Table of contents for 5 August 2016 in Farmer's Weekly

This week, South Africans will have the opportunity to vote for their preferred candidates in the municipal elections. It is a chance for each South African to express confidence or displeasure with the way in which his or her town or city is being run. The polls suggest that this round of local government elections might present a pivotal point in our young democracy if power slips away from the ANC in hotly contested metros like Tshwane, the Nelson Mandela Bay and the City of Johannesburg. Fuelled by polling results in their favour and the party’s performance in the metros listed above in the previous national elections, the DA has been fiercely campaigning to win votes in these municipalities. Not a day has gone by in the past few weeks…

Snow very nice! Farmer’s Weekly readers Albert Roos and his fiancée, Lida-Mari Vosloo, enjoying the recent snowfall at Elandskop near Mooi River in the Kamberg area. Recent snow and rain in the KwaZulu-Natal Midlands have drastically increased dam levels (see story on page 16). 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.…

CONFERENCES & EXPOS 3 TO 4 AUGUST Free State Agriculture Congress, Bloemfontein. Visit www.vrystaatlandbou.co.za. 5 AUGUST African Stomach Trade Industry Conference, Mew Way, Cape Town. Visit www.smesouthafrica.co.za. 10 AUGUST Agbiz Grain Mini-Symposium, Pretoria. Email Lizbé Esterhuizen at lizbe@agbizgrain.co.za. 17 TO 18 AUGUST PMA Fresh Connections Southern Africa Conference and Expo, CSIR, Pretoria. Visit www.pma.com/events/ fresh-connections-southern-africa. 21 TO 25 AUGUST 9th Citrus Research Symposium, Champagne Sports Resort, Drakensberg. Phone Liezl van der Linde on 013 759 8000, or visit www.citrusresearchsymposium.co.za. COURSES & TRAINING 1 AUGUST Ewe and Lamb, Benoni. Phone Peter Milton on 083 630 8868. 1 TO 2 AUGUST Introduction to Permaculture, Puschka Farm, Magaliesburg. Phone Peter James on 083 445 5058, or email info@puschkafarm.co.za. 2 TO 4 AUGUST Three-day Basic Conservation Agriculture, Beula Park, Meadowdale. Phone Neill Jackson on…

Three emerging farmers who claim that they might lose their share of land in Ceres might not be entitled to the land in the first place. Koos Hanse, Frederick Matthys and Deon Maart have alleged that they are the remaining farmers who benefited from the Deo Volente Trust, which was originally set up by government to assist 200 people from the Warm-Bokkeveld Farmworkers’ Association. According to Naomi Thomas, a paralegal at the Witzenberg Rural Development Centre, the scheme had been a failure and many of the beneficiaries were faced with financial difficulties. “They were also not provided with the necessary mentors, or any technical support from the department of rural development,” she said. In 2013, when the financial burden became too much to bear, the trustees decided that it was…

Should the El Niño weather phenomenon transition into La Niña, as forecast by weather experts, there is a high probability that above-average early summer rainfall could result in a satisfactory 2016/2017 crop season, causing a moderation in food prices, particularly grains. This was according to Paul Makube, senior agricultural economist at FNB. Makube added that fruit and vegetable prices could also ease towards the end of the year as conditions improved. “The current spike in food prices will normalise when there is security of supply. Although the impact of La Niña will not be felt immediately, it will bring long-term relief to struggling consumers,” he said. A good rainfall season would also assist livestock farmers in rebuilding their herds, and improve grazing conditions for cattle. Makube said that this would…

Recent significant rains reported over central South Africa and KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) would alleviate the effects of the drought. This was according to Hendrik Botha, KZN Red Meat Producers’ Organisation chairperson. General showers of 100mm were reported in the Free State and North West, while 25cm of snow and 50mm of rain were reported in Matatiele, KZN. “We’re ecstatic. The past week’s rain and snow gives us hope for the coming summer season,” Botha said, who also farms near Matatiele. He said that water levels, particularly in the KZN Midlands, had risen since the snow and rain in the last week of July. Snow, an important source of moisture in the Midlands, had occurred over most of the region. He added that soil moisture levels had been replenished, and dam catchment…

