we’ll see some good rain in September and October, [which will] replenish soil moisture,” he said. According to Lemmer, the potential downgrading of South Africa to ‘junk’ status by credit rating agencies would affect the farming sector. “We expect that by the end of the year the rand will be at R17 to the US dollar, and if we are [possibly] downgraded…

Smallholder farmer development and transformation were hotly debated at the first National Agricultural Marketing Council research symposium held recently in Johannesburg. Western Cape fruit farmer, Ismail Motala, said that it was of concern that 22 years after democracy the agriculture sector remained the least transformed economic sector in South Africa. “Black people are not in ownership of the agricultural economy and we’re shying away from this challenge,” he said. As only 1% of the 11,5 million hectares of agricultural land in the Western Cape were owned by black farmers, black farmers’ access to land and finance must be addressed by government. “In agriculture, black people are treated differently by banks. What we need is for banks to change how they do business.” Mariana Purnell, Agbiz Grain’s general manager, said smallholder…

South Africa’s drought-stricken farmers will be hard hit by the latest increase in the repo rate and by any further such increases this year, according to FNB agricultural analyst Dawie Maree. Reserve Bank’s governor, Lesetja Kganyago, recently announced that the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) had decided to increase the repo rate by 25 basis points to 7% per annum. This became effective in March. “The committee faced the continuing dilemma of a deteriorating inflation environment and a worsening growth outlook,” said Kganyago. “The MPC remains sensitive to the possible negative effects of policy tightening on cyclical growth, but will remain focused on its mandate of maintaining price stability.” The dire financial situation of many of South Africa’s drought-stricken farmers would be further exacerbated by increases in electricity tariffs and the…

Over the past few years, there have been a growing number of reports of antibiotic resistance in animals. This problem is greater where animals are produced intensively, such as chicken and pork farms, and in feedlots, according to Dr Gareth Bath, Emeritus Professor of the University of Pretoria’s Faculty of Veterinary Science. Bath recently coordinated a session on antibiotic resistance at the annual meeting of the Ruminant Veterinary Association of South Africa. He told Farmer’s Weekly that in order to prevent the development of resistance to antimicrobials, the livestock industry would have to start using them more responsibly. This was a global problem that would result in a global increase in pressure on poultry, pork and feedlot producers to cease using antimicrobials preventatively or to promote growth. “Producers can no…

The removal of perimeter fencing by locals and a significant decrease in available pasture and water due to the drought in western Zimbabwe have resulted in the migration of some wildlife from the Hwange National Park, Zimbabwe’s largest game sanctuary, into the neighbouring districts of Tsholotsho and Hwange. This has led to several animal attacks on people, and farmers attempting to protect their livestock. Simelisizwe Sibanda, Tsholotsho’s manager for the Communal Areas Management Programme for Indigenous Resources (Campfire), a local initiative designed to reduce human-animal conflict, said that if villagers had not vandalised sections of the perimeter fence, the problem would not be as severe as it was. According to a number of traditional leaders in the western Hwange District, lions and hyenas had preyed on at least 100 head…

Most consumers look for new colours and tastes in fruits, preferably with enhanced nutritional value. Boosted natural plant pigments can be employed to meet these preferences. Anthocyanins are plant pigments that give fruit, vegetables and flowers new colours that range from pink to red to purple. They are also used to make many processed food products more eye-catching. In addition, anthocyanins are beneficial bioflavonoids with many roles in human health. Traditional grapefruit has colourless flesh, but most consumers now prefer ruby grapefruit, which has dark pink-to-red flesh. Likewise, in Europe, red-fleshed oranges are popular. Blood oranges contain maroon pigment, but need a cool climate for full expression of the gene that controls synthesis of anthocyanin. These present varieties that do not involve genetic modification. Academic researchers at the University of…

The workplace is a challenging environment. Employers should stay informed and up to date with applicable labour legislation, and must be careful to ensure equality in the workplace. The Employment Equity Act (EEA) is applicable to all employers and employees and clearly states that non-compliance regarding ‘equal pay for work of equal value’ is unfair discrimination. The EEA’s Code of Good Practice provides employers with practical guidance on how to apply the principle of ‘equal pay for work of equal value’. No person may unfairly discriminate, directly or indirectly, against an employee in any employment policy or practice, including remuneration, employment benefits and terms and conditions of employment. UNFAIR DISCRIMINATION In terms of ‘equal pay for work of equal value’, unfair discrimination occurs when: • work of similar or equal…

