The Agri Handbook 2013-14

Foreword by the Minister
The gap between rich and poor has increased, with household food
insecurity affecting millions of families countrywide.
There are differing views on how to create the right environment for
business to thrive so that problems like unemployment and poverty
can be solved. Is it possible to restructure the economy in such a way
that the house does not collapse? Those who do not see themselves as
benefiting from the economy wonder how it is in their interests that
the house continues standing.
Matters are not helped, of course, by negative global economic
circumstances, but the country that does not have its own house in
order faces additional challenges when participating in the wider, global
economy.
In the midst of this picture agriculture remains a solid pillar in the
economy. On a national level we are food secure, our secondary
industries have the required fibre and raw materials, and there is
economic activity in large stretches of our rural areas.
Photo: The Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, Ms Tina JoematPettersson at Bronkhorstspruit for the World Food Day 2012 celebrations
An economy houses a nation. Under its roof people find vocations,

security and fulfillment. The nation that is bound in unity takes a collective
responsibility for promoting economic growth and development.
Since the advent of democracy in South Africa there have been many
achievements, some enjoying a high profile but many more not.
Without subtracting from our achievements, let us take note that so
many South Africans remain excluded shut out from the economy.
The more familiar we are with the sector, its components and its role
players, the better our chances will be of attaining the breakthroughs
we so desperately need to reduce the suffering caused by poverty and
unemployment.
Initiatives like this publication give us a map of the sector and link us
to resources, specialists and other sources of help. I invite you to join
me now in using The Agri Handbook for South Africa to help make South
Africa a better home for all.
Honourable Tina Joemat-Pettersson (MP)

MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE, FORESTRY AND FISHERIES
From the editor

When the world we knew was entering its greatest conflict ever, one of its greatest poets penned In Time of The Breaking
of Nations. In this piece, the events of the time form a backdrop only, and the focus is a farmer working his fields.
In a time of uncertainty, agriculture is practical, immediate, the logical thing to do. Yet it is also far-seeing, a way of planning for
the future and indeed, of voting for that future.
Almost a century later, while there is no World War happening, no one would say the planet is yet at peace. In the midst of all
the issues that face our world, this publication is our vote for the future and humanity.
The book is made possible by the support of the people whose logos you will find on the cover and whose adverts appear on
the pages between those covers. Our sincere thanks to you all. We would also like to thank the provincial and national CASP
co-ordinators of the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries. With their assistance, an additional 4 800 copies of
this book will be put into the hands of extension officers, who will help turn the knowledge and information within these pages
into the living reality of agricultural produce and financially sustainable families.
And if you are looking at this book, you are probably involved in agriculture too. To you, our best wishes and an invitation
that if you cannot find the information that you are looking for in here, contact us and we will help. Please also visit our new
website: www.AgriHandbook.co.za where you will find the official Blog for this publication, as well as the online version of
the book, later in 2013.
Craig Macaskill
Editor: The Agri Handbook
for South Africa
THE AGRI HANDBOOK FOR SOUTH AFRICA

CONTENTS
Introduction
Africa and agriculture
South Africa and agriculture
Organised agriculture

The importance of rural development
Agriculture and the provinces
Labour and agriculture
The urban question
8
17
21
24
30
43
45
Marketing and finance

Agribusinesses 49
Agricultural shows and events
56
Commodity trading 58
Co-operatives 66
Development financial services
70
Exporting 76
Fibre trading 82
Fresh produce markets
83
Infrastructure and agricultural logistics see National issues section
Intellectual property rights
87
Livestock auctions 89
Marketing 91
Providers of financial services
97
Risk management and insurance
107
Supply chain management 112
Resources and Good Agricultural

Practice
Biodiversity and ecosystems services
114
Biological farming 122
Birds and farming 124
Conservancies and farming 126
Environmental legislation 129
Fire 134
Invasive Alien Species (IAS)
137
LandCare 141
Natural building 142
Organic farming 142
Permaculture 149
Rangeland / veld 154
Soils 159
Water see the National issues section
Waste management 163
Weather and climate
167
Wetlands 170
Wildlife on farms 175
Inputs
Animal feeds 180
Animal health 184
Animal traction: the use of animal power
190
Biocontrol
Boreholes and windmills
Compost and organic fertiliser
Conservation Agriculture
Crop protection
Earthworms and vermicompost
Fencing
Fertigation
Fertiliser
Fleet maintenance and spare parts
Forklifts
Fuel and lubricants
General farm equipment
Grain storage and handling
Implements
Irrigation
Packaging
Pumps and generators
Rainwater harvesting
Renewable energy
Seeds and seedlings
Speciality fertilisers
Structures and building supplies
Tractors, combines, balers
Trailers
Trucks and heavy machinery
Tyres
Water storage
4x4s and other vehicles
193
195
197
200
204
211
213
215
216
227
228
229
233
236
243
245
252
254
257
259
264
270
273
274
280
281
282
283
285
National issues
Biosecurity
Black Economic Empowerment
Climate change and global warming
Developing farmer support
Energy
Food security
HIV and AIDS
Human settlements
Infrastucture and agricultural logistics
Job creation
Land reform
People with disabilities
Safety and security
Water
Women
Youth
286
290
294
300
310
316
320
324
326
331
336
340
342
345
354
357
Agricultural education, training and

careers
Agricultural education and training
Careers and employment in agriculture
361
380
Disclaimer: We have tried to make this information as accurate as possible. For the latest information, please consult the websites and / or relevant associations and role players
mentioned in the relevant chapters. For this reason we will not accept responsibility for consequences of actions which may arise from errors contained in this book.
THE AGRI HANDBOOK FOR SOUTH AFRICA

CONTENTS
Agricultural services and technologies
Agricultural consultants 392
Biotechnology and plant breeding
397
Hydroponics and undercover growing
404
ICT and agricultural media
410
Laboratories and agriculture
414
Legal aid and legislation
415
Mapping 419
Precision farming 421
Precision livestock farming
424
425
Research and development
Agronomy and horticulture

Bamboo 429
Barley 430
Berries 432
Black tea 434
Canola 436
Cassava 437
Chicory 438
Citrus fruit 439
Coffee 443
Cotton 446
Cut-flowers 449
Deciduous fruit 451
Dry beans 452
455
Floriculture and nursery crops
Forage and pastures 457
Forestry 461
Fruit 465
Grain and oilseeds
468
Grapes 472
Groundnuts 475
Herbs and spices 477
Honeybush 481
Horticulture 483
Indigenous African crops

485
Indigenous medicinal plants
490
Maize 493
Mushrooms and truffles
500
Olives 501
Other crops 502
Other fibre crops 503
Potatoes 506
Rooibos 509
Sorghum 510
Soybeans 512
Subtropical fruit 515
Sugarcane 519
Sunflowers 520
Tobacco 524
Tree nuts 526
Vegetables 529
Wheat 536
Livestock
Animal husbandry 539
Animal Improvement and Breeders
542
Aquaculture 549
Beef
556
Beekeeping 561
Dairy 564
Donkeys 568
Gamebirds, waterfowl and other poultry
573
Goats 574
Goats mohair 578
Goat and sheep dairy
580
Horses the equine industry
581
Indigenous breeds 583
Ostriches 585
Other livestock 588
Pork 589
Poultry 594
Rabbits 599
Sheep 601
Sheep wool 604
Speciality fibre production 608
Wildlife ranching 610
Value add and agro-processing

Abattoirs 614
Agro-processing 619
Baking 628
Biofuels 629
Canning and preserving 633
Dairy processing 634
Dried fruit 638
Essential and vegetable oils
639
Food safety and traceability
645
Hunting 651
Leather 653
Milling 654
Small and micro milling
658
Tourism in agriculture 659
Wine 663
Beyond our borders

Southern Africa Development Community (SADC)
668
Roll of honour: our advertisers

Without you this public resource would not be possible
Copyright 2013 by RainbowSA Publishing (Pty) Ltd.The Agri Handbook is made available under the terms of the Creative Commons
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671
introduction
Africa and agriculture
1. Introduction
It is appropriate for this book to begin with a chapter on the continent
which is home Africa. We are human beings first, true, but it is Africa
which gives us our context, our pain and glory, our opportunities to grow.
The websites listed in this chapter, particularly those of financial and
investment companies, create a fascinating picture of the continent. It is a
patchwork of 54 countries (or more, depending on your politics), ranging
from deserts to tropical forests.
Six of the ten fastest growing economies of the world are here. With
the exception of South Africa, sub-Saharan Africa countries measure an
average annual growth rate of over 5%, and many see the continent as
a new investment destination. There has been much excitement over
growth prospects for Africa, based largely on the extractive industries oil,
mining and gas. The uncultivated, fertile land and presence of water makes
a further attractive resource.
Not everyone shares this optimism: Africa only attracted 5.5% of global
Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in 2011. Perhaps Africa needs to start
telling its story better. She can also concentrate on four things: stability of
government; strengthening the rule of law; strengthening education; rooting
out corruption. And this applies to South Africa too. Lagos, Nairobi, Abidjan
and others are becoming as important as gateways into Africa.
Africa is on its way to becoming a preferred investment destination, a
potential pole of global growth, and a place of immense innovation and
creativity. But there is also a long way to go, and Africas governments
must as a matter of urgency turn their attention to those who are being
left behind.
Former United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan, introducing the Africa
Progress Panel in 2012.
2. Millennium Development Goals (MDGs)

In 2000, 147 heads of State and Government endorsed the Millennium
Declaration at the UN Millennium Summit. The declaration defines a limited
number of achievable goals, Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), to be
reached by the year 2015. The overall objective is to halve the proportion
of the worlds population who live in absolute poverty.
MDGs are a framework of 8 goals, 18 targets and 48 indicators to measure
progress towards these goals:
Goal 1: Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger.
Goal 2: Achieve universal primary education.
Goal 3: Promote gender equality and empower women.
Goal 4: Reduce child mortality.
Goal 5: Improve maternal health.
Goal 6: Combat HIV/Aids, malaria, TB and other diseases.
Goal 7: Ensure environmental sustainability.
Goal 8: Develop a global partnership for development.
Source: www.netpublikationer.dk/um/4888/index.htm
Find the latest release of Africa Development Indicators which analyses

the progress that African countries have made towards meeting the
Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) by 2015. The document is
available on the World Bank website, www.worldbank.org.
See also related websites like www.endpoverty2015.org and www.
noexcuse2015.org.
3. New Partnership for Africas

Development NEPAD
The eNewsletter, NEPAD Dialogue, is available in English, French and
Portuguese. If you are would like to receive these, please contact NEPAD by
writing to info@nepad.org.
The New Partnership for Africas Development (NEPAD), an African Union
strategic framework for pan-African socio-economic development, is both
a vision and a policy framework for Africa in the twenty-first century.
NEPAD manages a number of programmes and projects in six theme areas.
Agriculture and Food Security.
Climate Change and National Resource Management.
Regional Integration and Infrastructure.
Human Development.
Economic and Corporate Governance.
Cross-cutting Issues, including Gender, Capacity Development and
ICT.
A history of NEPAD and details of NEPADs governance structures can be
found on the website, www.nepad.org.
NEPAD Planning and Coordinating Agency (NPCA)
Tel: 011 256 3600
www.nepad.org
Comprehensive African Agriculture Development Programme
(CAADP)
The heads of state and government in Africa have adopted the
Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP) as
a framework for the restoration of agriculture growth, rural development
and food security in Africa. Through CAADP, NEPAD draws the attention
of member governments to a wide range of actions to revitalise African
agriculture and provides a framework for harmonised and collaborative
responsive action.
CAADPs work falls under 4 pillars, each dealing with key issues:
Pillar 1: Land & water management
Pillar 2: Market access
Pillar 3: Food supply and hunger
Pillar 4: Agricultural research
Read more at www.caadp.net.
4. Africa and agriculture

The setting
Agriculture is the economic backbone of most African countries. It
employs 70% of the labour force in sub-Saharan Africa and contributes
30% to the GDP.
The sector is dominated by smallholders with land sizes usually not
exceeding 1 hectare, which also includes livestock holders, small-scale
agricultural processing enterprises and marketing actors.
The continent has almost 60% of the worlds uncultivated land and a
large share of natural resources.
The agricultural import bill now amounts to more than US$ 33 billion
annually.
Africa is responsible for only 10% of the worlds agricultural production.
As agricultural progresses it generates growth in other sectors as the
demand rises for other goods and services. The high-performing economies
have shown that increased agricultural growth precedes any economic
take-off. So how do we get there?
Perspectives on agriculture
Dr John Purchase of the South Africas Agricultural Business Chamber
(Agbiz) has stated that the following are required interventions to take
agriculture in Africa to the next level:
a) The creation of partnerships throughout the entire value chain
from raw material providers to marketplace distributors. These
partnerships, whether they be Private to Private or Public to Private,
are seen as tools to strengthen the agricultural industry in Africa as a
whole.
b) Governments in Africa must be committed to enacting considerably
more favourable agricultural policies that can create enabling
environments for agriculture and agribusinesses to be more globally
competitive. Trade agreements and regulatory legislation need to be
harmonised on regional basis.
c) Infrastructure development and energy access are fundamental
to the process of growth. Africa needs investments in infrastructure
to get markets working, and investment in energy, especially clean
renewable energy, to drive production, processing, storage and
distribution.
d) Market exploitation and accessibility will be a key component in
the sustainable development of African agriculture. Understand local,
regional and global market demand dynamics. Add value, improve
quality, innovate and adapt quickly to market demand. Collectively
press for trade reform for EU and others to open markets and remove
trade barriers. Develop intra-Africa markets and trade.
e) Effective and innovative risk-sharing models to facilitate access to
credit are being developed and are already proving successful. These
need to be expanded considerably as access to credit remains one of
the major constraints facing the development of African agriculture.
Commercial financiers, such as the banks, as well as Development
Finance Institutions (DFIs) and even the donor community, can play a
major role by partnering and co-ordinating their efforts. Need to also
look at role and reform of institutions, especially role of Central Banks.
f) Research and Development is a necessity for agricultural
development; not only to raise production and productivity to much
higher levels, but also to improve value added processes and product
quality. The need for scientific R&D will certainly require all parties
involved, both the private sector and the government, to take solid
measures in educating their stakeholders about the value of R&D and
how new approaches and techniques, including biotechnology, can
make a valuable contribution to agricultural growth.
g) Underpinning much of the above, is the fact that, despite Africas huge
reliance on agriculture for its GDP (~35%), only a handful (about
5) of countries invest 10% of their annual budgets in agricultural
development, despite the Maputo Declaration, signed by African
Heads of State, committing to this target. Investment by African
Governments in agriculture will send a profound signal to the private
sector, and private sector investment will be sure to follow.
Source: Agro-allied industry development across Africa, a presentation given to
the Africa Economic Forum given in 2011, and Opportunities through agricultural
restructuring and integration of smallholders in the agro-food chain, given at
Brussels in 2012.
The single most important focus should be upgrading rural infrastructure

networks and creating regional markets.
Across the region, agricultural production is increasing in per capita
terms. The reason is that there have been fairly positive rates of economic
growth and people have more money to spend on food. But the biggest
increase has been in the amount of food that is imported. That is because
farmers cant get what they produce to the urban centres, so the food
comes in from outside instead.
Source: Prof Nick Vink of Stellenbosch University, www.ngopulse.org/article/timeprioritise-farming
Aid alone will not end poverty in Africa. Market access, fair terms of
trade, and a non-discriminatory financial system are equally essential in
helping Africans to lift themselves out of poverty and deprivation.
The path to prosperity begins at the fields of our farmers ... Our farmers
need better seeds, soils and prices for what they sell. They need access
to water, markets and credit. They need national policies that accelerate
rural economic growth, investment and job creation.
Former UN secretary general Kofi Annan
African policy-makers must embrace technology and develop their own

technological solutions. African research institutions are pioneering
new forms of irrigation that could transform the way staple foods are
cultivated. Fertilisers are available that can feed nutrient deficient soils.
Modern crop varieties can dramatically increase yields and new farming
techniques can make processes significantly more efficient. Not only can
it be done, but it has been done. In less than six years, the production of
maize in Malawi has increased from under two million tons to well over
3.5 million tons, allowing the country to become an exporter of the crop
to neighbouring countries.
It is why, despite all the obstacles we face, I remain such an optimist when
it comes to Africas agricultural development. Our continent has twelve
times the land area of India, with only half the population to feed. With
few exceptions, the distribution of cultivable land in sub-Saharan Africa
is equitable compared to many other regions of the world. Moreover,
the technology already exists, demonstrated through the success of
improved varieties of cassava, rice and maize. I believe that with the
right commitment, policies and technologies, Africa will better the Asian
agricultural miracle of the 1970s and 80s doing so in an environmentally
sustainable way.
Source: Joachim Chissano, former president of Mozambique
5. Regional Economic Communities (RECs)

Currently there are multiple regional blocs in Africa, also known as
Regional Economic Communities (RECs), many of which have overlapping
memberships.
Most of these RECs form the pillars of the African Economic Community
(AEC). The AEC has several goals free trade areas, customs unions, a
single market, a central bank, and a common currency thus establishing an
economic and monetary union.
Customs unions, a free trade area with a common external tariff, exist
within these RECs e.g. the Southern African Customs Union (SACU),
the East African Community, the Economic and Monetary Community of
Central Africa (CEMAC) and the West African Economic and Monetary
Union (UEMOA). All REC members are not necessarily members of the
customs union operating within the REC.
CEN-SAD (Community of Sahel-Saharan States)
Benin
Burkina Faso
Central African Republic
Chad
Comoros
Cte dIvoire
Djibouti
Egypt
Eritrea
The Gambia
Ghana
Guinea
Guinea-Bissau
Kenya
Liberia
Libya
Mali
Mauritania
Morocco
Niger
Nigeria
So Tom and
Prncipe
Senegal
Sierra Leonne
Somalia
Sudan
Tunisia
Togo
Arab Maghreb Union UMA

www.maghrebarabe.org/en/
Algeria
Libya
Mauritania
Morocco
Tunisia
Economic Community of West African States ECOWAS

www.ecowas.int
Benin
Burkina Faso
Cape Verde
Cte dIvoire
The Gambia
Ghana
Guinea
Guinea-Bissau
Liberia
Mali
Niger
Nigeria
Senegal
Sierra Leone
Togo
10
Economic Community of Central African States ECCAS

www.ceeac-eccas.org
Angola
Burundi
Cameroon
Central African Republic
Chad
Congo-Brazzaville
Congo-Kinshasa (DRC)
Equatorial Guinea
Gabon
So Tom and
Prncipe
Intergovernmental Authority on Development IGAD

www.igad.org
Somalia
Sudan
South Sudan
Djibouti
Ethiopia
Kenya
Uganda
Eritrea
Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa COMESA

www.comesa.int
Burundi
Comoros
Djibouti
Egypt
Eritrea
Ethiopia
Kenya
Libya
Madagascar
Malawi
Mauritius
Rwanda
Seychelles
South Sudan
Sudan
Swaziland
Uganda
Zambia
Zimbabwe
Uganda
Burundi
Rwanda
South Sudan
Southern African Developmental Community SADC

www.sadc.int
Angola
Botswana
Lesotho
Madagascar
Malawi
Mauritius
Mozambique
Namibia
Seychelles
South Africa
Swaziland
Tanzania
Zambia
Zimbabwe
There are plans to create a 26-nation free trade area by integrating three
existing African trade blocs by July 2014: the East African Community
(EAC), the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA),
and the Southern African Development Community (SADC).
The three RECs aim to create a free market of 525-million people with
an output of $1-trillion when they unite.
Although African economies are growing fast second only to Asia the
continent has attracted criticism over its slow pace of integration, a delay
that is seen as driving up the cost of doing business.
The World Bank said in a report in February 2012 that red tape and
trade barriers cost Africa billions of dollars and deprive the region of new
sources of economic growth.
Many of the countries in the three blocs are members of more than one
trade area. Zambia is a member of SADC and COMESA for example,
while Kenya has membership in EAC and COMESA. South Sudan, which
attained independence from Sudan in 2011, is expected to join the free
trade area, taking the total number of states to 27 or half of Africa.
Source: Reuters 21 May 2012 (adapted)
Two key initiatives were developed in an attempt to achieve the MDG

goals: the Doha Development Agenda (DDA) and Economic Partnership
Agreements (EPAs).
The DDA aims to lower global trade barriers
EPAs seek to liberalise trade specifically between the EU and African,
Caribbean and Pacific countries.
Read about the DDA at www.wto.org, website of the World Trade
Organisation (WTO).
EPAs are based on the Cotonou Partnership Agreement (CPA), the
objectives of which are to enhance the trading capacity of the small ACP
landlocked and island ACP countries. It has been difficult to craft the EPAs
within the RECs (see heading 5) and these negotiations have not reached
agreement yet.
A key lesson from both the DDA and EPAs is that increasing trade to EU and
US partners is not enough.
Africa needs to encourage both intra-Africa and intra-REC trade (intraAfrican trade accounts for only some 12% of the international trade done
by countries on the continent!)
The following should take place in conjunction with trade liberalisation:
Eastern African Community EAC

www.eac.int
Kenya
Tanzania
6. Intra-Africa trade and Economic Partnership

Agreements (EPAs)
Investment in infrastructure geared towards production and export:

roads, railways, port facilities, power generation, water supply,
telecommunications and information and communications technology.
Increased public investment in research and development, rural
infrastructure, and health and education.
The development of domestic policy regulatory frameworks to
regulate the movement of goods and services.
Source: Bonani Nyhodo (adapted), International TradeProbe January 2012
7. International role players

United Nations and overseas bodies
Canadian Council on Africa http://ccafrica.ca
Diaspora African Forum (DAF) www.diasporaafricanforum.org.
The DAF provides the vital linkage for diaspora Africans to become
involved in Africas development as well as reap the fruits of African
unity.
Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) www.fao.org
Forum on China-Africa Co-operation www.focac.org/eng
The G8 countries: Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia,
United Kingdom and the USA.
Global Forum for Food and Agriculture (GFFA)
International Centre for Soil Fertility and Agricultural
Development (IFDC) www.ifdc.org
International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD)
www.ifad.org
International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) www.ifpri.
org
International Institute for Sustainable Development www.iisd.
org
International Trade Centre www.intracen.org the development
partner for small business export success in developing countries
Integrated Regional Information Networks (IRIN) is part of the
UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. Find the
Africa menu option at www.irinnews.org
The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development
(OECD) puts out economic outlooks for countries of the world. Find
reports, statistics and summaries at www.oecd.org/africa.
Tokyo International Conference on African Development
(TICAD) www.ticad.net
United Nations Conference on Trade and Development
(UNCTAD) www.unctad.org.
United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has a South
African office. See www.undp.org.za.
United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA)
http://new.uneca.org
11
United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO)

www.unido.org
US Agency for International Development (USAID) www.
usaid.gov
Find the current world production, market and trade reports at www.
fas.usda.gov/currwmt.asp the Foreign Agricultural Service arm of the
US Department of Agriculture
World Economic Forum www.weforum.org
World Food Programme (WFP) www.wfp.org
World Growth which sets out the advantages of globalisation www.
worldgrowth.org
World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) www.wmo.ch
African Union bodies

African Union (AU) www.au.int
African Union Commission - www.au.int/en/commission
The New Partnership for Africas Development (NEPAD) is the
AUs blueprint for socio-economic development on the continent.
Visit www.nepad.org.
Pan-African Parliament www.pan-african-parliament.org
Finance, investment and trade

Africa Finance Corporation www.africafc.org
Africa Investor www.africainvestor.com. Look for the Agriculture
menu option.
African Agricultural Capital www.aac.co.ke
African Development Bank www.afdb.org
African Rural and Agricultural Credit Association (AFRACA) www.afraca.org
Alden Global Capital www.aldenglobal.com
BMCE Bank International www.bmce-intl.co.uk
Corporate Council on Africa www.africacncl.org
Deloitte Consulting www.deloitte.com
Development Bank of Southern Africa www.dbsa.org
Find the Doing Business in Africa (DBIA) blog at www.commerce.
gov.
East African Development Bank www.eadb.org
Ecobank www.ecobank.com
Emerging Capital Partners www.ecpinvestments.com
Look for the Africa Attractiveness surveys on www.ey.com, website of
Ernst & Young
Export-Import Bank of China http://english.eximbank.gov.cn
International Monetary Fund (IMF) www.imf.org
KPMG www.kpmg.com
Lex Africa www.lexafrica.com
Market Access Map making import tariffs and market barriers
transparent: www.macmap.org
Find the research undertaken by McKinsey Global Institute (MGI)
www.mckinsey.com
PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) www.pwc.com
The Regional Economic Communities (RECs) (see heading 5)
SilverStreet Capital www.silverstreetcapital.com
World Bank www.worldbank.org
The World Banks private sector lending arm is the International
Finance Corporation www.ifc.org
World Trade Organisation (WTO) www.wto.org
Farmer unions
East Africa Farmers Federation (EAFF) http://eaffu.org
Pan African Farmers Organisation (PAFO) contact SACAU (see
below)
PROPAC The association representing farmers in Central Africa www.propac.org
ROPPA (Network of Farmers and Agricultural Producers
Organisations of West Africa) www.roppa.info
Southern Africa Confederation of Agricultural Unions (SACAU)
www.sacau.org
Associations and industry bodies

African Association of Public Transport www.uitp.org
African Civil Aviation Commission (AFCAC) www.afcac.org
African Shipowners Association http://african-shipowners.org
Agency for the Safety of Aerial Navigation in Africa (ASECNA)
www.asecna.aero
Business Action For Africa http://businessactionforafrica.org

Maritime Organisation of West and Central Africa (OMAOC)
www.omaoc.org
Port Management Association of Eastern and Southern Africa
(PMAESA) www.pmaesa.org
Port Management Association of West and Central Africa
(PMAWCA) www.pmawca-agpaoc.org
Union of African Railways - www.uic.org

See also the Research and development chapter
African Capacity Building Foundation (ACBF) www.acbf-pact.

org
CTA (Technical Centre for Agricultural and Rural Cooperation)
www.cta.int. Agritrade (see http://agritrade.cta.int), other newsletters
and publications are available from them.
Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research
(CGIAR) www.cgiar.org. Thousands of agricultural and related
industries publications are available on the website.
Developing Countries Farm Radio Network www.farmradio.org
Eldis is one of a family of knowledge services at the Institute of
Development Studies in the UK. Find the Eldis Agriculture and
Development Reporter at www.eldis.org
Food, Agricultural and Natural Resources Policy Analysis
Network (FANRPAN) www.fanrpan.org
Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa (FARA) www.faraafrica.org
How are we doing?

Africa Progress Panel www.africaprogresspanel.org
African Commission on Human and Peoples Rights (ACHPR)
www.achpr.org
LEAD Africa http://leadinafrica.org
The Mo Ibrahim Foundation publishes an annual index of good
governance. The list rates sub-Saharan African countries by a set of
indicators, including safety and security, rule of law, participation and
human rights, sustainable economics and human development. The
award, in excess of $5-million, dwarfs the Nobel Peace Prize. See
www.moibrahimfoundation.org.
Pax-Africa www.paxafrica.org, African peace and security agenda
Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (Agra) www.agraalliance.org
8. South African role players

AFGRI www.afgri.co.za
Africa Check www.africacheck.org
Africa Institute of South Africa (AISA) www.ai.org.za
African Economic Research Consortium www.aercafrica.org
African Business Journal - www.tabj.co.za
African Investment Consulting - www.africaninvestments.co.za
AFRICA The Good News www.africagoodnews.com looks at
stories that the reader may not have noticed.
Africa Project Access www.africaprojectaccess.co.za
Agri Africa consultants www.agrisolafrica.com
Find the Trade intelligence option at www.agbiz.co.za, website of
the Agricultural Business Chamber.
AGRIFICA promotes and facilitates agricultural development in
Africa. Visit www.agrifica.co.za
The Archie Mafeje Research Institute (AMRI) at the University of
South Africa (UNISA) www.unisa.ac.za
A number of reports related to trade and agriculture in Africa can be
found on the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries
(DAFF) website www.daff.gov.za
Bizcommunity.com has launched an African edition of its email
newsletter for the marketing, media and advertising industries. View
africa.bizcommunity.com.
The Department of International Relations and Cooperation
(DIRCO) www.dirco.gov.za
The Disaster Management Training and Education Centre for
Africa (DiMTEC) at the University of the Free State www.ufs.ac.za/
dimtec
Executive Research Associates puts out a newsletter covering
developments in Africa. Visit www.erassociates.co.za for more.
14
The Foundation for the Development of Africa runs several

websites: www.foundation-development-africa.org and www.
isupportafrica.com are two of these.
Illovo Sugar www.illovo.co.za
Institute for Global Dialogue www.igd.org.za
The Institute of Security Studies (ISS) website contains a wealth of
information relating to Africa. Visit www.iss.co.za.
Joint Agribusiness Department of Agriculture Forum for
Africa (JADAFA) www.jadafa.co.za is a joint venture between
agribusiness and the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries
in South Africa.
Science in Africa www.scienceinafrica.co.za
Senwes www.senwes.co.za
Shoprite www.shoprite.co.za
South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA) www.
saiia.org.za
Standard Bank has an extensive Africa footprint. Find out more at
www.standardbank.com.
Tiger Brands www.tigerbrands.co.za
TRADE (Trade and Development) Research niche area focusing
research on export promotion and identifying South Africas export
opportunities. Write to Wilma.viviers@nwu.ac.za
Trade Law Centre for Southern Africa (TRALAC), www.tralac.
org, has an electronic newsletter which often looks beyond Southern
Africa to the wider issues on the continent.
TradeInvestNigeria www.tradeinvestnigeria.com aimed at
anyone who may have an interest in doing business or investing in
Nigeria and Kenya.
Woolworths www.woolworths.co.za
9. African country profiles

The website of the African Development Bank, www.afdb.org, includes
notes on all African countries.
Find the different Country briefs at www.fao.org
Find the Country Profiles at http://theafricareport.com.
Visit www.nationmaster.com take either the Countries A-Z or
Agriculture menu options for statistics.
The World Bank website gives country profiles www.worldbank.org
The British Broadcasting Commission (BBC) website provides very
useful country profiles. Visit www.bbc.com.
The Mbendi website, www.mbendi.co.za, gives updates on all
economic sectors in Africa, including Agriculture.
10. Websites and publication

Visit the many websites listed in this chapter.
Find the reports and papers at www.polity.org.za e.g. US African Growth

and Opportunity Act: Influence upon poverty reduction with evidence from
Kenya, Lesotho and Mauritius and The vital business case for integration
in Africa and the chance of a complimentary invitation to all businesses
active on the continent.
Find the Agriculture option at http://agritrade.cta.int
The World Bank does the annual Africa Development Indicators reports.
These allow role players and interested parties to monitor, study, and
document Africas economic and social development. Find the latest
one at www.worldbank.org.
The Africa Report magazine www.theafricareport.com
www.AfricaFertilizer.org is a global Internet forum created to
disseminate and exchange information on various aspects of fertiliser,
soil fertility and related agricultural issues that impact Africa.
African Monitor was established to monitor funding delivery and the
impact on grassroots communities. Visit www.africanmonitor.org.
Afrique Expansion magazine www.afriqueexpansion.com
A vast stretch of African savannah land that spreads across 25 countries

has the potential to turn several African nations into global players in
bulk commodity production, according to a study published by FAO and
the World Bank in 2009. The book is entitled Awakening Africas Sleeping
Giant Prospects for Commercial Agriculture in the Guinea Savannah Zone
and Beyond.
The 2012 Ernst & Young Africa Attractiveness study give the following
as key findings:
The number of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) projects in Africa
grew 27% from 2010 to 2011, and have grown at a compound rate
of close to 20% since 2007.
Despite this growth, there remain lingering negative perceptions
of the continent but only among those who are not yet doing
business in Africa.
The story of Africas progress, not just in economic but also in sociopolitical terms, needs to be told more confidently and consistently.
This broad-based progress is underscored by a substantial shift in
mindset and activities among Africans themselves, with increasing
self-confidence and continued strong growth in intra-African FDI
(which has expanded by 42% since 2007).
Regional integration is critical to accelerated and sustainable growth.
Creating larger markets with greater critical mass will not only
enhance the African investment proposition, it is also the only way
for Africa to compete effectively in the global economy.
Bridging the infrastructure gap will be a key enabler of regional
integration, growth and development. It also remains a key challenge
and opportunity for investors.
Find the study at www.ey.com.
17
introduction
South Africa and agriculture
1. Overview
The Agri Handbook for South Africa has, as its name suggests, a focus on
agriculture, and in this country, South Africa. Its pages provide orientations
to everything which happens in agronomy, horticulture and the livestock
industry. Upstream and downstream are covered, as are finance/marketing
issues and the wider socio-political and environmental contexts in which the
countrys agricultural value chain finds itself.
The information is not limited to what happens within this country.
Our farmers are affected by what happens beyond our harbours and
border posts. Most of the chapters in this publication contain a heading
International business environment, and there are chapters on Africa and
the South African Development Community (SADC).
It is difficult to cover in each chapter what is covered in books (and libraries!)
elsewhere; nonetheless, this publication is a modest attempt to do this.
If the reader is looking for a summary of South African agriculture in five
pages or so, please refer to the websites and publications heading of this
chapter where some pointers are given.
3. South Africas agricultural trade balance: our

imports and exports
Over the past decade, the overall Agricultural trade balance for South Africa
has remained positive, with the exception of 2007. The rumour that South
Africa has become a net importer of food, which some doomsayers love
to report, is false.
South Africa has never been a net importer of primary agricultural products.
What is true is that South Africa has been a net importer of secondary, or
processed, agricultural products since 2005. Other countries have gained
the advantage of processing food products from their primary form to their
final form, which is what the consumer demands. These countries have
also picked up the income generation, growth potential and employment
opportunities which South Africa has lost.
It is not feasible to argue that import substitution would regain all the lost
opportunities. Many of the products imported can indeed be produced,
processed and manufactured locally, but for others the country simply does
not have the comparative advantage to do so, which relates to factors such
as resource availability and cost of production.
Government and industry are investigating opportunities as to where
to invest to ensure returns, reflected through net income generation,
employment creation and growth.
Table 1: Top 15 Primary and Secondary Agricultural products / group of
products imported
Primary agriculture
2. The economy: agriculture and the GDP (Gross

Domestic Product)
A standard model of economic growth shows that as a country develops,
its primary activities (agriculture included) take a lower percentage in that
countrys GDP, secondary activities (e.g. manufacturing and processing)
and the services sector taking an increasingly larger share. The fact that
agricultures share of the South African GDP is shrinking is to be expected
since we have economic growth. Agriculture grows but not at the same
speed as other sectors. Agricultures share of the countrys GDP is placed
at somewhere between 2.6 and 3 percent.
Because of the linkages with other sectors, some sources prefer to view
agriculture in a wider context, referring to the agro-food industry instead.
Viewed this way, the GDP rises to 14% and higher, depending on which
sources one uses. If one includes all the forward and backward linkages,
then the contribution grows to between 20% and 30%.
Agriculture is a spark, and numerous studies point to its multiplier effect
on other sectors: a Rand spent in agriculture achieves more than a Rand
spent anywhere else. We need food to survive, and agriculture is central to
the process which brings that food to our plates.
Agriculture remains a cornerstone and the countrys lifeblood, whatever
its share of the GDP. On a national level we are food secure because of
agriculture.
It is crucial for a country to maintain its agricultural sector so that its need
for basic foodstuff can be met. The First World countries know this. It is
not out of spite that they hold onto those (trade-distorting) agricultural
subsidies. Their farmers do more than just look after the countryside.
Secondary agriculture
1 Wheat
Rice
2 Tobacco
Palm, palm kernel, coconut oil
3 Coffee, green & black tea, Soybean oilcake

mate
4 Dried peas and beans
Whiskies, rum,
liqueurs, cordials
5 Sugar (raw cane & sucrose)
Soybean oil
gin,
vodka,
6 Cotton
Chicken meat, cuts and offal
7 Spices
Food preparations
8 Seeds & plant sowing
Cocoa products
9 Nuts
Preserved tuna, salmon, sardines,

etc.
10 Seeds for oil & consumption
Sunflower seed / safflower oil
11 Barley
Casein, egg albumin, gelatine,

peptones, dextrin, etc.
12 Plants, bulbs, trees, roses
Dairy products
13 Live chickens & poultry
Pasta, pastries, breads, etc.
14 Fresh & chilled vegetables
Sugar, molasses, lactose, glucose,

chewing gum, confection
15 Bananas
Animal and pet feed
Table 2: Top 15 Primary and Secondary Agricultural products / group of

products exported
18
Primary agriculture
Secondary agriculture
1 Oranges
Wine, grape brandy, fermented

beverages, ethyl alcohol
2 Grapes
Preserved nuts & fruits, incl pears,

peaches and fruit mixtures
3 Apples & pears
Fruit juices
4 Mandarins, grapefruit, lemons, Tobacco products

other citrus
5 Maize
Food preparations
6 Sugar
Sunflower seed and safflower oil
7 Wool
Cocoa products and chocolate
8 Apricots, cherries, peaches & Whiskies, rum, gin, liqueurs &

plums
cordials
9 Tobacco
Sauces, soups & homogenised

foods
10 Soybeans
Raisins
11 Avocados
Flour meal & pellet of fish
12 Maize seed
Macadamia nuts
13 Peanuts/groundnuts
Meat & edible meat offal
14 Nuts
Sheep/lamb skins
15 Vegetable seeds, fruit and Waters & non-alcoholic beverages

spores for sowing
Source: adapted from the Agricultural Business Chamber 12 April 2012 Newsletter
quoting World Trade Atlas, NAMC, and DAFF (2012)
4. National Strategy and government contact

The immediately apparent government department to look at is the
Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (DAFF) see www.daff.
gov.za. Because of the way agriculture contributes to the economic and
social framework of the country, numerous other government departments
are involved. The most obvious of these are:
The Department of Rural Development and Land Reform (DRDLR)
The Department of Labour
The Department of Water Affairs
The Department of Environmental Affairs
The Department of Energy
The latest Industrial Policy Action Plan (IPAP) includes various sectors
of the agricultural value chain. The Department of Trade and Industry
(DTI) also features in other areas like exports, co-operatives and the
registering of companies.
Agriculture is seen as a sector in which jobs can be created (see the
Job creation chapter). Relevant departments here are Department of
Economic Development and the National Planning Commission (NPC)
in the Presidency.
The Department of Health
Contact details and information on all government departments are available
at www.gov.za.
The National Development Plan (NDP), which charts a 20-year path

towards achieving a better life for all South Africans, is available in all
eleven official languages.
The document, drawn up after a year of intensive work by the
commission identified nine key problems facing the country namely, poor
education, divided communities, uneven public service performance,
an unsustainable resource-intensive economy, a high disease burden,
unemployment, existing spatial patterns, crumbling infrastructure and
corruption.
To access the popular version of the NDP in all official languages, visit
www.npconline.co.za and go to The Plan. For visually impaired
persons, software can be downloaded from the same website at no cost
which will read the text out loud.
Agriculture is viewed as one of the sectors in which jobs can be created. Read more
about the NDP, as well as the New Growth Path (NGP) and other strategies in the
Job creation chapter.
5. Role players
The reader is referred to the relevant representative, industry association
as a first point of contact. These are listed in the different chapters of this
publication.
General industry bodies like the Agricultural Business Chamber (Agbiz) or
one of the farmer unions will also be able to help. Visit www.agbiz.co.za and
consult the Organised agriculture chapter.
For government contacts, see heading 4.
6. Websites and publications

For summaries of the countrys agricultural sector take a look at:
The most recent South African Investor Handbook which can be found at
www.thedti.gov.za
The annual SA Yearbook at www.gcis.gov.za
Also of interest will be the different economic analyses and statistical reports
under Publications at www.daff.gov.za.
In 2010, the Census of commercial agriculture, 2007 was published. Find the
document on the website of Statistics South Africa at www.statssa.gov.za/
agriculture/default.asp
Take a look at international reports on South Africa:
Find the latest World Bank and Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) reports on South Africa. Visit
www.worldbank.org and www.oecd.org/southafrica respectively.
Find the latest Global Competitiveness Report at www.wef.org,
website of the World Economic Forum.
Find The Report: South Africa 2012, a publication by International
publishing and research company Oxford Business Group (OBG), at
www.oxfordbusinessgroup.com.
The United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Right to Food released
a report on South Africa in 2012. Find it at www.srfood.org.
The reader is pointed to daily and weekly sources of information in the ICT and
agriculture media chapter, and relevant websites and publications are listed in
almost every chapter of the book.
21
Mission
introduction
To facilitate the development of African farmers in order to increase their

meaningful participation in the agricultural sector
Strategic Objectives
Organised Agriculture
1. Overview
To create a sustainable united body of African farmers with capacity to

influence policies through lobbying and advocacy in favour of African
farmers.
To facilitate development of competencies of African farmers in order
for them to participate meaningfully in formal and informal markets.
To mobilise resources for the benefit of African farmers.
Farmers may voluntarily be part of organised agricultural structures through

local farmers associations and/or through commodity organisations.
Values
At grassroots level, commercial farmers are members of their local farmers

associations, through which they address local agricultural issues and liaise
with officials and organisations on matters concerning their members.
AFASA like any other organisation, is a collection of individuals who come

together for a common purpose. It is therefore crucial that AFASA espouses
what it stands for in order to attract those similar values.
The farmers associations delegate members to represent them in their

respective provincial agricultural unions. The provincial agricultural unions
address matters affecting farmers in the province as a whole and liaise with
higher organisations.
AFASA commits itself to the following values.
The provincial agricultural unions in turn delegate members to represent

them on national bodies.
Included in the category of Organised Agriculture are the commodity
organisations which serve and represent farmers producing a specific
commodity, e.g. maize, beef, cotton etc. Find contact details of these in the
relevant chapters.
Source: Agri SA (adapted)
2. International associations involved

World Farmers Organisation http://worldfarmersorganisation.com
Cairns Group Farm Leaders www.cairnsgroupfarmers.org
La Via Campesina http://viacampesina.org
Find out about the most recent events in the region on the website of
the Southern African Confederation of Agricultural Unions (SACAU) at
www.sacau.org.
Farmers are represented in the rest of Africa through Plateforme
Rgionale des Organisations Paysannes dAfrique Centrale (PROPAC)
from Central Africa, the Eastern African Farmers Federation (EAFF),
the Rseau desOrganisations Paysannes et des Producteurs Agricoles
dAfrique de lOuest (ROPPA) in Western Africa, and the Union
Maghrbine ds Agriculteurs (UMAGRI) in northern Africa. Visit www.
propac.org, http://eaffu.org and www.roppa.info for more information
A continental organisation for Africa called the Pan-African Farmers
Forum (PAFFO) was launched at the end of 2010. PAFFO is made
up from representatives from SACAU, PROPAC, EAFF, ROPPA and
UMAGRI.
3. National associations involved

AFRICAN Farmers Association of South Africa (AFASA)
Tel: 012 348 8566
Fax: 012 365 3086
www.afasa.za.org
Vision
To have competent and successful commercial African farmers of South
Africa
To be led by people of high integrity in order to create trust, loyalty and

confidence amongst its members employees and the public.
To be transparent and accountable at all times
To maintain high levels of professionalism at all times
To respect the rights, culture and dignity of its members, employees
and the public regardless of gender, race, class, tribe, political and
religious affiliation or belief.
To be a farmer centred organisation.
To ensure that the organisation remains true to its mission and
objectives.
To strive for excellence including efficient and effective service
provision at all levels.
AGRI SA
Tel: 012 643 3400
Fax: 012 663 3178
agrisa@agrisa.co.za
www.agrisa.co.za
Reason for existence
The motivation behind the establishment of the organisation - despite a
change of name from Intercolonical Agricultural Union in 1904 to the South
African Agricultural Union (1909) and Agri SA (1999) has remained virtually
unchanged over the past 100 years. The purpose of the organisation is
still largely to influence policy in the interest of commercial agricultural
producers and to support our mission at operational level.
Mission and Vision
Agri SA promotes, on behalf of its members, the development, profitability,
stability and sustainability of commercial agriculture in South Africa by
means of its involvement and input on national and international policy level.
Structure
Agri SA has a General Affairs Chamber taking care of matters on which
provincial affiliations focus as well as a Commodity Chamber dealing with
commodity issues through commodity affiliations. Its Constitution also
makes provision for associated membership. The organisations highest
authority is its Congress. Policy work is done in specialised committees,
also making use of external inputs. The organisations General Council is
representative of all its affiliates and focuses on strategic challenges and
proposals submitted by the organisations committee structure.
22
Focus areas
Agri SAs policy advocacy includes work on trade negotiations, industrial
policy, labour laws, training, taxation, financing, land reform, farmer
development, environmental affairs, water rights, other input related issues,
farm safety, law and order, infrastructure, technology development and
transfer, statistical information and local government matters. It publishes
a bi-monthly magazine (Agri), an electronic newsletter and runs a regular
radio programme in collaboration with the SABC.
Agri SA is well recognised by government, organised business, organised
labour and regional and international bodies as spokesperson for South
African agriculture. It is a member of Business Unity South Africa (BUSA),
the International Chamber of Commerce, the World Farmers Organisation
(WFO), the Southern African Confederation of Agricultural Unions
(SACAU) and the Cairns Group Farm Leaders.
Agri SA participates in the Presidential Commercial Agriculture Working
Group dealing with policy matters specifically in terms of the Strategic Plan
for South African Agriculture.
Media liaison activities and a strategic communication strategy are also
maintained on various levels to promote understanding and support for
the farmer and agriculture amongst the general public and the rest of the
national economy.
In order to fulfil its role, Agri SA has policy committees for the following
priority areas:
Labour and social welfare
Commercial policy
Safety and Security
Natural resources
Transformation
Communication and image-building
Projects:
Agri Securitas Trust Fund to promote a safer environment for farmers
How does it benefit the individual farmer?
The actions of Agri SA are constantly focused on creating a favourable policy
environment within which it will be possible for farmers to be successful
entrepreneurs and optimally develop the sectors production potential.
Provincial Affiliations:
Agri Eastern Cape
Tel: 041 363 1890
sharlene.matthews@agriec.co.za
www.agriec.co.za
Free State Agriculture
Tel: 051 444 4609
sulene@vslandbou.co.za
www.vslandbou.co.za
Agri Gauteng
Tel: 012 643 3400
gauteng@agrisa.co.za
Kwanalu (KwaZulu-Natal)
Tel: 033 342 9393
sandy@kwanalu.co.za
www.kwanalu.co.za
Mpumalanga Landbou/Agriculture
Tel: 017 819 1295
mplandbou@mweb.co.za
Agri North West
Tel: 018 632 2987
agrinw@lantic.net
Agri Northern Cape
Tel: 053 832 9595
ncagric@worldonline.co.za
Agri Wes-Cape
Tel: 021 860 3800
info@awk.co.za
www.awk.co.za
Agri Limpopo
Tel: 014 763 1888
agrilephalale@vodamail.co.za
Find details of all the affiliated commodity organisations at www.agrisa.

co.za.
NATIONAL AFRICAN FARMERS UNION OF SOUTH AFRICA

(NAFU SA)
Contact the National African Federated Chamber of Commerce and Industry
(NAFCOC). Call 011 807 5063 or visit www.nafcoc.org.za.
TAU SA
Tel: 012 804 8031
info@tlu.co.za
www.tlu.co.za
An organised national agricultural organisation for the commercial farmers
of South Africa
History
The former Transvaal Agricultural Union, now known as TAU SA
During a committee meeting of the Pretoria Landbouw Maatskappij in 1896,

the agenda provided for the founding of a Transvaal Agricultural Union.
Actions spoke louder than words and the Transvaal Agricultural Union was
established on September 29, 1897.
At the fifth congress held by the Union in 1904 there was a plea for the
establishment of a Central Zuid Afrikaanse Landbouw Vereniging (Central
South African Agricultural Union). During July of that year the sister
colonies were invited to Pretoria to discuss the matter where after SALU
(the South African Agricultural Union) was established.
During the sixth congress in 1905, held in Standerton, the TAU asked for
the establishment of a Landbank which opened its doors on November 4,
1907. During the ninth congress the President emphasised some of the
TAUs success stories, such as the establishment of an agricultural school,
so called Proefboerderijen (Onderstepoort test farming), the publishing
of an agricultural magazine and many more.
The initial service area of the TAU during the past century was the four
northern provinces North-, East-, Middle-, and Western Transvaal.
Change to TAU SA
As a result of alterations to the constitution of SALU (the South African
Agricultural Union), the affiliation of TAU (the Transvaal Agricultural Union)
was cancelled. Disaffiliation gave rise to the decision taken by the General
Council of TAU on 19 April 2000, to extend its service area to include the
whole of South Africa. With this decision, the named changed to TAU SA.
As a direct result of this decision, the TAU SA visited various provinces
including the Free State, Eastern Cape, Western Cape, Northern Cape
and KwaZulu-Natal where structures have been established. Regional
Chairmen for seven of the nine statutory Provinces were elected by the
members in each Province. Liaison and meetings in these provinces take
place on a regular basis.
Functions of TAU SA
Issues of importance to the agricultural community as a whole are in
the hands of highly knowledgeable committees, namely: Labour Affairs,
Property Rights, Safety and Security, Energy, Conservation, Economic
Affairs, Communication, Water Affairs, Education & Culture Affairs and
Other.
Several agricultural businesses, produce organisations unions specialising in
agriculture, are affiliated to TAU SA.
These committees are functioning in a co-ordinate way to discuss problems
and matters arising. Thereafter the necessary research and/or negotiation
is done with feedback through the structure to individual members.
The objectives of TAU SA may be summarised as: To organise members
of TAU SA in a united front for the benefit of commercial agriculture as a
profession and the preservation of that cultural way of life.
24
Structure of TAU SA
The highest policy-making body of TAU SA is the congress where the
president and regional chairmen are annually elected. Members are
represented from grass root level Farmers Associations through the
structure, at the congress.
Compilation of structures
TAU SA membership can be obtained by means of application where,
after approval, a member joins TAU SA via the Farmers Association which
is affiliated to the District Agricultural Union, affiliated to TAU SA. The
boundaries of District Agricultural Unions are in accordance to the former
magisterial boundaries.
Co-ordination of all Farmers Unions and District Agricultural Unions is the
responsibility of the relevant Regional Chairman and Regional Manager.
Rendering of services
Problems and matters identified by members are being handled collectively
on several sectors of the TAU SA structure, depending on the degree
thereof, on behalf of the individual farmer and agriculture as such.
The route for handling matters will be firstly on Farmers Association level,
thereafter the District level, the Provincial level and all national matters in a
collective way on national level.
Communication
Two-way communication through the structure to and from head office on
a daily basis.
Communication mediums:
Web pages www.tlu.co.za. Info regarding the services rendered by
TAU SA as well as update press releases and international bulletins
regarding relevant agricultural matters.
TAU SA International Bulletins. A bi-monthly bulletin in English with
facts regarding the situation in SA with its effects on agriculture and
the economy. This bulletin is being sent via e-mail to several contacts
abroad.
TAU SA Pitkos. Every second week a Pitkos is sent to all members
with e-mail in order to keep members updated regarding all activities
of the organisation.
TAU SA news. Advertisements/articles are placed in the different
agricultural publications when regarded necessary.
Radio Pretoria Protection of property rights. 40 Minutes of
airtime every second Tuesday with information regarding warnings on
legislation, results and advice on agricultural matters.
Weekly participation in programmes on community radio stations,
Overvaal Stereo (Monday) and Radio Laeveld (Thursday).
Media. Press releases and agricultural related articles are sent to
newspapers, agriculture publications, radio and TV.
Structure. Electronic communication is being promoted and is
successfully in use.
Funding
Funding of TAU SA is mainly through membership fees, sponsorship by
agricultural businesses as well as the successful managing of various funding
projects to the advantage of members.
Agri-Sector Unity Forum (ASUF)

Ms Ntombi Msimang (Chairperson) 011 314 2833 / 083 635 4860
Mr Japie Grobler (Deputy Chairperson) 082 825 8018
The formation on the Agri-Sector Unity Forum (ASUF) was a development
in the last quarter of 2012. This is an alliance to speak with one voice on
issues that face agriculture as a whole. ASUF is backed by AFASA, Agri SA,
NAFU and the TAU SA, and are also joined by the South African Agricultural
Processors Association (SAAPA) and Agricultural Business Chamber (Agbiz).
Refer to the Agro-processing and Agribusiness chapters respectively for
information on SAAPA and Agbiz.
introduction
The importance of rural
development
1. Overview
Poverty affects millions of people, with the majority of them being women
and children living in rural areas. Of the 17 million poor people in South
Africa, at least 11 million live in rural areas.
The rural economy is inextricably linked to agricultural production.
Even if these people are not engaged in agriculture, they rely on nonfarm employment and income that depends in some way or another on
agriculture.
The challenge for the agricultural sector is not only to produce more food,
but also to create income-generating employment for poor people inside
and outside agriculture, on a sustainable basis.
Source: A paper by Meyer NG, Jooste A, Breitenbach MC and Fenys TI The economic
rationale for agricultural regeneration and rural infrastructure investment in South
Africa
The chapter also serves as a corollary of the Urban question chapter. The
greater the development in the rural areas, the less will be the reason for the
rapid urban migration which places such strain on available resources in the
urban centres, leading to declining living conditions there.
2. National strategy and government contact

Department of Rural Development and Land Reform
Tel: 012 312 8911
www.ruraldevelopment.gov.za
The Comprehensive Rural Development Programme (CRDP) is the main
strategy for rural development. Its vision is to enable rural people to
play a meaningful role in the economy, addressing rural poverty and food
insecurity through the productive use and management of natural resources
at their disposal. The CRDP contains a three branched strategy of Agrarian
Transformation, Rural Development and Land Reform.
The Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (DAFF) leads
the Agrarian Transformation Programme of the CRDP together with the
provinces and local authorities.
Rural development calls for the involvement of multiple government
departments though. Think about it: there is rural health, rural transport,
rural education, rural infrastructure etc. Contact details for all government
departments can be found at www.info.gov.za.
Several other Government interventions, in addition to the CRDP, include
some aspect of rural development. Examples include the Expanded Public
Works Programme (EPWP), the Comprehensive Agricultural Support
Programme (CASP), the Masibambisane Rural Development Initiative
(MRDI) and the National Rural Youth Service Corps (NARYSEC) programme.
The NARYSEC is a two-year programme aimed at empowering rural youth
from each of the 3 300 rural wards across the country.
Read about the Comprehensive Rural Development Programme (CRDP) and
other programmes at www.info.gov.za and www.ruraldevelopment.gov.za.
Find updates at www.sanews.gov.za.
28
3. Role players
Financial Services
Agricultural Colleges
Find details of all Colleges in the Agricultural education and training chapter
Fort Cox Rural Development Centre Tel: 040 653 8033 www.
fortcox.ac.za
Tsolo Agriculture and Rural Development Institute Tel: 047 542
0109
Companies
See the Agribusiness chapter
Agri-Africa Consultants Tel: 076 817 9687 www.agrisolafrica.com

Agri Mega Empowerment Solutions (AgriMES) Tel: 028 424 2890
www.agrimega.co.za
Caryki Consulting Tel: 082 456 0396 / 083 445 2662
CASIDRA Tel: 021 863 5000 www.casidra.co.za
Den Vet Tel: 033 343 1093 www.denvet.co.za Information talks and
presentations done in rural areas
Development Services www.devserve.co.za
Ecosystems Tel: 035 772 4746 www.ecosystems.co.za
Ekhozi Rural Development Services Tel: 021 853 2691
MBB Consulting Engineers Tel: 021 887 1026 www.mbb.co.za
Rural Integrated Engineering Tel: 012 804 5014 www.rieng.co.za
SANBRI Tel: 021 674 1134 www.sabri.co.za
Scientific Roets Tel: 039 727 1515 www.scientificroets.com
South African Institute for Entrepreneurship (SAIE) Tel: 021 447
2023 www.entrepreneurship.co.za
Sustainable Villages Africa www.sva.co.za
Umhlaba Tel: 011 655 7171 www.umhlaba.com
Urban-Econ Tel: 031 202 9673 www.urban-econ.com
Womiwu Rural Development Tel: 015 297 2107 www.womiwu.com
Many rural areas have significant, if not an abundance of natural and
other resources. The major constraints are the restrictive institutional
arrangements and lack of skills that prevent the resources (both natural
and other) from being mobilised and used sustainably.
See the Providers of financial services and Development financial services

chapters
ANDISA Agri
Tel: 082 807 5587
www.andisaagri.com
A number of ANDISA Agris offerings touch on rural development:
strategic planning
value chain analysis
business planning and feasibility studies
managing change of control transactions and land reform transaction
advisory
land reform policy research
project management
micro-finance product design and Outgrower Schemes
finance raising; debt, equity and grants
EIA agricultural economic assessments
due diligence assessments
training and mentoring
rural development
Development Bank of South Africa (DBSA)
Tel: 011 313 3911
www.dbsa.org
Industrial Development Corporation (IDC)
Tel: 0860 693 888
www.idc.co.za
Finance for entrepreneurs in the agricultural, food, beverage and marine
sectors wanting to expand and develop their businesses. The minimum
financing is R1 million. An economically viable business plan must be
submitted.
Masisizane Fund
www.oldmutual.co.za/masisizane
By mobilising resources, creating enterprises and increasing local

economic activity the taxation base for municipalities to increase revenue
is also increased, helping these institutions to become more sustainable.
Mineworkers Investment Company

Tel: 011 088 1800
www.mic.co.za
The government has, and continues to develop strategies and policies

to address rural development. These are generally sound but many
fail to impact on the ground. In our opinion it is imperative that rural
development is seen as a business, in the sense that the available
resources natural, community and financial need to be mobilised,
co-ordinated and managed. To have longer term impact the intitiative
must be sustainable. Sustainability is synonymous with profit, or better
still with some regular perceived net benefit.
National Empowerment Fund (NEF)

Tel: 011 305 8000
This mobilisation, co-ordination and management must be at grass roots

level ie per village or area, and be the responsibility of a project champion
who is tasked with making this happen.
Source: notes written to the editor by Womiwu Rural Development. Visit www.
womiwu.com or contact Rusty at 015 297 2107.
Read about how the people of Cata and Mnyameni have harnessed trout as a
means to develop their rural area. Visit www.amatolaflyfishing.co.za.
The NEF established a fund dedicated to supporting rural and community

development, the Rural and Community Development Fund.
There are provincial and municipal economic bodies set up to attract growth
and investment in the different provinces. Below are some examples. Find
the complete list in the Providers of financial services chapter.
Amathole Economic Development Agency Tel: 043 721 2070
www.aspire.org.za
Invest North West Tel: 014 594 2570 www.inw.org.za
IsBaya Development Trust Tel: 021 851 9698 www.isbaya.org
Mpumalanga Economic Growth Agency (MEGA) Tel: 013 752
2440 www.mega.gov.za
Northern Cape Economic Development Agency Tel: 053 833
1503 www.nceda.co.za
Ntinga OR Tambo Development Agency Tel: 047 531 0346 www.
ntinga.org.za
29
International role players

Many of these are listed in the Africa and SADC chapters of this publication.
Here we will mention only seven.
Global Donor Platform for Rural Development www.
donorplatform.org
Technical Centre for Agricultural and Rural Co-operation (CTA)
www.cta.int. Sharing knowledge, improving rural livelihoods
Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) www.fao.org
Find out about the SARD initiative (Sustainable Agriculture and Rural
Development) at www.fao.org/sard/initiative
www.rural21.com - the International journal for rural development
The International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD)
www.ifad.org. Enabling poor rural people to overcome poverty.
Rural Finance Learning Centre www.ruralfinance.org
National Government Departments

See heading 2
Non-governmental Organisations (NGOs)

ACAT Tel: 033 234 4223 www.acatkzn.co.za
Afesis-corplan Tel: 043 743 3830 www.afesis.org.za
Alliance for Rural Democracy Tel: 083 451 9321 / 084 581 6306
Amangwane King Tel: 011 726 6529 www.firechildren.org.
Children of Fire is involved in a rural development initiative near
Emmaus (Central Drakensberg area, Kwazulu-Natal). A jam-making
co-operative business is being set up in a region suffering from 95%
unemployment. The plan includes selling produce to tourists and
stores in the region, and so generate revenue and work opportunities.
Association for Rural Advancement (AFRA) Tel: 033 345 7607
www.afra.co.za
Association for Community Rural Advancement (AnCRA) Tel:
053 712 0791 www.ancra.org.za
Biowatch South Africa has rural offices in Limpopo and KwaZuluNatal. Read about their rural work on www.biowatch.org.za.
Border Rural Committee Tel: 043 742 0173 www.brc21.co.za
Built Environment Support Group Tel: 033 394 4980 www.besg.
co.za
Centani Community District Development Institution (CCDDI)
Tel: 047 492 0561
Centre for Rural Legal Studies Tel: 021 883 8032 www.crls.org.za
Community Development Resource Association (CDRA) Tel:
021 462 3902 www.cdra.org.za
DOCKDA Rural Development Agency Tel: 053 832 1189 www.
dockda.org.za
Environmental Monitoring Group Tel: 021 448 2881 www.emg.
org.za
Hippo Water Roller Project www.hipporoller.org
Indigo Development and Change Tel: 027 218 1148 www.indigodc.org
Insika Rural Development Trust Tel: 035 772 5061 Fax: 035 792
2341
Khanya-aicdd (African Institute for Community Driven Development)
Tel: 011403 9844 www.khanya-aicdd.org
LIMA Rural Development Foundation Tel: 033 342 9043 www.
lima.org.za
Matsila Trust Tel: 082 602 5515 www.matsilatrust.co.za
Mvula Trust Tel: 011 403 3425 www.mvula.co.za
Nkuzi Development Association Tel: 012 323 6417 www.nkuzi.org.
za. Contact details for their branches (Polokwane, Elim, Acornhoek,
Modimolle, Makhado and Nylstroom) are available on the website.
Promotion of Rural Livelihoods (RULIV) Tel: 043 704 8800 www.
ruliv.org.za
Resource Africa Tel: 012 342 9242 www.resourceafrica.org
Rural Development Network (RUDNET) Tel: 021 850 0790 www.
rudnet.org.za
Rural Doctors Association of Southern Africa www.rudasa.org.
za
Rural Education, Awareness and Community Health (REACH)
Tel: 079 889 0289 www.reach.org.za
Rural Womens Movement (RWM) Tel: 031 579 4559 / 073 840
5151 http://rwmsa.org
Sam Motsuenyane Rural Development Foundation Tel: 012 382
5352 deruyterw@tut.ac.za
Social Change Assistance Trust Tel: 021 418 2575 www.scat.org.za

Surplus Peoples Project Tel: 021 448 5605 www.spp.org.za
TechnoServe Tel: 011 482 6005 www.technoserve.org.za
The Zululand Centre for Sustainable Development Tel/fax: 083
308 4818 www.ecosystems.co.za/zcsd.htm
For an extensive list of NGOs, visit www.ngopulse.org. Find the Rural
development option. The umbrella body for NGOs is the South African
NGO Coalition (SANGOCO). See www.sangoco.org.za.
Rural Municipalities and Provincial Government

Local Economic Development (LED) is a constitutional mandate of
Local Municipalities. Under the Constitution, local government is tasked
with facilitating local economic development, including agricultural
development.
The rural municipalities and provincial government are challenged by the
National Spatial Development Framework to facilitate development in
line with the economic potential of its area of jurisdiction. Furthermore,
the financial reality of non-affordability of municipal services to meet
basic needs owing to weak local economic bases emphasises the
need for Local Municipalities to actively pursue their LED mandates. This
entails creating an enabling environment, stimulating economic growth,
job creation, redistribution of economic opportunities, and also, black
economic empowerment.
The resource base of rural municipalities is mostly agriculture driven and
in the long-term the capacity and affordability of these municipalities to
improve service delivery is tied to the fortunes of the rural sector.
Source: Growing the Rural Economy through supporting Agriculture, a paper by
Dr Nico Meyer
The Auditor-General South Africa (AGSA) is responsible for the

auditing of provincial state departments and all municipalities www.agsa.
co.za.
Local Government Business Network visit www.lgbn.co.za or call
011 021 2768
The South African Local Economic Development (LED) Network
www.led.co.za
Contact details for all municipalities can be found at www.salga.net, website
of the South African Local Government Association (SALGA).
Find details of the South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) at
www.sassa.gov.za.
The idea behind the Thusong Service Centre is to have a One-Stop
Centre of Services and Information. Services include facilities (fax, phone),
training, small business advice and development and more. Find contact
details of the many offices in every province countrywide at www.thusong.
gov.za.
Science Councils of South Africa and research groups

In addition to the Agricultural Research Council (ARC), other Science
Councils of South Africa have programmes which target rural areas e.g. the
Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC) has its Centre for Poverty,
Employment and Growth. Take a look at www.hsrc.ac.za/CPEG.phtml.
The Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) has Rural
infrastructure and services as one area of research. Contact 012 841 2927
or view its pages at www.csir.co.za.
To aid government in its quest to improve the quality of drinking water
served in rural communities, the Water Research Commission (WRC)
has published a new set of guidelines for small water treatment plant
operators. It emphasises why each step in water treatment is important
for sustainable production and delivery of safe drinking water. To find out
more about On-site Mobile Training of Operators in Rural Water Supplies: An
Illustrative Kit, call 012 330 0340 or email orders@wrc.org.za.
Contact details of all the science councils can be found in the Research and
30
development chapter.
introduction
Sector Education and Training Authorities (SETAs)

A number of the Sector Education and Training Authorities (SETAs) are
involved in rural development. These include:
The local government SETA. Provincial contact details are available at
www.lgseta.co.za. The national office may be contacted at 011 456
8579.
The agricultural SETA intends to be at the forefront of rural
development. Visit www.agriseta.co.za or call 012 301 5600.
Universities
Nelson Mandela Metropolitan
University
Community Development Unit
Tel: 041 504 4005 / 28
http://cdu.nmmu.ac.za
University of Fort Hare
Department of Agricultural
Economics & Extension
Tel: 040 602 2333
www.ufh.ac.za
Department of Urban and Regional

Planning
Tel: 051 401 2486
www.ufs.ac.za/urpl
University of KwaZulu-Natal
Agricultural Extension and Rural
Resource Management
Tel: 033 260 6247 / 5121
http://agextension.ukzn.ac.za
Centre for Rural Health

Several of the Strategic Academic Tel: 031 260 1569
Clusters at the University of the www.crh.org.za
Free State are central to rural
development e.g. New frontiers in University of Pretoria
poverty reduction and sutainable Agricultural Economics, Extension
development and Technologies for and Rural Development
sustainable crop industries in semi- Tel: 012 420 3248
arid regions.
www.up.ac.za
University of Venda
Centre for Rural Development and
Poverty alleviation
Centre for Sustainable Agriculture, Tel: 015 962 8681
Rural Development and Extension www.univen.ac.za
Tel: 051 401 3765
www.ufs.ac.za/censard
University of the Western Cape
Institute for Poverty, Land and
Agrarian Studies (PLAAS)
Lengau Agricultural Centre
Tel: 021 959 3733
Tel: 051 443 8859
www.plaas.org.za
Economics
Walter Sisulu University
Tel: 051 401 2250
Centre for Rural Development
Tel: 047 537 0179 / 083 446 0077
www.wsu.ac.za
Centre for Development Support
Tel: 051 401 2978
Agriculture in the provinces

1. Overview
In terms of the Constitution of South Africa, 1996 (Act 108 of 1996),
agricultural support to farmers is vested in the provincial governments,
which provide farmers with a range of services. The national government
retains the overall regulatory and policy functions and agricultural trade and
marketing.
Find the details of provincial farmer unions in the Organised agriculture
chapter. A list of provincial extension officer contacts can be found in the
Developing farmer support chapter.
2. Eastern Cape
The Eastern Cape is the second largest province (after the Northern
Cape). With plentiful grassland and (usually) good rainfalls, the Eastern
Cape hosts the largest percentage of the countrys livestock 39% of
its goats, 30% of its sheep and 23% of its cattle. After Limpopo and the
Northern Cape, this province hosts the most number of game farms.
The broken surface of the land precludes large scale agronomy, yet a
wide variety of crops are cultivated. These include:
Maize, lucerne, dry beans, sunflower, chicory, sugar beet, olives,
hemp, flax, tea and sugar cane
Cabbage, tomatoes, onion, spinach and carrots pumpkins,
watermelons and potatoes
Pineapples, peaches, oranges, lemons, apricots, guava, bananas and
avocado
The shoreline lends itself to fishing. Squid forms the basis of the provinces
fishing industry. There is some recreational and commercial fishing for
line fish, the collection of marine resources, and access to line-catches
of hake.
Potential agribusiness opportunities are fruit processing, maize milling,
meat processing, juice/milk processing, tanneries and taxidermy.
The district municipalities
The State of the Rural Nation

You could make a general statement about the country: South Africa has
rich natural resources, a growing economy and a relatively high average
annual per capita income of more than $4 000. This is typical of an uppermiddle income country, and yet for many South Africans this classification
has little or no significant meaning. Many people are struggling to find
work, to access quality education and affordable healthcare, or to have
access to basic services. People hoped for the prospect of a better life
after the apartheid era, but South Africa is still a place where social and
economic exclusion, poverty, and inequality are the reality for many,
especially in the rural areas.
v
Find The State of the Rural Nation, a paper written by Randall Adams and
published by the Southern African Catholic Bishops Conference in 2012,
at www.polity.org.za.
Municipality and website
Contact telephone number
Alfred Nzo www.andm.gov.za
039 727 4453 (agriculture)
Amathole www.amathole.gov.za
Buffalo City www.buffalocity.gov.za
043 705 3150 (general contact)
Cacadu www.cacadu.co.za
041 402 6201(agriculture)
Chris Hani www.chrishanidm.gov.za
Joe Gqabi www.joegqabi.gov.za
Nelson Mandela Bay

www.nelsonmandelabay.gov.za
041 506 5555 (general contact)
OR Tambo www.ortambodm.org.za
Provincial Department of Agriculture

Department of Rural Development and Agrarian Reform
Tel: 040 609 3474
Fax: 040 636 3555
Website: www.agr.ecprov.gov.za
Private Bag x0040, Bisho, 5605
33
Head of Department: Mr Glen Thomas

Tel: 040 609 3471
Fax: 040 635 0604
Find the Critical Contacts menu option on the website. An extensive
list of support staff, Top Management, Senior Resource Management Staff,
District Senior Resource Management Staff and Communications and
Customer Care Services is available.
For more information on the province:
www.ecprov.gov.za the Eastern Cape Provincial Government
http://gis.ecprov.gov.za a website of the Provinces Provincial Spatial
Information Management Unit. Find maps and geographical information
here.
www.ecdc.co.za website of the Eastern Cape Development
Corporation
www.ecsecc.org the Eastern Cape Socio Economic Consultative
Council
www.agriec.co.za Agri Eastern Cape
The provinces agricultural sector is mostly geared to providing the cities

and towns with daily fresh produce including vegetables, fruit, meat, eggs,
dairy products and flowers. A quarter of the countrys egg production
happens in Gauteng.
Gauteng has about 3% of the countrys arable land. Dry beans (5%) and
maize (5%) are the major crops. Grain sorghum, soy beans and wheat
are produced in smaller quantities.

Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (GDARD)
Tel: 011 355 1900
Fax: 011 355 1000
Postal: PO Box 8769, Johannesburg, 2000
Email: gdard@gauteng.gov.za
Website: www.gdard.gpg.gov.za
Head of Department: Ms Smangele Sekgobela
Tel: 011 355 1920 / 73
Fax: 011 333 0667
3. Free State
A quarter of the countrys arable land is in the Free State. It is a principal
producer of summer and winter crops.
Major grain and oilseed crops are given here followed by the percentage
that the Free State contributes to national production: maize (39%),
grain sorghum (53%), groundnuts (32%), sunflower (50%), dry beans
(25%) and soy beans (23%). Some 29% of the countrys wheat comes
from this province too.
The eastern part, which is mountainous, is home to the countrys cherry
and asparagus sectors. Some 40% of the countrys potato production
happens in this province. The south consists of karoo/semi-desert
vegetation.
Sheep (20%), cattle (17%) and other livestock are farmed. The Free
State is also a major producer of eggs (17%).

Free State Department of Agriculture and Rural Development
Website: http://www.fs.agric.za
Postal Address: Private Bag X01 Glen 9360
Head of Department: Mr Peter Thabethe 051 861 8509
District Implementation Tel: 051 861 8423
Agricultural Support Services Tel: 051 861 8442/77
District Directors
Xhariep District 051 713 0480
Fezile Dabe 016 976 2009
Motheo 051 875 1161
4. Gauteng
Agriculture Branch 011 355 1968 / 71

Agricultural Economics and Marketing 011 355 1906
Animal Health Advisory and Support Services 011 355 1388
Animal Health, Production, Advisory and Support Services 011 355
1388
Epidemiology, Laboratory and Quality Management 011 355 1878
Farmer Support Services 011 355 1447
-0Farmer Settlement 011 355 1449
-0Household Food Security 011 355 1453
-0Integrated Food Security 011 355 1265
Natural Resource Management 011 355 1317
Nature Conservation 011 355 1895
Rural Development 011 355 1249
Social Development 011 355 1937
Sustainable Resource Management 011 355 1367
Technology Development and Support 011 355 1374
Transformation 011 355 1366
Veterinary Public Health and Export Facilitation 011 355 1987
There are also Directorates of Air Quality, Waste Management,
Environmental Planning and Impact Assessment, Corporate
Communications etc
Regional offices
Pretoria 012 328 5140
Randfontein 011 411 4300
Germiston 011 821 7700
Lejweleputsa 057 398 1664

Thabo Mofutsanyane 058 714
1430/0

www.freestateonline.fs.gov.za, website of the Free State Provincial
Government
www.vslandbou.co.za Free State Agriculture
www.detea.fs.gov.za Department of Economic Development,
Tourism and Environmental Affairs)
www.fdc.co.za Free State Development Corporation)
www.freestatebusiness.co.za
Gauteng Provincial Government www.gautengonline.gov.za

Gauteng Economic Development Agency www.geda.co.za
34
5. KwaZulu-Natal
KwaZulu-Natal has about 7% of the countrys arable land. The province
has three different geographic areas: the lowland region along the Indian
Ocean, plains in the central region, and two mountainous areasthe
Drakensberg and the Lebombo mountains.
The provinces trademark agricultural commodity is sugar cane, with
soybeans (13%), maize (4%), dry beans (11%) and wheat being other
field crops. Subtropical fruit and vegetables are grown, while the areas
around Vryheid, Eshowe, Richmond and Harding are used for forestry.
Livestock does well in this province. The midlands area is known for its
dairy farms. KwaZulu-Natal has 20% of the countrys cattle and 14%
of its goats. Together with the North West and the Western Cape, this
province has one of the highest concentrations of pig farms in the country.
It has 15% of the countrys poultry.

KZN Department of Agriculture and Environmental Affairs
Tel: 033 355 9100
Fax: 033 355 9122
Website: www.kzndae.gov.za
Private Bag X9050, Pietermaritzburg 3200
Head of Department: Mr HB Strauss (acting)
Tel: 033 355 9690 / 93
Fax: 033 355 9293
Southern Region Tel: 033 343 8300
Northern Region Tel: 035 780 6700
A full list of contact details for all districts can be found on the website.
KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Government www.kznonline.gov.za
www.kwanalu.co.za Kwanalu
The KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) Department of Economic Development
(DED) is continuously developing strategies to support the growth of
the agri-business and agri-processing sector. Visit www.kznded.gov.za.
www.kzntopbusiness.co.za provides notes on the economy,
Government, parastatals, municipalities etc.
Trade and Investment KwaZulu-Natal - www.tikzn.co.za
Ithala www.ithala.co.za
Durban Investment promotion Agency www.dipa.co.za
6. Limpopo
Limpopo, with 10% of South Africas arable land, produces a wide range
of agricultural produce. Chief among the field crops are dry beans (22%),
soy beans (8%), grain sorghum (9%) and sunflower (11%). Cotton,
groundnuts, dry beans, wheat and maize are also produced.
The province is known for its fruit industry and is the major producer
of the countrys avocados, mangoes, papayas and tomatoes. Other fruit
includes bananas, litchis, pineapples, oranges and table grapes. Potatoes,
macadamias and a variety of nuts are produced, and the area is also
known for tea and coffee plantations.
Half of the countrys game farms are in the Limpopo province. Amongst
the other livestock, it hosts 17% of the countrys goats and 8% of its
cattle.
Limpopo Province Department of Agriculture

Tel: 015 294 3000
Fax: 015 294 4504
Website: www.lda.gov.za
Physical Address:
67 Biccard Street
Polokwane
0700
Postal Address:
Private Bag X9487
Polokwane
0700
Head of Department: Mr KCM Mannya

Tel: 015 294 3147
Fax: 015 294 4512
Restitution 015 294 3301
Veterinary 015 294 3608
Soil Resource Management 015 294 3157
Agribusiness 015 294 3104
Transformation 015 294 3283
Land 015 294 3068
Economic/agribusiness 015 294 3449
Contact details of other Directorates (Human Resources, Communication
etc) are available on the website, as are contact details for agricultural
offices at all the municipalities within the districts. The contacts for the
districts are listed below, together with the general districts website i.e.
not limited to agriculture.
District and district website
Contact: agriculture
Capricorn www.cdm.org.za
015 632 6652
Mopani www.mopani.gov.za
015 812 3212/3/4
Sekhukhune District www.sekhukhune.gov.za
015 632 4145/6/7/8
Vhembi www.vhembe.gov.za
015 963 1653
Waterberg www.waterberg.gov.za
014 717 3298

www.limpopo.gov.za Limpopo Provincial Government
www.golimpopo.com Limpopo Tourism and Parks
www.ledet.gov.za Department of Economic Development,
Environment and Tourism
www.limpopobusiness.co.za, your Guide to business and investment
in Limpopo Province
Limpopo Business Support Agency (LIBSA) www.libsa.co.za
Limpopo Economic Development Enterprise (LimDev) www.limdev.
co.za
Trade and Investment Limpopo www.til.co.za
7. Mpumalamga
Mpumalanga, the Place of the rising sun, produces 41% of the countrys
soy beans, 20% of its dry beans, 30% of its grain sorghum and 21% of
its maize. Other major crops include cotton, potatoes and onions. The
Lowveld region is renowned for its sugar, citrus and subtropical fruit
(bananas, avocados, mangoes). Litchis, guavas and pineapples are also
grown.
Mpumalanga is a major poultry producer and nearly 20% of the countrys
broilers come from here. Cattle (10%) and sheep (7%) are included
amongst the livestock kept.
Processing options in Mpumalanga:
IDC
37
In the highveld region:

milling and processing of summer and winter cereals
extraction of edible oils
processing of:
- maize
- beans
- deciduous fruit into juices, concentrate, jams and canned fruits
In the lowveld region:
sugar refining
processing of:
- fruits into fruit juices and concentrates, jams, canning and drying
- vegetables into canning, freezing, drying
value adding to nuts
production of honey
processing fruits for input in pharmaceutical industry
essential oils from tropical, subtropical and citrus fruits
processing of tropical fruit with exotic recipes
Source: Mpumalanga Economic Growth Agency

Mpumalanga Department of Agriculture, Rural Development and
Land Administration (DARDLA)
Tel: 013 766 6067/8
Fax: 013 766 8295
Website: http://dardla.mpg.gov.za
Postal Address: Private Bag X 11219, Nelspruit, 1200
Head of Department: Ms Nelisiwe Lindiwe Sithole
Tel: 013 766 6020
Fax: 013 766 8429
A detailed contact list for the different Chief Directorates and Directorates is on
the website.
Municipal districts:
Municipal district and website
Telephone contact
Ehlanzeni www.ehlanzeni.co.za
Tel: 013 759 4000 (South)

Tel: 082 805 1076 (North)
Gert Sibande www.gsibande.gov.za
Tel: 017 819 2076
Nkangala www.nkangaladm.org.za
Tel: 013 947 2551

Mpumalanga Provincial Government www.mpumalanga.gov.za
Each of the local municipalities has its own websites. Find the links to
these at the Mpumalanga Provincial Government website.
Mpumalanga Economic Growth Agency (MEGA) www.mega.gov.za
8. North West
The North West province has the highest percentage of the countrys
poultry 24% of the countrys broilers come from here. It also has the
highest number of pig farms in the country (17%), and hosts 13% of the
countrys cattle and 12% of its goats.
The province has around 20% of the countrys arable land and is a
highly productive agricultural area, producing a high percentage of the
countrys maize (23%), groundnuts (33%), sunflower (36%) and dry
beans (13%). Other crops include soy beans, grain sorghum, tobacco,
paprika, peppers, cotton and wheat. The province is also a significant
vegetable and citrus fruit producer.
The areas around Rustenburg and Brits are fertile mixed-crop farming
land. The eastern, wetter part of the province sees a mixture of livestock
and crop farming, while the semi-arid central and western part is home
mainly to livestock and wildlife farming.
Three major irrigation schemes are located on the Crocodile, Vaal and
Harts Rivers.
Invest North West, the provinces trade and investment promotion
agency has identified seven agricultural clusters as key areas to drive
the provinces economy and develop existing capacity. These clusters,
offering potential investors viable business opportunities include:
Renewable energy; essential oil production; goat meat processing; beef
beneficiation; edible oils; indigenous medicinal plants and aquaculture.
Other opportunities include fruit and vegetable canning and leather
production.
Refer to the advert on page 104.
For additional information on any of these agricultural initiatives contact
Invest North West: call 014 594 2570 or visit www.inw.org.za

North West Department of Agriculture and Rural Development
(DARD)
Tel: 018 389 5111
www.nwpg.gov.za/Agriculture
Physical Address
Agricentre Building, Corner Dr
James Moroka Drive and Stadium
Road (Opposite Convention
Centre), Mafikeng
Postal Address
Private Bag X2039
Mmabatho
2735
Head Of The Department: Dr Kgabi Mogajane

Tel: 018 389 5147
Fax: 018 384 2679
Agricultural Support Services 018 389 5724
Veterinary Services 018 389 5102 / 5057
Agricultural Economics 018 389 5300
Rural Development 018 389 5432
District Services 018 389 5698
A list of contact details can be found under Contact Us on the website.
Districts:
38
Bojanala 014 592 8272 www.bojanala.gov.za

Dr Kenneth Kaunda 018 299 6504
Dr Ruth Segomotsi Mompati 053 927 0435
Ngaka Modiri Molema 018 389 5943 www.nmmdm.gov.za
North West Provincial Government www.nwpg.gov.za
Invest North West www.inw.org.za
9. Northern Cape
The Northern Cape is the countrys largest and most sparsely populated
province, averaging two people in every square kilometre. The Orange
River runs through the province, and a healthy agricultural industry
follows it to the sea, the Atlantic Ocean forming the western boundary of
the province. Apart from the high-lying parts in the south and south-east,
the landscape of the province is characterised by vast, arid plains with
outcrops of haphazard rock piles.
The Vallharts Irrigation Scheme covers 369.50 square kilometres in this
province.
With its share (3%) of South Africas arable land it produces 29% of the
countrys groundnuts, 16% of its barley and 14% of its wheat. The table
grape industry is an important product here, as are raisins.
The Western Cape has three climatic regions. The Cape Peninsula
and the Boland further inland is a winter rainfall region with sunny, dry
summers. Towards George, along the south coast, the climate gradually
changes to year-round rainfall, while inland, towards the more arid Great
Karoo, the climate changes to summer rainfall.
Ideal conditions for the cultivation of top-grade fruit, such as apples, table
grapes, olives, peaches and oranges exist in the sheltered valleys amongst
the mountains. Wines from this province are known all over the world.
In the eastern part of the Western Cape, a great variety of vegetables is
cultivated.
The Western Cape has 15% of the countrys arable land. Most of the
countrys canola, barley (81%) and wheat (35%) are grown here.
Ostriches provide meat, leather and feathers. The province is the outlet
for the exporting of horses from the country, earning valuable foreign
exchange. The inland Karoo region (around Beaufort West) and the
Overberg district (around Bredasdorp) produce wool and mutton. The
Western Cape is also one of the top pork producers. Other animal
products include broiler chickens, eggs, dairy products and beef.

Department of Agriculture: Western Cape
Tel: 021 808 5111
Website: www.elsenburg.com
The economy of a large part of the Northern Cape depends on sheep

farming, and the province has a quarter (25%) of the countrys sheep. It
is second to Limpopo in game farming (19.5%). The other main livestock
are goats (9%) and cattle (4%). A large number of its farms meet export
requirements, and the commercialisation of goats is seen as holding much
promise for emerging farmers.
Physical Address
Department of Agriculture
Muldersvlei Road
ELSENBURG
7607
Postal Address
Private Bag X1
ELSENBURG
7607
The Northern Cape holds the most promise for renewable energy
projects. Sixteen of the initial 28 preferred projects identified by the
Department of Energy (DoE) under the renewable energy independent
power producer programme (REIPPP) in February 2012 are based here.
We wonder if farmers in this sun-drenched province will be allowed to
farm energy as well in the future ...
Head of department
Ms Joyene Isaacs
Tel: 021 808 5004/5
JoyeneI@elsenburg.com
Director Food Security

Mr Mogale Sebopetsa
Tel: 021 808 5103
MogaleS@elsenburg.com
Chief Financial officer

Mr Floris Huysamer
Tel: 021 808 5007
FlorisH@elsenburg.com
Chief Director Veterinary Services

Dr Gininda Msiza
Tel: 021 808 5002
GinindaM@elsenburg.com
Director Operational Support

Systems
Ms Rashidah Wentzel
Tel: 021 808 5119
RashidahW@elsenburg.com
Director Technology, Research and

Development Services
Dr Ilse Trautmann
Tel: 021 808 5012
IlseT@elsenburg.com
Director Sustainable Resource

Management
Mr Andr Roux
Tel: 021 808 5010
andrer@elsenburg.com
Director Agricultural Economics

Ms Bongiswa Matoti
Tel: 21 808 5213
BongiswaM@elsenburg.com

Department of Agriculture and Land Reform (DALA)
Tel: 053 838 9100 (General Switchboard)
Fax: 053 832 4328
Email: enquiries@agrinc.gov.za
Website: www.agrinc.gov.za
Head office
162 George Street
Kimberley
Private Bag X5018

Kimberley
8300
Head of the Department: Mr MVD Mothibi

vmothibi@agri.ncape.gov.za
Tel: 053 838 9102
Fax: 053 831 3635
The municipal districts offices are Frances Baard (www.francesbaard.gov.
za), Siyanda, Pixley-Ka-Seme (www.pixleykaseme.gov.za), Namakwa (www.
namakwa-dm.gov.za) and John Taolo Gaetsewe (www.taologaetsewe.gov.
za).
Northern Cape Provincial Government www.northern-cape.gov.za
Northern Cape Economic Development Agency www.nceda.co.za
10. Western Cape
Chief Director Farmer Support

and Development
Mr Dudley Adolph
Tel: 021 808 5013
dudleya@elsenburg.com
Chief Director Structured

Agricultural Training
Mr Marius Paulse
Tel: 021 808 5018
Fax: 021 808 7703
MariusP@elsenburg.com
Director Extension and Advisory

Services
Mr Jerry Aries
Tel: 021 808 5199
JerryA@elsenburg.com
Director Higher Education and

Training
Ms Carol Levendal
Tel: 021 808 7709
CarolL@elsenburg.com
Director Farmer Settlement and

Development
Ms Toni Xaba
Tel: 021 808 5100
ToniX@elsenburg.com
Director Further Education and

Training
Mr Douglas Chitepo
Tel: 021 808 5497
DouglasC@elsenburg.com
40
Chief Director Rural Development

Mr Stefan Conradie
Tel: 021 808 5294
StefanC@elsenburg.com
Director Farm Worker
Development
Mr Danie Niemand
Tel: 021 808 7602
DanieN@elsenburg.com
Specialist Advisor: Agricultural

Economics
Dr Dirk Troskie
Tel: 021 808 5191
DirkT@elsenburg.com
Head of Communications
Ms Petro van Rhyn
Tel: 021 808 5008
PetroVR@elsenburg.com
The services rendered by this Department are aimed towards realising

the vision of Global success, Competitive, Inclusive, Socially responsible
and in balance with Nature. The services are divided into 7 programmes,
supported by Administration (Corporate and Financial services).
The Programme Sustainable Resource Management with its sub

programmes:
Agricultural Engineering Services
LandCare
The Programme Structured Agricultural Education and Training with its sub
programmes:
Higher Education and Training
Further Education and Training
The Programme Agricultural Economics with its sub programmes:
Marketing and Agribusiness
Production Economics
Macro and Resource Economics
Statistical
The Programme Vet Services with its sub programmes:
The Programme Rural Development Co-ordination with its sub programme:
Veterinary Laboratory Services

Veterinary Public Health
Export Control
Veterinary Animal Health
Farm Worker Development

District Managers:
The Programme Farmer Support and Development (FSD) with its sub
programmes:
Central Karoo: Tel: 023 551 1034

Eden: Tel: 044 803 3710
Overberg: Tel: 028 424 1439
West Coast: Tel: 022 433 2330
Boland: Tel: 021 883 2560
Cape Metropole: Tel: 021 948 6966
Farmer Settlement and Development

Extension and Advisory Services
Food Security
The Programme Research and Technology Development Services with its
sub programmes:
Research: plant production, animal production, resource utilisation
Infrastructure Support Services
Contact details for all 36 regional offices are on www.elsenburg.com.

Free publications:
Casidra HP
41
AgriPROBE. Quarterly news and research magazine. Subscriptions:

Magriet de Lange Tel: 021 808 7613, MagrietadL@elsenburg.com
Information sheets. Technical information sheets in Afrikaans, English &
Xhosa 100 subjects
Read about Radio Elsenburg in the Agricultural Media chapter.

