Table of contents for 7 October 2022 in Farmer's Weekly

Nampo Cape was held in Bredasdorp from 14 to 17 September (see pages 24 and 25), where Grain SA also hosted the Nation in Conversation. One of the hot topics of discussion during a morning session on 15 September was economic investment in South Africa, and the general trajectory of the global and domestic economy. The panellists included Dawie Roodt, chief economist at the Efficient Group; Madalet Sessions, a portfolio manager at Denker Capital; Dr Roelof Botha, an independent economist; and Andre Jooste, a professor of agricultural economics at Stellenbosch University. The general consensus was that farmers needed to exercise caution when investing in agriculture. Sessions, for example, explained that "capital is cowardly", and that it needed to be "cowardly" so that it could remain intact. In this regard, she…

The global dairy sector has reduced its greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 11% over the past 10 years, according to the International Dairy Federation (IDF). But much more needed to be done to reach the target of net zero, and having the most up-to-date tools to calculate emissions was critical to achieving this goal. The IDF's recently released update of its Global Carbon Footprint methodology provided a life-cycle assessment global standard that could assist the dairy industry in its efforts to reduce GFFG emissions across its value chain. Speaking at the launch of the updated bulletin at the IDF World Dairy Summit held in Delhi, India in September, IDF Director General Caroline Emond said: "We can't reduce what we cannot measure. This is a fundamentally important document for the sector…

A recent study by Mauritiusregistered consultancy firm International Economics Consulting has identified new markets for Botswana's beef exports under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) agreement. AfCFTA, a trade agreement intended to facilitate free movement of goods between African countries, was signed in Kigali, Rwanda, in 2018. The study said that in its bid to create a single continental market for goods and services, the AfCFTA had brought together all 54 member states of the African Union, covering a market of more than 1,2 billion people, and a combined GDP of more than US$3,4 trillion (roughly R60 trillion). Outlining Botswana's export opportunities under the AfCTA, the consultancy stated there was a market for Botswana's purebred cattle for breeding, slaughter, and frozen, boneless meat in some of the top five…

ARGENTINA The main farming regions in Argentina are facing their driest conditions in about 30 years, according to agricultural and weather experts. This was raising fears about a new 'great drought', which could delay maize planting in the world's third largest exporter of the grain. The maize planting season was set to commence after almost no rainfall had been received in some four months across the vast pampas plains of the country. Forecasts were predicting more dry weather in the months ahead with only occasional showers. UNITED STATES Restrictions on the repair of farming equipment, among other machinery, are increasingly common in the US and drive up costs for farmers, according to the Successful Farming website. This gave rise to the Agricultural Right to Repair Act, among similar bills, which…

Agricultural role players have expressed disappointment about the choice of reports used to motivate interventions to strengthen farmworkers' and dwellers' tenure rights under the Extension of Security of Tenure Act No. 62 of 1997 (ESTA). This followed a joint Portfolio Committee meeting on Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development, and Employment and Labour in September. Sandy La Marque, CEO of the KwaZulu-Natal Agricultural Union, said the limited selection of reports was concerning, as the past decade had seen a significant trend in the improvement of farmworker conditions, better salaries, and a high level of compliance with employment regulations. "With the one report it sounds as if only disgruntled employees were interviewed, which in KwaZulu-Natal is often not actual employees, but people who have been disciplined, retrenched or fired," La Marque…

After extending Zimbabwean Exemption Permits (ZEPs) from the end of 2022 to 30 June 2023, the Department of Home Affairs has announced that no extensions will be granted thereafter. Lebogang Sethusha, head of Agri SA' Centre of Excellence for Labour and Development, welcomed the extension, but said it did not solve any problems. "The cancellation of these permits will result in farmers losing [workers who] have contributed to the growth of the agriculture [sector] for years, as many of these workers won't comply with the rigorous requirements for other types of visas." Sethusha added that Zimbabweans did not pose a threat to local agricultural workers. "The majority of skilled and unskilled agricultural workers are locals who live and work in the province in which they were born. "It's only in…

