Table of contents for 21 - 28 December 2018 in Farmer's Weekly

The following is a response to the article ‘Food security: Africa should be the answer’ published in the 30 November issue of Farmer’s Weekly. This is a well-articulated article indeed. Yes, Africa can certainly be the answer to food security in a most prosperous way if only black participation in the agriculture sector would be acknowledged and accepted. As a black farmer, my views differ from the views expressed in the article in many ways. Where are the black players in the veterinarian sciences? Where are the black agronomists? Where is their participation in auction houses, other corporations and farm stalls? MOVING FORWARD ‘BLACK FARMERS HAVE A SERIOUS MOUNTAIN TO CLIMB’ In order for South Africa to move forward, white farmers must fight for the inclusion of black farmers and…

This past year was a controversial one for South Africa’s agriculture sector. Land reform and expropriation without compensation dominated the public discourse and caused great concern amongst South Africans. Many fear that an expropriation policy will lead to food insecurity, while others are concerned about the effect it will have on the trajectory of South Africa’s economy. In March 2018, I had the opportunity to visit Siyazama Klipland Boerdery, a BEE company near De Doorns, as part of a media tour hosted by the Department of Rural Development and Land Reform (DRDL). While there are a staggering number of land reform projects across the country that has failed, Siyazama is testimony to how land reform projects can succeed. What impressed me about this farm was the stakeholders’ attitude towards the…

Asparagus production has the potential to significantly improve the financial position of developing farmers in the eastern Free State, according to Piet Potgieter, manager of development agriculture at VKB. Speaking at a recent information day near Rosendal, he said that the New Farmer Development and Partnership project between VKB, the Jobs Fund, the Grain Farmer Development Association, and commercial asparagus producer Denmar, would go a long way to help developing asparagus farmers become commercial producers. “Although new farmers realised good profits per hectare with grain production, total profit per farm remained insufficient to provide critical reinvestment and sustain family livelihoods,” he said. In 2016, asparagus was identified as a high-value crop that could increase economies of scale for developing farmers. The partnership thus enabled farmers to gain access to additional…

Despite the year starting off strongly, pressure on some of the world’s major markets resulted in headwinds being experienced later in 2018. In its third quarter report, Rabobank outlined a laundry list of issues that were creating uncertainty and market volatility in the US, most of which affected the global beef trade. The slower than expected rate of expansion (early estimates were for a 5% increase), had been the result of very strong basis levels throughout the first half of the year, encouraging hedged producers to market cattle aggressively. Also contributing to lower volumes was the general fear that increased cattle numbers would impact on the availability of feed, and along with seasonal factors, drive prices down. “Early expectations are for beef production in 2019 to be up 2,5% to…

At the time of going to print, members of the UK parliament were locked in debate about whether or not to approve Prime Minister Theresa May’s draft Brexit deal, approved by the European Parliament. A Rabobank report on the impact of this draft deal on European food and agribusiness, described it as a ‘soft Brexit’, or an orderly, managed and gradual exit of the UK from the EU, while minimising economic damage on both sides. “Under this deal, trade will continue unchanged during the transition period of almost two years, with a possible extension for another two years.” In the long term, specific risk areas for trade in agricultural products between the UK and the EU would be veterinary, phytosanitary and food safety standards, as these could deviate between the…

External parasites can carry lethal diseases such as Rift Valley fever and redwater. In the case of severe infestation, the animal will go off its feed, and this may cause an entirely new set of problems linked to shortfalls in nutrition, a particular worry in pregnant or lactating females. • Sheep scab mites Sheep scab is an irritating, itchy skin condition that causes the sheep to bite or scratch itself, damaging its wool in the process. It is therefore crucial to inspect your flock regularly. If you see any sheep behaving in this way, inject it with a solution that controls the condition. Your local farmer supply store will be able to advise you. Administer a follow-up treatment after a week, as the initial treatment may not kill scab mite eggs,…

