Livestock
latest news & developmentsSteenhuisen confirms 274 foot-and-mouth disease cases in five provinces
Officials said South Africa’s phytosanitary and biosecurity requirements are world class and the department is awaiting bilateral trade agreements to be resolved to begin exports…
Biosecurity is vital for SA’s successful agricultural growth and export strategy
Frequent outbreaks of foot-and-mouth disease, avian influenza and African swine fever suggest weakness in biosecurity controls and the effect of climate change
What excessive rain means for South Africa’s livestock
For South Africa to maintain its current access to red meat, wool and other livestock products, it must continue to strengthen its biosecurity and revive vaccine manufacturing
Crop data reaffirms South African agriculture’s recovery path
This could be good for consumers as prices drop.
Recent rains boost for summer grains, oil seeds and livestock
While the recent rains caused damage to infrastructure and in communities, it does more good than bad in agriculture
La Niña may bring favourable weather, boosting optimism about food security in Southern Africa
The weather event is predicted to bring above-normal rainfall in January before easing up, but the northeast may remain dry
In Morocco’s drought neighbours battle over water allocation
Severe drought brought a farming village to its knees, but unresolved conflict is its biggest threat
Rise in animal diseases a global problem
South Africa must remain vigilant to prevent outbreaks which are costly to farmers and harm the export market
End the practice of shipping livestock by sea
Cows on a ship in Cape Town in a horrible situation lead to more calls for it to end
Why I am optimistic about South Africa’s agricultural outlook in 2024
We are in for another good agricultural season, especially if January and February present favourable rainfall
What underpinned SA’s agricultural underperformance in the third quarter?
There are weaknesses in the country’s biosecurity system, including the measures in place to reduce the risk of transmission of infectious diseases
How extreme heat will harm cattle
Cattle farmers will either have to provide protection for their animals, or shift to more resilient breeds or to other livestock
Right the injustice of Africa’s water crisis
African leaders are taking the initiative in developing strategies for coping with it, including its effect on the continent’s water security and sanitation
Agricultural input costs remain elevated, squeezing farmers’ profits
Supply constraints in fertiliser-producing countries, coupled with rising shipping, oil and gas costs has pushed up the price of imported commodities such as fertiliser,…
The dummy’s guide to climate change for southern Africa
Though there is no going back and fixing what we have done, we can certainly all take responsibility for our corner of the world to ensure we have a fighting chance