Argentina’s long-term agriculture expansion projections indicate ambitious growth targets. According to its Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries’ agro-industrial and agri-food strategic plan for 2020, the country planned to increase grain and oilseed production by 58%, beef by 46%, dairy products by 76% and poultry by 88%. Horticulture production tonnage was expected to increase by 89%, citrus fruit tonnage by 36%, and pome and stone fruit by 29%. Wandile Sihlobo, head of economic intelligence and agribusiness at Agbiz, said that Argentina was likely to achieve some of these targets and remain a key player in global agriculture. Large areas of arable land gave it a major production advantage, he added. South Africa, in comparison, did not have as much productive land available and it was water-scarce. “I don’t think we…

Milk production for the first half of 2016 was lower than the corresponding period last year, according to a report released by Milk South Africa. A total of 1,38 billion litres of milk were delivered to processors in the first six months of 2016, a drop of 4,9% year-on-year. This reflected a tough market environment, and an increase in current production was considered unlikely. The report was based on surveys conducted by Milk SA of the 20 companies responsible for purchasing more than 80% of South Africa’s raw milk. According to the report, production of raw milk in 2014 increased by 2,65% year-on-year and 2,2% in 2013 year-on-year. Production in 2015 was 6,37% higher than in 2014. From 2011 to 2015, production of raw milk increased by 16,62%, with an…

Two of South Africa’s premier wind farm developments, both situated in the Northern Cape, are achieving significant success in different ways. Once completed, the Khobab Wind Farm (KWF) will have produced one of the world’s lowest carbon footprints for the construction of a wind farm’s foundations. And the Noupoort Wind Farm (NWF) is the first of its kind in South Africa to achieve operation as part of the country’s third round of the Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme. When fully operational at the end of 2017, KWF’s 61 wind turbines will generate 563 500 megawatt hours (MWh) per year of electricity, enough to power about 120 000 households. The foundations for KWF’s wind turbines are being poured using an 89% replacement of conventional cement. The mixture comprises 35kg…

MAIZE IS EXCLUDED DUE TO FOOD SECURITY CONCERNS Bioethanol and biodiesel can be blended with petrol and diesel, thereby reducing dependency on fossil fuels. The sugar and starch extracted from feedstocks are converted into bioethanol, and the vegetable oil into biodiesel. A valuable by-product is animal feed. About 1t of sugarcane can be used to produce 80l of biofuel and 280kg of bagasse; 1t of grain sorghum can be used to produce 417l of biofuel and 221kg of animal feed. With this in mind, South Africa’s Water Research Commission (WRC) initiated a R7,4 million research project – from April 2009 to March 2015 – to determine the water use and production impact of various feedstocks suitable for biofuel production in the country. The research was guided by government’s national Biofuels…

THERE IS ALSO A MARKET FOR THE EXPORTATION OF SA FARMING EXPERTISE There are currently an estimated 609 million food-insecure people in the world. A recent study by the Economic Research Service of the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) projects a decrease in this number to 251 million by 2025. The main reasons for this are an expected decrease in food prices and rising income in food-insecure countries. The reason is not, as one would expect, an increase in local production. The highest improvement in food security is expected in Asia. India, with more than half the region’s population, will lead the way. The number of food-insecure people in Latin America and the Caribbean area should decrease by about 50% during the next decade. Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) is the region…

Free State Braunvieh Champions Simbra Champions Contacts: Ansie Botes: 072 596 0462 | Hans Bester: 083 469 1258 | Gawie Naudé: 082 897 9555 Leon Strauss: 082 944 4519 | Cornelis Derksen Trust: 056 343 1524 Jersey National Champions Contacts: Jan-Willem Lots: 083 633 3156 | Herman Coetzee: 083 320 4845 | Christo Klingenberg (Johan van der Merwe, manager: 082 944 0340) Clive, Brett and Grant Puttergill: 083 320 6153 | Pieter van Deventer: 082 456 1209 | Hanro Uys: 082 333 8306 or 028 542 1036 | Arno Theron: 082 544 0362…

