Table of contents for 9 December 2016 in Farmer's Weekly

Perhaps it is the time of the year – I know I have had about as much of 2016 as I can stand – or perhaps it is a manifestation of frustration at African governments, including our own, that seem hell-bent on forcing their countries to take two steps backward for every one step forward taken by the private sector. Whatever the cause, some of the brightest minds amongst South African agricultural leaders and academia hardly managed to generate an ounce of Afro-optimism between them during a panel discussion on agricultural investment in Africa at the recent African Agri Investment Indaba in Cape Town. The consensus amongst the majority of the panellists was that, for the most part, investing in African agriculture was simply not worth the risk. Omri van…

AFRICA HAS A BETTER CLIMATE FOR AGRICULTURE THAN ANY OTHER CONTINENT In 2013, a delegation of German agribusiness representatives accompanied that country’s agriculture minister on a visit to South Africa. During the visit, it was announced that European and US development aid to agriculture in Africa over the past two decades had “already exceeded a trillion US dollars”. There is very little to show for it, however. This is mainly because there are two approaches to development aid to rural Africa, which often neutralise each other’s gains. Very few development aid agencies have taken a concrete stance on this, and even within the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), opinions differ on which approach to follow. THE FIRST APPROACH This is more prevalent…

The political situation and the economy has a direct influence on agriculture. “You cannot divorce the economy [from] politics,” Dr John Purchase, Agbiz CEO, said at the recent Agbiz Outlook 2016 conference in Pretoria. He said possible credit downgrades by rating agencies in the future posed an ongoing threat to agriculture. “If we [are downgraded to] sub-investment grade, the [value of the] rand will decrease and government will have to increase interest rates. If the interest rate is raised the cost of lending and production will increase, and there will be a considerable negative spin-off for business,” he said. In addition, Purchase said land ceilings and a prohibition on land ownership may send South Africa back to an apartheid-like situation where there were no imports and the country relied solely…

Food security in Africa cannot be achieved without fertilisers, as vast areas of arable land on the continent lack nutrients needed to grow healthy food. This is according to an article by Charlotte Hebebrand, director-general of the International Fertilizer Industry Association. “If agriculture is to become a viable livelihood for the growing African population – the majority of whom will be young people – it needs to become more productive and more lucrative. Fertilisers remain essential to this,” Hebebrand said. Jan Vermaak, managing director of international, specialities and business development at Omnia Fertilizer, said that in sub-Saharan Africa, fertiliser use had increased marginally over the past 40 years compared with other developing regions. In sub-Saharan Africa, fertiliser was applied at an annual rate of about 10kg/ha, whereas the global average…

South Africa’s total cherry production increased 49% from 443 113kg in 2014/2015 to 662 167kg in 2015/2016. This was according to statistics shared by the National Agricultural Marketing Council (NAMC) from the ITC database. Bonani Nyhodo, manager of trade research at NAMC, said that total exports had increased 254% from 93 404kg in 2014/2015 to 330 368kg in the 2015/2016 season. “This [indicates] that exports as a proportion of the total produce increased from 21% to about 50%,” he said. “The income received [by producers] from sales of cherries on the local market increased from R43 200/t [2013/2014] to R50 025/t [2014/2015], and [is now at] R63 208/t [2015/2016].” According to Nyhodo, South Africa’s cherry production was primarily limited to two provinces, with over 89% of the total national crop…

It is vital that South Africa’s emerging beef producers increase the productivity of their beef cattle herds. They are lagging far behind established commercial beef producers, according to Agricultural Research Council (ARC) researcher, Frans Jordaan. Speaking at a beef cattle information day at the Glen Agricultural College, Jordaan said that the average beef cattle weaning percentage among emerging beef producers was approximately 40%, compared with 65% in the commercial sector. The pre-weaning mortality rate for emerging farmers’ herds was on average 50%, while commercial farmers lost an average of 2% of calves before weaning. Emerging beef farmers’ weaners weighed an average of 150kg each, compared with 250kg for weaners in the commercial sector. “We need to drastically improve productivity in the sector to ensure good profit margins. Performance testing based…

Water restrictions introduced by the Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) in June 2016 have had a negative impact on irrigation farming in the Northern Cape. This was according to Nicol Jansen, vice-president of Agri Northern Cape. Jansen said that water usage from the Orange River and Vaal River irrigation systems had been restricted by 15% and 20% respectively. These restrictions had resulted in maize and wheat production declining by the same percentages. However, producers had continued to pay for the full volume of water for which they were registered. “These restrictions, and the fact that we have to continue paying for the full allotment, have enormous financial repercussions. The outcome on producers’ cash flow is obvious since their overhead costs remain the same, but the income from the crops…