Western Cape Provincial Government www.westerncape.gov.za or
http://capegateway.gov.za
WESGRO http://wesgro.co.za
www.awk.co.za, website of Agri Wes-Cape
District municipality websites
Cape Winelands District www.capewinelands.gov.za
Central Karoo District www.skdm.co.za, www.centralkaroo.co.za
Eden District www.edendm.co.za
Overberg District www.odm.org.za
West Coast District http://westcoastdm.co.za
Cape Metropole District www.westerncape.gov.za
Find the links to the Provincial Departments of Agriculture websites at

www.daff.gov.za take the Strategic Partnerships menu option.
A website that provides useful overviews of the provinces together
with information on projects and investment opportunities is www.
tradeinvestsa.co.za/regions. The latest Investors Handbook by the
Department of Trade and Industry also gives useful notes on the provinces.
Find this publication at www.thedti.gov.za.
Find also the enormously useful provincial overviews under the Divisions,
Education, Training & Extension Services, Agricultural Education &
Training (AET) and National Agricultural Education Training Forum
options at www.daff.gov.za. Although these are reports for the AET
Strategy (see Agricultural education and training chapter), they provide
their findings within the provincial context. Detail is given on types of
vegetation, agricultural activities in the province and much more.
The National Council of Provinces (NCOP) provides provinces with a forum
in which to engage with the national government on matters concerning
areas of shared national and provincial legislative powers. The NCOP also
oversees the programmes and activities of national government relating to
provincial and local government matters. Find more at www.parliament.
gov.za.
Sources used for the chapter:
11. Members of the Executive Council (MECs)

Province and MEC
Contact details
Eastern Cape Ms Zoleka Capa
Tel: 040 609 3602

Fax: 040 636 3462
Free State Mr Mosebenzi Zwane
Tel: 051 861 8400

Fax: 051 861 8451
Gauteng Ms Nandi Mayathula- Tel: 011 355 1920

Khoza
Fax: 011 333 0620 / 2632
KwaZulu-Natal Dr Meshack Tel: 031 343 8240
Radebe
Fax: 033 343 8255
Limpopo Mr Jacob Marule
Mpumalanga
Mashego-Dlamini
Ms
Tel: 015 294 3107

Fax: 015 294 4545/6
Candith Tel: 013 766 6074

Fax: 013 766 8437
North West Ms Desbo Mohono
Tel: 018 389 5056

Fax: 018 384 2679
Northern Cape Mr Norman Tel: 053 838 9106

Shushu
Fax: 053 832 4328
Western Cape Mr Gerrit van Tel: 021 483 4700
Rensburg
Fax: 021 483 3890
MinMEC is a forum made up from the MECs of agriculture in the nine provinces.
The provincial department of agriculture websites

The documents covering extension in the provinces which can be found on
the Directorate Education, Training & Extension services pages at www.
daff.gov.za
The crop statistics are from the 2012 Abstract of agricultural statistics
(DAFF)
Game farming statistics are from Wildlife Ranching South Africa; Dr Danie
Visser helped us with pig farming statistics. Updated poultry statistics can
be found in the NAI Monitor Surveillance Report on www.sapoultry.co.za
Other statistics are as given in the Landbouweekblad article SA se voorste
kosprodusente in August 2010, quoting DAFF as their source.
43
introduction
Labour and agriculture
See also the Job creation and Legal aid and legislation chapters
1. Overview
Farming calls for a number of skills, amongst which is the need to manage
the labour force professionally and with the necessary sensitivity. The
farmer is often employer, human resource manager, social worker and even
mentor all roles originating from a close relationship and involvement in
the lives of labourers and their families.
The publication Finance and Farmers speaks of labour as being one of the
issues which separates Old agriculture from New agriculture. The Old
saw labour as a cost, and equipment as an investment; the New sees labour
as an investment and equipment as a cost.
Following the agricultural worker strikes in the Western Cape, the Bureau
for Food and Agricultural Policy (BFAP) investigated the feasibility of the
R150-a-day demand. BFAP found that on a R150-a-day wage, many farms
would become unprofitable, yet it was the second finding which ought to
have received more attention than it did, namely that workers would still
be unable to afford a nutritious basket of food on this improved salary.
Farmers and their workers on the same side. Farmers cannot afford to
pay a decent wage within the current food economy, and farmworkers
cannot afford to eat properly on those wages. Not enough questions are
asked about a food economy in which, for example, a farmers earns R3
for the litre of milk the consumers buys for R9! Find the excellent article
Narrowing the Farmer-worker gap on www.mg.co.za.
Sources: Mr Lourie Bosman, previous Agri SA President; Finance and Farmers ISBN
0-620-11949-7
Find details of the AgriSETA accredited training providers in the Agricultural

education and training chapter. Apprenticeships and learnerships offer you,
the employer, certain tax breaks and a labour force which is more skilled.
Also find the notes on Adult Basic Education and Training (ABET) in that
chapter.
4. Farm worker housing

Housing for farm workers is an integral part of many farming operations in
South Africa, farmers usually providing on-farm housing for their workers.
This housing, ranging from mud huts to conventional brick houses, is part of
the terms of the employment contract.
Application for financial assistance for electrification of worker

houses
This is for Eskom customers extending an existing supply point, or making
a new supply point to supply electricity to worker house. Eskom will assist
financially by paying an incentive towards the costs of electrification for
each worker house electrified. Find details of Eskom branches in the Energy
chapter, or visit www.eskom.co.za.
Agricultural Villages (Agri Villages)

The development of agri-villages is a partnership between the farmer, the
farm worker and the state. It has been in Agri SAs proposals regarding
permanent off-farm housing and economic opportunities for farm
workers. The economic, financial and political context of the agricultural
sector will determine what government and farmers are able to invest in
the development of agri-villages. An agri-village is considered a private
settlement of restricted size, established and managed by a legal institution
situated within and/or near an agricultural area and where residence is
restricted to bona fide farm workers and their dependants on the farms
involved in the development. Under these arrangements, security of tenure
does not include right of ownership, but can include trust, communal
property association or sectional title.
Housing subsidies
The institutional subsidy under the Department of Housing can help to raise
the standard of farm worker housing. Details of housing subsidies can be
found on the Department of Housings website www.housing.gov.za look
for the Subsidy Info menu option.
2. Local business environment

Difficult farming conditions and the absence of subsidies have led the farmer
to weigh every workers productivity carefully.
Producer prices in the agricultural sector have not kept pace with
farming requisites.
South Africa follows the global trend of commercial agriculture where
economies of scale are essential to be sustainable. This is why we have
fewer farmers on larger farms, and these units are becoming more
and more capital intensive. The increased use of technology has led
to reduced employment opportunities. These changes were necessary
for farmers to remain competitive and profitable in the global
environment. (If farmers dont do this they will go out of business and
wont produce food or employ anybody!)
Legislation regarding minimum wages and security of tenure has
been introduced to protect poor and illiterate individuals from
being exploited. Unfortunately these measures are also unintended
disincentives for hiring permanent workers and accommodating them
on farms in terms of housing. The number of seasonal workers has
increased at the expense of permanent positions.
The average number of farm labourers per farming unit is 20, according
to the last Census of Commercial Agriculture (2007). Although this is
an increase from 1993, there are fewer farming units. Farming units
have grown in size and mechanisation has increased.
Sources: Adapted from AgriReview 1st quarter 2011, 2nd quarter 2009, 2nd and 3rd
quarters 2008 (find these at www.standardbank.co.za)
3. Staff training
In accordance with laid-down rules, AgriSETA will fund certain staff training.
There are tax deductions for farmworker housing. Find out more from your
bookkeeper or from Mr Johan Pienaar at Agri SA.
Programmes like the Peoples Housing Project (PHP) also offer financial
support. Find the story Farm workers get roofs over their heads on
www.sanews.gov.za in which 118 houses had been transferred to farm
workers. Farmer Carl Henning helped the Limpopo Department of Local
Government and Housing to build the houses. Sixty people were employed
during the construction at a cost of R4 million to the department.
Deducting housing from a farm workers salary

Legally this can be done when the following requirements are met (and not
before):
the worker must be at least 18 years old
water, electricity and other services are not also deducted
the amount deducted is not more than the cost to the employer
In addition:
the house has a roof that is durable and waterproof;
the house has glass windows that can be opened;
electricity is available inside the house if the infrastructure exists on the
farm;
safe water is available inside the house or in close proximity, which is
not more than 100m, from the house;
a flush toilet or pit latrine is available in, or in close proximity, to the
house; and
the house is not less than 30 square meters in size.
44
Where 2 or more workers share accommodation, employers may only

deduct a total of 25% of the relevant minimum wage from all workers
combined. Equal amounts must be deducted from each worker.
5. Labour-related legal legislation
Agriskills Transfer
Tel: 012 460 9585
www.agriskills.net
Training in health and safety
See the separate Legal aid and legislation chapter
AstroTech
Tel: 011 582 3200
www.attraining5.co.za
Training in labour legislation
Agriculture is one of the sectors which government is looking to in its quest

to create jobs (find the Agriculture heading in the Job creation chapter. In
2012, around 630 000 people were employed in agriculture.
COIDAtrain
Tel: 012 333 7880
www.coidatrain.co.za
Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries www.daff.gov.za
Training for businesses in CIODA

(Compensation for Occupational
Injuries and Diseases Act No. 130
of 1993)
Many documents, necessary forms and useful guides are available on www.
labour.gov.za, website of the Department of Labour.
The courses presented by

companies like Protea Training
Centre (on your premises) include
training in labour relations for your
supervisors. Call 021 948 1275 /
082 670 1636 or write to protea@
kingsley.co.za
Thinking of training your staff? Find
training providers of agricultural,
financial and life skills in the
chapter.
7. Role players
Details of employer organisations and labour unions can be found in the Organised
agriculture and Legal aid and legislation chapters.
Labour-related equipment and software

Afriklok
Tel: 012 654 5804
www.clock.co.za
Maxi Control
Tel: 021 762 7576
www.maxicontrol.co.za
AgriFarm
Tel: 0861 247 427
www.agrifarm.co.za
Plan-A-Head Software
Tel: 033 342 7888
info@planahead.co.za
www.planahead.co.za
ALCO-Safe
Tel: 012 343 8114
www.alcoholtesting.co.za
Safety Sam
Tel: 012 653 0200
www.safetsam.co.za
BANBRIC BUILDING
Cell: 072 242 9129
sales@banbric.co.za
www.banbric.co.za
SARPONET
Tel: 0861 22 8463
www.sapronet.co.za
DFM Software Solutions

Tel: 021 904 1154
dfm@dfmsoftware.co.za
www.dfmsoftware.co.za
Donkerhoek Data
Tel: 021 874 1047
www.donkerhoekdata.co.za
Software Farm
Tel: 012 365 2683
www.softwarefarm.co.za
The Donish Group
Tel: 032 945 3368
www.donish.co.za
Essential First Aid Kits
Labour services
See the legal aid chapter
Agri Mega Empowerment

Solutions (AgriMES)
Tel: 028 424 2890
www.agrimega.co.za
NOSA
Tel: 0861 11 6672
www.nosa.co.za
A global supplier of occupational

Accredited training and labour risk management services and
services
products, NOSA has offices
countrywide.
Labour-related training
Find the Labour Law training option at www.skillsportal.co.za
The Best practice reference manual for wool sheep farming in South Africa,
brought out by the National Wool Growers Association (NWGA)
includes notes on Basic conditions of employment, Occupational
health and safety, Skills development under the Social
Responsibility section. Find the document on www.nwga.co.za or
contact 041 365 5030.
Dairy farmer Steve Roberts article Corporate greed inflates food
prices, not minimum wages at www.farmersweekly.co.za
Finance and Farmers ISBN 0-620-11949-7, available from Standard
Bank.
The Farmworker magazine, published by Agri Promo, is a magazine for
the farm worker community. Contact 028 424 2890 or visit www.
agrimega.co.za.
If you produce for export, you will need to be familiar with the GLOBAL
G.A.P. Risk-Assessment on Social Practices (GRASP) checklist. These
involve the conditions of labour on the farm. Find these at www.
globalgap.org.
For updates on the Census of Commercial Agriculture, visit www.
statssa.gov.za/agriculture.
Find the Human Rights Watch report Ripe with Abuse: Human Rights
Conditions in South Africas Fruit and Wine Industries at www.hrw.org
and www.agbiz.co.za. In contrast, read about the Fruit SA Ethical Trade
Programme at www.fruitsa-ethical.org.za.
Statistics can be found at www.daff.gov.za, website of the Department of
Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (DAFF). Look under Publications.
Included are (i) the number of farm employees and domestic servants
on farms, and (ii) Employment in agriculture, hunting, forestry and
fishing
Going for broke: The fate of farm workers in arid South Africa is published
by the Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC). Find it at www.
hsrcpress.ac.za.
The book offers a comprehensive overview on the fate of farm workers.
It goes back to the early Cape history of the master-servant relationship
to a discussion of the professionalisation of farm workers, which has
gained momentum over some time.
Chapters are devoted to important issues like the extension of labour
laws to farm workers and the introduction of a minimum wage, life
on the farm, service delivery in the rural areas and concludes with the
question A journey to somewhere?
The book is a most useful source of information and offers wellconsidered opinions on a number of issues and deserves a place on all
farmers bookshelves. Trade unions and NGOs will certainly also benefit
from reading the book.
Source: Kobus Kleynhans, Agri SA
45
introduction
The urban question
See also the Human Settlements and Food Security chapters
1. Overview
At present we rely on a food delivery chain that is unsustainable at all points but is
so remote from our awareness that we take it for granted and seldom question its
ethics or environmental impact. How will cities feed themselves as Climate Change
and Peak Oil begin to impact on our lives? Prof Michael Rudolph
The rapid urbanisation currently taking place across the globe goes
together with a rapid increase in urban poverty and urban food insecurity.
Most cities in developing countries have great difficulties in coping with
this development and are unable to create sufficient formal employment
opportunities for the poor. They also have increasing problems with the
disposal of urban wastes and waste water and maintaining air and river
water quality.
Urban agriculture provides a complementary strategy. Next to food
security, urban agriculture contributes to local economic development,
poverty alleviation and social inclusion of the urban poor and women in
particular, as well as to the greening of the city and the productive reuse of
urban wastes.
The importance of urban agriculture is increasingly being recognised by
international organisations like UNCED (Agenda 21), UNCHS (Habitat),
FAO (World Food and Agriculture Organisation), and CGIAR (international
agricultural research centres).
Source: adapted from notes on the RUAF Foundation website, www.ruaf.org
In the Report on South Africa, which came out in March 2012, the UNs
Special Rapporteur recorded that he had been particularly impressed
by the strategy and programmes put in place by the City of Durban/
eThekwini Municipality, which launched a peri-urban agroecology
strategy in 2009.
The City of Durban surveyed 800 gardens and their needs, then
mapped approximately 3,000 gardens through reviews of aerial photos.
If adequately supported by public authorities, these gardens could
progressively create 60,000 job opportunities.
The area, which is home to 3.5 million people, has been divided into four
agricultural zones, taking into account road access and farmer-association
areas. Six agricultural support hubs have been established or are under
development, including demonstration sites showcasing agroecology
techniques, a research and development centre on agroecology, training
sites, a packing and marketing hub, and a future seed bank.
Source: from the Report on South Africa from UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to
Food March 2012. Find it at www.ohchr.org and on www.agbiz.co.za.
2. Urban agriculture
Urban agriculture can be defined shortly as the growing of plants and the
raising of animals within and around cities.
The most striking feature of urban agriculture, which distinguishes it

from rural agriculture, is that it is integrated into the urban economic and
ecological system. Such linkages include the use of urban residents as
labourers, use of typical urban resources (like organic waste as compost
and urban wastewater for irrigation), direct links with urban consumers,
direct impacts on urban ecology (positive and negative), being part of the
urban food system, competing for land with other urban functions, being
influenced by urban policies and plans, etc.
Urban agriculture may take place in locations inside the cities (intraurban) or in the peri-urban areas. The activities may take place on the
homestead (on-plot) or on land away from the residence (off-plot),
on private land (owned, leased) or on public land (parks, conservation
areas, along roads, streams and railways), or semi-public land
(schoolyards, grounds of schools and hospitals).
Urban agriculture includes food products, from different types of
crops (grains, root crops, vegetables, mushrooms, fruits) and animals
(poultry, rabbits, goats, sheep, cattle, pigs, guinea pigs, fish, etc.) as well
as non-food products (like aromatic and medicinal herbs, ornamental
plants, tree products, etc.). or combinations of these. Often the more
perishable and relatively high-valued vegetables and animal products
and by-products are favoured.
In most cities in developing countries, an important part of urban
agricultural production is for self-consumption, with surpluses being
traded. However, the importance of the market-oriented urban
agriculture, both in volume and economic value, should not be
underestimated (as will be shown later). Products are sold at the farm
gate, by cart in the same or other neighbourhoods, in local shops, on
local (farmers) markets or to intermediaries and supermarkets. Mainly
fresh products are sold, but part of it is processed for own use, cooked
and sold on the streets, or processed and packaged for sale to one of
the outlets mentioned above.
Urban agriculture is an integral part of the urban system.
Source: adapted from notes on the RUAF Foundation website, www.ruaf.org
3. African business environment

In 2008, for the first time in human history, the number of people living in
urban areas outstripped the rural population; however, the same will not
occur in Africa until nearly 2050. Even so, Africas cities are urbanising at
a profound rate, reaching 40% in 2012, up from 19% in 1960.
Due to the implications of urban population growth on the economy and
other social factors, it is imperative that African state leaders and policymakers plan for these transitions adequately. The changes that will occur,
and in fact have begun taking place, in terms of urbanisation, need to be
factored into long term planning, as not doing so could lead to possible
political and economic instability.
Source: Eye on urbanisation: Nigeria which can be found on www.polity.org.za
4. Role players
Find the links to the cities at www.sacities.net Buffalo City, Cape Town,
Cape Town, Ekurhuleni, Ethekwini, Johannesburg, Mangaung, Msunduzi,
Nelson Mandela Metropole and Tshwane.
47
ABALIMI BEZEKHAYA
(Planters of the Home)
Tel: 021 371 1653
www.abalimi.org.za
Organic
micro-farming
and
gardening in the townships of Cape
Town, the first city in Africa to have
an approved Urban Agriculture
policy as of 2007. ABALIMI
directly interfaces with between
50-200 community projects every
year, and up to 3000 micro-farmers
and gardeners every year.
Afesis-corplan
Tel: 043 743 3830
www.afesis.org.za
Afristar Foundation
Tel: 011 706 5614
www.afristarfoundation.org

University
Tel: 044 801 5111 / 059
bianca.currie@nmmu.ac.za
www.nmmu.ac.za/georgecampus
Rocklands Urban Abundance
Centre
Tel: 021 391 5316
www.seed.org.za/rocklands.php
Siyakhana Initiative for
Ecological Health and Food
Security
Tel: 072 501 0756
http://siyakhana.org
Siyakhana operates one of
Johannesburgs most prominent
and important urban permaculture
demonstration sites and enjoys
strong links with local, provincial
and national government initiatives.
A Permaculture NGO Creating

sustainable solutions for urban Soil for Life
Tel: 021 794 4982
development
http://soilforlife.co.za
AgriPlanner see South African
Institute for Entrepreneurship South African Cities Network
(SACN)
later in this list
Tel: 011 407 6471
www.sacities.net
Calabash Trust
Tel: 041 585 9255
The SACN State of the Cities
www.calabashtrust.co.za
Report looks at issues that hinder
the progress of development
Department of Agriculture,
in municipalities and how these
Forestry and Fisheries (DAFF)
can be addressed in the overall
Directorate: Food Security
objectives of the government.
Tel: 012 319 6736
DFS@daff.gov.za
South African Institute for
Entrepreneurship (SAIE)
Department of Health (DoH)
Tel: 021 447 2023
Community Based Nutrition
www.entrepreneurship.co.za
Programme
Tel: 012 312 0071
The SAIE develops materials that
www.doh.gov.za
trains educators, trainers and
Department of Social
community-based
organisations
Development
to convey business skills, uncover
Tel: 012 312 7953
entrepreneurship qualities and
www.population.gov.za
ensure
sustainable
economic
development and wealth creation.
Find the Urbanisation option on
the website
Sustainable Energy Africa
Tel: 021 702 3622
Food & Trees for Africa (FTFA) www.sustainable.org.za
Tel: 011 656 9802
www.trees.org.za
Sustainable Villages Africa
www.sva.co.za
Food Gardens Foundation
Tel: 011 342 4440 / 6967
Ukuvuna Urban Farming
www.foodgardensfoundation.org. Centre
za
John Nzira 073 717 5232
johnnzira@gmail.com
National Planning Commission
www.npconline.co.za
University of Cape Town
African Centre for Cities
About 30-million South Africans http://africancentreforcities.net
live in urban areas, but by 2030,
an additional 11-million would University of the Free State
move to cities with the urban Department of Agricultural
rate increasing to 70% of all South Economics
Africans. Where these people would Tel: 051 401 2824 / 3864
be housed? Where they would www.ufs.ac.za/agri-econ
work? What water they would
use and what kind of transport Centre for Sustainable Agriculture,
they would use (among other Rural Development and Extension
things)? The NPC is responsible Tel: 051 401 3765
for developing a long term vision www.ufs.ac.za/censard
and strategic plan for South Africa
Urban-Econ
Tel: 051 444 6324
fs@urban-econ.com
Department of Urban and Regional www.urban-econ.com
Planning
Tel: 051 401 2486
Find contact details of their
www.ufs.ac.za/urpl
branches across the country on the
website
Mike Underwood
URBAN FARMER
Tel: 033 260 6088
Tel/fax: 022 448 1106
Lisa Perold 082 842 1579
metalpetal@kingsley.co.za
Environmental Sciences
Tel: 031 260 1027
maharajb@ukzn.ac.za
Visual AgriLiving
Tel: 021 919 8954
Urban Harvest Edible Gardens www.agriliving.co.za
Tel: 072 475 2977 (Cape Town)
Tel: 079 934 0689 (Port Elizabeth) Combining
food
growing
http://urbanharvest.wordpress. operations with residential units
com
Lengau Agricultural centre
Tel: 051 443 8859

AGROPOLIS The Social, Political and Environmental Dimensions of Urban
Agriculture Edited by Luc J. A. Mougeot International Development
Research Centre (ISBN 1-55250-186-8). Read it online at http://web.
idrc.ca/openebooks/186-8/
Find out about the publications available from the Resources Centre on
Urban Agriculture and Food Security (RUAF) Foundation at www.ruaf.
org, which include the Urban Agriculture Magazine.
Visit www.afsun.org, website of the African Food Security Urban
Network (AFSUN)
Find a number of papers relevant to this chapter on www.polity.org.
za e.g. Challenges to urban food supply in South Africa (August 2011)
and Reverse Rural-urban Migrations: An Indication of Emerging Patterns in
Africa?
Guidelines for Urban and peri-urban animal agriculture, compiled by the
Directorate Animal and Aquaculture Production. Call 012 319 7511
www.verticalfarm.com a potential for growing the food required in
decades to come will be vertical farming.
By 2013, Dutch firm Van Bergen Kolpa Architects hope to have a
working prototype of a supermarket farm that could produce most of
the food items found in any grocery store. Find the article Farm in the
City could be supermarket of the future on www.cnn.com.
Find the Urban option at www.gdrc.org, website of the Global
Development Research Center.
www.cityfarmer.org City Farmer is a non-profit society promoting
urban food production and environmental conservation from a small
office in downtown Vancouver, British Columbia.
www.etc-urbanagriculture.org ETC Urban Agriculture is an advisory
group and resource centre in urban agriculture and food security. The
recent projects lists work done in Turkey, Canada, South East Asia
and Sub Saharan Africa.
www.urbanfarming.org a North American website
Find the article The Environmental Cost of US Lawns on http://
ezinearticles.com. Lawn is the most irrigated crop in the US
three times more water is used on turf grass than on irrigating maize.
(Anyone care to estimate a South African figure?)
Watch the video clips on http://theurbanfarmingguys.com.
Find the publications at http://africancentreforcities.net, website of the
African Centre for Cities at the University of Cape Town.
The chapter also serves as a corollary of the Importance of rural
development chapter. The greater the development in the rural areas,
the less will be the reason for the rapid urban migration which places such
strain on available resources in the urban centres, leading to declining living
conditions there.
Find the publications and reports at www.sacities.net, website of the
South African Cities Network (SACN). The success of our cities is crucial in
determining the strengthening of our rural areas.
AFGRI FP
49
marketing and
finance
Agribusinesses and New
Generation agricultural cooperatives
1. Overview
Co-operative societies were originally established to enable farmers who
had clubbed together to gain enough capital to buy equipment in bulk and
to sell their produce. The aim of these societies was to increase the profits
of farmers. This they would do by getting best market prices for produce,
finding new markets and buying equipment in bulk.
South Africa faced a decade of change in the 1990s. The socio-political
changes made world headlines. There were other changes too: domestic
economic deregulation, removal of quantitative import controls in terms
of GATT (General Agreement of Tariffs & Trade)/WTO (World Trade
Organisation) agreements, and the opening up of South African agriculture
to the forces of globalisation culminated in the scrapping of the Agricultural
Marketing Act.
Co-operatives were now permitted to have non-farmers as members and
directors, as well as to move from the area in which their members farmed
provided they converted into companies. This legislation was received
with mixed emotions.
Some co-operatives that decided to convert found themselves in hefty
disputes with individual farmers. These farmers felt that the new companies
would now switch their priorities from primarily looking at the interests
of farmers to concentrating on those of investors (agri-companies had
to become profit driven to ensure that non-farming shareholders make
returns on their investments). There were arguments for: non-agricultural
shareholders would inject more capital into the entity than farmers could
have injected into a co-operative. They could also bring business and
management expertise with them. Some of these conversions resulted in
farmers selling their shares and surrendering management of their former
co-operatives. Some co-operatives that planned to become companies
changed their minds: capital structures were satisfactory or they were
secure in a market niche.
The environment which had become increasingly competitive saw
consolidation, and some infringement on each others territory not a
characteristic of their operations up until then.
Agricultural businesses play a significant role in the economy as handlers,
processors and marketers of agricultural products, and as suppliers of
production inputs and services. In addition, they are major employers,
developers and sources of added value. In many rural areas, they are the
business hub of the community and make a key contribution to maintaining
the rural infrastructure.
Agribusinesses, including co-operatives, provide a wide range of products
and services. Largely products consist of commodities since the original
role lay mainly in the first stage of processing of farm products. Apart from
the supplying of agricultural inputs, services now go further. Marketing, for
example, by assisting farmers to get the best price for their crops. Farmers
are helped to manage risk, and have their grain stored. Financial services
also continue to be an important aspect although commercial banks are
increasingly encroaching on this traditional role.
2. Associations involved
Agricultural Business Chamber (Agbiz)
Tel: 012 807 6686
Fax: 012 807 5600
www.agbiz.co.za
The Agricultural Business Chamber (Agbiz) represents agricultural
companies, agricultural co-operatives in the developing agricultural sector;
companies which arose out of the conversion of agricultural co-operatives;
and other agricultural business enterprises and organisations. Agbiz strives
to support its member organisations by creating an environment within
which they are enabled to operate as competitive and innovative business
enterprises.
Agbiz is affiliated to Business Unity South Africa (BUSA) in partnership with
Agri SA, and the NEPAD Business Foundation (NBF), while maintaining
close links with international organisations such as the World Farmers
Organisation (WFO), the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) and
the International Food and Agribusiness Management Association (IAMA).
3. A look at some agribusinesses

AFGRI Operations Limited
Tel: 011 063 2347
afgri@afgri.co.za
www.afgri.co.za
The Perfect Farm takes dedication, passion, positive change and AFGRI.
The end result is a comprehensive value chain transforming the business
of agriculture with growth a natural outcome. As a JSE listed agricultural
services and foods business, AFGRI has the passion, resources and
potential to effectively assist and advise farmers, producers and consumers
of agricultural product. South Africas market leader, AFGRI simply and
effectively offers business solutions across three sectors in the chain.
AFGRI Services is one of South Africas largest agricultural commodity
trading companies, comprising Retail, Equipment and Grain Management.
The Retail division offers a comprehensive range of products and services
enabling farmers the tools for a successful crop outcome. From seed, to
fertiliser to tractors, these inputs can be easily sourced, with advisory
services sustaining the farmer throughout the season. Both Farm City and
Town and Country offer a full range of agricultural inputs, home, garden,
outdoor and DIY products for consumer use.
A regional supplier of mechanised equipment tailored to the needs of the
commercial farmer, AFGRI Equipment is the largest John Deere franchise
in Africa.
Grain Management offers secure storage of agricultural products throughout
South Africa and Zambia up to 4.4 million tons, with AFGRI being a world
leader in the handling and storage of the maize, wheat, sunflower, soya beans
and sorghum grains. World-class technology in silo inventory management
also furthers AFGRIs status as an industry frontrunner.
AFGRI Foods, the second in the value chain, encompassing Animal Feeds,
Milling and Poultry, Equipment and Oils
AFGRI Animal Feeds is one of South Africas leading manufacturers and is
committed to the provision of superior manufacturing technologies. Over
1 million tons of feed is produced per annum with a clear dedication in
manufacture to excellence, innovation and quality.
AFGRI Milling is a leading producer of yellow maize products for
manufacturing and industrial use. In keeping international standards the
mills are certified for compliance, with international food safety and quality
50
management standards. Excellence is key with Non GMO Hybrids, and the
integrity of corn preserved.
AFGRI poultry, and the associated Superior chicken brand, is an integrated
process producing parent stock through to state of the art facilities.
Passion and innovation allows quality product direct from the farm to the
customer.
Known for its supply of first class instrumentation and equipment, AFGRI
Labworld is a leading supplier of laboratory and scientific analytical equipment
used in the agricultural, food and beverage, mining and petrochemical
industries. Customers receive total all-encompassing solutions to all
analytical requirements enabling effective product development.
Nedan is AFGRIs oilseed crushing, extraction and refining plant. A leader
in the field, the plant processes oils and other raw materials into edible
product for the food processing and fast food industries. Nedan aims to be
the most technologically advanced oil and protein company in South Africa,
a goal being achieved through plant innovation processing efficiencies and
ongoing product development.
AFGRI Financial Services, the final link in the value chain, offers tailor
made solutions through Capital, Broking and Insurance.
The GroCaptical division provides financial solutions for a variety of clients
ultimately facilitating profitability and growth. GroCaptial offers specialised
finance and innovative solutions with strong emphasis on the emerging
markets and allowing international trade and foreign exchange. Specialised
knowledge, structured trade and debt origination set GroCaptial as a
leading provider.
AFGRI Broking facilitates the right protection against currency movements
with currency futures and options from the JSE, an essential consideration
for trading farmers and a volatile currency exchange.
AFGRI insurance is a composite insurance broker specialising in all aspects
of short-term and long-term insurance, specialising in the risks that face
todays farmer.
A newcomer to the AFGRI Financial Services chain is Farmer Lending.
Previously part of the GroCapital offerings, Famer Lending offers attractive
rates for seasonal needs, capital expenditure and future extensions. Its
about relationships, funding and advantages for all farmers
Kaap Agri
Head Office
Tel: 022 482 8000
Fax: 022 482 8008
www.kaapagri.co.za
Kaap Agri is an agricultural services group that distributes goods and services
mainly to the agricultural sector, but also to the general public. These goods
and services include:
direct agricultural production inputs such as fertiliser, seeds and
pesticides
animal feed, animal health and pet-related products
fuels and oils
industrial and domestic gas
gardening and agricultural irrigation products
related products such as pruning shears, tools and wire
fencing material like wire and poles
packaging material for the fruit industry such as boxes, bags, punnets
and pulp trays
industrial packaging and pallets
building material such as cement, timber, paint, corrugated iron and
plastic
horticultural supplies like tools, fertiliser and chemicals
DIY items like tools, ladders, screws and accessories
camping equipment and related accessories for the outdoor
enthusiast
food, cleaning agents and protective clothing
wine and alcoholic liquors in certain shops
mechanisation services such as tractors and implements, manufacturing
and repairs, and spare parts
grain management services receipt, grading and storage of mainly
wheat
grain marketing services various marketing options to producers

manufacturing and distribution of irrigation equipment
financing of these services and products
Geographic distribution of trading points
Kaap Agri provides these goods and services via a network of 147 trading
points across 84 towns and cities throughout South Africa and Namibia.
Particularly in the larger towns and cities Agrimark concentrates on the
destination customer who desires a wide range of items under one roof.
New initiatives include a chain of Villagemart stores and Savemart stores
in shopping centres, as well as Liquormark liquor stores within Agrimark
stores.
Produce
Kaap Agri also has 14 grain silo complexes throughout the Western Cape
which comprises 320 000 tons in storage facilities.
Produce from Kaap Agris service areas include a wide range of agricultural
subdivisions, like wheat and small grains, table grapes, wine grapes,
deciduous fruit, stone fruit, dried fruit, dairy cows and beef cattle, wool and
meat sheep, cotton, vegetables, beans and rooibos tea.
Business model, ownership and corporate management
Kaap Agri is a public company with approximately 5,300 shareholders,
comprising producers, the general public and institutional investors. The
largest single shareholder is the listed company, Zeder Investments Limited,
part of the PSG Group. Shares are freely traded over the counter, the
average trading being about 0.5% per month.
The board of Kaap Agri Bedryf comprises of ten elected directors and three
executive directors (Managing Director, Financial Director and Human
Resources Director). Although Kaap Agri is not listed, the directors believe
that all corporate management requirements should be adhered to as if the
company is listed, and the company complies in all material respects with
the requirements of the King III Code and related corporate management
requirements and guidelines.
BEE involvement
Twenty five percent of Kaap Agris shares are under black ownership.
Kaap Agri supports BEE and is currently a level 8 contributor and focuses
on internal training, development and promotion, as well as on aiding
and supporting emerging farmers and farm workers through various
short, medium and long-term courses on offer at its training academy in
Porterville.
Specific activities of the group
Agrimark stores a chain of retail stores which offers direct agricultural
production inputs and related products, as well as tools, building
material, outdoor products, horticultural supplies, DIY and much more
to producers and the general public.
Liquormark stores a chain of liquor stores within existing Agrimark
stores which focuses on the needs of the more sophisticated consumer
and specifically promotes locally produced wines.
Pakmark markets a chain of outlets that concentrates mainly on
the packaging material needs of fruit producers, as well as related
requirements. Some of the Pakmark markets also offer a wider range
of products, similar to those of Agrimark stores, while some Agrimark
stores also provide a complete range of packaging material.
Villagemarts a new initiative of smaller Agrimark stores in shopping
centres, specifically for the general public who require a variety of
products under one roof.
Savemarts A new retail shopping concept being developed in the
Western and Southern Cape with communities living in high density
areas, as its target market. A specific focus will be placed on products
for in and around the house and for DIY enthusiasts.
Mechanisation marketing of agricultural machinery (tractors, combine
harvesters, implements); manufacturing and repair workshops; and
providers of spare parts.
Agriplas manufacturing of drip irrigation pipes and sprinkler irrigation,
and its distribution along with related complete irrigation requisites
especially to other retailers and irrigation technicians and installers.
Agrilog acquisition and logistics of products; purchasing and distribution
of products of divisions via product specialists; imports; and the central
co-ordination of fuel purchases, storage, and distribution and delivery.
54
Grain storage receipt, grading, storage and fumigation of grain

mainly wheat, but also barley, oats, rye and lupines.
Grain trading a complete range of marketing options to grain
producers to enable them to realise the maximum return on their
products according to their choice.
Seed processing and distribution the increase of base grain seeds by
contracted seed producers, processing and distribution of wheat and
bean seeds, and distribution of seed potatoes.
Financing financing of the abovementioned services and products
through customised financing alternatives that suit the needs of
producers and clients, including input costs such as fertiliser, fuel and
pest management.
Support Services The industries mentioned, are supported by Finance,
Administration, IT, Secretariat, Internal Auditing, Human Resources
and Communication.
In short Kaap Agri provides a wide range of goods, products and services
to a broad variety of clients through an extensive footprint that stretches
throughout most of South Africa and Namibia.
VKB Agriculture Limited

Tel: 058 863 8111
www.vkb.co.za
VKB Agriculture Limited is a well-established and dynamic agricultural
enterprise of sound financial standing, with a loyal member and client
base. The company has committed itself to identifying opportunities for
growth in the agricultural environment. Through sustained growth, it is
also committed to availing itself of these opportunities for the benefit of its
members and other interested parties by not only creating, but also adding
value to agriculture.
Recently, VKB Agriculture Limited has invested in integration opportunities,
both backwards, to reduce the cost of inputs, and forward, to add value
to the agricultural products of its members. With a view to embracing
this vertical integration strategy, VKB has embarked on several major
projects, one of which is VKBs Broiler Project. At present, the company
is constructing a broiler abattoir with a First Phase Slaughtering capacity of
450 000 chickens a week. This is a huge initiative, as VKBs investment for
the first five years is estimated at approximately R200 million.
As soon as the first phase is completed, and we are satisfied with the
marketing of these products, we aim to expand this project. Most importantly,
the project will afford members of the VKB Group the opportunity to be
contract growers. Furthermore, it will create an opportunity for them to
diversify their businesses, says Paul Carshagen, chairperson of the VKB
Board.
The above project is strategically aligned to embrace one of the companys
BBBEE objectives with a view to unlocking the entrepreneurial potential
of previously disadvantaged individuals. The VKB Group will also assist
them in participating meaningfully in the mainstream economy. To this end,
a partnership was formed with the provincial and national government.
For the first phase of this project, VKB allocated six chicken houses to
smallholder farmers from the previously disadvantaged community.
A second animal feed factory with an annual production capacity of 200 000
tons is also being constructed.
One of the companys other crucial projects is an oil crusher plant with a
capacity of 150 000 tons per annum.
The VKB Group has launched a number of projects to achieve its aim of
making a difference to the community. The company has initiated a very
successful programme for emerging farmers in the area, providing them
with both technical and financial support and ongoing mentorship in all
aspects of organised agriculture.
The development of smallholder farmers remains a relevant strategy to
groom and develop upcoming farmers to a commercial plane. It will ensure
that these farmers are acquainted with modern farming practices and
well equipped with vital skills needed for sustaining a viable and healthy
agricultural business.
It is an undisputed fact that, if an organisation is keen to sustain its growth
and success in this era, the development of its employees will undoubtedly
contribute to its competitive edge in the market.
Over the years, the VKB Group has introduced several training programmes
aimed at developing the potential and skills of its employees at various
levels and n all occupational categories. These programmes range from
learnerships, apprenticeships and skills development programmes to
intensive leadership programmes preparing previously disadvantaged
individuals to play an active role in managerial hierarchies.
We are optimistic about the future. With our new capital ventures and
proposed investments, the companys focus will be on achieving maximum
operational efficiency. We will therefore continue to foster our unique
relationship with our stakeholders. We are a one-stop supplier to agricultural
producers within our area and they are the main reason for our existence.
We have always experienced unprecedented loyalty from our members and
they will remain the core of our business, says Carshagen.
4. Companies involved
AFGRI Tel: 011 063 2347 www.afgri.co.za
BKB Ltd Tel: 041 503 3111 www.bkb.co.za
Ceres Koelkamers Ltd Tel: 023 315 5003
Coastals Farmers Co-operative Ltd Tel: 031 508 8000 www.
coastals.co.za
Fraserburg Co-operative Ltd Tel/fax: 023 741 1936
Gamtoos Tobacco Co-operative Ltd Tel: 042 283 0305
GWK Ltd Tel: 053 298 8200 www.gwk.co.za
Highveld Egg Co-operative Ltd Tel: 018 293 0694 www.toplay.
co.za
56
Humansdorpse Koperasie Beperk Tel: 042 295 1082 www.

humkoop.co.za
Kaap Agri Tel: 022 482 8000 www.kaapagri.co.za
Karoo Vleisboere Koperasie Bpk Tel: 053 621 0162
Klein Karoo International (KKI) Tel: 044 203 5100 www.kleinkaroo.
com
Koup Produsente Koperasie Bpk Tel: 023 551 1083
KLK Agriculture Ltd see BKB Ltd
Langkloof Boerekoperasie Bpk see Tuinroete Agri. Tel: 044 752
3004
MGK Operating Company (Pty) Ltd Tel: 012 381 2800 www.mgk.
co.za
Malelane Citrus Co-operative Ltd Tel: 013 790 0391 http://msk.
co.za
Moorreesburgse Koringboere (Pty) Ltd Tel: 022 433 8300 www.
mkb.co.za
Mosstrich Tel: 044 606 4400 www.mosstrich.co.za
NCT Forestry Co-operative Ltd Tel: 033 897 8500 www.nctforest.
com
NTK Limpopo Agric Ltd Tel: 014 719 9211 www.ntk.co.za
NWK Ltd Tel: 018 633 1000 www.nwk.co.za
Oranjerivierwynkelders Koperatief Bpk Tel: 054 337 8800 www.
orangeriverwines.com
Oos Vrystaat Kaap Operations (OVK) Tel: 051 923 4500 www.
ovk.co.za
Overberg Agri Tel: 028 214 3800 www.overbergagri.co.za
Sentraal-Suid Co-operative Ltd (SSK) Tel: 028 514 8600 www.
ssk.co.za
Senwes Tel: 018 464 7800 www.senwes.co.za
Southern African Milk Co-operation Ltd Tel: 021 880 0256 www.
samelko.co.za
Suidwes Tel: 018 581 1000 www.suidwes.co.za
Sutherland Landboukoperasie Bpk Tel: 023 571 1001
Taurus Stock Improvement Co-operative Ltd Tel: 012 667 1122
www.taurus.co.za
Tuinroete Agri Beperk Tel: 044 601 1200 www.tagri.co.za
TWK Agriculture Limited Tel: 017 824 1000
Umtiza Farmers Corp Limited Tel: 043 722 4215 www.umtiza.
co.za
Villiersdorp Co-op Tel: 028 840 1120 www.villiersdorpko-op.co.za
VKB Landbou Beperk Tel: 058 863 8111 www.vkb.co.za
Williston Vleiskoperasie Bpk Tel: 053 391 3204
Zeder Investments Ltd Tel: 021 887 9602 www.zeder.co.za

A newsletter is available from the Agricultural Business Chamber
(contact details under heading 2). The newsletter can also be found
under the Publications menu option at www.agbiz.co.za
The magazine SA Kop/SA Co-op is available from 018 293 0622. You
can fax 018 294 4221.
Find the website of the International Food and Agribusiness Management
Association at www.ifama.org.
Expanding business linkages worldwide visit the EMRC website:
www.emrc.be
Find the article Agrologistics at home and aboard on www.
tradeinvestafrica.com, which looks at agribusinesses in Africa.
The different agribusinesses put out an assortment of their own
publications, videos, websites.
The share prices of agro companies can be found on www.landbou.
com, the electronic arm of the Landbouweekblad magazine.
Sources for the chapter: Agricultural Business Chamber; AFGRI; Kaap Agri; VKB
Ltd
marketing and
finance
Agricultural shows and events
1. Overview
Agricultural shows and events are a time when people involved in the
agricultural value chain get to meet one another, network and find out
about the latest technologies and trends. Many of these events occur
in South Africa, and we list only some of them here. The reader is
referred to the agricultural weeklies, Landbouweekblad and Farmers
Weekly, or their websites to find a calendar of the latest shows. Visit
www.landbou.com and www.farmersweekly.co.za.
Find details of many shows, mostly in the Western Cape, at www.
agriexpo.co.za. Some of these, in turn, have their own websites e.g.
www.swartlandskou.co.za.
Some agricultural role players like the Agricultural Business Chamber
keep their members informed of agricultural events through their
newsletters or on their websites.
The reader will also find news of (agricultural) shows on cultural
websites like http://safeeste.co.za.
2. Some role players

Producer and district associations are involved in district/regional shows. Some of
these events are listed under heading 3.
Aginfo t/a AMT (Pty) Ltd

Tel: 012 361 2748
www.agrimark.co.za
EXSA (Exhibitions and Event

Association of Southern Africa)
Tel: 011 805 7272
www.exsa.co.za
Organiser of the AMT conference

Exhibition Management
in Pretoria (see heading 3)
Services
Tel: 011 783 7250
Agri-Expo
www.exhibitionsafrica.com
Tel: 021 975 4440/1/2/3
www.agriexpo.co.za
Grain SA (GSA)
This agricultural organisation runs Tel: 0860 047 246
www.grainsa.co.za
numerous shows and events
Agri Letaba
Tel: 082 941 4136
www.agriletaba.co.za
See Nampo Harvest Day under

heading 3
Compex Exhibitions
Tel: 012 667 1980
www.compex.co.za
Tshwabac
Tel: 012 327 1487
www.tshwabac.co.za
The Food & Beverage and Meat

This farmers association, affiliated Management Conferences occur
to Agri SA, runs the Letaba Expo during the Africas Big Seven
Exhibition, organised by IIR
(find details on the website)
Conferences. Call 011 771 7000
or visit www.iir-conferences.co.za.
Agri Mega Expos
Tel: 028 424 2890
Lowveld Show Society
Pretoria: 082 337 6127
Tel: 013 752 2801 / 6747
www.agrimega.co.za
www.lowshow.co.za
Agri Mega Expos is responsible for
various industry focused agricultural Royal Agricultural Society of
Natal
expos, tours and farmers days.
Tel: 033 345 6274
www.royalshow.co.za
Agrifica and Agricultural Tours
Worldwide offer tours to South They host the Royal Show South
African and African agricultural Africas oldest and largest mixed
shows and events. Visit
www. agricultural event and the Sunday
agrifica.co.za
and
www. Tribune Garden Show, the countrys
agritoursandtravel.com
largest
horticultural
event.
57
3. Shows and conferences

Agri Mega Week (Bredasdorp) focuses on the winter grain, sheep and
wool, and dairy industries. See Agri Mega under heading 2.
Africas Big Seven, which happens at Midrand, incorporates AgriFood, Food Tech Africa, Interbake Africa, Food Biz Africa, Retail Trade
Exhibition, Retail Solutions Africa and IFMA Africa. Several conferences
happen parallel to the exhibitions. Find the Exhibition Management
Services entry under heading 2 for contact details.
African Farmers Workshop and Expo see www.africanfarmers.
co.za.
Agribusiness Africa Conference see Agrifica (heading 2)
Find out about the AgriWorks Agricultural Expo at www.agriworks.
co.za.
The All Africa Dairy Expo is aimed at the needs of dairy farmers. Visit
www.dairyexpo.co.za for more.
Allfresh is a national summit for suppliers and producers in the fresh
produce industry. Visit www.allfresh.co.za.
At the annual AMT conference in Pretoria, economic overviews
are given of the various agricultural sectors. Find the Conference
Proceedings menu option on www.agrimark.co.za. Find AMT (Pty)
Ltd under heading 2.
The annual Bathurst Agricultural Show hosts exhibitors from all
over the Eastern Cape. Read about it at www.bathurstshow.co.za.
Bien Donn Agri Cape Week Expo see Agri Mega under heading 2.
Bloemfontein Show call 051 448 9894 or visit www.bloemskou.
co.za
The Bureau for Food and Agricultural Policy (BFAP) presents its
annual baseline study on an evening in Pretoria or Cape Town. Find the
latest BFAP Baseline at www.bfap.co.za.
The Cape Dairy Experience visit www.capedairy.co.za
The Nedbank Eston Show in KwaZulu-Natal has been growing in
popularity as an agricultural show. Visit www.estonshow.co.za for
more.
From The Earth visit www.fromtheearth.co.za and find Agri Expo
details under heading 2.
Intervitis Interfructa Southern Africa is a technology exhibition
for the wine, fruit and fruit juice industries. Call 021 852 3523 or visit
www.intervitis-interfructa.co.za.
Read about the NAFCO Expo at www.nafco.co.za. This is a relatively
new show which began as an idea of the parents at Horskool Ben
Viljoen in Groblersdal to raise funds for the school.
The NAMPO Harvest Day is an annual agricultural show, reputedly
the largest in the southern hemisphere, held over four days at the
NAMPO Park near Bothaville. Find Grain SAs details under heading
2 and visit www.nampo.co.za. For accommodation (book early!), call
the Maize Capital Forum 056 515 3042 or Viljoenskroon Tourism
at 056 343 3992. Also visit www.bothaville.info.
Visit www.naturalandorganic.co.za to find out about Natural &
Organics Products Exhibition.
To find out about the Reitz Bieliemieliefees visit www.bieliemielie.
co.za.
Royal Show (Pietermaritzburg) find the Royal Agricultural Society of

Natal details under heading 2.
SAITEX see Exhibition Management Services (heading 2)
South African Cheese Festival find Agri Expo details under heading
2 and visit www.cheesefestival.co.za.
Find out more about the South African Large Herds Conference at
www.largeherds.co.za.
The Spring Show in Pretoria. Visit www.thespringshow.co.za.
Sunday Tribune Garden Show find Royal Agricultural Society of
Natal under heading 2.
The Vryburg Show in the North West is billed as SAs 3rd largest
agricultural show, and the biggest cattle show in the country. Visit
http://vryburgshow.co.za or call 053 927 3945.
Other shows, not specifically agricultural but nevertheless of interest,
would include the Export Import Africa Expo and the Africa Water
Congress.
4. International shows
Agritechnica Expo (Germany) www.agritechnica.com
Agromek (Denmark) www.agromek.dk
Australian National Field Days www.anfd.com.au
Big Iron Farm Show (USA) www.bigironfarmshow.com
BioFach (Germany) www.biofach.de
EuroTier www.eurotier.com
EXPOAGRO (Argentina) www.expoagro.com.ar
Farm Progress Show (USA) http://farmprogress.com
Fruit Logistica Expo (Germany) www.fruitlogistica.de
Hortifair (The Netherlands) www.hortifair.com
Royal Ag Winter Fair (Canada) http://royalfair.org
Royal Welsh Agricultural Show www.rwas.co.uk/en/welsh-show/
SIAL (China) www.sialchina.com
SPACE (France) www.space.fr
www.biztradeshows.com find the Agriculture & forestry option
www.exhibitionsafrica.co.za find details of shows in Nigeria, Ghana and
Mozambique.
International Aquaculture events contact Aquaculture Innovations at
046 622 3690
Note that international shows/conferences are periodically held in South
Africa.
For shows and events in the USA, contact Denvor Julies at the US
Commercial Services: call 011 290 3241
Visit www.rase.org.uk, website of the Royal Agricultural Society of
England for information on events there. The Royal Show no longer
happens.
58
marketing and
finance
Commodity trading
See also the Grain storage and handling chapter
1. Overview
Since deregulation of the agricultural market in the mid 1990s, the
agricultural derivatives market in South Africa has continued to develop.
The price risk management tools that the derivative market provides allow
participants to hedge the price volatility in the underlying physical market.
The commitment from Government in 1995 to stay out of the price
determination process in the agricultural market remains firm, therefore
allowing for a truly free market environment to develop.
The most actively traded contract remains the white maize futures contract
followed by a 50 ton wheat contract and then a 25 ton soybean contract.
In August 2001 the members of the South African Futures Exchange
(SAFEX), both financial and agricultural markets, accepted an offer by the
then JSE Securities Exchange to buy them out. The Agricultural Products
Division of the JSE (Johannesburg Stock Exchange) Securities Exchange was
established to take over the functions of the old AMD. In 2009 the JSE
signed a licensing agreement with the CME Group, the worlds most diverse
derivatives exchange. This afforded the JSE the opportunity to introduce
a number of cash settled commodities that referenced the international
benchmark exchange for the final settlement value. Since this was extended
to include metals and crude oil, the agricultural derivative market rebranded
to become the Safex Commodity Derivative Market of the JSE.
2. What is the role of commodity derivatives?

Commodity derivatives, and particularly agricultural derivative markets play
an active role in price determination and transparency in the local agricultural
market whilst providing an efficient price risk management facility.
Producers and users of agricultural commodities hedge their price
risk, thereby limiting their exposure to adverse price movements. This
encourages increased productivity in the agricultural sector as farmers and
users are able to concentrate their efforts on managing production risks.
These are the risks associated with variables such as the weather, farm/
production management and seasonal conditions.
The futures market exists primarily for the purpose of allowing commercial
users to hedge their transactions or lock in favourable prices. Yet, the
market could not operate efficiently and effectively without speculators, as
they provide the necessary market liquidity which allows commercial users
to hedge. Speculators use futures and options in an attempt to make profits
on short-term price movements.
Financial institutions lending to these sectors are also ensured of reduced
risk profiles when dealing with clients who have hedged a portion of their
price risk. Such clients could typically access funds at cheaper rates than
would otherwise have been offered.
The agricultural derivatives market has developed to such an extent that
the cash market now largely relies on its price transparency and discovery
process to function properly. Prices generated on the derivatives market

are now considered the industry standard and reference point throughout
Southern Africa.
In 2010, the Division introduced functionality that allowed for Safex silo
receipts delivered in completion of a short futures position to be made
available on an open auction. Here existing long position holders or any
other interested clients may bid on stock at specific delivery points and if
successful, will then receive a Safex silo receipt representing stock in the silo.
The full premium bid is passed onto the seller who delivered the product.
This is yet another innovation by the exchange to add value to those market
participants who make use of the exchange platform.
3. Why trade commodity derivatives on an

exchange?
1. Regulation Safex Commodity Derivatives Market is a division of the
JSE Limited managed by the JSE and regulated by the Financial Services
Board (FSB) which oversees the exchanges reporting with regards to
Securities Services Act of 2004.
2. Margins When trading derivative products, the exchange requires
the payment of both initial margins and variation margins. The initial
margins are determined by the clearing house and vary depending on
historical price volatility. The variation margin is a daily flow of funds
(profits/losses) resulting from any open position calculated through a
methodology of Mark-to-Market (M-t-M).
3. Financial Integrity When dealing with the exchange the exchanges
clearing house becomes seller to every buyer and buyer to every seller.
Members are free to deal with each other without any credit risk. This
eliminates counter party risk which is prevalent in the over-the-counter
markets (OTC).
4. Transparency Pricing is determined purely on the basis of demand
and supply. Prices for each contract are negotiated between buyers and
sellers via an electronic order matching platform called the Automated
Trading System (ATS). The presence of numerous buyers and sellers
ensures that prices are always competitive and adjust efficiently to
reflect changes in the underlying market.
4. How are commodity derivatives traded?

Registered commodity derivative brokers input orders into the trading
system from remote locations (during trading hours (09h00 12h00 for
grains and 09h00 17h00 for metals and energy)) which are automatically
matched on the basis of time and price priority. The exchange guarantees
performance by counterparties in a futures contract.
Agricultural derivative prices are quoted at their Rand value per ton, delivered
on truck alongside silo basis Randfontein. One futures contract comprises
100 tons for white and yellow maize as well as sweet sorghum and 50 tons
for wheat and sunflower seeds. Soybean contracts are quoted at their Rand
value per ton and comprise 25 tons per contract. The soybean and sorghum
contract trades at the same basis price in a number of registered silos with
no location differentials
Daily price limits, limiting the daily movement of prices, add security to the
market. If the limit is reached on two like contracts on two consecutive
days the price limits are increased to 150% of the original limit and the
extended limits will remain in place until the daily movement on all like
contracts is less then the original limits. Extended price limits also result in
increased initial margin requirements for those periods when the extended
limits apply.
60
Futures are quoted on the trading system as:

Month of expiry, year of expiry, four letter code of commodity
JUL11 WMAZ White maize contract
DEC11 YMAZ Yellow maize contract
SEP11 WEAT Wheat contract
MAR11 SUNS Sunflower seeds contract
MAY11 SOYA Soybean contract
MAY11 SORG Sorghum contract
In early 2009, the CORN contract based off of the CBOT corn contract was
launched. This allows direct participation in South African rand to the most
liquid international maize contract. The fundamental difference between the
CORN contract and the domestic grain contracts traded is that the CORN
contract is cash settled and not physically settled. Since then the CBOT
soybean complex and CBOT wheat contract has also been introduced.
The JSE also provides access to the COMEX gold, copper and silver
markets, NYMEX platinum and WTI crude oil markets through a locally
listed contract that is traded and settled in Rands.
5. Market to market (M-t-M) calculation of

futures and options
The Mark-to-Market (m-t-m) for the day, also referred to as the settlement
price, is determined at random any time in the last 5 minutes of trading at
the discretion of the exchange.
If the bid is better than the last traded price the bid will be used as the mt-m price. (In simple terms this can be interpreted as buyers in the market
prepared to pay more than the last traded price).
Should the offer be lower than the last traded price then the offer will be
used as the m-t-m. (This means that there are sellers in the market who are
prepared to sell lower than the last traded price).
A volume weighted average price (VWAP) is used to calculate the m-t-m for
all liquid contracts. A liquid contract is defined as any expiry that trades 100
or more contracts in the last half hour of trading.
Physical delivery takes place over a two-business day period, the notice day
followed by the delivery day (the next business day).
Delivery can take place at any Safex approved silo and each delivery point
is subject to a location differential (based on transport costs). Location
differentials are determined by the exchange and are available from the
exchange (available on the webpage www.jse.co.za/commodities).
Notice day
The short position holder (seller of the commodity) notifies his broker about
his intention to give notice of delivery to close-out a futures position. Notice
must be given before 12h45 on any business day during the delivery month.
The last notice day being the second last business day of the delivery month.
For example a short position holder could give notice on the September
futures contract on the 31 August for delivery on the 1 September or his last
notice day would be the 29 September for delivery on the 30 September.
(For all delivery dates the trading calendar on the web page).
The deliveries are either processed via Exchange for Physical (EFP), result of
the silo auction or randomly allocated by computer programme to existing
long position holders. A long position holder allocated stock will be notified
through the clearing member of the allocation.
Any long position holder (buyer of the commodity) could be allocated
product at any time during the delivery month with one days notice but
is assured that he/she will receive such stock by the last day of the delivery
month. Buyers are guaranteed that it will be at a registered silo and free
along side the rail. The best case scenario is being allocated maize in a
silo convenient to the buyer; however, the worse case scenario would be
Randfontein. Therefore the location differential will always ensure that the
basis Randfontein price is traded.
The closing price (mark-to-market) on the notice day is the price at which
contracts are closed. The location differentials and any outstanding storage
is deducted from the amount payable by a long position holder (in the case
of wheat a grade discount is also applicable). The exchange does not take
any prepaid storage into account and the seller forfeits any storage costs
that have been prepaid. Long position holders are charged a standard daily
storage rate fixed for each marketing season for any outstanding storage
costs and are responsible for storage from the delivery day onwards.
Delivery day
The closing option volatility is calculated using at-the-money option trades

and two strikes either side during the last half hour of trade. The exchange
reserves the right to set the m-t-m volatility. This implied volatility is then
used to value all option positions.
Silo receipts have to be delivered to a broker who will in turn ensure that
they reach the exchange no later than 12h00 on the delivery day. Payments
for products take place by 13h00 on the delivery day. Long position holders
are able to collect silo receipts from the exchange from 14h00 onwards.
6. Settlement procedures of agricultural

derivatives
Positions can still be opened or closed during the delivery month until the
last trading day. The last trading day is the eighth last business day of each
delivery month. Once the contract has closed for trading any position still
open will have to be honoured by payment or delivery (short position
holders have until the last business day of the delivery month to make
delivery).
What is Physical Delivery?

All products traded on the agricultural derivatives market can be physically
delivered at expiry in fulfillment of a futures contract. This does not mean
that 100 tons of maize is delivered by truck to the exchange to complete the
delivery process. The exchange makes use of a silo receipt, a transferable
but not negotiable document, representing a specific quantity of stock in
a registered Safex silo to effect delivery. Paper and electronic silo receipts
issued by registered silo owners are accepted by the exchange. The silo
owner storing the product guarantees the quality of stock as per detailed
grading methodology specified by the National Department of Agriculture,
Forestry and Fisheries and to outload the specific product upon presentation
of the silo receipt.
Delivery can take place any business day on a particular delivery month. (A
futures position in the July contract can only be delivered on during July).
7. How is risk managed?

Delivery and settlement on any exchange traded derivative contract is always
100% guaranteed. This is done through the novation process whereby the
clearing house assumes the position of buyer to every seller and seller to
every buyer. The counterparties do not deal with each other directly as
the exchange matches all long and short positions. To manage default risk,
the exchange uses its three-tier system, initial margin requirements as well
as the daily m-t-m process. Should a client default on a contract, his/her
broker assumes these positions. The broker could then close them off and
use the initial margin deposit held to cover his/her losses. In the event that
61
the broker is unable to assume the clients positions, his clearing member
would stand in for him/her. Currently the clearing members consist of South
Africas largest financial institutions. This tier system ensures that the client
on the other side is always guaranteed fulfillment of his/her position.
South Africa, reducing trading fees as the trading volumes increased. Except
for one day in 1999 due to severe technical problems, the exchange has
been open for trading every single business day providing a platform for
buyers and sellers to match their trades.
The key factors influencing grain prices in South Africa can be identified as
first the local, then regional and finally international- supply and demand.
The exchange rate is also an important contributor since world grain is
traded in US dollars, should the Rand weaken then the demand for South
African maize would increase. Since the market is information driven,
should organizations like the Crop Estimates Committee (CEC), weather
bureau or South African Grain Information Services (SAGIS) release new
information, it will have a direct impact on the current trading prices. To
illustrate this, imagine the Rand trading at 14 to the dollar, huge shortages in
Southern Africa and an El Nino expected in the middle of the maize growing
season, maize prices will naturally soar.
With further innovations in the trading of Safex silo receipts planned for the
near future, this will also provide further value to the cash market as basis
premiums will be made available on a transparent platform for both buyers
and sellers to participate. The JSE is also actively persuing the opportunity
to introduce physical delivery points outside of the South African borders to
introduce additional price risk management tools for other specific African
countries to benefit from.
As the market has grown and developed over the last 17 years, so the
rules and regulations have progressed to ensure market integrity for all
participants trading on the market. Compliance to the FICA regulations
has afforded members the opportunity to understand their clients business
better and in so doing understand their risks. At the end of 2003 position
limits were introduced on white maize futures contract for non-hedgers
(speculators). This was done since the open interest on the contract had
grown significantly larger than the available crop in South Africa and to
prevent manipulation of the underlying market. Non-hedgers are restricted
to an exposure of 15% of the net delta open interest.
Broker-client relationships remain key to all participants in the market. It
is imperative that clients understand the agreements they enter into and
most importantly the trading strategies they use to manage their price
risk. Without understanding the true downside and upside of any strategy,
hedgers may very well become speculators without even realising it.
For the last seventeen years the exchange has provided an efficient facility
for price discovery and price risk management of agricultural products in
The Commodity Derivatives Division looks forward to the years ahead and
is committed to providing South Africa and the region with an efficient and
cost effective product to manage price risk.
Agricultural Economics
Association of South Africa
(AEASA)
Tel: 012 341 1115
www.aeasa.org.za
Grain Handling Organisation of

Southern Africa (GOSA)
Tel: 012 807 3002
www.gosa.za.net
9. Training and research

Find the Education option at www.jse.co.za/Markets/Commodity-DerivativesMarket.aspx
Nedbank Capital
63
Agimark Trends (AMT)

Tel: 012 361 2748
www.agrimark.co.za
TMS Training Services

Tel: 011 853 2777
www.hochfeld.co.za
Bureau for Economic Research

Tel: 021 887 2810
www.ber.ac.za
Universities conduct research on

SAFEX and various models based
on SAFEX are developed.
Bureau for Food and

Agricultural Policy (BFAP)
Tel: 012 420 4583/2
www.bfap.co.za
Stellenbosch University
Economics
Tel: 021 808 4758
http://academic.sun.ac.za/agric_
econ
Grain SA
Tel: 0860 047 246
www.grainsa.co.za
Afgri Broking (Pty) Ltd AFGM
011 063 2729
Afrifocus Securities (Pty) Ltd AFFM
011 290 7800
Alpha Derivatives ALPM
011 485 2321
Anglorand Futop (Pty) Ltd ARFM
011 484 7440
Applied Derivatives (Pty) Ltd ONEM
021 439 7714
Bester Feed & Grain Exchange (Pty) Ltd BESM
021 809 2500
BGC Financial Brokers (Pty) Ltd BGCM
011 467 9325
B & P Group Financial Services (Pty) Ltd BPGM
031 583 4600
Brent Trading (Pty) Ltd BRNM
056 811 2966
Brisen Commodities (Pty) Ltd BRIM
012 640 1600
Bsec Derivative Brokers (Pty) Ltd BADM
021 914 9686
Bushveld Grain (Pty) Ltd BVGM
0861 111 640
Cadiz Securities (Pty) Ltd CADM
021 657 8448
Cargill RSA (Pty) Ltd CGLM
0861 227 445
CJS Securities (Pty) Ltd CJSM
011 447 3531
Corn International (Pty) Ltd CRNM
056 213 1731
Derived Market Investment and Planning (Pty) Ltd

DMPM
012 997 5836
DHJ Grain Brokers (Pty) Ltd DHJM
018 632 7748
DWT Securities (Pty) Ltd DWTM
021 914 6460
Farmwise Grains (Pty) Ltd FARM
011 787 3666
FCB Harlow Butler (Pty) Ltd IAPM
011 276 9009
FFO Securities (Pty) Ltd FOFM
011 471 0500
National Agricultural Marketing

Council (NAMC)
Tel: 012 341 1115
www.namc.co.za
First World Trader (Pty) Ltd FWTM
011 214 8006
Futureline (Pty) Ltd FTRM
021 851 9573
GWK Trading (Pty) Ltd GWKM
053 298 8452
The Crop Estimates Liaison

Committee (CELC) is an official
committee that functions under
the auspices of the NAMC. CELC
is amongst others, to monitor the
performance of the Crop Estimates
Committee (CEC) and make
recommendations for the further
improvement of crop estimates on
an ongoing basis.
JP Morgan Equities Ltd AMIM
011 507 0619
Kempro (Pty) Ltd KEMM
018 441 0094
Kernel Maize (Pty) Ltd KMCM
028 313 2731
Market Traders (Pty) Ltd MKTM
033 343 1245
Find information on the various directorates at the Department of

Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries under the Divisions menu option at
www.daff.gov.za
Directorate: Statistical &

Economical Analysis
Tel: 012 319 8454
Crop Estimates Committee (CEC)
Tel: 012 319 8032 / 6507
Telephone
011 895 5160
Directorate: International Trade

Tel: 012 319 8451
DITR@daff.gov.za
Member and member code

Absa Bank Ltd ABLM
University of the Free State

Grain SA offers a short SAFEX Economics
Tel: 051 401 2824
Course.
www.ufs.ac.za/agri-econ
South African Institute of
Financial Markets (SAIFM)
Tel: 011 802 4768
Economics
www.saifm.co.za
Tel: 033 260 5494
Their vision is to be the leading http://science.ukzn.ac.za
professional
body
providing
educational, examination, and University of Pretoria
accreditation services for financial Agricultural Economics, Extension
market professionals in South Africa and Rural Development
Tel: 012 420 3248
and other African countries.
Directorate: Marketing
Tel: 012 319 8455
DM@daff.gov.za
Brokers

Johannesburg Stock Exchange
Commodity Derivatives Division
Tel: 011 520 7535
Chris Sturgess Chriss@jse.co.za
www.jse.co.za/commodities
Broking Members are those members who have one or more registered
dealers and the required clearing agreement and can trade on behalf of
clients. Clearing Members are member who clears deals on behalf of
broking members.
MGK Bedryfsmaatskappy (Edms) Bpk MGKM
012 252 3778/9
Mooirivier Grain (Pty) Ltd MRGM
018 297 4795
Nedbank Ltd NEDM
011 535 4038
NWK Ltd NWKM
018 633 1000
Oos-Kaap Boerdery & Graanhandelaars (Edms)

Bpk OVKM
051 923 4500
Peregrine Derivatives (Pty) Ltd MERM
021 670 5258
PSG Prime (Pty) Ltd CPTM
021 799 8089
Rand Merchant Bank, a division of FirstRand Bank

Ltd RMBM
011 269 9800

Regiments Securities Ltd FFOM
011 715 0314
Resolution Market Management (Pty) Ltd RESM
0861 791 6425
RMB Securities (Pty) Ltd RSTM
011 269 9740
Robinsin Mulder De Waal Financial Services (Pty)

Ltd RMDM
012 665 5010
Russelstone Group (Pty) Ltd GVFM
012 482 6600
SA Derivatives SSSM
031 566 4680
Senwes Ltd SWKM
018 464 780
65
Telephone
Sigma Options Writers (Pty) Ltd SOWM
028 313 0104
Standard Bank of South Africa STDM
011 378 8620
Suidwes Landbou (Edms) Bpk SWLM
018 581 1000
Thebe Securities Limited TBEM
011 375 1000
28E Capital (Pty) Ltd TEEM
012 663 1115
Tradekor (Pty) Ltd TDKM
011 721 3100
Trademar Futures (Pty) Ltd TMRM
011 244 9860
TTSA Securities (Pty) Ltd IMBM
011 277 5323
Unigrain (Pty) Ltd UNGM
011 692 4400
Vanguard Derivatives (Pty) Ltd MMMM
011 722 7511
Vantage Capital Markets SA VCMM
011 326 2239
Vorlon (Pty) Ltd VORM
011 502 2760
VKB Beperk VRYM
058 863 8280
Vrystaat Mielies (Edms) Bpk VMBM
018 294 2200
Clearing Members
Contact details
ABSA Clearing VKSC
011 895 7245
JP Morgan Securities SA (Pty) Ltd JPMC
+44 207 325 3687
Nedbank Clearing NEDC
011 667 1317
Rand Merchant Bank RMBC
011 282 8375
Standard Bank Clearing STDC
011 636 8431
For an updated list see www.jse.co.za.

Long and Short of Futures Markets: Safex, Grain Hedging, Speculation Dr
Geyser. A must for every grain producer. Call 011 025 4355 or visit
www.kejafa.co.za.
www.cmegroup.com Chicago Board of Trade
www.nass.usda.gov the National Agricultural Statistics Service (USA)
www.usda.gov/oce/commodity the World Agricultural Outlook
Board (WAOB) serves as a focal point for economic intelligence and
the outlook for world agriculture.
China National Grain and Oils Information Centre www.chinagrain.
gov.cn
www.igc.org.uk International Grains Council
Find the Trade intelligence option at www.agbiz.co.za, website of the
Agricultural Business Chamber.
Visit the websites of role players listed in this chapter
Any farmer can have SAFEX prices delivered to their cell phone. Some use
these as indicators and sign fixed-price contracts based on that exchange
price. However, if the price changes those farmers will still have to accept
the contract price, even though it is worse than the current exchange
price.
Tips for Farmers:
Keep in touch with the supply and demand conditions relating to
your commodity. Try to obtain price forecasts, from 2 to 3 different
sources.
Regularly contact their grain brokers to get their opinion of the
market whether prices are going to rise in the future or decline, and
their reasons for this. Understand domestic and world markets.
Understand the limitations of price forecasting accurate forecasting
is impossible.
Have a well thought-out, written marketing plan. It is recommended
that you follow and chart futures prices daily. Analysis of why prices
were strong or weak on a particular day is one of the most efficient
methods of gaining knowledge of the grain markets.
Where your marketing plan includes hedging; futures or options, be
sure to include the costs in your calculations.
Your marketing plan should be updated regularly and objectively.
Use this information when deciding to sell or store your crop to take
advantage of future price increase.
Realise that high prices often stimulate production which can result
in prices declining, hence the importance of locking in prices when
prices are high.
Do not store for too long, as storage fees are high and you will lose
interest on the money you could have made if you sold. Farmers
can always obtain the upside of rising prices with the use of financial
instruments on the JSE. Consider all the costs involved and include
shrinkage.
Understand the futures markets since futures are traded up to 12
months in advance, they extend the marketing season from a few
weeks to 12 months allowing you to take advantage of frequent
temporary price increases.
If prices increase at any stage because of weakening exchange
rates, weather and crop factors, international supply and demand
factors and intentions to plant later in the year then you have
an opportunity to take part in those price increases. This strategy
prevents if only scenarios.
Prior to planting any crop, a farmer must see what price the futures
contract for that commodity is trading at the time of planting i.e.
July contract. If it is profitable to plant based on that price using an
average three-year yield for that commodity, he can go ahead and
plant. He must however hedge (lock in) that price by either forward
contracting / or buying puts or futures. This means that he will not
be exposed to possible price declines before he harvests the crop.
Understand the options markets: Options offer new opportunities.
Buy insurance against adverse price movements without you losing
the benefits associated with favourable price movements. You do
not have to put up margin money, as in the futures market and do
not have to worry about having sufficient cash to meet margin calls.
Also, there is no production risk associated with your marketing
decision. Should your production be less than expected, you are not
committed to delivery grain or offsetting your position. The ultimate
value of these options depends on the cost of the insurance premium,
(which changes daily), and the risk of adverse price movements.
Source:
13. Commercial farmer points of interest

Some market participants have been caught short because they thought
that they could read the market and left themselves open to price volatility.
It is easy to make money on a rising market (bull phase), but when it ends
you could suffer great losses. Farmers and experts alike, and unfortunately
some pension funds, have lost money by speculating on SAFEX.
Finance for Farmers Standard Bank.
Sources: Rod Gravelet-Blondin (JSE Ltd); Finance and the Farmer, Standard
Bank Agricultural Division. The websites mentioned in this chapter
Thanks to Chris Sturgess (JSE Limited) for updating the draft chapter.
66
marketing and
finance
Co-operatives
1. Overview
Co-operatives are not only for the poor, but of all the different types of
business organisations, co-operatives reach down most to the low income
groups. The main feature of co-operatives is that help people to help
themselves.
Helping people to help themselves means:
making them aware of needs and problems they have in common;
giving them access to information about co-operative values, principles
and practices;
giving them the chance to learn how to work together the co-operative
way for the benefit of each individual member and of the group as a
whole.
National and provincial government promote co-operatives as a type of
business entity and a means to get informal economic actors involved in and
benefitting from the formal economy.
What isnt possible for the individual is possible when many persons act
together.
2. Co-operatives: a definition
A co-operative is defined as an autonomous association of persons united
voluntarily to meet their common economic, social and cultural needs
and aspirations through a jointly owned and democratically controlled
enterprise (definition by the International Co-operative Alliance).
We can break down this definition into five main points in order to
understand it more clearly:
A co-operative is an independent organisation. It must stand or fall on
its own feet.
A co-operative is a group of persons who freely decide to come
together to meet common needs and goals.
A co-operative is jointly owned. Its primary duty is to its members,

not to anyone else outside the co-operative. The benefits of the cooperative are shared by all of the members.
A co-operative is controlled democratically, so that each member has
an equal voice in decisions.
A co-operative must follow co-operative principles (see next heading)
in its organisation and activities.
3. Seven Co-operative Principles

There are seven co-operative principles that are followed by co-operatives all
over the world. Everyone who is involved in a co-operative should know and
understand these basic co-operative principles.
Voluntary and open membership nobody is forced to be a
member, and there is no gender, social, racial, political or religious
discrimination.
Democratic member control Co-operatives are democratic
organisations controlled by their members, who actively participate in
setting their policies and making decisions. Elected representatives are
accountable to the membership. In primary co-operatives members
have equal voting rights (one member, one vote). Members becoming
uninvolved often leads to the collapse of the co-operative.
Member economic participation Members contribute equitably to,
and democratically control, the capital of their co-operative. At least
part of that capital is usually the common property of the co-operative.
Surpluses may be used to develop the co-operative further; paying
members in proportion to their transactions with the co-operative;
and supporting other activities approved by the membership.
Autonomy and independence Co-operatives are independent,
self-help organisations controlled by their members. If they enter into
agreements with other organisations, including governments, or raise
capital from external sources, they do so on terms that ensure control
remains with their members.
Education, training and information Co-operatives provide
education and training for their members, elected representatives,
managers, and employees so they can contribute effectively to the
development of their cooperatives. They inform the general public
particularly young people and opinion leaders about the nature and
benefits of co-operation.
Co-operation among co-operatives Co-operatives serve their
members most effectively and strengthen the co-operative movement
by working together through local, national, regional and international
structures.
Concern for community Co-operatives work for the sustainable
development of their communities through policies approved by their
members.
The co-operative principles are guidelines by which co-operatives put their
values into practice.
67
4. Types of co-operatives
Co-operatives are usually understood to be either an agricultural form of
business or a state-driven welfare intervention. The law does not place any
limit on the kinds of co-operatives that can be registered, though. These are
some of the possibilities:
An agricultural co-operative is a co-operative that produces,
processes or markets agricultural products and supplies agricultural
inputs and services to its members.
A consumer co-operative is a co-operative that gets and distributes
goods to its members and non-members, and also provides services to
its members. A co-operative which buys bulk groceries and sells them
to its members and to the public, while giving its members a special
discount or a refund based on the amount of their transactions, is an
example of a consumer co-operative.
A marketing and supply co-operative means a co-operative that
supplies production inputs to members and markets or processes their
products. An example is a sewing co-operative that provides fabric
and sewing machines to its members and then markets the items they
sew. This category also includes agricultural marketing and supply cooperatives.
A housing co-operative is a primary co-operative that provides
housing to it members, or a secondary co-operative that provides
technical service to primary housing co-operatives.
A financial services co-operative is a primary co-operative with
the main purpose of providing financial services to its members, or a
secondary co-operative that provides financial services to a primary
cooperative. An example is a savings and loan co-operative, where
the members pool their savings and make loans to each other.
A social co-operative is a non-profit co-operative that provides social
services to its members, such as care for the elderly, children and the
sick.
A co-operative burial society is a co-operative that provides
funeral benefits, including funeral insurance and related services, to its
members and their dependants.
A services co-operative is a co-operative that provides housing,
health care, child care, transportation, communication or other
services.
A worker co-operative is a primary co-operative that provides
employment to its members, or a secondary co-operative that provides
services to primary worker co-operatives.
NOTE: It is possible to combine different types of co-operatives into a multipurpose co-operative.
5. Why form agricultural co-operatives?

The importance of agricultural co-operatives is job creation, mobilising
resources, generating investment and their contribution to the economy.
In their various forms agricultural co-operatives promote the fullest
participation in the economy and social development of all people.
Agricultural co-operatives serve their members in the following ways:

Improve bargaining power: combining the volume of several
members improves their position when dealing with other
businesses.
Reduced purchasing costs: volume purchasing reduces the
purchasing price of needed supplies.
Obtaining market access or broadening market opportunities:
more buyers are attracted because of the value you can add, and the
assurance you can offer to clients looking for larger quantities.
Improve products or service quality: member satisfaction is
achieved through improved facilities, equipment and services.
Obtaining products or services otherwise unavailable: agricultural
co-operatives often provide services or products that would not
attract other private businesses.
Reduce cost / increase income: reducing the operating costs
increases the amount of earnings available for distribution to members
to boost their income.
Source: Adapted from Guidelines for establishing Agricultural Co-operatives. Find
the document on www.daff.gov.za.
6. Finances
See notes on SACCOL, Dora Tamana and the CBDC under heading 8.
Grants and donations

Some co-operatives try to raise additional funds from donor and
development agencies, NGOs or governmental sources, who occasionally
set aside funds to support co-operative development.
Grants and donations are a possible way to help a co-operative that is
struggling to obtain access to funds. Nonetheless it must be noted that this
source of funding carries with it potential problems:
They can contribute to dependency, as co-operative members may
have less incentive to make the organisation work on its own feet.
In the long term this might mean that co-ops do not become selfreliant and wait for an outside agent to intervene whenever there are
problems.
They can also mean some loss of autonomy as many grants will have
conditions attached, according to the agendas of the funding bodies.
Grants and donations available to co-operatives can be researched by
looking at the various corporate social investment schemes offered by
private companies, parastatals, and government departments.
Loans
Most small business enterprises in the world obtain funding through the
lending cycle. Applying for loans is an important way for co-operatives to
68
access the capital needed to purchase equipment and pay for training of
co-operative members. The drawback to this form of funding is the limited
access many poor South Africans have to financial institutions as well as the
high interest rates and services fees charged to people.
Other
The DTIs Co-operative Scheme (CIS) provides a direct cash grant for
registered primary co-operatives (five or more members). The Enterprise
Organisation (TEO) within the DTI evaluates applications and administers
funding.
See the Development financial services chapter for other sources of financial
assistance.

Co-operatives have been so successful in certain parts of the world that
the South African government wants more people to start co-operatives
here. In countries worldwide, co-operatives play a stabilising role in rural
areas. If co-operatives are set up in the right way with enough commitment, support and planning they can play a major role in helping
provide jobs and fight poverty.
Department of Trade and
Industry (DTI)
Department of Co-operative
Development
Tel: 012 394 1631/ 08
www.thedti.gov.za
Companies and Intellectual

Property Commission
(Previously CIPRO)
Tel: 012 394 9500
www.cipc.co.za
For the registration of co-operatives

Find co-operatives development in South Africa
under
the
Economic
empowerment menu option on Department of Agriculture,
the website.
Directorate: Co-operatives and
The DTI creates an enabling Enterprise Development
environment for co-operatives Tel: 012 319 8133
through
the
Co-operative
Development Policy, the Co- Directorate: Agricultural
operatives Act and its ammendments Development Finance
in 2012, the Integrated Strategy on Co-operative Development
the Development and Promotion of Support Unit
Co-operatives, and the Co-operative Tel: 012 319 7295
Banks Act.
The mobilisation of farmers
Through
various
business through co-operatives serves
development agencies, the DTI two purposes: the first purpose
provides financial and other is that co-operatives are used as
assistance to co-operatives at delivery systems for government
programmes; the second is
national and provincial level.
that farmers are able to receive
The Integrated Strategy on the agricultural services that would
Development and Promotion of Co- have been impossible to acquire
operatives document (Government individually.
Gazette 21 January 2011) sets out
Government plans for the next These services can be listed as
decade. Legislation will provide follows:
for the creation of a new co-op
supply of agricultural inputs
development agency, co-operative
access to finance
academy to provide training, a co marketing of agricultural
operative tribunal which will deal
output
with disputes, and a co-operative
value adding or agroadvisory council. Annexure A
processing
sets out areas in which several
Human Resource
government departments are to be
development
involved, including the Department
of Agriculture, Forestry and National Treasury find notes
Fisheries (DAFF), the Department on the Co-operative Banks
of Labour, the Department of Development
Agency
under
Housing etc.
heading 8.
8. More role players

Agricultural Business Chamber DGRV offers demand driven and
(Agbiz)
outcome oriented training in coTel: 012 807 6686
operatives and business principles
www.agbiz.co.za
as well as in accounting and bookkeeping to these groups, including
The
Agricultural
Colleges on-the-job training and follow-up
and Provincial Departments of measures. Further training activities
Agriculture run short courses include training-of-trainer programs
on
agricultural
co-operative for government personnel and
management. At Cedara in
other service providers. For this
KwaZulu-Natal, details can be
found on the website www.kzndae. purpose DGRV has established
gov.za or by calling 033 355 9444. training and conference facilities on
their premises in Pretoria
Afrikara
Advice and training is offered
www.afrikara.co.za
to agricultural co-operatives, to
Agro-ecology in action, this is a savings and credit co-operatives,
and to co-operatively organised
small farming co-operative
self-help initiatives in townships.
AgriSETA
Dora Tamana Co-operative
Tel: 012 301 5600
Centre (DTCC)
www.agriseta.co.za
Tel: 011 339 1592/1651
Co-operatives are highlighted www.dtcc.org.za/live
in AgriSETAs strategic plans and
extensive funding is allocated to Ethical Co-op
www.ethical.org.za
support them.
Amaphisi Farmers
Tel: 082 216 0607
nkosi.mcineka@amaphisi.co.za
Home of Small, Medium

and Micro Enterprises Trust
(HOST)
C/o SACCOL
Mentor emerging farmers, train

agricultural co-operatives, do International Labour
Organisation (ILO)
project and farm management
Tel: 012 818 8000
pretoria@ilo.org
Bana ba Kgwale
Tel: 012 729 9008 / 084 510 8777 www.ilo.org
Co-operative
and
Policy Co-operatives is one of the areas
in which the ILO provides technical
Alternative Center (COPAC)
assistance.
Tel: 011 447 1013
www.copac.org.za
IMAC Services
COPAC supports the co-operatives Tel: 083 276 4847
by providing the necessary dehart@mweb.co.za
information, technical tools and
capacity building resources to Find the advert on page 66
achieve this.
Invest North West (INW)
Co-operative Banks
Tel: 014 594 2570
Development Agency (CBDC)
www.inw.org.za
Tel: 012 315 5367
www.treasury.gov.za/coopbank
INW does co-operatives institution
building
Find the Documents and FAQs
options.
IsBaya Development Trust
Tel: 021 851 9698
Department of Economic
www.isbaya.org
Development and Tourism
(KZN)
Limpopo Business Support
Tel: 033 897 4546 / 4347
Agency (Libsa)
Tel: 033 893 4346
Tel: 015 287 3000
www.kznded.gov.za
www.libsa.co.za
Contact details for help throughout Co-operative development is one
the province are available on the of Libsas key programme
website
Makgalaka Business
Deutscher
Genossenschafts- Development Services
und Raiffeisenverband (DGRV) Tel: 015 622 0543 / 082 467 2863
German Co-operative and
lmokgalaka@gmail.com
Raiffeisen Confederation
Tel: 012 346 6020
Business and co-operative training
dgrvsa@worldonline.co.za
www.dgrvsa.co.za
69
Mthonyama Development
Enterprise & Agric./Soc.
Consultants
Tel: 043 643 3429
Training on running co-operatives
National Co-operatives
(NCASA)
Tel: 011 339 1592 / 083 546 1915
ncasa@ananzi.co.za
National Economic
Development & Labour
Council (NEDLAC)
Tel: 011 328 4200
www.nedlac.org.za
SACCOL was established by

Savings and Credit Co-operatives
(SACCOs) and Credit Unions
around South Africa as their
National Association. SACCOL has
three primary functions:
It is representative of the
SACCO movement both
locally and inter-nationally.
It provides development
services
to
SACCOs.
SACCOL services its member
organisations by providing
training, advice and other
technical services as well as
accepting deposit from and
making loans to its members.
It regulates SACCOs.
The Development Chamber and

Trade & Industry Chamber have SACCOL is member of the
the
African
been involved with co-operative ACCOSCA,
Confederation of Cooperative
strategies and legislation
Savings and Credit Associations.
ACCOSCA, in turn, together with
National Youth Development
86 counties in 7 regions worldAgency (NYDA)
NYDA Co-operative Support and wide makes up WOCCU, the
World Council of Credit Unions.
Funding
WOCCU sees South Africa as
Tel: 011 651 7000
a country with great growth
www.nyda.gov.za
potential, as millions of people are
NOPILIFE (National Organic
inadequately served by the banking
Produce Initiative)
sector.
Tel: 073 303 1554
tar@planetac.co.za
Scientific Roets (Pty) Ltd
Tel: 039 727 1515
NOPI provides all the regulatory www.scientificroets.com
guidance and recommendations for
the institutionalisation of Organic Co-operatives is one of the areas
Villages.
in which this consulting company
does training.
North-West University
School of Business Management
Small Enterprise Development
Centre for Co-operatives
Agency (SEDA)
Dr Louw van der Walt
Tel: 012 441 1000
Tel: 018 299 1365 / 083 658 9013 www.seda.org.za
The objectives of the centre
is to assist members with the
establishment of co-operatives, to
develop and offer training courses,
to undertake research into cooperatives, to publish co-operative
research outcomes and to maintain
a resource centre of co operative
materials.
Resonance Institute of
Learning
Tel: 011 888 2355 / 3498
www.ril.co.za
Find the advert on page 67
The Savings and Credit
Cooperative League of SA
Limited (SACCOL)
Tel: 021 422 3333
www.saccol.org.za
Seda provides small business and

medium-sized enterprises with
information on starting, managing
and growing a business, business
opportunities and support for small
business. SEDA has a Co-operatives
and Community Public Private
Partnership Programme (CPPP).
Find provincial and district contact
details on the SEDA website.
South African Communist
Party (SACP)
Tel: 011 339 3621
www.sacp.org.za
South African National Apex
Co-operative
Tel: 011 339 1592
Tel: 012 323 5069 / 73
www.sanaco.coop
9. International business environment

The Integrated Strategy on the Development and Promotion of Co-operatives
document (Government Gazette 21 January 2011) looks at international
best practice in Canada, Spain, Italy, India, Kenya and Bangladesh. Find this
on www.thedti.gov.za, www.agbiz.co.za and www.polity.org.za.
www.ncba.coop/ncba-clusa/home. The Cooperative League USA (CLUSA)
International Program has worked in developing countries to economically
empower individuals and communities through development of effective,
sustainable group businesses and democratic practices.
Co-operatives are the largest membership movement in [the UK], says
www.uk.coop, website of Co-operatives UK.
International Co-operative Alliance www.ica.coop uniting, representing
and serving co-operatives worldwide

The dti Co-operatives Handbook 2010, available under Publications and
2010 options on www.thedti.gov.za, provides notes on co-operatives
and gives contact details for Government sources of funding and
assistance. An Annual Co-operative Development Review publication
is planned as a future strategy, according to the Government Gazette
21 January 2011.
Various research issues are explored relating to co-operatives enquire
at faculties such as the Social Science/economics departments or
websites of universities, or at organisations referred to in this chapter
e.g. take a look at the Publications option at www.copac.org.za,
website of the Co-operative and Policy Alternative Center (COPAC).
Co-operatives in South Africa: Their Role in Job Creation and Poverty
Reduction. Kate Philips. South African Foundation (October 2003).
Find the cooperatives option under Topics at www.led.co.za
If there is a group of you or even a whole community who want to
start an enterprise where everyone benefits equally, and where profits
are equitably shared with everyone involved, then it makes sense to start
a co-operative enterprise. It must still be operated and managed with
the same discipline and systems that apply in any business, so that people
work efficiently and income exceeds expenditure, even if its principles
are different, ensuring that the benefits of the enterprise are more widely
spread.
Find the menu option on co-operatives on the Small Enterprise
Development Agency (SEDA) website www.seda.org.za.
Find seventeen manuals on developing a co-operative at www.daff.gov.
za. Take the Publications, General Publications and then Training
manuals: Cooperatives options. Also see the Info Pak How to form a
co-operative, also under the Publications option.
Find the Co-operatives Development option under Economic
Empowerment on the Department of Trade and Industry website,
www.thedti.gov.za.
Visit the websites of role players mentioned in this chapter.
70
marketing and
finance
Development financial services
1. Overview
Entrepreneurship is first and foremost the freedom of individuals to
express themselves in economic terms and thus economic freedom entails
entrepreneurship, Moeletsi Mbeki.
What is credit and why do you need it?

Credit is money borrowed from someone or from a bank by agreement
with the promise to pay it back at a later date, with or without interest.
Commercial banks grant credit to farmers for various purposes e.g. for
equipment, vehicles, land, livestock, irrigation equipment, water pumps,
etc. The bank will want to know how the credit is going to be used and
what your financial position is (assets and liabilities). Your bank will want to
know this in order to assess your ability to generate income and pay back
the loan. The bank will look at your:
assets and liabilities (financial standing)
present and expected income (cash flow)
risks involved and how you plan to cover them
knowledge of the industry in which you want to get involved
Not having access to finance remains a key barrier to the growth and
development of small business enterprises. All citizens must be included in
the economy if there is going to be any meaningful, sustainable future for
the country.
Ask your financial advisor or extension officer or to assist you to compile

this information. The extension officer is a person who works for the
Department of Agriculture in your area and who is trained to assist farmers
in agricultural matters.
South Africas six-million small, medium-sized and micro enterprises

(SMMEs) keep one in six people economically active in the country, the
FinScope South Africa Small Business Survey 2010 showed. No wonder the
New Growth Path identifies small business as an enabler for creating and
sustaining enterprise and jobs.
When and how much can you borrow?
This chapter is a sketch, by no means conclusive, of the financial assistance

to small business (farmers included) in the country.
When it comes to financial assistance, the aim should be to help beneficiaries
become self-sufficient. Farming is a business just like any other, and if you
want to farm you have to start thinking like a businessperson. I think
loans, rather than grants, would do more to reduce poverty and generate
value-added wealth. If farmers should get anything for free, its training.
Source: Peter Mashala, writing in the Farmers Weekly, 23 July 2010
The term Emerging Farmer is commonly applied both to farmers who

are emerging in terms of scale and to farmers who are emerging in terms
of lack of skills.
Farmers who are emerging in terms of scale battle with problems such as
access to markets, quality inputs, land and finance. These farmers are no
riskier than other categories of farmers. Rather, it is the environment in
which they operate that brings increased risk. The business of a tomato
grower in Giyani is obviously riskier than that of ZZ2 because the scale
is smaller and market access is not there. But in terms of production
techniques, the Giyani grower is equal to any top farmer.
These farmers need a financing programme that includes support
structures. For example, if such a farmer can be assisted to acquire
a contract to supply a large retailer, this contract can be ceded to us
in security for his or her loan. But it is also important to look beyond
retailers for off-take agreements, especially as there is large untapped
potential in informal markets.
Source: Andrew Makanete
2. Credit
NB Only credit grantors that are registered with the National Credit
Regulator (NCR) may grant credit. Visit www.ncr.org.za to find out more,
including information and tips, debt counselling etc.
Getting a loan or credit from a commercial bank

Farmers who want to establish or expand their farming operations can
obtain finance from commercial banks. It is, however, important that they
understand the terms and conditions of credit, e.g. what credit is and
repayment requirements.
Know the purpose for which you are borrowing money to improve
the performance of your farming operations.
Do not apply for credit that will generate too little income to cover the
interest and capital (money borrowed) repayments.
Therefore, the expected net income (income left over after all
expenses have been deducted, except tax and interest) will give a good
indication of how much debt the project will be able to carry.
When applying for credit, make sure that your debt is not more than
30% of your current assets and 25% of the expected income.
Repaying the bank. Before any commercial bank can grant a loan, it
determines whether your income exceeds your costs to such an extent
that there will be enough money to repay the loan and to cover household
expenses.
The bank will ask for a collateral or security for the loan. A collateral or
security is property pledged as security for the loan. Should you fail to repay
your loan, the bank will repossess your property and sell it to realise its
security.
Property which is presented as collateral must meet certain requirements:
It must be identifiable and not perishable.
It must be in a saleable condition.
The bank must be able to estimate its market value.
It must be your own property and preferably not immovable.
Repaying the loan within a given time limit will improve your credit
worthiness and credibility with the bank and also save on interest charges.
The best incentive to repay a loan is to have access to future loans.

How to apply
Once you have identified why you have to borrow money, you can
go to your nearest bank and fill in application forms. Your application
should contain all the relevant information because it forms the basis
for negotiations with the bank manager.
After submitting the forms, the bank will call you in for an interview.
(You are allowed to take someone who knows your business well with
you, if you like).
During the interview you will be given a chance to motivate your
proposal, negotiate the possible loan terms and also to develop a
good business relationship with your bank manager prepare the
presentation of your loan request beforehand.
The bank manager will tell you after the interview whether your
application was successful or not.
See the Providers of financial services chapter for contact details of the
commercial banks.
71
3. What is a Credit Guarantee?

Farmers who do not have title deeds to the land they farm or who cannot
meet the other conventional commercial bank security requirements
are often excluded from access to agricultural finance. Obtaining Credit
Guarantees is one of the remedies.
For the individual:
A credit guarantee is aimed at assisting borrowers to obtain normal banking
facilities to enable them to establish, expand or acquire a new or existing
business. Under normal lending criteria, they would not qualify for such
finance since they would not have the support of an indemnity cover.
Indemnity cover means the extent to which a Fund indemnifies the Bank
against the Banks irrecoverable loss in relation to the Facility concerned
(expressed as a percentage).
For the company:
Credit Insurance offers your company three main benefits:
risk protection protection against non-payment;
better financing enhanced financing mechanisms by providing added
security to finance providers;
increased sales credit Insurance will enable you to sell more goods to
new and existing clients while substantially reducing the overall risk.
What is credit insurance? Domestic Credit Insurance offers protection against
non-payment of debts (e.g. due to insolvency or protracted default) incurred
by debtors based in South Africa and/or the common monetary area.
Source: www.creditguarantee.co.za
A loan guarantee fund provides and ensures access to finance and

technical skills by black emerging agribusiness entrepreneurs and farmers.
Many commercial banks and the Development Finance Institutions (DFIs) in
the country participate in the guarantee scheme.
How is it done?
We shall look at ways in which collateral may be obtained for small-scale/
emerging farmers, allowing them the space and opportunity to develop
their agricultural business.
Submit a business plan to any of these institutions banks or DFIs
who will have the capacity to assess the viability, feasibility and creditworthiness of the agribusiness projects and borrowers.
The participating banks screen and approve, in principle, the applications
from prospective borrowers qualifying for guarantee by the fund. In
each case they look at the parameters of the funds qualifying criteria.
Upon approval in principle by the bank, it will lodge a fully completed
written application (together with the necessary supporting documents
and information required in the business plan) to the designated officer
representing the Trustees of the Fund.
The Fund considers and approves or rejects the application within ten
business days of receipt thereof, which will be notified to the bank.
The bank then needs to notify (within three months) the Fund that
the guarantee has been taken up by the borrower, failing which the
guarantee application as granted will lapse.
From the time of the approval of the application until the bank credit
together with finance charges has been repaid, the bank shall administer
the repayments according to banking practice and procedures, which
might include:
1. Quarterly financial statements from the borrower;
2. Enforcing the terms of credit in terms of prudent banking practice
etc.
Banks who participate in credit guarantees include ABSA, African Bank,

Bank of Athens, FNB, Nedcor, Peoples Bank and Standard Bank.
Peulwana HP
72
4. Role players
Business Partners, an investment company for small and medium
enterprises, and has a range of support services to the entrepreneur. The
company invests between R250 000 and R15 million in SMEs. They do
not support farming, but may be able to help if you are looking to supply
agricultural inputs or doing some form of processing. Find contact details of
their branches countrywide at www.businesspartners.co.za.
The commercial banks have specialist SME divisions, providing finance for
qualified entrepreneurs. Contact the banks or visit their websites to find out
about their products and services, and their criteria to obtain finance. Most
banks also participate in credit guarantees.
Co-operative banks are a possibility. Refer to the chapter on cooperatives.
The
BEE scorecard allows rewards companies whose financial
contributions favour Black people. Read more in the Black Economic
Empowerment chapter, or contact role players like Enterprise Development
Organisation (MEDO). MEDO connects large South African companies
annual turnover above R35million with emerging micro enterprises
annual turnover of less than R5million which are at least 50% blackowned. Visit www.medo.co.za or call MEDO at the following numbers: 010
500 5000 (Johannesburg); 012 004 0500 (Pretoria); 021 3000 500 (Cape
Town); 031 100 0500 (Durban).
Development finance institutions (DFIs) are listed under State Owned
Development Banks and Agencies heading later in this chapter. These are
institutions like the IDC, Land Bank etc.
The DGRV SA assists co-operatives. Visit www.dgrvsa.co.za.
If you are exporting, the Export Credit Insurance Corporation of South
Africa (ECIC) might be able to help. The ECIC evaluates export credit and
foreign investment risks and provides export credit and foreign investment
insurance cover on behalf of government. Visit www.ecic.co.za or call 012
471 3800.
The Department of Economic Development is specifically tasked
with overseeing the work of key state entities engaged in economic
development (see www.economic.gov.za).
All government departments are tasked with growing their sphere of
the economy and have (access to) various grants and funding mechanisms.
Find a list of these departments at www.gov.za. The Department of Trade
and Industry (DTI) has a number of financial incentives for businesses (take
the Financial assistance option at www.thedti.gov.za). The Department
of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (DAFF) runs the Micro-agricultural
Financial Institution of South Africa (MAFISA) and AgriBEE Equity Fund
programmes, for example. Provincial government departments also run
programmes. See www.ledet.gov.za (Limpopo Department of Economic
Development) and www.kznded.gov.za (KwaZulu-Natal Department of
Economic Development) for an idea of what is on offer.
The Masisizane Fund was set up by Old Mutual as a non-profit

development funding company. Masisizane supports initiatives in Enterprise
Development (women, youth, people with disabilities), Financial Education
(helping South Africans improve their financial knowledge and discipline)
and building skills at public service level, with a particular emphasis on
municipalities. Visit www.oldmutual.co.za/masisizane for more.
Microloan Guarantors (like the old Khula Enterprises) are founded by the
Department of Trade and Industry to provide collateral for small businesses
applying for SMME finance from commercial banks. They are given the
responsibility to make it easier for small businesses to access finance (find
the State Owned Development Banks and Agencies listing later in this
chapter). Other organisations, tasked with aspects such as training and
support services and initiated by the dti, have been grouped under the
SEDA umbrella.
Some municipalities have Economic Development Agencies to support
SMEs and to encourage investment. Visit www.enterpriseilembe.co.za
to read about what is on offer for iLembe, situated between Durban and
Richards Bay in KwaZulu-Natal.
Since its inception in 2004, over six million South Africans have opened
Mzansi bank accounts which provide previously un-banked clients easy
access to banking services countrywide. The service was established
following a recommendation by the Financial Services Charter (FSC).
Mzansi accounts are offered by ABSA, FNB, Nedcor, Standard Bank and
postbank.
Retail Finance Intermediaries (RFIs) are institutions that obtain loans
from the state in order to loan the money to clients in their communities.
Different RFIs have different target markets depending on their operations.
RFIs also use the Credit Guarantee Scheme to access additional funds from
participating banks. RFIs charge different interest rates depending on the
risk involved in the application.
The Small Enterprise Development Agency (SEDA) has offices to help
the SMME with business plans, company registration, proposals for funding
and more. We list some of these here, as well as some centres that have
been contracted to SEDA in the past:
Eastern Cape
Location
Alfred Nzo
Service provider and website
Contact Details
SEDA Mount Ayliff
Tel: 039 254 0584
Camdeboo
SEDA Cacadu
Tel: 049 892 2105
East London
Nunamis Business Development Cell: 078 158 6710

Services
Cell: 079 920 5948
East London
SEDA Amathole
Tel: 043 722 1950
Kouga
SEDA Cacadu
Tel: 042 291 0966
Makana
SEDA Cacadu
Tel: 046 622 2067
Industry associations might have knowledge of funds for role players

in their sectors. These associations are listed in the various crop and
livestock chapters. Some of these associations might be actively involved in
sourcing funds. The National Emergent Red Meat Producers Organisation
(NERPO), for example, runs a farmer support Programme called NERPOLivestock Credit Scheme(NLCS). The Credit Scheme is aimed at providing
financial services to facilitate the development of Small, Micro and Medium
Agribusiness Enterprises and to enable agricultural entrepreneurs to
develop into larger businesses. Contact 012 348 8566 or 083 640 5352.
CANEGROWERS (see sugarcane chapter) would be able to tell you about
the Khula-Akwandze Fund (KAF) for small-scale sugar farmers.
Mthatha
SEDA OR Tambo
Tel: 047 531 5075
Mthatha
Khanyisa Business & Management Tel: 047 532 2685

Consultancy
Cell: 083 739 3347
Port Elizabeth
Comsec Business Development Tel: 041 487 3996

Centre www.comsec.co.za
Port Elizabeth
SEDA Nelson Mandela Bay
Tel: 041 502 2400
Queenstown
SEDA Chris Hani
Tel: 045 838 6035
Qumbu
Eastern Cape Communications
Cell: 082 209 0553
Uitenhage
SEDA Nelson Mandela Bay
Tel: 041 992 6513
MAFISA (Micro-agricultural Financial Institution of South Africa) is a

micro and retail agricultural financial scheme for economically active poor
people. The organisation provides savings and banking facilities at approved
financial institutions and offers loans for production inputs (e.g. fertilisers,
seeds, pesticides, etc.), livestock, small-scale irrigation systems and smallscale farming equipment and implements to small and emerging farmers and
other target groups. Call 012 319 7295 or email SecSMFSCD@daff.gov.za.
Willowvale
Khanyisa Business & Management Tel: 047 532 2685

Consultancy
Cell: 083 739 3347
73
Free State
Location
Bloemfontein

SEDA Mangaung
Dewetsdorp & Quick Leap Investment 120

Koffiefontein
KwaZulu-Natal
Contact Details
Location
Contact Details
Tel: 051 447 3281

Tel: 051 447 4595
Durban
Inkombandlela Accountants &

Management
Tel: 031 305 7680
Cell: 082 744 5071
Kokstad
Scientific Roets
Tel: 039 727 1515

Cell: 083 630 7787
Ilembe District
Bantu Batho Management

Services
Tel: 032 551 1464
Harrismith
Education with Enterprise Trust Tel: 058 623 0104

(EWET) www.ewet.org.za
Tel: 058 623 0649
Kagisanong
Township
Mangaung University
Community Partnership
Programme (MUCPP)
Tel: 051 435 2902/3

Cell: 082 702 2258
Ixopo
SEDA Sisonke
Tel: 039 834 7100
Ladysmith
SEDA Uthukela
Tel: 036 638 9780
Kroonstad
PMC Graphic Designs &

Consulting
Tel: 057 353 2065

Cell: 082 905 2715
Melmoth
Quad 4 Projects
Tel: 035 450 7809
Mkhanyakude
Kroonstad
SEDA Fezile Dabu
Tel: 056 213 1809
Maputaland Development and Tel: 035 592 0125

Information
Cell: 072 077 2408
Ladybrand
SEDA Mantsopa
Tel: 051 924 1594
Mooi River
Phuthaditjhaba
SEDA Thabo Mofutsanyane
Tel: 058 713 1683
Mooi Mpofana Youth Advisory Tel: 033 263 1221

Centre
Qwaqwa
Maluti Development
Tel: 058 713 6342
Newcastle
SEDA Amajuba
Tel: 034 312 9096
Sasolburg
SEDA Metsimaholo
Tel: 016 974 2460
Pietermaritzburg
SEDA Umgungundlozu
Tel: 033 264 3100
Trompsburg
SEDA Xhariep
Tel: 051 713 0363
Pietermaritzburg
The Business Support Centre

http://pmbbsc.dyndns.org
Tel: 033 342 2546
Welkom
PMC Graphic Designs &

Consulting
Tel: 057 353 2065

Cell: 082 905 2715
Port Shepstone
SEDA Ugu
Tel: 039 688 1560
Welkom
SEDA Lejweleputswa
Tel: 057 352 1870
Richards Bay
Entrepreneurial Suport
Services
Tel: 035 797 1821

Fax: 035 797 1849
Wepener
SEDA Naledi
Tel: 051 583 1372
Richards Bay
SEDA Uthungulu
Tel: 035 789 3735
Tongaat
KwaZulu Natal Development Tel: 032 945 2531

Foundation
Ugu District
MGM Holdings
www.mgmholdings.co.za
Gauteng
Location
Contact Details
Benoni
Boikano Accountants
www.boikano.co.za
Tel: 011 422 4083
Benoni
Maximum Development
Institute
Tel: 011 421 5283

Cell: 082 408 0493
Tel: 039 315 7300
Limpopo
Location
Contact Details
Braamfontein
Medunsa Organisation for

Disabled Entrepreneurs
Tel: 011 830 0231

Fax: 011 839 3216
Ba-Phalaborwa
Bronkhorstspruit
Library Business Information

Corner
Tel: 013 932 6305/6
Fetakgomo /
Apel
Mokgalaka Business
Tell: 015 622 0543

Cell: 082 467 2863
Germiston/
Thokoza
KLECO Local Business

Service Centre
Tel: 011 860 3415

Cell: 072 766 7068
Jane Furse
SEDA Sekhukhune
Tel: 013 265 1617
SEDA Tshwane
Tel: 012 441 1301
Makhado /
Louis Trichardt
Rivoni Society for the Blind
Pretoria
Tel: 015 556 3207/8

Cell: 083 276 1059
Randfontein
Bantsho Management and

Marketing Strategies
www.bantsho.co.za
Tel: 011 692 3286
Mokopane
SEDA Waterberg
Tel: 015 491 2168
Polokwane
Tel: 015 223 2386
Rivonia
Prodigy Business Services
Tel: 011 234 5220
Joint Education Project

www.charitysa.co.za/jointeducation-project.html
Sebokeng /
Vanderbijlpark
Sedibeng Training Centre
Tel: 016 988 1350

Fax: 016 988 1347
Polokwane
SEDA Capricorn
Tel: 015 290 8720
Thohoyandou
SEDA Vhembe
Tel: 015 962 2144
Soshanguve
Centre for Business Education

and Training
Tel: 012 799 2842

Fax: 012 799 5954
Tzaneen
SEDA Mopani
Tel: 015 306 6400
Vosloorus
JMT Executive Tax and

Marketing
www.jmtgroup.co.za
Cell: 083 656 7195
Tzaneen
Small Enterprise Foundation

www.sef.co.za
Tel: 015 307 5837
Palaborwa Foundation
www.pafound.co.za
Tel: 015 769 5000

Tel: 015 769 5052
74
Mpumalanga
Mafikeng
Monaana Consulting And Tel: 018 381 3971

Cell: 084 501 5126
Training Services
http://monaanaconsulting.
co.za/
Dr SJ Moroka / Midveld Industrial Chamber of Tel: 013 986 0737

Siyabuswa
Commerce (MICAC)
Mafikeng
SEDA Mafikeng
Tel: 018 381 3915/6/7
Potchestroom
Brain Wave Projects
Tel: 079 607 8390
Hazyview
SEDA office
Tel: 013 799 1961
Potchestroom
Highlands /
Belfast
Umndeni Enterprises
www.umndenienterprises.
co.za
Tel: 013 253 1748
Small Business Advice

Bureau
Tel: 018 299 1002

Cell: 082 880 7650
Southern
District
SEDA Klerksdorp
Tel: 018 462 1376/9
Vryburg
Ganyesa Business
Development Centre
Tel: 083 926 8345
Zeerust
Ernsol Business Management Tel: 082 756 0520

Services
Location
Bushbuckridge

SEDA Bushbuckridge
Contact details
Tel: 013 799 1804
Kwa-Mhlushwa SEDA office
Tel: 013 790 1183
Malamulele
Tel: 015 851 0100
Get Ready Information

Services
Malelane
SEDA Nkomazi
Tel: 013 790 1183
Marapyane
Marapyane Thusong Service

Centre
Tel: 012 724 3801

Tel: 012 724 3802
Mbombela /
Nelspruit
Global Village Project

Management
Tel: 013 757 1240

Cell: 082 868 7874
Nelspruit
SEDA Ehlanzeni
Tel: 013 754 4380
De Aar
SEDA Pixley-Ka-Seme
Secunda
SEDA Gert Sibande
Tel: 017 634 4339
Kimberley
Siyathemba /
Balfour
Imvuselelo Business
Development Resources
Centre (IBDRC)
Tel: 074 144 5603
Creative Thinking Trading Tel: 053 832 4632

524 (T/A Eyethu Services) Cell: 079 140 7491
Kimberley
SEDA Frances Baard
Tel: 053 836 7720
Kuruman
SEDA John Taolo

Gaetsewe
Tel: 053 714 3160
Springbok
SEDA Namakwa
Tel: 027 712 8500
Upington
SEDA Siyanda
Tel: 054 337 8280
Thaba Chweu / Beehive Entrepreneurial Dev.