SOME FARMERS BELIEVE THAT THE LEAF MINER OUTBREAK WAS A BLESSING The pea leaf miner (Liriomyza huidobrensis) probably originated in South America. It prefers a milder climate and is more suited to the Highveld than South Africa’s subtropical areas. Although lettuce is a fast-growing crop, the pea leaf miner is even faster. It has a life-cycle of about 15 days, and can quickly destroy a crop. The species is also partial to spinach, peas and potatoes. When it first made its appearance in this country, it caused widespread panic as it was already resistant to several commonly used insecticides. Additionally, at the time, we did not understand how parasitoids (parasitic wasps) could help control leaf miners. The insecticides initially used to combat the new pest eradicated the parasitoids that prey…

PARK ASSIST ENABLES MULTIPLE PARKING MANOEUVRES Four-wheel drive vehicles come in many shapes and sizes, but if you want a tough, versatile vehicle, the best value-for-money option must be a 4WD bakkie. Its commercial vehicle heritage ensures that it is designed for hard work and sold at a reasonable price. In the last ten years, 4WD station wagons based on bakkie undercarriages have become popular. Their disadvantages have included high noise levels and hard suspension, but not anymore; the latest models from major manufacturers are amazingly quiet and comfortable. There are two models in the Everest range, which is based on the Ford Ranger bakkie. They differ mainly in trim levels and the number of hi-tech extras. I tested the more expensive model, the Limited version. • Overview The Everest is…

To make this breakfast for four diners determined to start the day with a bang, you will need: 4 or 8 eggs Butter for the eggs 1kg mixed vegetables (chard, baby spinach, whole rosa tomatoes, broccoli, and green beans) Fresh parsley and basil Canola or sunflower oil For the roti (Indian flatbread) 2 cups white flour 60g butter 30ml canola or sunflower oil 1 cup boiling water Generous pinch of salt Breakfast should be a big deal and this collection of fine edibles meets all the requirements. On the other hand, there may be some resistance – especially from those who grab breakfast on the run or eat standing up – regarding time constraints. No problem here: you can make everything on the list in under 30 minutes, including coffee.…

A number of herbs have medicinal uses. These include: • Fresh parsley This is rich in iron, potassium and vitamins A, B2, B6. The iron helps with anaemia, especially when combined with meat and Vitamin C. If you are aware that you have body odour, add plenty of fresh parsley to your diet. • Mint In the Illustrated Guide to Healthy Happy Eating, Sue Visser recommends using mint as a brain stimulant. You can chew the fresh leaves and add them to teas and juices. If you need to be wide awake, add a few drops to a spray bottle with water for a room spray. • Celery The seeds help kidneys dispose of toxic wastes and uric acid, alleviate gout, arthritis and sore muscles and joints, and assist with kidney and bladder…

South Africa’s burgeoning population need not go hungry when there are trees and plants in the backyards and gardens of KwaZulu-Natal that are edible and delicious. • The drumstick tree Growing wildly and abundantly in the backyards of most homes in KwaZulu-Natal, the popular Drumstick tree’s (Moringa oleifera) leaves, pods and flowers are all edible. If you have one of these trees growing on your property, you will never run out of food. To prepare the leaves for a tasty curry, remove the thin, spindly stems and rinse the leaves only in cold water. Heat some oil in a pot, and add a handful of chopped onions, a few dried red chillies, and a few cloves of garlic. Cook until the onions become translucent, and then add the leaves with a…

Farmer’s Weekly’s regular contributors often receive questions from our readers. In this column, we publish those questions and answers likely to be of general interest to our readers. Vegetable Production? Q I was reading with interest the article in which you noted the advantages of using lime. I am about to start mining natural gypsum. It is in the form of natural crystals, which I will separate from surrounding soil and crush to a powder for agricultural use. What are the advantages of using gypsum when compared to dolomitic lime, if any? When should you use gypsum instead of lime? Regards Hugh Thornycroft, Amagrain Ltd A Dear Hugh Agricultural lime contains calcium with a double positive charge, and as such, is attached magnetically to the soil colloids. For this…

Planting time is fast approaching for much of the Swartland’s wheat belt, but the area received its last significant rain in August of last year. “It has been very dry ever since. We had a long, dry summer with abnormally high temperatures, especially in January of this year,” said Andries Theron, Moorreesburg farmer and vice-chairperson of Grain SA. According to forecasters, however, the Swartland could expect weather conditions more ‘normal’ than those of last year. At the annual SKOG Pre-Plant Information Day in Moorreesburg, SA meteorologist Giel Hugo discussed factors that influenced the weather and the conditions that farmers could expect during the 2016 planting season. According to him, forecasts had indicated that the Swartland would experience wetter weather than in 2015. “Although it’s not possible to say how much…

