Table of contents for 13-Nov 2015 in Farmer's Weekly

Who would have thought that the simple act of handling could be so detrimental to an animal’s health? Leon Kruger of the smallstock unit of the Agricultural Research Council’s Animal Production Institute conducted a study into the effect of handling, and found that animals became so stressed when handled that their immune systems were compromised (page 46). This of course opens the door for bacteria to thrive and the animals consequently became ill. My father, a GP, tells me that he has noticed an increase in the amount of summer colds among his patients in Hartbeesfontein and Ottosdal. I wonder how many are stressed-out farmers? Everyone is worried about the drought and those with foresight are concerned about the next planting season too. How will farmers get production loans if…

Patrick Mayne’s letter was titled ‘Strong suggestions for government’ and appeared in the 30 October of Farmer’s Weekly. Patrick is an actuary and a fellow of the Institute of Directors. He held several different positions with a multinational insurance company in the UK before coming to South Africa in 2001. Here, he fulfilled similar roles for a SA insurance company. He retired in June. For the last three years, he has taken a keen interest in agriculture, basing his industry study on internet self-education and reading Farmer’s Weekly every week.…

The South American country of Peru is the world’s largest exporter of fresh green asparagus. The vegetable is exported to the US, Netherlands, Spain and England. The country’s coastal climate is ideal for vegetable production, and asparagus is produced under irrigation systems that draw water from small rivers running from the Andes mountain range to the Pacific Ocean. Fishmeal fertiliser from the coast and guano contribute to soil fertility. Potatoes are also a major crop. This year’s production was expected to be 4,5 million tons, according to Peru’s national potato producers’ organisation. The country has more than 3 000 varieties of potato, and is the leading producer of the tuber in Latin America. Peru produces two renowned strains of cotton – Pima (extra-long staple) and Tanguis (long, strong and uniform)…

Minister of Water Affairs and Sanitation Nomvula Mokonyane appealed to a Danish business and government delegation to help South Africa devise immediate interventions to the current drought ravaging the Free State, North West and KwaZulu-Natal. Mokonyane called on the delegation, which visited Johannesburg and Cape Town, to assist in responding to the drought crisis gripping the country. She signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Danish minister Eva Kjer Hansen, who heads up Denmark’s environment and food department. The MoU focused on integrated water resources management, water treatment technologies and management, and water and resources efficiency. Issues pertaining to groundwater protection and management, water governance and science, and capacity building and institutional strengthening were also covered in the MoU. “South Africa faces challenges of both water quality and access to…

South Africa’s worst drought since 1992 might take its toll on the local wine industry. Should the dry conditions continue this month, 2016 could see a smaller grape harvest, according to VinPro, which represents about 3 600 South African wine producers and cellars. Many regions experienced a drier than normal winter and spring. Lower rainfall caused a drop in groundwater levels, and most irrigation dams were 40% to 60% full. “The heat wave that occurred in the last week of October is an irregularity at this time of the year and has placed further strain on water resources,” Francois Viljoen, manager of VinPro’s consultation service, said. Henri van Reenen, viticulturist at Darling Cellars, said the season had been very dry thus far. “In the Darling region we have received only…

Agricultural Writers South Africa Western Cape recently acknowledged outstanding achievements in the agriculture sector in the province at a gala event in Stellenbosch. The recipients of the Farmer of the Year award were Michael Dippenaar and his son Neethling of MC Dippenaar Boerdery. The Dippenaars’ farming operation, covering more than 11 000ha in total, is located mainly in the Swellendam region. Enterprises include dryland grain and sheep on over 3 000ha of arable land, a farm in the Karoo for livestock production, and a 30% stake in a farm near Napier, where activities focus on cash crop production. With the help of conservation farming methods, the Dippenaars have significantly reduced production risk posed by drought. They have also refined their production systems with new technology, enabling them to consistently harvest…