Lydenburg
Centre Lydenburg
www.beehivefin.co.za
Tel: 0800 246 888
Thembisile
Diale Maphothoma &

Associates
www.dialemaphothoma.co.za
Tel: 013 947 0315
Umjindi /
Nelspruit
Megro Learning Centre

www.megrolowveld.com
Tel: 013 752 5525
Witbank
SEDA Nkangala
Tel: 013 655 6970
Location
Service provider and

website
Contact Details
Tel: 053 632 7560
Western Cape
North West
Location
Northern Cape
Contact Details
Bojanala East
SEDA Brits
Tel: 012 252 0580

Tel: 012 252 0581
Bojanala West
SEDA Rustenburg
Tel: 014 592 3696

Tel: 014 592 3769
Bophirima
SEDA Vryburg
Tel: 053 927 0590

Tel: 053 927 0591
Tel: 053 927 3930
Chaneng
Brisca Projects
Tel: 078 279 0323
Delareyville
Majammoho Small Business

Solutions
Tel: 083 253 9925
Ganyesa
Ganyesa Business
Development Centre
Tel: 083 926 8345
Mafikeng
Ernsol Business Management Tel: 018 381 4029

Services
Cell: 083 504 2322
Mafikeng
Majammoho Small Business Tel: 083 253 9925

Solutions
Location
Contact Details
Bellville
SEDA Cape Town
Tel: 021 949 2227
Cape Town
(Heerengracht)
Nicro
www.nicro.org.za
Tel: 021 462 0017
George
SEDA Eden
Tel: 044 874 4770
Gugulethu
Isibane resource centre
Tel: 083 390 4265
Khayelitsha
Zenzele training and

development
Tel: 021 361 1840
Rosebank
CLOTEX www.clotex.co.za
Tel: 021 637 3648
Saldanha
West Coast Business

Development Centre
www.wcbusinessdevelopment.
org.za
Tel: 022 714 1731
Stellenbosch
SEDA Cape Winelands
Tel: 021 883 9270
Visit www.seda.org.za for contact details of SEDA provincial managers.

State Owned Development Banks and Agencies. Emerging businesses
often find that these institutions offer services that are not available to them
by commercial banks.
The Land Bank: provides finance to all sectors of the agricultural
economy and agri-business. A recent offering, the Retail Emerging
75
Markets (REM) financing package, has caused a lot of excitement. It

helps fund resource-poor farmers at preferential interest rates until
they become established. For more information on services visit the
Land Bank website www.landbank.co.za or call the toll free queries
number: 0800 00 52 59.
Small Enterprise Development Agency (SEDA), an agency of the
Department of Trade and Industry, provides small business support
through its branches across the country. Find the earlier note on
SEDA.
The Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA) provides
finances to projects related to the development of infrastructure. If
your proposed venture focuses on the development of infrastructure
you are entitled to apply for funds from this bank. The operations
office can be contacted at 011 313 3911
The Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) finances initiatives
in different sectors including agriculture and agro-processing. Clients
must show assets and/or a certain amount of savings. In 2011, Cabinet
announced its intention to merge small business development agencies
like Khula Enterprise Finance and the South African Micro-Finance Apex
Fund (SAMAF) into the Small Enterprise Finance Agency (SEFA)
under the IDC. The main telephone number for the IDC is 011 269
3000. Visit www.idc.co.za and www.sefa.org.za for information on the
different offerings.
The Independent Development Trust (IDT) operates largely
within the realm of the second economy, supporting government to
implement developmental projects. The national number is 012 845
2000. Visit www.idt.org.za. The provincial offices contact details are
available on the website.
The National Development Agency (NDA) has the mandate to
eradicate poverty by granting funds to civil society organisations that
implement developmental projects in all provinces. Visit www.nda.
org.za or call the main office at 011 018 5500. The provincial offices can
be called at 053 831 4828 (Northern Cape), 031 305 5542 (KwaZuluNatal), 043 721 1226 (Eastern Cape), 015 291 2492 (Limpopo),
013 755 3777 (Mpumalanga), 018 392 6892 (North West), 051 430
2024 (Free State), 021 422 5175 (Western Cape) or 011 339 6410
(Gauteng).
The National Youth Development Agency (NYDA) can be
contacted at 08600 96884. Visit their website at www.nyda.gov.za.
Contact details of district branches can be found on the website.
The Enterprise Development Fund (EDF), launched in 2011 with a
R75-million contribution from the National Empowerment Fund
(NEF), seeks to support black enterprise development in South
Africas industrial value chain, as well as act as a catalyst for accelerating
job creation in line with governments New Growth Path. Call the
NEF at 011 305 8000.
Provincial development agencies e.g. Invest North West and the
Limpopo Business Support Agency (Libsa) give financial assistance to
co-operatives and small businesses. Find details of provincial bodies in
the Providers of financial services chapter.
5. Regulatory and other role players

The Agricultural Business Chamber (Agbiz) hosts workshops on
finding ways to provide sustainable funding to emerging farmers. ABSA,
FNB, Standard Bank and Nedbank are all members of the Agbiz. Find
the Agbiz website at www.agbiz.co.za.
The Agricultural Colleges provide short course training in financial
skills. Find contact details in the Agricultural education and training
chapter.
ANDISA Agris services include managing change of control
transactions and land reform transaction advisory, business planning
and feasibility studies. Call 082 807 5587 and visit www.andisaagri.
com.
Association for pro poor Micro Finance Institutions for South
Africa (AMFISA) Tel: 011 805 4949 www.amfisa.org.za
The Banking Association South Africa Tel: 011 645 6700 www.
banking.org.za
The CSIR Enterprise Creation for Development does feasibility
studies, business planning, due diligence, etc. as well as implementation
and establishment of businesses. Call 021 658 2753 or find their pages
at www.csir.co.za.
Elilox Group Tel: 041 582 5072 www.theeliloxgroup.com
The Financial Services Board is a unique independent institution
established by statute to oversee the South African Non-Banking
Financial Services Industry in the public interest. Visit www.fsb.co.za
or call 012 428 8000.
IsBaya Development Trust support to entrepreneurs includes

skills, mentoring and business development training. Visit www.isbaya.
org and call 021 851 9698.
Makgalaka Business Development Services Tel: 015 622 0543 /
082 467 2863 lmokgalaka@gmail.com
Some media houses run magazines and newsletters for SMMEs. To
see what is on offer from Entrepreneur Media SA, by way of example,
visit www.entrepreneurmag.co.za.
Microfinance South Africa is the recognised voice of reputable
microfinanciers. Call 012 346 1081 and visit www.mfsa.net.
The role of the National Credit Regulator (NCR) is to prevent abuse
by lenders of credit (e.g. exorbitant interest rates, unfair blacklisting).
Find out more at www.ncr.org.za or give the NCR a call at 0860 627
627.
Peulwana Agricultural Financial Services Tel: 011 314 2833 (find
their advert on page 71)
Productivity SA is inspiring a competitive South Africa. Find
provincial contact details at www.productivitysa.co.za.
Resonance Institute of Learnings training courses for youth include
financial and entrepreneurial skills. Visit www.ril.co.za or phone 011
888 3498.
SBP Business Environment Specialists Tel: 011 486 0797 www.
sbp.org.za
Visit www.sabri.co.za or call 021 674 1134 to find out more about
SA Business Resource Institute (SABRI). Their advert is on page
394. SABRI nurtures promising SMEs through the start-up and growth
phases of their businesses by:
- strengthening the internal capabilities, systems and processes
- encouraging entrepreneurship and facilitating skills development
- co-ordinating access to resources required to grow a business.
The Schwab Foundation for Social Entrepreneurship www.
schwabfound.org
South African Credit Co-operative League (SACCOL) Tel: 021
422 3333 www.saccol.org.za [SACCOL Ltd was established by Savings
and Credit Co-operatives (SACCOs) and Credit Unions around South
Africa as their National Association].
South African Savings Institute (SASI) Tel: 011 269 3789 www.
savingsinstitute.co.za
Thembani International Guarantee Fund (TIGF) provides Credit
Guarantees (see heading 3). Visit www.tigf.co.za or call 012 362 0802
Read about the Thembeka Social Investment Company at www.
tembeka.co.za, or call 021 447 8138.
The University of Pretoria houses the Centre for Inclusive Banking
in Africa. Phone 012 420 5435 and visit www.microfinance.up.ac.za.
On the website find the international links off this website e.g. African
Rural And Agricultural Credit Association (AFRACA) and the Rural
Finance Learning Centre (RFLC).
Wanyuka Consultants Tel: 033 234 4511 / 082 572 3724 www.
wanyuka.co.za
http://2bbiz.co.za is an information portal for South African small
business. Contact 2BBiz.co.za at 012 667 6603.
76
marketing and
finance
Exporting
1. Overview
Farmers in the 21st Century are greatly influenced by international
commodity markets, the exchange rates, and the flow of produce between
countries. The domestic price of commodities in most countries is very
close to import parity (the landed price of an imported product) as farmers
compete with each other for markets.
A growth in exports will be crucial to this country meeting its job creation
goals and meeting other targets like the United Nations Millennium
Development Goals (MDGs).
As long as the global economic system creates countries that are better able
to produce products more efficiently (and cheaper) than others, the world
trade system and exporting will continue unabated.
Trade data is given on www.sars.gov.za (see the Customs and Excise
menu option).
For an overview of South African trade and economic agreements, export
destinations etc refer to the article South African agricultural exports:
where are they going? in the January 2012 International TradeProbe. This
publication, useful to anyone exporting or importing, is compiled monthly
by the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (DAFF) and the
National Agricultural Marketing Council (NAMC) and can be found at
www.namc.co.za.
The South Africa and agriculture chapter provides a list of the top 15
agricultural products (primary and secondary), exported and imported.
2. South African Revenue Service (SARS)

All importers and exporters in South Africa are required to register with
the Commissioner of the South African Revenue Service (SARS). Form DA
185 (plus the relevant annexures) for importers and exporters, as well as
clearing agents and warehouse licensees, must be completed and submitted
to SARS.
Forms are to be submitted to the SARS office closest to the area in which the
applicants head office is situated. Upon registration, applicants are issued
with a unique customs code number. The registration process normally
takes about two to three weeks.
Contact details of head office, Revenue Branch Offices (provincial), Customs Offices and more are on the website, www.sars.gov.za.
3. The Department of Trade and Industry (dti)

Find the Trade, exports and invesent menu option on the website,
www.thedti.gov.za.
The Department of Trade & Industry (DTI) will assist registered exporters
in the marketing and promotion of their products. Some of the services
include overseas assessment, identification of business opportunities,
developing entry strategies into foreign markets, assistance with trade fairs
and exhibitions, identification of suitable agents and distribution abroad,
assisting with trade missions and inspection of goods on arrival overseas.
Services rendered free of charge by foreign representatives of the DTI:

identification of suitable agents, importers and distributors
assisting trade missions to and from South Africa
spotting overseas business opportunities
entry strategies into foreign markets and related research
promotion of technology transfers and foreign investment in
manufacturing in South Africa
assistance to exporters in overcoming obstacles such as quotas,
customs tariffs and import restrictions
assistance to exporters in setting up appointments, translations,
seminars, etc
general assistance in obtaining tender documents and negotiating with
authorities such as customs and health
distribution of South African trade publications and newsletters to
foreign business communities
inspection of South African products on arrival overseas
Trade and Investment South Africa (TISA)
Mr Christiaan Saaiman
Tel: 012 394 1021
Christiaans@thedti.gov.za
International Trade Division:
World Trade Organisation (WTO)
Tel: 012 394 3070
xcarim@thedti.gov.za
Free Trade Agreements SADC

Tel: 012 394 3050
Fax: 012 394 4050
Asia East Region

Tel: 012 394 1529
Fax: 012 394 2529
International Trade Administration

Commission (ITAC)
Import and export control
Phillip Snyman
Free Trade Agreements Americas/ Tel: 012 394 3590
www.itac.org.za
MERCUSOR
Tel: 012 394 3020
Rebate Applications on imports for
Fax: 012 394 4020
value addition and re-exports
Tel: 012 394 3050
Free Trade Agreements Europe
Fax: 012 394 4050
Tel: 012 394 3018
Fax: 012 394 4018
Through TISA , the DTI provides financial assistance to registered exporters
which meet certain performance criteria. Promoted under the banner of
EMIA, the Export Marketing and Investment Assistance Scheme, partial
compensation is available to exporters in respect of costs incurred,
development export markets.
The Export Promotion Directorate is responsible for developing and
promoting South African goods and services including specific technical
interventions in terms of EMIA financial support, matchmaking, market
intelligence, trade lead facilitation and in-market support. This business
unit aims to increase the market penetration of South African companies in
order to export products and services into various markets. The assistance
provided is in the form of financial or non-financial assistance.
Export Promotion Offerings
Market intelligence and advice e.g. identify new product and new
market
Trade lead facilitation
Facilitating exports by matching potential exporters with foreign
buyers
In Market Support
EMIA Financial Assistance
For more information please visit www.thedti.gov.za or phone 012 394

1014 / 1029 or 1146.
78
4. Department of Agriculture, Forestry and

Fisheries (DAFF)
For various notes on exports, look under the Services option on www.daff.
gov.za. For notes on the different directorates, click on Divisions.
Directorate: International
Trade
Tel: 012 319 8451/2
DITR@daff.gov.za
Quotas for exports are determined
here. The Directorate also puts
out various publications (like the
Step-by-step Export Manual for the
South African Fruit Industry) to help
people enquiring about exporting
Tel: 012 319 8455
DM@daff.gov.za
Permits for imports in terms of
Regional Bilateral Agreements,
Tariff Quotas in terms of Free
Trade Agreements as well as
minimum market Access in terms
of WTO with regard to certain
export permits under the South
Africa / European Union Trade
Development and Cooperation
Agreement.
for import/export, including the

provision of quarantine facilities.
Negotiates protocols on the import
and export of animals/animal
products.
Directorate: Plant Health
Tel: 012 319 6072
DPH@daff.gov.za
Ensures
compliance
with
international
plant
health
obligations and responsibilities,
thereby creating an environment
for safe imports and exports.
Find the Import and export notes
under the Plant health option at
www.daff.gov.za.
Directorate: Food Safety and
Quality Assurance
Tel: 012 319 7306
DFSQA@daff.gov.za
Find the various Export certification

procedures under the Food Safety
Directorate:
Agricultural and Quality Assurance option at
Product Inspection Services
www.daff.gov.za.
Tel: 012 319 6100
DAPIS@daff.gov.za
All food business operators (FBOs)
of legislated agricultural products of
Phytosanitary certificates are issued plant origin intended for export are
here.
required to register with DAFF. The
purpose of these registrations is to
Directorate: Animal Health
ensure that producers, packers,
Tel: 012 319 7456
processors and freight forwarders
sandraDAC@daff.gov.za
are in line with the internationally
Controls and certifies the health set traceability requirements.
status of animals/animal products
The Agricultural Trade Forum (ATF), established by the National

Department of Agriculture, facilitates the entire agricultural industry with
regard to international trade. It is housed under the Chief Directorate:
Trade and Business Development. Call 012 319 6910 or email
LouwrensTh@daff.gov.za.
Look for the government gazette notices under the publications option
at www.daff.gov.za.
5. Other government departments and state

bodies
International Trade
Administration Commission
(ITAC)
Tel: 012 394 3688
www.itac.org.za

Council (NAMC)
Tel: 012 341 1115
www.namc.co.za
The NAMC is involved in several

Tariff investigations, Trade remedies ways here, from export promotion
and import-export control are activities to supporting new
ITACs services
agribusinesses in their endeavours
to export their products. Read
about the different divisions on the
website.
Perishable Products Export

Control Board (PPECB)
Tel: 021 930 1134
www.ppecb.com
PPECB provides internationally
preferred food, safety, quality and
assurance services to promote and
instil confidence in the agricultural
products of South Africa.
PPECB,
mandated
by
the
Department
of
Agriculture,
has been delivering end-point
inspection services on perishable
products destined for export since
1991. Assessors are stationed
across the country and deliver
inspection services on 200 product
types at more that 1500 locations.
South African Pesticide Initiative Programme 2 (SA PIP 2)

South Africa signed a Financial Agreement with the EU in the previous
decade to address the issue of chemical residue levels on food being
exported into the EU. This resulted in the establishment of the
South African Pesticide Initiative Programme (SA PIP). SAPIP 2 is that
programmes successor.
There is huge potential for more small scale farmers to be empowered
to be sustainable and commercially viable exporters as they constitute
only a small percentage of those who export fruit and vegetables. SA PIP
2 provides funding for training 450 smallholders nationally on responsible
pesticide use, food safety, agricultural practices and legislation.
The Perishable Products Export Control Board has been tasked with
rolling out SA PIP 2, while the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and
Forestry (DAFF) acts as the contracting authority for the programme.
Reserve Bank
Tel: 012 313 3911
www.resbank.co.za
South African Bureau of

Standards (SABS)
Tel: 012 428 7911
www.sabs.co.za
6. Role players
Associations and NGOs
Many Agricultural Business Chamber (Agbiz) members are
agricultural exporters. Find useful information on the website www.
agbiz.co.za on trade relations, trade agreements etc.
The Agricultural Business Chamber is a member of Business Unity
South Africa (BUSA). See its website at www.busa.org.za or phone
011 784 8000.
Some Chambers are geared towards trade between two countries e.g.
the French South African Chamber www.fsacci.co.za; the Southern
African German Chamber of Commerce www.germanchamber.
co.za; Southern Africa-Switzerland www.scsa.ch; South AfricanNetherlands www.sanec.co.za etc.
The fair trade movement aims to enhance trading conditions for
small scale businesses, improve labour conditions for employees and
empower communities through ethical and sustainable trade. Read
about Fairtrade South Africa at www.fairtradelabel.org.za.
Find a list of fruit exporters at http://fpef.co.za, or call the Fresh
Produce Exporters Forum (FPEF) at 021 526 0474.
NEDLAC Tel: 011 328 4200 www.nedlac.org.za
The Farm Animal Unit of the National Council of SPCAs monitors
the export of live animals from East London and Durban harbours. Visit
www.nspca.co.za.
Responsible Packaging Management Association (RPMASA) Tel:
032 947 1145 http://rpmasa.org.za
The Middle East and in particular the United Arab Emirates and Saudi
Arabia, which import 80% of their food requirements, represents the
greatest potential market for South African Halaal Certified products.
Another market is European countries with large Muslim communities
(e.g. UK, France and Germany). Make contact with Ismail Rawat of the
South African Halaal Export Forum (SAHEF) at 082 793 4494
South African Shippers Council (SASC) sasc@clbcon.co.za www.
sashippers.org.za
79
South African Association of Freight Forwarders (SAAFF)

Tel: 011 455 1726
www.saaff.org.za
The role of the freight forwarder, alternatively called the shipping
and forwarding or clearing and forwarding agent, is to ensure
that cargo is transported across international boundaries in the most
efficient and economical way.
The agent should be able to advise the exporter on the following
aspects:
the best mode of transport for the goods, whether by sea, air, rail,
road or a combination of these;
schedule and transit times of the various transport services;
the most suitable packing;
rates and insurance premiums;
freight rates;
costing for export;
compliance with maritime and other statutory obligations;
marking of cargo; and
all technical aspects of international forwarding.
Agents also handle customs clearance, including related documentation
needs and exchange control requirements, and any other permits
required by law. Most agents have an international network of branch
offices or associates, which enables them to give advice on the importing
countrys regulations.
Export councils
In partnership with the DTI, Export Councils have been given a forum to
address all obstacles and proposals that may affect their ability to export
successfully. This takes the form of a National Export Advisory Council,
chaired by the Minister. The export councils database may be found on
www.thedti.gov.za. Included are organisations like the Fresh Produce
Exporters Forum, South African Flower Export Council (SAFEC), Wines of
South Africa (WOSA), South African Ostrich Business Chamber and the SA
Fruit and Vegetable Exporters Council.
Finance
Commercial banks assist with export credits, guarantees and letters
of credit. The Credit Guarantee Insurance Corporation of South Africa
administers an export credit insurance scheme on behalf of the dti.
Industrial Development
Corporation (IDC)
Tel: 011 269 3000
callcentre@idc.co.za
www.idc.co.za
JSE Limited
Tel: 011 520 7000
info@jse.co.za
www.jse.co.za
Prestige Credit Insurance

Consultants
Tel: 011 022 0642
www.prestigecredit.co.za
Credit insurance for protection
on your dealings with exports
debtors.
SASFIN Bank
Tel: 011 809 7500
If you are an exporter, foreign www.sasfin.com
exchange is one of your top risks. A
rand futures market exists allowing Import/export trade finance
agribusinesses and farmers to experts
hedge themselves against negative
movements in the exchange rate, Standard Bank
Tel: 0800 FOREX
reducing risks and uncertainty.
forex@standardbank.co.za
Lombard Insurance Group
Tel: 0861 551 0600
www.lombardins.com
Hedge against foreign currency
Credit insurance products
Logistics and transport

Bidvest Panalpina Logistics (Air) Tel: 011 570 6000 (Sea) Tel: 031
302 3811 www.bpl.za.com
Clear Freight Tel: 011 856 6600 www.clearfreight.co.za
DB Schenker Logistics Tel: 021 380 3200 www.dbschenker.co.za
Deugro (SA) Tel: 011 230 0100 www.deugro.com/locations/africa/
Forward Air & Sea Tel: 011 392 5364 www.forwardairandsea.co.za
Hellmann Logistics Tel: 011 928 7000 www.hellmann.net/
southafrica
IMPSON Logistics Tel: 021 406 9300 www.impson.co.za
Kintetsu World Express Tel: 011 573 5700 www.kwe.co.za
MSC Logistics Tel: 011 627 6542 www.msclogistics.com
Premier Freight Tel: 011 573 9000 www.premierfreight.co.za
Johannesburg Export Division Tel: 011 565 2600 www.clovercargo.
co.za
Trans Africa Logistics Tel: 011 255 0300 www.transafricalogistics.
co.za
UTI Tel: 011 723 1600 (Sea) Tel: 011 578 3500 (Air) www.go2uti.com
Training and research

Coface South Africa
Tel: 011 208 2500
www.cofaceza.com
Credit insurance products
Credit Guarantee
Tel: 011 889 7000 / 65
www.creditguarantee.co.za
to obtain finance from a number

of participating banks. These loans
are then underwritten by Credit
Guarantee and re-insured by the
Department of Trade & Industry.
The Export Credit Insurance

Corporation of South Africa
Limited (ECIC)
Department of Trade and Industry
Find the export credit insurance Tel: 012 471 3800
under the Products and services Tel: 012 394 3545
menu. The purpose of the scheme www.ecic.co.za
is to finance small to mediumsized businesses which lack the A project can qualify for 85%
financial resources to execute finance if a South African content
export orders. The scheme of at least 50% of the total project
enables the prospective exporter value is achieved.
Agri Skills Transfer Network runs a course which focuses on export

readiness: business/export market viability, logistics, supply chain
management etc. Phone 018 290 6019.
Business Unity South Africa (BUSA) facilitates training workshops for
SMMEs interested in exporting. Visit www.busa.org.za or phone 011 784
8000.
The chamber movement addresses all issues affecting the business
community, including exporting. Find out how your nearest Chamber of
Commerce can help you.
Cape Town Regional Chamber of Commerce and Industry www.
capetownchamber.com
Randburg Chamber of Commerce www.rcci.co.za
Benoni Chamber of Commerce www.benonicci.co.za
Johannesburg Chamber of Commerce www.jcci.co.za
South Coast Chamber of Commerce www.scchamber.co.za
Bloemfontein Chamber of Commerce www.bcci.co.za
80
Zululand Chamber of Commerce www.zululandchamber.co.za

Estcourt Chamber of Commerce www.ecci.co.za
Pietermaritzburg Chamber of Business www.pcb.org.za
(Etc)
For those exporters looking for better access to the ever-growing European
Union (EU) market now 25 countries strong and a major trading partner
the Department of Trade and Industry (dti) has run a national series of
workshops on the issue. The dti also runs a Small Exporters Development
programme. Contact Phina Mashilo at 012 394 1060 or pmashilo@thedti.
gov.za, or Solomon Magagula at 012 394 1343 or Smagagula@thedti.gov.za.
Freight Training (Pty) Ltd
Tel: 011 450 4140
www.freighttraining.co.za
Short courses and distance

education:
Certificate
in
International
Trade,
Advance
Certificate in International Trade as
Training includes the mechanism of well as National Diploma in Export/
credit who does what and why.
Import Management.
The Fresh Produce Exporters
Forum (FPEF) is involved in
various training programmes. Find
details on http://fpef.co.za.
School of Economics
Tel: 018 299 1438
Ilza.havenga@nwu.ac.za
www.nwu.ac.za/economics
Institute of Export (Graduate

School of Management)
Offering:
Tel: 011 628 2000
www.iex.co.za
B Com majoring in
Economics and International
Diploma in Export Management
Trade
Hons B Com in International
International Trade Institute of
Trade
South Africa (ITRISA)
M Com in International Trade
Tel: 011 807 5317
PhD in International Trade
www.itrisa.co.za
Unit for Environmental Sciences TRADE (Trade and

and Management
Development)
Wilma.viviers@nwu.ac.za
Ernst Idsardi 018 299 2484
Ernst.Idsardi@nwu.ac.za
Research niche areas focusing
The Perishable Products Export research on export promotion and
Control Board (PPECB) is identifying South Africas export
involved in programmes to build opportunities
capacity. Find contact details under
heading 5.
TMS Training Services
Tel: 011 853 2777
SA AgriAcademy
www.hochfeld.co.za
Tel: 021 880 1276
www.agriacademy.co.za
A three-day course is offered
covering all you need to know
Skills Development Specialists about chartering ships for your
Tel: 031 303 8292
business methods undertaken,
www.sdstraining.co.za
costs and issues involved, case
studies etc.
The South African Board of
Standards (SABS) offers training The University of Cape Town runs
courses for GLOBALG.A.P. Find an Import and Export Management
contact details under heading 5.
short course. Take a look at www.
getsmarter.co.za or call 021 447
South African Institute of 7565 for more information.
International Affairs (SAIIA)
Tel: 011 339 2021
University of South Africa
www.saiia.org.za
(UNISA)
Centre for Business Management
Trade Law Centre for Southern Tel: 012 429 4376
Africa (TRALAC)
bothmch@unisa.ac.za
Tel: 021 880 2010
www.tralac.org
A 12-month, distance education
certificate course in exporting is
Building capacity to help Africa offered.
trade better
81
Consultants and other services

AgriBusiness Systems international (ABSi) Tel: 021 917 2719
www.absi.co.za
Bamic Enterprises Tel: 021 788 6153 http://bamicenterprises.com/
Christopher Richards Consultancy Tel: 011 442 6071/2 www.
dunkeld.co.za (consultants to the local and international freight
industry)
Customs Services (Pty) Ltd Tel: 011 397 5370 www.customsservices.
co.za
DFM Software Solutions Tel: 021 904 1154 www.dfmsoftware.co.za
(For software that allows the user to create chemical and fertiliser
instructions required for GLOBALG.A.P., Natures Choice and the
export market).
TRADE (Trade and Development) Wilma.viviers@nwu.ac.za
(research niche areas focusing research on export promotion and
identifying South Africas export opportunities)
Provincial Government support

All provinces have trade and investment promotion agencies. Find their
details in the Providers of financial services chapter.
Amongst its many services, Invest North West (INW) assists in
the development of trade in the second economy by enhancing its
capacity to export to various markets. Find out more at 014 594 2570
or at www.inw.org.za.
The KwaZulu-Natal Department of Economic Development
has intensified the training of and support for entrepreneurs in agribusiness export. Make contact with them at 031 310 5300, by emailing
mntambob@kznded.gov.za or by visiting www.kznded.gov.za.
The Western Cape Investment and Trade Promotion Agency
(Wesgro) launched a web-based trade portal in 2012 that allows
Western Cape businesses to register their companies and products
and to engage with foreign importers. It also runs workshops in the
use of incoterms and participating in the international environment.
Visit http://wesgro.co.za.
7. Trade terms (Incoterms)

Incoterms are standard trade definitions most commonly used in
international sales contracts. Devised and published by the International
Chamber of Commerce, they are at the heart of world trade.
The Incoterms you are most likely to use:
Ex Works
EXW
Free on Board
FOB
Cost Insurance and Freight
CIF
Carriage Paid to
CPT
Delivered Duty Unpaid
DDU
Visit the website of the International Chamber of Commerce and the

World Business Organisation for more information www.iccwbo.
org/incoterms.
8.
Publications
The PPECB Export Directory call 021 930 1134 or visit www.ppecb.
com
Fresh Fruit Export Directory call 021 526 0474 or visit www.fpef.co.za
The Step-by-step Export Manual for the South African Fruit Industry,
compiled by DAFF in 2010. ISBN: 978-1-86871-312-7. Find it at www.
daff.gov.za.
Booklets and guides are available from the South African Revenue
Service (SARS) e.g. Agreements, Trade Agreements and Preferential
Dispensations administered by the South African Revenue Services.
Business consultant Chris Richards has authored training manuals on
importing and exporting. Contact him at 011 442 6071 or write to
chrisrichards@dunkeld.co.za
Export South Africa is published monthly and aimed at all exporters and
export service providers. Call 011 726 3081 Ext 246 or 082 890 5255;
or write to Lawrencemp@malnormags.co.za
The Exporters Manual Alan Cowell and Pat Corbin. Johannesburg
Chamber of Commerce. 1998. Tel: 011 726 5300. Email info@jcci.
co.za or visit www.jcci.co.za.
Cuyvers, L and Viviers, W. 2012. Export Promotion: A Decision Support
Model Approach. Sun Media Metro, Stellenbosch. (Wilma.viviers@nwu.
ac.za)
TRADERS, the African Business Journal. Visit www.tradersafrica.com
or phone 011 452 9847.
9. Websites
Visit websites of role players mentioned in the chapter
Care to find out how countries fare in the competitive rankings? Two
reports are the World Competitiveness Report (produced by the IMD
Business School in Switzerland), and the Global Competitiveness Report
(produced by the World Economic Forum in Switzerland). Visit www.
imd.org and www.weforum.org.
www.trademap.org International Trade Centre website for trade
statistics for international business development
Find the trade briefs, working papers etc at www.tralac.org (Trade Law
Centre for Southern Africa). Download the latest weekly customs,
excise, tariff and trade remedy summary notification.
Joint Agribusiness Department of Agriculture Forum for Africa www.
jadafa.co.za Find options like Trade within Africa, Country profile
and Trade beyond Africa.
www.macmap.org Market Access Map, making import tariffs and
market access barriers transparent
www.cbi.nl Centre for the Promotion of Imports from Developing
Countries (CBI) provides market information, export promotion,
matching, advice on import enquiries, and environmental information
for exporters from developing countries.
www.africatrade.co.za an Africa Trade Initiative
The CTAs monthly news update on agricultural trade issues subscribe
at http://agritrade.cta.int
www.cargoinfo.co.za Cargo Info Africa, Southern Africas freight
information port
www.exporthelp.co.za Your online export helpdesk
www.fas.usda.gov Foreign Agricultural Service (the United States
Department of Agriculture)
International Air Transport Association (IATA) www.iata.org
International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) www.iccwbo.org
International Trade Centre (ITC), the Development partner for export
success www.intracen.org
www.mbendi.co.za the global information resource for business and
travel.
Find the INTERNATIONAL Trade Probe, a joint initiative between the
NAMC and DAFFs Directorate International Trade, at www.namc.
co.za.
www.p-maps.org Market Analysis Portals (available on a subscription
basis)
www.thefoodworld.com this website lists companies worldwide
who supply food.
www.tradeinvestafrica.com Frontier Market Intelligence, the
ultimate guide to business, trade and investment in Africa
United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD)
www.unctad.org
www.wcoomd.org World Customs Organisation
World Trade Organisation (WTO) www.wto.org
www.xe.com the worlds favourite currency site
Our thanks to North-West University for comments on the draft chapter
82
marketing and
finance
Fibre trading
Although there are some notes here on mohair and wool, the reader is asked
to consult the various fibre chapters i.e. Sheep Wool, Goats Mohair,
Speciality fibre production, Cotton, Bamboo and Other fibre crops.
1. The case for natural fibres

Plant fibres include seed hairs, such as cotton; stem (or bast) fibres,
such as flax and hemp; leaf fibres, such as sisal; and husk fibres such as
coconut.
Animal fibres include wool, hair and secretions, such as silk.
Each year, farmers harvest around 35 million tonnes of natural fibres from
a wide range of plants and animals from sheep, rabbits, goats, camels and
alpacas, from cotton bolls, abaca and sisal leaves and coconut husks, and
from the stalks of jute, hemp, flax and ramie plants.
Over the past half century, these have been displaced by man-made fibres
with names like acrylic, nylon, polyester and polypropylene. Unlike natural
fibres harvested by farmers, commonly used synthetic fibres are mass
produced from petrochemicals to uniform strengths, lengths and colours,
easily customised to specific applications.
Across the world, producers and processors of natural fibres need to
develop and maintain markets in which they can compete effectively with
synthetics.
A marketing angle on natural fibres

Natural fibres are a healthy choice. They provide natural ventilation.
A cotton T-shirt feels comfortable on a hot day. Wool garments act
as insulators against both cold and heat.
Natural fibres are a responsible choice. They are of major economic
importance to many developing countries and vital to the livelihoods
and food security of millions of small-scale farmers and processors.
Natural fibres are a sustainable choice. The emerging green
economy is based on energy efficiency, renewable feed stocks in
polymer products, industrial processes that reduce carbon emissions
and recyclable materials. Natural fibres are a renewable resource.
Natural fibres are a high-tech choice. They have good mechanical
strength, low weight and low cost. That has made them particularly
attractive to the automobile industry (increasingly coconut fibre,
sisal, hemp wastes etc. are being used).
Natural fibres are a fashionable choice. Natural fibres are at the
heart of an eco-fashion or sustainable clothing movement that
seeks to create garments that are sustainable at every stage of their
life cycle, from production to disposal. Natural fibre producers,
textile manufacturers and the clothing industry need to be aware of,
and respond to, the opportunities provided by growing demand for
organic cotton and wool, for recyclable and biodegradable fabrics,
and for fair trade practices that offer producers higher prices and
protect textile industry workers.
Source: adapted from www.naturalfibres2009.org and www.new-ag.info
2. Wool and mohair

The Eastern Cape is a leading world producer of high-quality merino wool
and mohair luxury fibres. A significant proportion of the provinces wool
and mohair is exported unprocessed or semi-processed and the sector has
very good expansion potential.
More than 150 years in wool and mohair has given the province valuable
expertise in the relevant farming, technology, training, production and
marketing. New investment will allow increased value-add to the provinces

excellent raw materials through the production of high-value wool and
mohair products for worldwide niche markets.
Mohair
The Eastern Cape Province is the premier mohair producing area in
South Africa and the undisputed leader in mohair production in the
world.
The open cry auction system is the main trading platform with an
average of 96% of the total volume of mohair. Other trading options
between mohair producers and buyers are farm gate sales, contracts
and forward selling, electronic auctions and tenders.
A group of mohair producers marketing their mohair outside the spot
marketing system as Camdeboo mohair and selling it directly to
processors through systems of contracts and agreements has been a
recent innovation.
Growers have a number of options how to sell their production and are
able to hold the sale until prices improve.
Wool
Wool is sold in a free market environment and producers are free to
sell their wool to whomever they wish. The bulk of South Africas wool
clip is sold via public auction.
These auctions are held in Port Elizabeth on virtually every Wednesday
during the wool-selling season, which stretches from late August to
mid-June the following year. The auctions take place under the auspices
of the South African Wool and Mohair Buyers Association (Sawamba)
and only members of Sawamba are permitted to bid at auctions.
Prices paid for wool are determined by free market supply and demand
forces and are closely linked to the international price for apparel wool,
which is determined in Australia where the largest volumes of apparel
wool are traded.
Due to space restrictions, wool is not displayed in the auction room and
buyers buy from a catalogue which is provided by the various brokers.
Buyers have the opportunity to inspect samples of the various lots in
the brokers warehouses a few days prior to the auctions.
Wool is typed into many different types and the different prices are
paid for the different types, which may differ from auction to auction.
The Wool Testing Bureau of SA tests wool for various characteristics,
such as fibre diameter (micron), clean yield, length and strength and
vegetable matter, after which a certificate is issued. This certificate is
displayed with the sample so that a buyer knows exactly what type of
wool he is buying.
After sale, the wool is either exported in its raw form by the buyer or
semi-processed before being exported. The top export destinations
for SA wool are China, Italy, Germany, the Czech Republic and India.
3. Role players
Find detailed lists in the different fibre chapters

Find the excellent Agricultural Marketing Extension on the Department
of Agricultures website www.daff.gov.za (take the Publications
and then General Publications menu options). The eighth of the
series is entitled Wool and Mohair. Its aim is to facilitate a better
understanding of wool and mohair marketing in South Africa, primarily
to enable extension officers to help emerging farmers play a greater
role in the industries.
Market reports and information can be found online and in the
agricultural weekly publications. Visit www.capewools.co.za and www.
mohair.co.za, or open your copy of Landbouweekblad and/or Farmers
Weekly. The websites of the two publications also contain archived
articles: take a look at www.landbou.com and www.farmersweekly.
co.za.
Sources: a study done by D Jordaan and J Kisten at www.up.ac.za/dspace/
bitstream/2263/6309/1/Jordaan_Investigating(2008).pdf ; Ona Viljoen of Cape
Wools SA.
83
marketing and
finance
1. Overview
Markets selling agricultural products have been with humankind for many
thousands of years. They have adapted and changed over time but the
fundamental reason for their existence has never changed where supply
and demand meet to establish a value for a product so that a sale can be
made.
There are different types of agricultural markets; such as farmers markets
where the farmer is on hand to sell his products, or wholesale markets
where a wholesaler has purchased the products from the farmers and sells
those products for a profit, or a commission markets where market agents
sells the products on behalf of the farmers.
h) Market Agents must by law pay their farmers within 5 working days
after completing the sale of a consignment.
i) There are 23 Fresh Produce Commission Markets in South Africa
and of these, 19 are linked to the Freshmark System which is an
IT network providing a comprehensive range of daily, weekly and
monthly information on sales as well as national statistics [see www.
freshmarksystems.co.za].
j) By reacting to the laws of supply and demand on a daily basis, fresh
produce commission markets remain the purest form of price
establishment available to farmers and buyers.
k)0The Market Agents Fidelity Fund also funds a comprehensive
and unique training programme for fresh produce commission
market salespeople. This programme requires a new salesperson to
successfully complete the three module training programme as well as
a number of audits in the workplace within a given time frame before
being registered by APAC as a Fresh Produce Commission Salesperson.
There is no other training programme like this in the world.
3. National strategy
In terms of the Agricultural Produce Agents Act. Act 12 of 1992 (amended
2003) the Minister of Agriculture is required to establish an Agricultural
Produce Agents Council (APAC) a Statutory Body to administer the Act
on behalf of the Minister.
In South Africa we have the added option of Informal Markets which are
a feature of our national landscape as they can be found along main roads,
outside bus stations, taxi ranks, alongside existing fresh produce markets
and in rural towns. Informal Markets in various forms can also be found
in many African countries. In this country they are essentially wholesale
markets, as the vendors have purchased their products from farmers or the
bigger markets to resell again to the public and tourists. They are classified
as Informal Markets because they are not subject to the same formal
structures and laws that govern the fresh produce markets.
The basic reason for having the Act and for the establishment of APAC
is because Agricultural Produce Commission Agents act on behalf of their
clients farmers in a financial capacity and the Act is there to protect the
farmers interests.
Markets traditionally sold all farm products but as times changed so did the
selling and distribution requirements of agricultural products. Specialisation
has become the key and in this country we now have fresh produce markets,
flower markets and livestock markets (auctions).
As far as Market Agents are concerned this includes:
2. The uniqueness of our markets

South Africas fresh produce markets can rightly claim to be unique in the
following ways:
a) They are the only system of fresh produce commission markets in the
world.
b) The registered Market Agents working on those markets, who sell on
behalf of the farmers are governed by Act 12 of 1992 (amended 2003)
which prescribes, amongst other requirements, how they will handle
the farmers money.
c) Act 12 also provides for a Market Agents Fidelity Fund to which only
they contribute annually and which guarantees farmers money under
specified circumstances.
d) Another proviso of Act 12 is for the establishment of the Agricultural
Produce Agents Council (APAC) which administers the Act and the
Fidelity Fund on behalf of the Minister of Agriculture.
e) In terms of Act 12 there are three groups of agricultural produce
commission agents: fresh produce market agents, fresh produce
export agents and livestock agents. These agents must register with
APAC and comply to certain requirements of Act 12 before they can
open for business.
f) The Act requires a Market Agency to open a Trust Account on behalf
of its farmers thereby ensuring that their money is controlled and
regulated.
g) Market Agents must submit a Trust Account Reconciliation to APAC
every month.
The objective of APAC is to regulate the occupation of fresh produce,

export and livestock agents and to maintain and enhance the status and
dignity of those occupations and the integrity of persons practicing these
occupations.
making policy, promoting market agents and markets

drawing up The Rules R1818 and Code of Conduct
administering the Fresh Produce Market Agents Fidelity Fund
registration of Agricultural Commission Agents
monitoring Market Agents Trust Accounts
the maintenance and promotion of the training standards of Agents
ad hoc audits of Agents stock on floor
The Minister appoints a council of 18 members and each one serves for a
maximum period of three years. Membership is made up of the following
role players:
two persons representing agricultural producers of fresh produce
two persons representing livestock producers
three persons representing fresh produce market agents
three persons representing livestock agents
three persons representing fresh produce export agents
two persons designated by the Minister
two persons representing consumers
one person representing DAFF
Registrar and Deputy Registrar
The Council meets at various times through the year according to its needs
and oversees the implementation of Act 12 on behalf of the Minister of
Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries.
A Registrar, Deputy Registrar and Secretary make up the full-time staff
complement and they are charged with managing the day to day activities of
APAC and the application of the Act.
84
APAC makes use of outside service providers for functions such as forensic
audits, training of Market Agents and other activities as required.
Fidelity Fund
The Department of Agriculture established a Fidelity Fund many years
ago at the request of Fresh Produce Market Commission Agents in the
event of there not being sufficient funds in the Trust Account to pay the
farmers, or if a market agent was found guilty of any fraudulent actions
with farmers money.
In such cases a farmer who has sold his fresh produce through a
registered commission agent may claim for his losses from the Fidelity
Fund.
Market Commission Agents pay a levy each year determined by APAC
which is based on their annual turnover.
It is part of APACs function to administer and control this Fidelity Fund
in terms of Act 12.
The Fidelity Fund guarantees a farmers money.
This system of financial security for South African farmers is unique in
the world.
When can a farmer claim against the Fidelity Fund

Act 12 makes provision for a farmer to claim for financial losses under the
following circumstances:
a) when there are insufficient funds in the Trust Account to pay the
farmer;
b) when a market agent is found guilty of fraud or any misconduct involving
the farmers products.
A farmer who wishes to make a claim against the Fidelity Fund must do
so within three (3) months of the alleged offence. Full details are available
from APAC.
Trust Account
In terms of the Act a Market Agency must open a Trust Account at a
registered banking institution on behalf of their farmers. This Trust Account
has only two purposes:
to deposit the proceeds from the sales of farmers products;
to pay the farmers.
It must be a separate bank account from the Market Agencys normal
business account.
Every Market Agency must submit a Trust Account reconciliation to APAC
monthly before the 21st.
The Trust Account therefore, controls the farmers money.
When does a farmer get paid?

Rule 25 of Act 12 stipulates that if a consignment of fresh produce
is not fully sold within three business days after the receipt thereof,
the fresh produce agent must inform the producer of the extent and
condition of the unsold quantity.
Rule 26 of Act 12 stipulates that a fresh produce agent shall within
5 business days after having sold the produce pay the farmer as
well as issue a statement with detail such as date of receipt of the
consignment, kind and class of fresh produce, the amount and nature
of each deduction, the amount of commission deducted, etc.
Act 12 of 1992 requires market commission agents to register with the
Registrar of the Agricultural Produce Agents Council (APAC) Tel: 012 346
4117 / 011 894 3680.
The most important difference that sets our commission markets apart
from others (wholesale markets) locally or abroad - is the security of
payment for producers see earlier note. This security is vital in a country
as large and as diverse as ours. Producers hail from the farthest corners
of our land, distances to markets are often great and personal contact
between farmer and agent can be limited at times. The knowledge that
his money is safe and that legislation requires the agent to pay him within
five working days ensures that a farmer can market his produce with
confidence.
This is very important in a South African context when seen against
the background of the many thousands of small-scale future farmers.
Resource poor farmers have to struggle with many obstacles before
landing their produce on the market floor, and so protection of their
money on the market is absolutely essential.
Another benefit of our fresh produce commission markets is the
competition which exists on the floor between producers, products,
packaging, presentation, quality, the market agents and the buyers. There
is probably no better way for a farmer to learn about the complexities of
fresh produce marketing than to have his/her produce on a market floor
competing against so many other producers.
85
4. The fresh produce markets

Buffalo City (East London)
Tel: 043 705 9500
elmarket@buffalocity.gov.za
Mpumalanga (Nelspruit)
Tel: 013 755 2768
nelmark@lantic.net
Butterworth
Tel/fax: 047 491 4294
risparks@hyperlink.co.za
Nelspruit
Tel: 083 388 0033
nelspruitmarket@lantic.net
Cape Town (Epping)

Tel: 021 531 2191/2
www.ctmarket.co.za
Noord-Einde
Tel: 041 451 3216
marietvermaak@gmail.com
Durban (eThekwini)
Tel: 031 311 5100 / 40
moonsamyj@durban.gov.za
Pietermaritzburg
Tel: 033 392 3400
harsha.ramprsad@mzundusi.gov.
za
Ekurhuleni
Tel: 011 815 6010
gieln@ekurhuleni.com
George (Eden District)
Tel: 044 875 1286
georgemarket@mwebbiz.co.za
Johannesburg
Tel: 011 992 8000
info@jfpm.co.za
www.joburgmarket.co.za
Kei (Mthatha)
Tel: 047 531 1907
tembanis@kfpm.co.za
momozan@kfpm.co.za
King Williams Town
Tel: 043 642 3520
kwtmarket@eln.co.za
Klerksdorp
Tel: 018 469 1241
kldmark@lantic.net
Mangaung (Bloemfontein)
Tel: 051 410 4500
thabiseng.moloi@mangaung.co.za
Port Elizabeth (Nelson Mandela

Bay)
Tel: 041 461 1409
jkruger@mandelametro.gov.za
www.nelsonmandelabay.gov.za
Sol Plaatje (Kimberley)
Tel: 053 830 6560
rsmith@solplaatje.org.za
Tshwane
Tel: 012 358 2398
Fax: 012 358 2301
www.tshwane.gov.za/
tshwanemarket
Uitenhage
Tel: 041 992 1634
ufpmarket@telkomsa.net
Vereeniging
Tel: 016 451 1021
johannt@sedibeng.gov.za
Welkom
Tel: 057 355 2382
david.segalo@matjhabeng.co.za
freda.haupt@matjhabeng.co.za
Find information under City Witbank

Services & facilities on www. Tel/fax: 013 690 6286
mmwit@mweb.co.za
bloemfontein.co.za.
Fresh produce markets role players

There are 105 registered market agents. To find out which agents operate at which
market the reader is advised to contact the market concerned. Alternatively, APAC or
IMASA (details also under this heading) will be able to help.
Agricultural Produce Agents

Council (APAC)
Tel: 011 894 3680
Fax: 011 894 3761
www.apacweb.org.za
Directorate: Agricultural Products
Inspection Services
Tel: 012 319 6512
bernardma@daff.gov.za
APAC is a Statutory Body www.daff.gov.za
established i t o Act 12 of 1992 and
administers the Act on behalf of the Institute of Market Agents of
Minister of Agriculture. Members South Africa (IMASA)
of the Council are appointed by the Tel: 011 613 4391
Minister and represent role players Fax: 011 623 1932
in the marketing of fresh produce agripres@mweb.co.za
as well as appropriate Government
departments. In terms of the Act IMASA was founded in 1945 and
any person who wishes to trade as represents the registered Market
an agricultural produce commission Agents in South Africa. Membership
is voluntary.
agent must register with APAC.
National Agricultural
Marketing Council (NAMC)
Tel: 012 341 1115
www.namc.co.za
The NAMC is a Statutory Body
established i t o the Marketing Act
to advise the Minister of Agriculture
on matters regarding the marketing
of all agricultural products.
National Regulator for
Compulsory Specifications
(NRCS)
Tel: 012 428 6152 / 5000
www.nrcs.org.za
PROKON (Produk Kontrole)

Tel: 012 325 4579
www.prokonsa.co.za
Prokon is an independent inspection
body which provides product
inspections on all the main fresh
produce markets in South Africa.
South African Union of Food
Markets (SAUFM)
Formerly the Institute of Market
Masters of SA (IMMSA)
Tel: 031 311 5140
President: Andr Young
youngandre@durban.gov.za
This is the representative body

for Market Masters and Market
Management. Membership is
Comprehensive,
professional voluntary.
training and consulting services
5-A-Day For Better Health
Produce Marketing Association Trust
Tel: 011 613 4391
(PMA)
www.5-a-day.co.za
Tel: 082 388 1000
marianne@qcfresh.com
Industry organisation promoting the
www.pma.com
health benefits and consumption of
fresh fruit and vegetables in South
Africa
PAMBILE Africa (Pty) Ltd
Tel: 021 871 1230 / 073 637 6105

The Average price of important vegetables sold on the major fresh
produce markets can be found in the latest Abstract of Agricultural
Statistics document at www.daff.gov.za.
The Freshmark System provides daily prices for each market. Visit
www.freshmarksystems.co.za.
Technofresh (a division of Freshmark Systems) is designed for farmers
who want to access their own shipments to markets. It requires an
annual subscription and pin number to access. Talk to Rodney Trollip at
rodney@technofresh.co.za or try www.technofresh.co.za.
The importance of price formation on a commission market

It is a simple question; if we did not have fresh produce commission
markets how would a farmer know what the value of his/her products is on
any given day? Would he ask his neighbour? Does he ask the local fruit and
veg retailer in town? Does he phone one of the big supermarkets and ask
them what they are paying today?
86
In each case the reply he gets is understandably influenced by the self interest
of the party concerned. The best the farmer can do is to end up guessing.
However, when he sells his products through a commission market he gets
the closest to a true value for his products because prices on a market are
established in an open, competitive environment regulated by the oldest
marketing laws in the world supply and demand and a host of other
factors.
all marketing matters. The market agent must ensure that his producer is
not only getting his prices but that he is fully informed on market conditions
and trends. The farmer, in turn, must keep his market agent fully advised on
current and future volumes, quality standards and deliveries. He should also
be planning those volumes in conjunction with his agent to ensure that he
delivers the right quantities according to market circumstances. Too many
producers just deliver regardless of market conditions then expect their
market agent to work miracles.
The Big Five in Fresh Produce Marketing
Getting the Big Five right means a farmer will get his marketing right.
A farmer needs to understand the essential mechanisms of a market

supply and demand. We cant change them and we cant wish them away.
They are fundamental marketing laws. There will be oversupply situations
and his prices will go down. There will also be undersupply situations and
his prices will go up. One needs to understand them and learn to ride
with them. But, there are two other essentials quality and continuity of
supply. They both have an impact on the two scenarios sketched above and
are just as critical.
Quality gives the product the means to address virtually all market situations.
Quality always gets a premium, no matter how small but really comes into
its own when the market is full. Then a quality product is the one that has a
chance of getting a price acceptable under those circumstances. The poorer
quality products are the ones that receive a very low price or even end up
being condemned on an oversupplied market.
Continuity goes hand in hand with quality. If a farmer consistently delivers a
quality product to a market through thick and thin, then he not only realises
a better average but also builds credibility with buyers. When the market
is full, the buyer will invariably opt for the brand that he knows and that has
been seen regularly. The come and go farmer will have to take his chances,
hope to get something and then blame everybody else for his woes.
Linking these four essentials is the proviso that good communication should
exist between market agent and producer. Communication implies that
both have a responsibility to ensure that they keep each other informed on
In the highly competitive environment of fresh produce marketing it is as

well for farmers to remember these words; Quality is not the objective,
it is the minimum standard!
Michael Cordes has spent over 40 years working in agriculture mostly
in the fresh produce sector. For 15 years he farmed subtropical fruit
and vegetables before moving on to the marketing of fresh produce
both locally and overseas. As a freelance journalist he specialises in the
horticultural sector and also spends a lot of his time training farmers
and marketing people in South Africa and SADC Region countries in the
production, marketing and management of horticultural crops. You can
contact him on: agripres@mweb.co.za or 073 637 6105.
This chapter is based entirely on materials supplied to the editorial team
by Michael Cordes (our grateful thanks to you, sir).
87
marketing and
finance
Intellectual Property Rights (IPR)
The following chapters are also of relevance: Biotechnology and plant
breeding, Animal Improvement and breeders, Indigenous African crops and
Indigenous medicinal plants.
1. Overview
Inventions of the mind ideas are very special. All culture and society is
built upon innumerable layers of accumulated past knowledge and ideas. In
the arts, medicine, education, agriculture, and industry in almost all areas
of human endeavour knowledge and ideas lie at the base of the flowering
of human life and its passions.
Intellectual property rights (IPRs) emerged in the industrialised world as a
means to mediate and control the circulation of knowledge, as a means of
balancing the conflicting rights of different groups involved in the generation
and use of ideas of economic value. IPRs are premised on concerns that the
creators or authors of ideas have an economic right to a fair return for their
effort and a moral right to not have their ideas misrepresented.
However, ideas are not simply the product of individuals and corporations.
For the most part they incorporate and build upon the traditions, collected
wisdom, and understanding of social groups and societies. Sometimes they
build upon natural creatures and processes that have taken millions of years
to evolve. Generally, at least in part, research is financed or subsidised by
public funds and tax dollars, and public institutions are deployed to develop
and maintain their social and economic viability. Consequently, society in

general has a social right to use ideas to the benefit of the public good
especially if they are key to social and physical well-being.
IPRs attempt to balance these rights: the moral, the economic and the
social.
According to recent estimates by the World Bank, at least 70 per cent of
the extra food needed to feed the world must come from innovation (10
per cent could come from farmland expansion and another 20 per cent
from intensification).
If this proves true, agricultural policymakers must take a close look at
how to encourage innovation and co-operation across all sectors of the
food supply chain.
Sources: CRIS, Issue 2; Wuppertal Institute (adapted); Farming First 5 Oct 2009
www.farmingfirst.org
2. International role players

Botswana, The Gambia, Ghana, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Malawi,
Mozambique, Namibia, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Sudan,
Swaziland, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zambia, Zimbabwe are all members
of the African Regional Intellectual Property Organisation
(ARIPO) www.aripo.org.
American Intellectual Property Law Association (AIPLA) www.
aipla.org
Biodiversity International is improving lives through biodiversity
research. Visit www.bioversityinternational.org.
Convention on Biological Diversity www.cbd.int; take the
Programmes and Article 8 (j): Traditional Knowledge, Innovations
and Practices menu options. The Protocol menu option takes
you to the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety, which seeks to protect
biological diversity.
88
The European Patent Office (EPO) provides a uniform application

procedure for individual inventors and companies seeking patent
protection in European countries. Visit www.epo.org.
Institute of Trade Mark Attorneys www.itma.org.uk. Find the
links to all international trade mark offices and international trade mark
organisations under Useful links.
International Association for the Protection of Intellectual
Property (AIPPI) www.aippi.org
The aim of the International Committee for Animal Recording
(ICAR) is to promote the development and improvement of the
activities of performance recording and the evaluation of farm livestock
www.icar.org.
International Federation of Intellectual Property Attorneys
www.ficpi.org
International Trademark Association (INTA) www.inta.org
The objective of the International Union for the Protection of
New Varieties of Plants (UPOV) is the protection of new varieties
of plants through intellectual property rights. Visit www.upov.int.
Find out about the concept of Livestock Keepers Rights (LKR)
at www.pastoralpeoples.org, website of the League for Pastoral
Peoples.
PhytoTrade Africa - www.phytotradeafrica.com. The Southern African
natural products association works on behalf of [their] members to
develop products and partnerships for the benefit of Southern Africas
people and biodiversity.
The SEED Initiative supports and promotes innovators in developing
countries. It is a UK-based partnership between governments,
international organisations, research and capacity building institutions,
and business. More information can be found at www.seedinit.org.
TRIPS Agreement see World Trade Organisation
United Kingdom Intellectual Property Office www.ipo.gov.uk
United States Patent and Trademark Office www.uspto.gov
The World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) is
responsible for promoting the progressive development and
harmonisation of IP legislation, standards and procedures among its
member states. This includes further development of international
laws and treaties regarding patents; trademarks, industrial designs and
geographical indications; and copyright and related rights.
WIPO runs a range of programmes aimed at increasing the effective
use of IP by developing nations as a tool for economic development.
WIPOs Intergovernmental Committee (IGC) addresses the protection
of IPR interfacing with traditional knowledge, folklore and genetic/
biological resources. The WIPO Worldwide Academy is entirely devoted
to providing training in IP. Visit www.wipo.int.
The World Trade Organisation (WTO) administers the TradeRelated Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS), an international
agreement negotiated in 1994 that introduced intellectual property
rules into the multilateral trading system for the first time. The TRIPS
agreement under the WTO allows for patents over life forms and
requires that plant varieties be protected by patents or sui generis
protection. The TRIPS Agreement can also protect the interfacing of
IP and IK (Indigenous Knowledge). Visit www.wto.org.

Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) in South Africa is subject to international
agreements, particularly the TRIPS agreement which sets minimum
standards for all signatories. A countrys IPR regime consists of several
aspects, including standards, limitations and enforcement and these three
elements vary widely across countries.
The international body governing IPR is the UNs World Intellectual
Property Organisation (WIPO) of which South Africa (SA) became
a member in 1995. SA is also a member of the Paris Convention, the
Patent Co-operation Treaty (PCT), the Budapest Treaty and TRIPS. The
PCT enables inventors to file patent applications in up to 124 countries
simultaneously. Plant breeders rights are governed by the International
Union for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants (UPOV) (see heading
2) of which SA is a member.
The Department of Trade and Industry (dti) is the custodian of IPR in
SA, providing the general enabling legislation and services for registration,
protection, examination, adjudication and commercialisation. However
legislation can involve a number of governmental departments e.g. the
Department of Science and Technology (DST); Environmental Affairs;
and Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries. Find contact details for all
government departments at www.info.gov.za.
Companies and Intellectual

Property Commission
Registrar of Intellectual Property
Tel: 0861 843 384
Patent Office Tel: 012 394 0610
info@cipro.gov.za
www.cipc.co.za
National Research Foundation

(NRF)
Tel: 012 481 4000/4191
www.nrf.ac.za
The Technology Innovation
Agency (TIA) was formed in 2010
to support the commercialisation
of local research and development
(R&D). See www.tia.org.za.
4. Some national role players

Adams & Adams
Tel: 012 432 6000
Head of Africa Patent Department:
Nicky Garnett
www.adamsadams.co.za

Intellectual Property Law
(SAIIPL)
Tel: 012 683 8827
www.saiipl.org.za
DM Kisch INC
Tel: 011 324 3000
Tel: 012 460 3203
www.dmkisch.com
SAIIPL represent patent attorneys,

agents, practitioners and academics
in SA who specialise in IPL.
Edward Nathan Sonnenbergs

Tel: 011 269 7600
www.ens.co.za
The Innovation Hub
Tel: 012 844 0000
www.theinnovationhub.com
Quintessential Africa Holdings
Tel: 011 463 2054
www.qah.co.za
Research Institute for
Innovation and Sustainability
(RIIS)
Tel: 012 844 0670/1
www.riis.co.za
South African Innovation
Network (SAINe)
Tel: 012 844 0672
www.saine.co.za
Southern Education &

Research Alliance (SERA)
The African Centre for Gene
Technologies
Tel: 082 878 5669
www.seralliance.com
The Law Faculties at the various
South African universities.
Business Graduate School
Tel: 021 406 1911
www.gsb.uct.ac.za
(UNISA)
Centre for Business Law
Tel: 012 429 8432
www.unisa.ac.za
A Joint Intellectual Property Law

specialisation programme is run
by the WIPO Academy and the
Find the Rural and agricultural University of South Africa (UNISA)
innovation category
via distance learning.

Visit the websites of role players mentioned earlier in this chapter.
Several important articles and reports can be found at www.polity.org.
za. These include the World Intellectual Property Report 2011by WIPO,
and the article When is research and development tax deductable?
written by Tumelo Tshava, Patent Attorney at Adams & Adams.
www.ip-watch.org Intellectual Property Watch
www.eta-awards.co.za rewarding innovation in the energy sector.
The WIPO Intellectual Property Handbook offers a comprehensive
introduction and is available on their website www.wipo.int
A Developing Country Perspective on Animal Breeders and Intellectual
Property Rights MM Scholtz, South African Society for Animal Science.
Visit www.sasas.co.za
The Patent Journal is a journal published by the Government Printers
on a monthly basis, It contains information on patents, trade marks,
designs and copyright on cinematographic films that exist in South
Africa, such as notification of provisional and complete applications,
and notices of amendment, withdrawal and assignment. This Patent
Journal is obtainable from Government Printers in Pretoria.
For an accessible introduction to IPR and Information issues, see:
- the publications by Professor James Boyle at http://james-boyle.com
- Vandana Shivas Protect or Plunder? Understanding Intellectual Property
Rights (Zed Books, 2001)
- Protecting Business Ideas Basics of Intellectual Property Reinhardt Buys
and Pria Chetty Frontline Publishing ISBN 1920099166
89
marketing and
finance
Livestock auctions
1. Overview
A Calendar Auction auction is held on the same place /auction pens on a
weekly, monthly, quarterly or even yearly basis by an agent who advertises
the auction in a calendar. The venue for the auction would have been
selected and developed over years and its mere survival shows that there
is a need for such an auction. The sellers and buyers at the calendar auction
can vary according what is on offer and what are the needs of both seller
and buyer. The auctioneer, marketing officer, accountant, roll clerk and
labourers facilitate the auction and their versatility enables them to even
conduct real estate auctions.
The marketing officer will source the livestock for the auction, receive it
at the auction pens, classify the animals in lots preferred by buyers and
he and the auctioneer will source buyers to attend the auction.
The accountant will see to the financial administration -- all statutory
requirements as well as collecting payments and financing of buyers,
and payment of sellers.
The roll clerk will keep accurate records of what is sold, by whom,
price of animals and who is the buyer.
The labourers will identify the animals and load them on trucks to be
delivered at the buyers place.
A Special auction is an auction requested by a seller or sellers to sell some
their livestock or a seller could sell of his livestock, farms etc. It could be a
dispersal sale if the seller stops farming.
At a Stud Auction animals of special breeding qualities are for sale. The
auctioneer, seller/sellers will work closely with a breed society who will
select the animals according to their standards for such an auction. The
auctioneer conducting this auction is a specialised stud auctioneer. The
Stud Breeders Manual includes an in-depth look at animal and performance
recording, the principles of marketing purebred livestock. Visit www.
studbook.co.za or call 051 410 0900 for more information.
At a Game auctions game is either sold in a open auction or on catalogue.
Special arrangements are needed to transport game and auction pens
and handling facilities must be according to specifications. All auctions are
attended by NSPCA personnel to make sure animals are being handled
humanely and facilities meet specified criteria.
A Private treaty is where a marketing officer/agent facilitates a transaction
directly between a seller and buyer of livestock. The transaction is well
documented.
Farmers can also, of course, sell their animals at guaranteed prices to
abattoirs, feedlots etc. with the help of an agent or not. The buyer
becomes the owner of the animal. Contract slaughtering refers to animals
that are being slaughtered and the farmer is being paid on a kg carcass
basis. The 5th quarter (the skin etc) covers the slaughtering fees.
The role players in livestock marketing
Agents they facilitate transactions between sellers and buyers on a
professional basis.
Sellers primary and secondary producers
Buyers abattoirs, trade, feedlots, speculators
Financers (usually banks)
The livestock market and related value chain is the single biggest industry
in Agriculture in RSA. All the role players in the value chain add value and
enable survival of the industry.
Agricultural Products Agents
Council (APAC)
Tel: 011 894 3680
www.apacweb.org.za
Agents in South Africa must
register with APAC in terms of
the Agricultural Products Agents
Act (Act 12 of 1992 as amended).
Members of the above council
are appointed by the Minster of
Agriculture and Land Affairs. The
purpose of council is to regulate
three categories of agricultural
produce agents, namely: Fresh
Produce Agents, Livestock Agents
and Export Agents.
Tel: 012 319 8455
www.daff.gov.za
Auctions are included in the
discussion on marketing of livestock
in Training Paper No. 7 of the very
useful
Agricultural
Marketing
Extension series. Find this at www.
daff.gov.za take Publications
and then General publications
options. On the same website, see
the Auctioneering of Livestock Info
Pak , part of the small-scale farmer
marketing series.
3. Role players
Refer to the Abattoir chapter for details of other role players and major commercial
groups.
Associations and training

Lengau Agri Centre
South African Federation of Tel: 083 453 9364
Livestock Auctioneers (SAFLA) mcvdw@telkomsa.net
is a federation represented by
members from 9 regions of
Auctioneers
livestock auctioneers and meat
brokers. Contact the secretary at AAM Livestock Agents and
012 460 2054. SAFLA is one of the Auctioneers
members of the Red Meat Industry Tel: 033 266 7134 / 076 031 4310
Forum. See www.redmeatsa.co.za. www.aamkzn.co.za
SA Feedlot Association (SAFA)
Tel: 012 667 1189/ 667 2055
www.safeedlot.co.za
A major market focused on at
auctions is the slaughter market
which has its own specific
requirements. This is a different
market to stud stock trading.
Alliance Group
www.alliancegroup.co.za
Branch contact details are available
on the website.
Andre Kock & Son
Tel: 053 927 1981
www.akock.co.za

Auctioneers (SAIA)
www.auctioneering.co.za
BKB
Tel: 041 503 3111
www.bkb.co.za
Find the Regional Representatives,

Auctioneers by Province, Auction
Info and other menu options on the
website. The Code of Conduct for
agents is also available.
Find the Livestock Auctions

menu option and details of their
subsidiary companies BKB Louwid
and BKB Van Wyk.
Most Breeders Societies now

specify a (within breed) standard
catalogue format for auctions. Each
has its own rules. Find role players
in the Animal Improvement and
breeders chapter.
South African College of
Auctioneers
Tel: 011 979 0176/8
www.auctioncollege.co.za
Brandon Leer Auctioneers

Tel: 082 570 5863
Fax: 033 343 4530
Clive Gardner Auctioneers
Tel: 018 290 9610
CMW Elite Auctioning
Company
Tel: 058 813 4146
www.cmwelite.co.za
ECO Auctioneers
Courses are held nationwide (the Tel: 051 446 5511
website carries news of these).
www.ecoauctions.co.za
90
Noordkaap Livestock Co-op

Tel: 053 927 3871
GWK Ltd
Tel: 053 298 8200
www.gwk.co.za
Optima Auctioneers
www.optima-afslaers.co.za
Hobson & Co
Tel: 046 622 4724
www.hobsonandco.co.za
John Kirk Auctioneers
Tel: 034 212 5655
www.johnkirkauctioneers.co.za
Juventis
Tel: 012 347 6323 / 082 809 7488
www.juventis.co.za
KLK Landbou Beperk
Tel: 054 337 6200
www.klk.co.za
Mike Killassy Auctioneering
Tel: 082 378 8112
http://mikekillassy.com
Roderick and Martin

Tel: 082 555 5490 / 082 927 2265
www.rodmar.co.za
SHM Stud & Commercial
Marketing
Tel: 018 290 9409
Sheard Auctioneers
Tel: 045 843 1722
www.sheardauctioneers.co.za
Tirhani Auctioneers
Tel: 0861 847 426
www.tirhani.co.za
Vleissentraal
Tel: 012 460 9916
A noted and experienced stud stock www.vleissentraal.co.za
auctioneer who has sold thousands
of stud animals to commercial Contact details for auctioneers
in
Bethlehem,
Bloemfontein,
buyers over many years.
Klerksdorp,
Bosveld,
Ermelo
and KwaZulu-Natal are on the
website.
4. The advantages and disadvantages of

auctioneering
Advantages
Without an auction, prices can be manipulated downwards by the
buyers e.g. in beef production there are a few strong buyers and many
weak sellers.
The fact that the market is price efficient, producers receive payment
almost immediately after the animal is sold and all types of livestock can
be marketed.
No market knowledge is required by the producer.
A good auctioneer is able to break up buyers rings if the sellers are on
his side.
Disadvantages include
hgh shrinkage and transportation costs;
disease spreading is more likely;
excessive stress is placed on animals;
this is a lengthy, time consuming process;
auctions can be manipulated. Buyers form rings and this usually occurs
when cattle supplies are in a surplus situation;
traditionally, auctions are held at specific places such as Farmers
Association sale yards which means cattle have to be moved from the
farm to the yard;
the seller feels pressure to sell his cattle at the sale at the price offered
or take his animals home again.
Source: SA Stud Book
An Auctioneers personal skills should include:

being professional, competent and projecting an impartial image;
excellent communication skills, humour, charm;
reliability and trustworthiness;
a commanding if not charismatic presence;
good sales skills;
versatility in applying these skills e.g. being able to sell a race horse
today and wine tomorrow;
not only being knowledgeable about information in the catalogue but
knowing how to interpret, communicate and clarify pertinent details
for the buyer e.g. EBVs that are significant to the pedigree about the
Sires family as well as that of the Dam and her performance traits;
intuition and being astute;
being a psychologist and sociologist know how to read people
(the crowd) as well as the context accurately;
being able to easily assume appropriate facilitation roles;
understanding all the roleplayers as well as their agenda;
reading the dynamics unfolding before they happen e.g. the values
and norms of specific groups and how they are likely to respond to
events; each other and why.
Source: Mike Killassy
The weekly agricultural publications Farmers Weekly and

Landbouweekblad carry news of auctions. Find the auction report,
auction advertisements and auction calendar options at www.
farmersweekly.co.za. The electronic arm of the weekly agricultural
publication Landbouweekblad, www.landbou.com, offers an SMS
service with livestock auction prices. Find auction prices under the
Markte option.
Find the DAFF entry under heading 2 in this chapter.
Chapter 18 of the Stud Breeders Manual deals with auctions and
sales under the auspices of breeders societies. The chapter is titled
Auctions as a marketing mechanism. Contact SA Studbook at 051
410 0900 or visit www.studbook.co.za.
An interesting idea: Reverse auctions are fixed-duration bidding events
hosted by a single buyer, in which multiple suppliers compete for
business. Visit www.farmerfirstgroup.co.za.
The reverse side of the monthly magazine ProAgri, AgriTrader, gives
notice of livestock auctions. Visit www.proagri.co.za.
From Plaas Publishing comes the monthly Handelspos / Trading Post
which covers livestock auctions. Visit www.veeplaas.co.za.
The Southern African Livestock Exchange (SALEX) for online
auctioneering www.agriauctions.co.za.
With gratitude to those who contributed information to this chapter: Mike
Killassy; Lizel Pretorius (APAC); Pieter Geldenhuys (Alliance Group).
91
marketing and
finance
Marketing
Several of the chapters in the marketing and finance section deal with the
marketing of agricultural produce. See Fresh produce markets, Livestock
auctions, Exporting etc.
1. Overview
In a market-orientated system the price of a product is determined by supply
and demand. A balance is achieved between what people are prepared to
supply at a price and what people are willing to pay for the product.
The essence of sound marketing is:
find out what the consumer wants
supply it at a profit
For agricultural produce, how much the consumer wants and will purchase
is affected by a number of factors, the most important being:
the price of the goods
tastes and preferences of consumers
number of consumers
incomes of consumers
prices of related goods (competition)
range of goods available to consumers
Producers need to be aware of marketing and market realities. Farmers also
should be aware that the price paid by the eventual consumer is made up
of the amount of money paid out to farmers for their produce plus all the
costs involved in getting it to the consumer in the form in which he or she
purchases it. There also has to be a reasonable return to those doing the
marketing and processing for carrying out these functions.
The percentage share of the final price, which is taken up by the marketing
function, is known as the marketing margin. Sometimes this margin can
be quite a high percentage and this may be used to argue that farmers or
consumers are being exploited. High margins can often be fully justified
by the costs involved. There are bodies like the Food Price Monitoring
Committee and the Competition Commission who act as policemen and
try to ensure that this chain is fair.
Some producers have become more involved in the supply chain and this is
usually to their profit.
Stats SA publishes two price indices the Consumer Price Index (CPI),
based on prices at retail level, and the Producer Price Index (PPI).,
based on prices at the first point of trade, thereby measuring the cost
of production. If the production cost of a product decreases, one can
reasonably expect a decrease in the price the consumer pays.
In addition to these two indexes, the Department of Agriculture,
Forestry and Fisheries also publishes a quarterly index of the price of
farm requisites. Analysis of these three indices shows how prices develop
in the value chains.
Source: the article What can we do about high food prices at www.farmersweekly.
co.za
2. Today, the success of farm planning starts at

the market
Dont produce what you cant sell!
Production should be market oriented knowing what the customer wants
(demand) and the price at which you as the farmer are prepared to supply
it (supply).
Decide on your target group this is your particular group of
customers (their age, are they male or female, where do they live in
a city or farm, what do they do? Are they corporates (businessmen
or professionals doctors, lawyers), farmers etc., what are their
interests?
Determine what their needs are (what do they want to buy and
how much are they prepared to pay).
The marketing process:

1. Find out what customers want by doing market research. Visit the
Department of Agriculture. Speak to extension officers and to as many
people as possible. Who is going to buy your product? How can you
make your product better?
2. Identify the commodity (or commodities) that is suitable for you to
produce.
3. Plan the production of the product how you are going to do this, using
the best season for the product you have chosen. At the beginning of
the summer, before the rains?
4. Produce your chosen commodity.
5. Choose the marketing channel that suits you best and where you can
make the most profit. Explore co-operatives. Refer to the chapter on
co-operatives in this publication.
The marketing chain

The marketing chain is the process the farmer has to follow to get the
product from the farm to the consumer.
You can benefit by adding value to the products (see the block in green in
the next column). You increase your profit by being involved in the washing,
packaging, storage, processing and retailing (selling) yourself. Using the best
methods and paying attention to cleanliness and food safety will ensure that
your product will sell in all markets.
Production and harvesting

Production costs include seed, fertiliser, pesticides, implements,
tractors, fuel, labour, etc.
Marketing/retailing costs include transport, advertising and storage.
To cut back on costs from a long marketing chain you can use a shorter
route by selling directly to the customer yourself.
Storage and packaging costs include grading, packing material (e.g.
boxes, bubble wrap, plastic, string, labels etc.), labour, storage,
insurance, etc.
Another way of adding value is by packaging and storage until the prices are
more favourable or when the demand for the product will be greater e.g. in
winter or when there is a shortage.
Conclusion:
Market conditions will change from year to year. Whether youre selling
a few items off your roadside stall or are drawn into a huge supply
chain, one thing never changes and that is quality!
Aim to produce the best possible product and your marketing efforts
will be rewarded. Successful marketing is one of the most important
aspects of a modern farm business.
92
3. Some marketing options

The following marketing options exist for the emerging producer:
Market directly from their gardens to the surrounding communities.
Supply hawkers who visit them with their bakkies for on-selling in the
local town or city.
Supply to processing units e.g. mills abattoirs, dairies, fruit packhouses,
etc. This is a type of contract production and is normally limited to
larger emergent commercial units and to emergent irrigation schemes
that would market their product collectively.
Supply to various retail outlets, such as the Spar Group, that buy
directly from emergent farmers from time to time. Pick n Pay has
instituted a programme to support the emergent sector.
Sell through farm or market stalls (road stalls) in urban, peri-urban and
rural areas.
Sell into contract markets, such as government feeding programmes,
schools, hospitals, retail contracts, hotels, restaurants and tourism
outlets. The government is particularly supportive here. The extension
officer is ideally situated to broker these contracts on behalf of groups
of farmers who may lack the confidence and expertise to do so.
Add value to their own produce, and then market products through the
various marketing channels mentioned above. The following are some of
the value adding activities which farmers could carry out:
Fruit graded, prepacked, dried, semi-packed.
Meat cooked, cuts, dried (biltong).
Eggs graded and packaged.
Broilers slaughtered before selling.
Vegetables graded, packaged and transported to market, and/or
dried semi-prepared, bottled.
Bananas graded, packaged in special ripening rooms, chips, dried
Litchis Graded and packaged for local and export market, juiced
Maize/Grains milled, bagged, stored; beer, bakeries.
Milk dairies, yoghurt, sour milk, cheese.
Wool sheared, graded and baled.
Potatoes and Onions bagged, transported to markets, crisps,
snacks.
Supply exporters directly. Large exporting concerns are often eager
to work with organised communities. The communities are generally
involved in some form of out-grower scheme, such as the macadamia
nut project in northern KwaZulu-Natal. The community will need the
extension officer to broker this for them as well, and it might be an idea
to involve subject matter specialists from the Department of Agriculture
or organised producer associations to support them. By matching the
requirements of the traditional marketing channels in terms of quality
and quantity, they can market through the existing marketing chains
e.g. national fresh produce markets, livestock auctions, wool auctions,
etc.
4. The main marketing channels

Farm gate marketing
As the name implies, this is marketing done by the farmer at the place
where the product is produced. Examples include the sale of vegetables
from a community garden, the sale of broilers from a broiler unit and the
sale of animals from the farm directly. There is generally no limit to the
type of product that may be marketed in this manner, as long as there are
willing buyers.
Advantages:
No transport costs.
Can be sold by the farmer
himself, thus costs are
reduced, although prices
realised may be lower.
Better suited to the smallerscale farmer.
Disadvantages:
The farmer will have to accept
the local price for his product.
The farmer will not necessarily
be well located to sell the
product.
Farm gate marketing is the most common form of marketing found amongst
smaller producers. Maize, beans, vegetables, fruit, poultry and livestock
are concerned. However, once the local markets demand is supplied, the
farmer has to look to more distant markets.
Village marketing
This channel provides a development on marketing from the farm, as it
goes some way towards taking the product to the consumer. At its most
elementary level, a farm stall may be operated by farmers selling their own
products, progressing through to individual stallholders selling on behalf
of local farmers. Generally the type of product that would be marketed
on a farm stall would be perishable, such as fruit and vegetables, although
processed foods such as pickles, jams and cooked mielies are also suited to
this type of marketing.
Advantages:
Disadvantages:
Larger markets can be

exploited.
Farmers can take advantage of
more favourable prices.
Price fluctuations are generally
small.
Transport of the products may

pose difficulties.
The quality of the produce
may have to be higher to cater
for the needs of the more
discerning consumers.
A constant supply of produce
must be available to satisfy the
needs of the market.
Flexibility on pricing of
produce is needed.

Refer to the Fresh produce markets chapter in this publication. These
markets are set up in larger centres mainly for the sale of fruit and vegetables.
They have traditionally catered for the commercial producer, and in turn
supply the larger urban centres. The system on most markets has changed
from auctioning to sales by market agents on commission. With this system,
the farmer sends his produce to the agent at the market, who endeavours
to obtain the highest price for him.
Advantages:
Disadvantages:
Farmers can take advantage of Market information is important

higher prices in times of short to enable the farmer to make the
supply, if they have produce right decisions.
available.
The market is able to sell
Prices fluctuate.
large quantities of farmers
Markets are often far from the
produce.
point of production.
The farmer can employ the
The time of harvesting is
services of an agent to perform
critical to the success of the
the task of marketing.
crop, in terms of realising the
right price.
Quality,
packaging
and
presentation
are
very
important and produce must
conform to accepted grade
and packaging standards.
The farmer will need to
be confident that he can
cover the higher marketing
costs, including the agents
commission.
Stock sales
The sale of livestock in the developing areas has been encouraged for many
years. There are a number of sale yards. Some of these provide a marketing
service to emerging farmers as well to commercial farmers. Auction sales
are held regularly at many of them. The seller may decide whether or not
to accept the price offered by the buyer. The prices received on stock sales
are not fixed and to a large extent reflect the supply and demand position
both locally and within the entire market. Refer to the Livestock auctions
chapter in this publication.
93
Advantages:
Disadvantages:
The promotion is done on

behalf of the farmer.
by
buyer
is
Payment
guaranteed.
The market is larger than the
local market.
Small-scale farmers have
access to these sales.
The seller may not get the

price that he wants for the
animal.
Prices may be lower than
market price.
Direct marketing
With director or contract marketing, the farmer sells directly to the retailer.
Agreements are often concluded between large producers of perishable
goods and large retailers e.g. Woolworths or Pick n Pay stores. These
retailers are often fairly flexible in their volume and supply demands to
ensure good publicity as supporters of emerging farmers, but they will not
compromise on quality. Some Black Empowerment companies have secured
large government kitchen contracts (e.g. Department of Correctional
Services) for themselves and prefer buying contractually from the emergent
sector for political reasons. The extension officer needs to be aware of such
contracts by staying in touch with the Local Government Tender Board.
Advantages:
Disadvantages:
Marketing margins could be

reduced and thus the producer
could obtain a higher price for
the product.
The volume of sales is
guaranteed to the farmer.
The farmer must ensure that

he has sufficient produce of
acceptable quality to supply
the customer/retailer at all
times.
The quality of the produce
must be high at all times.
If the farmer cannot meet
the needs of the retailer, he
will have to buy in produce
to make up the order of
quantities required.
Communal marketing
Farmers may choose to market collectively. A farmers association may get
together and jointly market their crop on a formal market, such as to be
found in most of the rural towns.
Export
There are many regulations and rules if you wish to enter this way of
marketing your produce. The National Agricultural Marketing Council
(NAMC) can help you with information to see if this is an option for you.
See also the Export chapter in this publication.
5. The supply chain

The sequence of stages involved in transferring produce from the farm to
the consumer is generally referred to as the marketing chain. All transfers
involve marketing activities in some or other form, and all activities involve
costs, which are:
Product preparation and packaging costs. The harvesting of
produce and the movement of produce to the farm gate or packing
shed is part of the production costs. The second cost to be encountered
is all costs associated with packaging.
Handling costs. At all stages in the marketing chain, produce will
have to be packed and unpacked, loaded and unloaded, put into store
and taken out again. The sum total of all such handling costs can be
significant.
Transport costs. This transport cost could be anything from produce

transported on the back of a donkey to trucks, bakkies, taxis, trains,
aircraft and ships.
Produce losses. Losses are common with agricultural produce
marketing, even if nothing is actually thrown away, products may lose
weight in storage and transit. The treatment of losses in marketing
cost calculations can be fairly complex. Produce which is bought but
not sold can still incur costs such as packaging, storage and transport. If
there are no quantity losses there can still be quality losses, and this is
reflected in the price at which produce is sold.
Storage costs. The main purpose of storage is to extend the availability
of produce over a longer period than if it were sold immediately after
harvest. Such costs will vary depending on the costs of building and
operating the store, but also on the capital used to purchase the
produce which is stored.
Processing costs. This is an important marketing cost. Grains such as
maize and wheat have to be milled. In working out total marketing
costs, we need to consider the conversion factor from unmilled to
milled grain, as well as the value of any by-products. Processing costs
can vary according to the efficiency of the organisation doing the
processing, the processing facilitys throughput and the frequency of its
operation. It will also vary according to the organisations costs, which
depend on factors such as fuel costs, depreciation costs, import duties,
taxes and wages.
Capital costs: to operate, a trader may have to borrow money from
a bank. The interest he pays on that money is a cost. If a trader uses
his own money, he has to consider the lack of interest he could have
received, a cost economists refer to as opportunity cost.
Fees and commissions: The costs considered above are the major
costs in marketing agricultural produce. There are many others and
people involved with measuring costs need to keep all of them in mind.
For example, people using National Fresh Produce Markets, have to
pay agents fees.
6. Commercial farmer notes

Failing to plan a marketing strategy is often the single biggest oversight
South African farmers make, but producing a crop only to find that it cant
be disposed of profitably, can be easily avoided. The critical first step is
for farmers to establish their production and marketing costs, factoring in
expected prices at a certain time of the year and their key target markets.
Key elements of a marketing plan farmers are advised to consider prior to
any production are listed below. They should:
understand their customer-base, strengths and competition;
optimise and enjoy the success of producing good quality crops by first
establishing whether there is sufficient need or desire for their product
or service. If not, there wont be a steady stream of customers;
first establish how the product will be marketed a thorough
understanding of the target market is essential (also establish what
drives buying decisions);
remember, the plan must reflect the current market, potential and
existing customers, competitors, market penetration tactics and
importantly, the farmers competitive advantage;
remember too that an innovative marketing plan positions a product
or service in the minds of potential customers and typically integrate
multiple mediums and/or promotional strategies to reach the market.
Then it comes down to writing up a plan. When compiling this, a farmer
should:
Write about the current market. Describe the industry you are
operating in, the market conditions that influence your business and
the business opportunities and threats.
New products must always include market research. Also, an analysis
of existing customers is essential who they are, their purchasing
habits and buying cycles. By acquiring a thorough knowledge of your
target market you will learn to relate to your customers better and
they to your product.
94
Once youve identified and researched the market, the strategy for
reaching the market and distributing the product is crucial. A viable
method for reaching the market at an appropriate price level is
something that potential lenders will scrutinise.
The marketing strategies and successes of competitors must be
interrogated. Ask whos doing well and whos struggling and if/why
they are growing or scaling back. Understanding competitors strengths
and weaknesses is critical in establishing competitive advantage. You
must be able to justify that there is room for another player in the
market.
Its important to identify competitors whereabouts and locations,
revenues, length of time in the industry, target market and market
share.
Define how your operation differs from your competitors. What do
they do well? Is there room for improvement? In what ways is your
business superior to the competition? Remember: competitor analysis
should be an ongoing practice!
The next step is to compile a production plan outlining in detail what will be
produced and the resources required. The key elements of this are:
Land, buildings and facilities a precise description of the land and
buildings that will be used for the farming business. For example, for
a certain crop, the type and depth of the soil, the clay percentage and
water availability must be specified. Farmers who intend leasing land
should be mentioned.
Equipment each tool that will be used must be named, e.g. tractors,
implements, trucks and other vehicles. Other equipment, such as
computers, printers, office equipment, hand tools and irrigation
equipment should also be included. Buildings, facilities and equipment
are normally depreciable assets. Having them listed in a business plan
can be helpful when you have to do your tax returns.
Materials and supplies include materials and supplies needed for the daily
running of the operation, such as feed, fertilisers, soil amendments, fuel
and oil, other consumables and materials necessary for maintenance
and repairs. It is important to capture as many expected expenses as
possible.
Other essential aspects include:
Production strategies relate to production methods, and should include
projected schedules. Questions around whether to plough or do no
till farming, when and how the produce will be sent to market, how
production will be expanded over time, and when optimum size and
production have been reached should be answered here.
Construction and production schedules once a farmer has a stable
vision of the operations needed, then short and long term construction
and production plans can be considered. Plan for routine weeding and
fertilising. Experience has shown that it is helpful to have these events
scheduled. And also to have an idea of when new irrigation systems will
need to be erected, and the scheduling of crop rotations. Having a plan
for these will assist in controlling budgeting and costs.
An environmental assessment plan that emphasises stewardship for the
environment. Vital components to consider are: uses for runoff water,
quality assurance, pastures and stream protection run offs and, in some
instances, soil erosion. The Department of Agriculture, Forestry and
Fisheries can provide useful information in this regard.
Political and legal aspects of production consider stipulations as well
as other laws that could impact production.
The marketing and production plan component of the business plan
helps establish the framework for tracking cash flow, growth and overall
profitability. In the end, it is what is produced and marketed that generates
income for a farm business and time is needed to think through the details of
this part of the business plan to ensure the overall success of the business.
Source: Compiled by Magna Carta Public Relations for Standard Bank. Contact 011
636 4978

Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (DAFF)
Tel: 012 319 8455
DM@daff.gov.za
www.daff.gov.za find the government gazette notices under Publications
The aim of the Directorate: Marketing is to develop, promote and support
competitive, open and representative agricultural markets. The directorate
comprises the following sub directorates:
Domestic Market Development
Commodity Marketing
Marketing Administration
Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Find contact details in the
Agro-processing chapter or visit www.thedti.gov.za.
National Agricultural Marketing Council (NAMC)
Tel: 012 341 1115
ronald@namc.co.za
www.namc.co.za
The Marketing of Agricultural Products Act, Act No.47 of 1996, was created
following widespread negotiations amongst all directly affected groups in the
agricultural marketing sector. The Act came into being in 1997 and provided
for the establishment of the National Agricultural Marketing Council.
The objectives of the 1996 Act are:
to increase market access for all market participants
to promote the efficient marketing of agricultural products
to optimise export earnings from agricultural products
to increase the viability of the agricultural sector
These objectives are not to be pursued at the expense of food security or
job opportunities.
The role of the NAMC is to advise the Minister of Agriculture on the
application and co-ordination of agricultural marketing policy in accordance
with national economic goals, social and developmental policies and
international trade trends, as well as matters relating to statutory measures
affecting the marketing of agricultural products.
The agricultural marketing deregulation process that began in 1997, in terms
of the Marketing of Agricultural Products Act (1996), has been completed.
Agricultural industries have established an assortment of bodies to serve the
agricultural sector in place of the former control boards. These structures
include industry forums, trusts, section 21 companies and producer
organisations.
A question to the reader:
An Import Substitution strategy means looking at a countrys most
imported products, and then encouraging the production of those goods
locally through various incentives. Obviously there will be some products
that cannot be produced in a country owing to limitations beyond its
control, so Import Substitution does not apply to all goods.
If you were in charge of agricultural policy in South Africa, what measures
would you take to encourage the production of the top agricultural
imports: wheat, tobacco, kidney beans, cotton, coffee, tea, rice, soy bean
oil cake, palm oil, whisky, soy bean oil, chicken, sunflower seed, sardines
and animal offal?
95
8. Role players
Note: Marketing Diplomas and Modules are offered at various colleges and
universities.
Aginfo (AMT)
Tel: 012 361 2748
www.agrimark.co.za
Agri Direct Marketing (Pty)
Ltd
Tel: 082 411 4755
Agricultural Business Chamber

(Agbiz)
Tel: 012 807 6686
www.agbiz.co.za
Agricultural Colleges, working

with the Provincial Departments
of Agriculture, present marketingAgri Promo (www.agripromo. related short courses. Find contact
co.za) is a one-stop agricultural details in the Agricultural education
and training chapter.
media and marketing company
Agri-Africa Consultants
Tel: 011 788 7810 / 076 817 9687
www.agrisolafrica.com
Assists in developing new markets
Agricultural and Industrial
Marketing Company
Tel: 082 573 4344
www.theaimco.com
(AEASA)
www.aeasa.org.za
Contact details can be found on the
website
Agridelight Training &

Consultancy
Tel: 012 348 0991
Helps find markets and logistics http://agridelights.co.za
solutions
for
communities.
Training is also offered in trade Bureau for Food and
matters, marketing and value chain Agricultural Policy (BFAP)
www.bfap.co.za
management
CIPS The Chartered Institute Grain SA

Tel: 0860 047 246
of Purchasing and Supply
www.grainsa.co.za
www.cips.org/en-ZA
Find the international links on Included in training courses offered
are Advanced maize production
website
and marketing and Farm
management for profits.
Consumer Goods Council of
South Africa (CGCSA)
Industrial Logistic Systems
Tel: 0861 242 000
Tel: 011 656 1100
www.cgcsa.co.za
www.ils.co.za
Marketing Surveys and
Tel: 021 904 1154
Statistical Analysis (MSSA)
Tel: 012 804 7788
The MB4000 Farm Management www.mssa-research.co.za
package allows the user to record
production records per block, Measured Farming Consultants
keep record of deliveries, packouts (Pty) Ltd
Tel: 011 465 1958 / 083 233 7104
and payments.
www.mfconsultants.co.za
eWheels
Tel: 012 807 6809 / 082 959 5679 National Agricultural Marketing
www.ewheels.co.za
Council (NAMC) see heading 7
MapIT Licensed Data Partner (put Productivity SA
your business on the map)
Tel: 011 848 5300
www.npi.co.za
GPB Consulting
Tel: 021 852 7811
Proudly South African
www.consultgpb.co.za
Agriculture and Food
Tel: 011 327 7778
Overall planning (facility master www.proudlysa.co.za
plans) and feasibility studies
mainly agricultural industry related.
NAMC HP
96
Research in Action
Tel: 083 300 7756
www.researchinaction.co.za
Sikhula Agri Training
Tel: 021 852 2643
www.sikhulatrust.co.za
Sirkel Sourcing Company
Tel: 021 876 4891
www.sirkel.co.za
Economics
Tel: 021 808 4758
http://academic.sun.ac.za/agric_
econ/
Transnet Freight Rail (TFR)
General Manager: Agriculture and
Bulk Liquids Business Unit
Tel: 011 960 2360
www.spoornet.co.za
A food sourcing company for See the Infrastructure

agrologistics chapter
overseas clients
and
Unilever Institute of Strategic

Marketing
(Based at the University of Cape
Town)
Tel: 021 650 4312/ 4715
South African International www.unileverinstitute.co.za
Business Linkages (SAIBL)
Tel: 011 602 1205
info@saibl.co.za
www.saibl.org
Economics Tel: 051 4012824 /
3864 www.ufs.ac.za/agri-econ
SAIBL helps to build the capacity
for
Sustainable
Centre
and competitiveness of black owned
Agriculture,
Rural
and empowered small and medium
Development and Extension
South African enterprises, and to
Tel: 051 401 3765 www.ufs.
link them to trade opportunities
ac.za/censard
and supplier business with domestic
Lengau Agricultural centre Tel:
and international companies.
051 443 8859
South African Quality Institute
(SAQI)
School of Agriculture, Earth and
Tel: 012 349 5006
www.saqi.co.za
Tel: 033 260 5673
The vision of this section 21 www.ukzn.ac.za
company is To be a driver of
University of Pretoria
Quality contributing towards the Department of Agricultural
global competitiveness of the South Economics, Extension and Rural
African economy and the region as Development
a whole.
Tel: 012 420 5772
www.up.ac.za
Centre for Supply Chain
Management
Department of Logistics
Tel: 021 808 3981
www0.sun.ac.za/cscm
South African Audience
Research Foundation
Tel: 011 463 5340 / 1 / 2
www.saarf.co.za
Find details of the other universities in the Agricultural education and

training chapter.