CITIZENS ARE NOT MEANT TO SERVE GOVERNMENTS; IT’S THE OTHER WAY AROUND The Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) was formed in 1961, ostensibly to promote economic and social well-being. It is made up of members of developed countries and is highly influential. Initially, the OECD negotiated and set up double tax avoidance agreements between countries. But according to US academics Andrew Morriss and Lotta Moberg, its focus has shifted to restricting tax competition and increasing exchange of information about taxpayers between jurisdictions. Essentially, the OECD is now a club of rich countries and their well-heeled representatives, and the reason for the shift in focus is simple self-interest. Wealthy, developed countries want none of their citizens or corporations to operate in low-tax jurisdictions and thereby deprive their countries of…

Mpumalanga Limousin Champions Highveld Kalahari Red Champions Contacts: John and Tracey Devonport: 083 454 3095 | Hautspot Limousin Stud: 082 807 9275 (Willie Britz - manager) | Kgosi and Lucy Pilane: 083 660 6569…

Research programmes since 1991 have identified barley cultivars that ensure an economical, optimal yield and grain conforming to SAB Maltings’ quality specifications. This is an overview of the research. The article assumes an understanding of how to grow wheat, as the soil preparation is similar. Note, however, that a very fine and even seedbed is required; if you do not provide this, the crop will develop unevenly, leading to uneven ripening and quality. Cocktail and Puma are currently the recommended cultivars for commercial production under irrigation. The seed is treated with an insecticide and fungicide, the latter to prevent powdery mildew during the 10-week developmental stage of the seedlings, as well as covered and loose smut. CHOOSING A CULTIVAR The most important factors that determine cultivar choice are: • Growth period…

When Charles Hamilton left his post as CEO of Cape Town Market in the early part of the new millennium, he opened his own market using an entirely new business model: he replaced market agents with salespeople employed directly by the market authority. The idea was not without precedent. In the distant past, a ‘market masters’ agency’ operated alongside private market agents on many markets. Over the years, however, these market masters’ agencies could not compete with privately owned agencies and they all closed. Since then, the clear division between the market owner as provider of the facility and the market agent as provider of sales-related services has become firmly established. Hamilton tried combining the two into one, and the ‘Hamilton Option’ failed in spectacular fashion within a year. But…

GROWTH PLATE INJURIES CANNOT USUALLY BE DIAGNOSED VIA X-RAYS, SO CHECK THE PUP’S LEGS REGULARLY Every now and then, a new puppy will present with an abnormality in one or more of its legs. I have previously warned about how a diet lacking certain vitamins, minerals and other essential compounds can cause a dog’s legs – particularly the front pair – to bow. In today’s article, I focus on angular limb deformities, which can be caused by injuries in early puppyhood. Puppies do most of their growing between four and eight months of age. During this time, their bodies use up nutrients fast due to high metabolic rates, while their joints, tendons and muscles are prone to injury as they are not yet fully developed. As I often stress, it…

First, a little background of historico-culinary importance. In 1961, the Indian Army quietly invaded the Portuguese colony of Goa and finally rid the subcontinent of its last colonial toehold. The new rulers kept quite a lot of the surnames and all of the recipes, of which Vindaloo is the jewel in the crown. And so it begins… Cut the pork fillet into bite-sized chunks. Squeeze the limes (or lemons as a lesser substitute) and remove the pips. Peel the garlic cloves. Yes, 10 are required – trust me, I’ve been there. Peel the ginger and remove all traces of sand. In a processor, reduce the garlic, ginger, vinegar and lime juice to a thick pulp. On to the chillies. Reduce the number if you wish, and to lessen the threat…

Dear Jonno My wife and I lead a ministry that serves the needs of children coming from struggling families in and around East London in the Eastern Cape. INTRODUCTION We own a 15ha piece of land on which we live and farm near Stutterheim. We have been using the farm as a Bible training centre for these children and their parents during school holidays, while other church groups also use the facilities. The groups are currently accommodated in two outside buildings with four rooms each, which can house six people per room in three bunk beds. A rondavel on the farm is used as a training facility and a chapel. The farm has Eskom electricity but no running water and uses an outside pit latrine and rainwater tanks. Our vision…

