How top potato farmer optimises production
Since taking over her late husband’s farm three years ago, Franelyn Rossouw has been simplifying her approach to potato farming in order to streamline production. She spoke to Lindi Botha about how her focus on optimising irrigation, meticulous crop protection, and reducing in-field traffic is bearing fruit.
read more >>
Nampo Cape 2025 to showcase smart tech for sustainable agriculture
Nampo Cape 2025 returns to Bredasdorp Park this September, spotlighting how technology can help South Africa’s producers farm more efficiently and sustainably in a changing climate.
read more >>
How intercropping helped a Free State maize farm grow
The main goal of intercropping is to achieve the highest possible yield on a particular piece of land by using the available resources to their full potential. And that is precisely the route that father-and-son team Francis and Mike Mandy took on their crop and cattle farm in Harrismith.
read more >>
SA’s citrus industry gears up for strong export season
South Africa’s citrus industry is gearing up for another robust export season, with projections indicating a rise of 3,6% in export volumes to 171,1 million 15kg-equivalent cartons in 2025, up from last year’s final tally of 164,5 million 15kg-equivalent cartons.
read more >>
South Africa’s polluted rivers pose food contamination risk
Quality of irrigation water should be a national priority, says scientist.
read more >>
Irrigation Automation (Control Systems) versus Irrigation Scheduling
Irrigation automation and irrigation scheduling are two different concepts that need to be understood and it’s equally important to understand that irrigation automation is not necessarily irrigation scheduling.
read more >>
Fruit farmers relieved as Tiger Brands sells canning factory for R1
There was a sense of relief and excitement among fruit farmers and communities surrounding Ashton in the Western Cape as food giant Tiger Brands announced it would sell its canning business to local producers for R1.
read more >>
From the ground up: How soil health unlocks greater yields for small-scale farmers
In South Africa, over two million smallholder farming households form the backbone of the nation’s food system. These small-scale farmers, cultivating plots often less than two hectares, are pivotal not only in rural areas but increasingly within urban and peri-urban settings.
read more >>
Herbicide-resistant weeds threaten profitable soya bean production
Herbicide-resistant weeds challenge producers and agrochemical companies with a vexing issue that some refer to as a ‘wicked problem’. The ‘wicked’ connotation touches on an issue to which there is not a clear or easy solution. Certainly, everyone struggling with herbicide-resistant weeds will agree that the wicked label is appropriate.
read more >>
A game-changer for ginger production
The biggest obstacle that ginger farmers in South Africa face is securing enough land to allow for at least a four-year rest period before replanting the same land to the crop. Limpopo farmer Ika Cronjé spoke to Lindi Botha about how she solved this problem by turning to hydroponic production.
read more >>