Fynbos on the Edge – Taking nature-based tourism in the Northern Cape to new heights
This week, a first of its kind nature-based tourism experience was launched in the Northern Cape. It will be the first of its kind tourism experience in the Northern Cape. The Via Ferrata was the brainchild of the Endangered Wildlife Trust’s Senior Conservation Manager, Cobus Theron, who had this to say: “This nature based experience allow […]
Sprouting New Beginnings: The Sprightly Seed’s Garden Initiative Tackles Child Undernutrition and Pioneers Sustainable Agriculture in South African Schools
The Sprightly Seed, a dedicated public benefit organisation committed to environmental sustainability, social development, and education announced the launch of its new organic garden at Bel Porto School. The unveiling of the community garden timed perfectly with the global observance of World Soil Day highlights the non-profit’s commitment to promoting food security, sustainable practice, and […]
Water crisis in South Africa: damning report finds 46% contamination, 67% of treatment works near to breaking down
By Craig Macaskill Posted 2023-12-11 In Blog Written by Anja du Plessis, University of South Africa A new report by South Africa’s Department of Water and Sanitation paints a grim picture of the quality of the country’s drinking water, and its water infrastructure. The Blue Drop Audit Report is meant to ensure that water service authorities are held accountable […]
COP28’s Food, Agriculture and Water Day secures major commitments to address climate impacts and keep 1.5C within reach
COP28’s Food, Agriculture and Water Day saw major announcements on climate action for both water and food security and decarbonization, as countries demonstrated their commitment to implement the COP28 UAE Declaration on Sustainable Agriculture, Resilient Food Systems, and Climate Action (the Declaration). H.E Mariam bint Mohammed Almheiri, UAE Minister of Climate Change and Environment and […]
Karoo Lamb earns trade mark protection
By Craig Macaskill Posted 2023-12-14 in Blog For many proud South Africans, a succulent lamb chop grilled over the open flame on a warm summer’s evening, is a symbol of national pride. If that lamb chop originates from the semi-arid landscape of the Karoo, it is bound to be exceptional, having a distinct flavour and fine-grained texture. It is […]
Key challenges that constrained SA’s agricultural fortunes in 2023
Written by Wandile Sihlobo, Agbiz chief economist As the year draws to a close, it is worth reflecting on critical events that dominated the South African agricultural scene over the past year. There are three in particular that stood out for us. Load-shedding First, the intense and persistent load-shedding right from the start of the year was […]
Agriculture challenges in South Africa: we need a different lens
What are the challenges facing agriculture in South Africa at present? It’s a question with almost as many answers as there are farmers and other agriculturists in this country. Christian Giesel, head of marketing at Syngenta South Africa, proposes that looking at the challenges differently offers novel solutions. It is no secret that ours is […]
Sappi achieves PEFC Group Scheme certification for small growers
By Craig Macaskill Posted 2023-12-21 In Blog Photo (supplied): Sobengwe Trading from Ixopo is one of the first Sappi Khulisa grower participants to achieve PEFC certification. Sappi, a member of the Paper Manufacturers Association of South Africa (PAMSA), recently announced that five small timber growers in KwaZulu-Natal have made history by becoming the first participants in the Sappi Khulisa programme […]
Wanting to buy a basic hard copy book on agriculture?
By Craig Macaskill Posted 2024-01-09 In Blog Some of our most popular blogs have been where we answer queries from visitors. We thought it was time to do another one. Today a visitor asked advice on where to purchase a hard copy of a basic agriculture book. Thank you for your query. I will answer as best I […]
Building the Business Case for Conservation Agriculture and Redefining Our Approach to Feeding the World
By Craig Macaskill Posted 2024-01-12 In Blog Written by Justin Platt, Founder & CEO, Zylem and RegenZ Let’s talk about how we grow our food. There’s a bit of a debate going on between two ways of doing things. On one side, there’s the traditional farming method that uses a lot of chemicals to grow crops. They worry that changing how we farm […]