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.
Fynbos on the Edge – Taking nature-based tourism in the Northern Cape to new heights
A commercial sheep and rooibos tea farm with outstanding sustainable land management and conservation practices introduces a tourist attraction which will contribute to diversifying income streams.
Technology can boost farming in Africa, but it can also threaten biodiversity – how to balance the two
Can we step up technology on farms while preserving biodiversity? A look at agriculture in Africa.
Overberg media trip: Flower Valley Farm (part 8)
The rationale behind the Flower Valley Conservation Trust (FVCT) is straight-forward: “… if we pick all the fynbos this year, there will be no fynbos to pick in the future” (Van Deventer et al, 2015).
Overberg media trip: fynbos packhouse (part 7)
The world is divided into six floral kingdoms, according to the plant types occurring in each given region. The smallest and richest of these is the Cape Floral Kingdom, found only in the [...]
Overberg media trip: A research centre and a place to stay (part 6)
On our second day, the Haarwegskloof Renosterveld Reserve and its Research and Visitor Centre were on the agenda. It was an overcast day, and we travelled with the promise of rain in the air.
Overberg media trip: Conservation management – what’s in it for farmers? (part 4)
The aim of the Overberg Renosterveld Conservation Trust (ORCT)'s efforts is to improve habitat condition and increase ecosystem resilience. When you are looking after nature, it looks after you.
Overberg media trip: setting the stage (part 1)
I had done a quick reconnaissance of Napier, the Overberg Renosterveld and fynbos before setting out on the field trip – but no amount of desk research prepares you for the open spaces of the Overberg!
West Coast media trip: part 1 (setting the stage)
In the week when farmer association KwaNalu reported that there were thousands of oil and gas exploration applications to prospect on KwaZulu-Natal farmland (Farmer's Weekly 23 Sept 2016), a [...]