To run sheep on a very limited area, it is necessary to measure the effectiveness of each aspect of the operation. CARRYING CAPACITY: DON’T GUESS, FIND OUT! To begin, you have to determine the carrying capacity of the land: how many sheep can be kept on the land without damaging the soil and destroying the grazing? The best way to determine this is to consult an experienced farmer or other expert who knows the area. If he tells you that the carrying capacity is four sheep/ha and you farm on 10ha, your land can carry 40 sheep, no more. If you exceed this number, the veld will be overgrazed and the soil structure will be damaged. This will lead to erosion which will in turn reduce the carrying capacity of…

THIS WAS A GROUNDBREAKING ADVANCE FOR HARVESTING Hesston founder Lyle Yost introduced the first self-propelled windrower in 1955, and the first commercial model, the self-propelled Model 100, appeared in 1956. This was a ground-breaking advance in harvesting equipment, providing great versatility when harvesting hay, forage and grain crops, with a whole new level of manoeuvrability. DECADES OF INNOVATION Over the years, Hesston’s engineers have continued to add improvements, boosting efficiency and productivity. The windrower is now produced under the Massey Ferguson name and the WR9800 is the latest series. A 168kW AGCO AP66-4F 6,6-litre six-cylinder engine gives the WR9870 plenty of power for the heaviest crop conditions. The WR9860, with the AP49-4F 4,9-litre four-cylinder QuadBoost engine, rated at 146kW, competes against opposition machines equipped with six-cylinder engines, but uses far…

ANY SWELLING IN THE HOCK AREA IS CAUSE FOR CONCERN, AND A VET SHOULD BE CONSULTED In this issue, I would like to look at three conditions involving inflammation of the horse’s joints: bog spavin, bone spavin and thoroughpin. All are similar in appearance. BOG SPAVIN This is a swelling of the tibiotarsal joint of a horse’s hock. Horses with osteochondrosis (OCD) are predisposed to developing bog spavin. Poor hind limb conformation, bad shoeing and heavy training can also lead to the condition. The swelling does not usually cause lameness or discomfort. This said, any swelling in the hock area is cause for concern and a vet should be asked to carry out a lameness examination. This will most likely include X-rays or ultrasound to determine the exact cause of…

Dear Jonno We recently bought a 120ha farm in the southern Western Cape, and are looking to construct a farm-style house with a modern interior. The building site is on level ground. We would like an open-plan living area, three bedrooms and two bathrooms on the ground floor. If possible, we also want additional attic rooms in a higher-pitched roof. Views are to the west, and the house will face north-west. We would therefore like a veranda on this side. Regular building materials will be used for construction. We hope you can design a practical, easy-to-build home for us. Kind regards Steve and Rita Dear Steve and Rita Thank you for the descriptive request for your new home. While I have included some traditional farmhouse features, the interior arrangements are…

Braam van Wyk and Hugh Glen have made recognising the trees around us much easier, thanks to GUIDE TO TREES INTRODUCED INTO SOUTHERN AFRICA (Struik Nature, R390). Co-author Glen, formerly a taxonomist at the South African National Botanical Institute (SANBI) and currently a member of the IUBS Commission for the Nomenclature of Cultivated Plants, explains why trees loom so large in his life… • Nurture It was a short step into botany because my mother was a keen gardener and our home was full of plant identification books. • Learning In 1991, I took over the cultivated plants herbarium at what is now SANBI and that started me on a two-decade learning curve. • Partnership Braam van Wyk surprised me over lunch one day by suggesting I write this book. I trumped him…

As mentioned before in this column, unmanned vehicle systems or drones have become extremely popular among farmers. Indeed, the Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International estimates that farmers will eventually account for 80% of the commercial drone market. But in addition to being used for precision farming, they have become a highly effective marketing tool for the sale of agricultural land. Traditionally, potential buyers had to rely on maps and traversing the land by vehicle or foot. Then Google satellite images became available online, resulting in a fairly accurate, if limited, aerial view of the farm. Now, thanks to drones, surveyors and potential buyers can get high-resolution images of previously unreachable areas, enabling them to identify boundaries, water sources, crop health, drainage and more. The seller can also showcase guest-houses,…