Wheat, barley and rice are members of the large grass family and share many genes. Moving these genes across distantly related species barriers can yield benefits. Modern wheat originated from three wild ancestors and has three sets of genetics (genomes) with many DNA code sequences repeated. Barley genetics are less complex. Argentinian scientist Susana Gallego and partners recently studied the physical location of genes on chromosomes using DNA sequence mapping. Wheat leaf rust resistance gene Lr1 is on chromosome 5DL, but in rice its counterpart is on two different chromosomes. In barley, it behaves in harmony with wheat Lr1. Wheat Lr10 leaf resistance gene on chromosome 1AS was found on rice chromosome 1, where the gene occurs in many copies, but here the DNA region more closely corresponds to wheat…

My previous article dealt with the chaos prevailing in government departments with the issuing of permits for the use of Nile tilapia (Orecochromis niloticus). Unfortunately it gets worse. Reports have recently surfaced of officials from the Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism (DEAT) in Mpumalanga and KwaZulu-Natal threatening to prosecute producers farming the red colour form of our indigenous Mozambique tilapia (Oreochromis mossambicus). Red Mozambique tilapia are fish that express no pigment in their skin – a condition called xanthic. Many animals (white lion, for example) and plants (white hairbells, the Dierama genus) can be xanthic. In humans, some people are either fully albino (with colourless eye retinas) or partially xanthic with blotches of white skin on an otherwise dark complexion. Whether we are talking about humans, animals or plants,…

Meat MEAT PRICES MIXED International: New Zealand steers and cows traded lower at NZ$543/head and NZ$346/head respectively.US beef traded as follows: topside lower at US$232,45cwt, rump lower at US$303,05/cwt, strip loin higher at US$478,69/cwt, chuck lower at US$265,50/cwt, and brisket slightly higher at US$216,64/cwt.US prices were weighed down by a World Health Organisation report which has raised the threat of red meat’s possible carcinogen status. Domestic: Local prices increase due to good demand during month-end buying. The prices of the various classes were as follows: Class A prices increased 1,09% to R35,20/kg and Class C increased to R29,42/kg. Slaughtering numbers increased and weaner prices decreased to R20,03/kg. Hide prices were slightly lower at R12,08/kg. Outlook: International prices should remain low due to an expected increase in volumes in the market.…

The nature of human-animal interaction can have a profound impact on the productivity and welfare of farm animals • Routine handling involves specific challenges to which livestock are exposed: – Overcrowding; – Temperature extremes; – Social/hierarchial disruption; – Unfamiliar sounds; – Feed and water restriction. Ethology is the scientific and objective study of animal behaviour, usually with a focus on behaviour under natural conditions. The natural behaviour of an animal must be understood before external influences on the homeostasis can be understood. The hearing sensitivity of goats is strongest at 8 000hz, compared with 1 000hz to 3 000hz in humans. Research has shown that human shouting and high-pitched whistling have a greater influence on the heart rate of goats than the sound of a metal gate slamming. An experienced handler…

Maize is a warm-weather crop. It is not grown in areas where the mean daily temperature is less than 19°C, or where the mean of the summer months is below 23°C. The minimum soil temperature for germination is 10°C, but the process is faster and less variable at soil temperatures of between 16°C and 18°C. At 20°C, maize should emerge within five to six days. Yield is detrimentally affected at a soil temperature of about 32°C. Frost can damage maize at all growth stages and a frost-free period of 120 to 140 days is needed to prevent damage. Dryland maize requires between 350mm and 450mm of rain to produce a yield of around 3t/ha. IDEAL SOIL PROPERTIES The most suitable soil for maize has adequate depth, good internal drainage, an…

