Table of contents for 09 October 2020 in Farmer's Weekly

Stock theft is not a new problem in South Africa. In fact, for many years now, farmers’ organisations have been actively lobbying for more support from the South African Police Service (SAPS) to help bring under control this criminal practice that costs livestock producers more than R1 billion a year. While the problem is not new, it does seem to have got worse over the past few years. A survey published by Agri SA in 2018 showed that stock theft increased 130% between 2002 and 2017. Anecdotal evidence also suggests that the economic misery facing many South Africans has contributed to an increase in casual stock theft by those who steal to feed themselves and their families. At the same time, criminals have become more organised and many farmers now…

47 YEARS AGO In South Africa, a water-scarce country, farmers have to use water with the utmost care. By improving soil drainage, they can save water and ensure better yields. Many crops can be made more profitable with better soil drainage. Many say our problem is too little (not too much) water, but civilisations have died and lands have been abandoned because drainage was inadequate. A drive by the South African Experiment Station to raise average yields and net income of sugar cane growers by implementing better field drainage can teach other farmers valuable lessons. Colin Whitehead, chief extension office at the station, says that many are unaware of the damage caused by poor drainage. “Think of the patches where germination was bad and where growth is poor. In many…

The move to Level 1 of the national lockdown to contain the COVID-19 pandemic is a welcome step from a broader macroeconomic perspective. It will ensure that economic activity in the country continues to normalise gradually across more sectors of the economy. Within agriculture, the segment that will likely benefit the most from this move is agritourism, which has been hard hit by the pandemic due to restrictions on international and local travel, along with the wider tourism industry. The agritourism industry comprises, among others, hunting tourism, rural tourism, wine tourism, nature-based tourism, cultural heritage tourism, and adventure tourism. These activities provide additional income to farming businesses, and create jobs in rural areas. DUE TO THE POOR ECONOMIC OUTLOOK, LOCAL TOURISTS WILL SPEND CAUTIOUSLY One of the most common forms…

The South African poultry industry has seen an average weekly production increase of 5% during the first eight months of 2020, from 137 000t/week to 144 000t/week, compared with the same period last year, despite the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. This was according to Izaak Breitenbach, general manager of the South African Poultry Association’s (SAPA) Broiler Organisation, who said the growth was due to significant progress made with the implementation of the Poultry Sector Master Plan, despite the logistical and financial implications of the pandemic. Breitenbach added that around R1 billion of the R1,7 billion investment that the industry pledged to expand capacity by 2022 had already been activated, with 5% more chickens per week being produced for slaughter. “By 2022, a total of 8,7% more chickens will…

Honeybees in Zimbabwe are being pushed to the brink of extinction due to climate change, pesticide use, habitat loss, and poor bee colony management. More than 50 000 beekeepers across the country were directly deriving income from bees, while many small-scale farmers had been turning to beekeeping to offset crop losses, according to a report by Euronews.com. Now two professional beekeepers, Ishmael Sithole and Willet Mutisi, are on a mission to save Zimbabwe’s bees from extinction. The pair recently established a bee sanctuary on the outskirts of Mutare in eastern Zimbabwe. The beehives were set under Acacia trees on the southern slope of a mountain, giving the bees an opportunity to collect pollen and nectar, while offering free pollination services to surrounding areas, the report said. At the same time,…

UNITED ARAB EMIRATES Scientists at Khalifa University in Abu Dhabi are developing ‘artificial soil’, made up of almost 90% desert sand. The scientists said they were optimistic that it had the potential to transform the United Arab Emirates’ burgeoning homegrown crops sector. The soil created in a laboratory resembles the texture, porosity and fertility of soils found in Thailand and Ukraine, they added. GERMANY There has been confirmation of five more cases of African swine fever (ASF) in wild boars in the eastern German state of Brandenburg, according to the Brandenburg state government and the federal agriculture ministry. The dead wild boars were found close to the location where the first case of ASF was confirmed in the second week of September. China and a number of other importer countries…