“With the rising trends in livestock theft it is imperative that we use technology to keep one step ahead,” says Philip Lötter of the FarmRanger office in Caledon, Western Cape. The statistics unfortunately reflect a harsh truth; Willie Clack, chairperson of the National Stock Theft Prevention Forum, explains that since 2013/2014 there has been a gradual increase in livestock theft, irrespective of animal type. The most recent crime statistics of the South African Police Service indicate a 7,2% increase in stock theft for 2017/2018. A growing number of farmers are turning to technology to prevent crime and continue successful farming operations. One such farmer is Lyndon Snelling of Cathcart in the Eastern Cape. He farms Dohne Merino sheep, Angora goats and cattle, and has been using FarmRanger collars for almost…

Earthworms are long, segmented worms belonging to the phylum Annelida. More than 2 000 species have been identified to date, and 300 of these have been recorded in South Africa. A mature earthworm has a clitellum (a belt-like swelling) that forms part of its reproduction system. It contains both male and female reproductive organs, but cannot fertilise itself. Copulation takes place at night on the soil surface. The worms press their bodies together and exchange sperm before separating. Later, the clitellum produces a ring of mucus around the worm. As the worm crawls out of the ring, it fills the ring with eggs and sperm. The ring then drops off and becomes a cocoon for the developing eggs. Each cocoon produces up to 18 earthworms. The tiny immature worms emerge…

A festive meal with family and friends requires a wine of equal standing, particularly with a meal like this one. As I was reading through the recipe, I thought of different Rhône-style blends that would make excellent accompaniments to this dish. The Greater Rhône regions of France are a treasure of amazing wines, with Shiraz the main grape variety, often blended with Viognier in the north in Côte-Rôtie, or used in varied proportions in different blends further south. Châteauneuf-du-Pape is the inspiration for the wines I paired with this dish. It consists of Shiraz blended with several other varieties that result in a complex and concentrated, bold yet soft wine that simply complements all things lamb. Edgebaston Wines in Stellenbosch makes a wine called The Pepper Pot, which is predominantly…

Brothers Troy and Benjamin Fiechter, who farm in Indiana in the US, were concerned about the variability in the soil samples they took on their farm. They became convinced that only samples from exactly the same spot could be compared accurately. “Otherwise you can’t track results over time accurately, something we’ve seen on our own farm,” explains Troy. Experimenting on their farm, they discovered that, even if sampling cores were extracted only a few metres away from the original location, there was a considerable difference. More often than not, soil nutrient values, including pH, are not uniform even within a small sampling area. The Fiechters add that conventional soil sampling has other drawbacks, all leading to variable lab results. These include inconsistent core depth, possible cross-contamination of soil from point…

“Access to adequate financing is often identified as one of the key inhibitors to achieving long-term sustainability for Africa’s agricultural practitioners, particularly smallholder and subsistence-level farmers. These people typically resort to borrowing from community members or pooling resources to make ends meet. There is a real need to unlock financing for smallholder farmers to give them access to mechanisation and other technologies, but it is little use helping them buy tractors when they don’t have money to buy seed and fertiliser. Africa’s farmers require a holistic financing solution that focuses on the entire agricultural value chain. BEYOND CONVENTIONAL FINANCING Failure to provide integrated financing models is partly why the traditional reliance on grant funding from government sources or NGOs has not succeeded in creating real agricultural productivity gains on the…

The vital role of developing farmers Interacting with and visiting developing farmers this year opened my eyes not only to the struggles of this segment of the agriculture sector, but also showed me what tenacity these farmers have. I realised how many developing farmers were not only part of established commercial value chains, but were also employing members of their communities, making them invaluable to South Africa where unemployment is rife. This dispelled my belief that a large-scale operation is essential in farming. A visit to Sanna Tibane near Meyerton in Gauteng was a particular eye-opener. Tibane has 2ha under netting and grows various vegetables that she sells to the Joburg Market. She also runs cattle and smallstock on communal and municipal land, and occasionally sells some of this stock…