To achieve a HACCP (Hazard Analysis of Critical Control Points) accreditation is costly. Several years ago, Joburg Market resurfaced the floors in its three sales halls. I understood that this was to bring it in line with HACCP standards. Although the job was tackled section by section to minimise the impact, trading was seriously disrupted. I have no idea if the HACCP accreditation was achieved or if the resurfacing of the floors was simply a first step in that direction, and the question remains: what about all the other requirements for HACCP? The problem is that we’re talking about buildings well past their sell-by date. Tackling the gigantic and sorely needed task of upgrading infrastructure while complying with food safety standards to bring markets in line with modern fresh produce…

Only a few world-class cocks were chosen to be mated to Birdy. In addition to the Louis Wouters foundation and the stronger influence of the Hardy Kruger genetics, ‘Birdy discipline’ exists in the gene pool of original Janssens & Janssens Van Loon. As a result, the genetic profile of the original C&G Koopman heritage connects with the Birdy foundation. An extended link continues in the lines of Pieter Veenstra and prototype Jan Hooymans. Birdy’s direct offspring were not raced, but used as prime stock. Sparingly bred since 2008, Birdy’s offspring are amongst the most powerful hereditary transmitters ever, producing top results. Birdy’s first mate was Zander (DV06369-06-714). Bred by Esser & Son, it is part of the Blue Dynasty of Pieter Veenstra. Zander’s great-grandsire, Mr Surhuizum, is the brother of…

To make this fish pie for four lucky diners, you will need: On the inside • 900g hake• 100g smoked Cape trout• 100g butter• 500ml milk• 8 black peppercorns• Generous pinch of freshly ground nutmeg• 50g flour• 2 leeks• Fresh parsley and dill on demand On top • 100g butter• 75g rolled oats• 80g flour• 25g grated strong cheddar• 3g paprika• 1 shallot or small pickling onion Firstly, preheat the oven to 180°C. Even though the frozen hake has been filleted, check manually for any remaining bones. Select an ovenproof baking dish or skillet and smear this lightly with soft butter. Arrange the hake inside this, submerge it in the milk with the whole peppercorns, an optional bayleaf and a scattering of nutmeg. Over medium heat, bring up the temperature until the milk in near boiling. Don’t let it boil, though! Drop the heat and…

In sunny South Africa, it is generally accepted that everyone gets enough of this critical vitamin. But because of fear of skin cancer, this is not always the case. Research shows that nearly every tissue and cell type in the body has receptors for Vitamin D, proving that it is a vital hormone. Animals bred to have no Vitamin D receptors get cardiovascular disease at an early age and end up with enlarged, dysfunctional hearts. Once Vitamin D has been ingested, it is converted to its active form, Vitamin D3. A study of overweight middle-aged women showed that Vitamin D supplementation (1 000IU/day) significantly raised their protective HDL-cholesterol levels and lowered body fat mass after 12 weeks. In addition, Vitamin D is required to prevent the excessive build-up of collagen…

As its vision states, the Agricultural Research Council aims to achieve Excellence in Agricultural Research and Development. The Agricultural Research Council is a premier science institution that conducts research with partners, develops human capital and fosters innovation to support and develop the agriculture sector. The Agricultural Research Council values its employees and thus recognises and awards them for their excellent research and administrative work. The Employee Excellence Awards are aimed at encouraging and rewarding excellent effort by the employees in ensuring that Agricultural Research Council delivers on its mandate to promote the agricultural and related sectors through Research, Development and Technology Transfer. Outstanding Contribution by an Individual Award Senior Researcher – Agricultural Research Council’s Deciduous Fruit, Vines and Wine This is an award for an acclaimed piece of work by…

“Successful marketers realise that effective marketing involves more than just the product. Madam Customer has become spoilt. In the past, it was enough to supply her with the right product. Today, she also expects it at the right price, at the right time and via the right promotion. Most producers can deliver the right product, but success can only be achieved if they supply the entire marketing mix. STATISTICS To begin with, producers must identify their target market. According to the 2014 Bureau for Food and Agricultural Policy report, only 16,5% of South Africans – about six million adults – have average household incomes of more than R23 539 a month, while 21% – eight million – have an average household income of between R11 882 and R16 754. A…

