Sustainable water and sanitation solutions for South Africa
By Craig Macaskill Posted 2017-06-05 In Blog Press release: Strategic Water Partners Network South Africa With the gap between supply and demand for water expected to reach 17% by 2030, many South Africans will be required to radically change their attitudes to the way in which this precious commodity is being used and conserved, especially in the treatment […]
Pigs like to live in mud
By Craig Macaskill Posted 2017-06-05 In Blog Do you know that pigs roll in mud to protect themselves against the sun and extreme temperatures, or against flies and parasites? Perhaps you knew, but many think that pigs just like to be dirty and to live in mud. The average person knows little about these intelligent creatures. Commercial […]
Corn and viciss … wot?
By Craig Macaskill Posted 2017-06-05 In Blog There is a lovely word in the English language — vicissitude. It is a noun and refers to the way things change. Speak of the vicissitudes of life and your audience will listen intently, aware that your tidings might mean some adaption is required in their world. We […]
The value of the African fish
By Craig Macaskill Posted 2017-06-05 In Blog For those of you who may have missed it, The Value of African Fish on the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) website provides a fascinating read. The fisheries sector in Africa employs around 2.1 per cent of her population. About 7.5% of these work with aquaculture, 42.2% are processors and […]
A letter from Judy Stuart
By Craig Macaskill Posted 2017-06-05 In Blog We received the following letter from Judy Stuart who started and runs the Future Farmers Foundation. Naturally we receive feedback on the Agri Handbook gratefully, but it is the hope and positive perception on youth and on agriculture that shines from Ms Stuart that we would like to share with […]
On saints and personas: Nelson Mandela’s 95th birthday
By Craig Macaskill Posted 2017-06-05 In Blog When people turn another person into a saint they let themselves off the hook — and create a situation which psychically calls for redress and balance. You will find evidence of this in any country or community (especially religious) which holds up a mental idea of the ideal citizen or ideal […]
Water licenses and Obama’s ultimatum
By Craig Macaskill Posted 2017-06-05 In Blog On Friday, the Afrikaans agricultural magazine, Landbouweekblad, carried the article “Hoe moet boere vir droogte aanpas, minister?” [How should farmers adapt to drought, minister?] The piece was written in response to the national government’s lack of interest to assist the country’s commercial farmers in the face of the worst […]
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 group of journalists and team assembled by the WWF Nedbank Green Trust were looking at how the possibility of a tungsten mine spurred a group of farmers to have their area classified as a Protected Environment.
Poultry in the mountains
By Craig Macaskill Posted 2017-06-05 In Blog We are in the process of finalising all chapters for the next edition of The Agri Handbook, and have been checking details in the poultry chapter this morning. We’d like to share information on a poultry enterprise that impresses us. Mikon Farms is based in Mpumalanga, an area which lies […]
Livestock, living stock and recently departed beasts
By Craig Macaskill Posted 2017-06-05 In Blog Many of us enjoy meat products, and the work of various red meat organisations mean that we do so with a measure of confidence that the process of turning live animal to meat product was a humane one. Our meal may be accompanied with a silent thank-you to […]