The South African Pork Producers’ Organisation (Sappo) is set to close its five provincial offices in an attempt to streamline operations. According to Simon Streicher, Sappo CEO, the costs of maintaining the regional offices had become unmanageable, and there was duplication of functions across the offices. “By centralising operations, we hope to reduce costs and eliminate duplication,” he said. The provinces would now nominate 26 individuals, six of whom would be selected to serve on the council. These members would have to enhance communication between farmers and the organisation. In addition, provinces would have to nominate members to represent emerging farmers on the council. Sappo planned to host workshops in all provinces to communicate information to farmers. According to Streicher, for the moment only eight people would be employed full-time…

The ANC’s hostile and dismissive attitude towards commercial farmers will be to the detriment of all South Africans, according to former ANC MP, Salam Abram. Abram, who is a retired farmer, was a guest speaker at the first combined congress of the Eastern Cape’s National Woolgrowers’ Association and Red Meat Producers’ Organisation in Queenstown recently. “I simply cannot understand why government does not utilise commercial farmers’ willingness to work with them, especially after [former president] Mandela stressed the importance of cooperation between commercial farmers and government in a meeting with Agri SA in 1994,” he said. “Currently, it seems as if the ANC’s sentiment towards commercial farmers is unfriendly. When a commercial farmer offers to make a contribution, there are so many stumbling blocks to overcome that one feels one…

Since July 2015, the Tshwane Fresh Produce Market has discarded poor quality fruit and vegetables to the value of R80 million, according to Francois Knowles, deputy director of trading operations management at the market. Speaking at the recent 2016 Undercover Farming Expo and Conference in Pretoria, Knowles told delegates that the discarding of rotten, low-grade produce as well as consignments rejected for export was a major challenge, and urged producers to provide the market with only quality produce. He said the Tshwane Fresh Produce Market was clamping down on receiving such goods as it compromised the reputation of the facility. He added that the problem should be addressed at farm level and when produce was transported, as quality was often lost during these processes. He said that bad agricultural practices,…

As the dry winter months approach, public and private sector support for drought-stricken livestock farmers has continued to flow in. The aid is intended to help livestock farmers at all scales of production until spring, when it is hoped the drought will break. Most recently, support has emerged from both the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (KZN DARD) and from food production and processing company, RCL Foods. KZN DARD recently paid for and facilitated the construction of two boreholes and livestock drinking troughs in northern KZN’s Emthekwini area. This was in response to heightening tensions between communal and commercial livestock farmers over critically scarce water and grazing resources in the area. In May 2015, the situation almost reached a flashpoint when a local commercial farmer allegedly poisoned 27…

In its latest disease report, the Ruminant Veterinary Association of South Africa (RuVASA), reported a steady increase in the incidence of parasitic infections. “Recent rain in many of the drought-stricken production areas has resulted in an explosion of parasitic populations. In addition, the poor condition of livestock because of the drought has rendered them more susceptible to parasites and parasitic diseases,” Dr Faffa Malan, manager of RuVASA, told Farmer’s Weekly. RuVASA reported a rise in roundworm, resistant roundworm, wireworm, tapeworm, liver fluke, conical fluke and coccidiosis incidents in almost all provinces. There has also been an increase in reports of wireworm nematodes becoming resistant to many of the anthelmintic groups. A steady increase in tick numbers, with severe infestations of brown ear-tick and bont-legged tick, was reported across all provinces.…

According to several Zimbabwean farmers, the new 99-year leases issued to President Robert Mugabe’s land grab beneficiaries are not bankable, despite Lands Minister Douglas Mombeshora’s announcement last month that farmers could now use these leases to secure loans. Representatives of various associations working with the Joint President’s Council for Farmers’ Unions told a parliamentary committee on economic empowerment that approached banks were rejecting the new lease documents. “For the last few years, we have heard that the 99-year leases will be bankable,” said Zimbabwe National Farmers’ Union vice-president, Stansalays Goredema. “[They’re] not bankable. I have a 99-year lease. After seeing the papers saying it is now bankable, I went to my bank with my 99-year lease and asked if I could use it now, but they said no. It is…