For access to timely, market-related information, most farmers read the
weekly publications either the Landbouweekblad or the Farmers Weekly.
This information is also available electronically. Visit www.landbou.com or
www.farmersweekly.co.za.
Find the value chain analyses of agricultural commodities on the Department
of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (DAFF) website, www.daff.gov.za.
Take the Publications and Agriculture marketing options.

Although there is the occasional place where they are dated, the papers
under Agricultural Marketing Extension on the Department of Agricultures
website are highly useful. Visit www.daff.gov.za (take the Publications and
then General Publications menu options).
Paper No. 1 provides a general background to marketing issues in
South Africa.
Paper No. 2 is on horticultural marketing extension.
Paper No. 3 reviews the South African horticultural market.
Paper No. 4 looks at how extension officers can assist farmers with
market information.
Paper No. 5, on cereals marketing, mainly maize but also other cereals
of interest to emerging farmers.
Paper No. 6 is on dairy farming.
Paper No. 7 is on livestock.
Paper No. 8 reviews wool and mohair marketing.
Paper No. 9 covers poultry and eggs marketing.
The Directorate Marketing at DAFF have various manuals and policy reports.
Contact Billy Morokolo at 012 319 8455 or write to dm@daff.gov.za.
Also find the economic intelligence option at www.agbiz.co.za.
A number of reports and publications are available from the National
Agricultural Marketing Council. Find the Publications menu option at
www.namc.co.za or call 012 341 1115.
A retail newsletter is available from Bizcommunity.com. Write to
retailnews@bizcommunity.com.
International
International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED)
www.iied.org. Find the Sustainable Markets menu option.
www.regoverningmarkets.org small-scale producers in modern
agrifood markets
See the analysis of Shoprite Checkers, Pick n Pay, Spar and Woolworths
from www.fas.usda.gov/GainFiles.
www.intracen.org International Trade Centre (ITC) website.
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) puts out a report
World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates (WASDE). Get a
free e-mail subscription to the WASDE and other USDA crop reports
at http://usda.mannlib.cornell.edu. Commodity forecasts can also be
found at the Office of the Chief Economist (OCE) menu option at
www.usda.gov.
www.fairtrade.net Guarantees a better deal for producers.
www.macmap.org Making import tariffs and market barriers
transparent
World Union of Wholesale Markets (WUWM) www.wuwm.org
www.researchandmarkets.com The worlds largest market research
resource
World Trade Organisation www.wto.org
Farm Concern International, pro-poor marketing development
initiatives for Sub-Saharan Africa www.farmconcern.org
Source: The Agricultural Marketing Extension papers on www.daff.gov.
za and acknowledgements where they appear in this chapter.
97
marketing and
finance
Providers of financial services
1. Overview
Money makes the world go round, a quotation from the musical Cabaret,
is a saying with which most of us are familiar. It is not literally true, of course,
but does point to our heavy reliance on money and financial services.
While there may be very little that you can personally do about it, remember
for a moment the unacceptably large percentage of our population who are
not included in our economy, to whom proviers of financial services would
be a meaningless term.
This chapter is a look at some institutions behind the provision of financial
services in the country.
2. Associations
Consumer recourse: who can help you?
The Ombudsman for ShortTerm Insurance
Tel: 011 726 8900
www.osti.co.za
This is an independent body and
the services are provided free to
the public. The ombudsman may
be able to assist you if your insurer
refuses to pay e.g. for damage to
your vehicle.
The service is free to insured
consumers.
You must complain to the
insurance company first,
and only if you are unable to
resolve the dispute with your
insurers, then you can refer
the matter to their offices.
The Ombudsmans decisions
are binding on the insurance
company, but not on you.
Other financial bodies and associations

Actuarial Society of South Africa www.actuarialsociety.org.za
Alternative Investment Management Association (AIMA) www.
aima.org
Association of Black Securities and Investment Professionals
(ABSIP) www.absip.co.za
Association for Savings & Investment SA (ASISA) www.asisa.
co.za
Banking Association of South Africa www.banking.org.za
Financial Intermediaries Association of Southern Africa www.
fia.org.za
Financial Planning Institute of Southern Africa (FPI) www.fpi.
co.za
Financial Charter Sector Council www.fscharter.co.za
Institute of Retirement Funds of South Africa (IRF) www.irf.org.
za
South African Insurance Association (SAIA) www.saia.co.za
South African Savings Institute (SASI) www.savingsinstitute.co.za
Southern African Venture Capital and Private Equity Association
(SAVCA) www.savca.co.za
Wondering where to find capital to expand your business? SAVCA
provides a comprehensive and well-structured directory which lists the
details and investing preferences of all members and associated members
of the association. Find details at www.savca.co.za.
3. Education and training
FAIS OMBUD
Tel: 012 470 9080
www.faisombud.co.za
BANKSETA
Tel: 011 805 9661
www.bankseta.org.za
The FAIS Ombud deals with

complaints
against
financial
institutions, which do not fall
within the jurisdiction of any other
ombud scheme or where there is
uncertainty over jurisdiction.
The Sector Education Training INSETA

Authority (SETA) for Banks
Tel: 011 544 2018
www.inseta.org.za
FASSET
Tel: 011 476 8570
The SETA for the insurance sector
www.fasset.org.za
Financial and Accounting Services Chartered Accountants
SETA
(SAICA)
Tel: 011 621 6600
www.saica.co.za
National Consumer
Commissioner
Tel: 086 026 6786
www.nccsa.org.za
National Credit Regulator
(NCR)
Tel: 0860 627 627
www.ncr.org.za
Debt counselling problems, but also

for disputes that are not resolved by
the Credit Ombudsman. NB Only
The Ombudsman for long-term credit grantors that are registered
insurance
with the NCR may grant credit.
Tel: 021 657 5000
www.ombud.co.za
Fiduciary Institute of South
Africa (FISA)
The ombudsman mediates in Tel: 082 449 2569
disputes between insurers and http://fidsa.org.za
policy holders (life assurance).
A self-regulating body for matters
The Ombudsman for Banking such as wills, trusts, estate
Services
planning
Tel: 011 712 1800
www.obssa.co.za
The Registrar for Medical
Schemes
Credit OMBUD
Tel: 012 431 0500
Tel: 0861 662 837
www.medicalschemes.com
www.creditombud.org.za
If there is something bothering you
Financial Services Board (FSB) about your medical scheme
Tel: 012 428 8000
www.fsb.co.za
Pension Funds Adjudicator
Tel: 087 942 2700
For investment problems
www.pfa.org.za
Institute of Bankers
Tel: 011 481 7000
www.iob.co.za
4. Banks
The Banking Association of South Africa is the industry body for
banks. Visit www.banking.org.za.
BankservAfrica is the automated Clearing House that provides
interbank electronic transaction switching and settlement services.
See www.bankservafrica.com.
The South African Banking Risk Information Centre (SABRIC)
was established to assist the banking industry to combat organised
crime. See www.sabric.co.za.
Absa
Tel: 011 350 6851
www.absa.co.za
Provincial contacts:
Eastern Cape 041 396 5504
Free State 051 401 0933
Gauteng 012 366 5902
KwaZulu-Natal 031 580
8086
Limpopo 015 290 5624
Mpumalanga 013 753 4579

North West 018 293 8709
Northern Cape 053 839
7500
Western Cape 021 915
5320
Find the notes about the AgriBusiness Team, and the AgriBusiness range
of products and solutions at www.absa.co.za.
Invest North West FP
105
Bidvest
Tel: 011 731 7600
www.bidvest.com
First National Bank

Tel: 011 649 0928
www.fnb.co.za
CAPITEC
Tel: 0860 10 20 43
www.capitecbank.co.za
Land Bank see notes under

heading 5
Regional offices:
Sasfin Bank
Tel: 011 809 7500
www.sasfin.co.za
Standard Bank
Tel: 011 636 6162
www.standardbank.co.za
Provincial representation: Agricultural Advisors
Free State 051 403 4712
Gauteng 011 677 0484
KwaZulu-Natal 031 374
2142
Limpopo 015 409 1148
UBank
Previously Teba Bank
Tel: 011 518 5000
www.tebabank.co.za
Development Bank of
Southern Africa (DBSA)
Tel: 011 313 3911
www.dbsa.org
Corporation (IDC)
Tel: 0860 693 888
www.idc.co.za
Nedbank AgriBusiness Ltd

Tel: 021 807 1369
agriculture@nedbank.co.za
www.nedbank.co.za
Rand Merchant Bank
Tel: 011 282 8000
www.rmb.co.za
5. State owned development banks and agencies

North West 014 591 6187
Northern Cape 053 807
8172
Western Cape 021 970
4261
WesBank
Tel: 011 632 6000
www.wesbank.co.za
Bloemfontein 051 411 1450

Polokwane 015 299 4080 / 4099
Rustenburg 014 591 9660/1
Kimberley 053 807 1050
Cape Town 021 421 4794
Durban 031 337 4455
East London 043 721 0733/4
Nelspruit 013 752 7724
Land Bank
Tel: 0800 00 52 59
www.landbank.co.za
Port Elizabeth 041 392 1200
Pretoria 012 364 0560
Pietermaritzburg 033 845 9600
Polokwane 015 299 4100
Potchefstroom 018 294 9800
Upington 054 338 8400
Cape Town 021 974 2200
The Land Banks objectives are

food security, bringing those
from a previously disadvantaged
background into agriculture, and
developing commercial farming in
South Africa. District contact details
IDC finance is for entrepreneurs in are available on the website.
the agricultural, food, beverage and
marine sectors wanting to expand
and develop their businesses. The
minimum financing is R1 million. An
economically viable business plan
must be submitted.
106
Investment promotion agencies (IPAs) and other regional /

province-specific role players
Amathole Economic
Development Agency
Tel: 043 721 2070
www.aspire.org.za
Limpopo Business Support

Agency (LIBSA)
Tel: 015 287 3000
www.libsa.co.za
Eastern Cape Development

Corporation (ECDC)
Tel: 043 704 5600
www.ecdc.co.za
Limpopo Economic
Development Enterprise
(LimDev)
Tel: 015 633 4700
www.limdev.co.za
Eastern Cape Rural Finance

Corporation
Tel: 043 604 7000
www.ecrfc.co.za
Free State Development
Corporation (FDC)
Tel: 051 400 0800
www.fdc.co.za
Gauteng Enterprise
Development Agency (GEDA)
Tel: 011 833 8750/1
www.geda.co.za
Gauteng Enterprise Propeller
Tel: 011 085 2001
www.gep.co.za
Invest North West (INW)
Tel: 014 594 2570
www.inw.org.za
Ithala
Tel: 031 710 7511
www.ithala.co.za
Development and Tourism
(KwaZulu-Natal)
www.kznded.gov.za
Mpumalanga Economic Growth

Agency (MEGA)
Tel: 013 752 2440
www.mega.gov.za
Northern Cape Economic
Development Agency
Tel: 053 833 1503
www.nceda.co.za
Ntinga OR Tambo
Development Agency
Tel: 047 531 0346
www.ntinga.org.za
Trade and Investment Limpopo
Tel: 015 295 5171
www.til.co.za
Trade and Investment
KwaZulu-Natal
Tel: 031 368 9600
www.tikzn.co.za
Western Cape (WESGRO)
Tel: 021 487 8600
http://wesgro.co.za
6. Agribusinesses
See the Agribusiness chapter. Companies like AFGRI, Kaap Agri, OVK,
Suidwes and VKB offer credit, insurance and other financial services.
7. Embassies and foreign financial support

Find details of foreign embassies and high commissions in South Africa at www.dfa.gov.
za (take the Foreign relations option)
Some international role players with a presence in Southern Africa:

Australian Agency for International Development www.ausaid.
gov.au
Denmark is funding the Southern African Security and Defence
Management Network (SADSEM). Visit www.sadsem.net.
Delegation of the European Union to South Africa www.eusa.org.
za
Find notes on the European Development Fund at www.
welcomeurope.com.
The Agence Franaise de Dveloppement Group (AFD) www.
afd.fr
Deutsche Gesellschaft fr Internationale Zusammenarbeit
(GIZ) GmbH www.giz.de
Luxembourg Agency for Development and Co-operation www.
lux-development.lu
Sweden International Development Agency (SIDA) www.sida.
se
Swiss Agency for Development and Co-operation (SDC) www.

sdc.admin.ch
Department for International Development (DFID) www.dfid.
gov.uk
Finmark Trust www.finmark.org.za
International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) www.
ifad.org. Find details of all the other UN agencies at work in South
Africa at www.un.org.za.
USAID (US Agency for International Development) www.
usaid.gov
ECIAfrica www.eciafrica.com
Visit www.dcis.gov.za, the Development Co-operation Information
System website. This is an initiative of the South African National
Treasury to provide information about Official Development Assistance
(ODA) to South Africa.
Take the Partners and Institutions, then International Development
Co-operation Partners options. Find the drop-down box. Countries
around the world are listed: any details of grants and funds available for
use in South Africa are listed here.
Click on ODA Reports then Contact Lists to get details on whom to
contact for what kind of funding.
8. Co-operatives
See the co-operatives chapter
9. Companies
Find the Finance and administration heading in the Agricultural consultants
chapter, and the separate chapter on agribusinesses
Agri-Vie
Tel: 021 913 5662
www.agrivie.com
Futuregrowth Agri-Fund
Tel: 021 659 5300
www.futuregrowth.co.za

Marketing Company
Tel: 082 573 4344
www.theaimco.com
The Fund invests mainly in equity

investments in agricultural land,
agri-businesses
and
farming
infrastructure.
Securing trade and finance

instruments from banks, finding
logistics solutions for communities,
project management and more.
Mutual and Federal Insurance

Company Ltd
Tel: 012 999 9546 (Agricrop)
Tel: 012 999 9533 (Agri Asset
insurance)
www.mf.co.za
ANDISA Agri
Tel: 082 807 5587
www.andisaagri.com
Short-term insurance options,

among which are Agricrop and Agri
Numerous services include finance Asset Insurance.
raising; debt, equity and grants;
and managing change of control Phatisa Group Limited
transactions and land reform Tel: 011 463 1920
www.phatisa.com
transaction advisory
Deloitte
Tel: 011 806 5000
www.deloitte.com
Fund Manager for the African

Agriculture Fund (AAF) initiative
PricewaterhouseCoopers
Deloitte provides audit, tax, (PWC)
consulting, and financial advisory Tel: 021 815 3000
services to public and private clients www.pwc.co.za/en
spanning multiple industries
Specialist services
EmVest
Santam Agri
Tel: 012 003 0219
Tel: 021 915 7000
www.emvest.com
www.santam.co.za
107
marketing and
finance
Risk management and insurance
1. Overview
Agriculture today, and specifically farming, is a business faced with many
risks. Issues such as climate change, skills shortage and the growth in the
financial markets in terms of commodity products have increased the risks
these businesses face. Even though agricultural businesses have more tools
available to manage and mitigate risks, this has increased the complexity of
risk decision-making.
The winners of tomorrow will be the farmers and agri businesses that are
able to manage the risks inherent to their farming systems at a reasonable
cost. The result of effective risk management practices in agriculture will
have some significant benefits for society as a whole such as:
ensure food security and stability of prices;
result in a stable and profitable commercial farmer base to ensure that
agriculture is able to provide in the food requirements of the future;
assist in achieving long-term sustainability of the environment;
reduce the negative effects of natural disasters (floods, droughts etc)
on humans and the environment;
reduce the need for taxpayer funded emergency aid packages;
create jobs and sustainable employment; and
improve the stability of farmer incomes and hence expenditure on
farm inputs.
The result is economic stability in rural economies.

The Disaster Management Act of 2002 applies. Where the particular nature of
drought conditions, veld fires etc cannot be declared disasters under this act,
relief can be provided in the form of a specific measure.
Directorate: Agricultural Risk and Disaster Management
Tel: 012 319 7955 / 6
pa.dadrm@daff.gov.za
This directorate:
manages, develops and implements government policy, legislation and
prescripts in respect of risk and disaster management in the agricultural
sector;
prepares a strategic plan for agricultural risk and disaster
management;
assists and supports provincial and local governments to manage
agricultural risks and disasters.
Department of Cooperative Governance
South African National Disaster Management Centre
Tel: 012 334 0726
www.ndmc.gov.za
Find the links to the SA National Fire Danger Index, Advanced Fire
Information System (AFIS), Flash Flood Guidance System (FFGS) and the
Integrated National Early Warning System (INEWS) on the website.
South African Weather Service
Tel: 012 367 6000
www.weathersa.co.za
Subscribe to the various weather notifications and sms services.
Find details of the following in the Providers of financial services chapter:
Financial Intermediaries Association of Southern Africa
South African Insurance Association (SAIA)
The Ombudsman for Short-Term Insurance
The Ombudsman for long-term insurance
Actuarial Society of South Africa
Association for Savings & Investment SA
Financial Planning Institute of Southern Africa (FPI)
Financial Services Board
Institute of Retirement Funds of South Africa (IRF)
ABSA Insurance Company Ltd
Tel: 011 350 4000
www.absa.co.za
ABSA Life Ltd
Tel: 011 330 2111
www.absa.co.za
African Rand
Tel: 011 678 1354
www.africanrand.co.za
Agricola
Tel: 011 288 0300
www.agricolasa.co.za
Mutual and Federal Insurance

Company Ltd
Tel: 012 999 9546 (Agricrop)
Tel: 012 999 9533 (Agri Asset
insurance)
www.mf.co.za
Find the Farmers menu option
Nedbank AgriBusiness
Tel: 021 807 1369
agriculture@nedbank.co.za
www.nedbank.co.za
Personal cover and insurance for

farming activities, livestock, and
Your regional agribusiness (see equipment are available. Cover is
Agribusinesses chapter) offers also available for:
short term insurance, crop
insurance, credit life insurance etc.
irrigation systems on wheels
Find out what is on offer.
and centre-pivot systems; and
public liability for commercial
Boshoff Visser
hunting and game viewing
www.boshoffvisser.co.za
covering passengers on opensided vehicles
Boshoff Visser operates in the
Western Cape. Find branch contact Old Mutual Life Assurance
Company Ltd
details on the website.
Tel: 0860 93 94 93
www.oldmutual.co.za
CIB Insurance
Tel: 011 455 5101
Read about Old Mutuals Masisizane
www.cib.co.za
Fund in the Development financial
services chapter
Garrun Group
Tel: 011 694 5000
Sanlam Life Insurance Ltd
www.garrun-group.co.za
Tel: 021 916 5000
www.sanlam.co.za
GROCANE
Tel: 031 508 7161
Santam Agriculture
www.grocane.co.za
Tel: 021 915 7000
www.santam.co.za
Huis van Oranje Groep
Tel: 012 940 4215
SASRIA
www.hvo.co.za
Tel: 011 881 1300 / 086 172 7742
www.sasria.co.za
Kasfin
Tel: 0860 104 297
Standard Bank
www.kasfin.co.za
Tel: 011 858 5135/6
Land Bank Insurance Company agri.insurance@standardbank.
co.za
Tel: 0861 00 5242
www.lbic.co.za
Lion of Africa Insurance
Tel: 011 100 1900
www.lionsure.com
T&E FinOps
Tel: 0861 440 666
Esme.theron@tefinops.co.za
Marsh South Africa

Tel: 011 506 5000
www.marsh-africa.com
Univision Financial Services

Tel: 018 464 7494
www.univisionfin.co.za
108
Credit insurance
Credit insurance means that if your customer goes into liquidation or if
payment is prevented by some other event, the credit insurer will foot the
bill. The following are role players:
Coface South Africa
Tel: 011 208 2500
www.cofaceza.com
Lombard Insurance Group

Tel: 011 551 0600
www.lombardins.com
Credit Guarantee
Tel: 011 889 7000
www.creditguarantee.co.za
Prestige Credit Insurance

Consultants
Tel: 011 022 0642
www.prestigecredit.co.za

ICOSAMP The Information
Core for Southern African
Migrant Pests
Tel. 012 356 9800 (ICOSAMP Coordinator)
icosamp@ecoport.org
http://icosamp.ecoport.org
Inseta is the Sector Education

and Training Authority (SETA) for
the insurance, risk management,
reinsurance, pension funding etc
industry. Visit www.inseta.org.za
or call 086 113 0013.
Insurance Institute of SA
Migrant pests such as locusts, Tel: 011 341 9480
armyworm, and Quelea birds, www.iisa.co.za
annually plague the southern
African region, and in some University of the Free State
years have been known to cause Department of Agricultural
devastating damage to food crops Economics
within member countries of the Tel: 051 401 2824 / 3864
Southern African Development www.ufs.ac.za/agri-econ
Community (SADC). As these
about
their
FARMS
pests are highly mobile and often Read
cross
political
boundaries, programme, which includes Risk
communication and collaboration Management, on the website, or
between neighbouring countries call 051 401 3109.
is vital with respect to forecasting,
The Rapids Group focuses mainly
monitoring, and controlling these
on flood management aspects.
outbreaks.
Disaster Management, Training
ICOSAMP, endorsed by SADC and and Education Centre for
funded by the UK Department for Africa (DIMTEC)
International Development, has Tel: 051 401 2721
established a regional network of www.ufs.ac.za/dimtec
information officers who submit
monthly reports on the status of A department in the faculty
migrant pests in their country to of Natural and Agricultural
the ICOSAMP co-ordinator. Since Sciences, with the biggest Masters
its inception in 2000, ICOSAMP Degree Programme in Disaster
has issued regular monthly Bulletins Management in Africa.
and GIS (Geographical Information
System) maps.
Other role players

Enviromon
Tel: 021 851 5134
www.enviromon.co.za
HOTSURE
Tel: 0861 468 225
www.hotsure.co.za
A variety of weather services are Web based GIS monitor and

provided e.g. weather forecasts, command: monitor and track your
climate related disease warnings, vehicles, livestock and other assets
meteorological consultation.
Corporation (IDC)
Humanitarian Assistance
Tel: 011 269 3000
Network of South Africa
www.idc.co.za
(HANSA)
Tel: 084 501 5991
Some funding relief is made
wviljoen@adra-sa.org
available for businesses in the
agricultural value chain affected by
floods and drought
PricewaterhouseCoopers
Agri Industry Group
National Leader and Southern
Region 021 815 3000
KwaZulu-Natal 031 271 2000
Central Region 051 503 4100
Northern Region 013 754 3300
Eastern Region 041 391 4400
Gauteng Region 012 429 0573
Risk advisory services
The Regional Emergency Office

for Southern Africa (REOSA)
of the United Nations Food and
Agriculture Organization (FAO)
provides co-ordination, technical
and operational support in food
security and agriculture Disaster
Risk Reduction and Management
(DRR/M) to governments, regional
partners and to FAO Country
Offices within the southern Africa
region. Visit www.fao-reosa.org.
5. Primary sources of risk in farming

Although the risks provided below have been separated into varying
categories, to assist in the risk identification and management thereof, these
risks are not independent. Indeed some of the larger impacts on farming
businesses are due to the interaction of the risks. Farmers should therefore
approach risk management from a holistic viewpoint and should carefully
consider the impact of even improbable risks.
Production risk. Production risk is defined as the overall uncertainty
regarding production. Production risk includes contributing risks such as
changes in the weather, crop performance, incidence of pests and diseases
and machine efficiency. Currently the observed changes in the global climate
are posing numerous and potentially significant risks to the production of
crops, particularly those associated with water availability and quality as well
as rising temperatures.
Price risk. Price risk results from the unpredictable and competitive nature
of the prices of both farming inputs and outputs. Changing prices of products
can be observed on formal markets such as the various commodity and
futures exchanges, physical markets where buyers and sellers meet or by
way of the transactions between individual parties.
In respect of the prices of farming inputs farmers are largely price takers,
i.e. they have very little or no influence on the prices they pay and there are
few risk management tools or instruments available to manage the risk.
For certain crops and products there exist several financial instruments
and products whereby the farmer can effect price risk management. But
for some the price risk associated with farming outputs can often only be
managed to some extent through an effective marketing strategy. Certain
producers can be price takers for outputs as well, e.g. milk producers.
Political risk. Changes in government or to government policies relating
to matters such as land reform, employment targets, subsidies, animal
welfare, food and safety are often uncertain and may have a large impact
on farmers.
Funding and funding liquidity risk. A successful farming business has
implemented a well thought through funding plan. Farming businesses can
be exposed to cyclical cash flow patterns. Therefore, managing the funding
risk of the farming business is crucial. The recent crisis has taught us that any
business needs to plan its operational cash-flow and investments properly
and put in place a funding plan that provides some comfort on the availability
of the funds at the crucial times. Where substantial funding is required this
should be secured well-ahead of time, so that the lack of available funding
does not negatively impact the business.
Currency risk. The appreciation or depreciation of the South African Rand
affects both import and export demand and domestic prices for competitively
traded inputs and outputs. Currency risk can also have a significant impact
on price risk, particularly where prices of inputs or outputs are referenced
against a foreign currency, e.g. the price of maize in US$.
Legal risk. A large number of farming activities have legal implications.
Legal risk is inherent in contractual agreements and is always present in the
form of environmental liabilities, food safety liabilities, etc.
Personal risk. Personal risks are those risks relating to the people who are
involved with the actual management of the farm. They include farm safety,
divorce, illness and death.
110
6. Factors farmers should consider before

attempting to manage risk
The degree to which various types of risk are managed will depend on many
factors. Farmers will need to consider the following in determining the
appropriate course(s) of action necessary with regard to dealing with risk:
own personal appetite for risk;
the likelihood and impact of any potential risks within the particular
business;
the strategies or processes available to manage or mitigate the risk;
the cost of mitigating or managing the risks; and
the consequences of not managing the risk.
What options could be considered to manage and/ mitigate the Risk? Risk
Management Strategies can be classified along the following lines:
Avoidance or acceptance strategies
avoiding/terminating activity giving rise to exposure or intolerable risk
accepting risk where exposure is within the risk appetite
Diversification strategies
treating, reducing or mitigation through improvements to the control
environment and the management processes
exploiting risk where exposure is a potential missed or unrealised
opportunity
Risk sharing strategies
sharing of risk between parties and stakeholders
transferring risk to a third party (outsourcing /insuring)
integrating a series of risk responses through combination of
responses
7. Risk sharing strategies

7.1 Avoidance or acceptance strategies
Avoidance and acceptance strategies should be based on the impact and
likelihood of the risk. Below are some examples:
Planting a crop in an area not suited to its production is avoided because
the likelihood of an inferior crop is very high.
Planting below the 1 in a 100 year floodline may be an acceptable risk
owing to the likelihood of a flood being low.
It is important to conduct a thorough analysis of the risk that is being
accepted to completely understand the impact of such a risk should it occur,
including negative financial consequences which may jeopardise the survival
of the farming operation and its impact on cash flow and fund availability.
7.2 Diversification strategies

Crop diversification
By broadening the variety of crops under consideration and selecting crops
which behave differently in various financial and environmental conditions,
farmers can successfully reduce overall risk. In addition mixed farming
operations can also be practiced, e.g. combining crops with livestock,
tourism, etc.
Flexibility
Flexibility is of vital importance when confronted by an ever-changing
environment. Farmers should remain as flexible as possible and can do
so by growing crops with short production cycles and storing a portion
of a harvest so that sales can be made throughout the year at favourable
prices. The latter of these options allows farmers to take advantage of price
increases but also exposes them to price decreases, but financial instruments
are available to hedge farmers against these risks, if appropriate.
7.3 Risk sharing strategies

Contracting
Production Contracts
A production contract entails a contractor supplying the necessary farming
inputs, including finance, to a farmer, and the farmer delivering a specified
quantity and quality of product to the contractor. The farmer is then
compensated accordingly for goods and services provided. This form of
contract is of obvious benefit to both parties. Contractors are entitled to
a predetermined quantity and standard of commodity at some future date,
while growers are guaranteed the required inputs and a fixed income stream
(production contracts are often also referred to as off-take agreements).
Marketing/ Derivative Contracts. Several variations of such contracts
exist, including:
Forward Contracts are the most commonly used derivative product
available, primarily because it is the most basic and easily understood.
A forward contract gives the holder the right and full obligation to
conduct a transaction involving an underlying commodity at a future
date at a predetermined future price. In other words, an eventual
buyer (known as the person assuming the long position) pays the
contract price and receives the underlying commodity (grain, wheat
etc), and the eventual seller (known as the person assuming the short
position) delivers the underlying commodity at the set price. Essentially,
a forward contract is a personalised trade agreement between two
private parties to be executed at some future date at a predetermined
price. A major disadvantage of a forward contract is that these types
of contracts are often highly illiquid. This characteristic of a forward
contract stems from the fact that it is usually very difficult to exit the
contract prior to maturity.
Futures Contracts function in much the same way as a forward contract
with one exception. Futures contracts are traded through a centralised
market known as a futures exchange [e.g. the South African Futures
Exchange (Safex)] and as a result are standardised in the terms of the
agreement. In other words, the particulars of the contract (expiration
date, amount of the underlying asset, price etc) are not personalised as
in the case of the forward contract. The standardised nature of these
contracts allow for far more liquidity than is the case with forward
contracts. Currently the only soft commodities traded on Safex are
white and yellow maize, wheat, sunflower seeds and soya beans. There
are however derivative contracts on other financial instruments, e.g.
on the Industrial share index of the Johannesburg Securities Exchange
(JSE), on interest and exchange rates, etc. By use of these instruments
the risks associated with interest and exchange rates can be effectively
managed.
Futures contracts also require that both parties to the contract post
collateral, commonly referred to as margin. Each contract has a
specified amount of initial margin placed upon trading the derivative
as well as variation margin reflecting the accrued profit or loss due to
movements in the price of the derivative. These collateral amounts are
necessary to protect individual parties in the event of default.
Option Contracts give the holder the right, but not the obligation, to
purchase or sell an underlying commodity at a predetermined future
price and date. Options can be traded on an exchange such as futures
contracts discussed above or in informal markets, commonly referred
to as Over-The-Couter (OTC) markets. The key distinction here is
that the buyer or seller of the commodity in the future has the right
to conduct the transaction, but is not obligated to do so. Two types of
option contracts exist:
- Call option which entitles the holder to the right to buy an underlying
security;
- Put option which entitles the holder to the right to sell an underlying
security.
111
The use of an option contract is best shown by way of example:

A grain farmer may elect to use an option contract in order to eliminate the
risk of a low grain price in the market in the future. The farmer purchases
a put option by paying a certain premium for the contract. The option
entitles the farmer to sell a fixed amount of grain at a predetermined
price in the future the contract does not, however, obligate him to do
so. When the option expires, the farmer will consider his choice to sell
the grain relative to the market price for grain at that time.
If the price of grain in the market is lower than the price agreed upon in
the terms of the option contract, then the farmer will exercise his rights
with regard to the contract. The farmer will elect to sell the grain at the
higher price agreed upon in the contract since the market price is lower.
If the price of grain in the market is higher than the price agreed upon
in the terms of the option contract, then the farmer will waive his rights
with regard to the contract. The farmer in this instance will choose to
sell his commodity at a higher price in the market since the strike price
agreed upon in the contract is lower.
It should be noted that in the second scenario, where the farmer forfeits
his right to exercise the contract, he/she loses the initial premium paid,
and as such the option premium can be considered similar to an insurance
premium as it provided the farmer with protection in case of the price
reducing.
Crop insurance
Insurance is a highly common risk management strategy. An insured person
pays a premium to an insurance company at regular intervals and in return
receives payment from the insurer if an insured loss occurs.
Leasing
Leasing inputs such as land and machinery provides producers with sufficient
flexibility to respond to changing markets. It also decreases the capital
required to expand operations, so reducing financial risk.
Equity finance
Equity financing is an effective way of spreading risk. Equity investors in
the agricultural operation receive a pro rata share of the returns of an
investment, but also suffer proportionately in any losses.
Savings
The use of a savings account is a constructive method of reducing income
variability. By transferring income into an account during successful periods
and withdrawing from it in difficult periods is a reliable means offsetting
unexpected declines in farm income.
Liquidity
Liquid assets are those assets that can be easily converted into cash.
Ownership of such assets may be very useful in the event of emergencies.
These assets provide a safety net for production disasters and poor market
conditions. It is important to note that an appropriate balance is required
between fixed assets and liquid assets, since fixed assets have the ability to
generate higher profits.
Our thanks to Albr Badenhorst, Financial Risk Services at
PricewaterhouseCoopers, for rewriting much of the content of this chapter.
Contact him at albre.badenhorst@za.pwc.com
112
marketing and
finance
Supply Chain Management
1. Overview
The systems for providing food and other agricultural products to the final
consumer have changed over the years. Different actors in agricultural supply
chains have abandoned their traditional competitive positions towards each
other in favour of co-operation to compete more effectively. The emerging
co-ordination and control mechanisms can be collectively referred to as
Supply Chain Management.
Through co-operation and co-ordination of their activities firms are able
to realise advantages across the supply chain. These benefits of successful
supply chain management can be summarised as follows:
reduced cost through specialisation
improved synergistic performance
increased information to support joint planning
enhanced customer service
reduced risk and uncertainty
shared creativity
improved competitive advantage
These advantages are realised when firms start to co-ordinate the flow of
products throughout the supply chain. The traditional antagonistic roles
of the sales and purchasing departments to sell as high as possible and
buy as low as possible is abandoned in favour of co-operation and coordination.
There is every argument to be made for small scale farmers to form buying
and marketing groups.
They can optimise their input costs and negotiate contracts with off
takers. Such groups could operate at a regional rather than national
level, and dont need to be limited to one specific industry.
South Africas geographic diversity means that many regions have a
range of climatic conditions that would enable a variety of crops to be
produced and then sold collectively to local retailers. In other words,
grain, livestock, fruit, and vegetable farmers could work together
to negotiate one contract to which they would all be suppliers. The
retailers would get the product variety they need to attract consumers,
and each farmer within a farming group would benefit from a stable
supply contract.
It may also be easier for the government to grant subsidies to collective
farming structures instead of individuals.
Banks prefer to fund small scale farmers through an umbrella
organisation that takes responsibility for the group meeting its contract
obligations.
Having a retailer ring-fencing the banks risk by contracting to put
the groups products on its shelves makes such groups even more
attractive.
Local retailers, like Walmart and Pick n Pay, are paving the way through
sourcing goods locally, directly from farmers. The onus now falls on these
small scale farmers to make collaboration at their end of the value chain a
success. This means upholding a consistent supply of quality products to
retailers.
Source: adapted from the article Small scale farmers must join forces to cash in on
new trend toward local supply, processing and distribution by Magna Carta Public
Relations for Standard Bank.
There is a hotline to speed up government payments to Small Medium

and Micro Enterprises (SMMEs). Business enterprises experiencing late
payments of more than 30 days can call the hotline number on 0860 766
3729 or fax their details to 012 452 0458 for assistance.
Source: Dr Tobias Doyer (Santam)
Farmer-controlled businesses shouldnt be seen as glorified trade unions

with the sole purpose of negotiating higher prices. In fact, its illegal
for a group of farmers to club together and negotiate higher prices.
Farmers who want to do this first need to get Competition Commission
exemption.
Farmer-controlled businesses must add value to their products. They
have to expand their activities to include a larger part of the value chain.
You cant expect to get a higher price for your product if you dont add
value to it and reduce cost for processors in the chain. In most cases,
farmer-controlled businesses need professional management and capital
investment.
Farmers often want to establish farmer-controlled businesses when
prices are low. If prices rise, they change their minds. Its important to
get a group of like-minded farmers together to establish the farmercontrolled business properly. Provision must be made for new entrants
and for resignations. Advice from accountants and legal professionals is
usually needed.
The farmers share of the consumer rand is shrinking. Primary production
is the least profitable of all sectors in a value chain. Farmers can share in
the profits made upstream or downstream through their own farmerowned businesses. We should do this before we lose more farmers and
the total production lands in the hands of a few large companies.
Source: Dr Koos Coetzee in the article Getting a bigger slice. Find it in the archives
at www.farmersweekly.co.za.
2. Small-scale farmers
In the past, agriculture has been fragmented, with input suppliers, farmers,
beneficiators, marketers, financiers, off takers, and consumers all seeing
themselves as separate role players without responsibility for any other
element of the value chain.
4. Role players
Some agricultural products such as flowers, meat, fruit and vegetables
are vulnerable to supply chain disruptions see those chapters. The
Risk management and insurance chapter applies. Please also refer to
the Exporting, Marketing and Infrastructure and Agro-logistics
chapters

A number of studies into supply chains can be found at www.namc.co.za,
website of the National Agricultural Marketing Council (NAMC).
Find Cost Analysis in South African Agro-food Value Chains by Dr Andr
Jooste of the NAMC at www.agbiz.co.za. This is a presentation that
was given to the 2012 Agricultural Business Chamber congress.
The Agricultural Commodity Value Profiles series on the Department of
Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries website, www.daff.gov.za, explores
the value chains of several agricultural commodities.
Systems improvements and value-addition is identified as a priority
area in the National Agricultural Research and Development Strategy
document. This too can be found at www.daff.gov.za.
Supply Chain Foresight is the industry standard qualitative research study
into South Africas supply chains. Visit www.supplychainforesight.
co.za.
Visit www.smartprocurement.co.za which focuses on procurement
and supply management.
Commodity associations usually have material and studies relating to
their chain.
Find the article Africa: Targeting Gaps in the Food Supply Chain
on http://allAfrica.com about a two-year evaluation of agricultural
innovations to alleviate hunger and poverty in Africa.
Supply Chain Management Research blog http://scmresearch.org
114
resources and good

agricultural practice
2. Threats to biodiversity
The biologist EO Wilson developed the acronym HIPPO to sum up the
threats to biodiversity.
Habitat destruction, disturbance and fragmentation
Biodiversity and ecosystem services
Habitat destruction and the changes to ecosystems is possibly the greatest

cause of biodiversity loss.
1. Overview
Introduced and invasive species
Biodiversity describes the variety of life in an area, including:
Introduced species often become invasive when they breed and outcompete or eat the endemic species. Invaders impact on fauna and flora,
but also on the soil, land and water resource. Invaders tend to resourcehungry and deplete the natural assets.
the number of different species

the genetic wealth within each species
the interrelationships between them
the natural areas where they occur.
You may ask: What has biodiversity ever done for me?
Biodiversity feeds us, provides for our fuel and energy needs, clothes us,
shelters us and heals us. Without biodiversity, there are no trees for logging,
food plants for agriculture, fish for commercial or subsistence fisheries,
pollination of crops, or even wildlife for tourism.
These benefits of biodiversity are often referred to as ecosystem goods and
services. These services are categorised:
Provision biodiversity provides all living organisms with water, food,
fuel, medicine and fibres.
Regulation biodiversity and its life-support systems regulate climate,
water and the spread of disease.
Cultural people need connection to nature. There are numerous
spiritual, aesthetic, recreational and learning benefits.
Supporting life systems production, soil formation and nutrient
cycles.
Simply stated, without biodiversity, there are no livelihoods.
And biodiversity is also directly related to the quality of life you may expect.
Consider Security including access to resources, mitigation against natural
disasters.
Basic needs including the ability to earn a living or subsist, sufficient
food, nutritional variety, shelter, and access to goods.
Health including strength and feeling well, access to clean air and
water.
Good social relations including social cohesion, mutual respect and
the ability to help others.
Source: an excerpt from the opening page at www.stewardship.co.za
Pollution
Since the industrial revolution, countries mostly in the industrialised west
have been polluting for two centuries. Joined now by emerging economies
such as India, China and South Africa, the pollution levels world-wide are
soaring. Key focus areas to address pollution include water contamination
by fertilisers, pathogens, acid-mine drainage; pesticides affecting plants,
animals and the receiving environment; coal-fired electricity plants which
produce high levels of air pollution and contaminate water; untreated
sewage and effluent contaminating water systems, including rivers and
groundwater; and landfill waste which grows exponentially with pollution
and affluence.
Population
Population growth is the main cause of pressure on the ecosystems and the
degradation of the environment. The growth rate feeds the demand for
natural resources, while the human settlements expand, encroaching on
and transforming natural habitats.
Over-exploitation
From muti-plants to rhino horns, from forest trees to oceanic fish, we are
living beyond our means. Society consumes the equivalent of what three
planets would produce per year. Societies also do not consume equally.
The richer nations far outstrip the poorer ones in terms of consumption.
As a species, we have become predominantly urban and increasingly
disconnected from nature. We are drawing on natures capital rather than
living off its interest. Any economist would explain that bankruptcy is set
to follow.
Wilsons HIPPO summarises the key causes of destruction of the natural
environment. Clearly evident is the common factor our own excessive
consumption of natural resources, and the massive footprint we leave on
the earth.
Source: an excerpt from the opening page at www.stewardship.co.za
Biodiversity is the basis of agriculture. Maintaining biodiversity is essential

for the production of food, agricultural goods, and all the benefits that
come with these food security, nutrition and livelihoods. The Resources
and Good Agricultural Practice section of this directory is a recognition
that while agriculture contributes to the conservation and sustainable use
of biodiversity, it is also a major driver of biodiversity loss. What can be
done about this?
The reader should note that there is information elsewhere in the book
that could well have been in this section e.g. the information on best
fertiliser practice (see Fertiliser chapter). Also, in order to mainstream
them, several chapters like biocontrol, renewable energy and rainwater
harvesting have been moved to the Inputs section.
3. Payment for Ecosystem services (PES)

Even though biodiversity is the foundation of ecosystems and habitats (i.e.
our natural environment), industrialised humanity has only just begun to
take into account the connection between:
biodiversity and quality of life; and
biodiversity and it many economic benefits.
In addition its being undervalued, this contribution particularly the
economic contribution is understudied. We need to know more these
ecosystem services in order to make every provision for them to continue.
115
In some cases incentives will need to be provided for the conserving of

biodiversity (read about REDD+ in the Climate change chapter), an
area covered by Payments for environmental services (PES). The reader
interested in following this theme is referred to the following:
Listen to the excellent talk at www.ted.com/talks Pavan Sukhdev:
Put a value on nature! The website reads: Think of Pavan Sukhdev as
natures banker assessing the value of the Earths assets. Eye-opening
charts will make you think differently about the cost of air, water, trees
... A banker by training, Pavan Sukhdev runs the numbers on greening
up showing that green economies are an effective engine for creating
jobs and creating wealth.
Find Project for Ecosystem Services (ProEcoServ) and RNC Alliance
under the role players heading, or go directly to their websites at
www.proecoserv.org and www.rncalliance.org respectively.
Find the Payments for Environmental Services from Agricultural
Landscapes page and links on the UNs Food And Agricultural
Organisation (FAO) website, www.fao.org
The Ecosystem Marketplace is a leading source of news, data, and
analytics on markets and payments for ecosystem services (such as
water quality, carbon sequestration, and biodiversity). Visit www.
ecosystemmarketplace.com.
Read the article Paying for Ecosystem Services Promise and Peril
(November 2011) at www.sciencemag.org
4. Biodiversity and South Africa

South Africas biomes see map below
South Africa has a wide range of climatic conditions and many variations in
topography (e.g. narrow coastal plain, steep escarpment, large plateau). In
combination, climate and topography give rise to broad vegetation zones
which, together with their associated animal life, are called biomes. These
are the Succulent Karoo, Desert, Nama-Karoo, Fynbos, Forest, Grassland,
Savanna, Albany Thicket and Indian Ocean Coastal Belt biomes. Each of
these supports its own collection of plant and animal species. The Karoo,
for example, is home to plants and animals well suited to hot, dry conditions
such as the gemsbok and succulent plants. The fynbos biome is home to a
variety of plants that are suited to a mediterranean climate and the poor
soils of the south Western Cape.
Map Citation: Mucina, L. & Rutherford, M.C. (eds) 2006. The vegetation of South Africa, Lesotho and Swaziland. Strelitzia 19. South African National Biodiversity
Institute, Pretoria. 800 pp.
116
5. Conservation Stewardship
See also the Conservancies chapter
Biodiversity stewardship provides a new cost-effective way for government

to carry out its existing conservation mandate, by getting landowners to
commit to conserving and managing the biodiversity on their own land.
This includes private farms, communal lands and land owned by national /
provincial government departments, municipalities, parastatals like Eskom
and private companies.
Biodiversity stewardship approach provides a small number of simple,
legally-aligned options nationwide and ensures that landowners benefit
from participation. Participating landowners in the existing Western
Cape and KwaZulu-Natal programmes may receive incentives to commit
their property to one of three stewardship options through the relevant
conservation authority a Contract Nature Reserve, a Biodiversity
Agreement or a Voluntary Conservation Area. Landowners work with
conservation authorities to agree on a conservation management plan
that involves managing invasive alien species, controlling fires, encouraging
sustainable grazing, farming or harvesting, and avoiding further land
transformation; and they receive assistance through extension services.
Biodiversity Stewardship South Africa
The Biodiversity Stewardship South Africa (BSSA) programme is an initiative
of the national Department of Environmental Affairs (DEA) in partnership
with key conservation organisations, in particular the Endangered Wildlife
Trust (EWT).
The BSSA is an umbrella programme that provides a powerful new tool to
assist national and provincial government in fulfilling its mandate to conserve
biodiversity outside of state-owned protected areas, in terms of the National
Environmental Management: Protected Areas Act (No. 57 of 2003) and
Biodiversity Act (No. 10 of 2004). The programme helps to implement
provincial conservation plans through a consistent, national, landscape-scale
approach to stewardship. It also assists government in meeting the targets
set out by the National Spatial Biodiversity Assessment and the National
Biodiversity Framework (NBF).The BSSAs goals are aligned with those of
DEAs National Protected Areas Expansion Strategy and Community-Based
Natural Resource Management programme.
Read more at www.stewardship.co.za
6. Bioregional programmes and agriculture

The South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI) was established
on 1 September 2004 under the National Environmental Management:
Biodiversity Act, with special responsibility for biodiversity matters relating
to the full diversity of South Africas fauna and flora. SANBI has been
establishing bioregional and ecosystem programmes using a partnership
approach to mainstream biodiversity in socio-economic development that
includes agricultural role players.
Cape Action for People and the Environment (CAPE) works through a
landscape-level approach to conservation and involves landowners and their
representative bodies. In each of these areas, issues around biodiversity on
agricultural land are dealt with by working with farmers to set aside valuable
biodiversity on their land through entering into conservation stewardship
agreements (see heading 5).
Read more at www.capeaction.org.za
The Succulent Karoo Ecosystem Programme (SKEP) is an overarching

framework for biodiversity conservation and sustainable development of
the Succulent Karoo Hotspot (SKH). SKEP looks to conserve the SKH
which is an area that has a wealth of unique biodiversity but has also been
severely damaged by human activities such as mining, overgrazing and
ostrich farming.
Projects include creating a provincial nature reserve, developing land use
management plans for overgrazed areas, working with landowners to sign
stewardship agreements, developing best practice guidelines, and working
with those in the South African mining, agriculture and tourism sectors to
promote formal biodiversity conservation areas.
Read more at www.skep.org
The Grasslands Programme seeks to identify and promote biodiversitycompatible land uses. Grazing of cattle, sheep and indigenous game species
have been identified as the most compatible agricultural activities in the
biome.
Read more at www.grasslands.org.za and in the Rangelands/veld chapter.
7. Business and biodiversity

Over the past few years, conservationists worldwide have identified the
need to mainstream biodiversity by integrating biodiversity conservation
into systems where the primary focus is on production. In South Africa this
has meant a growing engagement between the business and conservation
sectors and the development of some innovative models of biodiversityfriendly business, mostly in agriculture.
Industries where business and biodiversity initiatives have become well
established are the wine, fishing, honey, indigenous cutflower, sugar, rooibos
tea and potato industries, with emerging initiatives in others like red meat,
citrus and ostrich. Initiatives in these industries fit in at various stages along
the value chain, and involve market mechanisms such as those depicted
below. The commitments are referred to as voluntary in the sense that
they are not legislated requirements or regulatory mechanisms.
PRODUCERS
voluntary
producer
commitments
PRODUCTS
RETAILERS
eco-labelling /
procurement
advice
voluntary
procurement
commitments
CONSUMERS
consumer
awareness
campaigns
The major players in these initiatives are:

Conservation non-governmental organisations (NGOs) based in South
Africa e.g. the EWT and the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF)
South Africas government- and donor-funded bioregional conservation
programmes CAPE, SKEP and the Grasslands Programme
Industry role players from South African companies and multinationals
represented in the country, as well as some of the major retailers
Landowners and producer associations who want to practice
sustainable farming and conserve biodiversity on their land.
The costs of these initiatives and the biodiversity conservation measures
they involve, while in some cases partially funded by donors, are increasingly
being covered by the premium prices these producers are able to charge for
their products in niche markets, sometimes overseas. They have achieved
this through marketing their products as biodiversity-friendly, participating
in labelling and certification schemes or working through international trade
organisations that accredit producers.
119

At present government runs several natural resource management
programmes Working for Water, Working for Wetlands, LandCare.
The New Growth Path, looking to create five-million new jobs by 2020,
looks beyond these to the broader green economy where substantial
opportunities exist for job creation, particularly in biodiversity, waste and
natural resource management services.
National Government
A number of departments and agencies have responsibility for matters
relating to biodiversity and agriculture, including the following:
Department of Environmental Affairs www.environment.gov.za
SANBI www.sanbi.org
Department of Water Affairs www.dwa.gov.za
Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (DAFF) www.daff.
gov.za
National Planning Commission www.npconline.co.za
An amount of R800 million has been made available by the National
Treasury for the Green Fund over the next two financial years
2012/13, 2013/14. Visit www.treasury.gov.za.
Provincial Government and Nature Conservation Bodies

Province, provincial authority and website
Telephone
Eastern Cape Parks www.ecparks.co.za

043 705 4400
Department of Economic Affairs, Environment & 043 605 7069
Tourism
Free State Department of Economic Development, 051 400 9410/3
Tourism & Environment Affairs www.detea.fs.gov.za
051 400 4929
Gauteng Department of Agriculture and Rural 011 355 1900
Development www.gdard.gpg.gov.za
011 355 1280
Ezemvelo KwaZulu-Natal Wildlife
www.kznwildlife.com
033 845 1999

033 845 1652
Limpopo Department of Economic Development, 015 290 7171

Environment & Tourism
015 793 2471
015 291 4259
www.limpopo.gov.za and www.ledet.gov.za
Mpumalanga Department of Economic Development, 013 759 5300
Environment & Tourism
013 759 5336
www.mpumalanga.gov.za/dedet/
Mpumalanga Tourism & Parks Agency
www.mpumalanga.com
North West Dept of Economic Development, 018 387 7700
Environment, Conservation and Tourism (DEDECT) 018 389 5717
www.nwpg.gov.za
Northern Cape Department of Environment & Nature 053 807 7300
Conservation http://denc.ncpg.gov.za/
053 807 7482
Cape Nature (Western Cape) www.capenature.co.za
021 483 0000
9. Role players
Initiatives
The overall goal of Project for Ecosystem Services (ProEcoServ), a
GEF-funded umbrella project, is to better integrate ecosystem assessment
and economic valuation of ecosystem services into sustainable national
development planning. Read more at www.proecoserv.org.
Read about the Restoring Natural Capital or RNC Alliance at www.
rncalliance.org. Prof James Blignaut from the University of Pretoria is the
South African contact. The slogan is Economics in which nature matters
and ecology in which people matter.
The GreenChoice Alliance is a national alliance that promotes sustainable
production and harvesting in South Africa, by supporting the profitability,
competitiveness and sustainability of environmentally sound products. Read
about it under the Biodiversity economy label at www.capeaction.org.za.
Information and contacts are given for the following:

wine
seafood
honey
citrus
ostrich
sugar
meat
red meat
potatoes
wool
wild flowers
rooibos tea
pecan nuts
Consultants and businesses

Africa Land-Use Training (ALUT) www.alut.co.za
Anchor Environment Consultants www.anchorenvironmental.co.za
Andisa Agri www.andisaagri.com
Crystal Clear www.crystalclear.co.za
Eco Africa www.ecoafrica.co.za
Envirokonsult www.envirokonsult.co.za
Enviromental Management and Assessment Consultants www.
sa-environmental.co.za
FutureWorks www.futureworks.co.za
Imbewu Enviro-legal Specialists www.imbewu.co.za
Janet Edmonds Consulting www.jecenviro.co.za
Local Biodiversity Solutions www.localbiodiversity.com
MBB Services International www.mbb.co.za
Strategic Environmental Focus (SEF) www.sefsa.co.za
Associations, societies and NGOs

African Conservation Trust www.projectafrica.com
Biowatch www.biowatch.org.za
Botanical Society of South Africa www.botanicalsociety.org.za
Cape Action for People and the Environment (CAPE) www.
capeaction.org.za
Centre for Environmental Rights www.cer.org.za
Earthlife Africa Jhb www.earthlife.org.za
Ecolink www.ecolink.co.za
Endangered Wildlife Trust (EWT) www.ewt.org.za
Entomological Society of Southern Africa http://journals.sabinet.
co.za/essa
Environmental Assessment Practitioners Association of South
Africa www.eapsa.co.za
Environmental Law Association (ELA) www.elasa.co.za
Environmental Monitoring Group (EMG) www.emg.org.za
Grassland Society of Southern Africa www.grassland.org.za
Indigo Development & Change www.indigo-dc.org
IUCN-SA www.iucn.org
Landmark Foundation www.landmarkfoundation.org.za
National Association of Conservancies and Stewardships of
South Africa (NACSSA) www.nacsa.org.za.
Resource Africa www.resourceafrica.org
South African Faith Communities Environment Institute www.
safcei.org.za
South African Institute of Ecologists and Environmental Sciences
www.saiees.org
Southern African Society for Systematic Biology www.sassb.
co.za
South African New Economics Network (SANE) www.sane.org.za
Western Cape Conservation Stewardship Association www.
capestewardship.co.za
Wilderness
Foundation
of
Southern
Africa
www.
wildernessfoundation.org.za
Wildlands Conservation Trust www.wildlands.co.za
Wildlife & Environment Society Of South Africa (WESSA) www.
wessa.org.za
WWF South Africa www.wwf.org.za
Zoological Society of South Africa (ZSSA) www.zssa.co.za
School environmental programmes

Endangered Wildlife Trust (EWT) www.ewt.org.za
Environmental Education and Resources Unit www.botany.uwc.
ac.za/eeru
Environmental Education Association of Southern Africa
(EEASA) www.eeasa.org.za
SANBI Biodiversity Education and Empowerment Division
www.sanbi.org
SANParks www.sanparks.org/people/education
Wildlife and Environment Society SA Eco-schools National Coordinators Tel: 033 330 3931 www.wessa.org.za.
WWF South Africa Tel: 021 657 6600 www.panda.org.za
120
The Department of Environmental Affairs (DEA)

www.environment.gov.za
The National Environmental Education Programme (NEEP) is a
collaborative project co-ordinated by the Department of Education. Its
purpose is to support teachers in implementing environmental education
at schools, and integrate it with the outcomes-based curriculum. DEA
supports NEEP with resource materials on contemporary environmental
issues.
SADC Regional Environmental Education Programme
The purpose of the Regional Environmental Education Programme is
to enable environmental education practitioners in the SADC region
to strengthen environmental education processes for equitable and
sustainable environmental management choices. DEA supports and
contributes towards enhancing and strengthening environmental
education policy, networking, the development of resource materials
and capacity-building.
Biosystematic Research
Biosystematic research contributes towards meeting the States obligation to
the requirements of the International Convention on Biological Diversity in
discovering, describing and documenting the biodiversity of South Africa.
Natural Science Collections. The Natural History Collections in South
Africa are among the most important and comprehensive biological and
taxonomic reference resources of their kind in Africa. The collections are
a priceless indigenous biological resource to enable scientists to address
South Africas need for information on pest control, conservation and the
sustainable use of advantageous organisms.
The maintenance, safeguarding and development of natural science
collections and associated biological reference resources are of strategic
importance to natural resource management and biodiversity conservation
in South Africa.
Several National surveys are undertaken in the country:
Botanical survey;
Bird atlasing;
Retile atlasing;
Butterfly Survey;
South African National Survey of Arachnida;
South African Plant Parasitic Nematode Survey;
South African Alien Invasive Plant survey.
SANBI, Natural Science Museums, Research Councils and universities
undertake biosystematic research.
Research and training

African Land Use Training
(ALUT)
Tel: 014 717 3819
www.alut.co.za
GreenMatterZA / Lewis
Foundation
Tel: 011 325 5124
www.greenmatter.co.za
ALUT presents courses like Grootfontein Agricultural

Natural Resource Management on Development Institute (GADI)
Grootfontein Herbarium
the farm
Tel: 049 842 1113
The Agricultural
Research http://gadi.agric.za/herbarium/herCouncil (ARC) undertakes a general.php
range of research activities with
implications for biodiversity e.g. its Institute of Natural Resources
Plant Protection Research Institute see University of KwaZuluis the custodian of the South African Natal
Rhizobium Culture Collection
and the National Collections of National Zoological Gardens
Arachnids, Fungi, Insects and Tel: 012 339 2700
Nematodes. Visit www.arc.agric. www.nzg.ac.za
za.
Cape Peninsular University of
University (NMMU)
Technology (CPUT)
Centre for African Conservation
Department of Biodiversity and
Ecology
Conservation
Tel: 041 504 2308
Tel: 021 460 3190
www.nmmu.ac.za/ace
www.cput.ac.za
Council for Scientific and
Research Unit: Environmental
Industrial Research (CSIR)
Science and Management
Natural Resources and the
Tel: 018 299 2523 / 07
Environment
Tel: 018 299 2381
Tel: 012 841 4781 / 2911
www.nwu.ac.za
Tel: 033 260 6195
www.csir.co.za
Rhodes University
Environmental Learning Research
Fynbos Forum
Centre
Tel: 021 783 2509
Tel: 046 603 8390
www.fynboshub.co.za
www.ru.ac.za/elrc
Delta Environmental Centre
Tel: 011 888 4831
www.deltaenviro.org.za
SANBI
Tel: 012 843 5000 / 021 799 8800
www.sanbi.org
Green Futures
Tel: 028 384 8059
www.greenfutures.co.za
South African Environmental

Observation Network
www.saeon.ac.za
Hope for unemployed people in South African Biodiversity

the field of fynbos landscaping and Information Facility (SABIF)
conservation
www.sabif.ac.za
121

Aquatic Biodiversity
Tel: 046 603 5800
www.saiab.ac.za
Southern African Wildlife
College
Tel: 015 793 7300
www.wildlifecollege.org.za
Department of Conservation
Ecology and Entomology
Tel: 021 808 3728
www.cons-ent.com
The Nature College
Tel: 028 551 2562 / 082 920 3765
www.naturecollege.co.za
Tshwane University of
Technology (TUT)
Department of Environmental,
Water & Earth Sciences
Tel: 012 382 6379
www.tut.ac.za
Environmental and Geographical
Science
Tel: 021 650 2873
www.egs.uct.ac.za
Centre for Environmental
Management
Tel: 051 401 2863
www.ufs.ac.za/cem
School of Agricultural, Earth &
Tel: 033 260 5103
http://saees.ukzn.ac.za
Institute of Natural Resources
Tel: 033 346 0796
University of Limpopo
School of Agricultural and
Tel: 015 268 2202
www.ul.ac.za
(UNISA)
Department of Environmental
Sciences
Tel: 011 471 2213
Centre for Sustainable Agriculture
and Environmental Sciences
Tel: 011 471 2171
www.unisa.ac.za
Centre for Environmental Studies
Tel: 012 420 4048
www.up.ac.za/centreenvironmental-studies/
Conservation Ecology Research
Unit
Tel: 012 420 2753
www.ceru.up.ac.za
Biodiversity and Conservation
Biology Programme
Tel: 021 959 2301
www.uwc.ac.za
University of the
Witwatersrand
School of Animal, Plant and
Tel: 011 717 6404
www.wits.ac.za/apes
Water Research Commission
(WRC)
Tel: 012 330 0340
www.wrc.org.za
Parks and museums

Peace Parks Foundation www.peaceparks.org
South African National Parks (SANParks) www.sanparks.org
Some museums are involved with biodiversity programmes. Visit
www.museumsonline.co.za for details.
Save our rhinos. For tip-offs, please call 082 908 3053 or send an e-mail to
antipoaching@sanparks.org
Some international role players

African Conservation Foundation www.africanconservation.org
Bioversity International www.bioversityinternational.org
Convention on Biological Diversity www.cbd.int
Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species
of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) is an international agreement
between governments designed to ensure that international trade in
specimens of wild animals and plants does not threaten their survival.
Visit www.cites.org
Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO)
www.fao.org
Global Biodiversity Information Facility www.gbif.org
International Rhino Foundation www.rhino.org
United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) www.unep.
org
Womens Environment & Development Organisation (WEDO)
www.wedo.org

Farming for the Future: Farming Sustainably with Nature Harrison J and
Young D Animal Demography Unit University of Cape Town
Find the documents relating to the Environmental Sector Skills Plan for
South Africa on www.environment.gov.za
The SANBI Grasslands Programme held a symposium Biodiversity:
powering the green economy in the first half of 2012. Presentations
delivered at the conference can be accessed under the Resources
option at www.grasslands.org.za.
Refer to www.greenmatter.co.za for news on careers, green jobs and
skills development
Find out about the publication EnviroTeach at www.enviroteach.co.za
Find the Natural Resource Atlas on www.agis.agric.za. This atlas
provides information on soil, terrain, geology, climate, vegetation and
near-real time data of veld fires in South Africa.
Agriculture maps of SA www.esri.com/mapmuseum/mapbook_
gallery/volume19/agriculture3.html.
International Species Information System (ISIS) www.isis.org
www.africageographic.com Africa Geographic is South Africas leading
wildlife and environmental magazine. Visit the associated website
for additional information not found in the magazine and for online
shopping for books, videos and other wildlife/environment essentials.
www.plantzafrica.com A site describing plants, vegetation types and
the uses of South Africa plant species.
The printed copy or the electronic version of Enviropaedia www.
enviropaedia.com contains an encyclopaedia, a database of
environmental and other role players.
Find the many books available from Briza Publications www.briza.
co.za and African Land Use Training www.alut.co.za.
Find Case study: rates rebates in Nelson Mandela Metro at www.
capeaction.org.za.
Find the biodiversity option at www.ostrichsa.co.za, website of the
South African Ostrich Business Chamber.
Find the several reports at www.polity.org.za that deal with biodiversity
and ecosystem services e.g. 10 reasons to pay attention to Green Growth;
An Ecosystems Approach to Water and Food Security and Releasing the
Pressure: Water Resource Efficiencies and Gains for Ecosystem Services
Cultivating Biodiversity. Harold Brookfield, Christine Padoch, Helen
Parsons and Michael Stocking. Publisher: ITDG Publishing, 2002. ISBN:
1853394939. The book draws on the experience of demonstration sites
that are the farmers own enterprises, combining superior production
along with enhancement of biological diversity. It is based on work in
12 countries with more than 200 collaborating scientists and about
2500 collaborating farmers, showing how its authors perceive and
quantitatively analyse agrodiversity, and how they work together with
farmers.
The magazine Environment People and Conservation in Africa launched
by seven NGOs: the Cape Leopard Trust, Game Rangers Association
of Africa, SANCCOB, the Wildlands Conservation Trust and the
Wilderness Foundation of South Africa, WESSA and the EWT. Contact
the editor at john.ledger@wol.co.za.
Veld & Flora the monthly journal of the Botanical Society. Call 021
797 2090.
Succulent Flora of Southern Africa Doreen Court (Struik Nature) 2010
Plants of the Klein Karoo Jan Vlok and Anne Lise Schutte-Vlok (Umdaus
Press) 2010
Environmental Management Carol Knoll (editor). Visit www.emmagazine.
co.za.
Wildside, the magazine that takes you there www.wildsidesa.co.za
Red Data Books (RDBs) and Red Lists are very useful tools and
sources of information for use in species conservation. They are lists
of threatened plants and animals specific to a certain region, and a
vital source of information in guiding land-use decision making and
conservation planning. South Africa has produced RDBs dealing with
each of the following: birds, land mammals, fishes (fresh water and
estuarine only), butterflies, plants, reptiles and amphibians. Read about
the Threatened Species Programme at www.sanbi.org.
The information under this heading, Websites and publications could
be so extensive that it would not be helpful at all, and has been drastically
shortened. The reader is encouraged to:
Google relevant words like biodiversity, environment and
ecosystem services.
Refer to the Websites and publications heading in other chapters
in the Resources and Good Agricultural Practice section of this
publication.
Visit the websites of role players mentioned in this chapter.
122
resources and good

Biological farming
Refer to the Conservation Agriculture, Earthworms and vermicompost,
Compost and compost tea, Speciality fertilisers and the Organic farming
chapters
1. Overview
Biological farming uses nature and science to build the quality of the
soil. Improving the soils health in turn improves the health of plant,
livestock and human.
It takes advantage of natural processes include: crop rotations; best
tillage methods; growing green manures; proper livestock manure use;
reducing toxins; promoting soil life, and balancing the soils minerals.
Natural processes and systems improve the soil structure, but also
control weeds, pests, and diseases, and improve crop quality.
Along with natural systems and methods, Biological farming incorporates
the best of conventional farming methods to maintain production levels
and quality.
Biological farmers avoid using harmful chemicals like herbicides,
pesticides and certain fertilisers that destroy soil life. A biological farmer
might use less poisonous chemicals in an emergency to save a crop,
but will also take measures to restore soil life by using products like
compost tea and microbes to clean the soil of harmful chemicals.
Biological farming is 80% down the road to organic farming it is a
relatively easy matter for a well-established biological farmer to switch
over to organic farming.
Biological farming methods present a viable way of producing high
quality, nutritious produce without the use of non-organic fertilisers,
pesticides or gene modification.
The Rules of Biological Farming
test and balance soils using at least 21 parameters Albrecht
system
use only soil friendly fertilisers
use minimum herbicides and pesticides
use sound tillage practices
use legumes in crop rotations
use compost and compost tea
Sources: www.sabiofarm.co.za (adapted) and The National Policy On Organic
Production discussion document as it was at the end of 2011.

Inputs
Bio-Fly (Pty) Ltd www.biofly.co.za
Bio-insectaries SA (BISA) www.bioinsectsa.com
Biogrow www.biogrow.co.za
Denvet www.denvet.co.za (Organic feed additives, veterinary
remedies, veterinary instruments)
Eco-fert www.eco-fert.co.za
Ecosoil www.ecosoil.co.za (A business which specialises in compost
extract machines).
Efficient Microbes www.efficientmicrobes.co.za
Haifa Chemicals RSA Ltd www.haifa-group.com
Kelpak www.kelpak.com
MBF International www.mbfi.co.za
Microbial Solutions (Pty) Ltd www.microbial.co.za
Metson www.metson.co.za
Mycoroot (Pty) Ltd www.mycoroot.com
Planner Bee Plant Care www.fertilis.co.za (FERTILIS (registration
no B3664 Act36/1947) is certified by the Organic Food Federation UK:
organic certification no: 00371/01/00. FERTILIS also makes wonderful
Compost Tea for plant irrigation).
Plant Health Products (Pty) Ltd (PHP) www.plant-health.co.za
(research, develop, produce and market innovative bio-control
products for Agriculture, Horticulture and Viticulture. Products
include Bio-fungicides, Bio-insecticides as well as the development of a
number of other Bio-control organisms).
Soiltech www.soiltech.co.za
SOYGRO (Pty) Ltd Tel: 018 292 1907
Stimuplant www.stimuplant.co.za
Consulting, training and research

Ecosoil www.ecosoil.co.za
SA Biofarm Institute www.sabiofarm.co.za (find John Fairs regular
Biological farming column in every issue of Farmers Weekly)
Potchefstroom Campus
Research Unit: Environmental Science and Management
Microbiology
Dr S Claassens
Tel: 018 299 2329
www.nwu.ac.za
Research on the role of micro-organisms in the soil environment and the
effect of agricultural practices. Analysis of soil to characterise microbial
communities.
Agricultural Management www.ufs.ac.za/agriman
Centre for Sustainable Agriculture, Rural Development and Extension
www.ufs.ac.za/cem
Soil, Crop and Climate Sciences www.ufs.ac.za

Visit www.kejafa.co.za or call 011 025 4388 for the following publications:
Albrecht Papers Vol. 2
Hands-on Agronomy N Kinsey and C Walters
How soils work P Syltie
Find the featured articles and archives on www.sabiofarm.co.za. Numerous
publications are also available from them, as well as DVDs and CDs of
various lectures.
The agricultural weeklies Landbouweekblad and Farmers Weekly frequently
run articles on biological farming. Find archived articles at www.landbou.
com and www.farmersweekly.co.za
www.growit.co.za a complete solution for biological farming
124
resources and good

Birds and farming

See also the Gamebirds, waterfowl and other poultry chapter
1. Overview
Decreasing margins in farming enterprises and other issues can lead to
farming more intensively and to farm in new areas. This places pressure
on natural systems and the birds and other animals which inhabit these
areas. The effect on biodiversity can be negative.
A large number of birds on a farm does not automatically indicate a healthy
bird population. The visible birds might abound on that farm owing to a
particular resource or crop. What about the bird species which do not fit
into this category? There might be some which occurred naturally in the
area whose numbers drop dramatically or completely.
Farms with variety are bird-friendly farms

Whatever type of farming is practiced, there are ways of reducing the impact
on bird diversity. Careful planning of new lands or any other developments
which will alter the natural habitat is important. A good principle is to
maintain a mosaic of different land uses on a farm. Even if a large part of
the area of the farm is utilised, a range of different land uses and an intact
variety of different micro-habitats will ensure a greater variety of birds can
benefit from the farm.
Farm well to reduce habitat change

Alternatives to the establishment of new lands should be sought, such
as more efficient farming methods to obtain increased yields from the
existing lands. In general, good farming methods promote the wellbeing
of the natural resources and are desirable. Even a simple example such as
overgrazing of veld and too frequent veld fires will lead to habitat changes,
inevitably leading to a reduction in certain bird species.
Birds need corridors too

While birds can fly, many will not fly from one isolated patch of natural
vegetation to another, whereas they would move along a natural corridor.
Corridors of natural vegetation should be left between lands and between
buildings to allow for movement of birds and other animals. Movement to
water should also be encouraged by leaving corridors of natural vegetation
leading to water sources. While considering bird movement, also look
at commonly-used flight paths before erecting high fences, power lines,
telephone lines, wind turbines and solar panels. Large birds, including
many endangered birds, are often injured or killed when they collide with
prominent structures. Where tall structures are erected, visibility aids should
be used in areas of increased bird movement, such by marking power lines
with flappers of other similar devices.
followed closely, and all possible efforts must be made to avoid effects
on other organisms, also known as non-target species. Insecticides are
particularly dangerous, and suppliers and manufacturers should be quizzed
regarding the above issues.
Farming and birds can mix

Just as one must know the life-cycles of the pests to combat them, so by
getting to know the birds behaviour, feeding and nesting habits, one can
design new developments and general farming practices to promote their
wellbeing. As custodians of the earth and the biodiversity in it, this is our
duty and not a luxury.
Source: Dr At Kruger, Dr Pete Irons, Denokeng Bird Bash, Seringveld Conservancy,
Gauteng Conservancy Association
2. Two beneficial birds

Owls
Farmers are encouraged to look after the welfare of owls, a natural predator
of grain pests like mice. Owls (and bats) are an environmentally friendly way
of controlling pests at minimal cost. An adult barn owl will take care of two
rodents a night and a bat will eat over 50% of its body weight in insects in
the same time.
The Problems:
Many owls are victims of secondary or accidental poisoning through
build up of insecticides in the body of the owl and through the use of
rat poisons. The poison in the rats body often ends up killing the owl. It
is important to realise that any poison used in the garden or farmyard
can affect beneficial animals, such as owls. There are poison blocks
(e.g. Racumin blocks not paste) which do not result in secondary
poisoning. Contact the South African Pest Control Association (details
in the Wildlife on farms chapter).
Chicks should be left where they are so that the parents can continue
to look after them. Most owl chicks found on the ground have not
been abandoned and the best thing to do in most cases is to leave the
bird where it is.
Attracting Owls
Keep the area as natural as possible.
Avoid poisons of all kinds.
Provide safe nesting boxes: this could improve their breeding success.
Two simple models may be found in the book listed below (see source
acknowledgement).
Find information at www.deltaenviro.org.za/deltaowl.htm (the source of
some of the information above). Role players like the EWT, EcoSolutions,
Charles Street Veterinary Group, the Urban Owl Nest Project and the
African Bird of Prey Sanctuary can also help you. Find their details under
the role players heading.
Source: A Beginners Guide to Owls. The booklet is available from the Delta
Environmental Centre.
Use the right control methods right
Red-billed Oxpecker
Plagues, pests and weeds are a fact of farming, and must be controlled for
efficient production. Control does not mean eradication, and control at a
tolerable level should be considered. Natural, low impact methods should
be employed wherever possible. Carefully chosen biological agents are the
ideal. Birds may in fact constitute just such a biological management aid,
such as the oxpeckers of the bushveld which pick and eat large amounts of
ticks off cattle and other large animals in a year. Similarly owls can be used
as a biological control method for rodents. Erecting owl boxes will help to
attract owls to the property (see heading 2).
The red-billed Oxpecker can be one of the farmers greatest natural allies
on game and cattle farms, making it very important to employ farming
practices which offer the bird the best chance of survival by managing tick
infestations with the correct products and management protocols.
Where the use of chemicals is necessary, careful research should be done

to choose the product which will do the job with the least impact over the
long term. Biodegradability, frequency of use, effects on other organisms,
and accuracy of application are all important factors to consider in making
a choice. Once the product is selected, the instructions of use should be
Dipping against ticks almost eradicated the red-billed Oxpeckers in South

Africa (thus Operation Oxpecker). Fortunately, the introduction of
environmentally-compatible chemicals, pyrethroid and amidine acaricides
brought new hope for oxpeckers. For more information on (i) how to
phase in oxpecker-friendly dips, then lessen dip-dependence by phasing in
the oxpecker, and (ii) to order the Oxpeckers, Ectoparasiticides and Farmers
Manual please contact Arnaud le Roux Cell: 082 325 6578, or write to
oxpecker@ewt.org.za.
Find out about oxpecker-friendly dips on the market.
125
3. South African birds in trouble

In South Africa, a number of birds are on the IUCN Red List, with several
heading for extinction.
The Wattled Crane (Bugeranus carunculatus) is the most severely
threatened crane on the African continent.
The Taita Falcon (Falco taita)
The South African Blue Swallow population (Hirundo atrocaerulea)
of approximately 57 known pairs is locally classified as Critically
Endangered.
The endemic Southern Bald Ibis (Geronticus calvus) is dependent on
good land use practises for its survival across its distribution in the
grasslands of South Africa.
The Secretarybird (Sagittarius serpentarius) is one of only two species
uplisted globally based on threats to this species.
The White-winged Flufftail (Sarothrura ayresi) which is Critically
Endangered is dependent on good quality available wetland habitat
across its distribution.
Source: Birdlife SA
4. Avitourism
Find out about the National Avitourism Strategy, in final draft phase in 2012, at
www.tourism.gov.za.
Avitourism, the travel for the purpose of bird watching, is reputed to be one
of the fastest growing nature-based tourism activities worldwide. Some of
the key findings of the study, done by the Department of Trade and Industry
(dti) to investigate the value and growth potential of avitourism, indicate
that:
the total size of South Africas current Avitourism market range
between 21 000 and 40 000 avitourists annually, of which between 13
000 and 24 000 are domestic avitourists;
avitourists generally offer higher than average trip spend, longer
trip lengths and a greater tendency to visit multiple provinces than
mainstream market segments; and
South Africa has attractive core birding assets compared to competitor
destinations, particularly in areas of species diversity, endemism and
rarity.
Find the Department of Trade and Industry study, Avitourism in South
Africa (Niche Tourism Markets) under Publications at www.thedti.gov.za.
The publication includes notes on how to start your own avitourism business,
how to become a Community Bird Guide etc.
5. Role players
Find the contact details of conservancies in the Conservancies chapter.
African Bird of Prey Sanctuary
Tel: 031 785 4382
www.africanraptor.co.za
Avizandum
Tel: 031 763 4054
www.sabirdkeeper.co.za
Animal Demography Unit (ADU) BirdLife South Africa

Tel: 021 650 2423
Tel: 011 789 1122
www.adu.org.za
www.birdlife.org.za
Previously the Avian Demography BirdLife South Africa programmes
Unit, the ADU changed its name to include:
reflect its widening focus.
1. Species
Conservation: EWT Programmes include:
Dr
Hanneline
Smit,
conservation@birdlife.org.za
African Crane Conservation
- Southern Bald Ibis Manager:
Programme: Kerryn Morrison,
Kate Henderson, ibis@birdlife.
kerrynm@ewt.org.za
org.za
Airport Wildlife Programme:
2. Important Bird Areas: Daniel
Claire
Patterson-Abrolat,
Marnewick, iba@birdlife.org.
claire@ewt.org.za
za
Birds Of Prey Programme: Andr
Regional
Conservation
Botha, andreb@ewt.org.za
Managers:
Arnaud le Roux is the contact
- Gauteng and North West:
person for the Oxpeckers and
Ernst Retief, conservation.
Farmers Project included in
gauteng@birdlife.org.za
the Wildlife Conflict Mitigation
Programme, oxpecker@ewt.
Mpumulanga
and
Free
-
org.za
State:
Charmaine
Uys,
grasslands@birdlife.org.za
Wildlife Energy Programme:
Megan
Diamond,
- Kwa-Zulu Natal: Nick Theron,
megand@ewt.org.za
kzn@birdlife.org.za
- Western Cape: Dale Wright,
westerncape@birdlife.org.za Read more at www.ewt.org.za.
3. Avitourism: Martin Taylor
FreeMe Wildlife Rehabilitation
taita@birdlife.org.za
Centre
The website is an essential source Tel: 011 807 6993 / 083 558 5658
of information with details of www.freeme.org.za
national projects, contact details
of bird clubs across the country, Read about the KwaZulu-Natal
branch at http://freemekzn.co.za.
online bird guides etc.
Charles Street Veterinary
Group
Tel: 012 460 9385
www.csvet.co.za
Moholoholo Wildlife
Rehabilitation Centre
Tel: 015 795 5236
www.moholoholo.co.za
Find the Owl project option on

the website. Farmers participating
in the project testify that they
have success in attracting owls and
getting rid of rats.
Parrot Breeders Association of

Southern Africa
Tel: 053 927 3084
www.aviculturesa.co.za
Delta Environmental Centre

Tel: 011 888 4831
www.deltaenviro.org.za
EcoSolutions
Jonathan Haw 072 365 9777
www.ecosolutions.co.za
Percy FitzPatrick Institute of

African Ornithology
Tel: 021 650 3290/1/7
www.fitzpatrick.uct.ac.za
SAFRING
see
Demography Unit (ADU)
Animal
South African Fancy Pigeon

Amongst other things, EcoSolutions Association
www.safancypigeonassociation.
supply and install owl boxes in the
za.org
Gauteng, North West and Western
Cape provinces.
Southern African Birding
Tel/fax: 031 266 5948
Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife
www.sabirding.co.za
Tel: 033 845 1999
www.kznwildlife.com
Urban Owl Nest Project and
Find the Birding option under Urban Raptor Conservation
Conservation and then Wildlife Programme
at www.kznwildlife.com. Sonja raptors@metroweb.co.za
Krueger has done a lot of work on
vultures in the Drakensberg. Write Wattled Crane Recovery
to her at skruger@kznwildlife. Programme
Tel: 072 874 9711
com.
www.wattledcrane.co.za
Endangered Wildlife Trust
Wild Bird Trust
Tel: 011 372 3600
Tel: 072 858 5644
www.ewt.org.za
www.wildbirdtrust.com
126

BirdLife South Africa
Tel: 011 789 1122
www.birdlife.org.za
Research is undertaken into,
for example, into reports of any
abnormal mortality amongst wild
birds on farms, sightings and
reports of Southern Bald Ibis and
Cape Parrot.

Field Guides Association of
Southern Africa (FGASA)
Tel: 011 886 8245
www.fgasa.co.za
FGASA
represents
individual
Tourist Guides, Nature, Culture
and Adventure guides, Trackers and
organisations involved in offering
professional guiding services to
members of the public. Guiding
standards are set and maintained
within the guiding industry. Several
FGASA-accredited
companies
offer birding courses e.g. Africa
Nature Training, EcoTraining South
Africa and Limpopo Field Guiding
Academy.

University (NMMU)
Tel: 044 801 5028/111
Animal Demography Unit
Tel: 021 650 2421
http://adu.org.za
Percy FitzPatrick Institute of African
Ornithology
Tel: 021 650 3290/1/7
fitz@uct.ac.za
www.fitzpatrick.uct.ac.za
Department Zoology and
Entomology
Tel: 051 401 2489
Department of Genetics
Tel: 051 401 2595
Others
include
Rhodes
University, University of the
Witwatersrand, University of
KwaZulu-Natal.
Numerous
universities
do
ornithological training and bird
research. Some examples follow:

Die Volgids van Suider-Afrika (Ulrich Oberprieler, Burger Cillier) can
be ordered at www.lapa.co.za. The English version is entitled The Bird
Guide of Southern Africa. Order it at www.gameparkspublishing.co.za.
Find the various books by Ian Sinclair, in English and in Afrikaans, on
www.kalahari.net. These include:
- Sasol Birds of Southern Africa
- Sasol larger illustrated guide to birds of Southern Africa
Southern African Birdfinder Callan Cohen, Claire Spottiswoode ISBN 186872-725-4
Vols van die bosveld SC Kidson, HL van Niekerk ISBN 978-1-87509388-5 Available from Kejafa Knowledge Works. Visit www.kejafa.co.za.
Remarkable Birds of South Africa by Dr Peter Milstein, published by
Briza. Visit www.briza.co.za.
Newmans Birds by Colour Kenneth Newman (Struik Nature)
Adventures With Nature stocks several books on birds e.g. the Sasol
books and the Roberts Series. Visit www.awn.co.za.
Visit the Indicator Birding website, www.birding.co.za, for updates on
birding courses, birding tours etc.
For pictures, downloads and many bird-related links www.birdlife.
org.za
www.sabap2.org Southern African Bird Atlas Project 2, Mapping
the distribution and abundance of birds in South Africa, Lesotho and
Swaziland
www.worldmigratorybirdday.org World Migratory Bird Day (WMBD)
is a global initiative devoted to celebrating migratory birds and for
promoting their conservation worldwide.
SA Birding www.sabirding.co.za
The International Crane Foundation www.savingcranes.org
www.sanccob.co.za, website of the Southern African Foundation for
the Conservation of Coastal Birds
Find the different options to do with parrots at www.thomasriver.
co.za.
Our thanks to Hannelie Smit and Martin Taylor of Birdlife SA for feedback on the
draft chapter
resources and good

Conservancies and farming

1. Overview
The agricultural sector uses approximately 80% of South Africas 120
million hectare land surface, incorporating some of our countrys most
sensitive ecosystems. Many of our countrys farmers are indeed good land
conservationists. Unfortunately, with ever increasing financial, resource and
manpower burdens placed at the foot of our agricultural industry, many
farmers are forced to ensure that every portion of their land becomes
financially productive. How we avoid the negative impact on our biophysical
environment?
Conservancies find common ground and create a meaningful partnership
between nature conservation and agriculture.
2. Conservancies
A conservancy is a voluntary association between land users/owners who
cooperatively wish to manage their natural resources in an environmentally
sustainable manner without necessarily changing the land-use of their
properties. Registration is granted by the relevant provincial nature
conservation authority.
A conservancy is NOT a miniature game reserve or nature reserve (even if it
is about farming in a way which is game and nature friendly). A conservancy
is a voluntary and co-operative action by landowners/users to provide for
the yearnings of their souls, e.g. space, silence and the aesthetic therapy of
natural beauty, and in doing so are compelled to look after the requirements
of nature. To live and/or work in a conservancy does not imply that you
have to change your form of land use, or that your title deed is going to
be amended. It also does not imply that someone is going to offer you
monetary compensation for the time, effort and money you invest into the
quality of your own life and for the common good.
What living in a conservancy does imply is that each individual slowly but
surely starts to consider the consequences, both positive and negative,
of his or her actions. The consequences for self, family, neighbours,
community, own property, adjacent properties, the conservancy as a whole
and eventually much wider. For example, a river does not flow through only
one smallholding, farm or even conservancy.
A conservancy looks after the interests of nature because it assumes that
the best interest of humans and nature are inextricable. What is good for
the one is good for the other and vice versa. In a conservancy, people are
considered key species of the ecosystem or agroecosystem and have to
learn to rub shoulders with other life forms in such a manner that most can
continue to exist.
Both the words ecology and economy stem from the Greek root oikos
that can be translated as household. Perhaps the idea that what is in our
best interest is also in the best interest of nature or vice versa, is not far
fetched at all.
3. The case for conservancies

South Africas game parks and nature reserves are not sufficient for the
conservation of biodiversity, simply because most of our biodiversity exists
outside these formally protected areas.
Conservancies bring many advantages, for the biodiversity as well as for the
communities living or farming within it:
127
Biodiversity survives and physical resources are conserved.

The reporting, monitoring and co-operatively managing of exotic
plants and animals happens.
Wildlife increases in Conservancy areas.
The economic value of the area is improved owing to healthier veld
conditions and better overall security.
Landowners become more conscious of their indigenous animal and
plantlife.
Game becomes tamer and is more readily seen, but protected at the
same time.
Conservancies are extensively used to release rehabilitated wildlife, in
cooperation with FreeME (visit www.freeme.org.za)
A closer community is formed.
The local population usually supports the presence of Game Rangers.
Vagrants tend to avoid a regularly patrolled area.
Harassment of local population is reduced.
There are marked decreases in stock and crop theft in the conservancy
area.
There is better control of stray dogs, and less hunting by dogs and the
chances of rabies.
Fences are patrolled more regularly;
Pumps and water holes are patrolled more regularly.
There are fewer uncontrolled forest and veld fires in the area owing to
co-operative fire management strategies.
There is better general security.
New skills are developed. Conservation by people for people
(conservancies) is a new conservation ethic, which embodies
coexistence rather than segregation. How this is to be planned for and
managed will tax local people to the utmost, but also be the means
to heal the wounds of the past and create a dignified existence. We
need to coexist with nature in a manner that will allow most species
to survive well into the next century. For this to become reality local
people will need to develop many skills.
Conservancies enhances the use of the district for nature based
education.
The opportunity for eco/agro tourism is also enhanced.
An overall better social, cultural and natural environment leads to
a more healthy environment and, in turn, instils a greater sense of
community pride in ones surroundings.
4. What types of conservancies are there?