The local avocado industry has remained buoyant despite complications with logistics and markets as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. To date, around 96% of the estimated 15,5 million 4kg cartons have been exported. Derek Donkin, CEO of the South African Subtropical Growers’ Association (Subtrop), said that while for most of the season avocado shipments were not adversely affected by the COVID-19 lockdown regulations, the closure of restaurants and the hospitality sector did affect sales. This was especially the case for green skin avocado exports. “But retail prices were not affected as the usual buyers were still very much active.” Zander Ernst, marketing manager of Allesbeste farm near Tzaneen, said: “While we were initially worried about just how much of a luxury product [the] avocado is, we soon found there…

The Agricultural Development Agency (AGDA) has been strategically positioning itself to foster partnerships that would boost sustainable development through agricultural transformation since its launch in February this year. Leona Archary, former deputy director general of the then Department of Rural Development and Land Reform, was appointed as interim CEO of the agency in March this year, and the first board members were appointed in September. Other board members are Nick Serfontein, the founder of the Sernick Group, and Kallie Schoeman of Schoeman-boerdery, as well as two developing farmers, Nono Sekhoto and David Mtombeni. Jannie de Villiers, CEO of Grain SA, would represent commodity organisations, whereas Dr John Purchase, CEO of Agbiz, would represent the agribusiness sector. Positions are still open for representation from the financial services sector and other agricultural…

Western Cape MEC for Agriculture, Dr Ivan Meyer, has congratulated the Western Cape Department of Agriculture for winning the Gold Award in the category ‘Climate Change’ for the top-rated radio series, Die Kwik Styg (The Mercury Rises), at the virtual 2020 Eco-Logic Awards. Hosted by Enviropaedia, the Eco-Logic awards recognised those individuals, organisations, products and services that were making a difference and actively contributing to the conservation of the planet. Last year the department was awarded the 2019 Eco-logic Gold Award in the same category for its SmartAgri Plan. “Tackling climate change is one of my priorities. “So I am extremely proud of Dr [Ilse] Trautmann and her team,” said Meyer in a statement. “Creating awareness among South Africans of the challenges and opportunities of climate change is critical in…

The idea in Arthur’s mind wouldn’t go away. Finally, he plucked up the courage to broach the subject with his wife, Margaret. “Darling,” he said, “in 30 years we’ve never left the farm for more than a week. With Derek running it so well, I think it’s time we took an extended holiday.” Margaret’s eyes lit up expectantly. “Let’s do that cruise you’ve dreamt of and combine it with some travel in Africa,” he continued. “I’ve found a package deal for a cruise on the Nile, followed by a trip via the Suez, from Egypt to Cape Town. But we need to get ourselves to Cairo, and I’d like to drive. It’ll mean being away from home for about six months.” GETTING DOWN TO THE DETAILS They started planning in…

Commercial farmers are usually masters of their own destiny when it comes to being employed or not. In contrast, some of their children who left home and launched their own careers have now lost their jobs due to the economic fallout of COVID-19. In certain cases, this may mean coming home to the family farm, so that the business now has to support two or more families. For some parents, this will seem to be the ideal opportunity to retire and let the kids take over. The problem, though, is that they may not have prepared themselves financially for this event. Time stands still for no one. Irrespective of their profession, people tend to wake up after many years to the fact that they are no longer thirty-something. And all…

It is always inspiring to read farming success stories. Farmer’s Weekly carries many accounts of farmers, large and small, who have succeeded in their chosen field. I salute them. When reading these articles, however, do we pause to consider the circumstances under which these farmers have flourished? Do we appreciate that all of them had to overcome challenges while climbing the proverbial ladder? Success did not arrive in a neatly wrapped package. WEATHER The most obvious challenge faced by all farmers is the weather. Go to any news feed at the moment, for example, and you will find it is covering the devastating fires raging in California. And, at any time, there will be news of drought here, floods there, or icy conditions somewhere else. Everywhere, the weather remains the…