There is a growing number of young people showing an interest in pursuing a career in agriculture, and many are seeking information about how to start a farming operation. Mbali Nwoko, of Green Terrace near Boksburg, is a good example of how young people are becoming involved in agriculture. Earlier this year, I visited Nwoko, and she told me about the challenges and opportunities she had encountered. One of her major challenges was access to finance, but she also said that there was willingness from role players in the sector to assist new entrants. “Despite doing everything I could to supply only the best produce, find markets and establish cash flow, it was still difficult to acquire funding for working capital to grow my business,” she said. Her story has…

Gugile Nkwinti, the Minister of the Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS), recently announced that farmers in the Western Cape would soon be allocated 90% of the water volume they were receiving before the province was hit by drought three years ago. Beverley Schäfer, the MEC of Economic Opportunities in the province, however, appealed to all farmers, businesses and private water users to continue using water responsibly. “Conservation agriculture practices and smart farming play an important role in ensuring that the agriculture sector survives the drought. I urge all farmers to continue employing these beneficial practices, and for businesses to continue seeking out and using alternative water sources to build their own resilience,” she said. Angus McIntosh, a pig, cattle and egg producer near Stellenbosch, said he had received notice…

In early December, the National Assembly adopted a motion to establish an ad hoc committee to finalise the amendment of Section 25 of the Constitution to allow for expropriation without compensation before the general election in 2019. This followed the adoption of the report of the Joint Constitutional Review Committee, which recommended that the Constitution be amended, by the two houses of Parliament. According to Dr John Purchase, CEO of Agbiz, a strong property rights system enabled investment and economic growth, as well as human capabilities, research and innovation, environmental performance, and social capital. “Property rights are the key ingredient for the prosperity of society,” he added. He also said that the greatest failure of land reform had been government’s inability to extend property rights to previously disadvantaged individuals. “Orderly,…

Farmers across northern and central Europe faced crop failure and bankruptcy this year, as a result of one of the most intense regional droughts in recent memory. Prolonged heatwaves across Europe during the Northern Hemisphere winter devastated crops, leaving some countries facing their worst harvests since the end of the Second World War. France had been severely hit, and was expected to lose more than 20% of its grain harvests, while Italy was expected to lose 13% of its wheat, and Britain 12%. Across the EU, total wheat production was expected to decline about 10 million tons, or 10%. In Ukraine, once renowned as the breadbasket of the former Soviet Union, the wheat crop declined 75% to five million tons year-on-year. According to the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO),…

One of the key resolutions adopted at the National Emergent Red Meat Producers’ Organisation’s (NERPO) 21st annual congress was a decision to divide livestock farmers into three categories in order to address and respond to their different needs. It was therefore agreed that NERPO membership should be categorised as follows: CATEGORY 1 Small-scale commercial livestock farmers • This refers to all livestock farmers with 100 or more breeding cows or equivalent smallstock. Equivalent smallstock is defined as six smallstock units for every one breeding cow; for example, 100 breeding cows equal 600 sheep or goats. • Farmers join NERPO directly as individuals. CATEGORY 2 Resource-limited commercial livestock farmers • These are livestock farmers with 50 to 99 breeding cows or equivalent smallstock. • Farmers cannot join NERPO as individuals, only…

Eskom’s recent load shedding once again put South Africa’s electricity supply in the limelight. It is unclear whether Eskom indeed faces electricity shortages or whether its actions are once again part of a strategy to influence the National Energy Regulator of South Africa’s (NERSA’s) imminent decision on Eskom’s tariff application. In its NERSA application, Eskom indicated that it needed a 90% tariff increase to make up for the shortfall in its past income. However, being a benevolent, public-spirited entity, Eskom is not asking for a 90% increase, but only for a ‘modest’ amount, both in its application for the next period and its application in terms of the ‘regulatory clearing account process’, where it can ask for additional money to cover over-expenditure in previous periods. This provision means that whatever…

