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Coffee

Coffee production in South Africa

Introduction In terms of value, coffee is one of the world’s most important commodities. Coffee is a vital crop for developing countries, providing vital foreign exchange earnings and an income for farmers. It is also an ideal crop for areas with poor infrastructure, as it is one of the few tropical horticultural crop products that […]

Cannabis

Hemp, a cousin albeit with no psychoactive properties, is covered on the “Fibre crops” page.

Wine and wine grapes

Introduction The Cape wine-growing areas, situated in the narrow viticultural zone of the southern hemisphere, mainly have a Mediterranean climate. The mountain slopes and valleys form the ideal habitat for the wine grape Vitis vinifera, the products of which have given pleasure to humankind for many centuries. Long, sun-drenched summers and mild, wet winters contribute to […]

Forestry

Introduction Forests include plantations, natural/indigenous forests and woodlands/savannas. All activities linked to these fall under the umbrella of “forestry”. In addition to timber and related products, forests offer non-timber products and activity. They play a big part in our fauna and flora. Fruits, plants, medicinal herbs, birds and animals are found here. Trees protect watersheds […]

Rooibos (redbush)

Farming rooibos in South Africa

Introduction Rooibos, Aspalathus linearis, is a natural herb found in the Cape fynbos biome. It is cultivated commercially mainly in the Cedarberg region north west of Cape Town. The plant thrives on coarse sandy soil and winter rainfall. It is called rooibos (‘red bush’) or Red Tea because of its colour when dried. It has a […]

Moringa

Moringa in South Africa

Photo above used courtesy of Errol Moloto Introduction The moringa tree has its origins in the northern regions of India. In Africa, two types are grown, moringa oleifera and moringa stenopetala (Lekgau, undated). The moringa tree is considered one of the most nutritious trees in the world since it has vitamins, minerals and amino acids which the human body […]

Indigenous medicinal plants

Indigenous medicinal plants South Africa

Introduction In the past two decades, the links between bio-cultural diversity and the richness of plant species in South Africa have contributed to ongoing attempts to develop traditional medicines for use in the modern complementary and alternative medicines sector. Eventually this will aid in the discovery of new drug entities for pharmaceutical industries. African traditional […]

Tobacco

Tobacco and smoking in South Africa

Introduction The tobacco plant is a member of the same botanical family as tomatoes, potatoes, peppers or eggplants. Tobacco does well in poorer soils, providing farmers with a welcome alternative crop. In many cases, tobacco provides a higher income than any other smallholder crop. As a crop, it fits well into environmentally friendly rotations: growing […]

Sugarcane

Sugarcane farming in South Africa

Introduction Sugarcane is cultivated in tropical and subtropical climates in areas with a plentiful supply of water. Approximately 800mm per annum is needed for a successful crop. Lower rainfall than this leads to difficult times for the industry. There is a vast global market for sugarcane derivatives. These are prevalent in the modern diet both […]