President Zuma is concerned about violent crime which is out of control in our country. He wants only government forces to be armed, and not those who have employed him – the citizens. One of the fallacies we need to deal with is that the police alone can stop the invasion of our homes by criminals. The truth is that the police cannot be everywhere all the time. They also cannot always arrest someone ‘who looks suspicious’ but has not committed a crime. So, most times, police will clean up the mess after a crime has taken place. The bottom line is that if unknown, unauthorised people gain access to your home, you are probably going to be on your own without a policeman or security guard on hand. What…

At the recent Namibia Agricultural Union congress in Windhoek, John Mutorwa, that country’s minister of agriculture, water and forestry, called Namibian commercial farmers “brave”. I want to go a step further and call all farmers in Southern Africa brave. I am talking about farmers who have invested vast sums of money, time and effort in their businesses over the years. They must have been either blindly brave or delusional to tackle farming in the harsh and arid climes of the southern tip of Africa. And the fact is that they have, over the decades, proven to be surprisingly successful despite the extreme conditions in which they operate. Let’s take the current drought, for instance. Virtually the entire southern part of the continent has been in the grip of death for…

The majority of the world’s population is fed by family farmers, who produce 80% of the world’s food, according to statistics from the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO). Approximately 72% of farms worldwide were less than 1ha, while just 6% were larger than 5ha, according to the FAO. To help these farmers achieve greater success, the FAO had launched a Family Farming Knowledge Platform containing information, data and legislation aimed at building stronger public policies in support of smallholder family farming worldwide. It would also provide farmers with creative solutions to climate change, resource scarcity and farm business management.…

Grain producers in the Swartland region of the Western Cape were harvesting only about a third of their normal yields due to drought conditions. However, the fact that they were harvesting anything at all was a miracle, considering that the region had received less than half its annual rainfall, according to Andries Theron, vice-chairperson of Grain SA. “We wouldn’t have been able to produce these yields in the past. It must be a miracle, in combination with improved cultivars and the fact that farmers are using conservation farming practices,” he said. However, André Kirsten, Grain SA’s chairperson for the Swartland region, said he was not certain to what extent conservation agriculture had helped. Farmers who ripped their lighter soils once ever so often appeared to achieve a higher yield than…

South Africa is well-positioned to take advantage of new opportunities presented by the changing global economy. International demand for canning fruit will grow by about 3,5% per annum over the next five years, and even faster in new economies such as China, India and Africa, where there is a rising middle class and people are looking for more convenient eating experiences. This was according to Dr Daan Louw, managing director of Optimal Agricultural Business Systems, who spoke at the Canning Fruit Producers’ Association’s AGM held recently in Worcester. The weakness of the rand was one of South Africa’s competitive advantages, he said. “It’s true that producers don’t always get the full benefit of the weakness of the rand against major export currencies, as buyers are aware of the differences and…

Entrepreneurial farmers who were in business to make a profit would transform the sector and profit from agriculture at the same time, said TP Nchocho, the recently appointed CEO of the Land Bank, speaking at Afasa’s fourth annual congress. South Africa had a unique agricultural landscape with an historically exclusive, white commercial sector, and a developing black sector that needed support. “We are expected to drive participation of those previously excluded, while ensuring that production does not slide backwards. It’s tricky,” he said. Speakers agreed that there was no one-size-fits-all solution to the sector’s problems, but rather a need for individually tailored approaches. Mandla Nkomo, operations director at TechnoServe SA, said there was no shortage of opportunities for African farmers, but there was a gap in the financial market offering…

The African Farmers’ Association of South Africa (Afasa) continues to support government’s land reform policy proposals, especially with regard to land ceilings, strengthening of relative rights for farm dwellers and foreign land ownership. Since the Minister of Rural Development and Land Reform Gugile Nkwinti introduced the green paper in his first term, Afasa has taken part in the consultation process. During Nkwinti’s second term, the green paper was shelved and he introduced several policy proposals dealing mainly with agri parks, foreign land ownership, district land committees and strengthening relative rights for farm dwellers. Afasa took part in the consultative process of these too. We are happy to report that most of our recommendations on these issues were taken into consideration. AFASA’S DECISIONS We continue to take part in these consultative…