In this final edition of the series, I’ll recap the most important aspects of controlling jackals and other predators ethically. If used correctly, these methods will bring you results. • Best conditions The best time to hunt cats is the week before new moon. For jackal, you have a two-week opportunity: the week before and after new moon. Remember, too, that cats prefer hunting in windy conditions. • Setting up Smear Seagro over your bakkie tyres before a hunt and place red cellophane filters over your bakkie lights (the type used to wrap presents). Get to your calling spot before sundown. Cover the truck (not with black material), prepare your equipment and blend in. Scan the area with binoculars until you can no longer see properly. Then, every so often, scan with…

Before introducing earthworms to farming or garden soil, ensure that conditions are favourable for their survival. Older cultivated soil is often unsuitable; it is compacted, with poor drainage and structure, and is low in organic matter. Never place earthworms on the soil surface; they will be preyed on by birds or die from exposure to the sun. Do the following instead: • Dig a few trowel-depth holes in every square metre of soil; • Add water as well as some natural compost; • Place about 10 earthworms in each hole and fill it with soil. The earthworms will need a constant food source in the form of a cover layer of organic material. Use leaves, compost or grass clippings. Don’t expect the earthworms to perform miracles. While highly benefical to…

The fresh produce industry must be a world leader when it comes to finding niche markets for products. I’m constantly intrigued by what I read and see of new products and new packaging. The mainstream products that are moved in huge volumes remain dominant, but their offshoots seem almost endless. Take avocados, for example. SMALL IS BEAUTIFUL Once upon a time, all you could buy in South Africa was the green, smooth-skinned avocado. Older readers will recall that there was simply nothing else available. Then along came the Hass variety, with its dark, bumpy skin, and today, with its various permutations, it is probably the world’s most widely grown avocado. More recently, marketers have introduced convenient ‘ripe and ready’ fruit, much to the delight of consumers. I read recently in…

In the early days of motoring, filters were unknown; carburettors simply sucked in dirt and dust. These particles collected in the oil and petrol and caused considerable component wear; the life of an engine was typically a fraction of what we expect of an engine today. The various filters used in modern engines developed gradually, spurred on particularly by research carried out during the two world wars. FILTER CONSTRUCTION By 1910, most engines had a strainer on the intake side of the oil pump to collect relatively large pollutants, an adequate system in the days when oil was changed every 2 000km. EARLY CARS HAD NO OIL FILTER, SO THEIR ENGINES DIDN’T LAST LONG The first cartridge-type oil filters appeared in the late 1920s, but they were mostly of the…

Dear Jonno, I would like my double-volume rondavel converted into two single spaces side by side, linked by a passageway. The one side should contain the living area and the other the bedrooms, thus ensuring privacy. I also want an office connected to the passage. The living area must be close to a boma. Kind regards, Lesole Dear Lesole, As per our telephone conversation, I have increased the diameter of the rondavels from 10m to 12m to accommodate the en suite bathrooms. This will allow for more space, particularly in the bedrooms. Shown on the layout are the beds and cupboards in bedrooms 1 and 2 (the smallest). The inclusion of the en suite bathrooms reduces bedroom sizes, but it’s the modern trend. The shower room window of bedroom 4…

Christmas will no doubt again bring with it hordes of our city friends, who will eat us out of everything in our pantry and freezers, and drink our booze stocks dry. I’ll make sure, however, that Turkey Maud survives another year. I don’t have it in me to give her the chop; we’ve had her since she was an egg and she has become a good friend over the years. When the time comes for our guests to finally return to the big city to carry on partying on New Year’s Eve, I can’t help but wonder what they might find. Will they need to get their insurers in to assess their burgled homes? How long will they wait before they tackle their overgrown lawns and algae-infested pools? They’ll first…