In September, the price of tomatoes was substantially higher year-on-year (y/y) due to lower volumes and quality challenges, as a result of pest outbreaks and harsh climatic conditions. The price of onions also increased markedly, due to reduced plantings and poor weather. At the same time, market stakeholders noted that demand from consumers had declined, as many were resorting to buying only the necessities. CABBAGES In mid-September, the price of cabbages was 9,4% higher month-onmonth (m/m), despite a 13% increase in volumes (see Graph 1). The price was more than 43% higher y/y due to a decline of about 34% in volumes. The average weekly volume of cabbages received at the country's five main fresh produce markets from mid-August to mid-September was 1 595t, down 585t y/y, while the average…

In the planning phase of your growing operation, you will have to choose between a vented or sealed growing environment. VENTED ROOMS Typically, a vented environment maintains temperature and humidity by pulling in air from the outside, distributing it in the growing chamber, and venting it back outside. There are many variations of the vented grow room, but for the sake of this article I'll keep it simple. • Advantages A vented system is much cheaper to set up and maintain than a sealed one. A basic vented set-up consists of only one extraction fan on the exhaust side. More sophisticated arrangements use an additional intake fan to force air inside instead of air being passively drawn in. Adding a fan controller with a temperature probe and idle speed control…

Job title: Research scientist How does your work impact farmers? Since I deal with genotyping and marker selection, my line of work usually has a direct impact on farmers in terms of yield increase and disease resistance. The aim is to help producers achieve higher yields through the use of products that are better adapted to their farming environments. What brought you into this line of work, and Corteva specifically? I have a personal connection to agriculture. My maternal grandfather was a farmer, and when I was a kid, I followed him everywhere, learning about farming along the way. It's the main reason I joined Corteva.…

Every week, an average of two children are diagnosed with epilepsy at Frere Hospital in East London, Eastern Cape. And this is merely one facility. This statistic is contained in a recent research report by veterinarian Dr Caryn Shacklock, technical and laboratory manager at Afrivet. According to Shacklock, 60% of these cases are caused by neurocysticercosis (NCC), a human neurological disease caused by the tapeworm Taenia solium, which is also found in pigs. She adds that epilepsy is a serious problem in South Africa's rural areas, where informal pigkeeping operations (50 pigs or fewer) are plentiful. In a 2019 report, the Bureau for Food and Agricultural Policy (BFAP) estimated that just over 890 000 pigs were kept informally by 208 312 households in South Africa. Almost half of these pigs…

Adam Riley's Birds of South Africa (Helm, R250) is the second in a new series by British publisher Helm, the first being on birds of the Middle East. And few would doubt that Riley is qualified for the job. Growing up in KwaZulu-Natal, he is a birding tour supremo and his own life list is immense. His passion for nature and birding shines through in the interests and choices that have driven him. 1. Nature: I grew up running wild on farms; first our farm near Mount Currie, Kokstad, and later in Bisley Valley, Pietermaritzburg. We're lucky enough now to live in Hilton and have a lodge in Zululand. 2. Collecting: I loved collecting all kinds of things: stones, leaves, even coins, after I found an 1898 penny near Kokstad.…

Dear Prof McCrindle, I read of a doctor telling a patient that her bladder infection had resulted from drinking water from a rainwater tank. I would like to know whether (a) it is bird droppings that typically contaminate rainwater in tanks, and (b) whether it is true that boiling the water for three minutes kills contaminants. Kind regards, Anonymous Dear Anonymous, The major problem in rainwater collection tanks is contamination by organisms present in the run-off from the roof. Bird droppings and windblown dust and dirt all form part of the 'sludge' that accumulates over time on a roof and pollutes water in a storage tank. Organisms that cause severe disease in humans, particularly gastroenteritis, have been identified in rainwater tanks. They include coliforms, as well as species of Salmonella, Campylobacter,…

Follow us at @FarmersWeeklySA @FarmersWeeklySA We posted a link to an article titled 'Grave concern about sheep scab outbreak in the Northern Cape', and some of our followers shared their views on the matter. shared their views on the matter. Posted: 6 September 2022. READERS' COMMENTS Johan Gouws: "Why can't farmers trade directly with locals?" Glynnis Oberholzer: "I'm an ordinary consumer who stopped buying lamb and mutton a long time ago, as retail prices [are] off the charts for me. Apologies to our hard-working farmers … [I] would love to support you." Karen Burne: "Supermarket prices of lamb and mutton have just continued to rise, despite what we read in this article." Luyanda Usapho LwaMakhuma: "The price drop hasn't been passed on to the consumers by the supermarkets. In these…