In the past few weeks, news on the negative impact that the drought is having on agriculture has made headlines and Nerpo would like to call on smallholder farmers to take these reports very seriously. Due to lower than normal rainfall since the beginning of the year, many parts of the country are experiencing drought that could spell a disastrous year for farmers. Minister of Water and Sanitation Nomvula Mokonyane recently painted a gloomy picture as she reported water shortages in several areas, especially KwaZulu-Natal. She reported that several dams were running at below capacity and this could cause problems for the country, which is already water-stressed. According to Mokonyane, the drought was straining water systems supplying about 18% of the country’s 53 million people. She said that the government…

The level of development – infrastructure and improvements – is one of the main factors influencing the value of a farm. Undeveloped farms in the same area as developed farms will usually be cheaper per hectare. However, increased value due to development is seldom equal to the development cost. Overcapitalisation is always a risk, especially on smaller farming units. This can be defined as improving a property beyond its resale value and usually occurs when improvements are added which are not necessary for the normal functioning of the farm, or when the quality of the finishes of improvements is far higher than normal. Here, one of the primary principles of property valuation comes into play: cost does not equal value. IMPROVEMENTS These can be classified into three types: • Class A…

Malcolm Cock (68) has spent much of his life fighting for adequate compensation for land expropriated by the apartheid government in 1980. The property comprises the farms Lessendrum, Newcastle, Salisbury Plain, Thornhill, Ravensworth and Winnowdale in the former Ciskei, totalling about 2 400ha. The disappointment of receiving far less compensation than expected was aggravated, Malcolm says, by news that the farms had been controversially transferred to Ciskei government minister Nigel Poni. According to Malcolm, Poni died in the late 1990s and his family have since then consistently refused him access to the Cock family cemetry on Lessendrum. Farmer’s Weekly joined him for his third visit here in 35 years, arranged through the commercial farmers leasing the property. ‘’Years ago, I brought my young kids back and it broke my bloody…

MPUMALANGA LIMOUSIN CHAMPIONS CONTACTS John and Tracey Devonport 083 454 3095 JC Steenkamp 082 564 2080 Angie Malherbe 082 774 8863…

The new Leeb LT trailed sprayers, available with 4 000l and 5 000l plastic tanks, complement Horsch’s Leeb GS range and will appeal to farmers who do not need larger-capacity machines. The ECO model has a piston diaphragm pump with manually operated valves for suction and pressure. The CCS model features the automatic internal Continuous Cleaning System. The CCS Pro is equipped with a modern electronic suction and pressure system similar to the premium equipment level of the GS range. All three feature BoomControl, the award-winning system that keeps the boom highly stable even when moving fast on uneven terrain. • Effective soil penetration Available in 4m, 6m and 12m working widths, the Avatar SD single disc coulter seed drill is designed for direct seeding. The coulter pressure of 200kg provides…

In South Africa, the Costume Class is one of the most popular events at Arabian shows. Competitors wear extravagant versions of costumes based on the traditional outfits used on high days and holidays in those countries of the Middle East that still regard the Arabian horse as the most significant form of transport. As in the Middle East, men are the main competitors in this class. It takes a brave rider to gallop into the arena without the safety of a riding helmet and wearing, instead, a headdress that flaps in the wind and long flowing garments likely to terrify the average horse. Riders are probably motivated to enter this class because it is a challenge. It also attracts more spectators than any other Arabian class. In the Costume Class,…