28 YEARS AGO Anyone who has ever tried to stretch chicken wire over anything but the smallest of frames will know that the result after a few minutes is sore fingers! Farmer’s Weekly investigated an easier way. With this handy little tool, one is assured of tight, evenly stretched wire, no sore fingers and the task completed in a fraction of the usual time. A metre length of timber 80mm to 100mm wide and around 25mm thick, a short length of stiff 9 gauge wire and two small staples are the only materials required. Construction is self-evident from the illustration; the only thing to bear in mind is to make the staples sufficiently loose around the wire, so that it can move in operation. To use the tool, simply tack…

As tenacious a boxer as he was, even Muhammad Ali succumbed to the repeated blows of his opponents in five of his 61 career fights. I’m not a boxing fan, but even I know how tough Ali was. And when my editor tasked me with writing about my thoughts on the South African agriculture sector’s fortunes during 2018, the first thought that came to mind was how many of our farmers must be feeling proverbially punch-drunk with the seemingly never-ending obstacles they have faced this past year. For commercial farmers, one of these obstacles is the persistent uncertainty, and perhaps even real fear, that the amendment to the Constitution to allow for the expropriation of land without compensation has created. Most commercial farmers agree that the injustices of the past…

While the state provisionally withdrew charges against Gupta family members and business associates in the Estina Dairy case in early December, Phaladi Shuping, spokesperson for the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) in the Free State, said that they could be reinstated if more evidence “crucial” to the successful prosecution of the case was obtained. Farmer’s Weekly previously reported that eight suspects had been arrested, among them Varun Gupta, a nephew of the Indian-born Gupta brothers, Ajay, Atul and Rajesh. The charges were fraud; theft; conspiracy to commit fraud and theft; contravening the Public Finance Management Act; contravening the Companies Act; and contravening sections of the Prevention of Organised Crime Act. The case also included three companies. The charges related to the investigation into the dairy project established near Vrede by the…

JANUARY WESTERN CAPE DROUGHT In January, the Western Cape was still in the grips of the drought, despite much of South Africa having enjoyed good summer rainfall. This resulted in the wine industry bracing itself for what was expected to be the smallest harvest for more than a decade. “Most of the industry’s large irrigation dams are [only] 30% to 40% full,” Francois Viljoen, consultation service manager at Vinpro said. COLT SOLD FOR R4 MILLION An unnamed colt sired by the stallion Frankel was sold for R4 million at the annual Cape Premier Yearling sale. The colt was bought by Western Cape-based bloodstock consultant John Freeman of the Thoroughbred Group. A total of 221 horses were sold at the sale at a cost of R111 million, with 30% of the…

During the first week of December, US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping agreed to halt the introduction of new trade tariffs for 90 days to allow for talks between the two countries. During the course of 2018, trade tensions between the US and other major global economies escalated markedly. The US imposed tariffs amounting to US$250 billion (about R3,5 trillion) on steel, aluminium, and electronics imported from China, which in turn launched punitive import tariffs of US$50 billion (about R700 billion) on soya bean, dairy, pork, apples, potatoes, cotton, maize, and tobacco, among other goods, from the US. Trump said he believed that Beijing was using “unfair” trade practices to gain an advantage over the US, including the lax observation of the intellectual property law, which had…

A mining group sold coal to a US firm at a fixed price. Two agreements were concluded: the first essentially covered the year 2002; the second, 2003. At some stage, the sale price no longer proved beneficial to the seller and the business owner decided to stop supplying the purchaser with coal. A better price could be obtained on the open market. The purchaser was then approached with a view to renegotiate the sale price of the coal, but stood its ground, and the coal was subsequently sold to others. During the currency of the second agreement, the coal business was sold to a related company. The purchaser went to law, and an arbitration, held in the UK, determined that the seller had to pay R90 million damages to the…