Richard Bosman, a South African specialist in cured meats, has been producing Italian-and Spanish-style charcuterie using traditional methods of salting and drying since 2009. He has partnerships with selected farmers, and sources superior, pasture-reared animals, which, in turn, deliver excellent flavour and quality. The meat is hand-salted, hung and cured for up to 12 months. AWARD-WINNER Bosman’s prosciutto recently won a gold medal at the Aurora International Taste Challenge 2020. The competition was established to recognise and award product excellence, while helping consumers buy award-winning, professionally rated products with confidence. PICK UP OR DELIVER With half of his business supplying speciality meats to the restaurant and hospitality industry, Bosman has long contemplated creating an app to bring his product to the individual consumer. The COVID-19 pandemic, which saw restaurants closing,…

If you were given R30 million to invest in agriculture, either in new or existing farming activities or in the agriculture value chain, how would you spend it? I would spend the money on establishing farming businesses in collaboration with communities and traditional leaders in South Africa’s underdeveloped communal areas to unlock the rural economy in South Africa and ensure food security and much-needed job creation for these poor communities. What is the best advice you have ever been given, and who gave it to you? The best advice I have ever received was from a prominent pineapple farmer in Hluhluwe in northern KwaZulu-Natal, Fred Visser. He taught me that in order to be a successful businessman, I had to invest the income generated by my business in growing the…

Because they are so tiny, it is not easy to spot lice on an elephant. Collecting them is even more difficult. That is why Prof Sonja Matthee, a parasite ecologist in the Department of Conservation Ecology and Entomology at Stellenbosch University (SU), is asking veterinarians and people involved in the game industry to help with her research project by collecting elephant lice. Matthee says elephant lice (Haematomyzus elephantis) are generally smaller than 1cm, and dark in colour. Typically, they are found between the hairs on an elephant’s trunk, tail, lower body or around the eyes. They are therefore quite difficult to spot at first glance. “The easiest way is to be on the lookout for lice eggs, which tend to stick like fine water droplets to the hair on an…

Among the world’s emerging economies, South Africa is expected to record the largest shortfall in GDP in 2021. This was according to Siphelele Dludla of Independent Online News, who reported that NKC Africa Economics had identified the country as such. Simply stated, this means that GDP will underperform as the economy performs or produces much less than in previous years. So, if the GDP falls short, everybody’s basket gets smaller, especially those who rely on government and its policies and promises. According to NKC economist Ben May, South Africa’s economy is vulnerable due to its reliance on hard-hit sectors such as tourism and energy. (I would add corruption, malfeasance and general neglect of the economy as a whole through absence of policy and policy implementation. But this was before the…

Currently, the most cases of rabies in South Africa are reported in KwaZulu-Natal, where the disease is mainly spread by dogs. This was according to Dr Danie Odendaal, Veterinarian Network director, who ascribed this to a rabies outbreak in the province’s jackal population. According to a September 2020 report by the Ruminant Veterinary Association of South Africa (RuVASA), outbreaks recently occurred in, among others areas, the Harry Gwala, King Cetshwayo and Ilembe district municipalities. As part of World Rabies Day on 28 September, Odendaal urged owners of pets and other animals that could spread the disease to regularly vaccinate their animals. He said the disease was maintained and spread within populations of predators such as yellow mongoose in the Free State, black-backed jackal in the northern regions of the country,…

The African Development Bank’s board has approved a grant of US$2,1 million (about R35,5 million) to boost Mauritania’s resilience against climate-related shocks and food insecurity. The funds, sourced from the African Development Fund, would go towards providing technical and institutional support to strengthen the country’s capacity to assess climate-related risk, by taking out a drought risk index-based insurance policy, which is expected to cushion Mauritania’s economy against the impact of drought-related shocks at a time when the country was also reeling from the COVID-19 pandemic, the bank said in a statement. “Mauritania experiences a irregular rainfall pattern and repeated droughts, which has a profound effect on food production and incomes. In 2017, 28% of the total population were food insecure,” the statement said. The project would have three components: development…

Eastern Cape Premier, Oscar Mabuyane, has called for the establishment of a provincial stock theft prevention forum by mid-October, following a meeting with the National Red Meat Producers’ Organisation (NERPO), during which the problem was highlighted. The aim of the forum would be to create a platform where all relevant parties could engage with the South African Police Service (SAPS) to improve stock theft prevention and management efforts. Aggrey Mahanjana, CEO of NERPO, said stock theft had been a problem in the province since time immemorial, but there had been a significant increase since the COVID-19 lockdown was instituted. This was probably due to retrenchments in the mining and other sectors, resulting in higher poverty and unemployment levels. According to the Eastern Cape Department of Safety and Liaison, between 5…