The most common Conservancies types in South Africa fall into the
following categories:
Rural (e.g. with nature
conservation or
LandCare motives)
Agricultural
Peri-Urban
Urban in urban living areas

Industrial in industrial areas
Informal Settlements
Marine & Coastal in the
marine & coastal areas.
Some provinces also have other types of conservancies:

Educational Conservancies e.g. on or around campuses and school
grounds.
Habitat Conservancies, set up to safeguard or conserve specific
endangered habitats e.g. Bullfrog Pan Conservancy in Gauteng.
Cultural Conservancies to protect places of cultural or historical
value.
5. Rangers
In rural and agricultural districts that have formed a conservancy, it is
advisable to employ field rangers. This, however, is a matter of choice and
necessity.
Although there are, obviously, costs involved with the employment of
field rangers, one must decide if this is offset by the savings a community
gains through greater protection of natural resources in the area, proper
maintenance of fences and better protection of livestock and crops through
a more efficient on the ground reporting system.
6. Training of rangers
Most Nature Conservation Departments provide training to ensure that
conservancy rangers are well trained and that high standards are met.
Training is usually free but the conservancy is responsible for accommodation
and food during training. Sponsors may be identified to provide support for
training programmes. The following aspects are covered during most of the
courses:
security and discipline
methods of patrolling
and reporting
Nature Conservation laws
identification of plants,
insects, fish, birds,
reptiles and animals
identification of exotic
plants and animals
muti and medicinal plants

control of veld fires
benefits of recycling
personal hygiene and
yard management
public relations
tourism
maintenance of hiking trails
Get in touch with your provincial NACSSA affiliate (see heading 9) for
details, or visit www.nacsa.co.za.
7. Business opportunities
The financial side of any organisation can see its success or failure so this
should be a focus point when starting a conservancy. The financial status and
management of the conservancy should be dealt with in the constitution.
The conservancy should have a financial year beginning and end, a bank
account and a treasure managing the funds. It should also give feed back to
the members on the financial status of the conservancy when needed at the
annual general meeting.
The examples below are just a few, where funds could play a major role in
the functioning of a conservancy:
employing rangers in
the conservancy;
training rangers in
the conservancy;
controlling exotic plant and
animals in the conservancy;
rehabilitating habitats in the
conservancy;
maintaining fire breaks around

the conservancy;
getting specialist to assist
in the management of the
conservancy;
putting up signboards in the
conservancy.
Management fees are the obvious way to generate some funds for the
conservancy, but there are other ideas, mainly revolving around cooperation in eco-tourism opportunities. The following can be developed by
the landowners to generate income in the conservancy:
hiking trails
picnic areas
fishing opportunities
bird watching
mountain bike trails
overnight facilities
farm holidays
sponsors can provide financial
support
Labour intensive conservancy projects, such as invasive alien plant

management, should create opportunities for the hiring of jobless, previously
disadvantaged communities.
There is a new push for biodiversity stewardship where farmers are given
incentives and support to include areas that are managed for biodiversity
in their farms. Inquire about deductions for tax paying farmers under the
Income Tax Act. Two of these are:
expenditure on the conservation and maintenance of land under
a biodiversity-management agreement entered into between the
landowner and the Environmental Affairs Minister;
a tax deduction for money spent maintaining land under the
Protected Areas Act.
Contact your tax consultant or one of the role players (see heading 9)
for more.
128
8. Projects and ideas for conservancies

Anyone can start a conservancy!
Biodiversity is declining at an alarming rate and ecosystems face terminal
threat through mass extinction of species. Plant and animal resources
have always fed and nurtured us. Forming conservancies is a positive step
towards protection of our environment and our cultural resources. In our
conservancies are rare plant and animal life as well as historical sites it is
essential that ALL these valuable natural assets be noted.
The way you wish to organise your conservancy and the projects initiated
will be up to your community and committee, however, please note that,
although conservancies can play an important role in reducing crime in an
area, they should not be confused with security organisations such as farmwatch.
Ideas for conservancies:

1. Look at places of importance, note activities, historical places and
natural places:
- Historical Places i.e. buildings, walls, trees, water springs, pits, history of
the conservancy, graves.
- Natural Places i.e. wetlands, streams etc, restore wetlands and banks of
wetlands, restore stream flow and stream banks, grasslands, restore
grasslands by removing litter, start a trail, construct a bird hide,
reintroduce wildlife, plant an indigenous forest, eradicate exotic and
invader plants, start a horsetrail, establish a nursery, environmental
club, help farmers with fire breaks etc.
2. Develop checklists of species e.g. birds, trees, plants insects,
amphibians, reptiles, animals.
3. Other interesting project ideas are to start a recycling project, consider
fund-raising e.g. paper tin and plastic collecting, start a compost heap,
vegetable garden, herb garden or medicinal plant nursery.
Select a steering committee that will inform the participants about setting
up and running the conservancy CONSERVANCIES ARE THE MOST
IMPORTANT CONSERVATION ACTIVITY FOR THE NEW CENTURY.
Remember each Conservancy develops its own constitution. Refer to the
NACSSA websites for examples.
For further ideas refer to the booklet Projects and Ideas for Conservancies
available from Gauteng Conservancy Association. Email conservancy@cons
ervancies.org or write to PO Box 1552, Walkerville 1876.
9. Role players
Cape Nature
Tel: 021 483 0000
www.capenature.co.za

(EWT)
Tel: 011 372 3600
ewt@ewt.org.za
Find Stewardship under the www.ewt.org.za
Programmes menu option on the
website. Download a PDF of all the Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife
registered provincial conservancies KZN Biodiversity Stewardship
(Stewardship Nature Reserves).
Programme manager
Tel: 033 845 1805
Conservation Management
Services
Find the notes on Stewardship
Ken Coetzee 044 870 8472
under
Conservation
and
consken@mweb.co.za
Conservation Planning options at
www.kznwildlife.com. Additional
contacts are listed under Contact
Animals in conservancies,
us.
management plans, impact
assessments
Janet Edmonds Consulting

Tel: 033 940 0450
www.jecenviro.co.za
Centre
Tel: 011 807 6993 / 083 558 5658
www.freeme.org.za
Rehabilitation
Centres
for
indigenous wildlife, catering for
birds as well as mammals. Read
about the KwaZulu-Natal branch
at http://freemekzn.co.za.
KwaZulu Hybrid Seeds
Tel: 031 785 1581
wensim@mweb.co.za
to those working in the field of

nature conservation. NACSSAs
vision is to promote stewardship of
natural resources at a community
level.
Find the list of NACSSA provincial
representatives on the website.
(Potchefstroom Campus)
Tel: 018 299 2510
Klaus.Kellner@nwu.ac.za
www.nwu.ac.za
Regalis Environmental Services

Jan Vlok 044 279 1987
Seed mixes can be used to attract janvlok@mweb.co.za
game already present on a farm.
Vegetation
in
conservancies,
plans,
impact
National
Association
of management
Conservancies and Stewardships assessments
of South Africa (NACSSA)
Tel: 016 590 2914
www.nacssa.co.za
NACSSA fulfils a vital role in Tel: 021 808 3728
supporting and assisting the www.cons-ent.com
agricultural industry with respect
to best land management practices
and, in turn, recognise that there Management
is a wealth of stored knowledge Tel: 051 401 2863
which can be gained from farmers www.ufs.ac.za/cem
which can be of great importance

Individual conservancies websites can be accessed on www.
conservancies.org and www.nacssa.co.za.
Find NACSSA agricultural policy documents and more on www.nacssa.
co.za.
Introduction to Land Stewardship www.stewardship.co.za
Read about the Biodiversity & Wine Initiative in the wine chapter.
For more information and comprehensive manuals e.g. Conservancies
Handbook, Guidelines for Conservancy Management Planning, School
Conservancies etc. go to www.conservancies.org or contact your
nearest conservancy.
A national newsletter NACSSA NEWS is published and distributed to
interested parties via email.
Many conservancies produce their own newsletters, essential
reading category updates, pamphlets, handbooks, guidelines, as well
as information on projects and ideas for conservancies. Examples of
newsletters are KZNs The Guinea fowl and Gautengs The Ear to the
Ground.
Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife has a booklet Guidelines for the Formation of a
Conservancy, and has a wealth of advice about where to start, how to
draw up a constitution etc. Call 033 845 1999.
Share-Net is an informal networking project that supports environmental
education and development in the SADC region. Call the Share-Net
team at 033 330 3931 or email sharenet@wessa.co.za.
Sources: Trafford Petteron (NACSSA); Ivan Parkes (Gauteng Conservancy and
Stewardship Association); an abridged version of At Krugers articles in The
Malachite (2005). Thanks to Ivan Parkes for feedback on the draft chapter
129
National Environmental Management Act (107 of 1998)
resources and good

Environmental legislation
1. Overview
Often, environmental issues are assumed to be green issues, only relating
to natural resources like animals and plants. In reality, a triple bottom line
concept must be considered when understanding the environment, i.e.
ecological, economic and social aspects. It is only through the interaction of
these three aspects that the real environment can be accurately determined
and understood.
Ecological aspects include plants, animals, water, air and soil while social
issues are related to human interaction, and include issues such as education,
traffic, noise impacts, poverty and visual impacts. Economic issues include
capital outlay, returns on investments and employment opportunities.
The concept of environmental sustainability strives to draw these three
aspects of our environment together to ensure that the needs of future
generations can be guaranteed, while ensuring that the environment is
safeguarded.
This chapter is included for two reasons:
Farmers can get into trouble when they are not familiar with
environmental issues.
As mentioned in the biodiversity chapter, any national conservation
strategy needs to take account of the important role of farmers in
conservation.
2. Environmental legislation
South Africa is governed by a number of legislative provisions relating to the
environment, and these include both national and international laws.
INTERNATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL CONVENTIONS include:
The Ramsar Convention An intergovernmental treaty that provides
the framework for international cooperation for the conservation and
wise use of wetlands and their resources, with emphasis on ecological,
economic and social feasibility.
Convention on Biological Diversity Aims to conserve biological
diversity and promote the sustainable use of its components with
equitable sharing of the benefits arising from the utilization of
resources.
United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification Requires
countries to respond to land degradation and the effects of drought,
including the rehabilitation, conservation and sustainable management
of land and water resources.
New Partnership for Africas Development (NEPAD)
Conservation and sustainable use of natural resources is one of the
eight themes under this environment initiative.
The World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD)
Promotion of watershed and water resource protection and restoration
to reduce the risk of flooding in drought-vulnerable countries.
Locally, our NATIONAL LEGISLATION pertaining to the environment
includes the following:
The Constitution of South Africa (108 of 1996)
Everyone has the right to have the environment protected by legislative or
other means to:
prevent ecological degradation and pollution;
promote conservation; and
secure ecologically sustainable development and use of natural
resources.
The National Environmental Management Act (NEMA) is the overarching

environmental legislation in South Africa and deals with a number of issues
including:
Sustainable development taking into account social, economic and
environmental factors in all planning and decision making.
Disturbances of eco-systems and loss of biodiversity must be avoided
or mitigated and there must be a duty of care to prevent significant
pollution and environmental degradation.
The Polluter Pays Principle states that the cost of remedying
pollution, environmental degradation and consequent adverse health
effects and of preventing, controlling or minimising further pollution,
environmental damage or adverse health effects must be paid for by
those responsible for harming the environment.
There are set procedures for the investigation, assessment and
communication of any activity requiring environmental authorisation.
Under Section 24 of the NEMA, specific legislation in terms of the
Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Regulations is included. This is
discussed in more detail under heading 3.
The National Water Act (36 of 1998)
The intention of the National Water Act is to protect South Africas water
resources and associated ecosystems and their biological diversity. See the
Water chapter.
Conservation of Agricultural Resources Act (43 of 1983)
The intention of the Act is to control the over-utilisation of South Africas
natural agricultural resources, and maintaining the production potential of
land. The conservation of soil and water resources and natural vegetation
is promoted through the prevention and control of erosion, protection
of surface and groundwater, and the prevention of the silting of dams and
pollution of water.
Combating of weeds and invader plants is covered by Amended Regulations
15 and 16 of the Act, which were promulgated on 30 March 2001. See the
Invasive Alien Species chapter.
National Veld and Forest Fire Act (101 of 1998)
The purpose of the National Veld and Forest Fire Act is to prevent and
combat veld, forest and mountain fires throughout South Africa. See the
Fire chapter.
National Forests Act (84 of 1998)
The purpose of the Act is to protect and promote sustainable use of forests
for environmental, economic, educational, recreational, cultural, health and
spiritual purposes.
Natural Heritage Resources Act (25 of 1999)
The purpose of the Act is to protect South Africas natural and cultural
heritage. This may include the protection of a landscape, natural features
and objects or places of cultural significance, historical importance and
archaeological / geological value. According to the Act, all buildings older
than 60 years may not be altered in any way without authorisation from the
Provincial Heritage Authority (e.g. KZN Amafa).
The National Environmental Management: Biodiversity Act (10 of
2004)
The intention of the Act is to protect species and ecosystems and promote
the sustainable use of indigenous biological resources. This Act establishes
the South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI), which may coordinate the implementation of programmes for the rehabilitation of
ecosystems.
National Environmental Management: Protected Areas Act (57 of
2003)
The intention of the Act is to protect and conserve ecologically viable areas
and their natural landscapes.
131
Kinds of protected areas are:

game reserves, nature reserves and protected environments
World Heritage Sites
specially protected forest areas
mountain catchment areas
Landowners are encouraged to place land under formal protection/
conservation, and to encourage this, rates rebates are available to
landowners who do so.
The Mountain Catchments Areas Act (63 of 1970)
The intention of the Act is to provide for the conservation, use, management
and control of land situated in mountain catchment areas.
Other Acts and Legislation
Attention is drawn to the World Heritage Conventions Act, (49 of 1999)
in which World Heritage Sites fall under the control of the management
authority and the relevant municipality.
The Seashore Act, (21 of 1935) and the Marine Living Resources Act, (18 of
1998) include the definitions of estuarine and inland waters.
Provincial and local government legislation may have specific relevance to
particular instances within their jurisdictions. These must be considered on
a case by case basis.
3. Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA)

regulations
Under Section 24 of the NEMA, Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA)
Regulations have been promulgated under Government Notice (GN) R 543
(2010), and these specify certain Listed Activities for which either a Basic
Assessment (GN R 544 and R 546) or a Scoping and Environmental Impact
Assessment (GN R 545) is required.
There are several Listed Activities which are applicable to proposed
developments or improvements within the agricultural sector. These include
activities related to livestock production, packsheds, fuel storage, effluent
ponds, removal of indigenous vegetation through ploughing, establishment
of bridges / weirs, water extraction and storage in dams, composting and
waste management, release of genetically-modified organisms and the
subdivision of land. These are specified in more detail below:
Under GN R 544, the following activities would trigger the need for a Basic
Assessment to be carried out:
Part 3: The construction of facilities or infrastructure for the slaughter
of animals with a product throughput of (i) poultry exceeding 50
poultry per day; or (ii) game and red meat exceeding 6 units per day;
Part 4: The construction of facilities or infrastructure for the

concentration of animals for the purpose of commercial production in
densities that exceed
- 2m2 per large stock unit and more than 500 units per facility;
- 8 m2 per small stock unit and (a) more than 1 000 units per facility
excluding pigs where (b) will apply; (b) more than 250 pigs per facility,
excluding piglets that are not yet weaned;
- 30m2 per crocodile at any level of production, excluding crocodiles
younger than 6 months;
- 3m2 per rabbit and more than 500 rabbits per facility; or
- 250m2 per ostrich or emu and more than 50 ostriches or emus per
facility or 2500m2 per breeding pair;
Part 5: The construction of facilities or infrastructure for the
concentration of:
- (i) more than 1 000 poultry per facility situated within an urban
area, excluding chicks younger than 20 days; or
- (ii) more than 5 000 poultry per facility situated outside an urban
area, excluding chicks younger than 20 days.
Part 8: The construction of a hatchery or agri-industrial infrastructure
outside industrial complexes where the development footprint covers
an area of 2000m2 or more
Part 11: The construction of (i) canals, (ii) channels, (iii) bridges, (iv)
dams, (v) weirs, (x) buildings exceeding 50m2 in size, (xi) infrastructure
or structures covering 50m2 or more, where such construction occurs
within a watercourse or within 32 metres of a watercourse, measured
from the edge of a watercourse.
Part 12: The construction of facilities or infrastructure for the off-stream
storage of water, including dams and reservoirs, with a combined
capacity of 50 000 m3 or more, unless such storage falls within the
ambit of the activity listed in Activity 19 of GN R 545 of 2010;
Part 13: The construction of facilities or infrastructure for the storage, or
for the storage and handling, of a dangerous good, where such storage
occurs within containers with a combined capacity of 80 500m3.
Part 25: The release of genetically modified organisms into the
environment, where assessment for such release is required by the
Genetically Modified Organisms Act, 1997 (Act No. 15 of 1997) or the
National Environmental Management: Biodiversity Act, 2004 (Act No.
10 of 2004);
Under GN R 546, certain Listed Activities would trigger the need for a
Basic Assessment to be carried out, due to the location of the site within
specified Geographical Areas. These include sites outside urban areas, in
Protected Areas, Conservancies or Biosphere Reserves, within 5km of a
Nature Reserve or within 10km of a World Heritage Site, in sensitive areas
identified in terms of a Environmental Management Framework, in critical
biodiversity areas, or in areas zoned for open space or conservation use.
The types of Listed Activities for these areas include:
Part 2: The construction of reservoirs for bulk water supply with a
capacity of more than 250m3;
Part 3: The construction of masts or towers of any material or type
used for telecommunication broadcasting or radio transmission
purposes where the mast : (a) is to be placed on a site not previously
used for this purpose, and (b) will exceed 15m in height, but excluding
attachments to existing buildings and masts on rooftops;
132
Part 4: The construction of a road wider than 4m with a reserve less

than 13,5m;
Part 8: The construction of aircraft landing strips and runways shorter
than 1,4km;
Part 10: The construction of facilities or infrastructure for the storage, or
for the storage and handling, of a dangerous good, where such storage
occurs within containers with a combined capacity of 30 80m3; and
The clearance of vegetation where 75% or more of the vegetative
cover constitutes indigenous vegetation, ranging in size from 300m2 to
5ha or more (specific to sites environmental sensitivity).
A diagrammatic representation of the Basic Assessment Process is shown in Figure 1.
The following Listed Activities under GN R 545 would require a Scoping

and EIA process to be conducted:
Part 16: The physical alteration of virgin soil to agriculture, or
afforestation for the purposes of commercial tree, timber or wood
production of 100ha or more; and
Part 19: The construction of a dam where the highest part of the dam
wall, as measured from the outside toe of the wall to the highest part
of the wall, is 5m or higher or where the high-water mark of the dam
covers an area of 10ha or more.
It should be noted that there may be additional Listed Activities specific to
agriculture, which are not listed above. It should also be noted that additional
Listed Activities for aquaculture and the production of finfish, crustaceans,
reptiles, amphibians, molluscs and aquatic plants are specified in the EIA
Regulations. Environmental assessments are also required for the expansion
of agricultural facilities, according to certain thresholds.
Should any of the above be triggered by a proposed activity on a farm,
then under GN R 543 of 2010, the applicant is required to appoint an
independent Environmental Assessment Practitioner (EAP) to conduct the
environmental authorisation process (Basic Assessment or Scoping and EIA)
on behalf of the applicant.
4. Environmental Monitoring and Auditing

Environmental Compliance Monitoring
A requirement of the environmental authorisation process most often
includes the compilation of an Environmental Management Plan (EMPr).
This document contains guidelines to ensure that all activities associated
with the proposed development are carried out in an environmentally
responsible and acceptable manner, e.g. safe storage of hazardous chemicals,
sensible siting of ablution facilities, effective control of workers activities,
implementation of methods to reduce soil erosion and compliance with
health and safety issues.
An EMPr is a legally-binding document that contains guidelines with which
building contractors and / or applicants must comply, and that must be
strictly implemented and regularly monitored. If this is done, it is likely
that the majority of the potentially adverse impacts can be minimised or
prevented. The EMPr should be based on the principles of the NEMA as
well as the recommendations made in the preceding Basic Assessment
Report or the Scoping and EIA Reports.
The EMPr specifies management objectives and the roles and responsibilities
of management personnel on site. The EMPr also includes specific mitigation
measures for the entire duration of the development, namely the following
stages:
planning and design
pre-construction and construction activities
operation of the activity
rehabilitation of the environment
closure (where relevant)
The EMP should be used as a framework for environmental compliance
monitoring and reporting. In order to effectively monitor compliance with
the EMP, an Environmental Control Officer (ECO) should be appointed by
the applicant. The ECO will conduct regular inspections of the site or facility
to ensure that activities are being responsibly undertaken, in line with the
guidelines set out in the EMP. Should non-compliance occur, the ECO will
bring this to the attention of the relevant authority, who will instruct the
necessary remediation procedure or prosecute, if necessary.
Auditing / Certification
Auditing of specific industries according to a set industry standard is often
a requirement in order to be able to export agricultural produce to certain
overseas markets. For example, GLOBALG.A.P. is based on the concept
of Good Agricultural Practise (GAP) and is recognised as an international
benchmark or standard that is applicable to a variety of products, including
plant and livestock production, plant propagation and feed manufacturing.
Other standards exist within the agricultural sector, such as the Forest
Stewardship Council (FSC), which is a certification system applicable to
forest management, and ensures that all FSC-accredited timber is produced
in an environmentally sustainable manner.
These types of audits often require regular self-audits followed by less
frequent audits by independent certification bodies. The concept of
standards and auditing systems is usually one of self-improvement towards
achieving specific and attainable goals; however, non-compliance can result
in losing accreditation, resulting in a reduction in market opportunities.
5. Rehabilitation
Humans rely on the natural functioning of ecosystems to provide them with
goods (e.g. oxygen from trees) and services (e.g. clean water). Land that has
been disturbed by human activities cannot perform these natural functions
as efficiently as pristine land. It is therefore necessary to rehabilitate land that
has been disturbed by agriculture or other activities (e.g. construction).
Land that is due to be rehabilitated is often initially bare (no vegetation). In
this situation, protecting soil from being washed away by moving water is
always the priority. If a good soil layer already exists, planting grass varieties
such as Paspalum or Vetiver will help to bind the soil. This can be most
effectively achieved by planting plugs of grass, but other methods such as
hydro-seeding or simply sowing grass seed are also effective.
When there is too little soil to plant grasses, erosion structures built along
the contours of the slope will trap soil during rainfall events that can then
be used for planting.
For successful rehabilitation, the gradient of the land needs to be made
as gentle as possible, as steep land allows for very fast water run-off that
accelerates erosion. To avoid this, any steps in slopes must be evened out
and all erosion preventing structures must be built along contours to avoid
water channelling.
To achieve successful rehabilitation, the flow of water must be slowed down
using a water attenuation system that can be built using local materials
such as stones and branches. However one must be careful not to disturb
another site when sourcing such materials. Structures should be built as high
up on the slope as possible in order to prevent build up in momentum as
stormwater moves down the slope. The steepness of the slope and severity
of disturbance will determine the spacing of the structures moving down
the slope.
Extremely steep ground can be virtually impossible to rehabilitate without
the use of climbing equipment and bio-matting, which is used to cover the
entire slope.
Levels of intervention for soil stabilisation

Level 0: No Intervention. The habitat is stable and no erosion control
measures are required, as the naturally occurring rehabilitation is
adequately.
Level 1: Minimum Intervention. Small bare patches on gentle slopes
may need grassing, or a stabilising material placed over them.
Level 2: Low to Medium Intervention. Extended areas of exposed soil
on relatively gentle slopes may facilitate water runoff during rainfall.
This will lead to minor soil loss if patches are not grassed or stabilised
with inert materials.
133
Level 3: Intermediate Intervention. Flowing water dislodges soil

particles and transports them off-site, leaving a scar on the land.
Erosion structures and revegetation practises should be implemented.
Level 4: Medium / High Intervention. When flow velocities become
too high, serious intervention is required through the introduction of
additional inert materials that add a strength component to protect the
underlying soil from erosion. Gabions and textile matting may be used
for this purpose when local materials are unavailable.
Level 5: Maximum Intervention. Although vegetation can nearly always
be used to curb erosion, situations arise on steep, bare land where
erosive forces are too great for vegetation develop without assistance.
Erosion structures such as gabion weirs will need to be constructed
to stabilise the soil movement before planting can take place. Steep
dongas may have to be back-filled using local materials before a soil
layer can be established for planting.
undertaking such an activity. The list of protected trees can be found on the
DAFF website (take the Forestry option).
Should the release of atmospheric emissions be a part of the proposed
activity, a permit in terms of the Atmospheric Pollution Prevention Act would
be required, in order to obtain authorisation to release certain emissions.
7. The National Environmental Management Act:

Waste Act and Environmental Impact Assessment
(EIA) Regulations
Rehabilitation may also be necessary when intensive alien plant invasion has
occurred, even if the soils are stable. Alien vegetation commonly establishes
in disturbed areas and on bare soil, so there is a relationship between these
two types of rehabilitation, thus a necessary step in rehabilitation is the
removal of any alien plant species and ongoing follow-ups. Refer to the
chapter on Invasive Alien Species is this directory for further information.
The National Environmental Management Act: Waste Act (NEMWA; Act

59 of 2008) is South Africas promulgated legislation relating to the storage,
reuse, recycling, recovery, treatment and disposal of hazardous and general
waste, including animal waste. In terms of the NEMWA, no person may
commence, undertake or conduct a waste management activity listed in
Schedule 1 unless a licence is issued in respect of that activity. According to
Schedule 1, certain Listed Activities are specified for which either a Basic
Assessment (Government Notice No. R (GN R) 544 and 546) or a Scoping
and Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA; GN R 545), as stipulated in
the EIA Regulations (see heading 3), is required to accompany the Waste
Licence Application Form.
The Department of Water Affairs, in its Working for Water Programme,

recommends the following regarding alien invasive species. Any control
programme for alien vegetation must include the following 3 phases:
The Listed Activities that are applicable to proposed developments or

improvements within the agricultural sector are:
Alien Vegetation
Initial control: drastic reduction of existing population;

Follow-up control: control of seedlings, root suckers and coppice
growth; and
Maintenance control: sustain low alien plant numbers with annual
control.
A variety of methods exist to control invasion of alien vegetation. Speciesspecific information relating to methods in manual and chemical control
can be obtained on the Working for Water website (www.dwa.gov.za/wfw/
Control). The Department of Environmental Affairs is also involved with
Working for Water see www.environment.gov.za/workingforwater.
Re-vegetation
Replanting of rehabilitated areas should be undertaken during seasons
of rainfall, to promote plant establishment and to reduce irrigation
requirements. Mulch could be added to the soil when replanting, to increase
organic content and to maximise the soils moisture-retention capabilities.
Species to be used in the re-vegetation exercise should be indigenous to
South Africa, or, better still, endemic (i.e. native to a specific limited area).
Grass seed mixes, indigenous shrubs and trees should be sourced from local
indigenous nurseries.
Further Reading:
Restoration ecology: the new frontier by Jelte van Andel, James Aronson.
Vetiver Grass: the hedge against erosion. Published by The Institute of
Natural Resources.
6. Environmental permits
Aside from the procedural requirements of the EIA process, certain
activities also require specific permits to be granted, prior to commencing
with the activity.
For example, the planting of timber plantations is classified as a
stream flow reduction activity, thus requires a permit to be issued by
the Department of Water and Environmental Affairs (DWEA). Similarly,
construction of a road or causeway over a stream or river would
also require a water use license application, as this activity could divert or
impede the flow of water in a watercourse. More information on water use
registering and licensing can be found on DWAs website www.dwa.gov.
za/Documents/Default.aspx.
Some proposed activities may result in protected tree species being
damaged or destroyed. In such cases, a permit is required to be submitted
to the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (DAFF), prior to
(3) The storage including temporary storage of general waste in

lagoons;
(9) The biological, physical or physico-chemical treatment of general
waste at a facility that has the capacity to process in excess of 10 tons
of general waste per day;
(10) The processing of waste at biogas installations with a capacity to
process in excess of five tons per day of bio-degradable waste;
(11) The treatment of effluent, wastewater or sewage with an annual
throughput capacity of more than 2 000 m3 but less than 15 000 m3;
(17) The storage, treatment or processing of animal manure at a
facility with a capacity to process in excess of one ton per day;
(18) The construction of facilities for activities listed in Category A of
this Schedule (not in isolation to associated activity);
(19) The expansion of facilities of or changes to existing facilities for any
process or activity, which requires an amendment of an existing permit
or license or a new permit or licence in terms of legislation governing
the release of pollution, effluent or waste; and
(20) The decommissioning of activities listed in this Schedule.
These Activities are classified by the NEMWA as Category A Activities,
thus a Basic Assessment Process must be conducted as part of the Waste
Management Licence Application.
The following Activities are classified by the NEMWA as Category B
Activities, thus require that a Scoping and EIA process is conducted, as
stipulated in the EIA Regulations:
(2) The reuse and recycling of hazardous waste;
(3) The recovery of hazardous waste including the refining, utilisation
or co-processing of waste at a facility with a capacity to process more
than 500 kg of hazardous waste per day excluding recovery that takes
place as an integral part of an internal manufacturing process within the
same premises or unless the Minister has approved re-use guidelines
for the specific waste stream;
(5) The treatment of hazardous waste using any form of treatment
regardless of the size or capacity of such a facility to treat such waste;
(7) The treatment of effluent, wastewater or sewage with an annual
throughput capacity of 15 000 m3 or more;
(8) The incineration of waste regardless of the capacity of such a
facility;
(9) The disposal of any quantity of hazardous waste to land; and
(11) The construction of facilities for activities listed in Category B of
this Schedule (not in isolation to associated activity).
Our gratitude to Janet Edmonds, Lauren and Andrew Booth for compiling this
valuable chapter. Contact them at 033 940 0450 / 082 828 7953 or write to
janet.jec@edelnet.co.za. Visit their website at www.jecenviro.co.za.
134
When not to burn
resources and good

Fire
1. Overview
Uncontrolled wild fires lead to direct losses in terms of:
loss of life, and disability, due to vegetation fires
loss of housing and possessions when thatched or wooden dwellings
ignite
loss of grazing, crops, livestock and natural resources
Farmers are urged to:
make certain that fire-fighting equipment is easily accessible and in
working condition
create firebreaks
participate in local fire protection association activities
Some horrific stories emerge after runaway fires. During the August 2011
fires in the North West Province, the wind, blowing at 80km/h changed
direction and cattle, kraaled for their own safety on many farms, were
trapped. During these fires, a farmer lay in a water trough to survive while
his cattle burnt to death around him. The reader is referred to the story
NSPCA and SPCAs confront runaway fires on www.nspca.co.za, and to
the many others that crop up during fire season in the coverage done by
the agricultural weeklies.
2. Burning your veld

In Africa, where lightning is common and people have used veld fires for
thousands of years to improve the quality of their grazing, veld fires have
a long history. Veld fires are also a controversial issue, however, and have
been banned totally in some countries. The truth is that veld fires can be a
useful veld management practice, but under the wrong conditions can also
cause great damage to the veld. Veld fires are a good servant, but a bad
master.
Veld is mainly burned for two reasons:
to remove accumulated organic material, particularly in areas with a
high rainfall;
to combat or prevent bush encroachment.
When to burn
This is not only determined by the correct season of the year, but also by
the amount of available combustible material. The right time of the year
to burn is probably as close as possible to the first spring rains. By burning
earlier in the year, the burned veld is exposed to cold and late winter winds,
which can remove valuable nutrients in the form of ash. In addition, the
stimulated grasses are weakened by having to rely on their reserves in order
to survive without water for long periods. This is particularly the case if
the veld is used as pasture. In both cases the presence of a dense stand of
perennial grasses is important. By burning veld that is in a poor condition,
the condition of the veld will deteriorate even further. When burning to
combat bush encroachment, it is important to have a good stand of dry
grass beneath the shrub to generate a hot fire.
It is advisable not to burn the veld under the following conditions:

Never burn to stimulate green pasture out of season. This practice has
the same negative consequences as overgrazing and will lead to large
scale veld deterioration over the long term.
Never attempt to burn veld that is in a poor condition. This veld is
already under stress and burning it will only let the veld deteriorate
even further. It is preferable to only burn veld that has a majority of
climax species and a biomass of 3 000 kg of combustible material and
more per hectare.
Veld in areas with a low rainfall (400 mm per annum and less) should
preferably not be burned. Should follow-up rains not fall straight away,
the veld will take a long time to recover.
Types of fire
A fire that burns in the direction of the wind is generally preferred. When
burning to remove declining veld, a cool fire is required. This can be
obtained by burning on a cool day with no wind. The cooler the fire, the less
damage is caused to dormant grass plants. When burning to control bush
encroachment, a hot fire is required. This can be achieved by burning on a
hot day with a low humidity. A hot fire on a windy day will cause the bush to
be burned right up to the crown, but with minimal burning at ground level.
Source: Guide to Grasses of SA. Frits van Oudtshoorn. Contact him at info@alut.co.za
(find his details under ALUT- role players heading)
3. Legal notes on firebreaks

It is the landowners responsibility to prepare firebreaks and have the correct
equipment and trained personnel to prevent the spread of fires. This is made very
clear in Act 101 of 1998. The act is available on www.firestop.co.za.
Landowners must prepare and maintain firebreaks on their side of the

boundary or fence as well as any adjoining land.
The Landowner must obtain permission and determine a mutually agreeable
date/s with owners of adjoining properties, and inform the fire protection
association for the area, if any.
If no agreement can be reached on dates, the Landowner must give the
owners of adjoining properties as well as the fire protection association in
the area (if any) at least 14 days written notice of the intended day/s when
the Landowner intends burning firebreaks.
An owner of adjoining land who has agreed on a day or who receives a
notice must burn his or her firebreak on the boundary concerned on the same day
or days;
be present at such burning or have his or her agent attend; and
ensure that a sufficient number of persons are present on his or her
side of the boundary to prevent any spread of fire when the firebreak
is burned.
An owner may not burn a firebreak, despite having complied with
subsection (2) of the Act, if the fire protection association objects to the
proposed burning; or a warning has been published because the fire danger
is high in the region; or the conditions are not conducive to the burning of
firebreaks.
135
The owner must inform the owners of adjoining land and the fire protection
association if burning cannot be done on the agreed day or days or any of the
days;
of the additional days on which he or she intends to bum because of
the failure to do so on the day or days.
It is not necessary for the owner to give 14 days notice of the additional
days.
Owners of adjoining land may agree to position a common firebreak away
from the boundary.
Should an owner intend to be absent for a period longer than 14 days during
the period or part of any period in which burning normally takes place,
he or she must give all owners of adjoining land an address and telephone
number, if any, at which he or she may be contacted.
If an owner of adjoining land is not present on the agreed or notified day or days; or
has not given an address and telephone number, if any, as required in
subsection (8), the owner may proceed with the burning in his or her
absence.
Requirements for firebreaks
An owner is obliged to prepare and maintain a firebreak with due regard
to the weather, climate, terrain and vegetation, and must ensure that it is
wide enough and long enough to have a reasonable chance of preventing a
veldfire from spreading to or from neighbouring land; it does not cause soil
erosion; and it is reasonably free of inflammable material capable of carrying
a veldfire across it.
Source: Agricultural Employers Organisation (LWO). Contact them at 0861 10 18 28
or visit www.lwo.co.za.
4. Fire Protection Associations (FPAs)

The National Veld and Forest Fires Act of 1998 provides a framework for
owners to organise and collaborate in veldfire management. The Act is
available on www.daff.gov.za. Alternatively, contact role players mentioned
in this chapter.
The formation of voluntary Fire Protection Associations (FPAs) is one way
to prevent, combat and manage fires throughout the country.
FPAs are envisaged to provide the overarching, co-ordinated support in
provinces aerial fire-fighting support, rapid attack teams, fire weather
services, and co-ordination of fire records and training.
Members are drawn from local communities and authorities, farmers,
residents, landowners, nature conservation, municipal fire services and so
on.
Through the FPA, farmers (and others) can pool their resources and jointly
develop and implement veldfire management strategies for their areas.
They can develop enforceable rules that protect all members and request
advice and assistance from the State-employed chief fire-protection officer.
This saves costs, protects you in terms of any compliance your insurer might
require and enhances the protection of properties from veldfires.
Find information on FPAs at www.firewisesa.org.za
Source: Farmers Weekly, 26 November 2010 pages 34, 35.
5. Role players
Associations
Find the AfriFireNet (Regional
Sub Sahara Wildland Fire Network)
pages at www.fire.uni-freiburg.
de, website of the Global Fire
Monitoring Centre (GFMC). The
GFMC is an Activity of the UN
International Strategy for Disaster
Reduction (UN-ISDR).
Firefighting Equipment Traders

Association
Tel: 011 397 1618/9
www.fpasa.co.za
Provincial conservation bodies like
CapeNature are involved.
Equipment
Bosvreter & Vuurvegter Tel: 014 778 9916 / 082 574 3792 www.
bosvreter.co.za
DoseTech Tel: 021 511 0840 www.dosetech.co.za
Firebreak Equipment Tel: 082 353 4336 www.firebreak.co.za
Fire Raiders Tel: 011 894 3205 www.fireraiders.co.za
Geofire Tel: 011 864 3812 / 082 850 8828 www.geofire.co.za
Goscor Power Products Tel: 0861 GOSCOR (467 267) www.goscorpower-products.co.za
Joubert Implements Tel: 021 887 1220 www.joubertimplemente.
co.za
McBeans Tel: 033 342 1541 www.mcbeans.co.za
NICs Trailers www.nictrailers.co.za
Rogue Agriculture Tel: 033 345 0038 www.roguesteel.co.za
The Irrigation Shop Tel: 012 804 2581 www.theirrigationshop.co.za
Turfmaster (Pty) Ltd Tel: 011 730 3400 www.turfmaster.co.za
Government
Working on Fire Programme
(WoF)
Tel: 013 741 6400 / 7340
www.workingonfire.org
Find the links to the SA National

Fire Danger Index, Advanced Fire
Information System (AFIS) and the
Integrated National Early Warning
System (INEWS) on the website,
WoF is a SA Government initiative www.ndmc.gov.za.
under the Expanded Public Works
Programme which employs people Department of Agriculture,
from disadvantaged communities Forestry and Fisheries (DAFF)
and trains them in fire fighting. They Directorate: Agricultural Risk and
are available to assist landowners in Disaster Management
the preparation of firebelts and the Tel: 012 319 7955 / 6
fighting of fires. Find details of the pa.dadrm@daff.gov.za
Integrated Fire Management (IFM)
Telephone numbers for the Forestry
strategy on the website.
section can be found at www.daff.
Contact details for their air gov.za (look for the Forestry
operations, ground operations, menu option)
training etc are available on their

Other government departments
website.
involved include Environment,
Water Affairs and Cooperative
Cooperative Governance
Governance. Find details on
South African National Disaster
www.environment.gov.za, www.
Management Centre
dwa.gov.za and www.cogta.gov.za.
Tel: 012 334 0726
www.ndmc.gov.za

Some AgriSETA accredited
providers of training run Fire
management training, some times
on your farm. Below are some
examples:
Central University of
Technology
School of Agriculture and
Tel: 051 507 3134
www.cut.ac.za
Africa Land-Use Training Tel:

014 717 3819 www.alut.co.za N Dip in Fire Technology is offered
Premier Pig Producers Tel: 012
361 3920
Umnga Farmers Training
Centre Tel: 045 933 1318
136
Council for Scientific and University of the Free State

Disaster Management Training
Natural resources and the
and Education Centre for Africa
environment
(DiMTEC)
Tel: 012 841 2911
Tel: 051 401 2721
www.csir.co.za
www.ufs.ac.za/dimtec
Nelson Mandela Metropolitan Wildland Fire Training Center
University (NMMU)
Africa (WFTCA)
Tel: 044 801 5028/111
Tel: 013 744 9328
The WFTCA is a unique facility on
Fire symposiums are run
the African continent for capacity
building, training and education
of a wide range of people, from
Department of Conservation a basic firefighter to national and
international policy makers. Find the
Tel: 021 808 3304
WFTCA web pages on www.fire.
www.cons-ent.com
uni-freiburg.de/GlobalNetworks/
Africa/WFTCA.htm
Services
Firewise SA see Working On Orsmond Aviation
Fire (see under the Government Tel: 058 303 5261
sub-heading)
www.orsmondaviation.co.za
Measured Farming
Tel: 033 345 2508
Aerial fire-fighting
SAFIRE Insurance Company

A business which has experience Limited
in assessing fires and the resultant Tel: 033 264 8500
damage
www.safireinsurance.com
NGOs
Children of Fire
Tel: 011 726 6529
www.firechildren.org
Children of Fire helps severely
burned children to get complex
surgery, therapy and education.
NSPCA
Tel: 011 907 3590
www.nspca.co.za

Visit the websites listed in this chapter e.g. www.firewisesa.org.za, www.
workingonfire.org and www.firestop.co.za. Find information as well as
references to publications.
Fire risk information on your area is updated daily on www.weathersa.
co.za. Also find the Fire Danger Index option at www.forestry.co.za.
The CSIRs Meraka Institute runs the Advanced Fire Information System
- satellite information on fires in Southern Africa. Visit http://afis.meraka.
org.za/afis
Kobus Bothas weather satellite photos of Southern Africa (www.
weatherphotos.co.za see the Fires menu option)
Resource materials on the National Veld and Forest Fire Act No 101 of
1998, a CD, includes a copy of the Act and answers to FAQs, include how
to fill in forms to register an FPA (Fire Protection Association). The CD is
available from Department of Forestry offices.
The Veld and Forest Firefighting Fundamentals handbook, by William C Teie
and edited by Fred Favard, is available from Working on Fire. Call 013 741
7461 or send an email to colleensparg@soft.co.za.
Fire Managers Handbook on Veld and Forest Fires: Strategy, Tactics and Safety
by William C. Teie. Call 012 348 1745 or write to saif@mweb.co.za.
brought out by the National Wool Growers Association (NWGA) includes
useful notes on fire management. Find the document on www.nwga.co.za
or contact 041 365 5030.
Gids tot die Volhoubare Produksie van Weiding Prof Hennie Snyman
Landbouweekblad. Order at 021 406 4962 or lbw@media24.com
The Fire Handbook, published by the Southern African Institute of Forestry
(SAIF). Visit www.saif.org.za for details (look for the Forestry Handbook
menu option).
Find the Fighting Fire Info Pak on www.daff.gov.za/publications.
For a free copy of the easy-to-understand booklet You, wildfires and the law,
contact the Working on Fire programme.
137
resources and good

Invasive alien species (IAS)

1. Overview
Category 3 Declared Invaders (Invasive plants with ornamental

value). These are plants that have the potential of becoming invasive
but are considered to have ornamental value. In terms of Regulation
15 of CARA, these plants will not be allowed to occur anywhere except
in biological control reserves unless they were already in existence
when these regulations came into effect (30 March 2001). This means
that the existing plants do not have to be removed by the land user;
however, they must be kept under control and no new plant may be
initiated, propagated or dispersed and the plants may no longer be
sold. Category 3 plants include Jacaranda, Syringa, Australian silky oak,
St Josephs lily etc.
Alien Species, also called, exotics, or non-indigenous species, are species

that have been taken, through human intervention, from their native range
to another area or region. Introduced species often find no enemies in their
new habitat and therefore multiply easily and quickly. Alien species that
become established in a new environment, then proliferate and spread
in ways that are destructive to biodiversity or/and human interests are
considered invasive alien species or IAS. While some species have invaded
habitats on their own, human movements have dramatically increased the
diversity and scale of invasions by alien species.
Agricultural Pests Act, Act No. 36 of 1983
The direct costs of management of invasives can run into the millions
of Rands, and in addition, the economic costs also include their indirect
environmental consequences and other non-market values. For example,
invasive species may cause changes in ecological services, including:
This act aims at protecting the national animal (and human) population,
as well as our export markets, against animal diseases. These diseases
are caused mainly by alien invasive pathogens. In terms of this act, each
consignment of animal and/or animal products for importation into South
Africa must be accompanied by an original veterinary import permit, issued
by the National Directorate Animal Health, and an original health certificate,
issued by the competent veterinary authority of the exporting country.
flood control and water supply

waste assimilation
recycling of nutrients
conservation and regeneration of soils
pollination of crops, and
seed dispersal
2. Legislation
South Africa has numerous Acts, administrated by different government
departments, which deal with different aspects of invasive alien species.
The ones most relevant to farmers are the Acts of the Department of
Agriculture, dealing mainly with weeds and plant invaders, crop pests and
diseases of livestock.
CARA (Conservation of Agricultural Resources Act 1983) (Act

No. 43 of 1983)
CARA has certain regulations that provide for the control of weeds and
invader plants. This act is currently under review regarding regulations 15
and 16 that are in the process of changing. The current CARA will thus
be discussed. In terms of these regulations 15, there are 3 categories of
regulated plants:
Category 1 Declared Weeds. These are plants that must be
controlled on land or water surfaces by all land users. These plants may
no longer be planted or propagated and all trade in seeds, cuttings or
other propagation material is prohibited. They may not be translocated
or be allowed to disperse. These species carry a fine. Category 1 plants
include Lantana, Pom pom weed, Water hyacinth, Yellow oleander etc.
Most of the aggressive species fall in this category. Category 2 species
without a permit are treated as category 1 species.
Category 2 Declared Invaders (Invasive plants with
commercial or amenity value). These are invader plants that
pose a threat to the environment but nevertheless can be exploited
for timber, fruits, fuel wood, medicinal plants, animal fodder, building
material or shelter or to stabilise soil. These species are only allowed
to occur in demarcated areas that carry a permit. If the plants are
used for commercial purposes, land users have to obtain a water use
licence as these plants consume large volumes of water. Where plants
occur outside demarcated areas they have to be controlled. Category
2 plants include Black wattle, Sisal, Grey poplar and Weeping willow
(not to be confused with indigenous willows). The landowner needs
to approach the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries
(DAFF) to obtain a permit for the category 2 species; the decision to
grant a permit is the responsibility of DAFF.
This Act provides for measures by which agricultural pests may be prevented
from entering the country, and by which existing pests may be combated.
It specifies, amongst other things, that any products or materials that might
harbour agricultural pests, require an import permit before they can be
imported into the country.
Animal Diseases Act, Act No. 35 of 1984
National Environmental Management: Biodiversity Act (NEM:

BA), No. 10 of 2004
This is a more recent piece of legislation, administrated by the Department
of Environmental Affairs, which aims to protect the countrys biodiversity
by, amongst others, controlling alien and invasive organisms. Chapter 5 of
this act requires permits for carrying out restricted activities involving any
alien species that has not been exempted, or any listed invasive species.
The restricted activities include importation, having under ones control,
propagating, selling, buying and translocating a specimen of the specific
species. Organisms that are indigenous to the country but occur outside
their natural range are also defined as alien species for the purposes of this
act. However, the regulations in terms of parts of this act still have to be
developed and it is not yet clear how this will affect farmers.
3. Control measures for Invasive Alien Plants

One or a combination of the following control methods are used:
mechanical (uprooting, felling, cutting, burning, brashing), chemical
(treatment with registered herbicides), and biological control (find the
Biocontrol chapter). Burning is also an option in certain environments
and the Working on Fire programme can be contacted for assistance in
this regard. An integrated management plan is recommended for any area
invaded by invasive alien plants, to determine the order in which different
alien species and sub-sections of the invaded area will be addressed, and
to ensure that the most efficient and cost-effective combination of control
methods is selected. Regular follow-up operations are very important and
necessary to achieve control when using mechanical or chemical measures.
The control should be strictly according to the label on the herbicide and no
off label applications should be considered as this is guided by the Fertilizers,
Farm Feeds, Agricultural Remedies and Stock Remedies Act, 1947 (Act No. 36
of 1947).
The control of alien invasive plants can be very expensive in terms of
manpower, material and equipment. If it is carried out incorrectly or if the
wrong method is chosen, this expenditure could be in vain, and it could
even result in huge environmental damage.
Before deciding on the most effective, affordable and appropriate control
option for invading alien plants in a particular situation, several factors
need to be borne in mind e.g. control methods should be used that are
appropriate for the species as well as ecosystems in which they occur. Find
the Guide to Clearing Alien Invasive Plants menu options on www.dwa.
gov.za/wfw.
138
Biocontrol is a long term sustainable solution to the invasive plant control

programme. It often works best in an integrated management system
where it augments the existing control programme and over the long
term reduces the costs of the other control methods, making the control
programme sustainable.
4. Rehabilitation of areas from which Invasive

Alien Plants have been cleared
Once invasive alien plants have been cleared from an area, it will certainly
not be the end of the problem. Many plants have the ability to sprout
or coppice from their roots or cut stumps unless the stumps are treated
with suitable herbicides, resulting in a worse infestation than before. Large
numbers of seeds of the invasive alien plants will still be in the soil, and these
will germinate in huge numbers once more sunlight penetrates to the soil.
The soil disturbance caused by the uprooting of trees also causes seeds of
invasive species to germinate. Many alien legumes, such as the Australian
Acacia species (wattles) have fire-resistant seeds that are stimulated by fires
to germinate, while most other seeds of indigenous plants will be killed.
Care must be taken in sensitive biomes such as the fynbos biome as the
legume species have nitrogen fixing bacteria in their roots that cause an
allelopathic effect and changes the soil composition thereby outcompeting
the indigenous species.
To prevent cleared areas from being overrun by invasive species again,
follow-up actions have to be maintained for as many years as it takes. It is
also very important to establish a more desirable form of vegetation in the
cleared areas, e.g. fast-growing grass species.
The following publications, which should be used in combination with
eachother, serve as a guideline for the rehabilitation of areas cleared of
invasive alien plants:
Rehabilitation recommendations after alien plant control. P Campbell.
Plant Protection Research Institute Handbook No 3. PPRI: 1-43.
Grab-a-grass dial: guidelines for rehabilitation after alien plant control.
PL Campbell. ARC-Plant Protection Research Institute. (Available
for KwaZulu-Natal; Mpumalanga & the Northern Province; the Free
State, Northern Cape, North West & Gauteng; Eastern Cape).
Both are obtainable from PPRI, Book sales. Phone 012 808 8000.
There is also information available from the Working for Water
programme on (tollfree) 0800 005 376 or www.dwa.gov.za/wfw.
5. The Working for Water programme

Visit www.dwa.gov.za/wfw
The fight against invasive alien plants (IAPs) is spearheaded by the Working
for Water (WfW) programme, and is administered through the Department
of Water and Environmental Affairs. WfW has been running since 1995
when it was first launched as part of the governments Reconstruction and
Development Programme (RDP). Every year the programme employs
around 30 000 people, mostly from poor communities.
Other government departments are involved: Agriculture, Forestry
and Fisheries (DAFF); Trade and Industry, Science and Technology, as
well as provincial departments of government. Research groups are
involved: Agricultural Research Council-Plant Protection Research Institute
(ARC-PPRI), Center of Excellence for Invasion Biology (CIB), South
African Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR). The Global
Invasive Species Programme (GISP) and the South African National
Biodiversity Institute (SANBI) are involved. Partnerships have also
been formed with the private sector through the South African Nursery
Association (SANA) to educate the industry about new amendments to
the law regarding IAPs and to make sure the IAPs are no longer being sold.
The partnership with SAPTA (South African Pet Traders Association)
highlights the dangers of aquatic weeds and fish pond/aquarium species
through awareness and education.
There is also collaboration with colleagues in other African countries on

the biological and integrated control of several invasive alien plant species
elsewhere in Africa.
Working for Water is currently engaged in a number of co-governance
arrangements with Programmes such as Working for Wetlands, Working on
Fire, Working on Woodlands and Woodlots etc. These are all Programmes
where invasive plants feature in their core business.
6. Role players
Africa Land-Use Training (ALUT)
Tel: 014 717 3819 / 078 228 0008
www.alut.co.za
ALUT offers training on the control of IAS.
The Agricultural Colleges do training in courses in alien plant control.
Find their details in the Agricultural education and training chapter.
ARC-Plant Protection Research Institute
www.arc.agric.za
Weeds Research Division
Mrs Hildegard Klein
Tel: 012 356 9841
infoppri@arc.agric.za
Research on biological and integrated

control strategies to protect the countrys
natural resources and biodiversity from
the threat of invasive alien plants
Insect Ecology Division

Dr Roger Price
Tel: 012 356 9817
pricer@arc.agric.za
Research on the biological control of

certain agricultural pests
Biosystematics Division
Dr Ansie Dippenaar
Tel: 012 808 8247
dippenaara@arc.agric.za
Identification of alien invertebrates

(insects, spiders, mites, nematodes, fungi),
and research on conservation biological
control
Find details of the new ARC-PPRI user-friendly fact sheets on invasive alien plants
and their biological agents under heading 9.
Bull Maurice Trading

Tel: 011 026 4077/7266
info@bullmaurice.com
www.bullmaurice.com
They manufacture a machine specially designed for the removal of alien
trees and plants that are invading our farmlands.
DST-NRF Centre for Invasion Biology (CIB)
Professor Dave Richardson
Tel: 021 808 2725
rich@sun.ac.za
www.sun.ac.za/cib
The CIB comprises a network of researchers throughout South Africa. Find
their names and contact details on the website.
Directorate: Land Use and Soil Management (LUSM)
Tel: 012 319 7685
DLUSM@daff.gov.za
Provincial LUSM offices:
Eastern Cape
Free State
Gauteng
KwaZulu-Natal
Limpopo
Mpumalanga
North West
Northern Cape
Western Cape
043 704 6815 / 079 495 4585

051 409 2623 / 084 813 1811
012 319 7562 / 082 574 7650
033 345 3557 / 073 859 2892
015 287 9944 / 071 607 6450
013 754 0727 / 083 235 6787
018 294 3343 / 083 460 9190
053 807 2612 / 073 654 0723
021 944 1425 / 083 423 4590
139
Other directorates:
Plant Health Tel: 012 319 6072 DPH@daff.gov.za
Agricultural Product Inspection Services Tel: 012 319 6100 DAPIS@daff.
gov.za
Animal Health Tel: 012 319 7456 sandraDAC@daff.gov.za
Department of Water and
Environmental Affairs
Tel: 086 111 2468
Nedbank committed R9-million

towards the World Wide Fund for
Natures (WWFs) Water Balance
programme. By clearing watersapping alien invasive plants, the
EcoGuard
investment will rehabilitate 450 ha
Tel: 011 463 6057
of land in the priority catchment
www.ecoguard.co.za
areas of the Enkangala Grasslands
in Mpumalanga, and the Upper
Solutions for Invader weed
Umgeni in KwaZulu-Natal. It is the
control provincial contact details
largest investment by a corporation
are available on the website.
into the Water Balance Programme
to date.
ECOPLUG
Tel: 021 873 1648
Tel: 011 304 7200
University (NMMU)
www.gisa.co.za/ecoplug
School of Natural Resource
Grassland Society of Southern Management (Saasveld Campus)
Nature Conservation & Game
Africa (GSSA)
Ranch Management
Tel: 049 842 4335
Tel: 044 801 5013
www.grassland.org.za
Hortec
Barry Muller has given ideas on
Tel: 023 316 1530
radio (RSG) about what to do with
www.hortec.co.za
invasive alien species on farms
Invader Plant Specialists
Tel: 021 976 6127 / 082 412 7411 Planet Wise cc
Tel: 028 261 1823 / 021 200 0561
invaderplant@mweb.co.za
sales@blk.co.za
www.invaderplant.co.za
The Environmental Weed Control Manufacturer and Wholesaler of
course is designed for people garden products made from alien
embarking on a career controlling Black Wattle.
and managing alien invasive plants.
Plant Science Consultants
Association (PSCA)
Jacklin Organic
Tel: 011 486 2254
Tel: 017 844 1589
info@avcasa.co.za
info@jacklinorganic.co.za
www.jacklinorganic.co.za
Invader / alien bush and tree
Wattle eradication and indigenous control
plants
Rand Water see Water Wise
JEC Environmental Services
Tel: 033 940 0450 / 082 828 7953 Sikhula Agri Training
Tel: 021 852 2643
www.jecenviro.co.za
Specialists in the Environmental
SiQ (Pty) Ltd
Consulting Industry
Tel: 012 807 9460
KZN Department of Agriculture www.siq.co.za
and Environment Affairs
Read about the Woody Alien
Michael Braack
Tel: 033 355 8069 / 079 895 3620 Invasive Monitoring System Project
on the website
Nedbank
South
African
National
Tel: 011 294 4444
Biodiversity Institute (SANBI)
www.nedbank.co.za
Tel: 012 843 5000
In August 2011, as part of its Tel: 021 799 8800
investment in the environment, www.sanbi.org
South African Nursery

Association (SANA)
Tel: 072 994 5368
www.sana.co.za

Department of Plant Sciences
Tel: 051 401 2514
www.ufs.ac.za/plantsci
Find the Invasive alien plants Animal, Wildlife and Grassland

Sciences
option on the website
Tel: 051 401 2221
South African Sugar Research snymanha@ufs.ac.za
www.ufs.ac.za/animal
Institute (SASRI)
Dr Des Conlong
Tel: 031 508 7477
School of Life Sciences
www.sasa.org.za
Tel: 033 260 5139
SASRI mass-rears insect weed olckerst@ukzn.ac.za
biocontrol agents for control of http://biology.ukzn.ac.za
alien invasive plants for Working
The Working for Water National
for Water Programmes.
Office
Tel: 021 441 2700 / 0800 005 376
www.dwa.gov.za/wfw
Water Wise
Prof Michael Samways
Tel: 0860 10 10 60
Tel: 021 808 3728
www.waterwise.co.za
www.cons-ent.com
See also the Centre for Invasion Water Wise is Rand Waters
environmental
brand.
Find
Biology earlier under this heading
information on IAS under the
Green Industry option
Ububele Alfa Chemicals
Tel: 033 386 9384
Tel: 056 213 4539
www.uac.co.za

The development of small and micro-enterprises is a critical factor in the
process of economic empowerment in South Africa. Secondary industry
initiatives, making use of invasive aliens, provide an ideal opportunity to
encourage entrepreneurship amongst people from historically disadvantaged
communities.
Value added products include:
screens and blinds
dcor items for interior/lifestyle shops
bathroom accessories
lights and lamps
indoor and outdoor furniture
fencing, arches and other garden furnishings
wooden educational toys
Read more at www.dwa.gov.za/wfw/Partnerships
In terms of the Conservation of Agricultural Resources Act (Act 43 of 1983),

it is illegal to have, transport, propagate, sell or buy declared weeds (category
1 weeds). This would make it an offence to farm with declared weeds, and
to utilise their parts in such a way that the dispersal and multiplication of the
species might be promoted.
Training and empowerment of the beneficiaries of the Invasive Alien Species
Programme (IASP) programme is seen as one of the key solution to address
the socio- economic challenges of the rural poor communities.
140
Sandile Motaung heads up the plant in Durban where the desks and ecocoffins are made on request. Trees that are cut down all over the province
and unwanted cut alien plants are collected and processed to make these
products which now include church pews and boardroom tables.
Prior to 2006, Motaung was unemployed, now he has been trained in
coffin and desk making. The department selects unemployed people and
trains them in life skills, safety and operational skills. Social issues form
part of these workshops. They are also taught to create and sustain viable
businesses.
Motaungs life has been turned around after becoming involved in this
project and now, he has set his sights on having his own company in two
years time.
I had an interest in making furniture but didnt have any skills. I got
into this programme and have learnt a lot of things. I now teach this
to my team here. I do feel like I make a difference to their lives, says
Motaung.
Source: SAnews 6 May 2011

Globally, the cost of damage caused by invasive species has been
estimated to be 1.5 trillion per year close to 5% of global GDP.
In developing countries, where agriculture accounts for a higher
proportion of GDP, the negative impact of invasive species on food
security as well as on economic performance, can be even greater.
Virtually all ecosystem types on the planet are affected by invasive
species and they pose one of the biggest threats to biodiversity
worldwide.
Globalisation through increased trade, transport, travel and tourism
will inevitably increase the intentional or accidental introduction
of organisms to new environments, and it is widely predicted that
climate change will further increase the threat posed by invasive
species.
Source: www.cabi.org
CABI (formerly known as the Commonwealth Agricultural

Bureaux)
www.cabi.org
CABI is a not-for-profit international organisation providing scientific
expertise, knowledge and information. They have a long history researching
invasive species that affect agriculture and the environment to find natural
ways of controlling them. At any one time they are looking at around 60
invasive species. They have expertise in the increasingly important area of
Sanitary and Phytosanitary looking at the risk of invasive species to trade.
They provide invasive species information products and services in invasive
species such as the Invasive Species Compendium which is currently being
developed.
World Conservation Union (IUCN)
Invasive Species Specialist Group (ISSG)
www.issg.org
Global Invasive Species Programme (GISP)
www.gisp.org
The Global Invasive Species Programme (GISP) was founded in 1997 as
a small, mainly voluntary partnership programme, by three international
organisations: IUCN The World Conservation Union, CAB International,
and the Scientific Committee on Problems of the Environment (SCOPE).
Since then, it has built upon a productive and highly technically skilled base
to become the pre-eminent global partnership on invasive species. The
GISP Secretariat is currently hosted by CABI Africa in Nairobi.
The Global Invasive Species Database provides global information on
invasive alien species to agencies, resource managers, decision-makers, and
interested individuals.

Websites
Find the Webpages of PPRIs Weeds Research Programme on www.
arc.agric.za by following the Quick Link: Invasive alien plants.
The AGIS website contains a wealth of information about Invasive Alien
Plants. Visit www.agis.agric.za/wip
Find the Info Pak Alien invaders under the Publications menu option
at www.daff.gov.za.
The Working for Water webpage www.dwa.gov.za/wfw
International portal for Invasive alien Species toolkits of best prevention
and management practices as well as early detection www.
invasivespeciesinfo.gov/toolkit/detection.shtml
There is also information available from WESSA on www.wessa.org.za
(find the Stop the spread option under What we do)
Publications
The PPRI electronic newsletter at www.arc.agric.za contains updates
on IAS (weeds) research.
SAPIA News (South African Plant Invader Atlas) is a publication by the
ARC PPRI on invasive alien plants, available at www.arc.agric.za
Fact sheets on invasive alien plants and their biological agents by ARCPPRI can be downloaded from www.arc.agric.za/home.asp?pid=6979.
The fact sheets are in printable PDF format.
Rehabilitation recommendations after alien plant control. P Campbell.
Plant Protection Research Institute Handbook No 3. PPRI: 1-43.
Alien Weeds and Invasive Plants. L Henderson. Plant Protection Research
Institute Handbook No. 12. ARC, Pretoria: 1-300.
Invasive aquatic plants. L Henderson & CJ Cilliers. Plant Protection
Research Institute Handbook No. 16. ARC, Pretoria: 1-88.
Alien & Invasive Animals Mike Picker and Charles Griffiths (Struik
Nature)
Common weeds of crops and gardens in southern Africa / Algemene
onkruide in gewasse en tuine in Suidelike Afrika. C Botha. Agricultural
Research Council, Potchefstroom.: 1-384.
Problem plants of South Africa. C Bromilow. Briza Publications, Arcadia:
1- 315.
Control of Unwanted Plants. Xact Information: 1-238.
Re-use of Invasive Alien Plants is an impressive booklet, commissioned
by the Working for Water Programme
notes on dealing with invading alien plants management. Find the document
on www.nwga.co.za or contact 041 365 5030.
Publications on indigenous replacement plants

Creative gardening with indigenous plants. A South African guide. P Joffe.
Briza, Pretoria.: 1-372.
Making the most of indigenous trees. F Venter & JA Venter. 2nd Edition.
Briza, Pretoria: 1-320.
Posters:
Beautiful but dangerous. More invasive alien plants of Durban and the
eastern, sub-tropical region of South Africa, with some indigenous
alternatives. Colour photographs of 42 species, their legal status, and
contacts for control. Available from Durban Metro Environmental
Management branch. Tel: 031 300 2517
The big bad five. Department of Water Affairs and Forestry, 1997.
Photographs and descriptions of five invasive aquatic plants in South
Africa; advice and contact numbers. Available from Department of
Water Affairs, Private Bag X313, Pretoria 0001.
Identifying our invading alien enemies. Working for Water Programme,
1998-2000. Photographs and line drawings of the most aggressive alien
invaders in South Africa. Available from The Communication Project,
PO Box 95823, Waterkloof, Pretoria, 0145.
Posters are also available from other organisations like the Botanical Society
of SA.
Our gratitude to Hildegard Klein and Debbie Sharp for their generous help with
this chapter
141
resources and good

LandCare
4. VeldCare
VeldCare promotes best grazing-systems and erosion-prevention practices
to improve production. It develops and maintains agricultural activities in
accordance with the principles of ecologically sustainable development.
Economic and social development opportunities are realised by improving
grazing areas and maintaining viable grazing areas throughout rural
communities.
1. Overview
5. SoilCare
The National LandCare Programme is a government supported initiative

and is being implemented throughout the country. It is driven by both the
public and private sector through partnerships and co-operation, and is a
community-based programme that seeks to:
SoilCare encourages rural farmers to build innovative structures to combat

soil erosion, and to address the depletion of soil fertility and low soil acidity
which severely limit the production potential. Through SoilCare, sustainable
agricultural production systems are introduced, such as diversification,
management of input and conservation tillage.
conserve our resources;

use them in a sustainable way;
create a conservation ethic through education and awareness;
create jobs and address poverty by launching various natural resource
rehabilitation, improvement and conservation projects.
Projects have been implemented in all nine provinces through the Landcare
Conditional Grant whereby ringed-fenced funding is transferred to provinces
in terms of the yearly Division of Revenue Act. Provinces then undertake
the implementation of the projects under set conditions.
Water care, Veld care, Soil care and Junior LandCare initiatives are all part
of this programme.
LandCare is about optimising productivity and the sustainable use of natural
resources leading to increased agricultural production, food security, job creation
and a better quality of life for all.
2. LandCare
Why is LandCare important?
You and everyone else, rely on the land for food, shelter and an
income.
Land is valuable and should be looked after otherwise we will not be
able to use it in the future.
If we degrade and misuse the land, our quality of life will deteriorate.
If we do not look after the land, we will pay a high price for the damage
it suffers.
6. Junior LandCare
The objectives of Junior LandCare are to empower previously disadvantaged
youth through training in facilitation and leadership skills. This includes the
promotion of food security at home and at schools, awareness of sustainable
agriculture, and stimulating the formation of youth clubs and projects that
aim to promote other components of LandCare. JuniorCare addresses the
needs of young people in an integrated way and involves interdisciplinary
approaches.

Visit www.daff.gov.za, website of the Department of Agriculture, Forestry
and Fisheries. Take the Programmes and then LandCare options. Under the
Publications option find documents like the Guide for National LandCare Programme
Small Community Grants.
Directorate: Land Use and Soil Management

Tel: 012 319 7656 / 85
www.daff.gov.za
www.agis.agric.za/agisweb/landcare
Region
Telephone
Eastern Cape
040 609 3534 / 082 780 9877
Free State
051 506 1480 / 082 808 1040
LandCare is about:
redressing past resource degradation
correct resource management
communities working together
caring for the land in your area
your future quality of life
improving the environment
securing food for tomorrow
Gauteng
011 355 1367 / 082 563 8992
KwaZulu-Natal
033 355 9100 / 082 413 2591
Limpopo
015 294 3625 / 082 670 5670
Mpumalanga
013 752 5671 / 072 648 2423
North West
018 389 5936 / 082 908 8798
Northern Cape
053 839 7849 / 071 860 7557
What can you do?

form or join a land care group in your community and get involved;
plan and manage land to prevent degradation;
restore damaged areas;
promote conservation practices;
form a land care conservancy (see Conservancies chapter);
recycle and re-use paper, glass, plastic and metal.
Western Cape
021 808 5006 / 082 907 2813
3. WaterCare
The WaterCare theme establishes a framework for managing land and
preventing the silt-up of dams for irrigation. WaterCare works in partnership
with the community to develop action plans for managing and restoring
irrigation schemes. The rehabilitation of irrigation schemes increases water
supply and household food security. Furthermore, WaterCare promotes
the development of techniques for water-resource management and
encourages opportunities for training in this field.
Want to form a LandCare group?

Before you apply, please contact the local LandCare Manager or facilitator
for assistance (contact details above). If you are successful, you will be
asked to sign a programme management agreement. This agreement
sets out the conditions for funding, including your responsibility to keep
proper accounting records for the spending of funds from grants, and
reporting requirements on the progress and results of your programme.
Source: the LUSM head office, Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries; www.
daff.gov.za and www.agis.agric.za.
142
resources and good

resources and good

Natural building
Organic farming
1. Overview
1. Overview
Find the Construction subheading in the Permaculture chapter
Natural building is any building system which places the highest value on
social and environmental sustainability. It assumes the need to minimise
the environmental impact of our housing and other building needs while
providing healthy, beautiful, comfortable and spiritually-uplifting homes.
Natural materials like stone, wood, straw and earth are not only non-toxic,
they are life-enhancing. There is a good feeling we get from natural buildings
which is difficult to describe. Even though conditioned to prefer the new,
the shiny, and the precise, we respond at a deep level to unprocessed
materials, to idiosyncrasy, and to the personal thought and care expressed
in craftsmanship.
Source: Adapted from www.networkearth.org and www.greenbuilding.co.za
Houses built with traditional earth technologies using indigenous knowledge make
up the largest number of houses in the informal housing sector in South Africa.
McGregor Alternative
Technology Centre
www.mat.org.za
A six-day training offered in Natural Oudrif

Building (cob, mud, straw bale, Tel: 027 482 2397
www.oudrif.co.za
rock etc)
InSynch Sustainable
Technologies
Tel: 076 668 8877
www.insynch.co.za
Its about producing goods that work in harmony with, and not against,
nature. The aim is to eradicate the use of harmful chemicals by making
effective use of natures natural resources. All organic products are also free
of genetically modified organisms (organisms that have had their basic gene
structure modified by the addition of external organism genes).
What is Organic farming?

Organic agriculture is a production system that sustains the health of soils,
ecosystems and people. It relies on ecological processes, biodiversity and
cycles adapted to local conditions, rather than the use of inputs with adverse
effects. Organic agriculture combines tradition, innovation and science to
benefit the shared environment and promote fair relationships and a good
quality of life for all involved.
Examples of organic farming methods include:
Berg en Dal Ecovillage

info@berg-en-dal.co.za
www.berg-en-dal.co.za
What are organics all about?
Simply Sustainable
Tel: 072 487 1733
www.simplysustainable.co.za

Cape Town architect Etienne Bruwer has pioneered the use of straw bale
construction in South Africa, using it to build his office in Constantia, Cape
Town. Since then a number of projects have been built in the country,
including a guesthouse in the Cederberg. Visit www.oudrif.co.za for a photo
album and project description.
For further information on straw bale construction look at:
Straw Bale Construction Basics www.i4at.org/lib2/strwbale.htm and
www.strawbale.com
The International Journal of Straw Bale and Natural Building www.
thelaststraw.org
The following materials are looked at on www.strawbalecentral.com (take
the Techniques & Bibliography menu option): Living roof; Natural Plasters
and Finishes; Paper Blocks; Rammed Earth; Recycled Building Materials;
Straw Bale Construction; Thatch; Wattle and Daub; Wood; Adobe; Bamboo;
Cob; Compressed Earth Blocks; Earthbags; Earthen Floors; Earthships;
Hybrid Structures; Light Straw-Clay (Leichtlehm); Hemp and other Fibres.
www.shelterpub.com. Shelter Online illustrates even more imaginative
ways to put a roof over ones head.
www.greenhomebuilding.com building today for tomorrow
Rotating crops between fields. This helps keep pests from building up
and improves soil fertility.
Planting selected herbs and flowers to attract beneficial insects which
ward off unwanted pests.
Using biological insecticides and make use of pests natural predators
to control pest populations.
Organic farming produces nutrient rich, fertile soil which nourishes the
plants. Keeping chemicals off the land protects water quality and wild
life. Its also about practising good animal welfare where everything from
breeding, rearing and handling, to feeding of animals is strictly regulated and
a free range lifestyle is implemented.
The soil
Organic farming refers to a system as a whole entity in ecological balance.
Soil fertility is promoted by compost, cover crops, crop rotation, green
manuring, minimum tillage, mulching, valuing of the biodiversity and avoiding
synthetic chemical inputs. The principle is to treat the soil with respect
knowing that the soil is the base for life on earth. The basis of organic
farming is thus to feed the soil and not the plant directly. Organic matter is
this feed. The organic farmer is interested in balancing soil processes and
is not as focused on balancing numbers as a consequence to soil analysis.
A good organic soil structure is able to hold large amounts of nitrogen,
phosphorus, calcium, iron and other micronutrients, essential in providing
the plants with a balanced diet for healthy growth. A good soil structure will
optimise water infiltration and retention and is also important in the control
of erosion by wind and water.
Diseases and pests

The approach to pests and diseases by the organic farmer is that these are
seen as symptomatic of imbalances in the soils fertility and health. There
are too many pests and diseases as well as remedies to mention. The plant,
like any living organism, develops a natural resistance to pests and disease
attack. This resistance depends on the nutrition of the organism.
Organic meat
Organic animal suppliers have strict protocols that include treating their
cattle humanely and allowing them to mature naturally. They are grazed
naturally in a free-range environment minimising stress and producing high
quality meat that is free from contaminants. It costs more to produce as the
animals grow more slowly on natural grazing, hence more land is needed
and higher interest costs are incurred. The certified farm has to produce
90% of the feed on the farm.
143
Certified Organic meat is a guarantee that meat has been produced free
from any additives such as chemicals, antibiotics and hormones, and kept
separate in the supply chain to the consumer.
As only natural, biodegradable products are used, water and the
environment become cleaner. Farmers and their workers enjoy healthier
working conditions. Organic animals are produced in harmony with the
land, environment and native wildlife. This can only be good for future
generations.
2. Certification you cannot be organic by

default
Youre thinking of going organic
There is a burgeoning international demand, led by Europe, the US and
Japan. But consumers and retailers want strong assurances of food safety
and genuine organic methods.
Why should you certify?

Regarding Antibiotics: The standards (EU 2092/91 and the draft DAFF
regulations) allow for two courses of treatments with chemically-synthesised
allopathic veterinary medicinal products or antibiotics within one year or
more than one course of treatment if their productive lifecycle is less than
one year. If livestock receive more than this, they and their produce may
not be sold as organic, and the livestock must go back into conversion.
Quote is from the EU 2092/91 standards.
The health benefits

The hazards for human health of consuming products contaminated by
harmful pesticides include increased risks of cancer, reproductive problems
and neurological damage. Organically grown produce on the other hand is
free of chemical residues, has a much higher vitamin and mineral content
and is usually more flavoursome (which is why many top restaurants prefer
to use organic ingredients).
Certification
There are two levels of organic classification: Organic Certification and
Organic in Conversion. Also find the note on Participatory Guarantee
Systems (PGS) later in this chapter.
A certified organic product means that the produce and the farming process
has been inspected over a period by an independent, specialist certification
agency to verify organic authenticity to the consumer. This process normally
takes place over a timeframe of about 3 years. During the process, producers
may communicate on products that they are organic in conversion (as
may be seen for example on some major retailers products).
These certification organisations really have only one reason for existence:
to provide assurance to the consumer that products and organisations which
claim to be organic, really do meet organic standards. Several certification
agencies exist across the country (refer to heading 9). Any certification
program should be able to give you their standards upon request and will
usually comply with the International Federation of Organic Movement
(IFOAM) standards.
Look for the certification seal or name of the certification agency label.
When you see this claim, it means:
No harmful chemicals have been applied for at least 3 years.
The farmer and processor have annual certification inspections.
They have kept detailed records of their practices and have a recorded
audit trail.
They use ecologically-friendly methods and substances to improve the
soil and control pests.
Based almost completely on information from www.go-organic.co.za with input
from other role players.
Organic agriculture could provide employment opportunities for millions of small
farmers and for women and youth groups, together with economic and financial
benefits. The purpose of the sectors National Policy On Organic Production
discussion document is to map out the way to make this a reality.
Products look the same as conventional products.

Consumers have a right to know that production has been organic
(especially if paying more).
To protect farmers who are following the rules from the bad reputations
of those who are not.
To obtain access to high value markets, in South Africa and abroad.
Certification is a way to ensure that products are in line with local and
international standards set.
Elements of a certification system

Standards that you must adhere to;
Contracts your promise to uphold organic methods;
Inspection are done annually;
Certification, approval of your farm and the methods you are using;
Management of the same pests and diseases, but without chemicals
(you must have plans for this). This includes fertility programs as well
Labelling that the consumers can trust;
Information exchange this establishes the Audit trail securing organic
status from seed to table because it isnt easy at first, and theres a lot
to learn.
So what should you do?

Ask certifiers for information as well as standards.
Send in an application form, with basic information.
Ask for an estimate for inspection and certification for a year (make
sure it covers all steps of the process).
Study the requirements (lots on the internet).
Understand conversion issues.
Develop a plan for dealing with soil fertility, pests , disease and weed
control management.
Talk to other organic farmers.
Establish your market.
Speak to consultants.
If it all looks good, choose a certifier and pay to start the certification
process.
Inspections involve:
The inspection is a verification of information obtained through the
application documentation.
Production system Is it really organic?
Operator Does s/he know enough to manage organically? Is she/he
committed?
Environment, contamination Will your neighbours crop spray blow
onto your fields? Is there good biodiversity?
Fields Has it been three years since the last use of chemicals? Are
plants and animals looking good?
Livestock Is animal welfare respected? What veterinary treatments
are common-place?
Brought in materials, seeds Are they organic too? Are they GMOfree? How do you know?
144
Pest and weed control How is it achieved?

Fertility management Are there real efforts to build up soil
nutrition?
Storage and processing Could organic products get mixed up with
conventional ones by mistake? This should secure the possibility of comingling, substitution and contamination.
Documentation Is record keeping good enough to show that only
organic methods have been used? Is traceability secure?
Sales, labels Did you sell only what you produced?
Possible outcomes
full organic status
full status with conditions
organic in conversion
organic in conversion with conditions
certification denied
Internal Control System guidelines are available from certification bodies like
SGS South Africa, Afrisco, Ecocert, the Biodynamic and Organic Certification
Authority (BDOCA). Find their details under heading 9. Other certification
is offered by the Control Union and BCS (ko-Garantie GmbH).
Find the very useful notes at www.faithful-to-nature.co.za/OrganicCertification-sp-8.html
Participatory Guarantee Systems (PGS)
An alternative start-up strategy for emerging farmers is PGS.
Contact Rainman Landcare Foundation for assistance in setting up
your own PGS.
PGS only works for small local markets.
It is a simple, non-bureaucratic way to start building a quality
management system.

For current statistics on organic farming, visit www.fibl.ch and the other websites
listed under this heading.
Organic agriculture has grown tremendously over the last decades, both
as a commercial production and as an environmentally friendly production
method. More than 10% of Switzerlands farmland is organic, Sweden
reached 19% in the year 2005, and about 13% of Austrias farms are
organic. A number of developing countries are showing significant rates
of adoption. There were 1.8 million producers in 2009, an increase of 31
percent since 2008, mainly due to a large increase in India. Forty percent of
the worlds organic producers are in Asia, followed by Africa (28 percent),
and Latin America (16 percent). The countries with the most producers are
India (677 257), Uganda (187 893), and Mexico (128 862).
About 32.2 million hectares are certified according to organic standards
internationally (data as at the end of 2007). At the level of the geographical
regions, growth was strongest in Latin America and Africa. Australia
continues to account for the largest certified organic surface area, 12 million
hectares, followed by Argentina (2.8 million hectares), and Brazil (1.8 million
hectares). The greatest share of the global organic surface area is in Oceania
(37.6 percent), followed by Europe (24.1 percent) and Latin America
(19.9 percent). In terms of certified land under organic management as a
proportion of national agricultural area, the Alpine countries, such as Austria
(13.4 percent) and Switzerland (11 percent), top the statistics.
Source: The National Policy On Organic Production discussion document (2012)
Role players
International Federation of Organic Agricultural Movement
(IFOAM) www.ifoam.org
Contact 084 567 1250 or write to raymond.auerbach@nmmu.ac.za
International umbrella body for organic farming
See the separate chapters on biological farming and permaculture
International WWOOF Association (World Wide Opportunities on

Organic Farms) www.wwoof.org
3. Biodynamics
Biodynamics is an approach to sustainable organic agriculture inspired by
the philosophy of Anthroposophy as developed by Rudolf Steiner in the late
19th early 20th centuries in Europe.
In the term biodynamic the bio refers to the biological (organic) aspects
of agriculture (i.e. the physical soil, water, plants, animals etc.); whereas the
dynamic refers to the cosmic formative forces that underlie the physical
world. Biodynamic agriculture respects the fact the whole of the universe,
i.e. the planet earth and the whole surrounding cosmic space with all its
heavenly bodies, forms one indivisible whole and should be managed as
such.
Biodynamic farmers use of range of specially formulated herbal and/or
organic preparations to enhance soil, plant and animal life, fertility and
vitality. They develop their farms into unique and distinct individualities
that use a minimum of external inputs. Their aim is to produce the highest
quality food, fibre and timber with no or very limited negative impact on
the environment. In an effort to create a harmonious whole, the farmer
works with the natural and cosmic cycles, rhythms and forces that regulate
life on earth.
For further information email the National Co-ordinator, Liesl Haasbroek at
info@bdaasa.org.za or visit www.bdaasa.org.za.
4. Vegan Organic farming

Most farmers are dependent on chemicals and animal by-products and even
those specialising in organic farming use animal manures and slaughterhouse
by-products (bone meal, compost etc). How to go about farming without
animals or animal by-products? Visit www.veganorganic.net.
This association is dedicated to helping those who would like to volunteer

on organic farms internationally. The aims of WWOOF are to:
enable people to learn first-hand about organic growing techniques
to enable town-dwellers to experience living and helping on a farm
to help farmers make organic production a viable alternative
to improve communications within the organic movement.
WOOFF Independents www.wwoofindependents.org
Listing hosts in countries that do not have a national WOOFF association.
UK Soil Association www.soilassociation.org. The Soil Associations
symbol appears on around 70% of organic food produced in the UK.
Websites
www.qlif.org Quality Low Input Food (QLIF) is an integrated project
funded by the European Commission.
www.biotropic.com specialists in the worldwide import and sales of
organic fruit, vegetables and processed food
Rodale Institute is dedicated to pioneering organic farming through
research and outreach. Visit www.rodaleinstitute.org.
www.fao.org/organicag the FAO Organic Agriculture Programme
www.organicagcentre.ca Organic Agriculture Centre of Canada
www.organic-europe.net site maintained by the Swiss Research
Institute of Organic Agriculture (FIBL)
www.fibl.ch The Research Institute of Organic Agriculture
(Forschungsinstitut fr biologischen Landbau FiBL) is the
worlds leading information and documentation centre for organic
agriculture.
The Online environmental community www.envirolink.org
www.organicaginfo.org The Ultimate Online Organic Resource.
www.ofrf.org Organic Farming Research Foundation (USA)
www.biodynamics.com Biodynamic Farming and Gardening
Association (USA)
145
Since 1977 Bio-Center Zann have been importing and exporting organic
fruit and vegetables, from all over the world. Visit www.zannorganics.
com
www.gardenorganic.org.uk the UKs Leading organic growing
charity
www.agroecology.org for notes on agroecology
www.polyfacefarms.com the farmer who has gone beyond organic
(for those of you who saw the movie Food Inc)
National Sustainable Agricultural Information Service (USA) https://
attra.ncat.org/field.html

Organic producers and processors network at www.go-organic.co.za
The South African organic sector has a long history. This country was
one of the founders of International Federation of Organic Movements.
Nonetheless, within the country the organic sector is not unified. There
have been splinter organisations representing particular farmers, with
divergent opinions as to which way is best for the sector.
Certification is driven by international standards and accreditation systems.
South Africa does not have an official inspection and certification programme
for organic food products, cosmetics, textiles and other industries using
organic agricultural commodities in their production.
According to current estimations there are about 45 000 ha of certified
land which account for 0.05 % of the countrys total agricultural area, with
250 farms in South Africa (IFOAM & FiBL, 2006)1 . South African organic
farmers produce a large variety of produce. These include various cereals;
vegetables, roots and tubers; herbs and spices; fruits, nuts and Rooibos tea.
The largest fruit crops in terms of hectares were bananas, avocado pears
and mangoes, while the largest vegetable crops were cucurbits, tomatoes,
asparagus, brassicas and potatoes. Organic wine and olive oil is also produced
and organic dairy farming has just started in some provinces.
Organic products produced in South Africa are sold at both local and export
markets. Exports are principally sent to European markets, United States
and Far East include vegetables, plant products, processed fruits, sugar,
wine, essential oils, table grapes and Rooibos tea. To enable international
market access for RSA organic exports, any local legislation governing
organic agriculture in South Africa should be regularly updated to be aligned
with and compliant to prevailing standards in international markets.
Within South Africa, the products are usually sold in supermarkets, as
home deliveries, directly from the farmer, through specialized restaurants
and through special organic markets. Some schools are also beginning to
serve organic foods. There is a robust but underdeveloped, local market for
organic produce with limited premiums for organic products. Local retailers
sell reasonable amounts of organic produce to the South African public.
Source: The National Policy On Organic Production discussion document as it was at
the end of 2011.
1. IFOAM & FiBL (2006): The World of Organic Agriculture. Statistics and Emerging
Trends 2006. International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements (IFOAM),
Bonn & Research Institute of Organic Agriculture FiBL, Frick, pp. 2735.
7. Small-scale farmer news

The main criticism levelled at organic agriculture is that it cannot feed the
world. But this might be a failure of the economic system in which we
operate rather than the inherent capacity of the approach. While it is true
that organic agriculture cannot produce massive surpluses by forcing supergrowth, over the long term productivity equals out: organic production is
more consistent over time; it is more environmentally sustainable and it
creates local economic stability.
Can community-based organic agriculture play a meaningful role in achieving
food security? One of its biggest advantages is that organic agricultural
methods can easily be transferred to people with few or no previous skills.
In just four days, anyone can obtain the basic skills which, if applied (with
some guidance) over two seasons, will result in a permanent ability to grow
productive survival or subsistence gardens at low cost.
Although more advanced levels of organic farming require much more

training, with the basics in place it is possible to kick-start self-sustaining
community farming and gardening in uncontested land such as backyard
plots, rural smallholdings, school yards, in servitude and commonage land.
Basic-level training can therefore provide a foundation for localised food
security among the poor.
Organic bio-dynamic farming and gardening is most readily adaptable to
poor or emerging farmers who cannot easily access costly external inputs
and high-tech training. It has the added advantage of being spontaneously
community building and because it uses human-scale technology, it is also
labour intensive and has the potential beyond meeting subsistence needs
to create jobs. It is now a proven fact that a reasonable living, after costs,
is possible off 500 square metres or less, selling organic vegetables at street
prices.
Here in South Africa there is now a grassroots organic-friendly farming
movement among the poor, involving many thousands who are mobilising
to defeat food insecurity. Leading examples are the Vukuzenzela Urban
Farmers Association (VUFA) in Cape Town, the Master Farmers Association
(MFA) in the Eastern Cape and the Western Cape Ubuntu Farmers
Association (WEKUFU).
Source: adapted from an article by Rob Small from ABALIMI in the CSI Handbook 8th
edition, published by Trialogue
Find the contact details of the following under the role players heading:
ABALIMI Bezekhaya
African Organic Farming Foundation
Food & Trees for Africas (FTFAs)
NOPI (National Organic Produce Initiative)
Rainman Landcare Foundation

South Africa does not as yet have an official certification system in place.
Inspection and certification of South African organic farms is carried out by
both international and domestic certification bodies.
Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries
www.daff.gov.za
Food Safety and Quality Assurance
Tel: 012 319 6027 / 7306
niele@daff.gov.za
Directorate: Plant Production

Tel: 012 319 6227
kgomoamogodip@daff.gov.za
The Directorate Food Safety and

Quality Assurance is inter alia
responsible for setting quality
standards (regulations) for certain
agricultural products in terms of
the Agricultural Product Standards
Act, 1990 (Act No. 119 of 1990),
and have draft regulations for
organically produced products.
The Directorate Plant Production is

responsible for developing organic
production policy and the purpose
of the policy is to create a broad
framework for the development
of a prosperous organic sector that
is globally competitive and capable
of
supporting
governments
commitments towards poverty
alleviation,
job
creation,
Agricultural Product Standards Act, food security and economic
1990 (Act No. 119 of 1990) and development.
draft regulations downloadable
from www.daff.gov.za (go to
Divisions, then Food Safety and
Quality Assurance).
The Governments IPAPs (Industrial Policy Action Plan) includes the organic
food sector as an area in which jobs can be created. Find the latest IPAP
document under Publications at www.thedti.gov.za.
146
9. Role players
See also other relevant chapters in this directory e.g. Compost and organic fertiliser,
Earthworms and Vermicompost, Permaculture, Biocontrol etc. The reader is
referred to the directory on www.go-organic.co.za as well, where a search according to
category, province and product can be done.
Associations
Biodynamic Agricultural
Association of Southern Africa
(BDAASA)
Tel: 021 881 3628 / 082 858 6523
Fax: 086 694 8892
info@bdaasa.org.za
www.bdaasa.org.za
BDAASA is an association of
farmers, gardeners, small-holders
and people interested in working
with biodynamic agriculture. An
annual conference is held with
a contextual theme. A quarterly
newsletter is sent to all members
and an Astral Planting Calendar is
published annually.
South African Organic Sector

Organisation
Liz Eglington
Tel: 028 581 2014 / 083 653 3635
lizeglington@netconnectco.za
The main objective of SAOSO is
to establish and develop organics
as an emerging sector within the
broader context of South African
agriculture. Organics has to be at
the forefront as agriculture moves
to address the global concerns
about environmental sustainability
of food production systems,
consumer health, community well
being and food safety.
For information about South

African Council for Organic
Development and Sustainability
(SACODAS), contact Thierry
Alban Revert Tel: 073 303 1554 or
email tar@planetac.co.za.
Certification and other services

Afrisco Certified Organic
Tel: 012 361 5127 / 082 6070 495
Fax: 086 511 4114
www.afrisco.net
Bio-dynamic and Organic
Certification Authority
(BDOCA)
Tel: 071 259 2799
www.bdoca.co.za
Ecocert Southern Africa
Tel: 021 461 1558
office.southafrica@ecocert.com
www.ecocert.com
Lindros Whole Earth
Consultants
Tel: 082 719 7263
www.lindros.co.za
MBB Services International

Tel: 021 887 1026
Fax: 021 883 8514
info@mbbsouth.co.za
www.mbb.co.za
Branches in Pietermaritzburg,
Nelspruit, Grahamstown and
Mtunzini.
Natural & Organic Products
Exhibition
Tel: 011 835 1565
www.naturalandorganic.co.za
SGS South Africa (Pty) Ltd
Tel: 021 506 3280
www.za.sgs.com
Input providers
Agro-Hytec
Tel: 021 863 2884 / 083 265 2616
www.agrohytec.co.za
Agro Organics
Tel: 021 851 2403
www.agro-organics.co.za
Bio-insectaries SA (BISA)
Tel: 042 286 0978 / 083 270 4866
www.bioinsectsa.com
Bioboost Solutions
Tel: 044 873 0403
www.bioboost.co.za
Biogrow
Tel: 028 313 2054
sales@biogrow.co.za
www.biogrow.co.za
Denvet
Tel: 033 343 1093
office@denvet.co.za
www.denvet.co.za
Diatoms Organic Animal
Health
Tel: 053 723 1902
www.diatoms.co.za
Eco-fert
www.eco-fert.co.za
specific nutrition, seed coatings,

spray, sanitisers and rinse aids.
Fertiliser for First World export Mycoroot (Pty) Ltd

crops. Find contact details for Tel: 083 636 0706
agents across the country on the www.mycoroot.com
website.
Mycorrhizal fungi, an organic
microbial fertiliser that boosts yield
Efficient Microbes
and production by enhancing soil
Tel: 031 266 2935
health and plant root functioning
www.efficientmicrobes.co.za
Giba Organics
Tel: 031 769 1063
www.gibaorganics.co.za
Natrocine
Tel: 082 453 6057
www.natrocine.co.za
Gromor / National Plant Food

Tel: 031 782 3105
gromor@iafrica.com
Natural medicine solutions for

livestock
Hishtil SA
Tel: 015 395 4034 / 43
www.hishtilsa.com
Organic for Africa

Tel: 033 413 2960
www.organic4africa.co.za
Organic growing mediums

Hishtil complies with the strictest
international standards of healthy Planner Bee Plant Care
and clean propagation material carmen@livingearth.co.za
production complying with ISO www.fertilis.co.za
9001:2000 and GLOBALG.A.P.
FERTILIS
(registration
no
B3664 Act36/1947) is certified
Insect Science (Pty) Ltd
by the Organic Food Federation
Tel: 015 307 1391
UK: organic certification no:
www.insectscience.co.za
00371/01/00.
Intshona Group of Companies
Plant Health Products (Pty) Ltd
Tel: 021 852 1660
(PHP)
askintshona@intshona.com
Tel/fax: 033 266 6130
www.intshona.com
michelle@plant-health.co.za
Kelpak
www.plant-health.co.za
Tel: 021 786 2090
www.kelpak.com
Research,
develop,
produce
and market innovative bioLiquid seaweed bioregulator. control products for agriculture,
Ongoing research and trial data horticulture and viticulture.
from around the globe have proven
Kelpaks ability to significantly Stimuplant
increase the health, quality and Tel: 012 802 0940
yield in a wide variety of crops, www.stimuplant.co.za
benefiting farmers around the
Biological solutions and growth
world for over 30 years.
stimulants
MBF International
Tel: 082 738 0080 / 072 796 3793 Talborne Organics
Tel: 011 954 5763
orders@mbfi.co.za
Tel: 032 944 7445
www.mbfi.co.za
www.talborne.co.za
Rhizobium bacterial inoculants,
fungal and bacterial plant promoting Vita and Eco Certified organic
fertilis
earthworm
inoculants, plant hormones, plant fertilisers;
performance products, amino acid, castings (humus)
seaweed fertilisers, chelated liquid
and soluble powder fertilisers, Urban Harvest Edible Gardens
unique seed treatment packs and Tel: 072 475 2977 (Cape Town)
Tel: 079 934 0689 / 084 329 8410
adjuvant products.
(Eastern Cape)
www.urbanharvest.co.za
Metson
Tel: 011 792 8968
www.metson.co.za
Metson
is
an
agricultural
manufacturing business with its
main focus on a complete range
of ORGANIC and GLOBAL
G.A.P. compliant water soluble and
liquid chelated foliar feeds, liquid
fertilisers, growth stimulants, crop
Metson
148
Produce and producers

Afrikara
www.afrikara.co.za
Mzansi Organic Teas

Tel: 079 871 5069
www.jardinsdegaia.com
Agro-ecology in action, this is a

Mzondo Organic
small farming co-operative
Tel: 082 835 4224
www.mzondo.co.za
Blue Sky Organics
Tel: 083 653 3635
An organic bulk supplier of fruits,
www.blueskyorganics.co.za
vegetables, nuts
Certified organic olive trees,
bottled olive products and olive National Organic Produce
oil. Consulting is done to farmers Initiative (NOPI)
wanting to go organic or to convert Tel: 073 303 1554
to organic/sustainable methods.
Network of Eco Farms in Africa
South Africa (NECOFASA).
Dovehouse Organic Farm
Tel: 033 330 3554 / 079 368 0832 Contact Lindros at 082 719 7263.
http://dovehouse.co.za
Organic Emporium is an online
store of organic products for
Elgin Organics
consumers in the Northern
Tel: 021 849 8663
Johannesburg suburbs. Visit www.
www.elginorganics.com
organicemporium.co.za
South African organic pome fruit
Organic World
(apples, pears, peaches)
Tel: 011 795 2468
www.organicworld.co.za
Ethical Co-op
www.ethical.org.za
Teubes
Tel: 011 792 4451/2
Faithful to Nature
www.teubes.com
Tel: 021 785 3268
www.faithful-to-nature.co.za
Organic carrier oils and organic
Products include cosmetics, organic citrus oils
food and literature.
The Organic Farm
Tel: 021 572 0329 / 082 925 2298
Green Goose Organic Farm
www.organicfarm.co.za
Tel: 051 933 5754
www.greengoose.co.za
Wensleydale farm
Milk and meat products from the Tel: 082 779 7843
www.wensleydale.co.za
eastern Free State
Jacklin Organic
Tel: 017 844 1589
The biggest organic producer of

vegetables in South Africa
Wild Organic Food sources

Fresh and processed fruit & organic produce in the Western
vegetables,
certified
organic Cape. Visit www.wildorganics.
co.za or call 021 448 8109.
compost
Some organic markets

Western Cape (find the links at http://capemarkets.co.za)
Rondebosch Organic Market 021 696 5749 / 072 222 6410
Constantia Waldorf Organic and Biodynamic Market 082 569 9894
Stellenbosch Fresh Goods Market www.slowmarket.co.za
Gauteng
Bryanston Organic Market 011 706 3671 www.bryanstonorganicmarket.
co.za
Irene Village Market 012 667 1659 www.irenemarket.co.za
Parkview Organic Market 076 022 7937
KwaZulu-Natal
Karkloof Market 082 820 8986 / 076 937 5601
Pietermaritzburg Farmers Market 033 345 4656 or write to
paulton@sai.co.za
Find a comprehensive list of organic markets by taking the Organic option at
www.simplygreen.co.za.
Organic wine farms include Stellar Winery (www.stellarorganics.com),

Reyneke Wines (www.reynekewines.co.za) and Bon Cap Organic Wine
Cellar (www.boncaporganic.co.za)

ABALIMI
Tel/fax: 021 371 1653
www.abalimi.org.za
phone 084 444 6310 or 082 651

1111. Find its videos on www.
youtube.com.
African Organic Farming

Foundation
www.africanorganics.org
The
Rainman
Landcare
Foundation is a registered trust
which teaches farmers how to
farm organically, and how to set up
farmers associations which can be
certified organic, enabling farmers to
access the growing organic market,
domestically and internationally.
Rainman has developed a Quality
Management course for Small
Producer Groups, run learnerships
in organic farming at NQF 2 and
also teach organic facilitators (NQF
5). Rainman Landcare Foundation
is an AgriSETA accredited provider.
Rainman is setting up a Participatory
Guarantee Support Network with
PELUM South Africa, and national
organic agriculture movements in
Namibia, South Africa, Zambia and
Zimbabwe. Visit www.rainman.
co.za or call 044 801 5017.
ARC-Plant Protection Research

Institute (ARC-PPRI)
Tel: 012 808 8000
www.arc.agric.za
The ARC-Plant Protection Research
Institute has the expertise to advise
on all aspects of pesticides (synthetic
and botanical), on biopesticides,
such as mycoinsectides and
mycoherbicides, as well on the
biological control of insect pests in
general.
Organic farming is included as a
priority in AgriSETA planning (see
AgriSETA Strategic Plan for Period
2012-2016). Visit www.agriseta.
co.za or call 012 301 5600
Biomimicry SA
http://biomimicrysa.co.za
Eastern Cape Appropriate
Technology Unit
Tel: 047 532 4601
www.ecatu.org.za
Food & Trees for Africa
Tel: 011 656 9802/3
www.trees.co.za
The Organic Farms Group
works with the aim of developing
small farmers through training,
mentoring and marketing. Visit
www.organicfarmsgroup.com or
Tel: 021 808 3728
www.cons-ent.com
Sustainability Institute
Tel: 021 881 3196
www.sustainabilityinstitute.net
Centre for Sustainable Agriculture,
Rural Development and Extension
Tel: 051 401 3765
149
Zeiselhof
Research
Farm
of Ecological and Organic
Agriculture in Pretoria is a
showcase of organic vegetable
The Department of Plant Pathology production. Contact them at 012
conducts research on the biological 811 0276.
control of crop pests and diseases.
Tel: 033 260 5525
http://plantpath.ukzn.ac.za

Visit the websites of role players
Find the International websites under heading 5.
www.go-organic.co.za. Find the directory, news and reviews and other
options here.
Find the South African vegan directory at www.vegansa.com.
Find the ubergreen organic eco directory at www.urbansprout.co.za.
Find the Interesting reading option at www.afrikara.co.za.
Contact Lindros for their publications like Organic Agriculture Handbook
(written for South African conditions), and Global Health in Crisis, the Answer
lies in the Soil. Write to info@lindros.co.za or visit www.lindros.co.za.
Sign up for the Biodynamic Newsletter. Contact BDAASA (details under
heading 9).
Contact Hans E Klink for some excellent writing on organic farming. Speak
to him at 021 851 2403 or write to heklink@mweb.co.za. Articles include:
Ten good reasons for organic agriculture
Organic regulation and certification
Organic management
Organic agriculture in its economic context
Healthy soils
Organic pest and disease control
Find the different publications at www.agrifoodgateway.com. These
include the African Organic Agriculture Training Manual: Conversion to Organic
Farming
Find the document Market Research on the organic and natural products and
fynbos industry with an emphasis on how to facilitate entry on www.spp.
org.za, website of the Surplus People Project. Related publications include
Pesticide heath risks for South African emerging farmers.
Some publications
Organic Food Processing & Production (U.K.) ISBN No: 0-632-05541-3.
The Agrodok Series: Small-scale Sustainable Agriculture in the Tropics
(Netherlands). Series of publications on various topics
Soil Fertility Renewal and Preservation. E. Pfeiffer. The Lanthorn Press.
ISBN 0 906155 12 6
Organic Manure. Nikolaus Remer. Mercury Press. ISBN 0 929979
62 1
Bio-Dynamic Gardening. John Soper. Bio-Dynamic Agricultural
Association. ISBN 0 9503780 7 0
The Bio-Dynamic Farm. Herbert H Koepf. Anthroposophic Press. ISBN
0 88010 172 5
Grasp the Nettle. Peter Proctor. Random House. ISBN 1 86941 318
0
Agriculture. Rudolph Steiner. Sophia Books ISBN 9781855841130
The Living Soil. EB Balfour. Faber and Faber
Fertility Farming. Newman Turner. Faber and Faber
Fertility without Fertilisers. Lawrence D Hills. Henry Doubleday Research
Association
The Complete Herbal Handbook for farm and stable. Juliette de Baracli
Levy. Faber and Faber. ISBN 0 571 13205 7
The treatment of Cattle by Homoeopathy. George Macleod. The CW
Daniel Company LTD. ISBN 0 85207 247 3
Farming and gardening for health or Disease. Sir Albert Howard. Faber
and Farber
Humus and the Farmer. Friend Sykes. Faber and Faber
Farmers of Forty Centuries. F. H. King. Rodale Press. ISBN 0 87857
054 - 3
Our thanks to Dr Raymond Auerbach, Kgomo Petje, Niel Erasmus and Roger Oxlee
for feedback on the draft chapter
resources and good

Permaculture
1. Overview
Permaculture is a systems design response to the downward spiral into
unsustainability that the world has been involved in for the last 150 years (at
least). The name Permaculture is derived from permanent, agriculture
and culture. Australian professor Bill Mollisson and his student Dave
Holmgren coined this phrase in 1978, to describe their design framework
for sustainable development.
Permaculture is a system based on natural ecosystem processes: through
consciously combining plant, animal, built environment and energy systems,
it endeavours to create sustainable human habitats, settlements and
agriculturally productive systems.
The intention is to design productive systems that ultimately generate more
energy than they consume, with no negative impact on the natural or social
environment.
There are tens of thousands of Permaculturalists the world over who have
implemented this design strategy, in a huge range of climates and contexts.
The UN has recognised Permaculture as a useful intervention in areas that
have experienced natural disasters, or post-war situations.
Because it is a multidisciplinary approach, many techniques like Organics,
Biodynamics and other agricultural practices are incorporated within its
framework.
Permaculture systems do not use economic performance as the only
measure of success. The ethics and principles will explain this further.
2. Ethics and principles

ETHICS
Permaculture is rooted in a set of ethics, which guide decisions that designers,
agriculturalists and builders use in their daily activities. These ethics evolved
out of the need to create behavioral and implementation patterns that would
be beneficial to both the human and natural environment. Underpinning
all of the ethics is the fundamental realisation that we are dependant on
a planet that has limited, and damaged resources, and that we must work
within this reality.
1. Earth Care all activities maintain the integrity of the natural resource
base.
2. People Care all activities are aimed at empowering ourselves and
other human beings, bearing Earth Care in mind
3. Surplus Share all extra resources are utilised to improve earth and
People care.
4. Set Limits To Consumption.
PRINCIPLES
Permaculture has basic design principles that one works from, in any
context. One could call these sustainability guidelines. They are simple,
practical and achievable.
Work with rather than against Nature

Working with nature means: observe and understand your context, as
well as the larger factors which affect you. This is done through mapping,
research into local ecologies, weather, investigation and talking to locals!
Secondly, aim to enhance the resources you discover by working with the
forces you encounter, and turning problems into solutions.
150
Relative location
Every function should be served by many elements
Place elements in your system where they are most effective (elements are
any component in your design: a house, a barn, cattle, gardens, extensive
crops etc). By placing the elements where they are most needed, you
reduce the amount of work and energy you have to expend. This principle
also leads to creating relationships between design elements to enhance
productivity and efficiency. A good example is using water from aquaculture
ponds to irrigate food production areas.
Pest control, soil fertility, water catchment and irrigation, mulch and food
provision, etc should must be served by more than one element. This
means if one element fails in its task to provide a service (pest control
chickens get eaten by a dog), than there must be back up by at least three
other elements to ensure sustainability (plants, ducks and wild birds control
pests). Observe this principle and the basic needs of your cultivated ecology
will be met consistently from within the system.
Efficicent energy planning
Use biological resources rather than non-renewables
Every element in a Permaculture system should be placed where it functions

most efficiently. This is known as Zone, Sector and Slope Planning.
Use natural resources to do the work in the Permaculture. Plants and

animals are used wherever possible to provide nutrients, shelter, and fuel,
insect and weed control, nutrient recycling, habitat enhancement, soil
building, fire and erosion control, etc.
Zone planning
Elements are placed in zones according to how many times you need to use
and visit them, as well as the amount of inputs they require. Areas that need
visiting every day for harvesting and maintenance (such as annual vegetable
gardens, the nursery, chickens, recycling area, etc) must be placed near the
house to facilitate easy access so that these systems are well observed and
maintained. Places and systems visited less frequently are placed further
away from the main centre of activity (orchards, staple food systems,
woodlots, animal systems, etc) because these places require less attention
and are harvested less frequently. The design is thus divided into Zones
radiating outwards from the centre of activity.
Zone 0 House or business
Zone 1 Intensive vegetable gardens, nursery and small animal
systems
Zone 2 An orchard or mixed food forest (perennial species); and
staple food systems (grains and tubers).
Zone 3 This can incorporate large-scale semi-managed systems such
as woodlots; large animal fodder systems and aquaculture.
Zone 4 Semi managed wild system of mainly indigenous species
harvested for medicines, indigenous fruits and firewood.
Zone 5 Unmanaged wild systems of indigenous species that act as a
refuge for wildlife and is a place we go to observe nature.
Slope planning
Slope planning involves looking at your site in profile, bearing in mind slope
angles and elevation. This leads us to place dams, water storage tanks, roads
and tracks, drains and flow diversions in the right place, so we might most
effectively use slope on our land to our advantage. For example we place
dams and water catchment above the house and garden so we may use
gravity to create water flow instead of a mechanical pump. Slope planning
means also that we use contours to garden on, to minimise erosion and
maximise water retention.
Sector planning
Plan your site to make maximum use of energy moving through the site or
to deflect those energies. Sector planning deals with wild energies that
move onto the property from the outside. This means that our designs take
into account fire danger; strong or damaging winds; screening of unwanted
views; winter and summer sun angles; flood-prone areas etc. This leads to
placement of homes, windbreaks, firebreaks, swales and water systems.
Sectors also modify zonal placement.
Every element must be multifunctional

Every element selected should provide at least 3 functions: for example,
windbreaks are pest predator refuges, a source of wild food and contain an
herbaceous layer which also provides pest management.
For example you can use chickens and small animals to work the soil and
compost it; plant legumes to enrich the soil; encourage birds and use silky
chickens for insect control; plant diverse systems to enhance nutrient
reticulation in the soil and to keep disease and pests in balance; use deep
rooting plants to loosen the soil instead of ploughing etc.
Create energy cycles

Any of the natural forces that enter a site must be put to work. If you have
rain, ensure that it is not only caught on the roof for domestic consumption,
but is re-used in the house, and enters a home garden as greywater to
produce food. Overland flow needs to be captured in swales (contour
ditches) so that it can slowly percolate into the soil, and eventually make its
way to streams or rivers, rather than just rushing overland to the river. The
same attitude is applied to any resources used on site to ensure that nothing
is wasted, and no pollution is created.
Create diversity
Diversity brings choice and stability. Permaculture is about creating diversity,
more so than in nature and it is through diversity that we have stability,
choice and sustainability. Diversity not only ensures a wide range of plant
species to use, it also means we get away from dependence on one crop
for our livelihood (monoculture) into a system whereby a diverse range
of plants and animals provide balance and fertility. Diversity means that a
family/farm can satisfy many of its nutritional needs with the available fruits,
vegetables, proteins, and minerals. Economically this means there is a wider
variety of crops and products available at different times of the year, which
protects the family/farm from market downturns, and the failure of one
crop. But stability only occurs among co-operative species. Do not simply
place as many varieties of plant and animal in your system, because they
may compete with each other. It is the number of functional connections
between these plants and animals that creates stability and fertility.
Patterns
When talking about patterns we refer to utilising forms like contour lines,
spirals, branching patterns etc that occur in nature. This is not as esoteric as
it sounds, but highly practical when correctly used.
Nature exists and grows through patterns. Use natural patterns that allow
the parts of the design (animals, worms, birds, insects, soils, sun, water,
etc.) to flow and work in beneficial relationships. Contours are an obvious
form of patterning that can be effectively used on any scale of agriculture.
Obviously these patterns become more simplified when used on a larger
scale, but the principle still applies. Use the same patterning principles in
your design when shaping beds, watercourses, building structures etc. The
use of natural patterns in a garden will enhance the growth and vitality of the
system and appear more interesting, original and beautiful.
151
Increase the use of edge

Edge is where two or more environments meet (for example land and water)
and where the resources and energy of two or more systems available for
us to use. Edge increases the surface interface in your gardens between
different systems (pond/wetlands with veggie gardens) and there will be
a high-energy movement between them and thus more opportunities in
space and time. Also create as much surface interface for plants and animals
to use (wavy shaped beds as opposed to straight ones), which will allow
a greater amount of species to be placed into a smaller area effectively.
Create more edge in your gardens and the energy in the ecology will flow
with ease and vitality, ultimately creating a more productive system.
Make use of succession

Succession is a concept derived from ecology. It describes the evolution
of plant and animal communities over time. Generally, when a site is
disturbed, it is colonised by hardy weeds, which are short-lived, but provide
a microclimate for other less hardy species to develop in. Left alone, these
communities will increase in species diversity and longevity. With the
increase in plant diversity, animal and insect communities also increase.
Ultimately the system developes into a climax (stable) ecology suited to
local conditions. In some areas this may be a forest ecology, in others a
fynbos ecology. We utilise this successional phenomenon in Permaculture
systems to create permanent agriculture systems. However, we will
interfere by enhancing the system through using hardy pioneer shrubs
and trees (especially legumes), thereby accelerating the development of a
microclimate that will support productive crops.
Intensity
A primary consideration in Permaculture is that we need to minimise our
impact. This then leads us to design intensive and productive systems
that utilise the least space possible. This approach is implemented using 3
dimensional designs. In other words, we use vertical space walls, trellises,
espaliers etc to maximise production. Stacking productive plants into
their appropriate niches and using plant guilds are tools that aid intensified
design. This also applies to broadscale Permaculture: large animal systems
are not necessarily just grazing, but incorporate large leguminous trees for
grazing and nitrogen-fixing. Large crop production areas can also look at 3
dimensional design though the use of alley cropping etc.
3. Scope and applications

Agriculture
As a sustainable agriculture framework, Permaculture provides the designs
and tools to create small to large-scale farms that are resilient in the face
of disasters like floods, droughts, fires etc. Through careful planning based
on local factors such as ecological processes, landforms, wind and water
movement, farmers can to some extent buffer their farms in times of crisis.
With the emphasis on reintegrating indigenous tree and shrub species into
the agricultural framework, the links to conservation are much strengthened
and agricultural enterprises become more stable.
Windbreaks and pest management zones are implemented using species
indigenous to or tolerant of local conditions. The planting of trees as an
integral part of agriculture also assists with carbon sequestration, which is
vital to our continued survival. In addition we cannot emphasise enough the
role that substantial tree planting can play in creating rainfall, as well as
improved microclimates.
It is a useful tool especially in arid zones (most of South Africa), where
drought mitigation is of utmost importance. Good design and good species
selection as well as macro scale water flow management, and the sinking
of water into the subsoil through earthworks, are critical to maintaining
good soil hydration and replenishing dwindling borehole waters. In areas
where soil or water is saline, Permaculture has had some profound effects.
The project in the Jordan Valley is a good showcase of the application of
Permaculture in difficult and previously considered unproductive or marginal
areas (see www.permaculture.org.au).
Another important factor in agricultural design is diversity: the reintroduction
of multipurpose indigenous, and other useful plants or trees, already move
the farmer towards more diverse production; coupled with this is the need
to diversify agricultural crops so that one can weather a certain amount of
crop failure, and still have yields to send to the marketplace.
Animals are integrated into food production systems, and are not seen as a
separate enterprise from crop cultivation. Chickens and pigs especially have
been very successfully used to weed, dig and fertilise crop production areas.
Often these animals are rotated around designated, fenced areas, with crops
following them as they move on. Cattle and sheep are managed in a low
density Agro-forestry context, with fenced trees for browsing, nitrogenfixing for pasture and shade. Bees are also a vital component pollinating
all crops, and generating honey. Our local honey supply is low, and a good
niche market exists for this product in South Africa.
Construction
There has been a marked resurgence in peoples interest in sustainable
construction methodologies. You may ask what relevance this has to
agriculture. Ranging from low cost to luxury housing it has a profound
impact on local resources and finances, as well as health. Most dwellings
consume materials that are non-renewable, if not toxic in nature. Poor
housing design adds to energy consumption bills, and poor settlement
layout has both disastrous social, environmental and consequently economic
impacts. Also, most agricultural enterprises have ample natural materials to
use in construction.
Sustainable construction minimises the impact that housing provision has on
the local and far-flung environment. These criteria are:
Building materials are acquired from a radius of no more than 50km,
wherever possible cutting down on petrol consumed, and enhancing
the local aesthetics of buildings.
Materials are as unprocessed as possible alleviating the toxic burden
on rivers, soils, atmosphere, humans and wildlife.
Houses are designed for maximum energy efficiency, with green
technology and water-saving strategies built in. This includes extensive
water storage for domestic consumption from roofs.
The siting of dwellings in a landscape, whether urban or rural is
critical.
Passive solar design of houses reduces heating and cooling bills. Good
design also impacts on peoples mental health.
Construction of homes is labour intensive, and does not necessarily
require highly skilled builders, which can add greatly to job creation in
South Africa.
Energy and technology
Green technology is another important component in Permaculture designs.
Our individual and collective impacts on the planet are having a profoundly
negative effect. Simple technologies like solar heating and electricity can
take pressure off our South African energy generation requirements which
is largely produced through the mining and burning of coal. This particular
activity has extremely negative effects on people living near these mines
and stations as well as contributing to greenhouse gas emissions. Water and
sewage management can also be made more effective by using appropriate
technologies like composting toilets, biogas digestors, greywater purification
and re-use. All of these technologies also take the pressure off fresh water
supply for wasteful uses.
Methane gas digestors are also of interest to farmers who are working
with livestock, and who generate excess biomass that cannot otherwise
be utilised. Digestors can be built on farms to generate cooking gas or
152
electricity, depending on the scale. The digestors also eliminate the smelly
sewage problem!
Social structures
Permaculture is in many was concerned with empowering people from
all walks of life. Consequently, it has also looked into social structures and
alternative economic systems. Co-ops, Green investment and revolving loan
schemes are some of the ideas you may encounter. Green city design, cohousing schemes and allotment gardens are some of the social restructuring
you would find in urban Permaculture contexts.
In South Africa, the goal-setting and decision-making process evolved by
Alan Savory in Holistic Resource Management has also proved to be a useful
tool.
The ethical stance that Permaculture requires leads naturally to a more just
social and economic structure.
Urban and peri-urban permaculture
There is both the need for urban agricultural spaces, and the need to
green our cities. Urban centres consume, and waste, huge amounts of
resources, and also put pressure on rural areas to fulfill many of the urban
needs. With the growing pressure on urban centres to provide work and
housing, Permaculture can offer a lifeline to many people.
Permaculture offers good tools for redefining and redesigning our use
of space and resources in cities. The principles outlined above give us a
good idea of some approaches. Another critical feature of urban ecological
agriculture is the reintroduction of biodiversity into these spaces making
every city garden a conservation zone. Much of what we consider waste can
be fruitfully re-used to create more sustainable cities green technologies
are very useful tools here.