I spotted it immediately. Neighbour Jan was in a foul mood when he arrived on my stoep for our usual morning coffee. “What’s the problem?” I asked lightly. He glared at me. “Didn’t you watch the game against Italy, Townie? Being thumped by England was one thing, but losing against the Italians – the Italians! That was the last straw. Our rugby has reached its lowest point. We need a new coach. We need new players. We need some pride restored, man! We need…” He spluttered to a halt, speechless with rage. It was time to move on to another subject, quickly. “I see you’ve finished your pig houses on the lands, Jan. Great work! Hettie must be delighted now that the flies have left the kitchen to join them!”…

CONSUMERS MUST REMEMBER THAT IT RAINS WATER, NOT MONEY OR GRASS “As optimistic grain farmers, we all believe that the worst of the drought is over. The past two years – 2015 and 2016 – have been an emotional and tough time for farmers. You cannot understand the drought without experiencing it; you need to get out into the blazing sun and dry winds, to understand and develop empathy. So, on 3 January this year, I drove 1 275km through the central areas of South Africa’s maize-producing regions. Witnessing the devastation of the drought broke my heart, not just for the farmers, their families and workers, but for the rural areas. I saw animals wandering around day after day, looking for pasture to graze, while noticing that green JoJo tanks…

FARMERS SHOULD MONITOR THE CORRELATION BETWEEN THE EXCHANGE RATE AND GRAIN PRICES The rand’s exchange rate to the US dollar is of utmost importance to South Africa’s agricultural sector. On the one hand, the sector imports a significant amount of inputs: 80% of annual fertiliser consumption, 98% of annual agrochemicals consumption, and fuel. All of these imported products have a direct impact on farmers’ input costs. For example, fertiliser costs constitute about 35% and fuel 11% of grain production costs. On the other hand, the value of the rand against the US dollar directly influences the competitiveness of SA agricultural products and commodities on the export market, with a weaker rand positively influencing the competitiveness of exports and vice versa. More recently, this exchange rate has increasingly been an accurate…

Retail prices of fresh produce such as vegetables have increased so much that many consumers can no longer afford to buy such items regularly. This is according to Dr Johnny van der Merwe, an agricultural economist at North-West University. “Consumers are starting to think of vegetables as a luxury that urban families [only buy weekly],” Van der Merwe said. According to an Agbiz analysis of the latest consumer price index data, vegetables were one of the product categories that showed the largest increase year-on-year (y/y) at 13%. Wandile Sihlobo, head of economic and agribusiness intelligence at Agbiz, said that vegetable inflation could be attributed to the drought. Meat prices increased 5,5% y/y, fish 9,7% y/y, milk 10,5% y/y, and eggs and cheese 14,8% y/y. Overall, food and non-alcoholic beverage inflation…

Studies by Agri Northern Cape indicate that damage amounting to R300 million has been caused by black fly in the lower Orange River system in the province. This was according to Hoffie Joubert of Agri Northern Cape’s Water Affairs committee. Joubert, who farms in the region, said it was estimated that the flies caused damage of at least R180 million to the sheep farming industry between Prieska and Upington from 2007 to 2016. If loss of income due to the infestation’s effect on tourism and human health problems were included, the damage increased to at least R300 million. The problem is exacerbated by the fact that the flies had developed resistance to the chemicals used to combat them. The only remedy left was an organic product that had been used…

The Ruminant Veterinary Association of South Africa has issued a warning against ‘bargain buys’ that could result in farmers introducing new diseases onto their farms. This warning accompanied the association’s latest disease report, and specifically referred to the dangers of Ovine Johne’s Disease (OJD), also known as paratuberculosis. Prof Gareth Bath, an emeritus professor of smallstock, health and production at the University of Pretoria, said that OJD was currently one of the greatest sheep disease concerns in South Africa, with cases detected in the Free State and Eastern Cape. “The problem with OJD is that it might take years to detect. While virtually all animals are infected in the first months of life, signs of the disease usually only appear when animals are older. “The disease causes animals to lose…

THE ELECTRICITY WAS CUT OFF AS NOBODY HAD PAID THE BILL Poor planning and lack of management and commitment can result in certain failure when it comes to alternative crop production projects. This week we look at a project in Parys in the Free State that failed miserably within months of start-up, despite the participants all receiving some form of training before initiating the venture. JOB CREATION VS VIABILITY The R6,8 million project was handed over to 12 inexperienced young growers to produce tomatoes, for which a contract was in place with one of the major supermarket chains. The project was started with a ‘permanent’ labour force of about 35 labourers/ha, which is four to five times more than the norm of seven to eight labourers/ha for similar projects in…

