It’s that time of year again, winter, a time for one of gardening’s most counterintuitive practices: cutting back to encourage growth. Pruning, typically done in late August or early September, while many plants are still dormant, is often mistaken for simple trimming. In reality, it combines art and science that can transform struggling plants into ...

A new youth-focused agricultural pilot in South Africa is testing whether small-scale agritech enterprises can help address two of the country’s biggest socio-economic challenges simultaneously: rising youth unemployment and growing food insecurity. The initiative, launched by Afrika Tikkun with support from impact investor E Squared Investments, aims to develop unemployed youth into micro-farming entrepreneurs through ...

Diepsloot, Johannesburg: South Africa is grappling with two interconnected challenges: persistently high youth unemployment and declining local food production. A new pilot is testing whether both can be tackled at once by developing unemployed youth into micro-farming entrepreneurs. A farming initiative led by non-profit organisation Afrika Tikkun, and funded and supported by impact investor E ...

South Africa’s poultry industry has staged a significant recovery, emerging as one of the country’s most competitive and resilient agricultural sectors following years of decline caused by rising poultry imports and market pressure. According to the South African Poultry Association (SAPA), the sector’s resurgence was highlighted during the first Economic Oversight Committee meeting between government ...

Corteva Agriscience positions South African agriculture within an increasingly competitive global marketplace, where success is defined not only by yield but by consistency, quality and compliance with stringent international standards. In this environment, it acts as a strategic partner to farmers, delivering science-led solutions that enhance productivity, support sustainable farming practices and ensure alignment with ...

We’re a couple of weeks into autumn and, while the air hasn’t cooled much during the day yet, it soon will. And with that usually comes the temptation to retreat indoors, which means the garden could slip down your priority list. But stepping back now could cost you later, according to Fathima Mathen, Marketing Manager ...

South African farmers are being asked – by consumers, financiers, and the environment itself – to fundamentally rethink how they produce food. The shift towards regenerative agriculture is no longer theoretical; it is already underway. But while the conversation often centres on soil health, carbon, and sustainability, one factor remains underappreciated ‒ finance will determine ...

Across Africa, post-harvest losses remain one of the biggest challenges facing the agricultural sector, with estimates suggesting that 30% to 50% of perishable produce is lost before reaching the market. Increasingly, investment in cold chain infrastructure is being identified as a critical solution to this long-standing problem. Cold chain systems—including refrigerated storage, transport, and distribution—are ...

South Africa’s maize industry continues to demonstrate resilience, with production forecasts for the 2025/26 season estimated at around 16 million tonnes, remaining well above the country’s annual consumption needs. Despite this strong output, export prospects are weakening. Total maize exports are expected to fall to roughly 2 million tonnes, largely due to reduced demand from ...

Digital agriculture is rapidly transforming the farming landscape across Africa, as producers increasingly adopt technology-driven solutions to improve productivity, efficiency, and profitability. From mobile-based advisory platforms to satellite-driven data tools, digital innovation is helping farmers make more informed decisions about planting, irrigation, pest control, and market access. One of the most significant drivers of this ...