People the world over have been trained in Permaculture design whether
literate or not. Many courses have also had to be translated into mother
tongue.
Permaculture Design Courses (PDC)
A full Permaculture Design Course should run for at least 72 hours (over,
say, 12 days), cover core information, and include intensive design exercises.
This is an internationally recognised course.
Short courses
Many service providers offer short courses covering certain topics within
the Permaculture framework, but these do not constitute a PDC.
Given the critical poverty in South Africa, many facilitators have been
contracted to teach short courses aimed at food security, primary health
care, or specialised teachers courses. Often, given time and budget
constraints, the full PDC material has not always been achievable, but the
impact of such short courses has been profound.
Trainer competency
Main facilitators on PDCs should have completed a PDC themselves, and
have 2 years of hands-on experience with design and implementation. In
other countries, one can apply to tertiary institutions for recognition of
competency. A few people in South Africa have diplomas from Australia
and the UK.
Permaculture Unit Standards in AgriSETA
A team of subject experts has been engaged in the lengthy process of
writing Permaculture Unit Standards to be included in AgriSETAs Primary
Agriculture Unit Standards. To date, there are Unit Standards ranging from
Level 1 to Level 5 (find these on www.agriseta.co.za).
The PDC does not have a unit standard but participants on these courses
do not often require accreditation.
5. Role players
Durban Botanic Gardens
Permaculture Training Centre
Tel: 031 322 4021
www.durbanbotanicgardens.org.
Afristar Foundation has worked za/permaculture.html
on district-wide planning models
that bring Permaculture to the Food & Trees For Africa (FTFA)
fore in broadscale community Tel: 011 656 9802 / 3 / 4
development the Marginalised info@trees.org.za
Community Action Plan (MCAP). www.trees.co.za
This process has enabled them
to work with regional and local FTFA introduced Permaculture to
government as well as with the South Africa in 1991, and has since
Department of Agriculture, Public facilitated the implementation of
Works and professional business thousands of food gardens for poor
planners to create a model for communities across South Africa
integrated environmental, social through its Food Gardens for Africa
and EduPlant programmes.
and economic development.
Afristar Foundation
Tel: 011 706 5614
www.afristarfoundation.org.za
There are a thousand applications

on file awaiting assistance. The
most important factor influencing
the sustainability of such projects is
Busy Bee Apiaries CC provides the commitment, passion and drive
intensive skills training courses both of the applicant project.
in the theory and in the practical
aspects of beekeeping, including all FTFA initiated the Permaculture
business aspects, legal, technical, Starter Pack (PSP) to minimise
and marketing, personnel and risk and assess which projects
quality aspects. Consultation and are worthy of further investment
the auditing of beekeeping services over a period of time. The three
and products have also been levels of the PSP provide basic
provided. See also the Beekeeping gardening resources, workshops
and a baseline project assessment
chapter.
and report.
Crawford, Wendy
FTFA supplies the projects with
Tel: 082 826 1333
various educational Permaculture
brightgoldberry@gmail.com
resources such as booklets, flyers
A consultant in Permaculture and posters, which link to the
curriculum,
allowing
design, training and implementation, learning
as well as Biodynamic Farming educators to use the materials and
Practice from both small to large the food gardens in their teaching.
scale. She has a broad palette of A garden design and an activity
schedule/garden development plan
practical experience.
are drawn up with participants
Dovehouse Farm
at the first training session and
Tel: 033 330 3554 / 082 868 4517 the schedule is submitted to the
www.dovehouse.co.za
sponsors.
Busy Bee Apiaries
Tel/fax: 021 971 1022
crpost@telkomsa.net
Dovehouse Organic Farm is a

functioning permaculture farm
with an Organic Health Shop
and plant nursery on site. A wide
range of permaculture examples
are demonstrated on the farm,
from household food forests to a
co-operative of market gardens,
integrated crop and animal rotations
and water harvesting techniques.
FTFA introduces Permaculture as

a lifestyle and shows how these
practices can lead to a better
quality of life.
Hindmarch, Avice
Tel: 072 174 1152
avice.steed@vodamail.co.za
A consultancy offering the

provision of Permaculture design
Permaculture and organic/agro on any scale, as well as Biodynamic
ecological
farming
training Farming consultation.
workshops are run, ranging
from one-day introduction with Hope Nutritional Training and
workshops,
two-week
live- Research
in
workshops,
three-month Tel: 011 326 3507
internships.
Their
two-week www.hopenbc.co.za
workshops are SETA accredited.
Jakkalskloof Permaculture
Interns will do the two-week John Raimondo 082 441 7827
accredited workshop as part of raimondo@telkomsa.net
their internship. All workshops www.xhabbofarmcommunity.co.za
provide a certificate. Dormitory
accommodation is available, on a Situated in Swellendam on the
self catering or fully catered basis. Ashton Road, there are good
153
examples of water management

and domestic production on a
larger scale. People with old earth
houses on farms will be inspired
to see the earth house restoration
here.
Jewish National Fund Walter
Sisulu Environmental Centre
Tel/fax: 012 801 3197
www.wsec.co.za
PEA is an association of
Permaculture facilitators, as well
as an informal networking body for
Permaculture. PEA organises PDC
courses and tailor-made courses
for Permaculture projects as well
asconsultation services for projects.
In addition PEA provides Ecovillage
Design consultations, designs and
broad scale Permaculture design.
They are able to offer professional
and practical courses on sites
that demonstrate this sustainable
approach. They will also assist
you with getting in touch with
service providers in your area. Cooperation is a vial aspect of our
approach.
Their mission is to create a culture

of community conservation in
Mamelodi and Southern Tshwane.
The Centre facilitates permaculture
and medicinal garden workshops to
assist educators to incorporate the
environment into the curriculum
and to build capacity in communities
Planner Bee Plant Care
around food security and primary www.fertilis.co.za
health care.
Consulting
on
Permaculture,
Lindros Whole Earth
organics, vermiculture and waste
Consultants
management using earthworms.
Tel: 082 719 7263
They also have permaculture
alan@lindros.co.za
articles in booklet form.
www.lindros.co.za
offer Plantwize
Tel: 082 683 6048
info@plantwize.co.za
Newlands Mashu Permaculture www.plantwize.co.za
Learning Centre (NMPLC)
Indigenous,
organic
and
Tel: 083 656 8417
Permaculture landscaping; organic
partnerfarmer@absamail.co.za
garden maintenance; workshops
NMPLC
conducts
training and training
workshops
and
provides
mentorship to organisations and Rainman Landcare Foundation
individuals seeking to develop Tel: 044 801 5017
www.rainman.co.za
sustainable and environmentally
responsible approaches to farming
A registered trust which teaches
and organic based agricultural
farmers how to farm using
initiatives.
Permaculture and Organics, and
how to set up farmers associations
which can be certified organic,
Technology Centre (MAT)
Tel: 023 625 1533
enabling farmers to access
info@mat.org.za
the growing organic market,
www.mat.org.za
domestically and internationally.
AgriSETA
accredited
training
MAT teaches sustainable building, providers.
renewable energy, permaculture
and
promote
alternative Rucore Sustainability
technologies like compost toilets, Foundation
solar cookers, etc. MAT acts as Tel: 072 638 8580
a learning and resource centre www.rucore.org.za
for those wishing to explore and
incorporate these principles and Rucore was established in 1991
technologies in their own lives and as a social enterprise focusing on
ecologically integrated strategies for
in their communities.
rural development. Rucore works
Permaculture Education Africa with global networks, foundations
(PEA)
and social entrepreneurs to
Tel: 028 5511 678 / 072 241 1514 deliver quality services directly to
p e r m a c u l t u r e . e d u c a t i o n . communities and supports longafrica@gmail.com
term investment and mentorship
www.berg-en-dal.co.za
programmes.
Lindros are consultants
training courses as well.
SEED
Tel/fax: 021 391 5316
admin@seed.org.za
leigh@seed.org.za
www.seed.org.za
Accredited permaculture training
Siyakhana Initiative for
Ecological Health and Food
Security
Tel: 072 501 0756
info@siyakhana.org
http://siyakhana.org
Siyakhana operates one of
Johannesburgs most prominent
and important urban permaculture
demonstration sites. We also
undertake
research,
policy
advocacy, training, and communitybased programming to achieve our
goal of ecological health.
The Tlholego village is one of

South Africas pioneer centres
for
permaculture
education,
natural building and eco-village
development. Tlholego consists of
a residential village, training centre
and is a developing demonstration
site. It is currently applying
innovative strategies towards land
reform and rural livelihoods based
on education, social equity and
sustainable farming.
Ukuvuna Urban Farming
Centre
John Nzira 073 717 5232
johnnzira@gmail.com
Ukuvuna Permaculture is NPO

based in Midrand and operation
through out the region. The
organisation runs projects in
Lesotho, Swaziland, Mozambique,
Zimbabwe and South Africa.
The Natural Step (TNS)
Its main focus is on uplifting
Tel: 079 165 2506
communities through training
www.thenaturalstep.org/south- establishing learning centres. The
africa
centres train local communities
in nutrition, adult education,
TNS is an international advisory sustainable food security, primary
organisation
and
think-tank, health care and landscaping.
originating in Sweden in the early
90s. They engage with leaders URBAN FARMER
in business and government to Working in collaboration with Organic
create strategies to turn the tide Food Gardens
of environmental collapse and to Tel: 022 448 1106 / 082 842 1579
generate new more sustainable metalpetal@kingsley.co.za
solutions. They offer interventions
at all levels of management to They focus mainly on home food
get a handle on the core issues gardens, introducing Permaculture
driving sustainability and to assess as a design lens, both in the garden
how they can engage further (take and as an instrument in developing
the next Natural Steps) on that the capacity of rural communities
journey.
to address the challenges of food
security/sovereignty.
The Zululand Centre for
www.Permaculture2012.co.za
Sustainable Development
Project Management & Sustainable
Tel/fax: 083 308 4818
Development Consultants
www.ecosystems.co.za/zcsd.htm
Tel: 083 300 2385
www.permaculture2012.co.za
Tlholego Ecovillage and
Learning Centre
A network of resources can
Tel: 072 118 7357
stephne-fain@iafrica.com
undertake projects in the urban
www.tlholego.org.za
regeneration/renewal,
land
reform, public/social housing,
The Tlholego Ecovillage and rural development, ecovillage/agriLearning Centre is situated on village and organic farming sectors.
150ha of land, located 16 km Services offered include programme
west of Rustenburg. The Centre and project management, feasibility
was established by the Rucore studies, business planning, project
Sustainability Foundation in 1990 packaging, development planning,
as a practical way of learning construction management, labour
about sustainability and sustainable intensive construction, sustainable
development in a post Apartheid development and Permaculture
South Africa.
design.
154
Wigley, Tim
Cell: 083 287 4308
tim@keimouth.co.za
http://khuladhamma.org
An experienced Natural Farming
and Permaculture facilitator who
has been working in the Eastern
Cape for two decades. He is based
at Khula Dhamma Ecovillage near
East London.
Zulu Organics
Ezio Gori 083 300 2385
Fax: 086 671 8572
permaculture2012@gmail.com
www.permaculture2012.co.za
The vision of Zulu Organics is
to enhance the principles of
low external input sustainable
agricultural (LEISA) practices as
an affordable and ecologically
sound way of developing small
scale farmers in producing
organically grown traditional and
niche crops, thereby promoting
food security and local economic
development whilst maintaining
indigenous lifestyles within rural
areas. Zulu Organics provides
a holistic development service
for both small scale emerging
and large scale organic farmers,
that includes: organics awareness

and sensitisation; preparation of
business development plans to
access funding for development;
provision of accredited training;
development of site infrastructure,
such as, Keyline and rainwater
harvesting systems, and, provision of
plant material; organic certification;
mentoring and support; marketing
and distribution of organic produce;
and, establishment of Farmers
Support
Centres,
including
farmers co-operatives and satellite
distribution centres.
Demonstration Sites
Please contact the following sites if
you would like to see Permaculture
in action. They range from
broadscale to urban sites.
Berg en Dal 028 551 1678
Dovehouse 033 330 3554
044 801 5017
Siyakhana 072 501 0756
Spier 072 174 1152
Synergy Centre Sustainability
Project 072 501 0756
Tlholego Ecovillage and
Learning Centre 072 118
7357

Visit the websites of mentioned earlier in this chapter.
Useful and related publications:
Earth Users Guide to Permaculture Rosemary Morrow
From the Roots Permacore newsletter
Introduction to Permaculture Bill Mollisson and Reny Mia Slay
Making the most of indigenous trees Fanie and Julye-Ann Venter
Natural Pest Management Henry Ellwell (Zimbabwe)
Permaculture David Holmgren
Permaculture: A Designers Manual Bill Mollisson
Plant Propagation Mambo Press
Production without Destruction Vukasin et al (Natural Farming Network,
Zimbabwe)
South African Organic Agriculture Lindros
The Permaculture Booklet Food & Trees for Africa
The Permaculture Home Garden Linda Woodrow
resources and good

Rangeland (veld)
1. Overview
Current Rangeland / veld information may be found on www.agis.agric.za (select
the latest VELD INFO menu option).
Grass plays an essential role in nature, especially as a source of food, but

also to provide shelter and nesting material. There are few food chains that
do not include grass in some form or other. The reason for this is that grass
occurs very widely over the subcontinent and is virtually always edible. It is
usually the animals at the bottom of the food chain that utilise grass. Most
predators are therefore also indirectly dependent on grass.
Grazers have migrated in the past, in search of better grazing. They are not
only dependent on grass, but grass also depends on them. Grazers remove
old plant material, stimulate new growth, and also provide fertiliser in the
form of manure. Examples of typical grazers are buffaloes, zebras, blue
wildebeest and hartebeest usually animals found in large herds. Today the
habitat of many of these animals has been taken over by cattle and sheep.
Veld (rangeland) provides the main forage resource for livestock and wildlife
in South Africa, with supplementary feed, mainly in the form of irrigated or
dryland pastures and fodder crops, grown by some livestock farmers to
provide forage for the dry winter season (see the Forage and pastures
chapter).
South Africa is blessed with good, mainly perennial grazing grasses which
occur naturally in the region. Many of our grasses, such as weeping love
grass (Eragrostis curvula), couch grass (Cynodon dactylon), guinea grass
(Panicum maximum), Smuts finger grass (Digitaria eriantha) and Blue buffalo
grass (Cenchrus ciliaris) are cultivated worldwide as grazing. Refer to the
Forage and pastures chapter.
Sources [Adapted from]: Guide to Grasses of South Africa, Frits van Oudtshoorn. Call:
014 717 3819. E-mail: frits@alut.co.za; Rangeland Resources - South Africa, Namibia,
Botswana, Lesotho, Swaziland and Zimbabwe. Online: http://www.ru.ac.za/institutes/
rgi/booklet.pdf; FAOs Country Pasture/Forage Resource Profiles South Africa. Online
(www.fao.org)
2. Broad veld types

What is Sweetveld and what is Sourveld?
The Permaculture Magazine, winner of the Queens Award for Enterprise

2008 in the Sustainable Development category and unfettered commitment
to progressing sustainability internationally (UK-based) can be subscribed
to online at www.exacteditions.com/exact/magazine/409/460. Readers can
also contact Tony Rollinson at info@permaculture.co.uk, who is involved in
supporting projects throughout Africa.
These are broad veld types and refer to the palatability or sweetness of
the veld as it is affected by temperature and rainfall. Sweetveld is palatable
throughout the year while sourveld is generally unpalatable in winter due
to high rainfall in these areas which has leached the soil over many years
and leaves the soil with a low pH. This leaves the grasses low in nutrients.
Animals should thus be provided with licks in the winter.
www.ipcon.org website of the biennial International Permaculture

conference.
Why is sweetveld sweet?
Find the permaculture options at www.planafrica.net.

Our thanks to Alex Kruger of Permaculture Education Africa for coordinating this chapter, and to Paul Cohen for thorough feedback.
Sweetveld occurs in areas with low rainfall and mild winters. The soil is
fertile due to little leaching and therefore the grass grows in fertile soil and
has a high nutritional value. Due to the sweetness of the grass, sweetveld is
easily overgrazed. Dry bushveld and karoo are examples of sweetveld.
What is mixed veld?
Mixed veld occurs between sweetveld and sourveld. It is an intermediate
form between the two and has characteristics of both. In mixed veld,
sweetveld grasses usually occur in protected parts with fertile soil e.g. in
the lower lying parts and next to rivers. Sourveld grasses, on the other
hand, occur in open areas.
155
Why is sweetveld sensitive to overgrazing?

In sweetveld areas, available surface water was very scare, especially during
winter, with a subsequent sparse distribution of grazers. Sweetveld has
not adapted to continuous grazing, but rather short periods of grazing by
migrating animals. These areas are also more prone to droughts e.g. karoo.
During times of drought, when the veld is already in a condition of stress,
the most damage is caused through overgrazing.
3. Grass and veld fires

See the chapter on fire.
Burned veld which sprouts out is very palatable and is easily overgrazed.
Veld which has been burned should preferably rest until the grass has
regrown to a height of at least 150mm. This will give the grass a chance to
produce enough leaf material so that the entire plant can photosynthesize.
In the case of veld which is grazed by game that cannot be controlled, it
is advisable to ensure that the sections which burned are large enough to
alleviate grazing pressure.
Sheep should be allowed to graze as soon as possible after the fire, as they
will lose condition if left to graze tall grass. In most areas, if veld is grazed
soon after burning, a full seasons rest should be built into the grazing cycle
(for example, once in three years or twice in five years) to allow the grass
to recover its vigor.
Source: Guide to Grasses of SA. Frits van Oudtshoorn; Veld and Pasture Management
Guidelines for Sustainable Animal Production on the Mpumalanga Highveld. A
Engelbrecht et al.
4. Veld reclamation
Veld reclamation is probably the most challenging veld management
practice and brings new hope to many land users (and animals). Reclamation
is often the only alternative to making land more productive, even if it is not
profitable over the short term. The aim of veld reclamation is to obtain a
dense plant population, and thereby protect the soil and offer grazing. No
veld reclamation project can succeed if it is not accompanied by improved
grazing practices or not fully supported by the land owners.
Bare patches
Rows of stones can be stacked along the contours to obstruct the
runoff of water, improving the moisture status of the soil.
Stone walls can be stacked in crescent- shaped rows with the crescent
facing the top of the slope. Grasses and trees can be established within
these crescents.
Small dams can be made in the bare patches with a hand hoe, with the
walls at the bottom of the slope. Here again, grasses can be established
on the walls.
Branches or grass hay can be packed over the bare patches which
protects the patches against wind and sun. It also protects new
seedlings against early grazing and the elements of nature.
Where slopes are involved deep holes can be dug and trees planted in
the holes. The holes can be only partially filled with soil so that enough
water collects in the holes. Grasses can also be established in the holes,
together with the trees.
Depending on the money you have at your disposal, there are
fertilisation measures that may be applied.
Dongas
With the reclamation of erosion gullies or dongas, an attempt is made to
break the speed of runoff water in the gullies and to collect sediment.
The cheapest method is to stack a stone wall in the gully. This wall
catches up the sediment but allows the water to pass through slowly.
Stones are often placed in wire baskets (gabions) and used for this
purpose.
Branches can also be stacked in gullies to capture sediment.
Parallel rows of vetiver grass or common reed can be planted across
the gully. These grasses capture sediment and a natural wall is formed
over time.
Reeds can also be planted on the upper side of the wall (where sediment
accumulates) to stabilise the sediment and to filter the water.
Grasses and veld reclamation

Grasses used for reclaiming veld must be adapted to the climate of the
immediate surroundings. The trend is to use perennial grasses because they
are denser and offer greater coverage. Palatable grasses should be avoided,
particularly where grazing animals cannot be removed from the area. The
grasses can be sown if seed is available. Some effective indigenous grasses
are: Eragrostis curvula, Andropogon gayanus, Cynodon dactylon, Stipagrostis
uniplumis, Aristida canescents, Eragrostis lehmanniana, Eragrostis superba and
Hyparrhenia hirta.
Source: Guide to Grasses of South Afica. Frits van Oudtshoorn; Early survival and
growth of vegetatively propogated indigenous grasses in a clear-felled timber
plantation in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. JCO du Toit, African Journal of Range
and Forage Science, Vol 26(2), pp. 97-102.
5. For the newcomer

Veld is defined as uncultivated land on which indigenous or other vegetation
occurs which can be grazed by animals. The proper management of veld is
vital to its continued productivity and the production of domestic livestock
and game. Mismanagement leads to:
Overgrazing this occurs when the number of animals per unit area of
land (the stocking rate) exceeds the number of animals the vegetation
of land can support (i.e. carrying capacity). The recommended grazing
capacity may be obtained from the Departmental norms or from veld
condition assessments.
Erosion is the excessive soil loss through the action of water or
wind.
Bush encroachment occurs as a result of overgrazing, badly timed
burning, drought and incorrect combination of animals (grazers and
browsers).
Desertification is a process which arises through bad land use. The
end result of desertification is the total degradation of land which is
extremely difficult to reverse.
Grazing capacity
The number of animals that can be run on a farm must not exceed the
grazing capacity of that farm. If stock numbers exceed the grazing capacity
then:
There will be insufficient fodder for livestock resulting in deterioration
of the condition.
Overgrazing of palatable species will result in reduced productivity and
veld deterioration.
Veld resting
All living organisms require rest, yet resting of veld is not practiced by
many farmers.
Rested veld contains a high proportion of palatable species and provides
excellent winter fodder.
Rested veld promotes vigour and plant regrowth.
156
A land user may apply the following measures to protect their land
against degradation:
Reduce animal numbers on veld showing signs of deterioration or
move them.
Make use of a suitable grazing crop established to supplement the
natural grazing.
Should any part of the veld show signs of wind erosion, suitable wind
breaks should be created either mechanically or biologically. Denuded
areas should be covered with either branches, hay, stray crop residues
or any other suitable material.
Rotational grazing is highly recommended. Fencing assists with the division
of camps and is used as a management tool to control veld condition.
The property should be divided into veld type units, which are
management units based on ecological criteria such as the steepness of
slopes, the aspect of the slopes, bush density, distance from water, vleis
(wetlands) and other factors. These veld type units should form the basis
of management decisions.
Fences, if need be, can then be used to separate some of these veld type
units to force animals not to concentrate on one are (such as a northfacing slope) while ignoring another area (such as the top of a mountain or
a south-facing slope). If fencing is not practical or affordable, in sourveld
areas burning different veld type units each year can encourage animals
to move from one area to another.
Herding of livestock, or rotating water and lick points, are also potential
tools for encouraging animals to move. If fencing is too expensive, then
consider fencing only small, valuable portions of the property such as
vleis (wetlands) or stream banks.

Government has identified the grasslands biome as a priority for conservation action
and is implementing the national Grasslands Programme to save the deteriorating
environment.
Directorate: Land Use and Soil
Management
Tel: 012 319 7686
DLUSM@daff.agric.za
South African National

Biodiversity Institute
Grasslands Programme
Tel: 012 843 5000/99
grasslands@sanbi.org
www.grasslands.org.za
Affairs (DEA)
Tel: 012 310 3911
lbosoga@environment.gov.za
The Agricultural
Research
Council (ARC) is involved in
Rangeland Monitoring. Find details
under heading 7.
7. Role players
(EWT)
Threatened Grassland Species
Programme (EWT-TGSP)
Tel: 011 372 3600
www.ewt.org.za
In order to conserve grasslands
the Endangered Wildlife Trusts
two strengths have been: 1) using
charismatic and indicator species
to promote the conservation of the
Grassland Biome; and 2) engaging
with and working with farmers on
their farms to conserve grassland
biodiversity.
Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife
Rob Scott-Shaw
robss@kznwildlife.com
www.kznwildlife.com
Grassland science encompasses

applied fields such as livestock
production, wildlife management,
nature
conservation,
water
catchment management and range
and mine-dump rehabilitation. The
disciplines that it encompasses
include, amongst others, ecology,
botany, zoology, range and
pasture science, animal science,
soil science and genetics. The
GSSA intermittently produces
information days in collaboration
with other organisations on a
range of subjects, and has recently
unveiled a mentorship programme
to provide support to young
scientists.
The GSSA hosts a members

expertise database for the public
who seek expert advice in different
Grassland Society of Southern areas.
Africa (GSSA)
Tel/fax: 049 842 4335
Tel: 012 843 5000
The Grassland Society of Southern www.grasslands.org.za
Africa (GSSA) advances rangeland
ecology and pasture management Regional contact details are
in Africa through a dynamic and available at www.sanbi.org.
professional Congress held in July
each year, during which current The CSIR and SANBI (South African
research is presented to a mixed National Biodiversity Institute)
audience of scientists, practitioners undertook a Grassland Biodiversity
and consultants. The Congress Profile and Spatial Biodiversity
includes field trips to practical Priority Assessment as part of the
demonstrations of grassland science Grasslands Programme.
in practice, as well as special farmer
information days and courses.
Wildlife Ranching South Africa
(WRSA)
The
GSSA
publishes
the Tel: 012 335 6994
internationally recognised African www.wrsa.co.za
Journal of Range and Forage Science,
and the popular publication, WWF South Africa (World Wide
Grassroots. The website of the Fund for Nature)
Society hosts all back issues of Tel: 021 657 6600
Grassroots as well as a searchable www.wwf.org.za
database of literature relevant to all
aspects of grassland science.

It is essential that ongoing research be undertaken to increase understanding
of the driving forces that determine changes in vegetation. The productivity
of all the rangelands of South Africa has been deteriorating as a result
of inter alia desertification, bush encroachment and the loss of palatable
plant species. Should this deterioration be allowed to continue unchecked,
sustainable animal and food production would not be possible in the long
term.
For updates on grazing research visit www.grassland.org.za or contact the
Grassland Society of Southern Africa (GSSA) at 049 842 4335 or 083 256
7202. Funding is available intermittently for postgraduate student research
contact admin@grassland.org.za.
Universities and agricultural colleges cover grasses (grassland science) and
pastures in their degrees and diplomas. The agricultural colleges, working
with the provincial Departments of Agriculture, present short courses too
on veld management. Cedara College and Glen College are two examples.
See the Agricultural education and training chapter.
157
Africa Land-Use Training (ALUT) offers a consultancy and training service

to the agricultural and environmental sectors is offered. Short courses on
topics such as Farm planning, Veld management, Veld condition and grazing
capacity assessment, Grass identification and more are included under the
name Africa Land-Use Training. Courses are presented at predetermined
venues or on invitation. Visit www.alut.co.za, write to info@alut.co.za or
call ALUT at 014 717 3819 / 078 228 0008 for more information about their
services and courses.
The Rangelands and Nutrition Research Unit within the Animal Production
Institute of the Agricultural Research Council (ARC) conducts research
on the ecology and management of rangelands. Its research teams run
several projects in all of South Africas biomes and on rangelands under all
types of land uses (commercial livestock production, communal farming,
game ranching).
The ARC is currently managing a National Rangeland Monitoring and
Improvement Programme that is staffed with competent research
technicians who conduct veld condition surveys and basic soil surveys
throughout the country in order to inform decision making by both land
users and policy makers. The ARC also offers a service to monitor veld
condition on game ranches with recommendations on the management
of these properties for the intended objectives without degradation of
the resource base. It conducts training on veld management for farmers
and often present information at farmers days and annual congresses of
the Grassland Society of Southern Africa. The ARC has research facilities
throughout the country and runs several projects on farm and in the rural
communities. Some contacts at the ARC:

Dr Andrew Magadlela 012 672 9036

Dr Sikhalazo Dube 012 672 9295
Dr Mike Peel 013 753 7147 / mikep@arc.agric.za
ARCInstitute for Soil, Climate and Water (ARC-ISCW)

Herman Fouche fouchehj@ufs.ac.za
Terence Newby terry@arc.agric.za
www.arc.agric.za
Biodiversity and ecosystems
services
Tel: 021 888 2488
Dr Belinda Reyers
breyers@csir.co.za
Natural resources and the
Environment
Tel: 012 841 2911
Luthando Dziba
ldziba@csir.co.za
www.csir.co.za
Eastern Cape Department
of Rural Development and
Agrarian Reform
Dhne Agricultural Development
Institute
Tel: 043 683 1240
Adelaide Research Station
Craig Trethewey
cat01@telkomsa.net
Free State Department
of Agriculture and Rural
Development
Chris Smith smith@fs.agric.za
Grootfontein Agricultural
College
Tel: 049 802 6723 / 049 842 1113
Loaine van den Berg
lorainevdb@daff.gov.za
Justin du Toit
justindutoit@gmail.com
http://gadi.agric.za
Short training courses at

Grootfontein include veld
management marykevdm@daff.
gov.za
KwaZulu-Natal Department of
Agriculture and Environmental
Affairs
Zandile Ndlovu
Doreen.ndlovu@kzndae.gov.za
Janet Taylor
janet.taylor@kzndae.gov.za
www.kzndae.gov.za
Limpopo Department of
Agriculture
Ntuwiseni Mmbi
ntuwisenime@webmail.co.za
Pieter Wagner
wagnerp@agric.limpopo.gov.za
Jorrie Jordaan
jorrie.jj@gmail.com
National Zoological Gardens of
South Africa
Khanyi Mbatha
khanyi@nzg.ac.za
University (NMMU)
Ecology
Tel: 041 504 2308
www.nmmu.ac.za/ace
Department of Geoscience
Vincent Kakembo
Vincent.kakembo@nmmu.ac.za
North West Department

of Agriculture and Rural
Development
Dieter Jordaan
djordaan@nwp.gov.za
North West Parks and Tourism
Board
Wilfred Seitlhamo
wseitlhamo@nwptb.co.za
Potchefstroom
Tel: 018 299 2510
www.nwu.ac.za
Northern Cape Department
Agriculture, Land Reform and
Rural Development
lisahebbelmann@gmail.com
burgess.roberta@yahoo.com
Rhodes University
Botany Department
Tel: 046 603 8592
www.ru.ac.za/botany
South African Environmental
Observation Network
(SAEON)
Tel: 033 343 3491
www.saeon.ac.za
Tel: 021 808 3728
www.cons-ent.com
Technology
PanagosMD@tut.ac.za
mashiyajg@tut.ac.za
www.tut.ac.za
University of Cape Town (UCT)
Environmental and Geographical
Science
Tel: 021 650 2873
www.science.uct.ac.za

Livestock and Pasture Science
Tel: 040 602 2059 / 2499
www.ufh.ac.za
Department Animal, Wildlife and
Grassland Sciences 051 401 2211
Department of Soil, Crop and
Climate Sciences 051 401 2212
Centre for Development Support
Tel: 051 773 0324 / 083 274 5461
Biological and Conservation
Sciences
Tel: 033 260 5505 / 5821
http://biology.ukzn.ac.za
Tel: 015 268 2202 / 2784
www.ul.ac.za
Department of Plant Production
and Soil Science
Tel: 012 420 3809 / 3223
www.up.ac.za
Centre for Wildlife Management
Tel: 012 420 2627 / 2569
www.wildlife.up.ac.za/centre
(UNISA)
Sciences
Tel: 011 471 2655
www.unisa.ac.za
University of Venda
Tel: 015 962 8200
joseph.baloyi@univen.ac.za
www.univen.ac.za
University of Zululand
Tel: 035 902 6063
scogings@gmail.com
www.uzulu.ac.za
158
University of the
Witwatersrand
Tel: 011 717 6404
www.wits.ac.za/apes
Vaal University of Technology

Zama Hadebe
mzamosehadebe@gmail.com
Michael Pillay mpillay@vut.ac.za
Peter Stegmann
peters@vut.ac.za
www.vut.ac.za
Input suppliers and other role players

BESTFARMER SA
Riaan Dames 084 273 8666
www.bestfarmer.co.za
Grazing for Profit

Tel: 058 622 1499
www.rcs-sa.com
Rangeland/Grazing management/ HOTSURE

extensive
animal
production Tel: 0861 COLLAR
www.hotsure.co.za
specialist
Community Dynamics
Tel: 053 927 4367 / 082 459 9451
www.communitydynamics.net
Precision grazing and veld utilisation

monitoring.

Holistic Management Grazing Tel: 033 940 0450 / 082 828 7953
Planning
www.jecenviro.co.za
The Global Environment Facility Veld
condition
assessments,
funded approximately R66 million carrying capacity, re-vegetation are
to the Grasslands Programme. Visit included in services offered
www.thegef.org
Recommended reading:
Grasses
Sasol First Field Guide to Grasses of Southern Africa G Smith. Struik. Cape
Town. ISBN: 1 86872 952 4.
Guide to the Grasses of South Africa Frits van Oudtshoorn. Briza.
ISBN: 1875093176. A full-colour guide to the common grasses of
southern Africa and includes descriptions and illustrations of the 300
most important grasses in southern Africa. There are more than 800
excellent colour photographs.
Grasses of Southern Africa GE Gibbs Russell, L Watson, M Koekemoer,
L Smook, NP Barker, HM Anderson & MJ Dallwitz. ISBN: 0 620 14846
2.
Common veld and pasture grasses of Natal NM Tainton, DJ Bransby and
P de V Booysen. Shuter and Shooter. Pietermaritzburg. SA.
Grasses of the Eastern Free State R Moffett. Uniqwa, Qwa-Qwa Campus
University of the North. SA. ISBN 0 958 42091 2.
Common grasses of the Northern Cape BR Roberts, JH Fourie. Northern
Cape Livestock Co-operation Limited. Kimberley. South Africa.
Acocks notes: key grasses of South Africa PJK Zacharias. Grassland
Society of South Africa. ISBN: 0 620 14282 0.
Identification of Veld Grasses of KwaZulu-Natal. KwaZulu-Natal
Department of Agriculture and Environmental Affairs, Cedara,
Pietermaritzburg. ISBN: 0 621 31817 5
Trees and shrubs
SAPPI tree-spotting series
Field Guide to Trees of Southern Africa. Braam van Wyk & Piet van Wyk.
Struik, Cape Town. ISBN: 1 86825 922 6
Trees of Southern Africa. Meg and Keith Coates-Palgrave.
Weeds
Grassroots, the Newsletter of the Grassland Society of Southern Africa

and incorporating the Bulletin, is published quarterly and distributed to all
members and subscribers as well as a select VIP mailing list. It can also be
downloaded at www.grassland.org.za.
useful notes on rangeland management along with the other information.
Find the document on www.nwga.co.za or contact 041 365 5030.
Call 012 672 9253/313 for the following, available from the Range and
Forage Utilisation division at the ARC in Irene:
Scale-related vegetation sampling
Strategic Use of Intercropping for Small-Scale Farming Systems
The wheel-point method of survey and measurement of semi-open
grasslands and Karoo vegetation in South Africa
Amasu oku Tshalahlangana anga setshenziswa ngabalimi abanendawo
encane
Know Your Veld
Principles in managing veld
Cultivated pastures for South Africa, a compilation of 25 brochures
on indigenous and exotic pasture species for use under dry land and
irrigated conditions
Visit www.grassland.org.za, website of the Grassland Society of
Southern Africa (GSSA).
Visit www.grasslands.org.za, home of the Grasslands Programme
www.agis.agric.za take the AGIS and then Veld Focus menu
options. The latest reports on rainfall and current condition of
rangeland / veld are dealt with region by region.
Find the many relevant publications at www.kzndae.gov.za.
Find the Bush Expert and Grass Expert databases on www.puk.
ac.za/EcoRestore
Alien Weeds and Invasive Plants. Lesley Henderson, Agricultural

Research Council, Pretoria. ISBN 1 86849 192 7
Invasive Alien Plants in KwaZulu-Natal: Management and Control. Wildlife
and Environment Society of South Africa (WESSA)-KZN.
Problem Plants of South Africa. Clive Bromilow. Briza Publications, Cape
Town.
Veld and pasture management
Gids tot die Volhoubare Produksie van Weiding Prof Hennie Snyman
Landbouweekblad. Order at 021 406 4962 or lbw@media24.com
Introduction to VeldCare. [English and isiZulu]. CD Morris & D Kotze.
ARC & ShareNet. Pietermaritzburg. 1 919991 38 7.
Veld and pasture management in South Africa NM Tainton (editor).
Shuter and Shooter. Pietermaritzburg. SA. ISBN 0 627 01864 5
Game ranch management J du P Bohma (editor). JL van Schaik. ISBN 0
627 01864 5.
Karoo veld ecology and management KJ Esler, SJ Milton & WRJ Dean.
Briza. Pretoria. ISBN: 978 1 875093 52 6.
Veld Management in the Eastern Cape JE Dankwerts, WR Teague.
Department of Agriculture. ISBN: 0 621 123 889.
Improved grassland management J Frame. Farming Press, Ipswich. ISBN
0 852 36246 3.
The farming handbook B Smith. University of KwaZulu-Natal Press.
Pietermaritzburg. ISBN: 978 1 86914 090 8.
Veld and Pasture Management Guidelines for Sustainable Animal
Production on the Mpumalanga Highveld. A Engelbrecht, K Kirkman and
A Swanepoel. Department of Agriculture, Pretoria. ISBN: 1 86871 155
2
Veld in KwaZulu-Natal. Agricultural Production Guidelines for KwaZuluNatal. KwaZulu-Natal Department of Agriculture and Environmental
Affairs, Cedara, Pietermaritzburg. ISBN: 0 621 27923 4.
NWU banner
159
resources and good

Soils
1. Overview
To be a successful farmer, one must first know the nature of the soil, Oeconomicus
(400 B.C.) by Xenophon
Healthy soils produce life. It is no surprise that in the creation epic recorded
in the book of Genesis, it is from the soil that Adam is created. It is the
soil which determines which crop will be planted, and what livestock is
supported. What we do with our soil determines how our ecosystems
serve us and how well we eat.
National identities and characteristics are ascribed in some writings to the
soils of their people, and even though the exploration is more metaphorical
it grabs something within us which recognises the profound connection
between ourselves and the soil.
In addition to this chapter, the reader will find other chapters in this book of
relevance e.g. Precision farming; Conservation Agriculture; Fertiliser;
Speciality fertilisers; Compost and organic fertilisers and more.
2. Soil sampling and analysis

Soil sampling is the weakest link in the soil testing process a few grams
of soil represent millions of kilograms in the field. Soils composition varies
horizontally and vertically: the sample should incorporate these variations.
It is therefore important that controllable factors, such as the time of
sampling, sampling depth, relation to rows and the sampling path through
the land, are identical to the previous years.
There are various methods to sample soils. How, where and when the
sub-samples should be collected depend on the application of the analytical
results. You may be wishing to formulate a fertilisation programme, for
example. Here, the method of soil sampling is determined by the crop
cultivated. Or you may be investigating plant production problems, or doing
a nematode count (here too there are different guidelines depending on
where you are doing the sampling e.g. orchards and annual crops require
different sampling methods). Or perhaps you are wanting to determine the
water-holding properties of your soil.
Several role players have compiled guidelines on soil sampling for their
clients. These guidelines list sampling methods like:
soil sampling to formulate a fertilisation programme for annual crops;
soil sampling to formulate a fertilisation programme for perennial
corps;
site-specific sampling;
soil sampling to diagnose plant production problems;
soil sampling to establish permanent crops;
soil sampling to assess the current fertilisation programme of tree
crops;
soil sampling to determine the water-holding properties of soils;
soil sampling for nematode counts.
Agricultural role players like the members of the South African Soil Survey
Organisation (SASO), the ARC, your nearest agricultural college, Provincial
Department of Agriculture or university will be able to help you with soil
sampling.
3. Soil erosion and Good Agricultural Practice

Read about WOCAT and LADA at www.wocat.net and www.fao.org/nr/lada
respectively.
Soil erosion by wind occurs where a dry, loose soil that is reasonably finely
divided on a soil surface that is smooth on which little or no vegetative
cover is present.
Each year approximately 300 million ton of top soil is washed away.
At present 3 million ha topsoil cannot be used for agriculture as a result
of erosion & bush encroachment.
A land user can combat wind erosion:
by using rotational cropping
by not leaving land fallow
by creating alternate strips of natural land with undisturbed cover
crops
by leaving strips of natural vegetation at right angles to the prevailing
wind direction
by creating suitable wind breaks, either mechanically or biologically
Intense rainfall on bare soil causes aggregate dispersion, surface sealing, and
high runoff and low infiltration of water.
The potential of soil erosion is greatest while the surface is bare after
ploughing, during seedbed preparation, and at seedling establishment.
A land user may apply the following methods to combat water erosion:
lay out a land in such a way that the spread of run-off is sufficiently
restricted;
cultivate land using a crop rotation system;
create alternate strips of land with undisturbed cover crops;
leave crop residue or plant material on cultivated land to protect the
land from being eroded;
establish a suitable grazing crop on land permanently withdrawn from
cultivation.
Source: www.daff.gov.za

Because soils differ, their suitability to produce crops varies, and this will
affect the crop yield. Are you planting the best crop for the soil you have at
your disposal?
Farmers cannot afford to cultivate any land at a loss. The best soils should
be selected for a crop. The low and varying maize price, for example,
adds to the pressure and questions whether it is sustainable to grow that
crop. Here it would be essential to select only the best maize soils for the
cultivation of maize. Different crops would be selected for the balance of
the land. Alternative crops would include permanent pastures.
There are variations in permanent soil properties. The South African Soil
Classification System accommodates this variation in 73 soil forms and
several families in each soil form. Variation in soil fertility and agronomic
practices contributes to this variation.
Soil scientists can help farmers matching soil and land use. In order to
make progress in optimising land use it is essential to do a soil survey. A
land-use plan can then be worked out with the soil information. The aim is
sustainable land use.
160
Precision agriculture with super monitors is a new tool helping farmers

to determine exactly what their land is producing on any spot. Precision
farming procedures monitor variations in crop yield well. This technology
changed the soil survey and land evaluation industry. The other leg of
precision agriculture grid sampling identifies variation in soil chemistry and
fertility making variable application of lime and fertilisers possible.
Have a soil survey done and get hold of the soil map.
On the soil map do land use planning for the farm and keep sustainability
in mind.
Apply the plan.
Based on information sent in by Dr PAL le Roux. Email LeRouxPA@ufs.ac.za
5. For the newcomer

Directorate: Land Use and Soil Management (LUSM)
Tel: 012 319 7685/6
www.daff.gov.za
Provincial LUSM offices:
Region
Telephone
Eastern Cape
043 704 6800
Free State
051 409 2601
Gauteng
012 319 7596
KwaZulu-Natal
033 345 3557/15
Soil Types:
Limpopo
015 287 9943
If you want to plant vegetables, fruit trees, maize or any other crop, you
must first find out whether the soil is clay, sandy or loamy because crops do
not always grow well in all kinds of soil. If you know what type of soil you
have, you will know how to improve it.
Mpumalanga
013 755 1420 / 2614
North West
018 294 3343/4
Northern Cape
053 807 2600
Take soil in your hand, moisten it and form it into a ball. Make a fist, squeeze,
then open your hand. The wet soil will have formed a sausage.
Western Cape
021 984 9278
clay soil will form a firm sausage

loam soil will form a poor sausage that will break up if you roll it back
and forth in the palm of your hand.
sandy soil will form a broken sausage (if it manages to form one at all!)
You can also tell the difference by looking carefully at your soil.
clay soil forms very hard dry clods
loam soil also forms dry clods
sandy soil has soft clods, or no clods at all.
Loam soil is the best as it retains just enough water and allows the right
amount to drain away.
A soil that has too much clay or too much sand can be improved by adding
lots of compost or manure.
Water does not penetrate easily into clay and plant roots do not grow
easily.
Water penetrates quickly into sandy soil, roots grow easily but the soil
becomes dry quickly.
Loam soil contains both sand and clay. Roots grow easily. The soil holds
water and nutrients.
Acid soil and lime:
Most agricultural crops give better yields on soils that are not too acid
or too sweet (alkaline). Many South African soils especially those in the
eastern parts of the country are acid. On the whole, acid soils are poor
and unproductive. A lime product must therefore first neutralise the acidity.
Most crops benefit from lime application to increase the pH. The amount
of lime applied depends on the pH, texture and base saturation of the soil.
The more acid the soil, the more lime it requires. Clayey soil and soil with a
high organic matter content must also be limed.
Source: Info Pak from www.daff.gov.za and KwaZulu-Natal Department of Agriculture
and Environmental Affairs; Water Wise.
7. Role players
Associations
Soil Science Society of South South African Council for
Africa (SSSSA)
Natural Scientific Professions
Tel: 012 310 2504
(SACNASP)
www.soils.org.za
Tel: 012 841 1075
www.sacnasp.org.za
The Soil Science Society of South
Africa is an organisation with the SACNASP is an organisation
aim of promoting all aspects of soil that handles the registration of
science. Visit their website for links all practising professionals in
to national and international soil the natural sciences (including
science role players.
soil science, agricultural science
geohydrology and environmental
South African Soil Survey
science) as required by law (Natural
Organisation (SASSO)
Scientific Professions Act, 2003).
johan@terrasoil.co.za
(chairperson)
International Erosion Control
www.sasso.co.za
Association Southern Africa
Lehman Lindeque 083 453 0600
This
non-profit
organisation erosion.safrica@gmail.com
exists for the development of www.ieca.co.za
soil surveyors and workers in www.ieca.org
related fields. It is a forum for soil
surveyors to exchange ideas and The International Erosion Control
Association (IECA) is a professional
discuss knowledge about soils.
member organisation serving the
SASSO presents four national worldwide erosion and sediment
workshops distributed over the control industry. The Southern
country each year. Workshops Africa Chapter of the International
Control
Association
address soil suitability related Erosion
aspects which advisors are (IECA-SA) have among others,
confronted with in the industry the following two main objectives:
e.g. identification of morphological To educate IECA-SA members,
soil properties, classification and the public and the erosion control
mapping of soils and interpretation industry; to disseminate information
of the role of soils in different land on erosion and sediment control
through conferences, seminars and
uses.
communication media.
161
Other relevant associations include the South African Society of Crop

Production (SASCP) and Southern African Society for Horticultural
Sciences. Visit www.sascp.org.za and www.sashs.co.za for more. Find
details of the Combined Congress at www.combinedcongress.org.za.

Consult the Agricultural education and training chapter.
ARC-Institute for Agricultural The Provincial Departments

Engineering (ARC-IAE)
of Agriculture, working closely
Tel: 012 842 4000
with the agricultural colleges,
also offer courses. The KZN
Research
and
development Department of Agriculture and
of technology related to soil Environment Affairs does training
conservation structures, techniques in soil classification, land capability,
and systems.
and in advanced soil fertility.
ARC-Institute of Climate, Soil Educational posters in Land
and Water (ARC-ISCW)
Husbandry and management are
Tel: 012 310 2500
also available (see heading 8).
iscwinfo@arc.agric.za
www.arc.agric.za
AgriSETA accredited trainers
(find the list in the Agricultural
Pedology and Soil Mineralogy
education & training chapter). An
Soil surveying, classifying and
example is Africa Land-Use Training
mapping
Soil suitability for agricultural (ALUT). Visit www.alut.co.za or
production and rehabilitation call 014 717 3819.
Soil susceptibility to salinity
Companies involved conduct
and erosion
research.
0
Soil and Water Science
Council for Geoscience
Soil fertility
Soil-plant-water relationships Tel: 012 841 1911
www.geoscience.org.za
Soil water management
University (NMMU)
specialist Centre for African Conservation
Ecology
Tel: 041 504 2316
The ARC-ISCW develops and www.nmmu.ac.za
maintains comprehensive databases
on land type information, soil profile North-West University
information and soil documentation Unit for Environmental Sciences
culminating into soil information and Management
systems.
Prof L van Rensburg
Tel: 018 299 1542
ARC- Plant Protection Research Mr PW Deventer
Tel: 018 285 2267
Tel: 012 808 8000
www.nwu.ac.za
HabigJ@arc.agric.za
Experts
in
soil
surveys,
The Soil Microbiology Laboratory precision
farming,
fertiliser
at the PPRI offers services to recommendations, soil pollution
clients where long-term effects and soil degradation assessments
of soil management practices
are determined on soil biological Faculty of Agriculture Science and
Technology
properties.
Tel: 018 389 2481 / 2050
Other ARC Institutes involved with
crop production e.g. the Small Stellenbosch University
Grains Institute and Grain Crop Department of Soil Science
Institute will be able to help with Tel: 021 808 4794
www.sun.ac.za/soil
soil samples and issues of the soil.
Analytical Services
Standard
and
analyses
Plant Production and Soil Sciences
Tel: 012 420 3809 / 3223
www.up.ac.za
Technology
Tel: 012 382 5340
joubertfph@tut.ac.za
www.tut.ac.za
Faculty of Science and Agriculture
Tel: 040 602 2232
www.ufh.ac.za
Climate Sciences
Tel: 051 401 2212
www.ufs.ac.za
Department: Soil Science
Tel: 033 260 5422
www.ukzn.ac.za
Soil Science, Plant Production and
Agricultural Engineering
Tel: 015 268 2927
www.ul.ac.za
University of Venda
Department of Soil Science
Tel: 015 962 8431
www.univen.ac.za
University of the
Witwatersrand
Tel: 011 717 6404
www.wits.ac.za
School of Applied and
Tel: 047 502 2311 / 047 502 2186
www.wsu.ac.za
CARE (Conservation of Agricultural Resources Exhibition) at Cedara. This is

housed in the old house that was the Principals residence at Cedara, and
presents the origins of soil, soil types and uses, energy and growth cycles, soil
degradation and erosion, rain cycles, soil loss equations, and conservation
measures. It is in need of updating and a general overhaul, but is unique and
a powerful training tool.
Companies involved
Find this heading in the Fertiliser, Speciality fertilisers, Precision farming,
Compost and organic fertilisers and Earthworms and vermicompost chapters.
AquaCheck www.aquacheck.co.za (Soil moisture management

software)
DFM Software Tel/fax: 021 904 1154 www.dfmsoftware.co.za (Soil
moisture sensors planted permanently in the ground. These take
hourly moisture and temperature readings at six depths).
Ecosoil Tel: 021 848 9434 / 072 906 1636 www.ecosoil.co.za (Jako
Pieterse consults farmers on creating healthy soils).
EnviroMon Tel: 021 851 5134 www.enviromon.co.za (For the
supply, installation, maintenance and calibration of instrumentation for
monitoring soil moisture conditions).
Farmsecure Agri Science Tel: 021 974 1900 / 058 307 6945 www.
farmsecure.co.za (Farmsecure Agri Sciences independent consultation
services include GPS mapping; soil inspection, analysis and management
for best results)
Hanna Instruments Tel: 011 615 6076 www.hannainst.co.za (pH
instruments, Fertigation systems and more)
NviroTek Labs Tel: 082 885 8699 www.nviroteklabs.co.za
Scientific Roets Tel: 039 727 1515 www.scientificroets.com
(engineering projects have included managing soil erosion).
Soiltech Tel: 072 408 8211 www.soiltech.co.za
Terrasoil Science Tel: 012 993 0969 www.terrasoil.co.za
Terratek Tel: 018 581 1000 www.suidwes.co.za
162

SA Journal of Plant & Soil. ISSN number of 0257-1862. Now internationally
listed on the Master Journal List of the www.isinet.com web site.
Congratulations!
The Soils of South Africa, a publication co-ordinated by Prof Martin Fey of
Stellenbosch University. It covers the properties, classification, genesis and
use of various soils e.g. organic, humic, vertic, melanic, silicic, calcic etc. It
is the first book in seventy years that provides a comprehensive account of
South African soils. Find more on www.soils.org.za
Kejafa Knowledge Works has a number of books on soil in stock. Visit www.
kejafa.co.za or call 011 025 4388.
Call 012 842 4000 / 17 or email iaeinfo@arc.agric.za for the following
publications available from the ARCs Institute of Agricultural Engineering:
Barricades and small structures for the prevention of soil erosion (also
available in Afrikaans)
Combating erosion with silt fences (also available in Afrikaans)
Land type data and acquired knowledge are being used to solve a variety
of problems such as land use planning. Detailed soil and climate surveys are
integrated into a comprehensive Agricultural Geo-referenced Information
System (AGIS), www.agis.agric.za, which allows for a variety of applications,
including assessment of agricultural potential and land suitability. Also at the
AGIS website are the easy-to-understand Infotoons. Visit www.agis.agric.
za/efarmer. The following four subjects are covered:
Making the most of rainwater;
Mulch: A blanket on the soil;
Compost: Natures fertiliser;
How to get your soil tested.
Provincial Departments of Agriculture produce poster training and other
material. Call 033 355 9304 for the Training Resources Development (TRD)
at the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Agriculture and Environmental Affairs

for the following:
Acid soils and liming English poster series and A4 book;
Land husbandry I (General), II (Cropping), and III (Grazing) English and
Zulu poster series and booklets;
Good seed, soil and water for success English poster series and
booklets;
Vetiver grass, a hedge against erosion.
The following Info Paks (booklets) are available from the Resource Centre
at the National Department of Agriculture. They can be downloaded from
www.daff.gov.za (take the Publications option):
Soil Erosion
Soil: Acid soil and lime (most crops benefit from increased lime
application)
Soil: Application of lime (the amount of lime added to the soil depends on
various factors)
Soil: Kraal manure as fertiliser (a viable alternative for chemical)
Soil: Test your soil (a basic guide to help you distinguish between sandy,
loam and clay soil)
www.daff.gov.za/docs/erosion/erosion.htm notes on soil erosion and
preventing it.
www.fao.org/nr/lada read about the Land Degradation Assessment in
Drylands project (LADA). A deliverable of LADA is the World Overview of
Conservation Approached and Technologies (WOCAT) project.
Read about what the World Overview of Conservation Approaches and
Technologies has to say at www.wocat.net.
www.terrafrica.org regional sustainable land management African network
which was formed in 2009.
163
resources and good

Waste management
1. Overview
Waste is any material lacking direct value to the producer, and so must be
disposed of. All farming operations create waste products that need to
be managed. Waste on the farm includes agro-chemicals (pesticides etc),
animal carcasses, grey water (e.g. from cleaning the dairy equipment), black
water (sewerage), manure and landfill.
Waste Management is not just about getting rid of waste but also about
reducing the amount of waste we create in the first place.
2. Farm integrated waste management

The waste management hierarchy moves from the most preferred to least
preferred method:
1. Waste avoidance avoid creating waste in the first place, or excessive
waste.
2. Waste re-use where possible reuse waste material.
3. Waste recycling glass, cans, paper, cardboard, plastic and a growing
number of items are collected after use, and returned to recycling
companies who reprocess them into articles which are resold to
consumers.
4. Energy recovery from waste an important step which can be
explored by farmers.
5. Treatment waste (especially hazardous waste) can be treated to
reduce toxicity, which in turn, reduces the disposal cost. Composting
is also a form of treatment. Divert valuable organic materials from the
waste stream, before collection, to compost heaps and vermiculture
farms. Compost from earthworms can be used to enrich soils.
Earthworms can be used in a variety of waste management fields.
They process any form of organic waste from food waste (homes and
restaurants) to garden wastes, to animal manures and wastes, to abattoir
wastes. Refer to the Earthworms and vermicompost chapter.

Department of Environmental Affairs (DEA)
The Waste Act 2008 (Act No. 59 of 2008) seeks to encourage the prevention
and minimisation of waste generation, whilst promoting reuse and recycling
of the waste and to only consider disposal of waste to landfill as a last resort
(South Africa is running out of landfill space and waste management is
placing a drain on the finances of local government.)
South Africas National Waste Management Strategy (NWMS), which
Cabinet approved for implementation in November 2011, aims to create
69 000 new jobs in the waste sector and have 2 600 additional small and
medium-sized enterprises and co-operatives participating in waste service
delivery and recycling by 2015.
The NWMS is structured against a framework of eight goals with set targets
for 2016. The eight goals included promoting waste minimisation, reuse,
recycling and recovery of waste; ensuring effective and efficient delivery

of waste service and growing the contribution of the waste sector to the
green economy.
Department of Water Affairs (DWA)
www.dwa.gov.za
Find the different Waste Management Guidelines and Waste Management Policies
documents under the Documents menu option on the website.
All waste generators in South Africa are governed by National

Environmental Management: Waste Act, 2008 (Act No. 59 Of 2008). For a
list of list of waste management activities that have, or are likely to have a
detrimental effect on the environment, refer to www.polity.org.za.
Farmers who use or store wastewater will have to register with DWEA.
All farmers engaging in waste-water discharge by irrigating with treated
effluent, and those who use sewerage slush for fertilisation, will have to
register as well as for other activities which include evaporation ponds
for waste-water, storage of waste on land in landfills or waste dumps and
the use of manure storage facilities. This will identify hotspots of water
quality deterioration in water resources. The DWAF DW 808 replaces
the DW 768 registration form which can be completed electronically on
the WARMS system refer to www.dwa.gov.za/projects/warms
Department of Public Works
www.publicworks.gov.za
The Food for Waste Programme is initiated and implemented by the
Department of Public Works in partnership with the Independent
Development Trust as part of the Expanded Public Works Programme
(EPWP). Members of the community collect waste, which they hand over
to their local offices in exchange for food vouchers.
The article Waste offenders face stiff penalties, but enforcement capacity
questioned (written in July 2011) on www.engineeringnews.co.za provides
a comprehensive analysis of waste legislation, as well as the threats and
opportunities for business.
4. Role players
The Institute of Waste Management of Southern Africa (IWMSA) runs a
directory of role players in this area. Find its details under this heading.

Agricultural and Chemical
Dealers of South Africa
(ACDASA)
Tel: 011 805 2000
www.acdasa.co.za
ACDASA is the representative body
which promotes the responsible
marketing of crop protection
products to agricultural producers.
Fairest Cape Association
Tel. 021 462 2040
www.fairestcape.org.za
Institute of Waste Management

of Southern Africa (IWMSA)
Tel: 011 675 3462 /4
www.iwmsa.co.za
IWMSA is a professional, multi
disciplinary organisation with
voluntary membership established
to promote the science and
practice of waste management. It is
a non-profit organisation.
Institute of Zero Waste in Africa
(IZWA)
Tel: 031 202 4576
www.izwa.org.za
164
KwaZulu-Natal Landfill Interest One area of pollution in agriculture

Group
(and elsewhere) is used lubricant
Tel: 031 311 8820
oil. Farmers can gather and store
their used oil for responsible
Mvula Trust
collection. Find provincial contacts
www.mvula.co.za
on the website (see the NORA-SA
option).
Mvula Trust is the largest water and
sanitation NGO in the South Africa. Responsible
Packaging
Find regional contact details on the Management Association of
website.
Southern Africa
Tel: 032 942 8256
National
Oil
Recycling www.rpmasa.org.za
(NORA-SA)
see
ROSE SEWPACKSA
Foundation
Tel: 079 473 4090 (administrator)
www.sewpacksa.co.za
National Recycling Forum
Tel: 011 675 3462
An association formed to improve
www.recycling.co.za
standards at sewage plants
National Water Forum (NWF)
Louis Meintjies 082 461 7262
www.nwf.za.net
South African Plastics Recyclers

Organisation (SAPRO)
www.sapro.biz
The NWF was formed in 2009,

and invited food retailers, agrochemical companies and mining
companies to help battle water
pollution in South Africa.
Water Institute of South Africa

(WISA)
Tel: 011 805 3537
www.wisa.org.za
Oasis Association
Tel: 021 671 2698
www.oasis.org.za
Packaging Council of South
Africa
Tel: 011 463 9909
www.pacsa.co.za
Plastics Federation of South
Africa
Tel: 011 314 4021
www.plasticsinfo.co.za
WISA replaced the Southern

African branch of the Institute of
Water Pollution Control.
Wildlife and Environment
Society of South Africa
(WESSA)
www.wessa.org.za
WESSA runs a Recycling Info
Line. Find contact details on the
website.
ZERI Southern Africa

(Zero Emissions Research &
Polystyrene Packaging Council Initiatives)
(PSPC) of South Africa
Tel: 021 762 1228
Tel: 012 259 0554
www.zerisa.org
www.polystyrenepackaging.co.za
Training, workshops etc are offered
ROSE Foundation
to make folks think about farming
Recycling Oil Saves the Environment as part of a natural eco-systems
(ROSE)
based operations.
Tel: 021 448 7492
www.rosefoundation.org.za
Companies
ABC Hansen
Tel: 012 803 0036
www.abchansenafrica.co.za
Bio-Systems SA
Tel: 021 786 2972
www.biosystemssa.co.za
Included in ABC Hansens products The Agricultural menu option

is equipment for waste water discusses agricultural waste and its
treatment
remedies
Biobox Systems
Tel: 012 803 7272
www.biobox.co.za
A wastewater management
company
Biolytix
Tel: 021 881 3715
www.biolytix.co.za
Carin Bosman Sustainable

Solutions
Tel: 012 940 2071
www.cbosss.com
Bosman focuses on assisting
private and the public sector in
finding sustainable solutions for
water-related problems she is
recognised as an excellent speaker
and is the author of a number of MPact provincial contact details are

papers on Water Pollution and on the website
Waste Management.
Nampak Paper Recycling
Tel: 011 799 7111
Collect-a-Can (Pty) Ltd
w w w. n a m p a k . c o m / S e r v i c e s Tel: 011 466 2939
Nampak-Recycling.aspx
www.collectacan.co.za
Envirosense cc
http://envirosensecc.co.za
Nampak branches nationwide,

collect from offices, schools,
charities and supermarkets.
Susanne Dittke, based in Cape

Town, is an Integrated Resource NRM Consulting
and Waste Management Specialist Tel: 011 318 0895
www.nrmconsulting.co.za
EcoChem
admin@ecochem.com
carmen@livingearth.co.za
www.ecochem.com
www.fertilis.co.za
EcoChem is a leading producer
of Natural Products and solutions Earthworms can be used in a variety
for use in environmental cleanup, of waste management fields. They
waste management, oil spill process any form of organic waste
cleanup, soil reclamation, waste food waste, animal manures and
water treatment, algae control, wastes, abattoir wastes.
manure management, composting,
lawn care and other life science PROCON Environmental
Technologies
sectors.
Tel: 0860 66 66 22/33
www.pro-enviro.co.za
Ecosystems
Tel: 035 772 4746 / 083 308 4818
Remade Recycling
www.ecosystems.co.za
Tel: 011 873 6545
Consultant in Integrated Waste www.remade.co.za
Management
Sannitree International
Tel: 021 701 1266
Franberfran
www.sannitree.co.za
Tel: 033 346 1444
www.franberfran.com
They
formulate
100%
Franberfran is a waste water environmentally friendly products
treatment company specialising in for treating all organic wastes:
the bioremediation of contaminated aquaculture, pigsty and septic tanks
included.
waste water.
JCL Plastic Enterprises (JCL)
www.jclenterprises.co.za
Sappi ReFibre
www.sappirefibre.com
Previously called Sappi waste Paper,

Suppliers of quality recycled plastic this unit runs a nationwide War
materials, JCL also buys most forms on Waste programme for offices,
of clean ex-factory scrap.
schools and community projects.
Provincial contact details are on
Kyasol Green Building
the website.
Technologies
Tel: 011 840 0840
SA Waste Holdings (Pty) Ltd
www.kyasol.co.za
Tel: 011 919 0000
Small waste water treatment www.sawaste.co.za
systems
Scanwood Solutions (Pty) Ltd
Tel: 012 803 0036 / 0861 472 461
MBB Consulting Engineers
www.scanwood.co.za
Tel: 021 887 1026
www.mbb.co.za
SPATIUM
MBB integrated environmental Louw van Biljon 082 777 2647
spatium@isat.co.za
management projects include waste
management. Find regional office The Glass Recycling Company
contact details on their website.
Tel: 011 803 0767
www.theglassrecyclingcompany.
InSynch Sustainable
co.za
Technologies
Tel: 076 668 8877
Glass that is not recycled is
www.insynch.co.za
landfilled, where it remains forever.
This adds to the huge pollution
MPact Recycling
issues facing our world.
www.paperpickup.co.za
165
Thermopower Process
Technology
Tel: 011 316 1800
www.thermopower.co.za
Consulting service deals with issues

such as composting of agricultural
waste products, particularly in the
sugarcane industry.
For the treatment of hazardous Xtreme Projects

waste
Tel: 041 582 2211 / 082 828 6762
www.xtremeprojects.co.za
Waste Resolution Technologies
Tel: 083 375 8326 / 082 841 4996 Deep cleaning, fire and water
restoration, bio-remediation of
The use of alkaline hydrolysis to contaminated soil, acid spills, oil
deal with abattoir waste
spills etc
Wolf Bernhardt Consulting
Tel: 031 266 3258
www.wbconsulting.co.za
Municipal
Ethekweni Waste Materials
Recovery Industry
Development Cluster
Tel: 031 765 2349 / 082 415 8138
http://use-it.co.za
www.durban.gov.za
Pikitup
Tel: 011 375 5555
www.pikitup.co.za

ARC-Plant Protection Research Council of Scientific and
Tel: 012 808 8000
Tel: 012 841 2911
www.csir.co.za
The Pesticide Analysis Laboratory
is involved in developing new Find the Natural resources and
analytical methods for quantitative the environment and Pollution
analysis and confirmation of and waste options on the website
pesticide
residues
including
insecticides,
herbicides
and National Cleaner Production
fungicides in air, soil, water, plant Centre
material, animal material, foods Tel: 012 841 3772
and feeds as well as formulations www.ncpc.co.za
and technical materials.
ARC-Institute for Agricultural Centre for Environmental Sciences
and Management
Prof L van Rensburg
Tel: 012 842 4000
Leon.VanRensburg@nwu.ac.za
www.arc.agric.za
Mr PW van Deventer
Research and training done on farm 10058591@nwu.ac.za
www.nwu.ac.za
structures (includes facilities to deal
with manure).
Department of Civil Engineering
The BeauTi-FueL Project turns Dr Ntlibi Matete, Ntlibi 031 260
agricultural waste and garbage 3056
into liquid fuel, electricity, waxes Prof Chris Buckley 031 260 3131
and paraffin. The technology was Ms Jennifer Blight 031 260 7185
developed by an engineering www.ukzn.ac.za
team from the University of
the Witwatersrand and the Dr Nicola Rodda 031 260 3015
South African Nuclear Energy represents BioSciences in the
Corporation (NECSA). Find the Pollution Research Group
BeauTi-Fuel option at www.necsa.
co.za or phone 011 717 7510 ZERI - Southern Africa (Zero
(Wits School of Chemical and Emissions Research & Initiatives)
see under the Associations and
Metallurgical Engineering).
NGOs subheading
5. Farmer points of interest

Chemicals
The poor management of pesticide application leads to severe working
environment problems. The regulation on pesticides is in general good,
but suffers from an administrative division between several governing
departments and legal acts. The enforcement is largely based on selfregulation: how many farmers comply with the requirements? Chemical
spraying requires the chemicals to be loaded into the spraying machinery.
Whether spraying by air or on land the loading of chemicals into the machinery
can lead to chemical spills. These are typically not well controlled and the
spills result in a build-up of toxic chemicals over time. Prevention is better
than control, and as far as possible, spills should be prevented. However,
if spills do occur these need to be well controlled. The collected spilled
chemical could then still be used if kept uncontaminated in the contained
area. Alternatively, the chemical can be properly treated and disposed.
Irrigation run-off can carry crop protection chemicals to surface/ground
water, even if it takes many years for this to happen. In Denmark for
example, fifty years after the use of pesticides began traces of them
appeared in groundwater.
Other chemicals used on farms that have environmental effects include
use of paints, turpentine, creosote, etc. which are often used in significant
amounts for maintenance on farm property. The waste materials and
containers are often not disposed in the correct manner leading to health
and environmental effects of solvents, heavy metals and other problematic
chemicals.
Container management
The management of waste chemical packaging is an important
environmental, health and safety issue. Of particular concern are the
containers from pesticide/herbicide chemicals. Once empty they need to
be carefully managed. Prior to disposal, they must be thoroughly cleaned
out. The rinsewater then requires treatment. Holes are then punched in
the containers and they are flattened and disposed of. They are often not
disposed of in correctly controlled waste sites. If not holed and flattened,
the empty containers are in demand and may be stolen (e.g. for use as water
containers in rural areas). There is a high probability of a health hazard for
end users in this case.
Typically farmers are known to burn these empty plastic chemical containers
as well as empty plastic fertiliser bags in open fire on farms. This low
temperature burning results in emissions of dioxins which are hazardous to
health and the environment. Air emissions (dioxins) from burning plastics
(at temperatures <400C) are carcinogenic and are therefore potentially
harmful to those who inhale the fumes.
Vehicle use and maintenance

The maintenance of farm tractors and trucks for transport results in the
generation of used oil and oil filters amongst other wastes. Thousands of
litres of used oil and numerous oil filters could be generated on a farm
each year. Typically these wastes are poorly managed as they are most often
burnt on site, and the metal of the oil filters is buried. The carbon and
emissions from burning dirty oil and heavy metal wastes from filters are of
environmental concern.
If not burnt, waste oil is often used as wood treatment for fence posts
on farms. Although this is common practice, according to hazardous waste
management practices, it is discouraged and correct treatment and disposal
of waste oil is recommended.
166
Soil management
Monoculture can affect the local ecosystem and it is therefore wise that the
method of rotation crops is used. If the same crop is grown on a piece of
land year after year after year, the disease organisms that attack that crop
will build up in the area until they become uncontrollable. Nature abhors
monoculture: inspection of natural plant and animal environments will
reveal a great variety of species. If one species becomes too predominant,
some event, pest or disease is likely to develop to strike it down. Man has
managed to defy this law, to date, by the application of stronger and stronger
chemical controls, but the pests (particularly the fast-evolving viruses) adapt
very quickly to withstand each new chemical and to date the chemist has
managed to keep only a short jump ahead of the disease.
The application of fertilisers requires good knowledge of soil, as adding too
much can lead to destruction of the quality of the soil. Long-term use of
fertilisers in one area also can have negative effects and it is important to use
more natural methods of restoring soil quality.
Soil erosion is also an environmental effect associated with poor agricultural
methods.
Dust
Some herbicides and pesticides remain in the upper soil layer and the dust
generated during cultivation readily transports these to vulnerable and
edible crops. Presence of dust on plants (near roads, etc.) encourages a
build up of scale and red spider mites in cotton, citrus and other crops.
Solid waste generation

The wastes of concern that are generated on the farm are the hazardous
wastes. These are not in very large quantities, but their effect on the
environment demands improved management of these. Plastic and PVC
wastes are not necessarily hazardous unless burnt at low temperature.
Fluorescent lighting tubes contain mercury and are considered hazardous
wastes. Used batteries are another typical solid hazardous waste generated
on farms (particularly from workers houses) and may be in large quantities.
All of these require careful environmental management.
General (low-/non-hazardous) solid waste generated by homestead as well as
from workers housing and compounds, is also an important environmental
management issue, mainly because of the volumes required for disposal.
In many rural areas where farms are located, municipal dumps are located
too far away for proper disposal of solid waste to be economically feasible.
The burning of domestic waste and informal landfilling (dumping) is very
common. However, this has potential environmental problems that need
to be addressed. Burning of plastics and polystyrene must be avoided, and
location of sites where wastes are buried must be carefully chosen away
from environmentally sensitive areas. Hazardous wastes should not be
burnt or buried informally. A large portion of typical solid waste streams can
be minimised through the use of reduction, reuse and recycling options.
Segregation of waste streams at source is essential to allow for improved
waste management.
Source: Claire Janisch. Contact her at claire@geniuslab.co.za

Call 012 842 4000/17 or email iaeinfo@arc.agric.za for the following
publication, available from the ARC Institute for Agricultural Engineering:
Manure Handling in Intensive Animal Production Units in South Africa by H T
Breedt (Pr Eng), Edited and revised by F Cilliers (Pr Eng) 2009.
notes on waste management along with the other information. Find the
document on www.nwga.co.za or contact 041 365 5030.
Managing Our Natural Resources William G Camp; Betty Heath-Camp, ISBN:
9781428318687, April 2008. The updated fifth edition of this introductory
book provides an overview of the broad field of natural resources
management ranging from forestry to air quality to wildlife management to
solid waste management. New case studies explore current real-life issues
encountered in natural resource management.
Water & Sanitation Africa complete water resource and wastewater
management. bi-monthly magazine from 3S Media. Call 011 233 2600 or
visit www.3smedia.co.za.
Visit the websites of companies and associations mentioned under
the Role players heading, some of which have links nationally and
internationally.
www.mywaste.co.za is a recycling portal
Read about the South African National Waste Management Strategy
Implementation Project at www.nwmsi.co.za.
Find various documents (e.g. guidelines for the utilisation of agricultural
sludge, the use of greywater in small-scale agriculture etc.) on the
website of the Water Research Commission, www.wrc.org.za.
Toxipedia is a free toxicology encyclopedia. Go to www.toxipedia.org.
www.ewasteguide.info - E-waste can contain more than one thousand
different substances, many of which are toxic. In 2011 the United
Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) estimated that the level of
e-waste produced globally is forty million tons per year.
A number of waste management papers can be found on www.
goatconnection.com e.g. Consider manure management and the potential
for fly, odour, and water-pollution problems.
The Document library at www.dwa.gov.za includes information on all
policies and legislation related to sanitation and waste services.
For a list of all registered agricultural Clean Development Mechanism
(CDM) projects across the world, go to http://cdm.unfccc.int/Projects/
registered.html, to click on Project search and to choose the
agricultural category.
Take a look at the Agri-environment Scheme Management Plan at
www.ruralni.gov.uk, website of the Department of Agriculture and
Rural Development (Northern Ireland).
Farmers can control and run their own mini-municipalities by separating
plastic, paper, cans and glass, utilising a small mobile machines to bale refuse
into manageable. There are plenty of buyers for industrial refuse refer to
www.mbendi.com/indy/wste/af/p0005.htm#
167
resources and good

Weather and climate

See also the Climate Change chapter in the National Issues section.
1. Overview
South Africa is a relatively dry country. The climate varies from desert to
semi-desert in the west, to relatively wet in the eastern parts adjacent to
the Indian Ocean. Compared to the rest of the world, this country has a
very low average rainfall 470mm per year, which is only half of the world
average.
South Africas rainfall is typically unreliable and unpredictable. South Africa
is periodically afflicted by drastic and prolonged droughts, which often end
in severe floods. There are several explanations for the variable rainfall.
One reason is related to the oceans around the country. Another is linked
to our position in the global weather and climate systems. For example,
we receive some rainfall from warm, moist air that sweeps down over the
country from the North- West. In the South Western parts of the country,
cold fronts usually bring winter rainfall. La Nia and El Nio also influence
our rainfall from time to time.
Because of the topography as well as the rainfall distribution, 60% of South
Africas run-off water is in rivers that flow through only 20% of the country
(the eastern region). Most of our clouds are caught up by the Drakensberg
mountain range in the east where precipitation occurs. This water then runs
down the steep side of the Drakensberg and into rivers of KwaZulu-Natal
and into the sea.
On average, only some 9% of rainfall reaches the rivers.
The country falls squarely within the subtropical belt of high pressure,
making it dry, with an abundance of sunshine.
Weather:
Weather is the condition of the atmosphere at a specific time, or
over a very short period of time, at a place.
It is described by various observed meteorological phenomena and
measured elements (including atmospheric pressure, temperature,
humidity, precipitation, cloudiness and wind speed as well as wind
direction).
Many day-to-day decisions of farmers depend on current weather
conditions and how it will change over the next few days, weeks or
months.
Climate:

The average condition of the atmosphere at a place or in a region as
observed over a period of at least 30 years.
This average condition, or the climate, is usually described in terms
of temperature, precipitation and wind.
The climate of a place will determine what crops will succeed best in a
specific region, or what animals will best suit a specific region.
Agrometeorology studies the influence of climate and weather on
agricultural production. As South Africas seasonal climate is highly
variable and precarious, climate is a deciding factor in successful
agricultural production.
2. Lightning
SA is a severe lightning risk area, with one of the highest rates of lightning
strikes per square kilometre in the world.
Lightning poses a hazard to people and livestock, and can cause expensive
damage to infrastructure. It accounts for between 1,5 and 8,8 deaths per
million people.
South Africa has a relatively new Lightning Detection Network, operated by
the South African Weather Service, and it comprises 24 sensors around the
country. The distribution makes it possible to detect lightning flashes with
a 90% predicted detection efficiency and a 0,5km location accuracy over
most of the country.
According to the data thus far collected, the most dangerous place to live in
terms of lightning is the windward slope of the northern Drakensberg. The
northern Drakensbergs flash density of 15/km extends into northern
KwaZulu-Natal and the Mpumalanga lowveld.
The data collected from the network are used to form lightning-risk maps.
These range from a map of average lightning flashes per municipality and a
lightning intensity-risk map to a positive lightning risk map.
While the network is already considered useful, the Weather Service needs
to collect lightning information for another three years before its data will
be considered comprehensive in terms of scientific standards set by the
South African Bureau of Standards.
Source: Calculating the deadly statistics of lightning strikes, an article in
Business Day, 19 March 2012.
3. What to do in times of drought

Live stock farmers can consider the following actions to mitigate the effect
of drought:
Divide your herd into production classes e.g. in calf, lactating, heifers,
young bulls, oxen, etc.
Restrict the movement of animals in order to conserve energy.
Move animals to shaded/warmer areas where they can be fed.
Make sure animals are healthy.
Use the available grazing and other fodder sources to good judgement
between different production classes.
Always give priority to the most vulnerable animals e.g. with small
calves etc.
Decrease rations of non-producing animals by providing smaller
portions daily or every other day a full portion. Non-productive
animals easily can handle a drop in mass of 10-12% over a long period
of time.
Use expert advice in order to utilise available fodder to a maximum e.g.
Smaller portions but well balanced to fill needs of different production
classes better.
Think creatively by using residues like fowl droppings (make sure
animals are vaccinated against botulism), grain siftings, etc.
Use well-balanced rations and keep to the recommendations of
suppliers, and beware of over feeding it is expensive.
Try not to change rations too often but keep it constant and simple.
The digestive system of an animal must adapt to new substances or
ratios with every change.
Source: Dr Herman Fouch and Mr Johan van den Berg in an article originally
printed in Landbouweekblad
An example follows of strategies that have appeared on the DAFF monthly
advisories, given the prevailing climatic/weather conditions. In this case,
below normal rainfall i.e. dry conditions were expected:
169
A. Rain-fed crop production:

remove alien plants
adjust planting density
consider a conservative fertilising strategy
do regular and strict scouting for pests and diseases to minimise
expenditure on chemical control
do not expand land under crop production unnecessarily
do not experiment with the new and unknown and avoid unnecessary
capital investments
store water in wetlands and dams
reduce evaporation
encourage infiltration of storm water runoff
B. Stock farming
remove alien plants
spread water points evenly through grazing areas
first graze areas where vegetation already shed leaves
plant hardy trees/shrubs for browse
keep well-adapted breeds of livestock
provide suitable licks and make dry range grasses palatable
when conditions worsen, take animals to the camps and feed them
wean early and raise young animals intensively
postpone the mating period during extremely dry conditions
market surplus stocks and cull poor producers when feed resources
run out
maintain young best females
control stock numbers to prevent overgrazing and to save the veld for
the coming winter season
control animal diseases and parasites
feed pregnant and lactating animals better
evaluate carrying capacity of their available grazing and apply the
appropriate stocking rates accordingly
C. Dryland farming
remove alien plants
remove all weeds containing seeds, but keep other vegetative rests on
the land because that will reduce evaporation
obtain the desired seeds for the crops to be planted
check and repair all tools and machinery
consider the making of bunds or other features to increase infiltration
and to reduce
irrigate during cool conditions to avoid evaporation
adhere to the water restrictions at all times as the levels of earth dams
deteriorate in most areas

The World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) is an agency of the UN,
established in 1950. Visit www.wmo.ch.
International weather forecasts may be accessed www.metoffice.gov.uk/
weather.
The USA Department of Agriculture website has a Weather & Climate
option. Clicking on the Publications/Reports will give you inter alia World
Agricultural Weather Highlights. Visit www.usda.gov/oce/weather.

Climate Change and Disaster Management
Assistant Manager (Agro-Meteorologist): Early Warning Unit,
Matiga Motsepe (Mr)
Tel: 012 319 6768
The Directorate compiles the monthly advisories which have the strategies
for farming community to apply given the current climate conditions. These
are available at www.daff.gov.za and www.agis.agric.za
Department of Environmental Affairs www.environment.gov.za
Department of Water Affairs www.dwa.gov.za
6. Role players
ARCInstitute for Soil, Climate South African Society for
Atmospheric Sciences (SASAS)
www.sasas.org.za
Tel: 012 310 2500
www.arc.agric.za
SA Weather Service (SAWS)
The
ARC-ISCWs
Division: Tel: 012 367 6000
Agrometeorology
undertakes www.weathersa.co.za
climate surveys, monitoring and
research to quantify and qualify SAWS falls under the auspices of
climatic factors; to develop risk Minister of Water and Environmental
profiles; to develop early warning Affairs. It is governed by a Board,
systems for drought and other which reports to the said Minister.
adverse climatic conditions as well It is a member of the World
as coinciding pests and diseases; Meteorological Organisation and
and to determine agricultural serves on its Executive Council.
potential and land suitability for
specific production systems and SAWS is ISO 9001:2008 certified
for the provision of meteorological
enterprises.
and climatological products and
The Divisions climatic data is, services, provides scientific training
furthermore, used for national in co-operation with universities, as
crop estimations. The versatile well as an NQF5 certified Weather
Agromet databank as well as the Observer Certificate.
countrywide agricultural weather
station network, developed and Stellenbosch University
maintained by ARC-ISCW, are Department of Conservation
national assets.
Tel: 021 808 3304
www.cons-ent.com
Climate System Analysis Group
Environment (NRE)
Tel: 021 650 2784
Tel: 012 841 2911
www.csag.uct.ac.za
www.csir.co.za
EnviroMon
Tel: 021 851 5134
www.enviromon.co.za
For the supply, installation,
maintenance and calibration of
instrumentation for monitoring
weather elements and soil moisture
conditions.
EnviroMon products and services
include:
eKo Pro system for soil
moisture
and
weather
condition monitoring.
Weather
Stations
for
agricultural and general use.
Customised software for
chilling units, growing degree
days,
Evapo-transpiration,
weather
related
disease
warnings.