The non-profit food redistribution organisation, FoodForward SA, recently launched its ninth mobile rural depot (MRD), aimed at addressing the growing crisis of food insecurity in vulnerable rural communities across South Africa. According to Andy du Plessis, managing director of FoodForward SA, as people were increasingly moving from rural to urban areas, rural communities would experience a decline in infrastructure development. “Access to food in rural areas will be severely hampered, and the most vulnerable who stay behind will suffer the most.” In response, FoodForward SA, with funding from the Global Foodbanking Network, launched its MRD programme in July 2019. This latest addition was the third MRD in KwaZulu-Natal, which would initially serve 1 651 vulnerable people through a network of seven beneficiary organisations located in Mtubatuba, Kwangwanase, Thokoza and Nongoma.…

Farmers in the drought-stricken southern parts of Namibia are probably the most optimistic in the world. Despite the “hellish drought” in areas such as Karasburg, Stampriet and Bethanie, they have remained on their farms, trying to survive and keep alive the few animals that they still have. This was according to Henriette le Grange, convenor of the Namibia Drought Relief Fund. “All that is left is sand, and more sand. Virtually no rain has been recorded in the areas affected by the drought in the past nine or 10 years. These farmers are in desperate need of support.” Le Grange said the situation had deteriorated to such an extent that the fund supported 15 families with basic household products at an average cost of R3 000 per family every month.…

Responding to the South African Reserve Bank’s (SARB) decision to keep the repo rate unchanged at 3,5% in September, after cutting the repo rate by 300 basis points so far this year, Pierre Vercueil, Agri SA president, said the argiculture sector would have preferred another 25 basis points cut. This was because lower interest rates supported the continued production of sufficient and affordable food, while also providing relief to South Africa’s indebted farmers. “A lower repo rate obviously stimulates the economy, and results in [economic] growth. [Struggling] consumers with [little disposable income] do not bode well for the agriculture sector.” According to Vercueil, the successful establishment of new farmers strongly depended on long-term financing with low interest rates. To remain sustainable, the agriculture sector thus needed a repo rate of…

It has been two years since I’ve taken my casual morning run around the neighbourhood because I fear being kidnapped, raped, attacked and then left to die in the open veld somewhere. In addition to that, I’m also a woman farmer. Every time I travel to and from my farm, I have to be extra-vigilant about whom I interact with, and I’ve become obsessive with the security measures in place on my farm. You may think I’m exaggerating and blowing the situation out of proportion, but I can guarantee you that many other women living in South Africa share the same sentiments. Who wants to live like this? SHOCKING CRIME STATISTICS According to TAU SA, a total of 71 farm attacks and 14 farm murders were recorded between January and…

Tell us more about your business, David Fincham Aquaculture. The business was started in 2014 and developed the one-tank fish farming system and aquaculture production unit (APU), a semi-intensive recirculating tilapia farming system designed to meet the needs of tilapia farmers in Africa. The APU is a complete and ready-to-install system. We’ve already supplied 450 APUs to farmers in Africa, of which 100 are in South Africa. These units enable farmers to learn about tilapia farming and experience the processes required for the upscaling of production to commercial levels. We also supply and stock fingerlings through our own and partner hatcheries using good-quality genetic stock. We’re in the process of increasing volumes to meet market demand. What is the potential for tilapia farming in South Arica? Current annual production of…

Doctors generally advise men to have their PSA (prostate-specific antigen) level checked regularly when they reach the age of about 45. An elevated PSA can indicate possible prostate inflammation, an enlarged prostate, or prostate cancer. One particular hormone (DHT, or dihydrotestosterone) promotes prostate inflammation and stimulates insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1), a hormone that can promote abnormal cell growth and cancer. A large study noted that the potent antioxidant lycopene, found mainly in tomatoes, inhibits IGF-I growth in prostate cells and lowers the risk of prostate cancer. Lycopene is released from cooked tomatoes, so stewed tomato dishes and tomato-based pasta sauces, preferably from fresh tomatoes, are useful options. Lycopene is also found in watermelon. Other food substances that inhibit DHT include L-lysine (found in almonds, peanuts, pecans and walnuts) and zinc…