“Despite the current challenging global economic environment, Africa has been among the fastest-growing regions in the world over the past 15 years, and some African countries continue to grow, although at a slower pace. Côte d’Ivoire’s recent economic performance has been particularly impressive; it is expected to be among the fastest-growing economies anywhere in the world in 2016. Africa’s growth can no longer be attributed to global demand for its commodities. Most now comes from increased domestic demand for goods and services in thriving sectors such as telecoms, financial services, manufacturing, and agriculture. Businesses on the continent and elsewhere are benefiting from Africa’s young, entrepreneurial and increasingly well-trained workforce. In addition, inflows of private investment and remittances from the diaspora outstrip international aid to the continent. Democracy too is extending…

Speaking at the first African Farmers’ Association of South Africa (Afasa) Youth Conference, Mike Mlengana, former president of Afasa and now director-general of the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, said, “We cannot give farms to those who talk loud, but (we) have to give (land) to students who have studied agriculture.” Farmer’s Weekly’s Facebook followers responded. Sibusiso Nhlapo: This quote is very limiting. There is more to the culture of production than just knowing how [to farm]; passion has won more battles than education in the realities of food security and supply. Lucky Thuto Motsamai: You [Nhlapo] are correct, but we have to start somewhere. It is indeed painful to have voluntarily studied a discipline driven by “passion”, and then not be granted the space to apply your knowledge…

Winter grain crops in the Swartland look promising, according to Grain SA. “If we receive good rains from August to September, there’s nothing that prevents us from producing an above-average harvest this year,” said Andries Theron, Moorreesburg farmer and vice-chairperson of Grain SA. The winter season had started well, with good rains during March and April, but the lack of rain in May had caused crops in this region to have a “hit and miss here and there”, Theron said. The rain that fell during the first weekend in June had come in the nick of time, he said. “If this weather continues, the young wheat crop holds great potential.” Theron added that the recent rainfall and cool temperatures had created the perfect environment for young wheat to develop more…

If the SA government did not make urgent and concerted efforts, the country’s poultry industry would most likely suffer a major contraction in the short to medium term. This was according to the South African Poultry Association (SAPA), in response to the reported profitability pressures currently experienced by poultry producers. SAPA’s CEO, Kevin Lovell, told Farmer’s Weekly that rampant chicken imports and increasing yellow maize prices were the two main factors contributing to these pressures. According to statistics provided to SAPA by the South African Revenue Service (SARS), the country’s imports had increased steadily year-on-year since 2010. Of these poultry imports, chicken accounted for well over 90%, with the balance made up of turkey, duck, goose and guinea fowl. SARS reported that in 2010, South Africa’s chicken imports stood at…

Following the recent death of six-year-old rabies victim, Carli du Plessis, the Veterinarian Network (V-Net) is implementing an early warning system to ensure the effective management and prevention of the disease. This was according to Dr Danie Odendaal, V-Net’s founder and director. “Only through timeous and proactive inoculations will we be able to curb the disease. We already have the operational system as well as a mobile phone application in place,” he said. After an outbreak, the inoculation of livestock, dogs and cats was the most effective manner in which to stop the transmission of the virus. Odendaal said that the disease was transmitted by predators, including jackal and dogs. “Infected predators are able to inflict deep wounds. The disease is then transmitted through the saliva of infected animals. We…

The levy on plastic grocery bags, which has reportedly generated over R1,1 billion for state coffers since its implementation in May 2003, was being misspent, according to South African National Consumer Union (SANCU). The union said in a statement that it was unhappy to learn that the income generated by the levy on plastic grocery bags was, allegedly, not being used for the purposes originally indicated by government and the Department of Environmental Affairs (DEA). SANCU berated the DEA for diverting this income to funding other government programmes, including Working for Water, which employs South Africans to eradicate invasive alien plant species to improve biodiversity, and Working on Fire. According to SANCU, in 2014, the then national minister of finance, Nhlanhla Nene, told Parliament that the levy had, since 2003,…