Climate Sciences
Tel: 051 401 2212
(DIMTEC)
Tel: 051 401 2721
A department in the faculty
of Natural and Agricultural
Sciences, with the biggest Masters
Degree Programme in Disaster
Management in Africa
http://ses.ukzn.ac.za/Agromet
Land Bank Insurance Company

Tel: 0861 00 5242
www.lbic.co.za
Department of Geography,
Geoinformatics and Meteorology
Prof H Rautenbach
Tel: 012 420 2173
Mutual & Federal Agri

Tel: 012 400 8100
www.mf.co.za
Weather forecasts can also be

viewed on their website. Visit www.
up.ac.za/academic/geog/meteo
Find the Farmers option under Water Research Commission

Products
Tel: 012 330 0340
www.wrc.org.za
Plastrip
The Weather Shop
Tel: 0861 111 696
Tel: 021 851 5134
www.plastrip.com
www.weathershop.co.za
Santam Agriculture
Home use weather instruments
Tel: 021 915 7000
www.santam.co.za
170

The website of the South African Weather Service can be accessed at
www.weathersa.co.za.
Websites of companies involved with agriculture usually have some
menu option to do with weather e.g. www.landbou.com, www.
senwes.co.za and www.suidwes.co.za.
Visit www.weatherphotos.co.za if you need information or photos of
weather patterns, satellite photos or daily rainfall graphics.
The statement from the Department of Agriculture is available on their
website every month www.daff.gov.za. DAFFs monthly advice to
farmers can also be viewed here.
www.agis.agric.za Find the climate advisories and other information
relevant to weather and climate.
www.netfor.co.za Weather forecasting for South Africa. Menu options
include Two Day Forecast as well as current weather and graphical
presentations.
The Norwegian website www.yr.no can provide a weather forecast
for your farm.
includes useful notes on managing your flock in times of drought. Find
the document on www.nwga.co.za or contact 041 365 5030.
Contact Kejafa Knowledge Works for publications on weather and
climate. Visit www.kejafa.co.za or call 011 025 4388.
South African Weather and Atmospheric Phenomena (Briza Publications)
Dries van Zyl. Find it at www.briza.co.za.
Call 011 954 4675 or visit www.awn.co.za for the following publications
are available from Bryan Peirce at discounted prices:
-0Weather & Climate Southern Africa (Tyson & Preston-Whyte)
-0SA Weather and Atmospheric Phenomena (van Zyl)
-0Dictionary of the weather (Dunlop)
-0SASOL Field Guide to the Weather in Southern Africa
Useful numbers
Climate Information and data Tel: 082 233 8484
Pretoria Central Forecasting Office Tel: 082 233 9800
resources and good

Wetlands
1. Overview
Wetlands are complex, fascinating and dynamic. They are hardworking
ecosystems that provide us with a range of benefits, including some
that are not immediately apparent.
In providing these ecosystem services, healthy wetlands play an
important role in keeping people healthy. They are valuable assets
to farmers, downstream water users, communities living nearby and
larger society. If we protect healthy wetlands and rehabilitate those
that have been degraded, we can reduce suffering due to droughts,
floods and compromised livelihoods, especially for the most vulnerable
members of society.
As urbanisation increases, so does the pressure to provide adequate
sanitation and water. South Africas water resources are already well
utilised and in many areas show signs of stress because of high demand.
The answer to our looming water crisis does not lie only in complex
and expensive engineering solutions. Nature provides robust and free
technology, including ecosystem services provided by wetlands, which
we should recognise, respect and protect.
Although wetlands are not the only solution for clean water, they are a key
part of the answer.
2. What is a wetland?
Wetlands are areas in the landscape where the water in rivers and streams
slows down and spreads out. This results in the sediments and nutrients in
the water being deposited. Over time, wetlands become fertile areas that
provide good habitat for plants (bulrushes, reeds, waterlilies and sedges)
and a range of creatures (e.g. microbes, specialised waterbirds, insects etc).
Hectare for hectare, there is more life in a healthy wetland than in almost
any other habitat.
The National Wetland Inventory has mapped over 114,000 wetlands,
ranging greatly in size and value and accounting for about 3,6% of South
Africas surface area. Different wetland types supply different ecosystem
services including provision of clean water and carbon storage. Through
natural processes in their soils and plants, wetlands aid in improving water
quality. They also reduce the damaging impacts of floods, help to control
erosion, and contribute to more stable stream flow throughout the year.
They supply wild food, grazing, building and craft materials to people, and
are important refuges for specialised plants and wildlife. In urban areas they
are important green spaces.
Wetlands and water

Wetlands play an important role in ensuring a steady supply of clean water,
which is essential for human health. Where people use water directly from
natural sources such as rivers, wetlands play a strong role in keeping people
healthy. For those who get their water from taps, healthy wetlands in river
systems contribute significantly to reducing the cost of purifying water.
Wetlands are uniquely designed to purify water through natural processes,
acting like the kidneys of the landscape. Firstly, they slow down water flow
and this allows sediments in the water to be deposited. Then, wetland
plants, such as bulrushes and reeds, and wetland soils and microbes stabilise
and store or use many pollutants including excess nutrients and toxins from
sewage and agricultural chemicals and fertilisers. This helps reduce the
possibility of excess nutrient enrichment downstream. They can also trap
many heavy metals including cadmium, zinc and mercury that result from
mining and industrial processes. The roots of some wetland plants secrete
toxic substances that kill some pathogenic bacteria.
171
Wetlands also act like sponges, slowing down flood waters, storing water
when it rains, and then releasing it slowly during the dry season, helping
to ensure steady river flow. Special wetland soils such as peat are highly
effective water stores and filters. Peat is able to hold a thousand times its
own weight in water, which makes it valuable in a semi-arid country like
South Africa. Some wetlands also play a role in recharging groundwater.
Life in wetlands
Wetlands are warehouses of biodiversity. They support plants and animals
that are specially adapted to waterlogged environments and can live
nowhere else. They also provide feeding, roosting and breeding sites for a
range of other species. Even in urban areas they are important refuges for
small mammals, birds and amphibians.
Some animals are completely dependant on wetlands, whilst others use
wetlands for only part of their lives. For example, the Wattled crane is
dependant on wetlands for breeding, and hippos use wetlands as a daytime
refuge.
The rich diversity of waterbirds in southern Africa (totalling 130 species)
is possible because of the many different types of wetlands across the
sub-continent. The wetlands of southern Africa are of international
importance as they are the southern destination for many migratory
wading birds.
Wetlands and floods

Healthy wetlands help to reduce the impact of fast-flowing floods. Because
they are generally flatter areas of marshy ground with reeds or other tall
dense plants, they force river waters to slow down and spread out. Although
much of the destructive impact of floods is related to people building their
homes or roads in floodplains or farming too close to rivers and wetlands,
the destruction of wetlands has further reduced the natural landscapes
ability to manage normal spikes in rain or drought cycles.
Palmiet wetlands are good examples of ecosystems that can effectively
reduce the impact of floods. Where palmiet, a unique wetland plant, has
been removed from wetlands, rivers frequently become highly sedimented
and their banks are gouged out by unchecked floodwaters.
Wetlands and livelihoods

People have a long and intimate association with wetlands. In addition
to contributing to the life-support services that sustain us, wetlands also
provide many people with a livelihood, or a means of earning a living. Often
it is poor people, especially in rural areas, who are most directly dependent
on wetlands for their livelihoods.
If the livelihoods benefits that wetlands provide are to be sustainable,
they must be used wisely. People have sustainable livelihoods if they can
use available resources to earn a living without irreversibly depleting those
resources.
On a subsistence level, these benefits range from wild food and grazing to
materials for building and crafts. Purification and provision of clean water
have enormous health benefits which in turn have economic and social
impacts. On a mainstream economic level, several key tourism industries are
based on wetlands, in some cases being the backbone of local economies.
As the interest in indigenous fibre products grows, craft sales are becoming
more important as a means for rural households to earn hard cash.
In Mbongolwane in northern KwaZulu-Natal, about a third of household
income is derived from the sale of crafts woven from fibre harvested
from wetlands. About 70 women from two craft groups, Ikhowe and
Thubalethelihle, sustainably harvest wetland reeds such as induma and
ikwane for conference bags, file covers and corporate gifts, earning about
R200 000 annually. Production is home-based.
In Maputaland, the iSimangaliso Wetland Park Authority is helping about
200 women sell products such as blinds, lamp shades and place mats to
home supply stores and lodges. A variety of wetland grasses are used as
well as grassland and forest species such as ilala palm. Read more about
the iSimangaliso Wetland Park at www.isimangaliso.com.
Food from wetlands

In addition to contributing to the life support services that sustain us,
wetlands also provide many people with a livelihood, or means of earning
a living. Often it is poor people, especially in rural areas, who are most
directly dependent on wetlands for at least part of their livelihoods.
Foods can be harvested from wetlands, both wild and cultivated. In many
parts of the world small mammals, aquatic snails, arthropods, insects, reptiles
and amphibians are eaten widely. In South Africa, bullfrogs and cane rats are
popular eating in many areas, both providing a rich source of protein. Cane
rats prefer semi-aquatic environments in marshes and reedbeds.
Fish is probably the most obvious wetland food and is a significant wetland
contributor to human health. Twenty one percent of animal protein in Africa
comes from fish and in South Africa many communities depend on fish
from freshwater lakes and rivers as well as estuaries and coastal shores. In
Kosi Bay in Maputaland, the highly productive estuary is criss-crossed with
traditional reed fish kraals which trap large adult fish as the tide goes out.
About 40,000 kg of fish is caught every year in this area, most of it for family
consumption, with the surplus sold.
Estuaries are important nurseries and breeding grounds for many
economically important marine fish species. Some 20 such species,
which are exploited commercially and recreationally, depend on these
ecosystems for secure spawning sites, and many other species are
dependent on estuaries for feeding and shelter. This means that much of
the multi-million rand fishing industries that employ thousands of people
indirectly rely on coastal wetlands to sustain the fish stocks that they
exploit. These fish are also important for subsistence fishers.
There are also many edible wetland plants in South Africa. For example, the
white, sweet-smelling flowers of waterblommetjies, Aponogeton distachyos,
are made into waterblommetjie bredie which is eaten widely in the Western
Cape. Another indigenous vegetable is the tuber of the blue water lily,
Nymphae nouchali, which is roasted like potato. The rhizomes of bulrushes,
Typha capensis, are dried and ground, to be eaten like cereal meal and
swamp forests yield various fruits, nuts and leafy vegetables.
Subsistence farming in wetlands

In many rural communities produce from subsistence agriculture helps
ensure that people have adequate nutrition. Vegetables from home gardens,
milk from cattle and meat from household chickens and goats are often the
most important food for many families.
In places such as Maputaland where the soils are sandy and lack nutrients,
the edges of wetlands provide organic-rich, moist soils that are ideal for
farming. The same is true in places such as Craigieburn in Mpumalanga where
forced resettlement in the 1960s and 1970s resulted in large numbers of
people occupying small areas of land, leaving wetlands as the only sites
available for subsistence farming. For about 25% of the villagers living
around Craigieburn, the wetlands are the only source of food and income
and altogether about 70% of the local people use the wetlands in some way.
In this extremely poor and HIV/Aids impacted region, most households are
headed by women who may each care for up to nine children, many of
whom are orphans. Rehabilitation of the Craigieburn wetlands contributes
to food and livelihoods security in the area by protecting the wetlands that
are used for subsistence agriculture.
Common crops such as cabbages are grown on the edges of wetlands and
there are also some plants such as amadumbe that are grown in wetter soils.
Its corms are eaten like potatoes and in fact make a much tastier alternative,
and its leaves are eaten like spinach. Wetlands provide good, nutritious food
for livestock and in fact, some wetlands can provide up to five times more
grazing than terrestrial grasslands. However, it is important that wetlands
are grazed wisely and that they are protected from overtrampling and
degradation.
Many South African wetlands are used sustainably for low-density
subsistence agriculture and sensitive grazing but most are not suitable for
large-scale agriculture.
172
Medicine from wetlands

In South Africa traditional medicine is the preferred primary health care
choice for about 70% of people, and every year 28 million South Africans
use about 19,500 tons of medicinal plant material. Wetlands support a great
diversity of plant species, some of which are used in traditional medicines.
The wetlands of the Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal yield the river
pumpkin, Gunnera perpensa, which is used to ease childbirth and treat kidney
and bladder infections. The leaves of the white arum lily, Zantedeschia
aethiopica, which is widespread in wetlands throughout the country, are used
to treat headaches and as a poultice. Eucomis comosa, (slender pineapple
flower), is used to treat rheumatism, Ranunculus multifidus (common
buttercup) is used to treat coughs, headaches, urinary complaints, throat
ulcers, wounds and pain, and Manulea parviflora (pepper and salt) is used as
a natural enema for children with intestinal disorders. The honey disa, Disa
polygonoides, is found along the eastern coastline from the Eastern Cape
to southern Mozambique, and is used to restore the voice after an illness.
Urginea macrocentra (poison snake-head) is found in marshy ground near
streams and treats roundworm and tapeworm.
Wetlands and disease

In South Africa, 16 million people have no reticulated sanitation and five
million people have no access to potable water. This means that they are
vulnerable to diseases associated with polluted water, including diarrhoea,
cholera, dysentery, hepatitis A and bilharzia. Worldwide, 3 million people
die each year from illnesses caused by contaminated water. Preventable
water-borne diseases most affect children under five years old.
Water quality in rivers is reduced by pollution from mining and industrial
processes, agriculture and sewage. Because of the concentration of the
pollution and the destruction of water resources such as wetlands, natural
systems are unable to cope. But where the pollution concentration is low,
the plants, soils and microbes in wetlands help to reduce disease-causing
organisms and pollutants. As important waterbird habitats, wetlands reduce
the risk of contact between wild and domesticated birds such as chickens,
and thereby substantially reduce the risk of spreading avian flu.
Wetlands are also a source of water-related diseases. For example,
they provide habitat for the species that transmit malaria and bilharzia.
Draining wetlands may be able to help control malaria in some areas,
but many beneficial ecosystem services are lost in the process. Other
disease management options, including provision of clean water, improved
sanitation, and importantly good management of wetlands, should also
be considered.
3. Rehabilitating wetlands
The health and well-being of people depends on maintaining healthy
ecosystems.
Wetlands are vulnerable to a range of impacts that reduce their ability
to continue providing their beneficial services to people. Direct impacts
include draining wetlands for pastures and crops, and building infrastructure
such as roads that impede and concentrate water flow. There are also
severe ongoing impacts from pollution and erosion in catchments, excessive
water abstraction, loss of vegetation cover, climate change and land use
change. In some major catchments, up to 60% of the wetlands are already
lost or severely degraded because of mining, agriculture, timber plantations
and urban development.
Everyone is affected when wetlands are degraded. In urban areas, it
might mean reduced water quality, or even a reduced supply, as well as
infrastructure loss from more destructive flood impacts. In rural areas,
those who rely on wetlands for their livelihoods lose important benefits,
and as rural areas degrade, those people are forced to relocate to cities.
Many waterbird populations have declined because of wetland degradation
e.g. the Wattled crane.
Wetlands in heavily industrialised parts of the country are irreplaceable as
water purifiers. For example, the peatlands of the Klip River in southern
Johannesburg have absorbed the pollution of 150 years of gold mining in
the western Witwatersrand, as well as more recent industrial and urban
pollution. This has resulted in higher water quality for downstream users
than would be the case had there been no wetlands. Degradation of these
wetlands not only reduced their ability to purify water, but also resulted in
the release of trapped pollutants.
But degradation is not necessarily permanent, and international and
South African experience has shown that it is possible to recover some
of the health and values of degraded wetlands through rehabilitation.
Legislation of the departments of Environmental Affairs, Water Affairs and
Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries protects wetlands and encourages their
rehabilitation.
Wetland rehabilitation is the action taken to reverse or halt the decline of
the health of the ecosystem.
Working for Wetlands
Working for Wetlands uses wetland rehabilitation as a vehicle for both
poverty alleviation and the wise use of wetlands, following an approach
that centres on co-operative governance and partnerships.
The Programme is managed by the South African National Biodiversity
Institute (SANBI) on behalf of the departments of Environmental Affairs
(DEA), Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (DAFF) and Water Affairs
(DWA). With funding provided by DEA and DWA, Working for Wetlands
forms part of the Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP) which
seeks to draw unemployed people into the productive sector of South
Africas economy, gaining skills while they work and increasing their
capacity to earn income. The Programme creates jobs while rehabilitating
wetlands and enhancing biodiversity.
Rehabilitation projects maximise employment creation, support small
businesses, and transfer relevant and marketable skills to workers.
Each year, over 40 wetland rehabilitation projects throughout South
Africa provide temporary jobs and training for about 2,000 people from
marginalised groups, with the work teams made up of 60% women,
20% youth and 1% people with disabilities.
4. Using wetlands on your farm

Wetlands provide specific agricultural opportunities mainly winter grazing
and some opportunities for cropping and fibre harvesting. A hectare of
wetland may have the potential to support the grazing of up to five times
more animals than a hectare of terrestrial grassland, but this has to be
managed carefully to avoid overgrazing and degradation. Wetlands provide
fertile beds for crops, and opportunities for improving household food
security through small-scale and subsistence cultivation, especially in areas
of the country where soils are unsuitable for agriculture.
But wetlands are not suitable for large-scale or commercial cultivation, and
farming in wetlands is sustainable only if it is undertaken on a very small
scale and in a way that is sensitive to the hydrology and other workings
of the wetland. For example, crops that can tolerate wet conditions can
be planted in the less sensitive parts of the wetland and on the edges of
the wetland, and clearing of wetland vegetation such as reeds and palmiet
should be avoided. Experience has shown that when wetland vegetation is
cleared, the wetland is less able to reduce the damaging impact of floods,
and vegetation loss also increases erosion risks.
The following guidelines are intended to improve the sustainability of
wetlands that are already being cultivated. The conversion of healthy
wetlands for cropping is not encouraged. If in doubt about the impact of
agricultural activities on wetlands, it is recommended that you contact
the relevant agricultural authority or extension workers from the Mondi
Wetlands Programme for assistance.
The general rule is that wetland users should not substantially disrupt the
basic fabric of the wetland, which consists of the elements of soil, water
and vegetation. It is through the interaction between these elements that
wetlands are able to generate the range of functions and products that
benefit people. If a wetland is transformed in a way that compromises its
ability to function, it may lose its ability to provide these valuable services.
173
Use our wetlands wisely
Good burning tips:
The concept of wise use thus requires an approach to management

through which benefits can be enjoyed without changing the natural
functioning of the wetland. Some examples of agricultural wise use
include:
limited livestock grazing
controlled water extraction such as watering animals and a little
irrigation
careful cropping without digging too many drains
What actions to avoid in a wetland
The following are guaranteed to impact negatively on your wetlands:
Dont dig large drains (deeper or wider than 30cm) in a wetland. A
drain in a wetland is like pulling the plug out of a bath of water and
results in the severe drying out of the wetland such that loses its
ability to provide many of its benefits.
Prevent overgrazing and over trampling, especially in the wet season.
This can cause erosion points that eventually develop into dongas
which drain the water out of the wetland, reduce water quality and
increase soil loss.
Avoid burning your wetland every year, especially with very hot fires
at the wrong time of year. This will destroy the vegetation, reduce
the diversity of plant species and may result in erosion.
Wise grazing
Productivity levels in wetlands are high although the quality of forage
produced by wetland plants is typically low. Nevertheless, wetland forage
quality can be improved by judicious burning. The productivity of wetlands
plants can be exploited for grazing. On average the grazing capacity
(biomass) in the outer zones of a wetland is 1,5 times higher than in an
equivalent area of non-wetland, but this is dependent on many factors such
as species composition and the wetness cycles.
What you should do if you are grazing in a wetland:
Use wetlands for grazing mainly in the dry season so that cattle do
not churn up very wet soils, making them susceptible to erosion.
Keep cattle on the outer edges of a wetland, away from the
permanently saturated areas.
Watch carefully for overgrazing and find out how to correctly graze
a wetland. (e.g. carrying capacity, when to graze, for how long, and
resting periods).
What you shouldnt do:
Do not allow grazing in the rainy season or when the ground is very
wet because cattle may disturb the soil surface through trampling,
which results in decreased water quality and increased risk of erosion.
Dont allow cattle into the wettest part of the wetland where they
can cause disturbance to the highly sensitive core of the wetland,
and often get stuck.
Dont allow heavy grazing without any rest periods. This may cause
valuable, sweet (or highly nutritional) grasses to be replaced by less
palatable or useful species.
Dont let animals overgraze, or the protective plant cover of the
wetland will be removed resulting in erosion and the drying out of
the wetland.
Avoid the following kinds of wetlands for grazing because they erode
easily when disturbed by trampling and grazing: wetlands with loose
soil, on steeper slopes and where water starts concentrating into a
channel.
Burning wetlands
Wetlands are burnt for many reasons, including improving the grazing value
for livestock by removing old dead plant material and increasing productivity;
controlling alien plants; reducing the risk of run-away fires; and improving
habitat for wetland dependant species. If done incorrectly, burning can have
unintended negative consequences, so it is critical to follow the correct
approach.
You can burn the wetland about every second year if the rainfall is
more than 800 mm per year. Burn every third or fourth year if you
are in a very dry part of the country (less than 800 mm per year).
Burning needs also depend on grazing pressure. If the wetland is
grazed to its carrying capacity then you need to burn less frequently
or even not at all.
If you can, divide your wetland into burning blocks and burn only
half of each block. This allows for the unburnt part to provide refuge
for wildlife. Where this is not practical, and you have a few wetlands
near each other, burn one entire wetland and leave the others
unburnt.
Its a good idea to use cool fires, so burn when the grass is moist
after rain, or in the evenings or early mornings after dew.
Burn at the beginning of the growing season, just after the first rains
so that plants can regrow quickly.
Burn with the wind as this is more controllable and less damaging to
plant growth points.
Keep records of when you burn, where you burn and the conditions
under which you burnt so that you can improve your burning
techniques and share the knowledge with your neighbours.
What you shouldnt do:
Avoid burning in early winter.
Never burn a wetland when it is totally dry, because if the wetland
soils have a high organic content, this can result in underground fires
that are difficult to control and potentially last years.
Extremely hot slow moving fires can even kill wetland plant root
systems. With no protective cover, soil erosion sets in. Hot fires may
also kill off certain plants and change the range of different plants that
grow in the wetland, which can reduce its usefulness for grazing.
Delay burning to another day or even year if in dry years there is
a danger of soil ignition, when weather conditions are consistently
unsuitable or if winter breeding animals (e.g. Wattled cranes) have
not completed breeding.
Planting crops in a wetland

One of the controversial agricultural uses for wetlands is for the cultivation
of crops. It is possible to plant some types of crops in wetlands in such a way
that does not affect the functioning of the wetland. Cultivation in wetlands is
regulated by the Conservation of Agricultural Resources Act (CARA), and a
permit is required from the relevant agricultural department for cultivating
in wetlands. Planting of crops in a wetland should never involve the draining
and planting of the entire wetland with crops, because this will affect the
natural properties of the system and destroy many of the other benefits
provided by the wetland.
Useful tips if you are planting in wetlands:
Select crops that do not need much artificial drainage or dry soils
to survive. Amadumbe and certain indigenous pastures are good
choices.
Because of the risks of flooding and soil loss you should plant at the
outside edges of the wetland, rather than right in the middle or in
the lowest part of the wetland.
Try to plant with minimum disturbance. Plant by hand. Dig only as
much as is absolutely necessary.
Use the wetland plants that you clear away as a mulch to cover the
soil.
Use as little fertiliser and pesticides as possible, because these will
seep into the water and can be polluting.
Patchwork cultivation is a good idea; this means you leave patches of
natural wetland vegetation in between cultivated patches.
Plant no more than one quarter of a wetland in total.
A good idea is to have a number of beds, say three, and only plant
one each year. This means that each bed rests for two years in
between plantings.
If you are going to dig drains make sure they are no more than 30cm
deep and wide and cover only a small area so that the wetland does
not dry out completely.
All drains should be blocked in the dry season to keep the wetland
alive.
174
What you should not do:

Dont plant trees in wetlands, especially exotic trees that consume
a lot of water, because they will dry out the wetland. Always leave
suitable buffer zones between timber plantations and wetlands.
Never drain a wetland near its outlet.
Dont plant in the wettest parts of the wetland.
Avoid sensitive wetland areas: wetlands with high erosion hazards,
forested wetlands, peatlands, wetlands supporting endangered
species such as Wattled cranes, wetland areas on the margins of
estuaries and wetlands in catchments and landscapes where lots of
damage has been done to other wetlands already.
Never dig deep drains to dry out a wetland or you could destroy the
structure and functioning of the wetland.
Avoid using chemicals that will contaminate the surface or
groundwater.
Dont clear big areas to plant. Try to leave as much original vegetation
in place as you can to protect the soil and underlying water.
An agri-tourism possibility?
Wetlands offer delightful open spaces that people can visit to walk, birdwatch
or just enjoy being in nature. Outdoor activities such as cycling, walking,
boating, fishing, birding and watersports all contribute to improving our
lifestyles and mental well-being, and help to stave off mental illnesses such
as depression. Wetlands such as mangroves and rocky shores are popular
for school outings. They are fascinating outdoor classrooms where learners
can interact with the elements of the ecosystem and see first hand how they
are integrated.
As habitats for wildlife such as waterbirds, hippos and angling fish,
wetlands are lucrative tourist destinations. For example, the economy of
the town Wakkerstroom in Mpumalanga is built on birdwatching around
the Wakkerstroom wetland and surrounding area. Lake St Lucia in the
iSimangaliso Wetland Park in KwaZulu-Natal is another example. Here
the success of tourism justifies the 1996 government decision to adopt a
tourism-based economic development strategy for the region, in preference
to mining.
5. Role players
The Wetland Portal of South Africa, www.wetlands.za.net, provides contact details
of wetland provincial/regional forums across the country.
National policy and legislation provides clear direction and support for
rehabilitation, but the very complex links between people and wetlands
means that actions aimed at sustainably rehabilitating and conserving
wetlands will depend on the dedication and commitment of all stakeholders,
especially landowners and wetland users.
Aurecon
Tel: 021 526 5725 / 083 792 0872
www.aurecongroup.com
Aurecon is a multi-disciplinary
consultancy with specialisation
in a vast number of water
resource
and
environmental
fields. Aurecons design approach
is flexible enough to cater for
the needs of labour-intensive
construction, skills development,
limited environmental impact and
constructability associated with
the unique challenges encountered
whilst working in wetlands.
Affairs (DEA)
Tel: 012 310 3911
Department of Water Affairs
(DWA)
Tel: 0800 200 200
Find the regional contacts on the
website www.dwa.gov.za

(EWT)
African Crane Conservation
Programme (EWT-ACCP)
Tel: 011 372 3600
kerrynm@ewt.org.za
Department of Agriculture, www.ewt.org.za
Directorate: Land Use and Soil
Geomeasure Group
Management
Tel: 031 768 1900
Tel: 012 319 7686
www.geomeasure.co.za
www.daff.gov.za
GroundTruth
Tel: 033 342 6399
craig@groundtruth.co.za
www.groundtruth.co.za
iSimangaliso Wetland Park
Tel: 035 590 1633 / 082 797 7944
www.isimangaliso.com
The University of the Free State

is actively involved in the Lesotho
Wetlands Project as part of the
Universitys Water management
in water-scarce areas Strategic
Academic Cluster.
Department of Zoology and

Entomology
The Isimangaliso Wetland Park was Tel: 051 401 2427
listed as South Africas first World vanasjg@ufs.ac.za
Heritage Site in December 1999.
In 2010 it received a US9 million Department of Plant Sciences
grant (about R65.7 million) from Tel: 051 401 2514
the World Bank for empowerment www.ufs.ac.za/plantsci
projects in the area. Isimangaliso
consists of Kosi Bay, Coastal Department Animal, Wildlife and
Grassland Sciences
forest, Lake Sibiya, Sodwana Bay,
Tel: 051 401 2677
uMkhuze, False Bay, Charters www.ufs.ac.za/animal
Creek, Lake St Lucia, Cape Vidal
and Maphelane.
Managment
Land Resources International
Prof Maitland Seaman
Tel: 033 392 8360
Tel: 051 401 2863
www.lri.co.za
www.uovs.ac.za/cem
Mondi Wetlands Programme
David Lindley 012 667 6597
lindley@wetland.org.za
Wetlands and agriculture:
Damian Walters 083 684 8000
Wetlands
and
catchment
management:
Vaughan Koopman 083 228 7949
www.wetland.org.za
www.wessa.org.za
Nuwejaars Wetland Special
Management Area
dirk@nuwejaars.com
rory@nuwejaars.com
www.nuwejaars.com
Rand Water Foundation
Mohlatleho Sekoaila
Tel: 011 682 0018
www.randwater.co.za
Working for Wetlands
John Dini (Programme Director)
Tel: 012 843 5221
wetlands@sanbi.org.za
http://wetlands.sanbi.org
South African National Parks
(SANParks)
Marius Snyders
Tel: 015 781 2175 / 072 201 7936
Olga Jacobs
Tel: 012 426 5100 / 046
www.sanparks.org
Tel: 021 808 3728
www.cons-ent.com
Biological & Conservation Sciences
Tel: 031 260 7367
naidoogn2@ukzn.ac.za
www.ukzn.ac.za
University of the
Witwatersrand
Animal, Plant and Environmental
Sciences
Tel: 011 717 6403
kevin.rogers@wits.ac.za
www.wits.ac.za/apes
Tel: 011 805 3537
wisa@wisa.org.za
www.wisa.org.za
Stanley Liphadzi
Tel: 012 330 0340
stanleyl@wrc.org.za
www.wrc.org.za
Water Wise
Tel: 0860 10 10 60
www.waterwise.co.za
Find wetland notes (including
material for educators) under the
Green Industry option.
Wetlands Consulting Services
(Pty) Ltd
Tel: 012 349 2699
info@wetcs.co.za
www.wetcs.co.za
Wildlife & Environment Society
of South Africa see Mondi
Wetlands Programme

Visit the Wetland Portal of South Africa at www.wetlands.za.net
Mondi Wetlands Programme website www.wetland.org.za. The
Wetlands Basics link gives news of booklets explaining aspects of
wetlands.
Working for Wetlands Website http://wetlands.sanbi.org. General
Information about wetlands and several resources can be found here,
175
or requested from 012 843 5221 or wetlands@sanbi.org.za. You can

also subscribe to a monthly electronic newsletter with regular updates
on happenings in the wetlands world.
Find the guidelines which cover the consideration of wetlands in the
EIA process at www.eiatoolkit.ewt.org.za/process/wetlands.html, the
EIA Toolkit website.
Find the 2012 National Biodiversity Assessment (NBA) giving an
overview of the countrys wetland system at bgis.sanbi.org.
The National Freshwater Ecosystem Priority Areas Atlas is a HUGE
document with lots and lots of maps of freshwater rivers and wetlands
that need to be protected. It is available online on the CSIR website or
can be ordered from the Water Research Commission.
The Ramsar Convention on Wetlands is an inter-governmental treaty
that provides a framework for national action and international cooperation for the conservation and wise use of wetlands and their
resources. It was signed in Ramsar, Iran in 1971. South Africa is a
member country and has recognised and registered 19 wetlands as
being of international importance, with proposals to increase that list.
For information and documents relating to Ramsar and for a list of
Wetlands of International Importance, visit www.ramsar.org.
Find the Wetlands, Agriculture and Poverty Reduction (August 2011)
report on the International Water Management Institute website
www.iwmi.cgiar.org.
WET Management Series

Although designed primarily for guiding wetland rehabilitation work in
South Africa, this set of integrated tools can be applied to a wide range
of other purposes. For example, some tools are used to assess wetland
health and ecosystem services. Others can be used to foster wise wetland
management and develop understanding of the driving forces behind the
formation and degradation of wetlands. They are also of enormous value
for education and training.
The WET Management Series is the product of the Wetland Rehabilitation
component of the National Wetlands Research Programme, an initiative
of the Water Research Commission. The first phase of this programme,
focusing on wetland rehabilitation, was jointly funded by the Commission
and the Department of Environmental Affairs, through the Working for
Wetlands programme housed by the South African National Biodiversity
Institute. Other key partners include the Department of Water Affairs,
Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, Mondi Wetlands
Programme, provincial conservation agencies, universities and private
enterprise.
The research programmes second phase, Wetland Health and Integrity,
which is being undertaken by the University of Cape Town, will add new
tools to the WET-Management Series.
For further information about the WET Management Series, please
contact Donovan Kotze at kotzed@ukzn.ac.za or Working for Wetlands
at wetlands@sanbi.org.za. The series is published by the Water Research
Commission : www.wrc.org.za
Information for this chapter was supplied by the Mondi Wetlands Programme (MWP),
Working for Wetlands, Land Resources International, the University of KwaZulu-Natal,
Isimangaliso Wetland Park Authority, the Secretariat of the Ramsar Convention on
Wetlands, and Wetland Consulting Services.
Contributors: Craig Cowden, Rehana Dada, John Dini, Kerry Philp, Donovan Kotze,
Duncan Hay, Stanley Tshitwamulomoni, Retief Grobler, Dick Frost, Roland Vorwerk,
Sharon Pollard and Scotty Kyle.
Our thanks to John Dini (Programme Director at Working for Wetlands), Pontso
Pakkies and Umesh Bahadur for feedback.
resources and good

Wildlife on farms
1. Overview
Chancing across a steenbok on your farm can lead to a sense of mystery and
fascination. You feel honoured, a witness to a world that passes unseen by
humanitys schedules and timetables.
The presence of wildlife on farms is not always as discreet or innocent, with
some roleplayers placing the value of livestock losses to Damage Causing
Animals somewhere past the R1 billion mark. The figure has been disputed
by some, but this misses the point. It is important that the farmer who
has lost livestock on the farm to predators, livestock on which his own
livelihood depends, feels LISTENED to. It is easy for the urbanite to have an
opinion after seeing a television programme on a Sunday evening.
One farmer believes that the situation is out of control. He faces a cunning
adversary, an enemy who adapts to his every device! Another farmer selects
a combination of the control measures available and believes that losses are
limited to acceptable levels. There are many differing theories and beliefs on
this topic and a lot of emotion!
While we look for solutions, let us spare a thought for the many discreet
wild animals (rabbits, aardvark, bat eared foxes, buck, pangolins) poisoned
or maimed inadvertently in a battle that has very little to do with them.
2. Predation: Damage Causing Animals

Livestock loss due to predators is at present the biggest threat towards
sustainable economic livestock production in South Africa. The value of
losses per annum is estimated by small stock producer organisations to be
at least three times as much as that caused by stock theft.
In addition to the usual suspects, the black-backed jackal (Canis mesomelas)
and caracal (Caracal caracal), the following are also role players in humanwildlife conflict scenarios:
Leopard and Cheetah (the latter not wearing a TOYOTA T-shirt)
Hyena and Wild Dog
Pachyderms included are the elephant, hippo and rhinos
Wild pigs the damage and tracks of the warthog and bushpig are very
similar, though the warthog is diurnal and the bushpig nocturnal. The
damage varies from rooting out newly planted crops to pushing over
mature maize plants to feed on the cobs, thereby wasting more than is
eaten.
Baboon and Vervet monkey cause damage to crops like maize and
various fruit and vegetable kinds. The capture or killing of these intelligent
social animals is complicated and should be done by professionals.
Prevention is better than cure refer to www.primatecare.org.za.
Porcupine can cause relatively large damage when crops like
watermelon and pumpkins are targeted. The size of the commodity
is such that it wont be totally consumed in one night, but the animal
damages a new one every night.
Birds can descend in hundreds (or quelea in millions) on planted crops
such as corn, sunflower, vineyard and fruit trees.
Dogs lack of control of domestic dogs by owners can cause huge
stock losses.
Identification of Damage Causing Animals
The first step at a carcass is crucial: determine whether the animal
was killed by a predator or only scavenged (dead animals do not
bruise).
If the animal was killed by a predator, make an informed assessment
to determine which one, then decide on the correct and relevant
control method to be employed.
Source: Tim Snow (EWT).
176
Cage traps / Live traps
Correct approach to Damage Causing Wild Animals

a) What animal is responsible for the damage?
b) How much damage can be ascribed to this individual?
c) In which areas of the property does the most damage occur?
d) During which season or growth phase does the most damage
occur?
e) Which mitigation measures can be implemented to prevent or
reduce damage?
f) Are the proposed management methods ecologically acceptable and
legal in terms of applicable legislation?
g) Are the proposed management methods humane and ethically
acceptable?
Source: Co-operative Agreement between the Predator Management Forum
(Western-Cape) and the Western Cape Nature Conservation Board
3. Predation: control methods

You could kill 10 jackal in one night without getting rid of the actual
culprit causing the damage. Success will be measured by reduced
losses and increased profits, not by numbers of predator skins in the
shed.
Haphazard measures are not worth it, because animals avoid or escape
from poorly set traps and controls and this will often make matters
worse.
Damage causing animals get to know the devices and tricks used by
farmers, so after a while even the best trapper may have declining
success with a method in a particular area, whilst the same method
applied by the same trapper may be highly successful elsewhere.
There are many control methods to choose from with a clear distinction
between those which are lethal i.e. they kill animals; and non-lethal i.e.
those which control by prevention, protection and aversion. The control
equipment should be seen as a toolbox from which the correct tool is
selected for the varying applications.
Alpacas
Alpacas have a strong herding instinct and will run an intruder down. Alpacas
are 24-hour watch guards and are of particular value around lambing season
provided they are introduced 6-8 weeks prior to lambing. Find contacts in
the Speciality fibre production chapter.
Anatolian Shepherd Dogs

This method is vouched for by many, but issues relating to Anatolians have
been raised. Consult a role player or a farming colleague with experience in
working with guarding dogs before taking on a puppy.
Role players include:
The Cheetah Outreach runs an Anatolian Shepherd programme. Find
the notes on www.cheetah.co.za or call 021 881 3242.
The Ann van Dyk Cheetah Centre 012 504 9906 / 083 892 0515
Bool Smuts (Landmark Foundation) 083 324 3344
Nic Slabber 082 603 2229
Grootfontein Agricultural Development Institute (GADI) 049 842
1113
The EWTs Wildife Conflict Mitigation Programme 011 372 3600 / 072
640 9388 / 082 853 1068
Buffer species
Like most suggested solutions, this has also been disputed. The idea though
is to encourage indigenous prey species like springbok and guinea fowl.
Their presence acts as a buffer between your livestock and predators,
since they are a preferred snack.
Related to this is the caution to interfere as little as possible with the
biodiversity on the farm. Interfering in one part has knock-on effects
throughout. Removing the largest predator (say leopards), for example,
would encourage smaller ones like caracals. If you were to remove all
predators, a gradual abundance of rodents would be one result.
As a management intervention, lives traps are devices that merely contain

animals without causing any major injuries. This is the recommended way of
removing any animal from an area traps have been designed and developed
by Mr Jaco van Deventer of CapeNature. Many leopards, caracals and other
species have been captured unharmed using these. Call 022 931 2900.
Live traps have been effective tools for research projects and enable
farmers to trap leopards or caracul without injuries for re-release either
in their own original territories or for translocation. It also enables tracking
via GPS collars facilitating groundbreaking research into the management of
livestock by their owners. Landmark Foundation Leopard and Caracal Trap
Designs are available from the Landmark Foundation.
Unfortunately, many animals die of thirst and starvation in these traps since
they are not always monitored.
Call and shoot

The advantage is that it is target species specific, and certainly recommended
above the more indiscriminate methods. There is no guarantee that you will
get the particular individual who has caused the livestock depredation, of
course.
Collars and technology

Call HOTSURE for livestock monitors and track collars, alarm monitors,
guard monitors and trackers etc. Visit www.hotsure.co.za or call
0861HOTCALL (468225).
CelMax Veldwagter SMS Warning System speak to Phillip Lotter at 028
212 3346 or visit www.celmax.co.za.
Other collars:
Dead Stop Collar Klaas Louw at 072 424 7752
King Collar Gray King at 046 685 0645
Protect-A-Lamb Eddie Steenkamp at 023 418 1676 www.protect-alamb.com
Bell collar
Bell and scent collar
Toxic collars target only the damage causing individual. Find notes on
www.jackal.co.za.
Denning
This is when the young are removed from dens.
Donkeys
Donkeys can be very effective at chasing away predators and other intruders.
Refer to the Donkey chapter.
Fencing
By building predator-proof fences, the predators are kept apart from
livestock. This works best for an enclosure close to the farm house. Here,
fencing is cheaper than potential continued losses. Objections to fencing
include:
an insecure enclosure may allow predator access, which can result in
livestock being trapped and more than one animal being killed;
the maintenance of fencing can be expensive and a constant use of man
hours;
fences interfere with biodiversity. Animals are cut off from food,
shelter, breeding partners;
thousands of innocent animals every year are electrocuted against the
electric fences.
Role players can advise on where fences would be most effective. Find
contact details in the Fencing chapter. A plan for a Game Proof Predator
Fence is also obtainable from Dr Bool Smuts, Tel: 083 324 3344.
Frightening devices
These may include lights and noises, such as FM radios and VHF radio
alarms systems, used to frighten and confuse predators away from kraals
177
at night. As with bell and scent collars, if these devices are used frequently,
predators will become accustomed to the stimulus and become unafraid.
If used inconsistently and only for short periods of time they are effective
around calf or lamb camps at night. Unfortunately such devices also attract
thieves who steal lights, radios and livestock.
Herdsman
A diligent and well-trained herder can prove to be invaluable in detecting
and preventing potential problems before they take place. This method
has the potential to create hundreds (thousands?) of jobs, with great socioeconomic benefits.
Herd Management
This is touted as the major issue by some role players i.e. that livestock
management should be the focus, not predator management.
Livestock/herd management includes lambing co-ordination, using lambing
pastures and stock rotation, as well as obvious steps such as avoiding
marginal areas where exposure to certain predators is greater e.g. if you
are a cattle farmer near the Wilderness, dont put the cows in the paddocks
on the border of the forest during calving season.
In South Africa some aspects of herd management become difficult because
of the size of farming operations and a small workforce that has become
possible thanks to technology.
Leg-hold devices/gin traps

These are strongly discouraged because of the unacceptably high number of
non-target eliminations. This is especially true when traps are not regularly
inspected.
Ostriches
Ostriches have been reported to provide protection (see the Ostrich
chapter).
Poison
It is important to note that agricultural poisons may only be used as
prescribed on the label. There is a significant fine even a jail sentence for
using, say, stemborer poisons to kill predators. When poison targets only
the damage causing individual we are making tremendous progress. Find
the notes on toxic collars at www.jackal.co.za.
On lethal control
Before using lethal control options legislation should be checked with
the local authority regarding possible restrictions which may include or
require:
permit needed
proof of damage
proof that non lethal control options have failed
only qualified professionals used to target problem individuals
no payment / bounty system hunters should not be paid per head
of jackal killed
record to be kept by department in authority.
I think lethal control should only be acceptable after all non lethal
exclusion techniques have been tried. The move is towards this as
the lethal control has not addressed the situation in 3 centuries. Rob
Harrison-White
The use of non-lethal methods should always be considered, but with
our still imperfect damage control methods this is not always possible.
Thys de Wet
Many farmers are developing new, innovative conflict prevention techniques all the
time and are encouraged to share these with role players like Prof HO de Waal
(Canis-Caracul Programme) and the Endangered Wildlife Trusts Wildlife Conflict
Mitigation Programme). Find the relevant role players under heading 6.

Human-predator conflict is not unique to South Africa.
The wild cheetah population in Africa today is classified as Vulnerable

in the IUCNs Red Data List. Africas most threatened big cat, the
cheetah is protected by law in Botswana and internationally, by the
Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES).
Namibia has the largest remaining population of free-ranging Cheetah
in the world, estimated at 2 500. Ninety percent of Namibias Cheetah
live outside of protected reserves, primarily on commercial livestock
farmlands.
The Africat Foundation, a non-profit organisation based in Namibia
www.africat.org
Botswana Cheetah Conservation Fund www.cheetahbotswana.com
Cheetah Conservation Fund Namibia www.cheetah.org
Defenders of Wildlife (USA) www.defenders.org
www.iucn.org International Union for Conservation of Nature
(IUCN). The IUCN Species Programme produces, maintains and
manages The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . It implements
global species conservation initiatives, including Red List Biodiversity
Assessment projects to assess the status of species for the IUCN Red
List.
The Rare and Endangered Species Trust (REST) in Namibia www.
restafrica.org
The Species Survival Network (SSN) co-ordinates conservation
activities around the world to secure CITES protection for plants and
animals affected by international trade. Visit www.ssn.org

A draft Norms & Standards for the Management of Damage-Causing Animals
was published in the General Notice Nr. 1084 of the Government Gazette
Nr. 33806, dated November 26, 2010. Find it at www.environment.gov.za
or www.pmg.org.za.
Affairs (DEA)
Tel: 012 310 3911 / 3534
MBoshoff@environment.gov.za
Directorate Animal Production
Tel: 012 319 7662
www.daff.gov.za
6. Role players
Conservancies and stewardships
See the chapters on conservancies and biodiversity.
National Association of Conservancies and Stewardships of South

Africa (NACSSA)
Tel: 016 590 2914
www.nacssa.org.za
NACSSA supports the agricultural industry with best land management
practices, recognising that farmers possess a wealth of stored knowledge
of great importance which assists those working in the field of nature
conservation. NACSSA is opposed to the illegal use of poisons to control
any problem species.
Producer organisations
The Predation Management Forum (PMF) is representative of all
industries affected by predation, namely the National Woolgrowers
Association (NWGA), Red Meat Producers Organisation (RPO), SA Mohair
Growers Association (SAMGA) and Wildlife Ranching SA (WRSA). Please
contact: Bonita Francis, PMF Secretariate, Tel no 041 365 5030.
Conservation bodies
Find details of conservation bodies like CapeNature in the chapter on biodiversity.
178
Black-backed jackal and caracal programmes

Department of Animal, Wildlife and
Grassland Sciences
Canis-Caracal Programme
Prof HO de Waal
dewaalho@ufs.ac.za
www.ufs.ac.za
Jackal Connect
Rob Harrison-White
info@jackalconnect.com
http://jackalconnect.com
Cheetah programmes
The Ann van Dyk Cheetah
Centre
Tel: 012 504 9906 / 083 892 0515
www.dewildt.co.za
The
National
Cheetah
Conservation Forum (NCCFSA) is an advisory forum consisting
of conservationists, landowners,
government officials, hunters, etc
Mainly active in the Limpopo for all matters concerning cheetahs
and North West Provinces, they in South Africa.
specialise in cheetahs but also have
the expertise to assist with leopard, Other groups have included:
brown hyena and other smaller
predators.
Cango Wildlife Ranch
info@cango.co.za
Cheetah Outreach
Iranian Cheetah Project www.
Tel: 021 881 3242
panthera.org
cheetah@intekom.co.za
Kgalagadi Cheetah Project
www.cheetah.co.za
gusm@sanparks.org.za
Kwandwe cheetah project
An organisation in the Western Cape
Angus@kwandwe.co.za
focusing on educating the farming
Moholoholo
Education
community about predators, it
Programme
especially highlights the plight of

moholoholorehab@wol.co.za
the cheetah and promotes the use
of Anatolian shepherd dogs.
Leopard programmes
Landmark Foundation
Tel: 083 324 3344
www.landmarkfoundation.org.za
The Cape Leopard Trust

www.capeleopard.org.za
Endangered Wildlife Trust (EWT) programmes

The Endangered Wildlife Trust (EWT)
Tel: 011 372 3600
www.ewt.org.za
The Wildlife Conflict Prevention Programme was first established as the
Poison Working Group in 1992 and addresses the large-scale poisoning of
birds of prey, cranes, storks, game birds, waterfowl and the detrimental
environmental impacts of certain herbicides and their applications. The
work of the Group soon expanded to include other conflict issues between
humans and wildlife, and officially changed its name to reflect this new
direction. The WCPG produce an informative newsletter Antidote contact
the EWT for further details. Write to the Programme Manager, Tim Snow,
at snowman@ewt.org.za
Other Programmes of relevance to this chapter are:
The vision of the Carnivore Conservation Programme (EWT-CCP) is to
develop southern Africa into a region where carnivores are managed
in an ecologically and economically sustainable manner.
The Source to Sea Programme aims to conserve river ecosystems.
The Threatened Grassland Species Programme (EWT-TGSP) incorporates
a focus on the Oribi, now one of South Africas most threatened
antelope.
The Riverine Rabbit Programme (EWT-RRP) aims to ensure the survival
of the Critically Endangered endemic Riverine Rabbit
Further information on the following EWT Working Groups may be found
on the EWT website www.ewt.org.za. Many of their Programmes are
also mentioned in the Birds and farming chapter.
Chart used courtesy of Deon Cilliers. The reader is referred to publications, some mentioned under heading 7, which provide more detailed information charts,
maps, photgraphs, pictures of spoor etc.
179
Wildlife rehabilitation centres

African Bird of Prey Sanctuary
Tel: 031 785 4382
www.africanraptor.co.za
Bird and Exotic Animals
www.birdandexotic.co.za
This
centre
is
Onderstepoort
Academic Hospital.

Centre
Tel: 011 807 6993 / 083 558 5658
www.freemewildlife.org.za
HART Wildlife Sanctuary

(Helping Animals Recover from
based
at Trauma)
Veterinary Tel: 082 448 7860 / 072 623 5359
Located near Kroonstad in the

Centre for Animal Rehabilitation Free State
and Education (CARE)
Moholoholo Wildlife Rehab
Tel: 015 769 6251
Centre
www.primatecare.org.za
Tel: 015 795 5236
The centre specialises in the care moholorehab@wol.co.za
of baboons
National Society for the
The Centre for Rehabilitation Prevention of Cruelty to
Animals (NSPCA)
of Wildlife (CROW)
Wildlife Unit
Tel: 031 462 1127
Tel: 011 907 3591
www.crowkzn.co.za
www.nspca.co.za
Daktari Bush School and
Sanwild Wildlife Trust
Wildlife Orphanage
Tel: 015 383 9958 / 083 310 3882
Tel: 082 656 2969
www.sanwild.org
www.daktaribushschool.org
Limpopo-based

Africa Land-Use Training
Tel: 014 717 3819
www.alut.co.za
Animal Damage Control
Institute (ADCI)
Tel: 076 129 0889
www.jackal.co.za

College
Tel: 015 793 7300
Tel: 021 808 3728
Training courses offered cover www.cons-ent.com
the whole field of animal damage
control
Baboon Research Unit
Nelson Mandela Metropolitan Tel: 021 650 3645
www.baboonsonline.org/bru
University (NMMU)
University of Free State
Ecology
African Large Predator Research
Tel: 041 504 2308 / 16
Unit (ALPRU)
www.nmmu.ac.za/ace
Tel: 051 401 2210
www.ufs.ac.za/alpru
Management
Tel: 044 801 5111
Grassland Sciences
Prof GN Smit
Tel: 051 401 2125
Potchefstroom College of
Agriculture
Wildlife Campus
Tel: 018 299 6739 / 6636
Tel: 011 656 1601
www.wildlifecampus.com
Rhodes University
Wildlife and Reserve Management
Online courses include HumanResearch Group
Wildlife Conflict and Predator
Dr Dan Parker
Management on Livestock Farms.
Tel: 046 603 8530
Other role players

African Predator
Tel: 082 485 3885
www.africanpredator.com
Professional predator hunters
South African Vaccine
Producers
Tel: 011 386 6000
www.savp.co.za
Wildlife and Environmental

Society
of
South
Africa
(WESSA) find details in the
Biodiversity chapter.
World Wild Life Fund SA find
details in the Biodiversity chapter.
Manufacturers of antivenoms for

the treatment of snake, spider and
scorpion bites

Visit the websites mentioned earlier in this chapter.
Contact Cape Wools about the DVD on predator management. Call
041 484 4301.
Wildlife on farms, specifically predators, is a frequent topic in the
agricultural weeklies, Landbouweekblad and Farmers Weekly.
Published by the Endangered Wildlife Trust and available in English,
Afrikaans and isiZulu, Predators and Farmers describes the various
predators, lists benefits and conservation status and indicates their
potential impact to farms. Maps, photographs and pictures of spoor
make it an attractive read. Methods previously practised are now
prohibited by legislation e.g. gin traps, leg hold traps, poison baits,
livestock protection collars (poison collars). The reader is made aware
of what the law is, and offered alternatives. Place orders with the
Endangered Wildlife Trust.
Predators and Associated Wildlife Livestock, Game farms and Protected
Areas a detailed and photographic analysis of most predators cohabiting farming enterprises is presented. Animal behaviour, killing
patterns, feeding patterns, non lethal as well as lethal controls are
discussed. This manual is seen as a practical and informative tool to
be used by farmers, conservationists and the like. It replaces Predators
on Livestock Farms a Practical Farmers Manual for Non-lethal, Holistic,
Ecologically Acceptable and Ethical Management 2008. Contact the
Landmark Foundation.
includes useful notes on predator control. Find the document on www.
nwga.co.za or contact 041 365 5030.
2004 Integrated Livestock & Predator Management: A Farmers Guide;
Cheetah Conservation Fund Namibia, www.cheetah.org
Best Management Practices: Human-Wildlife Conflict Prevention
and Management a working document with inputs from Cheetah
Outreach, De Wildt Cheetah and Wildlife Trust, NSPCA and Cape
Nature.
Wildcare: The Story of Karen Trendler and Her African Wildlife Rehabilitation
Centre Mike Cadman (International Fund for Animal Welfare) Published
by Jacana Media, 2003 ISBN 1919931538, 9781919931531.
The report Livestock guarding dogs: their current use world wide by
Robin Rigg compiles a detailed review of current practices in the use
of livestock guarding dogs throughout the world and to discuss these
in relation to livestock depredation by predators. See www.canids.org/
occasionalpapers/livestockguardingdog.pdf.
Material for this chapter has been merged from many contributors and sources,
including Tim Snow, Yolan Friedmann and Deon Cilliers (Endangered Wildlife Trust);
Dr Bool Smuts (Landmark Foundation); Thys de Wet (Animal Damage Control Institute
- ADCI) and his website, www.jackal.co.za; Prof HO De Waal, African Large Predator
Research Unit (ALPRU) and the ALPRU pages at www.ufs.ac.za; Rob Harrison-White
(Jackal Connect)
180
Mixer
inputs
Animal feeds
1. Overview
The Animal Feeds Manufacturing Association (AFMA) website is a
comprehensive source of information on this industry. Visit www.afma.co.za.
The animal feed market has grown continuously for the past two decades in
SA and abroad. It is clearly a vital part of the South African farmers life.
Sixty different products, mainly of agricultural origin, are used to make
balanced feed for poultry, cattle, sheep and other animals.
AFMA members manufacture animal feed for 55 60% of the market whilst
the feedlots, smaller manufacturers, the pet food industry and home mixers
provide the rest. The total national feed production today is estimated
on 10.7 million tons and the gross value of the total feed production is
calculated at R22-25 billion per annum.
The growth of the animal feed industry in the coming couple of years is
entirely dependent on the growth in the animal product market determined
by consumer spending, particularly the poultry, beef and sheep and dairy
industries which are big users of animal feed in the animal production value
chain.
The mixing process is important in the feed manufacturing process because

if the feed is not mixed thoroughly, the concentrated minerals and vitamins
will not be evenly distributed. Taking into account the low inclusion of about
2.5kg of premix in 1000kg of feed, thorough mixing is extremely important.
During the mixing process, all the liquids like oil are also included.
Incorporator/conditioning
In the incorporator the mash feed is incorporated with steam to increase
the heat and moisture of the feed, which is crucial in the pelleting process.
The addition of the steam helps with the binding of the particles to form a
pellet when pressed.
Pellet press
The mixed raw material, vitamins and minerals now goes through the pellet
press where it is forced through a small opening (usually between 3.2 and
4.8mm) to form a pellet. The temperature of the feed is about 80C on the
other side of the pellet press.
Cooler
The pellet is still soft and too warm to store as it is post pelleting and the
temperature need to be brought down. This is done in the cooler and the
temperature is decreased drastically to make the pellet hard and durable.
The pelleted feed goes through a shaker to get rid of unwanted fines and it
is now ready to be bagged or loaded in a bulk storage bin.
Growth in the animal feed industry is positive news for grain producers.
2. The feed milling process

Raw material
Feed is made up of a number of raw materials that is all combined in different
ratios to form a perfect balance of all the nutrients, minerals and vitamins.
The bulk of the feed is:
maize
soya oilcake
sunflower
wheat bran
A number of other raw materials are also included e.g.:

limestone
molasses
lysine
fishmeal (not all feed)

vitamins
minerals
The bulk raw materials are stored in the silos and the lower volume dense
materials is in flat storage on the mill floor.
Grinding
The grains are transported from the silos to grinders in the mill where it is
grinded to a suitable coarseness depending on the type of feed manufactured.
Thereafter the other raw materials that dont need grinding are included as
well as the prescribed premixes of vitamins, minerals and medication.
Source: Johan Conradie at Epol
181
6. Role players
Associations
Visit the International Feed Industries Federation (IFIF) website www.ifif.org
AFMA members import more than 75% of their local demand of Soya
oilcake due to insufficient local supply and quality concerns. Import figures,
International Trade and tariff matters are covered in the Chairmans Report
(find it at www.afma.co.za).
The export of animal feeds is normally restricted to the neighbouring
countries because it is difficult to transport such bulky products over long
distances. In some cases the feed has to comply with specific requirements
since the animal products produced with the feed are being exported to
Europe and other countries.

AFMA industry information can be found under the Resources & links option at
www.afma.co.za.
The animal feeds industry is divided into the formal feed industry
(members of AFMA) and the other includes feedlots, smaller feed mills
and home mixers.
Farmers sell most of the grains via SAFEX but some also negotiate with
feed mills for pre-harvest contracts.
There is an established gristing principle whereby the farmer takes
maize to feedmills. It is a way for him to save money because he only
pays for the milling, mixing and other raw materials. Farmers can
purchase commercial concentrates from feed suppliers, too, to mix
with maize which they themselves have milled.
SANS 898, Good manufacturing practice for the self mixing of
feed in the livestock industry
The standard covers the self mixing of compound feed and supplements
into livestock feed, to ensure that the products consistently meet the
legal requirements for human and animal health, and environmental
safety. For information on the standard, contact either the South African
Bureau of Standards, 012 428 7911 or the Red Meat Industry Forum at
012 667 1189.

Find the Feeds, Stock Remedies, Pesticides and Fertilizers option under
Divisions at www.daff.gov.za. Application forms, Guidelines and contacts at DAFF
are available.
Registrar: Act No 36/1947

Tel: 012 319 7303
In terms of the Fertilizers, Farm Feeds, Agricultural Remedies and Stock
Remedies Act, 1947 (Act 36 of 1947) and its regulations, all feed raw
materials except for maize and unbroken grains, must be registered with
the Registrar of Act 36 of 1947 before it could be sold into the market or
used in animal feed production. All animal feed for sale is required to be
registered in terms of Act 36. If promulgated as an Act, the Fertilizers and
Feeds Bill [B41-2012] will in effect replace parts of Act 36 0f 1947.
Find the Acts & legislation option at www.afma.co.za.
Animal Feeds Manufacturing

Association (AFMA)
Tel: 012 663 9097
www.afma.co.za
threats and opportunities, feed

sales statistics, technology transfer
through the AFMA MATRIX a
quarterly magazine, symposia and
the AFMA FORUM a tri-annual
congress and agricultural trade
agreements. AFMA is a member
of the International Feed Industries
Federation (IFIF).
AFMA represents the feed industry

on various platforms where it is
necessary to enhance or protect
the interests of the feed industry.
Attention is given to matters
of importance to the industry, Petfood Industry Association
including keeping abreast of changes Tel: 033 343 2874
and developments, identifying www.petwise.co.za

The bigger feed manufacturers normally have their research done at the
Agricultural Research Council (ARC) or at one of the universities. Agricultural
Colleges also undertake research in the area of animal feeds.
Universities and Agricultural Colleges offer training in animal nutrition or
related courses that are of value in the feed industry. These are usually the
three/four year degree or diploma courses, but vital short courses are also
given. Find the details in the Agricultural education and training chapter.
Some of these role players:
ARC-Animal Production Institute (ARC-API)
Tel: 012 672 9111
www.arc.agric.za
Training on the subject of animal nutrition is available at the ARC Animal
Production Institute in the form of short courses.
The institute through its resources is in a position to test animal feeds and
is on the forefront in investigating the use of a variety of by-products from
agriculture and the food processing industries on a variety of farm animal
species for use by the commercial feed manufacturers through to the
resource poor farmers.
Contacts:
Ruminant
nutrition:
Dr F Nherera 012 672 9253 (Dairy nutrition)

Mr M Muya 012 672 9342 (Dairy nutrition)
Dr Roger Pambu 012 672 9304 (Small stock nutrition)
Mr M Ratsaka 012 672 9306 (Feedlot systems)
Mr K-J Leeuw 012 672 9320 (Feedlot systems)
Mr D B Nkosi 012 672 9300 (Silage, Agro-byproducts)
Monogastric
nutrition:
Dr A T Kanengoni 012 672 9355 (Pig nutrition)

Ms P Pitsane 012 672 99272 (Pig systems)
Ms S E Coetzee 012 672 9302 (Poultry nutrition)
(Mafikeng Campus)
Dale Beighle Centre
Tel: 018 389 2744 / 30
www.nwu.ac.za
Tel: 051 401 3765

Grassland Sciences
Prof HJ van der Merwe
Tel: 051 401 2211
182
Companies: animal feed suppliers

Find a comprehensive AFMA member and associate member list on www.afma.
co.za.
AFGRI Animal Feeds 011 063 2347 www.afgri.co.za

Allem Brothers (Pty) Ltd 056 343 3111
ALZU Enterprises 013 249 8900 www.alzu.co.za
Bio-Minerale 013 246 7451 www.biominerale.co.za
Bovasol 033 263 1611 www.bovasol.co.za
Brennco Feeds (Pty) Ltd 012 342 0744 www.brenmill.co.za
Crane Feeds (Pty) Ltd 012 346 0732
Dalein Voere (Edms) Bpk 012 808 5999
De Heus Feed (Pty) Ltd 031 785 1575 www.deheus.co.za
Dolphin Coast Feeds 032 947 0075
Eagles Rock Feed Mill (Pty) Ltd 014 577 0087
Eggbert Eggs (Pty) Ltd 087 940 2025 www.eggberteggs.co.za
Epol 031 242 8500 www.epol.co.za
Esco Feeds (Pty) Ltd 036 352 2193
Essential Feeds 036 634 1000
Evertrade Feeds (Pty) Ltd 031 566 6610 www.evertradefeeds.co.za
Feedpro 053 927 5406 www.kbk.co.za
Kanhym Estates (Pty) Ltd 013 249 7800 www.kanhym.co.za
KK Animal Nutrition 031 910 5100 www.kkan.com
Lubern Feeds (Pty) Ltd 082 449 9282
Marifeed (Pty) Ltd 028 312 1106 www.abfeed.com
Meadow Feeds 011 991 6000 www.meadow.co.za
Meaders Feeds Ltd 00230 249 3860
Molatek Animal Feeds 013 791 1036 www.molatek.co.za
NOVA Feeds 018 293 0019 www.novafeeds.co.za
Nutri Feeds 018 293 0019 www.nutrifeeds.co.za
NutroScience (Pty) Ltd 022 482 4575 www.nutroscience.com
Nu-Pro Feeds (Pty) Ltd 058 303 9587
Opti Feeds (Pty) Ltd 018 632 4053 www.nwk.co.za
Profile Feeds (Pty) Ltd 021 875 5890
Rossgro Feeds (Pty) Ltd 013 665 1999
SA Feed Phosphates 053 298 2817 www.gwk.co.za
Sernick Veevoere (Edms) Bpk 056 631 0120
Tanqua Feeds (Pty) Ltd 028 261 1519
Telwiedr Feeds 058 852 2742
Veekos (Edms) Bpk 054 331 1351 www.veekos.co.za
Voermol Feeds (Pty) Ltd 032 439 5599/ 5850 www.voermol.co.za
WW Bartlet Poultry Farm (Pty) Ltd 011 662 1433
Companies: Premixes, traders of raw materials, manufacturers

of raw materials
ADDCON Africa Feed & Grain Additives (Pty) Ltd 011 460
4002/3 www.addcon-africa.net and www.mycotoxins.info
ADVIT Animal Nutrition SA 011 524 0440 www.advit.co.za
AFGRI Trading (Pty) Ltd 011 063 2347 www.afgri.co.za
Allied Nutrition 012 667 4213 www.alliednutrition.com
Alltech (Pty) Ltd 021 865 2669 www.alltech.com
Animal Nutrition & Health (Pty) Ltd 012 667 3961
Apex Commodities (Pty) Ltd 011 475 1015
Ashkan Consulting (Pty) Ltd 011 466 8763/4 www.ashkan.co.za
Atlas Trading & Shipping (A division of Grindrod (South Africa) (Pty)
Limited 031 302 1700 / 011 233 7455 www.grindrod.co.za
BASF 011 203 2400 www.basf.co.za
Bedson Africa (Pty) Ltd 012 803 4376 www.bedson.co.za
Bester Feed & Grain (Pty) Ltd 021 809 2500 www.bester.co.za
Bioindustrial Services cc 011 970 2525 www.bioindustrial.co.za
Biomin Animal Nutrition (Pty) Ltd 018 468 1455 www.biomin.net
Bitek Feed Science (Pty) Ltd 011 466 1751 www.bitek.co.za
Brisen Commodities 012 640 1600 www.brisencommodities.co.za
Cargill RSA (Pty) Ltd 086 122 7445 www.cargill.com
Chemfit (Pty) Ltd 011 918 1900 www.chemfit.co.za
Chemuniqu International 011 789 2414 www.chemunique.co.za
Denvet 033 345 1093 www.denvet.co.za
DSM Nutritional Products South Africa (Pty) Ltd 011 398 6900
www.dsm.com
Energy Oil (Pty) Ltd 011 824 0473
Evonik Degussa Africa 011 697 0700 www.degussa.co.za
Extru Feeds 036 448 1605
Feedpharm Trading 021 853 1659
FR Waring Feeds (Pty) Ltd 031 764 2951 www.animalfeed.co.za
Grains for Africa Commodity Brokers (Pty) Ltd 011 485 2575
Kemin Industries South Africa 011 605 2633 www.kemin.com
Kerry Ingredients (Pty) Ltd 011 923 6360 www.kerrygroup.com
LignoTech SA (Pty) Ltd 039 973 6000
Louis Dreyfus Commodities Africa (Pty) Ltd 011 217 5300 www.
louisdreyfus.co.za
Maize & More (Pty) Ltd 013 243 1166
Majesty Oil Mills (Pty) Ltd 011 660 7074
Malachite Chemicals 011 455 1201 www.malachitechemicals.co.za
Marsing & Co Africa (Pty) Ltd 011 462 6913 www.marsing-sa.com
MG2Mix SA (Pty) Ltd 011 866 2900
Megastarter Biotech (Pty) Ltd t/a MS Biotech 076 826 9211
Multi Feeds 053 474 1848/9
Noble Resources South Africa (Pty) Ltd 021 808 1900 www.
thisisnoble.com
Novus International, Inc 082 495 8185 www.novusint.com
NuTec Southern Africa (Pty) Ltd 033 397 9405
Oceana Brands (Pty) Ltd 021 415 8500 www.oceana.co.za
Olam South Africa (Pty) Ltd 031 566 5499
Pennville (Pty) Ltd 012 372 1074 http://pennville.co.za
Protea Animal Feeds 011 821 3365 www.proteachemicals.co.za
Prodsure 012 252 3778 www.prodsure.co.za
Rymco (Pty) Ltd 011 248 8252
SA Premix 051 653 1001 www.sapremix.co.za
SA Salt Co-operation 082 412 2857
Savannah Commodities 011 519 1000 www.savannah-commodities.
co.za
Seaboard Overseas Trading & Shipping (Pty) Ltd 031 581 4500
www.seaboardcorp.com
Tongaat Hulett Starch 011 458 5000 www.tongaathulettstarch.co.za
Trademar Trading (Pty) Ltd 011 706 5777 www.trademar.co.za
Trademore (Pty) Ltd 011 783 8191 www.trademoreptyltd.net
Unigrain (Pty) Ltd 011 692 4400
Virbac Animal Health 012 657 6000 www.virbac.co.za
Vitam International 012 665 5245 http://vitam.co.za
Zinchem 011 746 5000 www.zinchem.co.za
183
Companies: feed manufacturing plants

Buhler (Pty) Ltd 011 801 3500 www.buhlergroup.com
Magnum Feed Milling 031 700 6621 www.magnumfeedmilling.co.za
Other companies involved

We include details only of some of the numerous other companies involved
here. See also the General farm equipment chapter (for feeders and
mixers) and Grain storage & handling chapter (milling equipment).
Agri Inspec 012 843 5630 / 7 www.agriinspec.co.za (Agri Inspec has
developed a protocol for quality assurance)
Agricon 051 448 0961 www.agricon-pelleting.co.za
Agri Protein 021 422 1887 www.agriprotein.com
Biochemical Chemical Consultants 033 343 1414 http://
bsclaboratory.com
Buckle Packaging 011 613 8024 www.bucklepack.co.za
Cape Grits 021 535 5932
Central Analytical Laboratories 011 661 1910 www.calsa.co.za
FeedPro 053 927 5406 www.feedpro.co.za
Grain Tech 011 835 2064
LabWorld 012 685 9600 www.labworld.co.za
Nviro Tek Labs 082 889 0138 www.nviroteklabs.co.za
P & B Lime Works 028 424 1157 www.pandblime.co.za
South African Bureau of Standards (SABS) 012 428 7911 www.
sabs.co.za
Spesfeed 011 803 2050 www.spesfeed.co.za (animal nutrition and
animal feed consultants)
Stargate Scientific 011 675 7433 www.stargatescientific.co.za
(supplier of laboratory and testing equipment for GMOs)
Texproy 031 262 7570

AFMA Matrix is the only dedicated feed industry related magazine and it is
available from AFMA. You can also download to from www.afma.co.za.
The publications of other industries e.g. Dairy Mail, Porcus, Poultry Bulletin
etc periodically cover animal feed issues.
The Animal Feeds industry is covered briefly DAFFs Maize Market Value
Chain Profile: 2010-2011. Find it under the Publications and Agricultural
Marketing options at www.daff.gov.za
www.KnowMycotoxins.com is aimed at educating the various market
segments in the animal feed industry that continuously face up to the
repercussions of mycotoxins in animal feed and ultimately on their
livestock performance.
Call 012 842 4017 or email iaeinfo@arc.agric.za for the publication Bulk
density of various products used as ingredients in animal feeds, available from
the ARC in Silverton.
Visit the International Feed Industries Federation (IFIF) and the European
Feed Manufacturers Federation (FEFAC) websites, www.ifif.org and www.
fefac.org.
184
inputs
Animal health
The age at which a young animal is first vaccinated plays an important role in
its response to vaccination. This is because the young animal is still getting a
measure of immunisation from the mothers early milk or colostrum. This
is passive immunity, but it interferes with the vaccine if given too early.
Follow the correct route of application.
The cold chain must never be broken (transport to and storage of the
vaccine on the farm).
See also the Biosecurity chapter
Handling of vaccine is one of the major problems of vaccination failure.

You have to keep your vaccines at a temperature of 4-8C, make sure that
you have your sterile needles; you have your sterile cylinders, to avoid
transmitting diseases from one animal to another.
Currently, only about R2 billion is spent annually on vaccinations, dosing and

dips, safeguarding farming enterprises and those of our neighbours. These
precautions amount to less than 7% of the farmers total expenditure. A
farmer that tries to avoid essential preventative treatment and spending
is acting unwisely: animal diseases and parasites are detrimental to the
economy of the country, to say nothing of human and animal health.
The effectiveness of vaccines depends on the management of the specific

farmer, so if a farmer has qualities of being a good manager and using
sustained vaccination programmes those vaccines will be effective.
1. Overview
All animal health products should be used strictly according to label

instructions. Even then, results may vary according to the disease and the
stage of the disease at which treatment is applied. The earlier during the
course of the disease that treatment is administered the better will be
the results. This is the major reason why an investment in Primary Animal
Health Care (PAHC) training is advised.
No vaccine can give 100% protection, but the involvement of a veterinarian
plus the correct use of registered products with demonstrated effectiveness
and safety could only be to the benefit of animals and producers alike.
State Veterinary Services guard constantly against the introduction of animal
diseases from outside the country, whilst animal diseases within our borders
are controlled and combated.
About 70% of the human diseases discovered recently or from the last
century/ has been found to be of animal origin. It is therefore imperative
for the animal sector to ensure that they not only protect their animals
against possible animal diseases but also prevent the possible spread of
such diseases to humankind. This will ensure both the health and welfare of
animals and also ensure the well-being of humans.
Food security has become a global imperative and Africa is being looked
at as the worlds future food basket. However, our performance over
the past 2 decades is nothing to be proud of. This despite NEPADs
Comprehensive African Agricultural Development Programme which has
an aim of increasing food security and reducing poverty and to contribute
to the Millennium development goal of, by 2015, halving poverty and
hunger.
In fact, while Latin America and Asia have increased the available food
per person by 20% and 30% respectively since 1990, there has been a
disappointing decrease of food available per person in Africa of 3% over
the corresponding period.
South Africa imports about R4 billion worth of meat annually. Considering
that only 50% of our livestock is commercially farmed, there is major
scope, through improving the productivity of the non-commercial half of
our national herds and flocks, to become a net meat exporter. To do this,
training in Animal Health and Production and improved access to stock
remedies and veterinary medicines is essential.
Source: Dr Peter Oberem, Afrivet
2. For the newcomer

Vaccination
Vaccination is a process where you inject a biological product into an animal.
It is a process whereby one exposes an animal to a codified or weakened
disease-causing organism. The more antibodies the animal has to fight that
particular disease, the less likely it is to become infected. In many cases,
an animal should be vaccinated yearly to ensure immunity against specific
diseases.
For further information please contact: Jacob Modumo telephone: 012 522 1518 email: jacob@obpvaccines.co.za. Another contact is Animal Health for Developing
Farmers at ARC-OVI (see heading 5). Call 012 529 9158.
Parasites and resistance

Forty percent of all animal health products sold in SA are parasiticides,
ectoparasiticides or dips and pour-ons for control of ticks and other external
parasites, as well as anthelmintics for control of worms. Because they are so
important to SA farmers, there is much debate about parasites developing
resistance to the chemicals in these products. The truth is that resistance
will always be with us. It is natures evolutionary response towards evading
suppression. To manage resistance:
Never introduce new (and resistant) parasites onto your property.
Always ensure that introduced animals are parasite-free before
being released onto the farm by first quarantining and treating them
with at least two different antelmintic groups and with one or more
ectoparasitic control products (dips).
Always follow the manufacturers instructions carefully when treating
animals for parasites. Do not use an overstrength product.
For the same reasons, never use home-made pour-on products
to control ticks. The amount active ingredient needed depends on
the formulation used, and there is no information on home-made
formulations to make these critical decisions.
Know the available remedies, which groups they belong to, and consult
a vet, preferably from the supplier, to advise on when to change and
what remedy to use next.
Sources: Afrivet, SAAHA, ARC-OVI, Department of Agriculture, AgriTV.

See the following websites:
www.oie.int the website of the World Organisation for Animal Health
(OIE).
International Federation for Animal Health www.ifahsec.org
See also the website of the World Veterinary Association www.
worldvet.org
Global Alliance for Livestock Veterinary Medicines www.galvmed.
org
Animal Health Alliance (Australia) www.animalhealthalliance.org.au

Find the Food and Veterinary Services option under Divisions at www.daff.gov.
za, website of the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries.
To improve delivery of veterinarian services, DAFF has introduced

measures like expanding the existing bursary scheme for veterinary studies
and introducing a years compulsory community service for vets after
graduating.
Afrivet FP
186

Tel: 012 319 7615 / 7456
Directorate: Genetic Resources

Tel: 012 319 6024
North West
Province
Directorate: Animal
Find Feeds, Stock Remedies, Production
Pesticides and Fertilizers under Tel: 012 319 7493
DAP@daff.gov.za
Divisions at www.daff.gov.za.
Province
Eastern Cape
Contact person
Dr L Mrwebi
Chief Director
Contact details
Tel: 040 609 3547
Fax: 040 636 3558
Cell: 082 781 0217
lubabalo.mrwebi@agr.ecprov.
gov.za
Tel: 043 605 4200

Dr Mnqeta
Fax: 086 697 4523
Director
Veterinary services Cell: 082 258 5647
qtnvet@telkomsa.net
Free State
Gauteng
KwaZuluNatal
Limpopo
Mpumalanga
Tel: 051 436 3677

Dr KJ Mojapelo
Fax: 051 436 5870
Director
drkris@fs.agric.za
Dr M de BUDE
Chief Director:
Veterinary
Services and
Natural Resource
Management
Tel: 011 355 1978

Fax: 011 355 1688
Cell: 082 373 7721
malcom.debude@gauteng.gov.za
Dr Dietana
Nemudzivhadi
Director: Animal
Health Production,
Advisory and
Support Services
Tel: 011 355 1886

Fax: 011 355 1105
Dietana.Nemudzivhadi@gauteng.
gov.za
Dr Wynton
Rabolao
Director:
Veterinary Public
Health and Export
Facilitation
Tel: 011 355 1987

Fax: 011 355 1077
Wynton.Rabolao@gauteng.gov.za
Dr Alan Kalake
Director:
Animal Health
Management and
Services
Tel: 011 355 1886

Fax: 011 355 1077
Alan.Kalake@gauteng.gov.za
Dr TA Sikhakhane
Director:
Veterinary
Services South
Tel: 033 343 8300/17

Fax: 033 343 8329
Cell: 0827849254
Temba.Sikhakhane@kzndae.gov.za
Dr DI Mtshali
Director:
Veterinary
Services North
Tel: 035 780 6705

Fax: 035 789 6405
Cell: 082 419 2882
drdumisani.mtshali@kzndae.gov.
za
Tel: 015 294 3109 / 3608

Dr RL Mampane
Fax: 015 295 4525
Director
Dr PJ Loock
Tel: 015 294 3064

Fax: 015 294 4537
loockpj@agric.limpopo.gov.za
Dr NV Mnisi
Director: Animal
Health, acting
Chief Director
Tel: 013 741 3218

Fax: 013 741 5087
Cell: 082 899 7767
nvmnisi@mpg.gov.za
Dr Lucas B Cele
Director:
Veterinary
Specialised
Services
Tel: 013 741 3218

Fax: 013 741 5087l
cele@mpg.gov.za
Dr P Mokaila
Chief Director:
Agricultural
Support Services
Tel: 018 389 5723

Fax: 018 389 5090
pmokaila@nwpg.gov.za
Tel: 018 389 5102

Dr LS Madyibi
Fax: 018 389 5090
Director
LMadyibi@nwpg.gov.za
Northern
Cape
Tel: 053 839 7800 / 70

Dr P Kegakilwe
Fax: 053 831 3635 / 086 622 8073
Director
Western
Cape
Dr G Msiza
Chief Director
Tel: 021 808 5052

Fax: 021 808 7619
Cell: 084 604 6705
GinindaM@elsenburg.com
www.elsenburg.com/vets.html
State Veterinary Services sponsor the testing for certain animal diseases.
Please contact your nearest State veterinarian office or Provincial office for
advice.
For a detailed list of Government Veterinary Laboratories in SA visit www.
daff.gov.za (take the Divisions, Food and Veterinary Services and
Laboratory approval options).
5. Role players
Associations, forums & NGOs
The Animal Health Forum
represents the different livestock
sectors, and exists to liaise with
government on biosecurity and
other livestock-related issues.
Contact organisations like the
South African Pork Producers
Organisation and Red Meat Industry
Federation for more information
(find contact details in the pork,
beef etc chapters).
The Livestock Health and
Production Group
Tel: 012 346 1590
www.lhpg.co.za
SAAHAs vision is to be
acknowledged as the association
representing all manufacturers and
suppliers of veterinary medicines,
stock remedies and other animal
health products in Southern Africa.
The Vision is achieved through
promoting and supporting an
economically viable and innovation
driven animal health industry in
Southern Africa, thus contributing
to a high level of health and welfare
of all animals and to the responsible
care for the environment.
We want farmers and other users

of our products to know that they
are making their purchases from
persons and companies who can
give sound technical advice, and
whose employers are bound by the
A Veterinary Services Back-Up
is provided. Read about their strict SAAHA Code of Conduct; in
involvement in the general Animal short, from people they can trust!
husbandry chapter.
The extensive and stringent Code
South African Animal Health of Conduct, of which all member
companies must sign acceptance,
Association (SAAHA)
ensures that all members make
Tel: 011 805 2000
input into and abide by the drawing
www.saaha.co.za
up of ethical-, quality- and service
SAAHA, a section 21 Company quidelines, standards, codes, and
not for gain, is an association of legislation, such as:
the majority of the responsible
manufacturers and suppliers of
manufacturing
quality
practices;
animal health products, and through
warehousing & transport
its training and accreditation of
standards;
members sales personnel it strives
training in responsible use
to ensure that farmers and other
of products especially in the
end users are at all times provided
emergent sector;
with a professional and efficient
Marketing Code of Ethics;
service.
National Council of SPCAs
Farm Animal Unit
Tel: 011 907 3590/1/2
www.nspca.co.za
187
SANS codes of practice, as well

as recommendations from:
- AVCASA Safety Health and
Environment Committee.
- Wildlife Conflict Mitigation
Programme of the Endangered
Wild life Trust.
- Griffon Poison Information
Centre
SAAHA is part of AVCASA, the
Association of Veterinary and
Crop Associations of South
Africa. See www.avcasa.co.za
South African Veterinary

Association
Tel: 012 346 1150
www.sava.co.za
South African Veterinary
Council
Tel: 012 342 1612
www.savc.org.za
South African Equine Veterinary
Association
Tel: 087 802 8658
www.saeva.co.za
South African Association of Veterinary Nurses Association

of South Africa (VNASA)
Veterinary Technologists
www.vnasa.co.za
www.saavt.co.za
South African Companion
Animal Council
Tel: 012 620 1388
www.petwise.co.za

Afrivet Training Services
Tel: 012 817 9060
www.afrivet.co.za
Afrivet Training Services specialises
in SETA approved animal health
training. It has developed a 6
module animal skills development
course for farm workers, emerging
stock farmers and animal health
technicians. These courses focus

on providing the learner with
the skills to identify sick animals
timeously and to utilise available
stock remedies as a primary health
care intervention. Each module is
presented over 5 days. Half-day
and one-day courses in specific
aspects such as tick control are also
available.
Agriskills Transfer
Tel: 012 460 9585
www.agriskills.net
important viral diseases). Short

training courses at ARC-OVI
include tick identification and
Veterinary
Ectoparasitology
ARC-Onderstepoort Veterinary courses. Contact 012 529 9187 or
Institute (ARC-OVI)
write to heyneh@arc.agric.za for
Tel: 012 529 9111 / 446
details.
www.arc.agric.za
Companies involved support and
OVI is part of the Livestock and do research on various aspects of
Animal Health Division. Research animal health, both individually,
activities at the OVI focus on the at their own research facilities,
development of vaccines and and also collectively on aspects
diagnostic methodologies, applying of importance to the farming
the latest molecular biological community such as:
techniques to prevent and control
economically important diseases.
tick resistance to
ectoparasiticides
The Institute promotes animal
worm resistance to
health and welfare by providing
endoparsiticides
effective and diagnostic service,
microbial resistance
to antibiotics
and vaccines against Foot-and environmental issues such as
mouth and tick-borne diseases.
dung beetle-and oxpecker
The OVI is a collaborating centre
compatible remedies
for both the OIE (surveillance
and control of animal diseases
in Africa) and FAO (emergency North-West University
preparedness for transboundary (Mafikeng Campus)
animal diseases for Africa, Helminth Dale Beighle Centre for Animal
anthelmintic
resistance
and Health Studies
biological control for Africa, and Tel: 018 386 1321
the FAO Reference Laboratory for www.nwu.ac.za
Arthropod transmitted viral diseases
for Eastern and Southern Africa The University offers a BSc Agric
which includes seven reference Degree in Animal Health and a
laboratories for economically Diploma in Animal Health.
188
Unit for Environmental Sciences
and Management
Prof KN de Kock
Tel: 018 299 2380
Prof CT Wolmarans
Tel: 018 299 2389
www.nwu.ac.za
to Africa. The museum is also in a

process of compiling a manual on
ticks which would assist farmers as
well as scientists in controlling the
parasites. Contact Dr A Latif at 012
529 9212.
Technology (TUT)
Department of Biomedical
Various worm parasites have Sciences
a deleterious impact on the Tel: 012 382 6265
countrys livestock with financial www.tut.ac.za
implications for the farmer. These
parasites include Fasciola hepatica National diploma in Veterinary
en F. gigantica and Calicophoron Technology is offered
microbothrium.
A national collection of some 34 000 Department of Animal, Wildlife
preserved species of freshwater and Grassland Sciences
slugs and other parasites, collected Tel: 051 401 2827
since 1956 from the whole country, www.ufs.ac.za/animal
is housed here. Information on the
appearance and distribution of This Department focuses on the
these parasites is available from the training and research of the entire
above-mentioned authorities.
Animal Production continuum,
South African Animal Health from resource utilisation, assisted
Association (SAAHA) contributes reproduction, improved feed
to its important functions though utilisation to genetic improvement.
Animal health is a small, but integral
its training programmes:
part of this continuum.

SAAHA
co-ordinates
a
correspondence
course Basic concepts of animal health
consisting of 8 modules. All and immunity are taught to animal
sales personnel of SAAHA science students in the curriculum
members must pass this and short courses for farmers
course in order to be allowed (both commercial and small scale)
to give advice and sell our and extension officers on basic
animal health products. The animal health and husbandry are
course is open to anyone
wishing to learn more about presented. Contract research
animal health and the products on animal health aspects is also
conducted, mostly on request from
used in the industry.
Farmer training in Responsible pharmaceutical companies and the
Use of Animal Health Livestock industry in general.
Products.
Through
this
course, SAAHA contributes Dept of Microbial, Biochemical and
towards the upliftment of Food Biotechnology
new farmers and stockowners Prof Rob Bragg
and to the protection of the Tel: 051 401 2676
environment.
www.ufs.ac.za/biotech
The Tick Museum is the first of its
kind on the continent and will serve
to inform farmers and scientists
about tick identification, biology,
ecology and control systems. Up
to now, whenever scientists had
to do research work on ticks,
they were required to travel to
either Washington or London.
Many people in rural areas on
the continent made a living from
farming, and ticks posed a major
problem in terms of transmitting
diseases that kill livestock. The
museums main aim was to collect
all the species which were common

Entomology
Ellie van Dalen
Tel: 051 401 2317
vdalenem@ufs.ac.za
A variety of factors can build ticks
resistance to chemical treatments:
the nature of the substance, the
number of applications, the method
of application, and the spreading of
ticks through animal movement.
Farmers who have problems dealing
with ticks can now send samples to
the University of the Free State to
be tested for resistances.
Faculty of Veterinary Science
Tel: 012 529 8313
Department of Companion Animal
Clinical Studies 012 529 8260
Department of Anatomy and
Physiology 012 529 8267
Department of Paraclinical
Sciences 012 529 8239
Department of Production Animal
Studies 012 529 8013
Department of Veterinary Tropical
Diseases 012 529 8394
www.up.ac.za
Completion of the undergraduate
programme, which last six years,
permits
registration
as
a
veterinarian with the South African
Veterinary Council.
(UNISA)
College of Agriculture and
Agriculture, Animal Health and
Human Ecology
Tel: 011 471 2818 / 2984
www.unisa.ac.za
A National Diploma in Animal
Health is offered
Find the other universities and Agricultural Colleges in the Agricultural education
SAAHA members and associate members

Afrivet
Tel: 012 817 9060
Helpline 0860 VEEARTS
www.afrivet.co.za
Animate Animal Health
Tel: 012 661 3485
www.animate.co.za
Bayer Animal Health
Tel: 011 921 5911
www.animalhealth.
bayerhealthcare.com
Bedson Africa (Pty) Ltd
Tel: 012 803 2614
www.bedson.co.za
Boehringer-Ingelheim
Tel: 011 348 2400
www.boehringer-ingelheim.com
Ceva Animal Health (Pty) Ltd
Tel: 011 312 4088
www.ceva.com
Cipla Agrimed
Tel: 0861 247 463
www.ciplaagrimed.co.za
Ciplavet
Tel: 021 943 4220
www.ciplavet.co.za
Healthtech Laboratories
Tel: 011 805 5703
www.healthtechlabs.co.za
Instavet Import & Export
Tel: 011 462 4215 / 699 6240
www.instavet.co.za
Intervet/Schering-Plough
Animal Health see MSD
Animal Health
Lionels Veterinary Supplies
Tel: 021 932 2019
www.lionelsvet.co.za
Merial SA
Tel: 011 315 8001
www.merial.com
MSD Animal Health
Intervet/Schering-Plough
Animal Health
Tel: 011 923 9300
www.intervet.co.za
Norbrook Laboratories SA
(Pty) Ltd
Tel: 011 314 0889
www.norbrook.com
Novartis South Africa (Pty) Ltd
Tel: 011 929 9111
www.novartis.co.za
Onderstepoort Biological
Products
Tel: 012 522 1500
Fax: 012 522 1591
www.OBPvaccines.co.za
Virbac RSA
Tel: 012 657 6000
www.virbac.co.za
189
Other animal health companies

Ashkan Animal Health Tel: 011 466 8763 www.ashkan.co.za
Biotech Veterinary Division Tel: 011 848 3050 www.biotech.co.za
Charles Street Veterinary Consultancy Tel: 012 460 9385 www.
csvet.co.za
Cooper Veterinary Products Tel: 012 991 6416
DIATOMS Organic Animal Health Tel: 053 723 1810 www.diatoms.
co.za
Dr G Catton (Consultant) Tel: 012 665 5157 gcatton@iafrica.com
DEHTEQ (Pty) Ltd Tel: 011 466 9270 www.dehteq.co.za
Denvet cc Tel: 033 345 1093 www.denvet.co.za
Dosatron Sales & Service Tel: 011 434 2887 www.dosatron.com
Eco Animal Health Tel: 012 991 6416
Immuno-vet Services Tel: 011 699 6240www.immunovet.co.za
Insect Science Tel: 015 307 1391 www.insectscience.co.za
Midlands Veterinary Wholesalers Tel: 033 263 2310 www.mvwsa.
com
Natrocine Tel: 082 453 6057 www.natrocine.co.za
Pathcare Vetlab Tel: 021 596 3636 www.pathcare.co.za
Roche Products (Pty) Ltd Tel: 011 502 5000 www.roche.com
SWAVET RSA Tel: 011 704 7218
Tick Off Tel: 012 804 4460 www.tickoff.co.za
Trade Vet Tel: 011 314 5972
Veterinary House Hospital Tel: 033 342 4698
Wildlife Pharmaceuticals Inc Tel: 013 751 2328 www.wildpharm.
com

The following Info Paks (booklets) are available from the National Department
of Agriculture. View them at www.daff.gov.za (take the publications menu
option) or contact the Resource Centre at 012 319 7141.
Tick-borne diseases in
ruminants
Hydatid disease caused by
tapeworm
Diseases caused by trypanosomes: Nagana and dourine
The difference between
vaccination and treatment
Common and important
diseases of cattle
Common and important
diseases of sheep and goats
Diseases shared by wildlife
and livestock
External parasites of goats and
sheep
Why did my animal die?
Skin conditions in goats and
sheep
Lumpy-skin disease
Sheep-scab
Theileriosis
Skin conditions in pigs

Respiratory diseases in cattle
Respiratory diseases in chickens
Disease prevention in chickens
Diarrhoea in sheep and goats
Udder and teat lesions
Diarrhoea in cattle
Acaricide resistance
African horsesickness
Anthrax
Congo fever
Brucellosis and tuberculosis
Foot-and-mouth disease
How medicine should be used
External parasites of cattle
Community medicine stores
Clostridial diseases
Tapeworm
Condition scoring of cattle
Rabies a killer disease
Poultry diseases
Lungsickness
www.landbou.com, the electronic arm of the magazine Landbouweekblad,

runs a question and answer veterinary column.
The Afrikaans publication Vra die veearts Wat beesboere moet weet,
compiled by Dr Faffa Malan, is available from Landbouweekblad. The chapters
go beyond veterinary issues to herd management and feed. Call 0860 103
577 or write to landbou@media24.com.
A number of publications are available from Kejafa Knowledge Works. Take
the books option at www.kejafa.co.za or call 011 025 4388.
Diseases and Parasites of Sheep and Goats in South Africa provides easy-tounderstand information on management, disease recognition, preventative
measures and treatment. It is written by Dr Pamela Oberem, Dr Peter
Oberem and Dr Johan van Rensburg. Contact Afrivet for a copy at 011 392
0143.
Call 012 817 9060 or 0860 VEEARTS for these other books, also available
from Afrivet:
190
Diseases and Parasites of Cattle, Sheep and Goats. Dr Pamela HunterOberem (Editor). Available also in Afrikaans.
A guide to animal diseases in South Africa: Horses, Donkeys and Mules. Dr
Pamela Oberem. Available also in Afrikaans.
A guide to animal diseases in South Africa: Dogs and Cats. Dr Pamela
Oberem. Available also in Afrikaans.
Vaccination for the control of animal diseases in Southern Africa. Dr
Pamela Oberem. Available also in Afrikaans.
A guide to animal diseases in South Africa: Game. Dr Pamela Oberem &
Dr Peter Oberem. Available also in Afrikaans.
See also the Afrivet Plan A website, www.afrivetplana.co.za, for an interactive
calendar, easy-to-use wheel programme and more. For a comprehensive
range of leading animal health products see www.afrivet.co.za
useful notes on health and disease management along with the other
information. Find the document on www.nwga.co.za or contact 041 365
5030.
A monthly publication VET News/Nuus is available from the South African
Veterinary Association. Call 012 346 1150/1, or visit their website: www.
sava.co.za.
Publications available from SAAHA on request (contact details under
heading 5):
Guidelines for the Responsible Use of Crop Protection and Animal Health
Products (Also in Afrikaans)
Basic Guidelines for the Responsible Use of Crop Protection and Animal
Health Products. English and Afrikaans ideal for farmers.
Guide to the Treatment of Poisoning by Chemicals a must for the medical
profession.
Find the notes on animal health at www.agis.agric.za/efarmer. These include
the Infotoons instructive illustrated text.
International Veterinary Information Service www.ivis.org
www.parasol-project.org Novel solutions for the sustainable control of
nematodes in ruminants
www.vetproductsonline.co.za an online animal product store.
The ARC-OVI Supply Shop has a number of publications, CDs, DVDs and
other media for sale. Contact the Supply Shop at 012 529 9161.
Our gratitude to SAAHA, Afrivet and Dr Rebone Moerane for feedback on
the draft chapter
inputs
Animal traction: the use of animal
power
See also the Donkeys chapter
1. Overview
In 1990 the Animal Traction Network for Eastern and Southern Africa
(ATNESA) was formed to link animal traction specialists in the region.
National animal traction networks were formed in several African
countries.
In 1993, the South African Network of Animal Traction (SANAT) was
established with a view to promoting the use of working animals, along with
the relevant research, development and training. At the same time, with the
assistance of the National and Eastern Cape Departments of Agriculture,
the Animal Traction Centre (ATC) at Fort Hare University in the Eastern
Cape was established. This Centre was started with a view to providing a
centre where training and research in animal traction could be conducted.
In 1994 SANAT conducted a national animal traction survey throughout
South Africa to assess the state of animal traction in South Africa and, in
the long term, to improve small farmer productivity and to raise rural
living standards through the use of animal power for transport and crop
production. The survey revealed that throughout the rural communities of
South Africa some 60% of the rural farmers were using animal power. It
also revealed that animal power was being re-introduced on some large
scale commercial farms to reduce the heavy mechanisation costs resulting
from increases in fuel and machinery prices.
Since 1994, SANAT and the ATC (where SANAT is currently based) have
worked to expand the understanding and use of animal traction throughout
the country, to provide training and conduct research in animal traction.
2. International overview
SANAT is an affiliated member of ATNESA and has benefited from this
international network, which has enabled South Africa to network and link up
with all the countries which are still using or have reverted to animal traction.
Animal Traction or Draught Animal Power as it is sometimes referred to
has played a most important role in the development of humankind. It
has been replaced by fossil fuel powered engines and machines, which are
in most cases less cost-effective and environment-friendly than Animal
Power.
Animal Power is still used on a large scale in many third world countries
throughout the world and is beginning to make a comeback in many first
world countries as well. In the United States of America, Animal Traction
is used in particular by the Amish people as a major power source for their
agriculture and transport.
In the United Kingdom, Europe and Canada Animal Traction is used more as
a hobby but some areas have seen an increase in the use of animal traction,
notably in the forestry industry and for cartage over short distances e.g.
on-farm, milk delivery.

Find the latest newsletter at www.benbester.co.za/sanat/news.htm
A few commercial farmers in South Africa are using animal traction to

supplement their tractor operations and reduce operating costs. Typical
191
activities are transporting of farming inputs, produce and fodder; spreading

fertiliser and manure; and weeds control.
Animal power has a potentially important role to play in the development
of emerging farmers entering commercial agriculture. The initial capital
investment is about one third what it would be if tractor-powered
mechanisation were used. Animals present a much lower investment risk,
while the running costs are likewise much lower. Instead of depreciating
with time and use, the use of cows for the short periods when traction is
required (especially in crop production) can result in alternative sources of
income in the form of calves and milk. Equally, the use of donkeys provides
additional savings or income from the transport of goods and water. This
enables the emerging farmer to compete on the open market with largescale commercial farmers.
Animal power is particularly relevant to subsistence farmers. Most
subsistence farmers work small pieces of land which are difficult to manage
with conventional tractor-drawn ploughs, harrows, planters and cultivators.
Such equipment is usually too expensive for these farmers to purchase, and
they have to hire from local contractors who thereby dictate when critical
operations such as planting can take place.
On the other hand, when more sustainable cost-effective crop production
systems such as Conservation Agriculture are utilised, farmers can afford to
purchase the animals needed. They can utilise implements already available
or borrow from neighbours.
Conversely, especially when more sustainable cost-effective crop production
systems such as Conservation Agriculture are utilised, farmers can afford
to purchase the few animals needed and can utilise implements already
available on the farm or which can be readily borrowed from neighbours.
Many subsistence farmers are women who are helped by children.
Donkeys (easier to handle for women and children) and smaller light weight
equipment is needed for this type of farming. Such equipment has been and
is still being developed and is becoming available to subsistence farmers in
South Africa.
Inputs are readily available countrywide, especially for ox- or cow-drawn
harnessing and crop production equipment. Manufacturer/distributors such
as Afritrac and INTTRAC (find contact numbers under heading 5) can be
contacted to find nearby suppliers.

