Ivor Price

1 day ago | foodformzansi.co.za | Ivor Price

The 2024/25 summer row-crop season in South Africa will be remembered as one of the most unpredictable in recent years. Farmers across the country faced a rollercoaster of extremes: too much rain in some regions, not enough in others, and an unusual influx of pests and diseases that left many scrambling for solutions. “It was indeed a strange season,” reflects Hanlie Geldenhuys, agronomist at Syngenta South Africa. Despite the chaos, the national crop estimate remains broadly positive.

1 day ago | foodformzansi.co.za | Ivor Price

The livestock industry is once again under threat from a resurgence of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD), raising alarm bells for the agricultural economy. This comes just months after the industry appeared to be stabilising following years of devastating outbreaks affecting cattle, poultry and pigs. Wandile Sihlobo, chief economist at Agbiz, has voiced deep concern over the persistence of livestock diseases and their impact on the country’s farming fortunes.

1 day ago | dailymaverick.co.za | Ivor Price

Somewhere between the stubborn red soil and the searing sun, a farmer stands watch over a crop she knows may not make it. Across Africa, more than 41 million smallholder farmers perform this daily ritual, tending fields that feed a continent — and yet, it is they who go to bed hungry. It is they who bear the weight of failed rains, exhausted soils, and indifferent politics. In their hands lies the promise of a future that science could unlock.

2 days ago | foodformzansi.co.za | Ivor Price

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) has been recognised for its innovative work in helping Zimbabwe harness satellite technology to improve agricultural data and disaster response. The organisation was announced as the winner of the SDG Custodian Agency Prize at the prestigious seventh annual GEO SDG Awards held on Wednesday in Rome.

4 days ago | foodformzansi.co.za | Ivor Price

South Africa’s red meat industry has been dealt a devastating blow after China imposed an immediate suspension of all beef imports from the country, following confirmation that foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) has spread beyond KwaZulu-Natal into Mpumalanga and Gauteng. The shock move by China – South Africa’s largest trading partner – comes despite a landmark memorandum of understanding signed just last year, intended to safeguard trade during outbreaks by allowing exports from FMD-free zones.