MORE AND MORE CONSUMERS ARE ATTENDING AGRI SHOWS “The specialities of the region are what attract the modern traveller, and none more so than the food and the cooking of the region. This is why regional tourism is the tourism of the future, because it allows the visitor to truly understand and appreciate the complexity and inimitable character of a region.” – John Mckenna, Irish Times. There are many case studies in South Africa and abroad that support this change in tourism trends as mentioned by John McKenna. Charles Back of Fairview is one example. He is not only a farmer, but a successful marketer and entrepreneur. Another is Julian Melck, the owner of Kersefontein Guest Farm outside Hopefield, which has been declared a national monument. Melck is a superb…

Jozua du Plessis, Grain SA’s Grain Producer of the Year 2016, has been a maize producer since the 1980s, and was one of the first South African producers to implement precision farming methods. He currently farms on 3 000ha and produces non-GMO maize, potatoes, wheat, beans, soya bean seed and soya beans on 560ha under centre-pivot irrigation on his farms Middelbult, Witklip and Strydpan near Delmas, Mpumalanga. In 2002, Farmer’s Weekly reported on Jozua’s production methods when he was a finalist in Grain SA’s Grain Producer of the Year competition. Since then, Jozua’s operation has improved with the greater implementation of his precision farming methods. ADOPTING GPS TECHNOLOGY Jozua has been piloting fixed-wing aircraft and helicopters since 1987. When the first GPS technology was introduced to civilian aviation, he immediately…

The smallest model in Turnerland’s seven-model TL 85 range, the new TL 8520-SH, makes potato harvesting far more cost-effective. This model is equipped with a 500m diablo roller flanked by 750mm-diameter cutting wheel coulters. These cut the haulm (potato stems) and weeds, while the diablo automatically controls the working depth, ensuring that the entire crop is lifted. The harvester also features a patented Transfer Split Sep system that achieves a 50% better sieving capacity, making the Turnerland competitive with larger, more expensive machines. The 315mm-diameter wheel driving the haulm belt provides excellent grip and a positive drive force, enabling it to handle kweek-infested potato lands. Due to the large flights on the flight belt, the machine can operate on steep slopes without rolling back and damaging the potatoes. The Transfer…

NUMEROUS TREATMENT OPTIONS ARE AVAILABLE An equine sarcoid is a skin tumour commonly found on horses. Fortunately, it is seldom life-threatening. It can easily be mistaken for a papilloma, but the latter disappears on its own over time. A sarcoid rarely does and invariably requires treatment. There are six types of equine sarcoid. Each has a different appearance: • Nodular Firm, raised circular tumours 5mm to 20mm in diameter. Commonly found on the sheath/ groin area and eyelids. • Fibroplastic Fleshy and ulcerative. Grows very fast. Usually found along the groin, lower legs and eyelid. • Verrucous Has a wart-like appearance and can occur anywhere on the face, body or groin. • Occult/flat Flat and circular with a thickened area, but may also appear as small nodules 2mm to 5mm in diameter. Usually found…

BE GRATEFUL YOU CAN SOW PEACE, JOY AND HOPE IN OTHER PEOPLE’S LIVES I’m writing this from a hotel room while waiting to be collected to bring a word of encouragement to the people of Johannesburg. I have just read Psalm 9:1, which says, “I will praise you, O Lord, with my whole heart; I will tell of all your marvellous works.” It reminded me that instead of sitting here, missing my farm and family, I should give thanks for all the good things that God has done in my life. And I want to encourage you to do the same. Let us stop complaining and thank the Lord for His goodness towards us and for the fact that we live in a beautiful country, with a lovely climate and…

HISTORY’S PEOPLE by Margaret MacMillan (Profile, R260) MacMillan analyses the factors that drove leaders to succeed, fail and innovate. This makes her study more approachable than many ‘business books’. Through her pages wander a clutch of famous and infamous names – Bismarck, Churchill, Hitler, Stalin, Nixon and Margaret Thatcher – with others who might be less well known, but whose impact on the countries we know today, from India to Canada and from Mexico to the Balkans, has been profound. The text formed the 2015 Massey Lecture series on Canadian radio and this heritage has helped shape a comfortable, less academic read that saves its fireworks for its thought-provoking ‘what if?’ moments. RECIPES FOR LOVE AND MURDER by Sally Andrew (Umuzi, R220) Tannie Maria’s cooking column…