‘IF FRACKING COMMENCES, LAND VALUE WILL DECLINE; ANIMAL AND HUMAN HEALTH WILL BE AFFECTED’ A local mining company is expected to soon start conducting environmental impact assessments (EIAs) and test drilling for gas and oil deposits on 10 farms in the Verkykerskop area. This was according to Jan van Niekerk, commercial cattle breeder and member of the Verkykerskop Farmers’ Association. He said exploration was likely to commence soon after public engagements, which were to be held in the Ladysmith town hall on 27 July, and in the Harrismith town hall on 28 July. “The total area earmarked for initial exploration is around 8 000ha, most of which is located in the Free State and KwaZulu-Natal, stretching from Verkykerskop to Ladysmith. Neither crop nor beef farmers in the area will be…

Developing farmers in Northern Zululand’s uMkhanyakude District Municipality will soon harness solar energy to boost their agricultural production. They recently took ownership of two solar-powered microgrids developed, funded and installed for them by multinational professional services company Accenture, the University of Notre Dame’s Initiative for Global Development and the Rural Development Company. A joint statement issued by the project partners explained that one solar-powered microgrid would provide the farmers with the power needed to drive their irrigation equipment. A second, larger solar facility would power a packhouse where the farmers would consolidate their yields, process and package their crops, and send them out to markets. “This reduces the farmers’ overall burden of labour and operating costs, and enables the farmers’ co-operative to achieve crop yields large enough to supply commercial…

Scientists have made significant genetic advances in yield, pest and disease resistance in most food crops. The same cannot be said for groundnuts. Now, however, this is about to change, following publication of research results by a consortium of 39 scientists at 26 organisations in six countries. Groundnuts are a nutritious food crop, with the fruit (seeds) containing 13 essential vitamins, 35% of essential minerals, 24% protein and 45% oil content with high levels of oleic and linoleic acid, as well as resveratrol for human health. The crop is grown on 25 million hectares in 100 countries, yielding a total of 40 million tons. Global average yield is only 1,6t/ha. Considerable genetic research has been conducted by the consortium of scientists as part of the global International Peanut Genome Initiative,…

LEGALLY, THE FAULT ALWAYS LIES WITH THE TAXPAYER, NOT THE TAX PROFESSIONAL Two cases I covered recently are worth another mention. In one, the taxpayer had a valid objection, but his lawyer submitted it some months after the cut-off date. In the other, a mistake on a tax return caused SARS to levy a very large penalty. The taxpayer’s accountant was at fault. Accountants and lawyers are generally people whom we can depend on, but anyone can make a mistake. All the same, when one makes a serious error with tax, the results can be extremely expensive. And the fact is that there are deadlines and certain standards relating to accuracy that taxpayers must abide by. Legally, the fault always lies with the taxpayer, who must prove otherwise. In some…

‘YOU NEED TO SPEND MONEY TO MAKE MONEY’ Five years ago, when his father handed him the reins to Tolange Farm near Riversdale in the Western Cape, 26-year-old Andrew Jonker realised the operation would remain economically viable only if he used conservation farming principles in combination with precision farming. “The farm hadn’t been farmed intensively for years, so there was a lot of room for improvement,” says Andrew. His father kept a few cattle and planted about 50ha of wheat each year. “While this wasn’t ideal, the advantage was that there wasn’t any pressure on me to do things in a specific way, as is usually the case when young men start to farm.” Conservation farming is aimed at conserving soil and water resources, and uses a number of techniques:…

MOST SHORT-DAY TYPES HAVE A VERY LIMITED STORAGE LIFE Choosing the right type of onion can be difficult, as the variety has to suit both the area and the planting seasons. The first challenge is that the initiation of bulb development depends on daylight length. If the seeds are planted when daylight length is correct, it is likely that the seedlings will bulb when the plants are only matchstick-thick. The bulbs will then be very small, commensurate with the size of the plants. Onion types can be classified as short, intermediate and long daylight-length types. The Highveld down to the latitude of approximately Bloemfontein is a short daylight-length area. Intermediate types are grown further south. Long daylight-length types are not grown in South Africa. Intermediate types planted on the Highveld…