It has been a year since the African Common Position on Food Systems was submitted to the UN by the African Union Development Agency for the UN Food Systems Summit (UNFSS). At this juncture, African leaders are reflecting deeply on two critical questions, namely how do governments move from planning to implementation, and how do countries attract gamechanging investments to enable implementation to take place swiftly and effectively? At this year's African Green Revolution Forum (AGRF), national leaders from several African countries took the opportunity to reflect on the progress achieved in rolling out the commitments made at the UNFSS. Among these were leaders from Ghana, Malawi and Rwanda, who presented some of their post-UNFSS experiences in implementing food system resolutions, particularly progress on identifying pathways and solutions that could…

The Animal Feed Manufacturers' Association's (AFMA) plan to work in even closer co-operation with other value chain partners has been welcomed by the South African Poultry Association (SAPA). "It's of strategic benefit to poultry producers and feed manufacturers to work together, because if we are […] able to sell more broilers, they'll be able to sell more animal feed," Izaak Breitenbach, CEO of SAPA's Broiler Organisation, told Farmer's Weekly. "The South African broiler industry alone consumes around 3,2 million tons of feed per annum. But SAPA also needs a thriving animal feed industry, because feed make up 70% of a poultry producer's costs." Breitenbach was commenting on the appeal by Wouter de Wet, outgoing chairperson of AFMA, that animal feed manufacturers needed to become more involved with value chain partners…

Ways in which wine farmers can improve their sustainability were discussed at a recent Vinpro information day held in Stellenbosch. The theme of the event was 'WISE farming', in reference to the Wine Industry Strategic Exercise launched in 2015. While one of the WISE targets was to improve producers' return on investment to more than 5% by 2025, Dr Etienne Terblanche, viticulturist at Vinpro, said it was still below 2%, making it difficult to attract investment into the industry. He added that although the COVID-19 pandemic-related trade disruptions had been a serious setback, they had also resulted in many economically unviable vineyards being removed. Terblanche identified rising input costs and uncertainty about rainfall prospects as two of the most significant challenges for wine grape farmers. "Stellenbosch is currently 150mm behind…

I've always admired the beauty of rugby. The centre slicing through a gap. The cohesion of a perfectly balanced tight scrum. The lightning reflexes of a flanker falling on a loose ball. The blistering pace of a wing dodging his opponent. Each is enthralling in its own way. Rugby is the ultimate team sport. No other game comes close to it. Consider the diversity of physical skills: brute strength, subtle touches, placekicking ability, touch-kicking skills, and, finally, the utter dependence on teamwork to achieve success. Because, no matter how brilliant you may be, you will only score points if supported by your team. Great players always place the team above themselves. In soccer, individual brilliance can take you far, but in rugby it takes you nowhere unless you're part of…

The Basic Conditions of Employment Act and Sectoral Determination 13, which regulate labour relations in the agriculture sector, dictate the minimum employment conditions that an employer and employee can agree upon. This legislation applies to all employers and employees, irrespective of how the employment relationship is recorded or the terms that it sets out. Farmers and other employers are obliged to adhere strictly to labour law. THE FOUR MAIN MISTAKES Employers commonly make the following errors when negotiating fixedterm contracts with new employees: • Mistake 1: Neglecting to provide a written employment contract A surprising number of employers fail to create a written employment contract when hiring someone. Alternatively, they settle for a generic employment contract that offers minimal protection in the event of a dispute in the workplace. Remember…

The carnation (Dianthus caryophyllus) is a herbaceous perennial plant growing up to 80cm tall. The leaves are greyish green to bluegreen, slender, and up to 15cm long. The flowers are produced singly or up to five together; they are 3 cm to 5cm in diameter, and sweetly scented. The original colour is bright pinkish-purple, but cultivars of other colours, including red, white and yellow, have been developed. Carnations were mentioned in Ancient Greek literature 2 000 years ago. The term dianthus is derived from the Ancient Greek words for divine (dios) and flower (anthos). The name 'carnation' is believed to come from the Latin corona-ae, a wreath, garland or crown, and it was one of the flowers used in Greek and Roman ceremonial crowns. Carnations prefer cool weather, in which…

