Digitising water services can gain back millions for municipalities
Having successfully run municipalities is important to agriculture
US-Africa trade deal turns 25 next year: Agoa’s winners, losers and what should come next
It is vital to consider the lessons learned from the past 25 years.
Stock theft under the spotlight
Written by Louis Wessels, Chairman of the National Stock Theft Prevention Forum Stock theft is as old as man himself and is already mentioned in the Bible. Stock theft is not unique to South Africa, but is a worldwide phenomenon. Various challenges are associated with stock theft: Stock theft is nowadays synonymous with life-threatening circumstances […]
Diesel vs Electric – Which is better for pump systems?
Diesel is often the preferred energy for pump systems, particularly temporary sites. But electrical pumps can be a superior alternative.
Political Parties, elections and agriculture
Like 65 other countries South Africa will have general elections this year. 52 political parties are competing for the national vote. How is an electorate being stretched economically (Neethling, 2024) likely to vote? And of particular interest to us, how does agriculture feature in the bouquet of choices on offer? One challenge in a democracy […]
Promising SA-first solution to convert paper sludge, food and textile waste into bioethanol
Press release A pioneering solution has been developed to convert cellulose fibre-rich waste from pulp and paper mill operations into ethanol using a specialised fermentation process. Ethanol is a versatile starting material that finds diverse application in the production of industrial chemicals, bio-based plastics and sustainable aviation fuel. The solution was announced on Wednesday (24 […]
Planting trees in grasslands won’t save the planet – rather protect and restore forests
Why rangelands matter, and why misguided initiatives here do more harm than good …
Bird flu in cattle: What are the concerns surrounding the newly emerging bovine H5N1 influenza virus?
Nitish Boodhoo, University of Guelph The confirmed presence of bird flu in American dairy cattle in a March 25 report from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) — and a case in Texas where a human working with cattle was infected — has put Canadian public health experts on high alert. But, what is bird […]
How responsible forestry can be part of a plastic pollution solution
Press release While life without plastic might be hard to imagine, there is a renewable, recyclable and sustainable alternative to single-use plastics and many other fossil fuel derivatives: wood from responsibly managed plantations and forests. This is the message from Forestry South Africa (FSA) ahead of the 54th annual Earth Day (22 April 2024). “Since […]
The whole truth about whole grains
According to a new report by Boston Consulting Group (BCG) entitled The Whole Truth about Whole Grains, there is huge opportunity in food system transformation, but it’s critical to change what is grown, processed and consumed thoughtfully and gradually. Currently, most of the grains are stripped of the bulk of their important nutrients, and these […]