MAXIMUM TORQUE IS JUST AS IMPORTANT AS MAXIMUM KILOWATTS Many motorists read car magazines before buying a new or secondhand car. Most of the articles on vehicles contain specification sheets that can be helpful to the reader – provided the latter understands them. In this and the following issue, I’ll explain what most of these terms mean and why they are important. Let’s start with the engine: THE ENGINE • Number of cylinders The more cylinders an engine has, the smoother it will be, but the less torque it will have at low engine speeds. For maximum economy and lowest maintenance costs, a small number of cylinders is better, which is why some of the latest Fiats have only two cylinders. Many other manufacturers have recently changed from four to three…

HE TOLD HIS BUILDERS TO HOLD A TROWEL IN ONE HAND AND A SWORD IN THE OTHER While reading my Bible recently, I came upon the story of Nehemiah. Held captive in Babylon, he was called by God to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem. God told him not to be afraid of the enemy, but to remember the strength of the Almighty. Nehemiah did not shirk his duties. Many of us in South Africa are in a similar situation. We have to build. As Christians, we have an obligation first and foremost to the Lord Jesus Christ and, secondly, to the nation of South Africa. You might say, “We have nothing left to build with.” That’s exactly what people said to Nehemiah – yet he used what he had. We…

 MAVERICK: EXTRAORDINARY WOMEN FROM SOUTH AFRICA’S PAST by Lauren Beukes & Nechama Brodie (Umuzi, R220) ‘SOME BOOKS LEAVE US FREE AND SOME BOOKS MAKE US FREE’ – RALPH WALDO EMERSON (1803-1882) An updated edition of Beukes’s original from 2005 that also includes three chapters by new co-author Brodie. The women covered range from singers Dolly Radebe and Brenda Fassie, artist Helen ‘Owl House’ Martins and exotic dancer Glenda ‘Snake Hips’ Kemp, to activists Olive Schreiner, Helen Joseph and Lilian Ngoyi. A lively, highly readable introduction to some of South Africa’s best-known and most notorious women and their contribution to the country’s political and cultural history. It’s a pity there is no index, however. CRAVINGS by Wanda Hennig ( bookdepository.com  or Kindle, R220)…

Featuring high on the list of future scenarios that the South African Institute of Race Relations (SAIRR) recently developed was whether or not South Africa’s commercial farmers would start receiving production subsidies from government over the next 10 years. SAIRR CEO, Frans Cronje, told Farmer’s Weekly that the most likely uncertain trend currently facing farmers in South Africa pertained to the property rights of commercial farmers. “Will these [property rights] be protected, or will the state, on the other extreme, take custodianship of all land, or just nationalise it outright? We currently track six laws and policies that are crafted to allow the state to take commercial farm land without having to pay any significant compensation,” Cronje said. The SAIRR’s research found that the best-case scenario for South African commercial…

Statistics from the US census of agriculture show that the number of black farmers in that country is increasing. Figures quoted in YES! magazine indicated that fewer than 2% of its food producers were black, but that this was changing. In 2012, there were more than 44 000 black farmers, up 15% from 10 years earlier. Such growth was noteworthy after an extensive decline, the article said. In 1920, the number of black-operated farms peaked at nearly one million, accounting for 15 million acres (6,1 million hectares) of farmland and 14% of all US farmers. Discriminatory policies caused black farmer numbers to drop to 30 000, or 2% of the national total, by 1982. Theo de Jager, president of the Southern African Confederation of Agricultural Unions, told Farmer’s Weekly that…

Retailers and food producers should be doing more to develop and market products that are attractive to black middle-class consumers in South Africa. According to Prof John Simpson, director of the University of Cape Town’s Unilever Institute of Strategic Marketing, there were about six million black, middle-class consumers in South Africa, and this number was increasing. Simpson said that while retailers were aware of this burgeoning market, they had not responded adequately, which resulted in fresh produce suppliers not receiving relevant feedback from retailers. “[Most] suppliers are dependent on retailers telling them what they want,” he said. Simpson said that black middle-class consumers often associated branding with quality, and branding was thus an important factor in this consumer group’s purchasing decisions. He added that conventional advertising was less successful in…