In a recent study, researchers at the Harvard John A Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences in Boston, US, used satellites to measure soil moisture around the root zones of maize, soya bean, millet and sorghum to better explain the impact of water on agricultural production. They measured soil moisture, rather than precipitation, to determine the importance of water in crop production in relation to other factors, such as temperature. "Studies analysing how crop yields respond to temperature and rainfall tend to find that temperature matters much more than water does, even though we understand from plant physiology that temperature and water supply are both really important for crops," Dr Jonathan Proctor, a postdoctoral fellow, told ScienceDaily. "Solving this puzzle is critical for quantifying how climate change will affect…

Whether you have a large piece of land or a small plot, A Garden Well Placed (Pimpernel Press, about R870) will have useful ideas for you. Author Xa Tollemache became Lady Xa after her husband was made the fifth Baron Tollemache, and took charge of 4ha of historic gardens at Helmingham Hall in Suffolk, England. She challenged herself to learn gardening from the ground up and her book bubbles with humour, anecdotes and wry nostalgia at the experience. In 1997, she won a coveted gold medal at the Chelsea Flower Show. The second half of the book explores 10 British gardens that she has designed. Lady Xa will talk about her experiences at charity fundraisers organised by Keith Kirsten at Cavalli, Somerset West (8 November), and River Lodge Farm, Lanseria…

OVER 4 500 ACCIDENTS OCCURRED ON IRISH FARMS LAST YEAR - SURVEY Data from the Teagasc National Farm Survey has revealed that there were 4 523 accidents on farms in Ireland during 2020. - farminglife.com 700 METRES OF RUBBISH: FARMERS GRAPPLE WITH CHOKED RIVERS AMID AUSTRALIA'S THIRD LA NIÑA Farmers along the Macquarie River in New South Wales, Australia, say flooding used to be beneficial, but has become &far worse and goes for far longer' than it should. - theguardian.com EXTREME HEATWAVES &ARE ENDANGERING THE QUALITY OF EUROPEAN DELICACIES' Intense droughts have damaged all sorts of harvests in Europe. Producers of honey and wine, for instance, are struggling to achieve normal output levels and consistent quality. - euronews.com…

The numerous challenges faced by Africa's rural communities and the growing need to boost agricultural productivity on the continent is necessitating modernisation of the sector. With agriculture providing a primary source of income for more than half of Africa's population, the use of modern technologies to improve agricultural production is critical. For many years, agricultural production in Africa has been very low, despite the continent's potential to be a net food-producing continent, and the fact that the majority of its people rely primarily on agriculture. This significant efficiency gap between agricultural reliance and low agricultural productivity clearly demonstrates numerous productivity losses that have accumulated over time across agricultural value chains. This has been due to a variety of factors, including persistent structural and operational challenges, food wastage, and a lack…

Infestation of grainlands by gerbils has become a serious threat to crop production in South Africa, according to Dr Gerhard Verdoorn, operations and stewardship manager at CropLife South Africa. Verdoorn added that these nocturnal, terrestrial rodents now occurred in virtually all of South Africa's grainproduction regions, including the Western Cape, Southern Cane and Eastern Cane. "Last year, [gerbils] destroyed thousands of hectares of planted grains in the summer grainproduction region, the Overberg and Swartland in the winter grainproduction region, and the KwaZulu-Natal Midlands. "If producers haven't already started doing so, they'd be well advised to begin scouting for gerbils [immediately]," he added. Verdoorn described gerbils as small rodents with shortish tails and long hind legs, which dug up grain seeds immediately after planting. He added, however, that they caused the…