CONFERENCES, WORKSHOPS & EXPOS 29 OCTOBER AgriAllAfrica Agribusiness Conference, CSIR, Pretoria. Email Marianna du Plessis at marianna.duplessis@gmail.com, or phone her on 063 076 9135. 6 TO 7 NOVEMBER Environmental Waste and Landfill Management, Emperors Palace, Johannesburg.Email admin@maphosam.co.za. COURSES & TRAINING 5 TO 9 OCTOBER Beef Cattle Management, Agricultural Research Council, Irene Campus, Pretoria. Email Mpho Makhanya at makhanyam@arc.agric.za, or phone her on 012 672 9153. 5 TO 9 OCTOBER Tractor Operation and Maintenance, Buhle Farmers’ Academy, Delmas Campus.Email info@buhle.org.za. 8 TO 9 OCTOBER Cattle Nutrition Management, George. Visit rltsafrica.com/ product/nutrition-management. 12 TO 16 OCTOBER Veld Management, Modimolle. Email Frits van Oudtshoorn at courses@alut.co.za, or phone him on 078 228 0008. 16 OCTOBER Cattle Dairy Farming Management and Production, George. Visit rltsafrica.com/ product/dairy-farming. 19 TO 23 OCTOBER Meat Processing, Agricultural Research…

World Rabies Day was held on 28 September. This is an international awareness campaign, coordinated by the Global Alliance for Rabies Control, and aims to inform and advise at-risk communities about the danger of rabies and the importance of vaccination. The theme for this year was ‘End rabies: collaborate, vaccinate’. In South Africa, an average of 13 human cases of rabies have been reported on an annual basis for the past 10 years. Rabies is a viral disease and has a mortality rate nearing 100%. There is no cure, but prophylactic and post-exposure vaccination has proven highly effective. In order to stop the spread of rabies in South Africa, government requires that all cat and dog owners have their animals vaccinated against rabies once a year. People are also advised…

The current global market sentiment for vegetable oil is bullish, with prices skyrocketing. This was according to Thomas Mielke, executive director of Oil World, speaking during a recent webinar presented by the Willowton Group. He attributed this positive sentiment to flagging palm oil production, and the large-scale buying of US soya bean by China. Mielke said that in 2020, palm oil producers globally experienced declining yields due to lack of replanting, ageing trees, and labour shortages due to COVID-19 restrictions. World palm oil production would likely be down 3,5 million tons in the 2019/2020 season. Mielke added that this was an interesting development, given that over the past 40 years, palm oil production doubled every decade. “However, this huge expansion is not going to continue. There will be a considerable…

A report tabled at the recent African Green Revolution Forum meeting in Rwanda has stated that the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa’s (AGRA) strategies have failed “spectacularly” to meet its goals. These goals included increasing productivity and incomes for millions of small-scale farming households by 2020, while reducing food insecurity on the continent. The report found that the 14-year-old, billion-dollar AGRA initiative had failed to meet its self-proclaimed objectives. Crop yields were rising slowly, poverty remained endemic, and there had been “an alarming 31% increase in the number of undernourished people in AGRA’s 13 focus countries”. After AGRA offered no substantive responses to the findings in the report, three African organisations issued a public letter to AGRA demanding it release internal documents on its work. They demanded that…

Uncertainty about the impact of social distancing requirements on social gatherings during this year’s festive season have some turkey farmers worried about an over-supply of birds this Christmas. A rise in COVID-19 infections in the UK in mid-September resulted in a ban on social meetings of more than six people, both indoors and outdoors. However, some producers were hoping that travel restrictions in that country would keep more people at home over the festive period. Nick Davis of Usk Vale Poultry in South Wales, who normally rears 70 000 turkeys a year, told Radio 4’s Farming Today programme that numbers had already been cut by 20%. “In May, when we canvassed our main core of customers, who are retail butchers, they were having a boom time. “[They] were saying nothing…