Dear Jonno We need help with the design of our new home in eMacambini on the KZN North Coast near the Amatikulu Nature Reserve. The site, about 1 000m2 , is on the southern border of the nature reserve and the ocean side of the N2. It falls gently, then steeply, towards the north. We would like it built on the highest point, which is accessed via the southern approach dirt road. This part of the property is level and originally had mud huts and rondavels on it. We’ve provided a layout of a three-to four-bedroom family home (about 250m2 ), with two bedrooms en suite. We intend using the house for holidays at this stage, and for our retirement later. We would like the fourth bedroom to be close…

The GEA group, based in Düsseldorf in Germany, focuses on process technology and is one of the largest suppliers to the food processing industry. The company is the developer of CowScout, now available worldwide, including South Africa. CowScout is an electronic monitoring system that uses electronic tags to keep track of a cow’s movements and behavioural patterns. This in turn can reduce labour, increase pregnancy rates and limit the need for hormone treatments. CowScout provides two types of tag – one for the leg and the other for the neck of the animal. Physical activity by the cow is continuously transmitted via ultrahigh frequency (UHF) wireless signals to a long-range antenna. This feeds the data to a receiver, giving you real-time information regardless of where you are. The system can…

In the 16 October issue of Farmer’s Weekly (“A farmer’s life in the Coombs Valley”), we featured a personality profile on Lawrence Stanley Dixon (99), the oldest member of Agri Eastern Cape and veteran farmer in the region. Regrettably, LS (as he was affectionately known to his friends) passed away on 28 October while working in the vegetable garden on his farm Claypits near Grahamstown. He died as he had lived – working the soil of Claypits in the Coombs Valley. The writer of each month’s winning letter will win a Canon SX610 HS! The Canon PowerShot SX610 HS has an 18x optical zoom lens which helps you keep your subject in the frame by automatically detecting the number of people and adjusting the zoom level to determine the optimal…

Following a brucellosis outbreak on his farm in February, Appie Maritz claims that authorities still have not ordered him to slaughter his animals. Maritz, from Beaufort West, told Farmer’s Weekly that he read an article in Die Burger where the Western Cape MEC of Economic Opportunities, Alan Winde, said he wanted to rid the farm of all animals within 30 days. This was to prevent the disease from spreading. Two weeks later, Maritz still had not been informed of the decision. “We read these announcements in the newspaper but nobody is talking to us,” Maritz said. The article stated that the provincial agriculture department would carry some of the slaughtering and transportation costs. However, a second process was necessary to determine whether Maritz would be entitled to receive the market…

Villa Crop Protection (Villa CP) has announced a partnership with US-based company Land O’Lakes, the American company’s first commercial investment in Africa. The companies manufacture crop-input products to help farms to improve yield. Speaking to Farmer’s Weekly, André Schreuder, Villa CP MD, said a consultant from Land O’Lakes had approached his company in December 2013, looking for possible partners in the South African crop protection market. The memorandum of understanding was signed early 2014. “Given the expansion in regard to plant nutrition and the possible entering of the maize seed market in SA, we will look at additional appointments but the structure of Villa CP stays the same,” Schreuder said. Land O’Lakes will assume a 52,5% ownership stake in Villa CP. People and product expertise from Land O’Lakes’ crop inputs…

While good rains have fallen along the Eastern Cape coast and neighbouring inland areas, boreholes are running dry in the province’s hinterland and farmers have started carting drinking water. Casper Labuschagne, chairperson of the National Wool Growers’ Association in the Eastern Cape and a farmer in the Jamestown district, told Farmer’s Weekly that he had been working on a windmill during the week of Sunday 1 November when he noticed that the level of the borehole had dropped by about 10m. “The rains of the past weekend mainly fell in areas south of Cradock and the Winterberg mountain range, and in the western parts of the province. The whole northern part of the province is extremely dry and the levels of underground water are dropping sharply,” he said. Between Venterstad…