NO ONE CAN HAVE TWO BOSSES Imagine what would happen on a sports field if each player wasn’t clear as to their position and no one was appointed captain. Chaos! It’s a silly example, but it happens in businesses all the time. I often ask, “Who is your boss?” and get a hesitant answer, or something like, “When it comes to HR issues it’s X, and with production it’s Y”. When this happens, there is always a problem. I have yet to come across a highly successful organisation where there is more than one boss at the top. When one person takes control, everyone knows where they stand and to whom they are accountable. Do you have an organogram? What does it look like? The three-tier version (see Figure 1)…

Marginal drylands are seldom economically viable for the production of commercial crops. The value of these lands is between that of natural veld and medium- to high-potential drylands. However, the age and condition of the plants, weed infestation and other value-inhibiting factors must be considered. The suitability of the cultivar for the area is also important. A useful alternative is to establish permanent pastures, either on dryland or under irrigation. They may consist of grass, broadleaf plants, a mixture of grasses, or a mixture of grass and broadleaf plants. When deciding which permanent pasture to establish, consider the following factors: • Annual rainfall, rain distribution between winter and summer, and rainfall intensity; • The pasture’s sensitivity to low temperatures and frost; • The pasture’s adaptability to sandy, clay or organic…

Jake Mokwena, who farms broilers in the Groot Marico district between Swartruggens and Zeerust, is one of a relatively small number of successful black broiler producers. He jumped at the opportunity to buy the farm, Broekmansfontein (70ha) in 2005, after it had been repossessed by the Land Bank. Jake grew up in a Royal Bafokeng village near Rustenburg in North West, where his parents were involved in stock farming on communal land and kept a number of chickens. As a result, Jake developed an interest in livestock. Before he bought Broekmansfontein, Jake had worked for a bank, as a broadcaster, and then for a transport company. During his 15 years with the transport company, he started buying cattle, initially farming them on communal land. Eventually, however, he rented the farm…

The Produce Marketing Association (PMA) recently announced the resignation of Marianne van der Laarse as its Southern Africa representative. When PMA was launched in this country a few years ago, Marianne was appointed to nurture it through its early days. She had a long history in the fresh produce business and this proved invaluable as she built the local ‘branch’ of the PMA from scratch into a leading organisation. Among her many achievements was the introduction of the PMA Agri-Food Career Fairs. These were launched at the University of Pretoria and are now held at Stellenbosch University and the University of KwaZulu-Natal as well. These annual events remain the only real showcase for young people wanting to pursue a career in agriculture or agribusiness. The good news from PMA is…

DOGS ARE NOT A DETERRENT – IN FACT, THEY ARE PREFERRED PREY Currently, there is a moratorium on the hunting of leopards. This is because the number of Panthera pardus in South Africa is unknown and trophy hunting, the ‘excessive shooting’ of leopards preying on livestock, the use of leopard skins for cultural purposes and poor monitoring of hunts could threaten the survival of the species. Leopards are listed as ‘threatened or protected species’ (TOPS) in the 2007 regulations of the 2004 National Environmental Management Diversity Act (NEMA). However, the same document recognises that they are also damage-causing animals. Previously, if a leopard was a problem in a farming area, dogs were used to track it and a party of farmers would shoot it. The new regulations mean that you…

Mr and Mrs Thompson from Johannesburg asked me to design a ‘permanent get-away’ for them on a site they had bought in an established wildlife development near the Kruger National Park. After many discussions, the A-frame layout presented here was conceptualised. While the idea for the A-frame house came from one of my articles published in Farmer’s Weekly some years ago, it needed considerable modifications to suit the Thompsons’ particular requirements. These alterations were discussed at length, and emphasise the value of regular communication between architect and client. An example of a required alteration is the length of the side walls. While A-frame side walls are usually 1,2m in height, the Thompsons required side walls at least 1,8m in height, allowing for more standing room as well as creating a…

FRESHWATER LIFE by Charles Griffiths, Jenny Day & Mike Picker (Struik Nature, R281) A trio of UCT professors, all with a strong track record in natural history publishing, have created this pioneering overview of freshwater life across Southern Africa. The book covers more than 1 000 organisms, ranging from reedbuck, otters and geese to mussels, flies and pondweed. As well as the standard field-guide elements, such as distribution maps and ID photographs, there’s a fascinating introduction on water ecology in Southern Africa and how we use and abuse water. A timely alert as the region faces its worst drought in decades, Freshwater Life will inspire renewed determination in would-be ecologists and everyone interested in nature. SOUTH AFRICAN COOKBOOK FOR ALLERGIES AND FOOD INTOLERANCE by Hilda Lategan…