Government recently approved Rhino Oil and Gas Exploration South Africa’s (ROGESA) application to proceed with its environmental assessment study in a bid to continue exploring vast swathes of KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) for fossil energy reserves. The Wildlife and Environment Society of South Africa (WESSA) said that as a result of this, it expected ROGESA’s application for exploration to be eventually approved, despite vehement and widespread opposition from large sections of KZN’s population. Morgan Griffiths, WESSA’s governance programme manager, said that the society’s opinion was based on government previously indicating support for developing South Africa’s fossil energy reserves extraction and processing industry. This, government argued, would lessen the country’s dependence on the often more expensive crude oil. Griffiths said that while government perceived there to be numerous benefits in potentially allowing the…

Agricultural imports and exports will be affected in the long term as the industry struggles to recover from the drought. This is according to Adam Orlin, head of Investec import solutions. “South Africa has a large agricultural export market, and due to underperforming crops and a deficit of output, exports have declined,” Orlin told Farmer’s Weekly recently. While the short-term impact of the drought had been heavily felt, it could last for many years as the sector recovered, he added, predicting that many implications had not yet been felt. “As South African farming output has been affected, negatively impacting on our GDP, we’ve seen an increase in imports not only from a commodity perspective, but from other industries, as is evident from South Africa’s widening trade deficit,” he said. The…

A foundation founded by Nelson Mandela’s grandsons, Ndaba and Kweku Mandela, recently launched an initiative to promote sustainable development and food security by giving farmers seeds to grow their own vegetables. Africa Rising Foundation held a three-day celebration leading up to Mandela Day on 18 July with a range of community projects in Qunu, hometown of the late icon. The weekend’s activities included the launch of Mandela’s Community Gardens. Ndaba and Kweku said that the foundation focused on inspiring a new generation of the youth who believed in working towards an empowered Africa. In partnership with the Department of Rural Development and Agrarian Reform as well as seed company Sakata, the foundation launched a drive to distribute one million seeds to farmers producing food for their own consumption. Mvusiwekhaya Sicwetsha,…

THE LAW STATES THAT THE RETRENCHMENT PROCESS MUST BE FAIR AND LEGAL Every employer has two principal objectives – to make a profit and be sustainable. To attain these goals, the employer needs to regularly evaluate factors that will influence the long-term success of the business and take measures to ensure it remains competitive. Retrenchment – dismissing an employee after the position becomes redundant – may be one of these measures. Although this form of dismissal is due to operational requirements, it must, like all dismissals, be substantively and procedurally fair. SUBSTANTIVE FAIRNESS Retrenchment may be due to: • Economic reasons A business may no longer be in a financial position to employ all its current employees. Reasons for this may include the minimum wage, the state of the economy, drought,…

Please could you provide a background to the possible mining of uranium in the Karoo? Uranium was first discovered in the 1960s during the Soekor (Southern Oil Exploration Company) drilling campaign in the Karoo. While we were focused on the fracking issue, a smallish Australian mining company, Peninsula Energy, silently amassed some 750 000ha of Central Karoo farmlands for an extensive uranium prospecting campaign. Few people noticed and even fewer participated in the legally prescribed public consultations. This all changed with the advent of the Southern African Faith Communities’ Environment Institute (SAFCEI) in the Karoo, which lifted the veil of secrecy over the potentially destructive and disruptive uranium mining. What are the affected areas and the possible consequences for the ecology of the region? Three Central Karoo municipalities – Beaufort…

A desire to interact with animals led former game farmer and carpenter, Christo Venter of Vaalwater in Limpopo, to introduce milk goats to his farming operation. Today, he runs Geluksfontein Goat Cheese Farm, a milk goat farming operation that produces milk and cheese for a growing niche market. BACKGROUND Christo bought his first 25 Saanen milk goats from a nearby farmer who had almost lost his entire 100-strong imported herd to heartwater. Christo needed milk for domestic consumption and was also faced with bush encroachment on his farm. He did not want to introduce cattle, as he feared that they would become infected with bovine malignant catarrhal fever (snotsiekte) from the blue wildebeest on his farm. “I bought the first goats for R268 each. They now sell for around R2…