British farmers and landowners have been asked to submit comments on a proposal to reintroduce lynx to parts of Scotland and England. The reintroduction of the animal could boost ecotourism and prevent deer from damaging crops, according to conservation organisation, the Lynx UK Trust, quoted in a BBC report. A survey conducted by the organisation found that 91% of 9 000 respondents were in favour of lynx being brought back to help control deer numbers. However, according to the BBC, the National Farmers’ Union (NFL) has raised concerns about the proposal and its impact on the farmers’ livelihoods. Claire Robinson, NFU spokesperson, said farmers were concerned that lynx would prey on farm animals such as lambs, poultry and outdoor piglets. Introducing a species that had not been in the area…

South Africa’s commercial maize producers intended to plant 3,8% or 102 050ha less maize in the 2015/2016 production season. According to a survey by the agriculture department’s Directorate: Statistics and Economic Analysis, a total of 2,55 million hectares of maize would be planted in 2016, compared with the previous season’s 2,65 million hectares. The current drought was given as a reason for the decrease. The survey showed that producers intrended planting 1,42 million hectares to white maize, 26 250ha less than in the 2014/2015 season. Yellow maize producers indicated that they would plant 1,13 million hectares, 75 800ha less than in the previous season. The survey showed a 1,3% increase in expected soya production, from 687 300ha to 696 400ha. The number of hectares planted to groundnuts was expected to…

Prices for canning apricots and puree apricots are expected to be 10% to 20% higher this year than last year, while prices for pears and peaches are also looking favourable, according to Wiehahn Victor, CEO of the Canning Fruit Producers’ Association. He was speaking at the association’s AGM held recently in Kleinplasie in Worcester. “Prices should however be seen in perspective,” Victor told Farmer’s Weekly. “While prices are increasing slightly as a result of higher demand and supply constraints due to production being down in the major fruit-producing countries, the weak rand against major export currencies is having a much greater impact on prices.” Peach puree was the exception, the prices of which were still slightly under pressure because of uncertainty over Chilean volumes. “So far it seems that Chile,…

Each year, Farmer’s Weekly sponsors medals of achievement for agricultural school pupils who have excelled. This year, three deserving Grade 12 pupils from Winterberg Agricultural High School, Boland Agricultural High School and Landbouskool Hendrik Potgieter received medals for ‘best achiever in agricultural science’.…

Afasa members are urged to thoroughly read the recently published Regulation of Land Holdings Bill now out for public comment. In summary, among other things, this bill seeks the following: • The establishment of the Land Commission; • The establishment of a register of public and private agricultural land holdings; • A declaration of present ownership and acquisition of private agricultural land; • Provision for the prohibition on the acquisition of and regulation of lease and disposal of agricultural land by foreign nationals; • Prohibition on how surplus land is disposed of; • Disposal of surplus agricultural land; • Unlawful acquisition of land. Farmers are urged to study the bill and submit their comments to Afasa by no later than 30 November 2015. These should be sent to Marjorie Moloi…

South African potato farmers produce on average 80kg of potatoes per hectare per millimetre of water used. This compares favourably with international water-use efficiency figures, which are estimated at between 60kg/ha/mm water used and 150kg/ha/mm water used, depending on the country of production. This is according to Prof Martin Steyn, associate professor at the department of plant sciences at the University of Pretoria (UP). He was speaking about the results of a study conducted by UP and Wageningen University in the Netherlands at a panel discussion during the Potatoes SA Congress held near Cape Town recently. The study found that on average, South African potato producers used 18l water to produce one medium-sized (150g) tuber. The Water Footprint Network estimates the world average at 43,5l per 150g tuber. (It also…

Dubai is one of seven emirates or countries, each controlled by an absolute monarch. Together they make up United Arab Emirates. There is a resident population of 2,4 million, of whom only about 10% are Emirati Arabs. The rest are expatriates. A rainbow nation if ever there was one – except that this is not a nation of people, it’s a nation of Emiratis employing a group of temporary contract workers, whose right to reside in Dubai depends entirely on being gainfully employed. I am sure we are all familiar with the glittering images of Dubai, the business hub of the Middle East. It boasts the world’s highest skyscrapers, the world’s largest shopping malls, entire suburbs are built on land reclaimed from the sea, and so on. Visiting the place…

