The critical element that determines cabbage yield
Farmers know that nitrogen is necessary for growing cabbages and other crops, but many do not fully understand its importance for maximising yields, writes Bill Kerr.
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How crop diversification is boosting productivity and sustainability in SA agriculture
The agricultural landscape is experiencing a notable shift away from the conventional method of mono-cropping, where large expanses of land are dedicated to the cultivation of a single crop variety.
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How a focus on genetics can triple macadamia yield
The macadamia industry has yet to make the quantum leap in yield seen in older industries like apples and citrus. But with a greater focus on genetics, and fine-tuning every step in the production process, tripling macadamia yields could soon be a reality.
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Farmers can save water with wireless technologies.
I study computers and information technology in the Purdue Polytechnic Institute and direct Purdue’s Environmental Networking Technology (ENT) Laboratory, where we tackle sustainability and environmental challenges with interdisciplinary research into the Agricultural Internet of Things, or Ag-IoT.
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Avo farm’s long journey to profitability
Land restitution farms in South Africa have a patchy success rate, with many going to ruins after the change in ownership. Failure is usually attributed to the sudden change in management from those with a farming background to those without, as well as a critical lack of operating capital. Lindi Botha spoke to Tom Mdluli of the Matsafeni Trust about surviving despite the challenges, and their plans to expand the operation.
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Freshwater Is Disappearing. Can Technology Save Us?
Global climate change and the exponential increase in population has led to water scarcity and recent headline-grabbing water shortages in major urban centers like Capetown and Sao Paulo. As water scarcity or cleanliness continue to present major issues to humanity’s survival, communities across the globe are turning to technology to help access more fresh water–or…
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Agriculture sector defies odds with 10% year-on-year job growth in Q3 2023
The latest update on the Quarterly Labour Force Survey (QLFS) data from Statistics South Africa has confirmed the resilience of agriculture as it defied the odds and made a significant improvement in employment in the sector.
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Cotton, the ‘white gold’ of dryland crop production in SA
Cotton production in the North West has proved to be a viable alternative to maize and soya bean, with the profitability of cotton exceeding that of maize and soya bean despite extremely high input costs. Annelie Coleman attended a cotton information day in Schweizer-Reneke and compiled this report.
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Sustainable agriculture: A smart investment for farmers
Sustainability is not just about protecting the environment for future generations; it can also be good for business. A recent panel discussion at Nampo Cape, South Africa, concluded that sustainable agriculture practices can provide significant financial benefits to farmers.
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Securing the world’s food production for the future
The Svalbard Global Seed Vault’s purpose is to ensure that humankind can continue producing a diversity of food crops, even in the case of a ‘Doomsday Event’.
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