The severe rolling blackouts experienced across South Africa in mid-September dealt a devastating blow to the agriculture sector. Justin Chadwick, CEO of the Citrus Growers' Association of Southern Africa, Jacques du Preez, Hortgro's general manager for trade and markets, and Dr Thomas Funke, CEO of the SA Cane Growers' Association, confirmed that the blackouts were seriously affecting the entire value chain in their respective industries. The three expressed particular concerns about the effect of blackouts on irrigation crops. Chadwick said the rainy season had not begun in most citrusgrowing regions, and extreme heat-cycles were rendering fruit trees entirely dependent on irrigation. "Most irrigation systems run on electricity, as opposed to gravitational pressure, with the decentralised nature of pump stations on a typical farm making it impossible for generators to do…

Climate change is now a serious threat to global food security, according to a recent report by the UN's Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. This became clearly evident in Europe this summer, with a dramatic decrease in the yields of rice in northern Italy olive oil in Spain, and barley in the UK. Farmers in many areas of the world were now no longer able to reliably estimate harvests due to droughts, heatwaves, flooding and new pests. According to the report, crop productivity declined during periods of higher temperatures due to dehydration, reduction in pollination, and slower photosynthesis. When elevated temperatures and droughts occurred, the defences of plants failed and crops became more susceptible to attacks by insects and disease-inducing pathogens, Reuters reported. Extreme weather was also resulting in difficulties…

During the recent fire season in the summer rainfall region, South Africa saw significantly less fire damage due to a late start to the season, as well as vigilance on the part of landowners and firefighters. This was according to Pieter van der Merwe, operations executive at Working on Fire (WoF), an integrated fire-management agency. "So far [in 2022], fires have been contained fairly quickly because [landowners and firefighting teams] have been more vigilant than they were last year," he told Farmer's Weekly. Between May and August this year, WoF was involved in the containment of 933 fires, with just over 138 800ha of fire damage recorded. This was far less than the almost 425 900ha of land destroyed in 1 281 fires over the same period in 2021. In…

Farmers often get confused about the types, uses and storage requirements of livestock medication. Yet these are not difficult to understand; just read the instructions on the label, or ask a veterinarian or manufacturer's representative if you're not sure. Take note of the purpose of a particular livestock medication and the animal species it is meant for. Use it only for the animals listed on the packaging, as using it on species not listed can be dangerous. Cattle and sheep antiparasitic dips, for example, can be fatal if used on horses. Take note of the following in the instructions: • How to administer the dosage If, for example, the medicine requires a 'subcutaneous' injection, this means it should be injected under the skin. Similarly, an 'intramuscular' injection is given into…

Moahlodi Mathebula Job title: Senior laboratory technician What brought you into this line of work? When I was young, my father farmed dryland maize on about 4ha near Bushbuckridge, Mpumalanga. Every day after school, I would help him farm. At some point, I came to the realisation that, by doing so, I was also contributing to the family, and I wanted to continue to do so by studying agriculture. I went on to study agriculture at the University of Mpumalanga, where I specialised in plant production. What would you like people to know about the work you do? I wish people understood the vast amount of technology that is used to speed up processes to get a product ready for market. Not only does technology help our farmers in the field,…

Job title: Research associate What is the most exciting part of your job? Being in research is a hands-on job that involves working in hot and humid greenhouses, being out in the field all day, counting seed in freezing-cold rooms, and getting onto tractors to plant. It's where the magic happens! Taking the time to think about where I fit into the bigger picture of the success story of Corteva Agriscience, and what a massive contribution my team and I make … now that gets me excited! What is the most surprising or interesting thing you have learnt about farming or farmers? Whether it is a good or a bad year, farmers just keep on doing what they do best … feeding the world!…

In March 1846, a man stole an axe from a trading store in Fort Beaufort in today's Eastern Cape. Few could have imagined that this relatively trivial incident would result in the devastating Seventh Frontier War (1846-47), also known as the 'War of the Axe'. GARRISON TOWN Fort Beaufort had been established in 1822 as a British military outpost on the Cape's eastern frontier with the Xhosa. Its location, in a loop of the Kat River that could easily be defended, was aimed at resisting Xhosa incursions, including those of Chief Jongumsobomvu Maqoma. He had always insisted that the land along the upper Kat River was his people's spiritual home, and therefore vociferously opposed the establishment of the Kat River Settlement in the area in 1829. By the 1840s, Fort…

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