The most important factors determining the profitability of a livestock operation are animal fertility and growth of the offspring, and both are directly dependent on the nutritional status of the animal. Modern high-producing animals require a wide range of macro- and micronutrients at the correct and balanced levels to produce and reproduce optimally. Macronutrients include energy, protein and macro-minerals such as phosphate, while micronutrients include a wide range of trace minerals and certain vitamins. Feed cost can contribute up to 75% of the total operating expenses of an intensive livestock operation. It is therefore critical for a farmer to consider ways to cut back on feed expenses without compromising feed quality. One of the simplest solutions is to produce the largest possible fraction of the feed ingredients on farm, as…

Vermicomposting uses earthworms to create a mixture of decomposing vegetable or food waste, bedding materials and vermicast (worm castings). As noted, worm castings are the end-product of earthworms’ digestion of organic matter. They contain lower contaminant levels but more concentrated nutrients than are present in the organic materials before vermicomposting. Eisenia fetida and E. andrei are the most common species used. DNA research at North-West University found E. andrei in more than 10 worm farms in four provinces in South Africa. The genus Eisenia is from the Northern Hemisphere but is generally considered non-invasive. It is epigeic, which means that it is found near the soil surface in compost or leaf litter. Large-scale vermicomposting is practised around the world. Some vermiculture systems use windrows, which consists of bedding materials for…

Although South African agriculture contributed about US$10 billion (about R139 billion) to the nation’s exports during 2017, it has yet to benefit fully from exports to Africa, valued at US$60 billion (R832 billion) annually. This was according to the head of Agribusiness at Standard Bank, Nico Groenewald, who said that only about 16% of the continent’s agricultural production was traded between African countries. The rest was exported. “Intra-African exports are artificially constrained by tariffs and border controls,” he said. “These reduce the benefits associated with the lower logistic costs for intra-Africa and sub-Saharan African trade. “The African Continental Free Trade Area [AfCFTA] and the Tripartite Free Trade Area [TFTA] could change this. The AfCFTA agreement, already signed by 44 African Union member states, commits countries to removing tariffs on 90%…

Deboned leg of lamb To make this festive feast for six people, you will need: A 2kg deboned leg of lamb 4 anchovies 5 cloves of garlic 4 sprigs of fresh rosemary, each 100mm in length Extra virgin olive oil Salt Fresh and coarse ground black pepper 160ml of dry white wine 1 to 2 tablespoons of flour for the gravy A 2kg deboned leg of lamb will produce around 300g of cooked meat per diner. It is also better to use a net to keep the lamb together, rather than string, for a better carving experience. You can buy the lamb deboned, or ask your butcher to debone it for you. If you do the latter, ask the butcher to cut the bone into 100mm sections. You can use…

1 COURTNEY’S WAR by Wilbur Smith with David Churchill (Zaffre, R320) Lovers Saffron Courtney and Gerhard von Meerbach are caught on opposite sides during the Second World War. As both are eager for action, there’s a very real risk at times that they might become direct adversaries. A gallop of a plot from start to finish. 2 THE BOYS IN THE CAVE by Matt Gutman (Morrow, R350) One of the year’s news stories that transfixed the world was that of the Thai youth soccer players whose team-building exercise with their coach went dramatically wrong: they had to be rescued after spending days trapped in a flooded labyrinth of underground caves. Los Angeles-based Gutman was one of the top international correspondents sent in to cover the drama, which combined nail-biting tension…

Autoimmune disorders occur almost entirely in developed countries. Also, if you grew up on a farm, you are less likely to have an inflammatory disorder: playing in the dirt and being exposed to insects and infections ‘train’ your immune system to more accurately recognise foreign threats. This is according to Dr Mark Hyman, a US author and specialist in functional medicine. Hyman adds that conventional treatments for autoimmunity can make you feel worse, although when used selectively in the short term, they can help you get your life back until the root cause of the inflammation is treated. A functional medicine practitioner will treat a patient with autoimmune symptoms by investigating the roles of toxins and allergens. Some patients take so many antibiotics that their gut flora are altered, promoting…