The Langkloof, a fertile valley bisected by the R62 in the Eastern Cape, is famous for its fruit production. The past few years, however, have seen farmers in the area struggling to provide enough water for their orchards. The valley received its last normal annual rainfall in 2015, and competition for water in urban and […]
Many types of irrigation are available; it will pay you to explore all the options carefully before making a commitment. It is well known, for example, that drip irrigation uses less water than other systems. Some farmers choose it based on this fact alone, and end up paying the price for not doing their homework. […]
The days of starting the pump in an orchard and assuming the trees will be watered are long gone,” says Willem Kieviet, area manager of Indigo Fruit Farming on the outskirts of Mbombela, Mpumalanga. Instead, he uses a meticulous method in which every decision is backed up by data, and any water applications are checked […]
The global-smart irrigation market is expected to grow at a compound annual rate of 15,2% from 2021 to 2030, according to Quince Market Insights. And remarkably, this is off an already a huge base: the market reached an estimated value of US$1,15 trillion (about R17,5 trillion) in 2021. In its January 2022 global report, Quince […]
Blueberries are one of the fastest-growing agricultural commodities in South Africa, with farmers capitalising on high market demand and favourable prices. However, since the expansion of water and soil resources remain stagnant, the key to sustaining the growth of the blueberry sector is to farm smarter, using less water and other resources, for a bigger […]
While a farmer has to manage many variables in order to drive success, one constant reality is that farming requires a dynamic management approach to reduce risk and maximize opportunity. And this is something Agrico’s technology delivers, and more. When a farmer resides in Bloemfontein but has to keep a hand on farms in Hopetown, […]
Stephan & Seun was founded in the 1960s when the Stephan family planted their first potatoes in the Piketberg sand. Today, the team consists of around 140 permanent members who, in Johan Stephan’s words, “specialise in potatoes”. Their path crossed in the 1970s with that of Agrico (at that time P Andrag & Seuns). Decades […]
South Africa’s agriculture sector is on the cusp of a devastating catastrophe because of the country’s inability to provide sufficient electricity to keep the wheels of the agricultural value chain rolling. This was according to Nicol Jansen, Agri SA deputy president and president of Agri Northern Cape. READ A sustainable lifestyle on a small, off-the-grid farm […]
Designed specifically for South African conditions, the NOVAP Sub-Surface Water Diffuser facilitates deep root irrigation and supplies water directly to a plant’s root system. As no water is exposed to the soil surface, moisture loss through evaporation is dramatically reduced. Ferdinand de Klerk, NOVAP’s brand manager, says the system was developed and patented in Cape […]
Two of the biggest challenges facing agriculture are the unreliable supply and quality of water. Speaking at the Combined Congress of Soil, Horticulture, Weed and Crop Production Scientists held in Bloemfontein earlier this year, Dr Willem de Clercq, a researcher at the Water Institute at Stellenbosch University, said these and other demands on agriculture needed […]