What are the gaps in our knowledge of the brown locust? Population irruptions and swarming of insects, birds and antelope are prominent features in the Nama Karoo. Some of these phenomena have been changed or eliminated through farming and insecticide spraying. But the brown locust remains, alongside the Karoo caterpillar. While huge sums have been spent on controlling locust swarms for over a century, we still don’t know if the costs are warranted. Neither do we know enough about the ecological significance of these insects. Swarms feed here, defecate there and die elsewhere, while predators track locust abundance cycles and movements. All this forms intricate patterns of dynamic food webs and nutrient recycling across the Karoo and beyond. Unceasing persecution of brown locusts since 1906 has affected this species as…

The goats in Leon Kruger’s smallstock unit at the ARC’s Animal Production Institute, often seemed to become ill after being handled. “Animals are normally healthy and well-adapted to their environment and conditions,” he explains. “But as soon as they are in a trial involving handling and weighing, different feed or being separated from their peers, they become ill after two or three weeks.” Kruger noted that, apart from the physical handling, no other variables could lead to the animals becoming ill. He therefore concluded that handling was an important stressor that could lead to illness. A stressor, he points out, is anything that disrupts an animal’s homeostasis, the system with which it self-regulates variables so that its internal body systems remain relatively stable. If a potential predator (for example, a…

Sinako appreciates all the government support he has received during his farming career. Not only has he benefited from a number of state-funded livestock programmes and the land reform process, he has received funding for fencing – almost 30km from the Eastern Cape Department of Rural Development and Agrarian Reform as well as a state-of-the-art handling facility. While he says that he will always accept support offered to him, he stresses that he will never depend on it. “I just want to work. The support must get to me while I’m working. There are guys who received funding, but they are really doing nothing on their farms.”…

When making permanent beds, a farmer should take into account tractor traffic. This may involve spraying, loading or even going over the beds with a bedmaker to pull in soil that has eroded into the pathways between the beds after a rainstorm. The beds should therefore be between 1,6m and 1,8m apart – wide enough to accommodate a tractor and trailer. A bedmaker usually becomes unnecessary after a few years when the beds are well settled. In fact, once the soil has settled properly, you can even walk on the beds without damaging the structure. The soil particles become aligned with one another and aggregates form according to the composition and condition of the soil. At this stage, the soil will seem quite firm and those without knowledge or experience…

In 1 Corinthians 10:31, we read: “...whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” A well-known saying goes like this: “A concern for the glory of God is the ultimate motive for Christian living.” In other words, everything that we do, we do in order to glorify our God. He will never give us an impossible task that we cannot complete. Therefore, everything He asks us to do, as believing farmers, we need to do it to the glory of God. This applies even to simple things, such as the way in which we eat and the way in which we drink. Even our lifestyle and our dress code can glorify the Lord. GLORIFY GOD IN YOUR EVERYDAY ACTIVITIES The way in which we speak to our staff…

MAGNIFICENT AND BEGGAR LAND  by Ricardo Soares de Oliveira (Jacana, R280) Soares de Oliveira devoted three years of research to this account of Angola’s evolving economy and politics and its reconstruction. His portrayal of “oligarchic capitalists” includes President dos Santos’s billionaire daughter Isabel, while the influence of China also comes into focus. The book combines the rigour of an academic with the apposite news sense of a journalist. THE ROAD TO LITTLE DRIBBLING  by Bill Bryson (Doubleday, R330) Here the humourist draws an idiosyncratic ‘Bryson Line’ from Bognor Regis on the south coast of England to Cape Wrath on the north coast of Scotland, and uses this as a (very) rough guide to updating his impressions of Britain. The more things change, the more they stay the same as Bryson…