SMALL USERS PAY AS MUCH AS LARGE ONES Small Eskom users unfairly discriminated against It is ridiculous that a small user has to pay Eskom the same availability cost as a larger user. In my own case, the total amount for the service, network and demand charges each month is more than the energy charge. Therefore, I end up paying about R2 per kilowatt hour (kWh) instead of the listed cost on the account of R0,9279/kWh. A large user, using, say, R5 000 of energy a month, is charged the same availability charges and pays about R1,40/kwh. An even larger user would have an effective total cost of little more than R1/kWh. About 30 years ago, the public was told that after 20 years, the availability charges would have redeemed…

South Africa’s ostrich leather industry is under slight pressure as supply of leather exceeds demand. “The industry will have to boost global demand for leather and leather goods,” said Francois de Wet, chairperson of the SA Ostrich Business Chamber. This would not be achieved by simply reducing the price of leather goods, he said, adding that the international price for leather was still good. “Ostrich leather is a fashion item, we’ll have to wait for the fashion cycle to flare up again. Such an upsurge mainly comes from France and Italy and then spills over to the [rest of the] world, particularly the East,” said De Wet. The (high-pathogen) avian influenza outbreak in 2011 hit the industry hard. In 2013, it reached a record low when production tumbled to 120…

Employment data released by Statistics SA for the third quarter of 2016 shows that the agricultural sector remains an important job creator. Despite the drought and tough trading conditions, the industry created 56 000 additional jobs in the third quarter, which is a 7% improvement on second-quarter statistics. This brings the industry’s total labour force to 881 000. According to Wandile Sihlobo, head of economic and agribusiness intelligence at Agbiz, the effects of the 2015/2016 drought were still reflected in some sectors’ performance. Closer scrutiny of year-on-year employment figures show a decrease of 2% in the third quarter of 2016. Improvements were recorded in sectors such as livestock and game farming. Gerhard Schutte, CEO of the Red Meat Producers’ Organisation, said he was pleased with the positive employment figures in…

Correctional Services with beef herds are equipping offenders with skills that could help them secure employment when the leave these facilities. According to Moses Marumo, Department of Correctional Services (DCS) agriculture and production workshops coordinator for the Gauteng region, the DCS Zonderwater, Leeukop, Baviaanspoort and Devon facilities all had agricultural production units. Marumo and about 20 DCS agriculturalists and farm managers attended a recent Agricultural Research Council (ARC) training day, covering bull selection, the ARC beef improvement scheme, breeding seasons, management, fertility, and record-keeping by storing production data of their herds on the national Intergis system. Marumo said that four DCS facilities had beef and dairy herds, with poultry only at Zonderwater and piggeries at Leeukop and Baviaanspoort. “Initially the DCS only wanted to keep offenders busy, but now the…

Following three months of industrial action, Robertson Winery and the Commercial Stevedoring Agricultural and Allied Workers’ Union (CSAAWU) have finally reached an agreement. The agreement stipulated that all employees would receive either an increase of 8% or R400, depending on which amount was greater. This would increase the average cost to company per employee to about R4 264. The agreement also included CPI (consumer price inflation) increases of 1,5% and 1% for 2017 and 2018 respectively. Employment contracts would also continue to include access to free medical facilities and other company benefits. Reinette Jordaan, human resources manager at Robertson Winery, said that the company was satisfied with the settlement reached, but regretted that it had taken three months to reach the final settlement. “The union has a right to take…

Final-year students at the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN) recently showed projects that formed part of the curriculum for their degrees in agricultural engineering. A number of innovative designs showed significant promise. The winning final-year project was a device for mechanically slicing tomatoes. This was built at the request of ZZ2 Farming, which needed to slice the fruit as part of a new venture to produce sun-dried tomatoes. Performance evaluation showed that Zikhona Buyeye and Roanne Sutcliffe’s machine met the required design parameters and could form the basis of a commercially viable piece of equipment. Other notable entries included a macadamia nut cracker designed and built by Zanele Choene and Kwene Sekwaka. Another worthwhile project was the mechanisation of small-scale timber extraction. This employed a winch system, powered by a small…