Congratulations to Durban market for introducing the ‘cash deposit device’. The first of its kind in a South African market, this enables buyers to deposit cash directly into their accounts at the market at any time. The device interfaces with the market’s real-time electronic trading system, eliminating the need for a cashier. This must surely promote better efficiency and accuracy. To appreciate the importance of this new service, we need to understand the current mechanics of payment at a fresh produce market. Traditionally, buyers always came to the market with cash to make their purchases. This was a dangerous and inconvenient practice, especially for those carrying large sums. They then had to queue at the market cashier to make their payments, a tedious process for buyers eager to get fresh…

CHEWING IS A HIGHLY EFFECTIVE STRATEGY AGAINST BOREDOM It is a simple fact that some dogs are more inclined than others to dig holes in a garden; the behaviour is in their genes. Jack Russells, for example, were originally bred to dig out a quarry that had entered a hole. If your garden contains an untrained Jack Russell and moles, it is almost guaranteed that the former will destroy the lawn to get to the latter. But nature and nurture both have a part to play. It is not only hunting breeds that dig up prize roses (or chase cats). Dogs of other breeds may develop a tendency for garden destruction due to boredom, the need to hide bones or the desire to seek a cool or warm place to…

Of course, the real beginner’s soup comes in a can. The next level up involves a stock cube made with water you have boiled without assistance. But beginner’s soup with real ingredients from scratch starts here. It originates as chicken stock, then proceeds to chicken and vegetable soup. When I was seven years old, and my grandmother seemed about three hundred, we ate chicken feet soup whenever we visited her. This was a surreal experience from which I have yet to recover. These days, as a crazed upmarket alternative, I make chicken stock out of whole wings and backs sourced from my supermarket. Attack the whole wings and backs with a heavy knife or cleaver, chopping through the bone to allow the later release of marrow. Peel and quarter two…

A significant number of people suffer from chronic or semi-chronic diarrhoea, mostly related to inflammatory bowel conditions such Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis and irritable bowel disease. These conditions are dangerous as the bowel movements are abnormally frequent and mostly bloody. Help may be available from an unusual source – the coconut. In Best Choices from the People’s Pharmacy, one man tells the authors how eating two coconut macaroon biscuits daily helped him overcome Crohn’s disease. If you suffer from one of these conditions but don’t like macaroons, try crunchies, which contain oats and desiccated coconut. You can even mix two or three teaspoons of desiccated coconut into your breakfast cereal. There is as yet no medical explanation why coconut appears to help. OTHER OPTIONS Omega-3 oil found in fish oil…

Like several of the trees featured in Glen and Van Wyk’s field guide, baobabs are Gondwana trees. But their family seems to have spread almost 100 million years ago between Madagascar, Africa and Australia rather than before the supercontinent of Gondwana drifted apart. In Baobabs of the World, Andry Petignat and Louise Jasper share the beauty and fascination of baobabs, particularly those of the evolutionary hothouse of Madagascar, where both live. The trees and landscapes they prefer are highly photogenic, making this guide to the family’s eight species and their life history visually irresistible as well as an intriguing survey.…

Neighbour Jan played lock for the Cheetahs in his youth and still supports his team whenever they play. Any game apart from rugby is for sissies, he says. He concedes, however, that sport has become more aggressive. Dangerous tackles occur often in football, while terrifying bouncers have become part and parcel of cricket. What really riles me, though, is the air-punching at opponents when winning a point. It seems to be practised in just about every sport. Is this aggressive gesture intended to intimidate one’s adversary, I wonder? It’s a regular sight in tennis. Serena Williams does it. Andy Murray does it. Even Roger Federer does it! Watch Wimbledon and you’ll see it all the time. Surely a more sporting gesture would suffice like the doffing of one’s cap in…