Namibian Minister of Agriculture, Water and Land Reform Calle Schlettwein has reiterated the urgent need for action as Namibia grapples with below-normal rainfall and erratic weather patterns. Speaking at a five-day planning workshop to address the c

Zambia’s co-operating partners have responded overwhelmingly to the drought devastating the Southern African country, with over US$1 billion (about R18,9 billion) pledged to reverse the climatic effects that have left over eight million people on the

The World-Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) South Africa recently celebrated the 20th anniversary of its Southern African Sustainable Seafood Initiative (SASSI) programme in Cape Town. Dr Morné du Plessis, CEO of WWF South Africa, said he initially had his

Brent crude oil prices have been an important topic as the commodity is one of the biggest macroeconomic indicators globally. In our previous piece on Brent crude oil market dynamics, we noted that the commodity remains of interest for analysts due t

However hard it hits the cattle owner to learn that there is unsuspected disease in their herd, it is to their advantage to know of it as soon as possible to prevent its further spread, as well as taking measures to eradicate the trouble where possib

Land Bank Insurance has launched an innovative training programme dedicated to empowering black assessors in the agriculture sector. The initiative aims to introduce a new era in agricultural assessment and insurance, offering a more equitable and su

Electoral polls continue to suggest that no single political party will win an outright majority in South Africa’s 2024 national elections due to take place on 29 May. This creates uncertainty regarding the national government that will emerge from a

The Sri Lankan Department of Agriculture and Plantation Industries confirmed in April that the country was once again self sufficient in poultry and eggs. Minister of livestock development Dharmasiri Bandara Herath said production was up and running

EDITORIAL TEAM Editor Janine Ryan, janiner@caxton.co.za Senior designer Louis Kruger Designer Mario Ferlito Copy editors Fanie de Villiers, Yvonne Fontyn and Richard Goller Digital editor Sindira Chetty, sindirac@caxton.co.za Office assistant Prenush

Results of a study completed by the Newcastle University in the UK have been completed where researchers found that volcanic rock powder could fertilise farms and help with soil health. As a result, a manufacturing company in the UK has made a volcan

The financial deterioration of the Meat Corporation of Namibia (Meatco) and its increasing reliance on state support to keep the company’s head above water is cause for concern among livestock producers in Namibia. This was according to Jako van Wyk,

When I wrote my March 2024 article on the outlook for summer grain producers, conditions pointed towards a smaller summer crop in spite of an estimated increase of 2% in total maize plantings. The further deterioration in conditions can be seen from

RJF Boerdery has registered a trade name, RYB Select, for Royal Beaut apple plant material that complies with their improved Royal Beaut budwood selection protocol. Elsa Muller, variety development manager of the South African Plant Improvement Organ

Innovating With Impact by Ted Ladd & Alessandro Lanteri (Economist, R350) The Economist pairs US entrepreneurship professor Ladd and British strategy and innovation professor Lanteri in this 200-page paperback, which falls into three clear sections:

The poultry industry took a knock internationally last year with the outbreak of the avian influenza virus. This coupled with a number of other factors have led the US Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture and the Pen

Mental health, animal welfare, antimicrobial resistance and food security: these were some of the challenges touched on at the 39th World Veterinary Association Congress. The event was held recently held in Cape Town and attended by over 1 500 delega

The New Zealand Kiwifruit Growers’ Association Incorporated (NZKGI) released a statement at the end of April saying the dry weather in the country had led to a good supply of high-quality kiwifruit. According to the NZKGI, the recorded harvest two ye

It’s that time of the year again: Nampo Harvest Day is upon us! For those readers who are unfamiliar with the event, Nampo is the biggest agricultural show in the Southern Hemisphere, and attracts farmers, businesses and even ordinary civilians to Na