The prospect of a La Niña weather event with above normal rainfall over the coming summer months is very good, according to Johan van den Berg, an independent agricultural meteorologist. He was speaking during a recent webinar by the !Xhariep branch of the Agricultural Writers South Africa. According to Van den Berg, the latest El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) probability forecast by Columbia University’s Climate Prediction Center (CPC) in the US and the International Research Institute for Climate and Society (IRI) indicated that the occurrence of a La Niña phenomenon was more likely than not. “There is an 80% probability for the occurrence of La Niña based on the latest CPC/IRI data. However, according to historical data, if the climate pattern establishes itself in September, it is about 100% certain that…

South Africa’s largest commercial farmers’ organisation, Agri SA, has announced changes to its executive leadership, which will see Christo van der Rheede, deputy executive director at Agri SA, replace Omri van Zyl as the new executive director, while Van Zyl will take up the role of CEO for the budding business unit, Agri SA Enterprises. The exponential growth of Agri SA Enterprises has given rise to the need for a full-time CEO and its own board of directors. This was according to a statement that was recently issued to announce the management restructure at the organisation. Agri SA Enterprises was initiated by Agri SA in 2015 under the leadership of Van Zyl, and offered services focused on the food value chain to a spectrum of clients, the statement said. Speaking…

The six-year long drought in the western part of the Eastern Cape is continuing relentlessly, and commercial farmers now find themselves in a disastrous situation. Farmers’ cash reserves have by and large been used up, and they were experiencing “grim financial problems”, according to Doug Stern, Agri Eastern Cape president. He said he nevertheless remained “impressed beyond measure” by the resilience and enduring spirit showed by the drought-stricken producers who were continuing with their farming businesses. “These men and women are literally on their knees, but they carry on regardless, despite the nerve-sapping devastation caused by the drought. South Africa’s commercial farmers are a special breed.” He said although rain had fallen in the eastern parts of the province, the western parts were desperately dry. Sporadic showers did occur, but…

The agriculture sector has been a star performer in South Africa’s economy this year, achieving double-digit growth in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. Agriculture recorded a 28,6% growth rate in the first quarter, followed by 15,1% growth in the second quarter (on an annualised basis), making it the only sector to achieve positive growth. The sector has reclaimed its popularity among policymakers as the dominant force that could spearhead the country’s economic recovery after COVID-19. The significance of agriculture is underpinned by the sector’s capacity to provide intermediate inputs to the manufacturing, tourism and trade sectors as well as generate foreign earnings and easily create new jobs. But without adequate financial support for farmers, agriculture’s potential will be constrained. And the fact is that South Africa’s farmers are not…

Born in Australia of Italian descent, Giovanna Secco settled in Low’s Creek in Mpumalanga with her family in the 1970s, joining a number of Italian families in the area. When the Seccos arrived on the farm, papayas were already in production, although they were known as pawpaws at that time. “Interestingly enough, pawpaws are actually a completely different fruit. What we know as a pawpaw is actually a papaya, although somehow the pawpaw name stuck,” says Secco. Today, Secco is one of the last of the original Italian immigrants, and their operation has grown considerably. She and her family procured farms as they came up for sale, and not only expanded papaya production, but pioneered the macadamia nut industry in the Low’s Creek area as well. DIFFERENT VARIETIES AND SIZES…

FINDING COMMON GROUND by Wandile Sihlobo (Picador Africa, R299) Sihlobo was fascinated enough by his roots in the Eastern Cape and formative experiences, such as smallholder farming and a holiday job in a poultry factory, to study agricultural economics. He has since risen to become a respected policy adviser and consultant. He calls this collection of his Business Day columns his isivuno, a harvest of articles from 2016 onwards “that captured a particular moment in South Africa’s agricultural history”. They focus on land reform, job creation and rural upliftment, and often raise more questions than answers. An important read, especially during South Africa’s post-COVID-19 recovery phase. SIYA KOLISI by Jeremy Daniel (Jonathan Ball, R190) Team Kolisi was shocked by Daniel’s unauthorised biography of South Africa’s rugby…