THE MINIMUM WAGE WILL HAVE ONLY A MARGINAL EFFECT ON THE AGRICULTURAL PAYROLL Vice-president Cyril Ramaphosa recently announced that a minimum wage of between R3 440 and R3 500 a month had been proposed for South African workers. The agricultural sector would have to pay 90% of this – R3 096 a month. The National Minimum Wage advisory panel made its recommendations in a hefty 124-page document. It contains many words about the benefits of a minimum wage, but very few about the possible negative effects. Agriculture contributes only 2,4% to the national GDP. However, it employs about 4% of the economically active population. The sector spends an estimated R17 billion, or 10,4% of total farming costs, on wages annually. Any salary changes will therefore affect agriculture. Labour can be…

Macadamias were introduced to South Africa in the 1960s, and the industry has since burgeoned into arguably the fastest-growing tree crop industry in the country. Competing with Australia as the world’s largest producer, South Africa’s macadamia industry has grown rapidly from an annual production sales value of R32 million in 1996, to over R4 billion in 2015. While the majority of the country’s macadamias are produced in three provinces, Limpopo, Mpumalanga and KwaZulu-Natal, the Eastern Cape’s climate, especially along the eastern coastal belt from Bizana to just beyond East London, is also suitable for macadamia production. However, most of the potential production land is situated within the former homelands of the Transkei and Ciskei, and few commercial macadamia farmers have been able to access this. Moreover, the province’s contribution to…

“Farming must be profitable. If you’re not profitable you won’t be here the next season,” Jozua says. He started his farming operation with nothing and initially leased some land. He later began buying and consolidating his various farms into one large, economical unit over the course of many years. Jozua maintains that farmers can still start from scratch, and it only needs hard work and financial discipline to succeed. However, this is not easy. “Things don’t fall into your lap. You must look for opportunities and adapt as circumstances change. In the beginning, I used to look at what the successful farmers in the area did and tried to learn from them and their mistakes. It’s not only high yield that counts – the business must remain financially sound. This…

DAMAGING A NEIGHBOUR’S CROP CAN PROVE A VERY EXPENSIVE MISTAKE! As pointed out previously, the key to successful pest and disease control is optimal penetration of the spray mixture. This is achieved by positioning the nozzles correctly and ensuring that the droplets are the right size. Bigger droplets are heavy and more likely to run off the leaves than adhere to them. On the plus side, they are less subject to wind drift and evaporation. Very fine droplets, on the other hand, are easier to get into inaccessible places, but can float away on air currents, like mist, because they are so light. The best option is therefore a combination: an air-assisted mist sprayer that breaks up the droplets, making them very small while forcing them into areas not easily…

Four-wheel drive (4WD) vehicles have more gears, differentials and universal joints, and often work harder and endure more dirt, water and neglect, than family saloons. So if you’re buying one secondhand, do yourself a favour: conduct a thorough inspection of the body and its systems. (Engine evaluation will be the subject of a future article.) TOUGH ENOUGH? In general, the strength of a 4WD vehicle’s components will depend on its basic design. 4WD vehicles based on front-wheel-drive cars are not designed for serious off-road motoring and are not as strong as 4WD vehicles based on one-ton bakkies. Top-of-the-range models designed for daily 4WD motoring are tougher still. 4WD vehicles based on family saloons generally do not have a chassis; the main structural parts of the body and framework are welded…

The Indian herb Bacopa monnieri, also known as brahmi, is believed to increase mental clarity and promote improved memory. It also helps you to relax, while boosting mental clarity and focus. Bacopa extract has been shown in controlled clinical trials to enhance the retention of new information in the brain and improve the speed of visual information processing and memory consolidation and is therefore useful for students. As with most herbal formulas, it’s best to take the capsules with or immediately after a full breakfast, particularly if you’re prone to nausea or easily get an upset stomach. For this reason it’s best to test your reaction to the herb a few weeks before writing an exam. OTHER BENEFITS Also as with most medicinal herbs, bacopa does more than just help…

Phishing is an attempt to fraudulently obtain sensitive information such as passwords, usernames and credit card details. The practice is rife, with phishers masquerading as trustworthy entities. They attempt to lure victims with a ‘bait’ through emails and instant messages – rather like fishing, hence the term. Millions of emails are sent out in the hope that a small percentage of recipients may be gullible enough to respond. Typically, the sender’s address, typefaces and logo seem to be the same as your bank’s and the email is addressed ‘Dear Customer’ or a similar salutation. The wording of the email is usually vague, but may refer to a specific transaction that you would normally conduct or receive. A fake URL (web link) is included, and you are asked to click on…