Department of Transport
Integrated Implementation Support
Tel: 012 309 3403 / 3129
www.transport.gov.za
The Department of Transport has allocated funding to the improvement

and safety of donkey carts.Find the Animal drawn carts heading under the
Major projects and Non-motorised transport options.
SANAT is currently assisting the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and
Fisheries (DAFF) in the preparation of a National Policy Document which
will provide a strategy whereby animal traction and related issues can be
managed both nationally and regionally. The Traction Centre (TC) at Fort
Hare University, which incorporates the ATC, is recognised and supported
financially by the Eastern Cape Department of Agriculture.
A number of provincial departments of agriculture are supporting animal
traction initiatives in their provinces.
There is still talk of and the actual supply of emerging farmers with state
of the art agricultural machinery including tractors, which more and more
are becoming financially out of the reach of small-scale farmers. The
National Department of Agriculture has plans to establish many smallscale emerging farmers as fully functional commercial farmers. This is
a laudable objective until one realises that for every commercial farmer
that is established, there remain between three and four thousand small
farmers using animal traction who are receiving very little real support
at all.
A refreshing change which has recently come about is the interest that
the Department of Agriculture in the Eastern Cape has shown towards
Animal Traction. This has manifested itself in the provision of funding for
the training of small scale farmers in animal traction and the importation
of a wide range of modern animal drawn equipment from Brazil a country
which makes significant use of animal traction throughout its agricultural
sector. This equipment has been tested and adapted for use by local
farmers at the Animal Traction Centre at Fort Hare University.
Source: August 2011 SANAT Newsletter
5. Role players
Afritrac
Tel: 011 918 4698/9
Fax: 011 918 5983
www.afritrac.co.za
GENTAG (Generic Engineering

Task Group)
Tel: 018 431 1287
www.gentag.co.za
ARC-Institute for Agricultural

Tel: 012 842 4017 / 4090
simalengat@arc.agric.za
Inttrac Trading
Tel: 016 365 5799
inttrac@cyberserv.co.za
Donkey Power
Tel: 083 817 6047 / 083 686 7539
asstute@lantic.net
Madzivhandila College of
Agriculture
Tel: 015 962 7200
192

Farm Animal Unit
Tel: 011 907 3590/1/2
www.nspca.co.za
The South African Network of
Animal Traction (SANAT)
Tel: 040 602 2125 / 082 200 1234
Fax: 040 602 2488
sanat@ufh.ac.za
www.sanat.org.za
Tel: 021 881 3196
Torsion Trailers
Tel: 016 362 3456
www.torsion.co.za
Tracka-Trekka
Tel: 083 442 4848
www.tracka-trekka.com
Technology (TUT)
Department of Mechanical
Engineering
Dr Hendrik van Zyl
Tel: 012 382 5170
vanzylhg@tut.ac.za
Universal Wellbeing see Wheel

and Water
Traction Centre
Tel: 040 602 2125 / 082 200 1234
Fax: 040 602 2488
gmeikle@ufh.ac.za or
ajoubert@ufh.ac.za
Tel: 012 529 8000
Fax: 012 529 8300
www.veterinary.up.ac.za
Wheel and Water
Tel: 021 422 1699 / 082 925 3892
http://wheelandwater.co.za
Harnessing Africas Animal Power
to unlock Africas people power
Yokes for Africa
Tel: 072 185 9381
The Traction Centre at Fort Hare University currently provides training,

research and extension in tractor as well as draught animal power in the
Eastern Cape. The centre is supported and financed by the East Cape
Department of Agriculture.
Research is also being done in the use of animal traction as a complementary
power source to agricultural tractors.
Some senior citizens grew up with animal traction, and it is important
to capture their knowledge which is a valuable resource, before it is
lost. One of the aims of the Traction Centre is to create a database of
indigenous animal traction knowledge and skills.

Find information on ATNESA and SANAT at www.ATNESA.org, website of
the Animal Traction Network for Eastern and Southern Africa (ATNESA)
A number of publications can be downloaded at www.animaltraction.com
Download the following publications in pdf format at www.sanat.org.za:
A Bumper Crop for the Animal Traction Centre at Fort Hare University2009/2010 Season, Bruce Joubert
Education, training and extension in animal traction, Bruce Joubert
Final Report - Regional Workshop on Animal Traction 6th 9th March,
2007
An historical perspective on animal power use in South Africa, Bruce
Joubert
Animal Traction - Report to the National Department of Agriculture
Newsletter, Volume 11, Nos 1 & 2 (2003), South African Network of
Proposed SANAT Policy on Animal Traction
Animal traction in South Africa: The present situation, Paul Starkey et al
Animal traction in South Africa: Overview of the key issues, Paul Starkey et
al
Animal traction in South Africa: The way forward, Paul Starkey & Johan
Koorts (2004)
Animal traction in development: Changes and challenges, Paul Starkey
(2004)
Call 040 602 2125 or write to sanat@ufh.ac.za for the following
publications:
Animal Traction In South Africa, Empowering Rural Communities, compiled
and edited by Paul Starkey.
Improving Animal Traction Technology, Animal Traction Network for
Eastern and Southern Africa (ATNESA), Paul Starkey, Emmanuel
Mwenya and John Stares (editors).
Meeting the challenges of Animal Traction, Animal Traction network
for Eastern and Southern Africa (ATNESA), Paul Starkey and Pascal
Kaumbutho (editors).
Animal Traction in Development, South African Network of Animal
Traction (SANAT), Timothy Simalenga and Bruce Joubert (editors).
Conservation Tillage with Animal Traction, Animals Traction Network
for Eastern and Southern Africa (ATNESA),PG Kaumbutho and TE
Simalenga (editors).
Empowering Farmers with Animal Traction, Animal Traction Network
for Eastern and Southern Africa ATNESA, PASCAL Kaumbutho, Anne
Pearson and Timothy Simalenga (editors).
Developing Agriculture with Animal Traction. TE Simalenga and ADB
Joubert. Published by Department of Agriculture, South Africa.
Harnessing and hitching donkeys, horses and mules for work. RA Pearson,
TE Simalenga and R Krecek. University of Edinburgh. ISBN 0-90714615-7
Using Cows for work. TE Simalenga and RA Pearson. University of
Edinburgh. ISBN 0-907146-15-5
Empowering Farmers with Animal Traction. PG Kaumbutho, A Pearson and
TE Simalenga (editors) A Resource Book of Animal Traction Network
for Eastern and Southern Africa (ATNESA). Harare. Zimbabwe ISBN
No 0-907146-10-4
Conservation tillage with animal traction. PG Kaumbutho and TE
Simalenga (editors). ATNESA resource book.
Find Role, impact and welfare of working (traction and transport) animals, an
electronic consultation done under the aegis of the Food and Agriculture
Organisation (FAO) and The Brooke in the first half of 2011 on www.fao.
org. One hundred and fifty-six people from 52 countries registered for
the e-consultation, with more than 40 of these contributing to the online
discussion. Find reference to numerous documents shared and posted at
the end of the PDF.
The ARC-Institute for Agricultural Engineering has a few publications of
relevance here. Call 012 842 4017 or write to iaeinfo@arc.agric.za for the
following:
Yokes for animal traction (also available in Afrikaans)
Animal traction implements
Find the notes on Animal Traction under the Livestock option at www.
agis.agric.za/efarmer
Find the following Info Paks on www.daff.gov.za:
Care and use of working donkeys (isiXhosa, isiZulu, seSotho)
Developing agriculture with animal traction
The Golovan cart
We are indebted to Bruce Joubert for his information and assistance with this
chapter. Thanks are also owed to the number of people who also gave feedback on
the draft chapter Prof Tim Simalenga, Dr Peta Jones and the late Richard Fowler.
193
inputs
Biocontrol
Biological Control, Integrated Pest Management (IPM), and other
environmentally-friendly control methods
1. Overview
Biological control involves the use of a pests own natural enemies (parasites,
predators and pathogens) whether introduced or otherwise manipulated
to suppress the pest populations to an acceptable level. The word pest
is used here in a broad sense, which includes diseases, insects, mites,
nematodes and weeds and/or invasive alien plants.
While in principle there is little difference between the biological control
of diseases, insect pests and weeds, it is usually accepted that a far higher
degree of host-specificity is required for a weed-biocontrol agent than for
a pest-biocontrol agent. Most pest-biocontrol agents kill their host directly,
while suppression of weeds could take place by killing or weakening the
weed, by reducing its reproductive capacity, or by creating an avenue for
infection by pathogens.
Different techniques can be used in biological control:
a. The technique most often used for the control of insect pests and
weeds is referred to as classical biological control. It involves the
introduction of natural enemies from the native range of the pest
or weed from its country of origin, after which the natural enemies
become established in the new country, build up their numbers and
remain present in the new environment.
b. Inundative biological control involves the repeated introduction and
release of large numbers of natural enemies.
c. Augmentative biological control describes actions that increase the
populations of natural enemies.
d. Conservation biological control refers to environmental modification
to protect and enhance natural enemies.
Biological control cannot be expected to solve all pest or weed problems
in a particular situation, but should nevertheless be the core around which
pest or weed management systems are built. Biological control is often only
possible within the framework of an integrated pest management (IPM)
system.
2. Why the need for an alternative?

Pesticides have revolutionised agriculture, increasing yield and improving
harvest quality, but their leftover stockpiles can contaminate the environment
and endanger human health. If a pesticide has the potential to kill, then
it also carries a risk to the environment. Some pesticides are harmful to
people and the environment because they remain in the soil, air and water
for a long time, are easily dispersed by water and air, and concentrate in the
high-altitude, low-temperature regions.
Irresponsible use of non-selective pesticides eliminates not only the target
pest but also many beneficial organisms that play an important role in
garden, crop or natural ecosystems. Some of the answers to our pest
problems may be right under our noses, such as the tiniest microbe in the
soil, a fungus, bacterium, virus or nematode or one of the many parasitic
or predatory insects, reptiles, birds and mammals in our environment.
Organisms that we might consider pests have a place in the scheme of
things. Without them there would be none of the wonderful birds, spiders
and reptiles on our farms.
Programmes which promote the responsible use and disposal of agricultural
chemicals are run by CropLife SA and CropLife International (see the Crop
protection chapter).
3. Biological control of agricultural pests using

predators and parasites (including IPM)
Biological control of agricultural pests usually forms part of an integrated
pest management (IPM) programme. IPM refers to the integration of
two or more control strategies for suppression of the pest below a given
threshold level. Many purely chemical strategies are also aimed at reducing
pest populations below a threshold level and not at eliminating entire
populations of the pest.
IPM is based on the assumption that it is not necessary or cost effective
to try to eliminate an entire population of pests. Instead, threshold levels
are established to determine when control is necessary to bring pest
population levels down. When the number of pests reaches a threshold
level, a pesticide may be used to prevent excessive crop damage or loss
greater than the cost of preventing the damage. IPM programmes require
a thorough understanding of various techniques such as biological, cultural,
mechanical and chemical control methods. Some actions needed in support
of integrated pest management include correct pest identification, pest
monitoring, and determination of economic injury levels.
Conservation biological control
This refers to environmental modification or other actions that are taken
to preserve, protect and enhance natural enemies.
Spiders naturally suppress pest populations and are self-renewable,
minimising costs to farmers. As you use fewer chemicals you may increase
the effectiveness of spiders against pests. The benefit may be much more
than just saving the cost of the chemical and application.
However, if you do use pesticides, minimise the effect on predators
by avoiding synthetic pyrethroids, which are among the most toxic to
beneficial predators. Insect growth regulators are among the least toxic
to spiders. Systemic insecticides, which require the consumption of
plant material for exposure to toxicity, affect natural enemies less. Softer
pesticides allow the natural conservation of predators. Denser populations
of spiders slow the rate of pest recovery so that fewer applications of
pesticide are required in a season. Ten times more ground-dwelling
dwarf and other spiders live in organic fields and fields sprayed with soft
pesticides than in fields sprayed with broad-spectrum pesticides.
Once spiders are established in the environment, they are a selfrenewable resource.
Even on a conventional farm, which uses chemical pesticides, predators
kill most pests most of the time and when pesticides devastate natural
enemies of potential pests, insects that were of little economic importance
can become damaging pests. When a non-toxic control method is used,
spiders reduce the numbers of and damage caused by potential pest
species.
194
4. Inundative biological control and biopesticides

This technique is used for natural enemies that do not become permanently
established in the new environment, and therefore large numbers have
to be reared somewhere else and released periodically where they are
required. There are some 30 commercially available species of predators
and parasitoids, such as spiders, mites, beetles and parasitic wasps, which
seek out and kill insect pests. They are mass-reared and sold by companies
called insectaries.
The use of biopesticides is a special type of inundative biological control. The
technology is such that we can formulate living organisms such as fungi,
bacteria and viruses just as we would formulate chemical pesticides. These
live active ingredients can be applied to crops with similar application
methods to traditional pesticides. The actual period that these organisms
remain active determines the frequency of application, as is the case with
the active ingredient of traditional pesticides. Microbial control agents or
pathogens such as fungi are available for the control of weeds, insect pests
and diseases of crops.
5. Role players
Companies
Advanced Integrated Pest Management Tel: 012 346 0162 www.
aipm.co.za
Agro Organics Agriculture Tel: 021 851 2403 www.agro-organics.
co.za
Agro-Hytech Tel: 021 863 2884 www.agrohytech.co.za
Bio-Fly (Pty) Ltd Tel: 083 601 7221 www.biofly.co.za
Bio-insectaries SA (BISA) Tel: 042 286 0978 www.bioinsectsa.com
Biogrow Tel: 028 313 2054 www.biogrow.co.za
Becker Underwood South Africa Tel: 031 769 2003 www.
beckerunderwood.co.za
BugsAway Tel: 011 782 0491 www.bugsaway.co.za
Cannon Pest Control Tel: 021 931 8228 www.cannonpestcontrol.
com
Coopers Environmental Science Tel: 011 979 4246 www.cooperses.
com
Du Roi Integrated Pest Management Tel: 015 345 1572 http://
duroibugs.co.za
Eagle Eye Tel: 021 880 2856 www.eagleeye.co.za
Ecolab Ltd Tel: 080 000 6448 www.ecolab.com
FruitFly Africa see www.sitafrica.co.za and the information just
above heading 6
Insect Science Tel: 015 307 1391 www.insectscience.co.za
Greenhouse Technologies Tel: 011 613 2580 www.ghtech.co.za
Madumbi Sustainable Agriculture Tel: 086 104 5261 www.
madumbi.co.za
Microbial Solutions Tel: 011 475 4362 www.microbial.co.za
Plant Health Products (PHP) Tel/fax: 033 266 6130 www.planthealth.co.za (Research, develop, produce and market innovative
biocontrol products for agriculture, horticulture and viticulture.
Products include bio-fungicides and bio-insecticides).
Plastrip supplies bird scare balloons. Visit www.plastrip.com.
River Bioscience Tel: 041 583 3464 www.riverbioscience.co.za
SA Biofarm Institute Tel: 058 622 2372 www.sabiofarm.co.za
Vital Bugs Tel: 087 751 0279 www.vitalbugs.co.za
Zylem Tel: 033 347 2893 www.zylemsa.co.za

Institute
Biological control of agricultural
pests:
Dr Roger Price 012 356 9817
Rhodes University
Entomology
Prof Martin Hill 046 603 8712
www.ru.ac.za
Classical biological control of Stellenbosch University

invasive alien plants:
Hildegard Klein 012 356 9841
Tel: 021 808 3728
www.cons-ent.com
Conservation biological control:
Dr Ansie Dippenaar 012 808 8247
Department of Zoology
ARC-Small Grain Institute
Tel: 021 650 3604
Dr Justin Hatting
www.zoology.uct.ac.za
Tel: 058 307 3400
Other ARC Institutes in the
Horticulture business division do
research on the biological control
of pests in certain crop situations.
Consult www.arc.agric.za
Biological Crop Health
Tel: 083 631 9952 (Johan Gerber)
www.gardencare.co.za
www.biologicalcrophealth.co.za
Department of Plant Pathology
Tel: 033 260 5524
Conducts research on biological
control of crop pests, diseases and
abiotic stress.
School of Biological & Conservation

Sciences
Dr Terry Olckers
Research:
Microbial
Crop Tel: 033 260 5139
Protection. Efficacy evaluation is
done of biological control products Forestry and Agricultural
under field and greenhouse Biotechnology Institute (FABI)
conditions.
Tel: 012 420 3938/9
www.fabinet.up.ac.za
KZN Department of
Agriculture and Environmental University of the
Affairs
Witwatersrand
Michael.Braack@kzndae.gov.za
Prof Marcus Byrne
ZachariadesC@arc.agric.za
Tel: 011 717 6491
bownesa@arc.agric.za
School of Applied and Environ(Potchefstroom Campus)
mental Sciences
Tel: 047 502 2311 / 2186
www.wsu.ac.za
Prof J van den Berg 018 299 2376
Prof D Fourie 018 293 3683
IPM is covered in pest management
www.nwu.ac.za
qualifications
The North-West University has addressed the need for the development
of expertise in Plant Protection over many years. IDEPP (Initiative for
the Development of Expertise in Plant Protection) provided that
platform and expertise from the ARC as well as that of private companies
together with that of the Potchefstroom and Mafikeng campuses of the
NWU were pooled to provide this essential expertise for teaching and
research. The expertise within this group is particularly strong with
regard to crop protection on the following crops: maize, sorghum,
soybean, sunflower, groundnut and cotton.
Information Core for Southern African Migrant Pests (ICOSAMP)
is a regional cooperative initiative between officers working on migrant
pests in different SADC counties. View their website: go to www.arc.
agric.za and look for the ICOSAMP menu option down the left hand side
of the screen.
195
The sterile insect technique for pest management

The sterile insect technique, commonly abbreviated SIT, is one of the most
ecologically compatible means of pest management there is. It is nothing
more than birth control for insects. For suitable pest insects, millions per
week are reared, the males sterilised with gamma radiation, and released
in high numbers every week in the target areas. The sterile males mate
with the wild females which results in infertile eggs being laid, and provided
all procedures are carried out correctly the wild pest population then
declines with successive generations to sub-economic levels, or in certain
circumstances, eradication may be possible.
ARC Infruitec-Nietvoorbij Dr Brian Barnes 083 629 5922 www.
arc.agric.za
SIT Africa Stiaan Kotze 082 447 4077 www.sitafrica.co.za
South African Sugar Research Institute Dr Des Conlong 031
508 7400 www.sasa.org.za/sasri
Stellenbosch University Matthew Addison 082 774 1757 www.
cons-ent.com
Xsit Sampie Groenewald 022 921 2993 www.xsit.co.za

Find the Feeds, Stock Remedies, Pesticides and Fertilizers option
under Divisions at www.daff.gov.za. Lists of registered insecticides,
bio-insecticides, fungicides and bio-fungicides, application forms,
contacts at DAFF etc are available.
Call 011 025 4388 or visit www.kejafa.co.za for the publication Weeds,
Control without Poison by Charles Walters.
Madumbi Sustainable Agriculture produces an e-newsletter called
Biopulse. To receive this e-newsletter please email megan@madumbi.
co.za.
Find the Integrated Pest Management and other interesting options
at www.toxipedia.org.
Biocontrol Science and Technology presents original research and reviews
in the fields of biological pest, disease and weed control. For more
details on this journal, visit www.tandf.co.uk/journals/authors/cbstauth.
asp.
Pesticides Health Risks for South African Emerging Farmers, compiled by
Hanna-Andrea Rother and Ricado Jacobs, is available from the Surplus
People Project. It champions Integrated Pest Management (IPM) and
agro ecology. Visit www.spp.org.za or call 021 448 0105.
The Pesticides Action Network (PAN) is a network in over 90 countries
working to replace the use of hazardous pesticides with ecologically
sound and socially just alternatives. Visit www.pan-international.org
Find the notes on pest management at https://attra.ncat.org/pest.html,
the National Sustainable Agriculture Project (USA).
The Department of Water Affairs: Working for Water website on www.
dwa.gov.za/wfw . Find the notes on biocontrol.
The Garden Guardians guide to environmentally-responsible garden care
by Johan Gerber, published by Aardvark Press, is still relevant and
available and details of the contents can be found at www.gardencare.
co.za. The publication is available direct from www.aardvarkpress.
co.za or www.kalahari.net.
Find links to other international sites relevant to pest information
and biological controls on www.gardencare.co.za and www.
biologicalcrophealth.co.za.
Find the ARC-Plant Protection Research Institute (PPRI) on www.arc.
agric.za. Posters, CD-roms, publications and other materials are available
from the website or from the Plant Protection Research Institute itself.
The PPRI electronic newsletter contains updates on biocontrol research.
Write to infoppri@arc.agric.za.
Relevant publications:
PPRI Leaflet Series: Weeds Biocontrol contact Hildegard Klein, tel:
012 356 9841; e-mail kleinh@arc.agric.za
Dossiers on Biological Control Agents available to aid Alien Plant Control
contact Hildegard Klein, tel: 012 356 9841; e-mail kleinh@arc.agric.
za
Our appreciation to Hildegard Klein at the ARC-PPRI for the notes she made
available to the project, and to Michelle Paterson for feedback on the draft
chapter.
inputs
Boreholes and windmills
1. Overview
A great proportion of the rural population in developing countries do not
have access to clean potable water. Windmills are easy to install and have
historically proven to be reliable. Their advantages include: lowest cost,
least maintenance; the technology is appropriate to less developed areas;
furthermore, maintenance can be carried out by the local populace.
Historically, problems can develop when the practical requirements of
maintaining the system are neglected or forgotten, and sometimes when
there is limited access to the firm responsible for designing the system.
If basic and simple disciplines are followed, a reliable source of water is
assured.
Alternatives are solar driven systems, internal combustion engine driven
pumping systems, and hand pump systems.
Source: Southern Cross Industries

How to estimate the quantity of water required daily for livestock consult the
Animal husbandry chapter.
Choosing a pumping plant is an engineering proposition because it is

essential to make sure that every item of the equipment is:
of the right size in relation to the remainder;
is also of the right type so that the whole can be assembled into the
correct plant for the particular job.
It is worthwhile making sure beforehand that every detail of the plant to
be supplied is correct. You are looking at the most efficient system, and
also the one which eventually will be the least costly.
A full list of considerations is available on www.southx.co.za. Factors
include the distance from ground level to water level, the distance of the
tank or reservoir from the pumping site, the quantity of water required
daily etc.
It is in your best interest to sign a contract that details all the costs that
are likely to be incurred.
Insist that the driller provide a record of the exact depth at which the
most promising water fissure is located. This information is of vital
importance to the pump installer so that he can select the correct
pump for your needs.
It is advisable to ask for references preferably from clients who have
had time to assess the quality of work over a reasonable period.
There are SABS standards now available for the ground water
industry.
You may wish to sell your farm or property at a later stage, and the
borehole represents a substantial capital investment. A drillers log,
construction certificate, yield test certificate, electrical clearance,
pump details and commissioning data will be positive proof of the
professionalism of the contractor.
Is he/she a member of the Borehole Water Association of Southern
Africa (BWA)? Membership of BWA shows that the contractor/
supplier you are dealing with is interested in the long-term viability,
professionalism and survival of the industry.
196
Other factors that the client must fully understand and be aware of
before drilling takes place:
The drilling contractor can never guarantee that he will strike water,
and therefore it is the client who is at risk for cost of the borehole,
regardless of whether it is wet or dry.
A modern drilling rig is large and heavy in urban areas it can cause
a certain amount of unavoidable damage to lawns and even badly laid
driveways, for which the drilling contractor cannot reasonably be held
responsible. They are also noisy, so you should warn your neighbours.
The local municipality/council may require that permission be obtained
to sinking a borehole. This is normally little more than a formality.
The drilling contractor cannot be expected to say beforehand what the
borehole will cost in total, as there are too many unknowns to consider
such as the boreholes final depth, the amount required and the time
taken for its development.
The minimum specifications of most banks in South Africa for granting a
bond on property not supplied with mains water, e.g. farm houses, plots
and smallholdings, is that a yield certificate be supplied by a recognised
pump installer that states that the borehole on the property is capable
of yielding a constant flow of water from the borehole of a minimum
of 1500 litres over a 24 hour period. They are also required to supply
proof that the water is hygienically safe for human consumption.
More detailed information is available from the the Borehole Water Association.
3. Community water projects

Wind driven water supply schemes require three basic items:
Sociological. There must be a perceived need for clean potable water at
the proposed installation site. Without this need, any water supply system
will fail. This is the most important rule of windmill water supply and is the
most neglected part of the installation process. Rule one is that the local
populace must see the real need for clean potable water
Wind. Wind data is available in most parts of the world, even in remote
rural areas. Windmills can be so designed that they can pump water in
the lightest or strongest winds. In light wind areas the cost of pumping
water with windmills will increase. As a generalisation, windmills are most
economic in areas where the wind speed exceeds 10 km/hr for a period
exceeding eight hours per day.
Water. Underground water is available in most parts of the world at
varying depths. Windmills are capable of pumping water from surface water
sources over long distances or from great depths of up to 200 metres
underground or even more with special windmill configurations. Windmill
pumping schemes should be designed so that they never extract more than
70 percent of the tested well yield.
If all THREE of the above are present, windmills will satisfactorily supply
water.

www.dwa.gov.za/groundwater
Using groundwater (along with surface water) will be a key part of solving
South Africas looming water-stressed status. Find contact details for
Groundwater Offices, documents and strategy, links and more on the
DWA website. Because of the predominantly hard rock nature of the South
African geology, only about 20% of groundwater occurs in major aquifer
systems. Groundwater contributes 9% of the countrys water resources
and plays a crucial role, especially in rural water supply.
Directorate: Infrastructure Support
Tel: 012 319 846 8502
ATvC@daff.gov.za
5. Role players
Associations and statutory
The Borehole Water Association
of Southern Africa (BWA)
Tel: 011 447 0853
www.bwa.co.za

Standards (SABS)
Tel: 012 428 7911
www.sabs.co.za
BWA is a non-profit, professional

and trade organisation representing
all aspects of the groundwater
industry.
Included
in
their
membership are central and local
government departments, leading
enterprises who manufacture
drilling, pumping, electronic and
ancillary equipment, professional
consultants,
contractors
and
interested individuals.
South African National Bottled

Water Association (SANBWA)
Tel: 011 884 5916
www.sanbwa.org.za
The South African National Bottled

Water Association (SANBWA) is
the recognised body of the bottled
water industry. The association was
formed in an effort to ensure the
quality standards of our members
and protect the consumer against
Water Talk is an electronic misrepresentation from within the
newsletter sent out by them, industry.
which keeps members informed
of current items of interest in the
groundwater industry.
Geological Society of South
Africa
Ground Water Division (GWD)
Tel: 012 667 3681
www.gwd.org.za

Centre for Water Sciences and
Management
Tel: 018 293 0918
www.nwu.ac.za
Rhodes University
Institute for Water Research
Tel: 046 6224014
www.rhodes.ac.za/institutes/iwr/

Institute for Groundwater Studies
Tel: 051 401 2482 / 3481
www.ufs.ac.za/igs
(WRC)
Tel: 012 330 0340
www.wrc.org.za
Companies
Amatola Irrigation
Tel: 043 732 1927
amairri@telkomsa.net
Elsumo
Tel: 021 875 5781
www.elsumo.co.za
Aquaman Drilling Trust

Tel: 015 517 7210
Cell: 083 228 9359
Cell: 083 586 4788
Ernest Electro Engineering

Tel: 011 792 9550/1/2
www.ernestee.co.za
Bauer South Africa

Tel: 011 793 2616
www.bauersa.co.za
Booysen Bore Drilling
Company
Tel: 053 712 2112
annelie@booysen.bore.co.za
Borequip
Tel: 021 949 0902
www.borequip.co.za
Cyclone Industries
Tel: 011 821 5900
www.cyclone.edx.co.za
FAB Water Engineering

Tel: 011 793 5513
www.fabwater.com
Geomeasure Group
Tel: 031 765 1900
Hardrock Drilling
Tel: 011 807 2000 / 083 442 3526
www.hardrock-drilling.co.za
Heidelkor
Tel: 016 341 6130/1
www.heidelkor.com
197
Hose Manufacturers
Tel: 021 948 3971
www.hoses.co.za
Jooste Cylinder & Pump Co.
Tel: 021 854 6518
http://joostecylinders.com
Rapid Allweiler Pump &
Engineering (Pty) Limited
Tel: 011 573 7400
www.rapidpumps.co.za
Southern Cross Industries
Tel: 051 434 3861
www.southx.co.za
Steyn Drilling Contractor

Tel: 013 751 3871
www.steyndrillingcontractors.
co.za
Turbex
Tel: 082 773 8496
www.turbex.co.za
Villiers Aqua Engineering
Tel: 058 821 0765 / 072 236 6845
www.poldawwindpumps.co.za
ZM Pumps
Tel: 082 552 3917 / 073 070 8545
www.zmsa.co.za
Staden Borehole Pumps

Tel: 051 522 0397
http://stadenpumps.com
Contact the Borehole Water Association for their directory of members. A

number of relevant role players are also listed in the Pumps and Generators
and Water chapters.

Borehole Water Journal a quarterly put out by the Borehole Water
Association. For rates or subscription, email them at sales@bwa.co.za.
Find the articles on the Borehole Water Association website www.bwa.
co.za as well as the many links to other relevant websites. The BWA also
puts out a Membership Directory.
Call 012 842 4017 or email iaeinfo@arc.agric.za for the following
publications, available from the ARC in Silverton:
Grondwatersensors
Groundwater sensors
Groundwater extraction and the latest techniques and equipment used in
this process are covered in Water & Sanitation Africa. Call 011 531 3300 or
visit www.3smedia.co.za.
Find the report Groundwater to play a key role in South Africa WRC on
www.engineeringnews.co.za. According to WRC water research manager,
Dr Shafick Adams, the total volume of available, renewable groundwater
in South Africa is 10,34-billion m3 a year. South Africa is currently using
between 2-billion and 4-billion m3 a year of this groundwater. Therefore
there is the potential to considerably increase groundwater supplies in
South Africa as part of the total resource.
www.iah.org International Association of Hydrogeologist, the worldwide
groundwater organisation
Find the World Health Organizations Guidelines for drinking-water quality
and other documents at www.wrc.org.za.
Read about the various Water for Schools programmes that are run. A
number of schools have had a borehole drilled to provide clean water for
pupils www.waterforschools.co.za.
Sources: Southern Cross Industries, the Borehole Water Association
inputs
Compost and organic fertiliser
See also the separate Earthworms and vermicompost chapter
1. Overview
The steep increases in the cost of inorganic fertilisers and pesticides
(many derived from petroleum products) have led many farmers to
look at replacing them with organically-derived composts.
Continual use of inorganic products have sterilised the soil and killed
off the billions of microorganisms that occur in nature. Reducing or
eliminating the use of inorganic products and replacing them with
organic products will bring the microorganisms back into the soil
these microorganisms will bring depleted soils back to life and provide
all the necessary nutrients for healthy plants.
Compost works best when applied to the soil before planting vegetables
or plants.
Compost can also be used as mulch the protective cover placed over
the soil to keep moisture in, reduce erosion, provide nutrients and
prevent weed growth.
Source: Ronald Thomson; Water Wise (Rand Water)
2. Compost
The excellent results that commercial, biological and organic farmers are
getting in the field from using good compost are now the driving force behind
this industrys growth www.sabiofarm.co.za
Compost is formed in nature all the time as plants and animals die
and decompose. This natural compost is generally called humus.
Decomposition involves the breakdown of plant and animal remains into
simpler components. As a result, nutrients (which are essential for plant
growth) are released into the soil. Decomposition is brought about by the
action of decomposers which include bacteria, fungi, and earthworms. The
process of decomposition is essential for the recycling of nutrients.
Good compost is an excellent source of beneficial organisms and organic
matter. Compost returns nutrients to the soil, increases the soils ability to
hold water and air, and prevents erosion by binding the soil.
Anybody buying bulk compost is advised to seek professional help in
choosing a supplier as, in any industry, there are good and bad composts!
Source: Jako Pieterse; Don Blacklaw; Ken Reid; Ronald Thomson
3. Liquid composts (compost tea)

Spreading solid composts onto large surface areas caused, as could be
expected, some problems liquid composts solved many of these problems.
Basically, a muslin bag of compost is suspended in a vat of de-chlorinated
water and the water was agitated continuously by some form of pumping
device. The idea is that most of the beneficial micro-organisms and plantnecessary nutrients present in the compost are extracted from the solid
compost and are now present in the liquid compost (this liquid is termed
198
compost tea). Commercially, many forms of food that will be consumed by

the micro-organisms and help their growth are now added. Such additions
can be molasses, kelp, rock dust, humic and fulvic acids etc. The liquid is
unstable and must be used within about 12 hours after brewing.
The liquid compost can be sprayed onto the soil for grazing crops but it has
found great use as a foliar feed in orchards. One user applies 100 litres per
hectare every month as a soil drench throughout the growing season and
has seen remarkable results. Used as a foliar feed it has been proven that
the beneficial micro-organisms outcompete the pathogenic type and foliar
plant diseases are avoided or, at least, lessened. The liquid also feeds the
plant.
When plants have a good, solid food supply at the roots, they are able to
combat diseases more effectively than poorly-fed plants. Using composts as
fertiliser and plant food ensures a supply of food throughout the growing
season and not, as occurs with inorganic fertilisers, a huge boost when
applied but a starvation when this is used up or leached out.
Source: Ronald Thomson
Drotsky Aktiek
Tel: 011 864 1601
www.drotsky.co.za
Master Organics
Tel: 021 396 1066
www.master-organics.com
Manure spreading machines
Mayibuye Ndlovu Compost

Tel: 042 233 0320
www.srcc.co.za/compost.html
Earth 2 Earth
Tel: 0860 47 66 33
www.earth2earth.co.za
A BEE partnership between

Mayibuye Ndlovu Development
Outlets in Limpopo, North Trust and Sundays River Citrus
West, Gauteng, Mpumalanga and Company (SRCC) which delivers
certified organic compost.
KwaZulu-Natal.
Earthworm Organic Mediums
Tel: 011 468 1220
www.earthworm.co.za
National Plant Food (Gromor)

Tel: 031 782 3105
www.gromor.co.za
Eco-Fert
Tel: 086 100 50 51
www.eco-fert.co.za
Neutrog Africa
Tel: 021 972 1958
www.neutrog.co.za
Most Eco-Fert products are based Ritlee Sales & Services

on soil friendly sources derived Tel: 011 452 3434
www.ritlee.co.za
from the sea and land.
4. Earthworms
See the separate Earthworms and vermicompost chapter.
5. Role players
Agricultural Colleges offer
short training courses on making
compost. Contact details for
all Agricultural Colleges can
be found in the Agricultural
education and training chapter.
and Management
Prof L van Rensburg
Tel: 018 299 1542
Leon.VanRensburg@nwu.ac.za
www.nwu.ac.za
SA Biofarm Institute
Tel: 058 622 2372
info@sabiofarm.co.za
www.sabiofarm.co.za
Dr Eduard Hoffman
Tel: 021 808 4789
www.sun.ac.za/soil
The Sustainable Fruit and Vine
study Group
Tel: 021 808 5329
www.sustainablefarm.co.za
Lengua Agricultural Centre
Dr MC van der Westhuizen
Tel: 083 453 9364
mcvdw@telkomsa.net
Ecosoil
Tel: 021 848 9434 / 072 906 1636
www.ecosoil.co.za
A business which specialises
in compost extract machines.
Pieterse consults farmers on
creating healthy soils. Compost
tea is made by adding compost
to water and multiplying specific
microorganisms.
Garden & Organics
Tel: 0861 COMPOST (266 76 78)
www.gardenandorganics.com
Guano Sales (Cape)
Tel/fax: 021 671 4387
Tel: 021 976 1546 (factory)
Havco
Tel: 017 712 5355
www.havco.co.za
Manure spreader implements
Jacklin Organic cc
Tel: 017 844 1589
Companies
Karibu Farm
Tel/fax: 032 947 1194
Ocean Agri Science

Tel: 021 875 5972
Remade Organics
Tel/fax: 011 432 8371
organics@remade.co.za
Slurry Tech
Tel: 033 267 7677 / 082 932 0481
www.slurrytech.co.za
Soil & More Reliance
Tel: 0861 888 784
www.reliance.co.za
Soilfoodweb Lab
Tel: 015 268 2912 / 082 885 9608
www.sfisa.co.za
For more info on Soilfoodweb
labs the world over, go to www.
soilfoodweb.com
Stanler Farms
Tel: 021 975 1724
Johannesburg: 082 657 3715/6
http://stanlerfarms.co.za
Talborne Products
Tel: 011 954 5763
www.talborne.co.za
Agro-Hytec Distribution
Tel: 021 863 2884
www.agrohytec.co.za
Bark Enterprises
Tel: 012 252 7235 / 082 771 8497
www.barkcompost.com
Windmeul
Lushof 101
Tel: 021 873 2427
Tel: 015 307 4420 / 082 800 1895 www.windmeul.co.za
compost@mweb.co.za
Atlas Organic Fertilizers

Tel: 0784572743 / 078 451 8988
www.atlasorganies.co.za
Biogrow
Tel: 028 313 2054
www.biogrow.co.za
Lushof 101 design and manufacture

scompost making equipment
Avison
Tel: 023 347 0544
www.avison.co.za
Culterra
Tel: 011 300 9913/4/5
www.culterra.co.za
199

See the Biological farming, Organic farming, Speciality fertilisers and
Soil chapters.
Visit websites of role players for a wealth of information e.g. www.
sustainablefarm.co.za and www.ecosoil.co.za.
The Info Paks (booklet) Using Kraal Manure (as a fertiliser) and Making
organic fertiliser may be obtained from the Resource Centre at the National
Department of Agriculture. Tel: 012 319 7141. It can be viewed (and
downloaded) at www.daff.gov.za.
Hands On: Soil And Compost Life A Field Guide. I van den Berg. Share-Net,
PO Box 394, Howick, Natal, 3290. Tel: 0860 240 240
Soil Is Life: A Handbook For Teachers. M Roos (ed). Share-Net, PO Box 394,
Howick, Natal, 3290. Tel: 0860 240 240.
Subscribe to the monthly Ecosoil newsletter. Write to jako@ecosoil.co.za.

Call 012 842 4017 or email iaeinfo@arc.agric.za to obtain the following
Kompostering en komposteringstelsels
Composting and composting systems
Besproeiing met dieremiswater
Irrigation with animal manure water
Manure handling in intensive animal production units, written by HT
Breedt, edited and revised by F Cilliers. Copyright. 2009. Animal
manure can be utilised for fertiliser as an energy source (fuel) and as a
supplement to animal feed rations. The different applications of animal
manure on the farm are dealt with here.
Visit www.kejafa.co.za or call 011 025 4388 for several compost-related
publications, available from Kejafa Knowledge Systems.
Find the Farmers Weekly article Recycling feedlot manure makes economic
sense at www.farmersweekly.co.za. A farmer with a feedlot is in a prime
position to replace fertiliser with manure. Other articles relevant to this
chapter include Compost tea cuts fertiliser costs by 20%.
Our thanks to Jaco Pieterse and Ronald Thompson for notes used in this
chapter
200
inputs
Conservation Agriculture
1. Overview
Our continent is bleeding to death: megatons of topsoil wash out to sea
every year due to soil structure degraded by ploughing.
Conservation Agriculture (CA) or Conservation Tillage as it is often called
is a cost-effective, environmentally friendly method of farming which does
not use regular ploughing and tillage, but promotes permanent soil cover
and diversified crop rotation to ensure better soil health and productivity.
Society also benefits from reduced atmospheric carbon dioxide emissions.
CA (as defined by the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United
Nations, FAO) has come to be accepted as the umbrella term for describing
agricultural farming practices that conserve ecological systems. The most
common forms of CA are no-tillage, conservation farming, direct seeding,
ridge till, chisel & disc, rip-on-row and stubble mulching.
Conservation and efficient utilisation of natural resources at national,
regional and farm level is no longer a luxury but an imperative, and the
adoption of conservation farming practices an essential component of good
farming practice.
CA has been defined in the United Sates of America as any tillage operation
that leaves at least 30% of the soil surface covered with plant residues
immediately after planting. In Africa, however, due primarily to the difficulty
many farmers have in excluding or controlling the influx of livestock
after crop harvest, this term has come to be accepted to include all crop
To plough or not to plough old and new paradigms in crop production

Old paradigms
New paradigms
Soil tillage is necessary to produce a crop
Tillage is not necessary for crop production
burying of plant residues with tillage implements

bare soil for weeks and months
soil temperature extremes due to direct radiation
burning crop residues allowed
strong emphasis on soil chemical processes
first option chemical pest control
green manure cover crops and crop rotations optional
soil erosion is caused by excessive rain
Consequences of soil cultivation & bare soil
1 wind and water erosion are unavoidable.
2 reduced water infiltration into the soil.
3 soil water less available
4 soil organic matter content & consequently soil quality unavoidably
reduced
5 soil carbon is lost as carbon dioxide into the atmosphere contributing
to global warming
6 soil degradation (chemical, physical and biological)
7 crop productivity reduced
8 fertiliser use and costs of production high
9 survival of the family farm threatened (lower yields, production
without profitability, insufficient income)
100rural poverty > urban drift > increased pressure on urban
infrastructure and employment > urban poverty > slums > crime
> social conflict > political volatility
crop residues remain on the soil surface as mulch

soil never bare permanent soil cover
soil temperatures buffered by mulch
burning mulch prohibited
emphasis on soil biological processes
first option biological pest control
green manure cover crops and crop rotations essential
soil erosion is caused by soil mismanagement
Consequences of No-till & permanent soil cover
1 wind and water erosion near zero
2 increased water infiltration into the soil
3 soil water more available
4 soil organic matter content and consequently soil quality maintained
or enhanced
5 carbon is sequestered in the soil, enhancing soil quality and reducing
global warming
6 soil improvement (chemical, physical and biological)
7 crop productivity increased
8 fertiliser use and costs of production reduced
9 survival of the family farm ensured (more even, sustainable and
profitable crop production)
100basic needs satisfied > rural living standard and quality of life
increased > increased and diversified productivity > increased rural
prosperity > return to the land > national stability
Off farm effects of soil erosion
Off farm effects of new production system
sedimentation of rivers, dams, lakes etc.

reduced water quality & increased purification costs
problems in hydroelectric power plants
sedimentation of roads
higher costs for the government and for society due to off farm effects
of soil erosion
reduced rate of sedimentation of rivers, dams, lakes etc.

enhanced water quality & reduced purification costs
less problems for hydroelectric power plants
less sedimentation of roads
reduction of costs for the government and for society due to off farm
effects of soil erosion
Result:
Result:
Sustainable land use is not possible (ecologically, socially and

economically).
Soil resource exploitation
Sustainable land use ensured (ecologically, socially & economically).

Rational, site-oriented use of the soil
Source: After Derpsch 2004.
201
production systems which aim to make more efficient use of natural and
human resources while reducing environmental degradation.
Put simply, all of these methods leave plant residues on the soil surface
between growing seasons. These provide a protective cover that
diminishes wind and water erosion, reduces evaporation losses,
minimises water runoff and can thereby dramatically increase soil water
(from irrigation or rain) availability. Organic matter, the key ingredient
in soil productivity, increases, as do earthworms, conservation tillages
biological plough, reducing diesel requirements by up to 50% or more.
Some forms of Conservation Agriculture:

Conservation Agriculture, as defined by the Food & Agriculture Organisation
of the United Nations (FAO), is receiving growing acceptance internationally
as the optimal crop production system, and includes all farming systems
which involve simultaneous adherence to the principles of:
Continued minimal soil disturbance (including NO soil inversion)
to retain root channels and encourage the build-up of soil biota
populations and hence soil structure;
Permanent organic soil cover (either by living crops or by crop or
other plant residues)
to diminish the impact of raindrops and reduce water runoff (and
consequently soil loss); and
Diversification of crop species growing in sequence and/or
associations (especially crop rotation)
to increase the diversity of food sources and hence soil biota,
especially predators, and break pest and disease cycles.
Note that, although some organic farmers practice Conservation Agriculture,
where production systems require the inversion or cultivation of the soil
more than is necessary to insert the seed or seedling (for example, in the
incorporation of manures) such systems can not be described as Conservation
Agriculture systems.
No Till (also called Zero Till or Direct Seeding)
This is a crop production system that involves no seed bed preparation
other than the opening (via a slit or punched hole) of the soil for the purpose
of placing seed or seedling. No cultivation is performed during the growing
season. As with Conservation Agriculture, weed control is accomplished
using mulches, allelopathy (the antagonism of some plants or plant residues
to other plants), crop rotation or appropriate (preferably narrow spectrum
bio-friendly) herbicides.
Minimum Tillage
Are systems that involve minimal soil manipulation for crop production.
Also referred to as reduced tillage, Minimum Tillages major objectives
include:
to perform the minimum number and severity of operations thought
necessary to optimise soil conditions, frequently differentiating
between the in- and inter-row areas;
to minimise the number of trips over the field to avoid soil compaction
and structural degradation;
to conserve moisture;
to reduce soil erosion; and
to reduce mechanical energy and labour requirements
Some common Minimum Tillage systems include:
0Till and Plant: Tractor-driven equipment prepares narrow strips utilising
shallow secondary tillage after the primary tillage and just ahead of the
planter.
Strip Tillage: Combination units perform strip or zone tillage just ahead
of the planter in untilled soil (usually utilising a chisel plough, with
the sole aim of improving porosity and rooting depth in root zone).
Specific practices include
Rip-on-row: A heavy tine at a depth of 300-450mm is drawn in the line
of the planned (often also the previous) row ahead of the planter.
Chisel: Lighter chisel tines are drawn at a depth of 200-300mm as the

sole cultivation prior to planting.
Chisel & disc: Primary tillage is conduced using chisel tines only,
followed by a light disc immediately prior to planting.
Disc-plant: One discing operation before planting is done to loosen the
compacted soil surface, to control weeds, and to leave most of the
residue on the surface.
Bed-plant: This method is commonly used for soil moisture
management especially in surface irrigated crops where furrows are
made at appropriate intervals raising the bed between.
Ridge Till
This is a planting method where crops are planted on the ridge top, in the
furrow or along both sides of a ridge. The ridges may be on the contours
with graded furrows draining into a grassed water way, or use short crossties to create a series of basins to store water in tied-ridges.
Mulch Till
This is a system that involves cutting the roots of weeds and other plants,
leaving the crop residue on the surface or mixed into the top few centimetres
of the soil.
2. Farmer Points of Interest

Farmers can have an enormous influence on ensuring the survival of the South Africa
agricultural sector over the long term by adopting more sustainable management
applications. Conservation farming techniques are increasingly promoted as one of
the solutions to replenish South Africas soil resources.
The greatest benefits of this process are that it increases the organic matter,
protects the soil from wind erosion, increases water retention capabilities
and serves as a shock absorber for raindrop impact. Ultimately, erosion
is reduced due to less intervention disturbing the soil. There might be an
initial decrease in yield, but the savings made through reduced input costs
outweigh any discrepancy in income. Deep and repeated tillage reduces
earthworm populations by as much as 90%, not a good idea when one
considers all the benefits brought to the soils by earthworms. And soil rich
with earthworm tunnels is estimated to absorb four to 10 times more water
than soil without.
In conjunction with less tillage and leaving residues on the top soil for
protection, farmers should also consider crop rotation as part of their
conservation farming methods. Crop rotation allows the soil time to
recover in between the various planting seasons; and by introducing crops
like soybeans, farmers help in replenishing the nitrogen levels of the soil.
A sound knowledge of environmental pressures and long-term thinking is
critical if the farm business is to be competitive, sustainable and financially
viable. Immediate survival is no longer the order of the day. Successful farm
management demands exploring environmentally-friendly farm practices.
Conservation Agriculture should be a consideration for every farmer
concerned with sustainable growth.
Source: Adapted from a press release done by Standard Bank through Magna
Carta Public Relations.

Conservation Agriculture has been tested, proven and is being
practised under a wide range of agro-ecological conditions throughout
the world, and is a major factor in the growing dominance of South
American grain producers on world markets.
The African Conservation Tillage Network (ACT) consists of
practitioners and promoters who believe the adaptation and
adoption of conservation tillage principles is a cost effective method
of reducing and reversing the environmental degradation and food
insecurity devastating Africa. Contact the Regional Secretariat at
actnairobi@wananchi.com or find the ACT Network on www.fao.
org.
Find out about the European Conservation Agriculture Federation at
www.ecaf.org.
202
4. National strategy and provincial contact

Find information on, and contact details for, the different directorates at www.
daff.gov.za
Eastern Cape Department of

Agriculture
Mr Felix Hobson
Tel: 040 609 3563
felix.hobson@agr.ecprov.gov.za
KZN Department of
Affairs
Dr Allan Manson, Mr Guy Thibaud
Tel: 033 355 9100
Food Security
Mr Werner Ristow
Tel: 039 727 3376
Fax: 0865 715 669
Ristow.werner@agr.ecprov.gov.za
Xoshindlala Programme: Planting

without Ploughing
Mr Johan Janse van Rensburg
Tel: 033 355 9328
Western Cape Department of

Conservation Agriculture Thrust Agriculture
(CAT) find the University of Fort Francis J Steyn
Tel: 021 808 5090
Hare entry under heading 5
franciss@elsenburg.com
5. Role players
Grain SA
Pietman Botha 082 759 2991
www.grainsa.co.za
No-Till Association of the

Western Cape
Tel: 021 808 5479 / 082 907 3109
johannst@elsenburg.com
Grain SA is involved with CA

Ottosdal No-Till Club
initiatives
Frik van Sittert
No-Till Club of KwaZulu-Natal Tel: 083 400 3314
ifrik@mtnloaded.co.za
Ms Sandra Findlay (secretary)
Tel: 033 330 2062
sandrafindlay@intanet.co.za
www.notillclub.com

Institutions offering agricultural degrees/diplomas include conservation tillage
in the syllabus.
Tel 014 717 3819 / 078 228 0008
frits@alut.co.za
www.alut.co.za
ARC-Grain Crops Institute
(ARC-GCI)
Plant Science and Advisory
Services
Tel: 018 299 6396
Andre Nel NelA@arc.agric.za
ARC-Plant Protection
Research Institute (ARC-PPRI)
Tel: 012 808 8000 / 8263
MaraisM@arc.agric.za
HabigJ@arc.agric.za
Conservation tillage has a number

of unique problems regarding
disease control and in particular
root diseases. Research into the
management of such diseases is an
ongoing activity of plant pathologists
ARC-Institute for Soil, Climate of the Institute, with emphasis on
the correct choice of rotation crops
Drs Danie Beukes, Hendrik Smith,
and other management practices,
Corrie Swanepoel
such as the use of nitrogen- fixing
Tel: 012 310 2500/6
legumes, for commercial and
djbeukes@arc.agric.za
resource-poor farming. Research
hjsmith@arc.agric.za
is carried out both at ARC Research
swanepoelc@arc.agric.za
stations and on-farm, especially

in the Western and Eastern Cape
and KwaZulu-Natal, in association
with the provincial Departments of
Agriculture and private companies.
University of Fort Hare (UFH)

Traction Centre
Mr Bruce Joubert
Tel: 040 602 2125
Fax: 040 602 2488
This Centre trains owners and

operators in the use of animaldrawn
equipment,
especially
Direct Seeders, and their use in
Conservation Agriculture systems
Department of Agriculture and suited to field and vegetable
Environmental Affairs / Cedara production. The TC co-operates
Tel: 033 355 9100
closely with the CAT (see heading
www.kzndae.gov.za
4 and below).
ARC-Small Grains Institute
(ARC-SGI)
Mr Willem Kilian
Tel: 058 307 3400
Annual workshops are conducted

on various aspects of conservation
tillage for small-scale farmers.
This is part of the Xoshindlala
Planting without Ploughing (PwP)
Programme. Short courses are also
run, and research on conservation
tillage vs. conventional tillage is
carried out.
Elsenburg Agricultural Training
Institute
Tel: 021 808 7691
veronicac@elsenburg.com
Tel: 021 808 3728
samways@sun.ac.za
www.cons-ent.com
Department of Agronomy
Tel:021 808 4803
www.sun.ac.za/agron
Conservation Agriculture Thrust

(CAT)
Mr Dirk Lange
Tel: 072 256 4165
DLange@ufh.ac.za
The CAT (see heading 4) is a joint
initiative between the Eastern Cape
Department of Rural Development
and Agrarian Reform and the
University of Fort Hare. Various
practical CA training courses are
offered, which can be tailormade to the requirements of all
interested organisations and/or
projects. CAT co-operates closely
with the Traction Centre, UFH.
Tel: 051 401 3765
This centre offers a masters degree

The Conservation Agriculture in sustainable agriculture which
includes topics such as conservation
Academy
tillage.
t.putter@ecoport.org
www.ca-academy.net
Soil, Crop and Climate Sciences
This is a planned partnership Tel: 051 401 2212
between the University of Fort
Hare, the Agricultural Research
Council and Ecoport. Qualifications
will be active at secondary
certificate and tertiary (diploma)
level. Read more on the website.
Implements and distributors

Trade name,
country of origin
Distributor
Contact details
Alpha Engineering
(RSA)
Alpha Engineering
028 514 3450

www.alpha-engineering.co.za
Baldan (Brazil)
Northmec
011 922 2300

www.northmec.co.za
Duncan (New
Zealand)
Kouga Implemente 042 295 1146

kougafm@telkomsa.net
203
Eco Till (RSA)
Eco Till Africa
053 444 2160

www.elkoimplements.co.za
Equalizer Precision Theebo Tech

(RSA)
082 870 9522

www.equalizer.co.za
Gaspardo SP
(Italy)
GMG Power
011 392 1144

www.gmgpowersa.co.za
Hastt (Zimbabwe)
Hastt Zimbabwe
+263-62-33-55/8 or +263 4
756445
sales@hastt.co.zw
John Deere (USA)
John Deere
011 437 2600

rsa@johndeere.com
Jumil (Brazil)
Reapers
033 394 6301

www.reapers.co.za
Kongskilde
(Denmark)
Kongskilde SA
011 894 2341

www.kongskilde.com
Kuhn Metasa
(Brazil)
Rovic & Leers
021 907 1700

www.rovicleers.co.za
Massey Ferguson
(USA)
Barloworld Agri
011 898 0380

www.masseyferguson.co.za
Monosem (France) Carrotech
021 865 2044

www.carrotech.co.za
Orthman (USA)
JWL Agricultural
Supplies
017 819 2026

www.jwl.co.za
Piket (RSA)
Carel Van Niekerk

Engineering
022 913 2435

www.piket.co.za
Tatu Marchesan
(Brazil)
Valtrac
056 817 7308

www.valtrac.co.za
Vence Turdo
(Brazil)
Inttrac Trading
Trading
016 365 5799

Animal-drawn No Till Planters (suitable for planting maize,

beans, sunflower, cotton etc)
Trade name and
country of origin
Distributor
Contact details
Hastt (Zimbabwe)
Hastt Zimbabwe
+263-62-33-55/8
or +263 4 756445
sales@hastt.co.zw
Mealiebrand
(Zimbabwe)
Afritrac
011 918 4698

www.afritrac.co.za
Knapik (Brazil)
Inttrac Trading
016 365 5799

Other companies involved

Agricultural Resource
Consultants
Dr Jim Findlay
Tel: 011 486 2254
agrecon@telkomsa.net
Living Laboratories
Tel: 082 562 7987 / 083 379 5614
http://livinglaboratories.co.za

Find the CA pages on the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the
United Nations (FAO) website www.fao.org/ag/ca. A number of
international links can be found on this website.
Conservation Agriculture is frequently covered in both agricultural
weeklies Landbouweekblad and Farmers Weekly. Visit the archives of
the publications at www.landbou.com and www.farmersweekly.co.za.
You may notice that frequently, the Grain SA commercial farmer of the
year practices no-till.
No-Till Farming Systems (2008). Special Publication No.3, World
Association of Soil and Water Conservation, Bangkok. ISBN: 978-9748391-60-1. A global collection of information presented by farmers,
extension specialists, discipline professionals and research scientists.
Find the article Low carbon farming: Benefits and opportunities
for smallholder farmers in Africa at www.polity.org.za. It outlines
a few ways in which smallholder farmers in Africa can benefit from
enhancing climate change mitigation through incorporating low carbon
technologies and techniques into their farming practices.
Conservation Agriculture: A manual for farmers and extension workers in
Africa (2005). IIRR, Nairobi and African Conservation Tillage Network
(ACT), Harare. Obtainable from admin@iirr-africa.org
A Guide to No-Till Crop Production in KZN, 2nd Edition (1999). Available
from the KZN No-till Club. Ms Sandra Findlay (secretary). Tel/fax: 033
344 3535, or write to sandrafindlay@intanet.co.za or P O Box 1052,
Howick, 3290.
Conservation Agriculture in Africa. Ademir Calegari, John Ashburner &
Richard Fowler. FAO, Accra 2005. ISBN: 9988-627-04-01.
A booklet on no-till is available in isiZulu. Contact the KZN No-till
Club.
The Beginners Guide to No-Till by Aubrey Venter. Contact the KZN
No-Till Club.
Find the No-tillage Training Manual at www.agis.agric.za/efarmer/
http://ca.ecoport.org An interactive dedicated website initiated here in
South Africa and containing a wealth of information on Conservation
Agriculture of use to farmers, advisers, researchers and educationists
throughout the world.
www.rolf-derpsch.com Rolf Derpsch is a well-known advocate of
CA overseas. Dr Ademir Calegari of Brazils Institute of Agriculture is
another. Write to him at calegari@iapar.br or visit www.iapar.br
No-till on the Plains, a non-profit educational organisation in the USA
www.notill.org
- Jukke vir dieretrekkrag
- Yokes for animal traction
- Animal traction implements
- Comparative review of technical specifications for no-till jab-planters
Our gratitude to the late Richard Fowler for notes used in this chapter, and to
Dirk Lange (University of Fort Hare) for feedback on the draft chapter.
204
Poison Information Centres. For advice on cases of poisoning:
inputs
Tygerberg Poison Information Centre (Human 021 931 6129

Poisoning)
Crop protection
Red Cross Childrens Hospital Poison Line
021 689 5227
Public Emergency Communication Centre
021 480 7700
Griffon Poison Information Centre (Wildlife 082 446 8946

Poison)
1. Overview
Nashua pesticides Helpline
Chemical crop protection

The global market for agrochemicals is in the order of $33 390 million, of
which the South African market comprises between 2 and 3 percent. The
South African market is by far the largest in Africa.
The CropLife website records the breakdown of chemical crop protection
as being:
Segment
Percentage of market
Herbicides
39
Insecticides
27
Fungicides
22
Other
12
CropLife member companies support the aims of sustainable agriculture: to

produce sufficient food and fibre economically and in an environmentally and
socially sensitive manner, maintaining the natural resource base for future
generations. The industry is committed to Integrated Pest Management
as an economically viable, environmentally sound and socially acceptable
approach to crop protection.
Biological crop protection

Biological control uses a pest or diseases own natural enemies to control the
pest or disease. Agents such as friendly fungi, bacteria, viruses, nematodes
or parasitic insects are used to control pests and diseases in both high value,
intensive crops and in field crops. This is a rapidly growing area of crop
protection and several agents are produced locally in South Africa. Find the
Biocontrol chapter.

Visit the website of CropLife International for international news and
perspectives: www.croplife.org.
Farm Chemicals International www.farmchemicalsinternational.com
European Crop Protection Association www.ecpa.eu
Collaborative International Pesticides Analytical Council (CIPAC)
www.cipac.org
3. Major initiatives
By CropLife SA and ACDASA under the umbrella association
AVCASA
In addition to training courses (see the Training and Research sub-heading),
the following is undertaken:
Retrieval and disposal of obsolete stock. AVCASA is currently putting
together a waste management programme in line with the National
Waste Management Act which is aimed at retrieving and disposing of
obsolete stocks in South Africa.
Pesticide Container Management. AVCASA is working on various
environmentally sound container management strategies for adoption
and implementation by industry in line with the above.
Aerial Application. CropLife SA, in alliance with the SA Aerial Applicators
Association, acquired the most modern calibration equipment from
the USA and during calibration fly-ins, aircrafts are upgraded in
order to ensure more efficient aerial application of the products and
the subsequent updating of existing label recommendations.
082 325 6223
South African Pesticide Initiative Programme 2 (SA PIP 2)

South Africa signed a Financial Agreement with the EU in the previous
decade to address the issue of chemical residue levels on food being
exported into the EU. This resulted in the establishment of the successful
South African Pesticide Initiative Programme (SA PIP). SAPIP 2 is that
programmes successor.
There is huge potential for more small scale farmers to be empowered
to be sustainable and commercially viable exporters as they constitute
only a small percentage of those who export fruit and vegetables. SA PIP
2 provides funding for training 450 smallholders nationally on responsible
pesticide use, food safety, agricultural practices and legislation.
The Perishable Products Export Control Board has been tasked with rolling
out SA PIP 2, while the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry
(DAFF) acts as the contracting authority for the programme.
Find information on SA PIP 2 menu at www.ppecb.com

Find Feeds, Stock Remedies, Pesticides and Fertilzers under the Divisions
menu option at www.daff.gov.za, website of the Department of Agriculture,
Forestry and Fisheries. The Policy for managing the locust problem in SA
document can be found under Publications and Policy documents.
Registrar: Act No. 36 of 1947
Tel: 012 319 7303
MalutaM@daff.gov.za
In South Africa all chemicals used for the control of any pest or disease on a
plant must be registered for such use under Act 36 of 1947 (the Fertilisers,
Farm Feeds, Agricultural Remedies and Stock Remedies Act). An amendment
to this Act (No R.1716 of 26 July 1991) prohibits the acquisition, disposal,
sale or use of an agricultural remedy for a purpose or in a manner other than
that specified on the label on the container.
Directorate Plant Health
Tel: 012 319 6072
DPH@daff.gov.za
In co-operation with Provincial governments this directorate administers
laws relating to plant health, including the aspect of the control and
eradication of pests and diseases. They run control programmes and issue
regulations to protect and improve plant health.
Directorate: Land Use and Soil Management
Tel: 012 319 7685/6
DLUSM@daff.gov.za
Redbilled Quelea (Quelea quelea sp.), a bird species, is an agriculturally
important migratory pest to small grain crop-producing farmers of
southern Africa. The policy for managing the Redbilled Quelea problem was
established in 1994 under Act 36 of 1983. The Directorate: Land Use and
Soil Management enforces this Act.
206
5. Role players

Associations involved
Agricultural Chemical
Distribution Association of
South Africa (ACDASA)
Tel: 011 805 2000
www.acdasa.co.za
ACDASA is an independent
Section 21 Association which, with
the support of other agricultural
organisations,
promotes
the
effective and responsible marketing
of crop protection products to
agricultural producers.
These associations want farmers
and other users of its products
to know that they are making
their purchases from persons
and companies which can give
sound technical advice and whose
employers are bound by the strict
CropLife SA / ACDASA Code of
Conduct.
ment, especially as it potentially

affects wildlife.
On an ad-hoc basis the EWT is
involved with the retrieval of
unwanted and unused chemicals.
When the need is there, they coordinate the collection of these
agrochemicals. All wildlife poisoning
events are investigated and
samples are sent for toxicological
analysis. The results are reported
to the AVCASA Safety, Health
and Environment committee on a
quarterly basis.
Nematological Society of
Southern Africa
Dr Sonia Steenkamp (secretary)
Tel: 018 299 3679
www.sanematodes.com
Plant Science Consultants

Association (PSCA)
The stringent Code of Conduct, c/o Dr Jim Findlay
based on the FAO Code of Tel: 011 486 2254
Conduct, ensures that all members agrecon@telkomsa.net
make input into and abide by
ethical-, quality- and service The Plant Science Consultants
guidelines, standards, codes and Association has over 40 members
offering services in product
legislation, such as:
development and the registration
of crop protection products and
manufacturing quality practices
associated remedies to local and
training in responsible use of
foreign companies. Members
products especially in the
emergent sector
are positioned throughout South
Marketing Code of Ethics
Africa and can conduct field trials
warehousing & transport
on almost any crop grown in the
standards
country.
SANS codes of practice
Other members specialise in
CropLife SA
the management of product
Tel: 011 805 2000
registration programmes and the
www.croplife.co.za
compilation of product registration
dossiers for submission to the
CropLife SA, a section 21 Company regulatory authorities, i.e. Act No.
not for gain, is an association 36 of 1947. A list of members and
representing the plant science their fields of expertise can be
industry, including the majority found at www.croplife.co.za under
of responsible manufacturers Associate Members.
and suppliers of crop protection
products, and through its approved SA Aerial Applicators
training and accreditation of Association
members sales personnel it strives Tel: 058 303 5261 / 082 829 5749
to ensure that farmers and other
end-users are at all times provided South African Pest Control
with a professional and efficient Association
Tel: 0861114556
service.
www.sapca.org.za
(EWT)
South African Weed Science
Wildlife Conflict Mitigation
Society
Programme
deweth@arc.agric.za
Tel: 011 372 3600
https://sites.google.com/site/
www.ewt.org.za
saweedsciencesociety
The Wildlife Conflict Mitigation
Programme is part of the
Endangered Wildlife Trust. It keeps
an eye on the misuse and overuse
of chemicals in the environ-
Southern African Society for

Plant Pathology
Ms Wilmarie Kriel (secretary)
Tel: 011 748 3630
http://saspp.org
CropLife SA: Plant Protection Training Course. This is an eightmodule correspondence course, with the option to attend lectures,
followed by final examination and certification. All sales personnel of
CropLife SA and ACDASA are required to pass this course in order
to be allowed to give advice and sell our crop protection products.
However the course is open to anyone wishing to learn more about crop
protection and the products used in the industry. As of 2010, this will be
offered as a Short Learning Programme by UNISA. For more information
on the course contact Hettie at AVCASA on Tel. 011 805 2000 or e-mail
Hettie@avcasa.co.za.
CropLife SA: Responsible Use Training Course. Through this course,
stewardship and sustainable agriculture are promoted by addressing
issues such as Integrated Pest Management (IPM), container management
and disposal of obsolete stocks. This also contributes towards the
Good Agricultural Practice as required by GLOBALG.A.P. as well as the
upliftment of small-scale/emerging farmers and to the protection of the
environment.
CropLife SA: Aerial Applicators Course. The only course for aerial
applicators recognised by the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and
Fisheries and Civil Aviation.
The Agricultural Colleges do
short courses on the handling
of pesticides and herbicides.
Find contacts in the Agricultural
Tel: 012 808 8000
www.arc.agric.za
Tel: 021 808 4799
www.sun.ac.za/plantpath
Department Conservation Ecology
and Entomology
Tel: 021 808 3728
www.sun.ac.za/consent

Courses are offered in integrated Centre for Sustainable Agriculture,
pest management (IPM) and Rural Development and Extension
Tel: 051 401 3765
developing agricultural systems.
The monitoring and management
of pests and weeds relevant to
Tel: 051 401 2514
the particular crop e.g. maize or www.ufs.ac.za
viticulture is an element in courses
given by the other ARC institutes. Visit the CePHMa website:
www.cephma.org
Agriskills Transfer
Tel: 012 460 9585
University of KZN
www.agriskills.net
Tel: 033 260 5808
Cape Penisular University of
www.ukzn.ac.za
Technology (CPUT)
Tel: 021 864 5217/3
www.cput.ac.za
Department of Microbiology &
Plant Pathology
Pest Control Service Industries Tel: 012 420 4100
Board
www.up.ac.za
Tel: 012 654 7708
www.pcsib.org.za
School of Applied and
Protea Training Centre
Tel: 021 948 1275 / 082 670 1636 Tel: 047 502 2311 / 047 502 2186
www.wsu.ac.za
Training done in the safe handling of
chemicals
A certificate and diploma are
offered in pest management
Tel: 021 852 2643
208
CropLife SA member companies

Company
Telephone
Website
Ag-Chem Africa
012 803 0145
www.agchem.co.za
Agro-Organics
021 851 2403
www.agro-organics.co.za
Arysta LifeScience SA
031 514 5600
www.arystalifescience.com
Avima
011 769 1300
www.avima.co.za
Azanchem
021 907 3000
BASF SA
011 203 2541
www.basf.co.za
Bayer Cropscience
011 921 5911
www.bayercropscience.co.za
Bitrad Consultants
012 666 8945
www.bitrad.co.za
Chanrai International
SA (Pty) Ltd
031 584 6280
Chempac (Pty) Ltd
021 874 1055
Chemtura (Pty) Ltd
011 397 4336
www.chemtura.com
Cipla Agricare
021 943 4200
www.ciplaagricare.co.za
Cropchem (Pty) Ltd
016 341 3001
Dow AgroSciences
021 872 1751
www.dowagro.com/za
Du Pont De Nemours
012 683 5600
www2.dupont.com
Enviro Crop
Protection
056 213 4539
www.enviro-crop.co.za
www.ububele.co.za
Erintrade cc
033 386 9384
Exportos
011 396 2233
Farmkem cc
011 875 2004
FMC Chemicals
021 794 8566
www.philagrosa.co.za
Gap Chemicals
032 533 7664
www.gapchemicals.co.za
Horticura
012 329 3301
Hygrotech Seed
012 545 8000
www.hygrotech.co.za
Ica International
021 886 9812
www.icaonline.co.za
Illovo Sugar Limited
031 950 7890
www.illovo.co.za
Insect Science
015 307 1391
www.insectscience.co.za
Kannar Earth Science
011 372 4700
www.kannar.co.za
Kelp Products
021 786 2090
www.kelpak.com
Klub M5
012 653 1782
www.km5.co.za
Kombat (Pty) Ltd
033 417 1906
www.kombat.co.za
Makhteshim-Agan SA
011 316 3232
www.masa.co.za
MBF International
082 921 8428
www.mbfi.co.za
Metson Manufacturing
011 792 8968
www.metson.co.za
Monsanto SA
011 790 8200
www.monsanto.co.za
www.villacrop.co.za
Nialcor (Pty) Ltd
011 817 2822
Nova Agro cc
031 563 2925
Ortus Chemicals
012 250 3898
www.avima.co.za
Philagro SA
012 348 8808
www.philagrosa.co.za
Plaaskem
011 823 8000
www.plaaskem.co.za
Sipcam SA
021 874 1055
Sunwood Chemicals
011 396 2233
www.villacrop.co.za
Syngenta South Africa
011 541 4000
www.syngenta.co.za
Total SA (Pty) Ltd
011 396 2913
www.total.co.za
Villa Crop Protection
011 396 2233
www.villacrop.co.za
Zetachem (Pty) Ltd
031 469 0165
www.zetachem.co.za
209
Associate Members
Drommasjien cc
083 303 6033
Efekto
011 304 7200
HI 5 Integrated
Logistics (Pty) Ltd
012 345 5168 / www.hi5.co.za

5212
John Bean
Technologies (Pty) Ltd
021 982 1130
www.jbtfoodtech.com
Kaap Agri
021 877 6119
www.kaapagri.co.za
MGK
Bedryfsmaatskappy
012 381 2800

/ 31
www.mgk.co.za
Nufarm Agriculture
(Pty) Ltd
012 658 5869
Plant Science
Consultants
Association (PSCA)
011 486 2254
South African Bureau

of Standards
012 428 6758
www.sabs.co.za
SA Pest Control
Association
012 654 7708
www.sapca.org.za
www.efekto.co.za
ACDASA member companies

Company
Telephone
Website
Africa Agricultural
Product Investments
013 643 1225
Agri Chemies
056 777 2817
Agribiz
032 552 4459
AgriKem
021 872 4551
Agrison bk
082 579 7204

021 872 1751
Agro-Centre
013 665 5122
Alfa Chemicals
056 213 4539
www.yieldagri.com
www.ububele.co.za
Avello (Pty) Ltd
014 717 9400
www.yieldagri.com
Avonrod Plant
Protection cc
011 460 0175 /

1901
www.avonrod.co.za
BayAgro Central
053 441 3168 / 9
Biotrace Trading 266
015 491 7041
Dio Agric
028 754 3047
Ecoguard Distributors
011 463 6057
www.ecoguard.co.za
Farmers Agri Care
031 265 5000
HBD Distributors &

Crop Care
081 335 7888
www.hbdcc.co.za
Laeveld Agrochem
012 998 5909
www.laeveld.co.za
Midchem (Pty) Ltd
018 673 1508
NatAgro
016 341 3001
NexusAg
021 860 8040
Novon Protecta
058 303 3785
Novon WTP
018 632 3010
Oosvaal Landbou cc
017 647 5850
Provento
015 307 7052
PW Landboudienste
021 862 1128
Retouw Landbou Bk
042 284 0422
Technichem Crop
Protection
056 343 3444
www.nexusag.net
www.yieldagri.com
www.technichem.co.za
210
Terason
021 873 6177
www.terason.co.za
Ububele Alfa
Chemicals
056 213 2036
www.yieldagri.com
Viking Marketing (Pty)

Ltd
021 907 3000
www.viking.co.za
Vrystaat
Oesbeskerming
056 515 4404
Wenkem SA (Pty) Ltd
0861 936 536
Wilgechem
Vennootskap
058 813 1192
www.wenkem.co.za
Other companies
Company
Telephone
Website
Alrose Chemicals
011 892 0913
www.alrose.co.za
Haifa
021 982 0309
www.haifachem.com
Hardi Crop
Protection
011 613 8711
www.hardi.co.za
Hortec
023 316 1530
www.hortec.co.za
Indoplast
011 664 8852
www.indoplast.co.za
Nutrico SA
011 392 4072
www.nutrico.org
Obaro
012 381 2916
www.obaro.co.za
Orsmond Aerial Spray
058 303 5261
www.orsmondaviation.
co.za
Plant Health Products
033 266 6130
www.plant-health.co.za
Reapers Agricultural
Supplies
033 394 6301
www.reapers.co.za
UAP Crop Care, a

division of Plaaskem
021 868 4063
www.uap.co.za
See also the Biocontrol chapter.
211
inputs
Registered chemicals in South Africa are published in guides such as A Guide

for the Control of Plant Diseases and A Guide for the Control of Plant Pests
issued by the DAFF on a regular basis. Contact 012 319 7141 or write:
Resource Centre, Private Bag X144, Pretoria 0001.
Find the Information Core for Southern African Migrant pests (ICOSAMP)
pages on www.arc.agric.za
Publications available from CropLife SA/ACDASA:
A Guide for Operators: Responsible Pesticide Use (Available in seven of the
official languages)
A Guide for Operators: Responsible Pesticide Use (Available in all 11
official languages)
Guide to the Treatment of Poisoning by Chemicals a must for the medical
profession.
Guidelines for the Road Transportation of Dangerous Goods
RSA Code for the Classification and Labeling Agricultural Chemicals
Responsible Use Poster
The following publications are available from DAFFs Resource Centre, and
can also be viewed at www.daff.gov.za (take the Publications option):
Pesticides: disposing of empty containers
Pesticides: How to handle pesticides safely
Pesticides: poisoning
Pesticides: protective clothing
Pesticides: Safety measures
Pesticides: storing agrochemicals and stock remedies
Pesticides: What does the label say?
Policy for managing the locust problem in SA
Find the Crop Pests publications (some available on CD-ROM) available
from the ARC: visit their website www.arc.agric.za. The ARC Plant
Protection newletter is also here (and on www.agis.agric.za).
The ARC-Infruitec/Nietvoorbij has a series of pamphlets covering diseases
and pests in deciduous fruit crops. To order these, call 021 809 3100.
Call 012 842 4017 or email iaeinfo@arc.agric.za for the following publication,
available from the ARC in Silverton:
Mechanisation basics: Sprayers and spraying techniques (Training
manual)
Small-scale chemical sprayer
Bacterial Diseases of Plants in South Africa Teresa A Coutinho, Teresa
Goszczynska, Cheryl Lennox and Stephanus Venter. ISBN 978-1-920146023. This new book provides information on bacterial diseases of
agricultural crops, ornamentals and forest tree species. It is distributed by
Briza Publications (http://briza.co.za/bookstore).
www.pestsandcrops.com lists the pests of the more common field crops.
Find the African Arachnid Database (AFRAD) at www.arc.agric.za. An
expert on-line database (AFRAD) was initiated by the ARC PPRI, which
provides vitally important information about arachnids a major component
of agro-diversity, both as a major pest of crops and as beneficial predators
in Integrated Pest Management (IPM) programmes (countries south of the
Sahara).
Read what the South African Investor Handbook has to say about the
Chemicals and plastics industry in South Africa. Find the book at www.
thedti.gov.za and www.jadafa.co.za.
Find the Crops and crop protection Infotoons at www.agis.agric.za/
efarmer.
Sources for the chapter: CropLife SA; www.croplife.co.za; www.acdasa.co.za; the
Perishable Products Export Control Board
Our grateful thanks to Tom Mabesa and Hettie Dickenson (CropLife SA) for
their input.
Earthworms and vermicompost

See also the Biological farming, Organic farming, and Compost and
organic fertiliser chapters
1. Overview
Nobody really knows how many worm species there are (estimates range
from 4 500 to 6 000!) but in agriculture and gardening three distinct genera
have been studied and described. These worms are distinguished by their
habitat in or on the soil. These genera do not interbreed and will not
normally be found in each others habitat. The three genera are:
Worms that are found on the surface under damp, decaying organic
matter. These are termed epigeic with Eisinia fetida and sub species
andreii being most popular amongst vermiculturists in South Africa.
These introduced worms are typically not found in ordinary South
African soils which are too dry and lack the moist humus environment
which they need to survive. Controlled organic waste environments
are, however, ideal.
Worms (termed anecic) that are found from the surface of the
soil to a depth of roughly one metre. These worms forage for their
food by coming to the surface and dragging damp decaying organic
matter down into their burrows. These worms, some indigenous and
some introduced, are extremely beneficial as they churn the soil and
allow good water and air penetration. The more of these species in the
soil the better the soil. Lumbricus terrestris is very common in South
Africa.
A third type of worm (termed endogeic) can be found very deep in
the soil and very seldom comes to the surface. This type is the only
one of the three that actually eats soil as part of its diet. This species
plays a small part in the total soil environment.
As soon as any living thing dies whether it be animal or vegetable
a host of saprophytic micro-organisms including such as bacteria, fungi,
moulds, nematodes, actinomycetes, small arthropods begin to devour it.
Earthworms then graze on the micro-organisms as feedstock. Some of the
decaying matter is also ingested but the main food is the micro-organisms.
Worms digest these and the nutrients they have absorbed. Microbial activity
increases in the worms gut system and the excreted worm faeces are also
full of plant nutrients and micro-organisms which not only fertilise the soil,
but increase its vitality and ecosystem functioning through the introduction
of micro fauna. This results in a far more sustainable growing environment
than one which relies on seasonal additions of inorganic fertilisers with their
various combinations of carbon, nitrogen and phosphate.
In vermiculture, Eiesenia fetida or similar composting worms like Eudrilus
eugeniae worms are kept in captivity and fed decaying organic material.
The worm faeces (or castings) are collected and used as compost. Many
different types of enclosure can be found ranging from a small box for
a household to extremely large concrete pens for large-scale farming.
Decaying organic material can be literally anything that was once alive
but is now dead: all vegetable matter, paper and cardboard, untreated
sawdust, food leftovers and animal manures (with the possible exception
of cat litter that can contain pathogens organisms that can be infectious),
rice and pastas etc. Not all of these decay at the same rate or have the
same chemical composition and it is best to build up a healthy population
of several thousand worms with low acid, cellulose and pathogen feedstock
before venturing into more ambitious projects.
When vermicompost is spread on the soil surface, the millions of microorganisms present become food for any anecic worms in the vicinity.
With a plentiful food supply, the anecic worms proliferate and help to
keep the soil friable and productive. The life and death activities of the
micro-organisms in the soil release continuous plant nutrients and fix
elements like nitrogen from the atmosphere.
212
Both solid composts and compost teas can be produced by

vermiculture.
Soils treated with vermicompost can contain 5 times more nitrates (i.e.
immediately-available nitrogen), 7 times more phosphorus, 11 times
more potassium, 2.5 times more magnesium and twice as much calcium
as soils non-treated soils.
Source: Ronald Thomson, who can be contacted at 082 563 1476. Patrick Dowling
patrick@tops.org.za gave the piece considerable thought and contributed
suggestions too.

The use of earthworms to improve farming practices, to assist farmers
who wish to produce organically or to reduce fertiliser costs, has become
established in many parts of the world. Australia in the developed world and
India in the developing world are prime examples.
As mentioned earlier, in nature the earthworm converts the wastes of nature
into food, growth stimulants and microbes all beneficial to plant growth and
survival. We may take advantage of this process by concentrating the waste
and the earthworms, and then by applying the resultant products directly to
specific areas or plants.
Wasted Waste. Every day tons of organic waste goes to landfill sites
all over the continent. This organic matter, often at source, could be
converted with the help of the humble earthworm into plant food.
Farm Waste. Most farmers have some form of organic material that
goes to waste, cattle, horse, pig manure, reject vegetables just to
mention a few. All are suitable for conversion.
Process. The waste should be trenched directly into the soil and
layered with other specific waste material and worms then introduced.
Planting can take place almost immediately and the soil remains in good
shape for some time depending on the depth and quantity of organic
material used.
Alternatively a Wormery Unit could be established in which earthworms are
fed organic waste and the resultant liquid and casts harvested and applied
directly to crops. Neither method is expensive.
Once established, these simple methodologies aid food production and
expenses are offset by savings on fertiliser, transport and landfill costs. And
just as important this would result in regenerating depleted soils, thus
working towards restoring a healthy environment.
There is a challenge to farmers to recycle their wastes to reduce fertiliser
costs and reduce methane emission.
Source: Don Blacklaw. Call 033 4131837 or write to don@wizzardworms.co.za.
3. Role players
Earthworm Interest Group
South Africa (EIGSA)
Tel: 011 792 3478
Ken Reid Kareid@iafrica.com
The primary objective of EIGSA is
to promote vermiculture and make
earthworm-related
information
widely available. This is in support of
soil and environmental conservation
organic food growing and improved

waste management efforts in
Southern Africa.
Find details of regional convenors
(countrywide) at www.eigsa.co.za.
EIGSA hosts talks and workshops.
Contact Pieter on 072 533 0304 or
email eigsa@lantic.net for details.

Prof Mark Maboeta
Charl Pienaar utilises his earthworm Tel: 018 299 2501
knowledge to teach farmers about Mark.Maboeta@nwu.ac.za
Low External Input Sustainable www.nwu.ac.za
Agricultural (LEISA) techniques.
The instruction manual, GoodBugs SA Biofarm
Little Workers is available from Tel: 058 622 2372
www.sabiofarm.co.za
Good Bugs.
Good Bugs
www.goodbugs.co.za
Dr Eduard Hoffmann
Tel: 021 808 4789
Dr Danuta Plisko is an earthworm www.sun.ac.za/soil
researcher who has found that in
KZN there are very few indigenous University of the Free State
earthworms, but vast numbers of Agricultural Management (a division
the more aggressive exotics from within the Agricultural Economics
North America, Asia, Europe Department)
etc. It seems that when the early Tel: 051 401 3551
settlers imported plants growing Tel: 051 435 2902/3
in soil, they also imported the www.ufs.ac.za/agriman
worms from the country of origin!
Natal Museum
Tel: 033 345 1404
dplisko@nmsa.org.za
Companies
Barbaras Worms
Tel: 082 338 4109
barbarasworms@gmail.com
Earthworm Organic Mediums

Tel: 011 468 1220
www.earthworm.co.za
Supplier of worms and the tyrebin EarthwormsSA

wormery for the Cape Town/ Cell: 083 650 9883
Overberg area and surrounds
www.earthwormssa.co.za
Cest La Vie Worm Farm
Tel: 044 876 0162 / 082 404 9539
Ecolife
Tel: 018 298 1462 / 083 500 8693
Clan Leslie Estate

Mike Leslie 072 770 0306
FERTILIS earthworm castings

(registration no B3664 Act36/1947)
is certified by the Organic Food
Federation UK: organic certification
no: 00371/01/00. Visit www.fertilis.
co.za. For trade and distribution
enquiries,
contact
Talborne
Organics.
An apple producer in the Free State

who switched to vermicompost
and worm-casting tea because
of stricter export regulations.
Incorporating
earthworms
increased yields from 50t/ha in Pink
Lady apples, and by 15t/ha in other Footprints
varieties.
Tel: 021 794 5586 / 084 506 3089
Closing the Loop
Tel: 073 228 8513
www.closingtheloop.co.za
FullCycle
Tel: 021 789 2922 / 074 528 6300
www.fullcycle.co.za
Earlyworms
Tel: 039 757 5593 / 082 347 3463
www.earlyworms.org
Garden Shed Nursery

Tel: 072 1545 037
Earthchild
Tel: 021 462 2218
www.earthchildproject.org
Earthworm Buddies
Tel: 011 789 1546 / 072 533 0304
earthwormbuddies@lantic.net
www.earthwormbuddies.net
Hermanus Worms
Tel: 028 313 0052 / 082 563 1476
Ronald Jock Thomson lectures
and
writes
extensively
on
vermicomposting.
JA Agencies
Tel: 021 788 1015 / 082 217 8060
213
Magic Organic
Werner Brand 083 666 6758
Mother Earthworms
Tel: 044 388 4835 / 073 2669 202
http://motherearthworms.co.za
Organic Solutions
Tel: 021 591 8900 / 084 363 0942
www.fertilis.co.za
Soil For Life
Tel: 021 794 4982 / 783 1470
http://soilforlife.co.za
Suburban Earthworms
Tel: 021 510 0329 / 072 516 7722
www.suburbanearthworms.co.za
Talborne Organics
Tel: 011 954 5763
www.talborne.co.za
The Cape Vermicast Company
Tel: 082 305 2914
www.capevermicast.com
The Worm Factory
Tel: 021 556 4806 / 084 367 7921
www.the-worm-factory.co.za

Agriculture
Tel: 044 803 3700
philips@elsenburg.com
inputs
Wiggler Magic
Tel: 082 887 4717
info@magicworms.co.za
Wizzard Worms
Tel: 033 413 1837 / 076 875 0266
www.wizzardworms.co.za
Breeders
and
countrywide
distributor of worms and wormerys.
Worms for Africa
Tel: 084 606 0813
www.wormsforafrica.com
Worms for the Earth
Patrick Dowling 084 966 1249
patrick@tops.org.za
Worm-Farm
Tel: 082 851 9585 / 082 906 4909
www.worm-farm.co.za
Wurmboer
Tel: 021 975 4319 / 083 444 7654
Vermi Trade
Tel: 084 800 1997
www.vermitrade.co.za

Write to Carmen@livingearth.co.za for the following material, available
from Planner Bee Plant Care:
SA Organic Grower, a 31 booklet set (an ideal reference manual for SA)
The Earthmill System for Organic Market Gardens, a must-have book for
people wishing to earn a living growing veggies organically.
Permaculture articles in booklet form.
Organic Growing with Worms: A Handbook for a Better Environment by David
Murphy. 2005. Viking Press.
Agricultural weekly magazines periodically have articles on vermicompost
e.g. Farmers Weekly did a write-up about commercial farmer Hamish
Johnson who uses earthworms on a large scale, producing vermicompost
for his biological farming.
Vermicomposters Global Interactive and mapped blog site www.
vermicomposters.com
Thanks to Pieter Swanepoel, Patrick Dowling and Ken Reid (EIGSA) for
feedback on the draft chapter
Fencing
1. Overview
Conventional fencing
It is essential to have good fences for your stock. If you are working with
sheep or goats, it can be expensive to put up fences that are capable of
keeping them in. Wire mesh is certainly the most effective type of fencing,
because it not only stops newborn lambs and kids from getting out, but it
also stops most predators from getting in. A cheaper alternative is to put up
a wire fence about 1,2m high with 7 or 8 strands of wire. The top strand and
maybe one or two others can be of barbed wire, but smooth steel wire is
preferable for the other strands, as long as they are kept taut.
Dropper fence
Nothing beats the old-fashioned dropper fence when it comes to keeping
animals cattle, sheep, horses in a contained area. The escalation in
animal theft in South Africa has necessitated keeping your farm animals in
areas where you can either keep an eye on them or where, at the very least,
you know where they are. The dropper fence does not look like much, but
it serves its duty with distinction. They are easy to make:
roll the galvanised wire or, even better, barbed wire in 3 rows to the
length that you need;
use a piece of discarded wood as marker to ensure that the distances
between the droppers are the same;
use nails or wire staples to attach each pole to the 3 lengths of wire;
roll the wires and droppers up into a manageable roll;
plant sturdy fence poles at a reasonable distance from each other;
unroll the pre-made fence, and make sue that all the droppers are
tightly secured to the 3 rows of wires;
rest the fence against the pre-planted fence poles, and attach one end
to a corner pole with wire staples securely hammered into the pole;
pull the fence tight from the corner pole to the next planted pole, and
secure with nails or wire staples;
follow the fence, and make sure that all superfluous pieces of wire are
removed so that your animals wont be injured.
The great advantage of these fences is that they can easily be moved to
where new grazing awaits your livestock. Moving them is as easy as rolling
them up and unrolling them in the new location. These fences save you the
cost of erecting permanent fences that can be extremely expensive. Just
remember they may keep your animals in, but they will definitely not keep
predators out.
Electric fencing
Conventional fences are not always impenetrable but with the help of
electric fencing, the ultimate purpose of a fence can be reached. Electric
fencing can serve several purposes, namely animal control or security. An
electric fence energiser converts mains or battery power into a high voltage
pulse. The energiser releases this pulse through an insulated wire onto
the fence line approximately once every second. The pulse is commonly
referred to as the shock which is felt when an animal or intruder makes
contact with the fence.
In agricultural / game fencing, it is the shock that deters the animal from
putting further pressure on the fence line. The pain from the shock received
is short lived and does not physically damage the animal, unlike barbed
wire, which can cause severe cuts and permanent damage. In cases where
livestock are forced through an electric fence due to veldt fires or wild
animals, the risk of injury is much lower than in the case of barbed wire
fences.
From a security point-of-view, electric fencing not only offers the possibility
of deterring, but also of detecting and alarming / monitoring. An electric
fence acts as a 24-hour patrolman, patrolling your entire perimeter every
214
second. An electric fence, being a barrier on the perimeter of what you

are protecting, offers extended reaction time as opposed to conventional
security systems only alarming once the intruder enters or attempts to
enter your home.
Source: Nemtek

The Presidential Infrastructure Co-ordination Committee launched the
Strategic Integrated Projects (SIPs) in 2012. The eleventh of these priority
projects (Sip 11), an agro-logistics and rural infrastructure one, includes the
fencing of farms.
Tel: 012 319 846 8502
ATvC@daff.gov.za
Companies
Amatola
Tel: 043 732 1927
Big Five Gate & Fence
Manufacturing and
construction
Tel: 053 832 1101
MEPS Electric Fence Systems

Tel: 013 751 2945
www.meps.co.za
Ndlovu Fencing
Tel: 011 708 6442
www.stafix.co.za
Bonnox (Pty) Ltd

Tel: 012 666 8717
www.bonnox.co.za
Nemtek
Tel: 011 462 8283/4
www.nemtek.com
Cape Gate
Tel: 021 937 7123
Tel: 031 709 2670
www.cape-gate.co.za
Rhino Fencing CC
Tel: 011 708 7920 / 1 / 2
www.rhinofencing.co.za
Rogue Agriculture
Tel: 033 345 0038
www.roguesteel.co.za
Chemvet
Tel: 011 437 9001
www.chemvet.co.za
Sinoville Fencing
Tel: 012 542 4780/ 1/ 2
www.sinovillefencing.co.za
The Fencing Act No 31 of 1963 is of importance here. This Acts objective

is to consolidate the laws relating to fences, the fencing of farms (and other
holdings), and related matters e.g. access to land by authorised persons for
certain purposes (officials from ESKOM, Telkom etc).
Consolidated Wire Industries

Tel: 016 980 3150
www.cwi-wire.co.za
Included amongst the Provisions:
Gallagher Power Fence

Tel: 011 397 2986
Steeledale Mesh
Tel: 011 865 8100
www.steeledale.co.za
G Harrop-Allin & Sons

Tel: 012 803 5175
www.harrop-allin.co.za
Stewarts & Lloyds

Tel: 0860 10 27 99
www.stewartsandlloyds.co.za
Independent Wire
Tel: 016 423 1248
www.allensmeshco.co.za
TNH Wildlife
Tel: 082 890 9993 / 074 114 8651
www.tnhfencing.com
leaving gates open (by whom and what actions to be taken)

climbing or crawling over or through fences without permission
(actions farmers can take)
wilful damaging or removal of fences (action farmers can take)
climbing or crawling over or through, and damaging or removing fences
authorised in connection with destruction of vermin (actions farmers
can take)
unintentional damaging of fencing (actions farmers can take)
notice to absentee owner
repair of boundary fences
alteration of boundary fences
areas where contributions to the erection of boundary fences are
obligatory
It is an important piece of legislation for all landowners or people leasing
land. Although this Act has been on the books for a long time, it is still very
crucial for farmers and especially for new entrants when aspects of fences
between properties, the maintenance, damaging, the erecting and upkeep
of fences or the actions of people passing through fences are concerned.
Special attention must be given in the cases where owners of common
fences that is between properties must contribute towards the cost
of erecting those fences. When in doubt as to the provisions of this Act,
contact with the Authorities is of vital importance.
Contact Legal Services at the Department of Agriculture for more
information call 012 319 6807 or fax 012 319 6611. Magistrates, the office
of Extension Officers and Attorneys will also be able to assist.

Some AgriSETA-accredited providers like Agriskills Transfer do
training in erecting and maintaining fences. Find their details in the
Agricultural education and training chapter.
The ARC-Institute for Agricultural Engineering does evaluations
and research in fencing. Visit www.arc.agric.za or call 012 842 4017 for
more information.
South African Bureau of Standards (SABS) has laid out two
standards for galvanised wire: SANS 675 and SANS 935. Contact them
at 012 428 7911 or visit www.sabs.co.za.
The Endangered Wildlife Trust, in conjunction with the University
of the Witwatersrand commissioned a study to assess the impact
of electric fences on small animals in South Africa. The findings of the
Electric Fence Associated Mortality in South Africa Project can be
found on www.ewt.org.za.

Visit the following websites:
3. Role players
Associations
South African Wire Association
(SAWA)
Tel: 011 455 3228
www.sawa.co.za
The South African Iron and

Steel Institute
Tel: 012 307 0900
www.saisi.co.za
Both the SAWA and the Gate and

Fence Association are housed
within the Steel and Engineering
Industries Federation of South
Africa (SEIFSA). See www.seifsa.
co.za.
International Zinc Association

of Southern Africa
Tel: 083 456 4989
www.izasa.org
Wire Association International www.wirenet.org

International Zinc Association www.iza.com

Call 012 842 4017 or email iaeinfo@arc.agric.za for the publications
Plaasheinings and Farm fences, available from the ARC in Silverton.
Read about the Wire Journal International at www.wirenet.org.
Visit the websites listed earlier in this chapter.
Our thanks to Amanda Malan at SAWA for checking the draft chapter.
215
inputs
Fertigation
1. Overview
Fertilisation is the feeding of plants, while fertigation is the feeding of
plants by means of first dissolving the nutrients in the irrigation water. The
name Fertigation is a combination of the two words Fertilisation and
Irrigation.
Advantages of fertigation
uniform application of the fertilisers throughout the irrigated area
the amounts and concentrations of nutrients can be accurately
calculated and fed to the plant on a daily basis, based on the plant
needs and the climatic conditions
improving fertiliser efficiency and reducing nutrients leaching below
the root zone
saving of time and labour
increasing yield production and quality
suitable for all types of irrigation systems and growth conditions
Source: Haifa Chemicals RSA Ltd. Contact them at 021 982 0309.
2. Role players
Tel: 012 842 4000 / 17
DoseTech
Tel: 021 511 0840
www.dosetech.co.za
Dosing Systems Applications
Tel: 021 856 5374
www.dosatron.com
Dynatrade Greenhouse
Products
Tel: 011 764 5416
www.dynatrade-sa.co.za
Enviro Crop
Tel: 033 386 9384
Tel: 056 213 4618
www.rtchemicals.co.za
Ground-up Fertilisers
Tel: 072 439 0456 / 082 881 0301
Haifa Chemicals RSA Ltd
Tel: 021 982 0309
www.haifa-group.com
Hanna Instruments
Tel: 011 615 6076
www.hannainst.co.za
Kynoch Fertilizers
Tel: 011 317 2000
www.kynoch.co.za
MBF International
Tel: 082 738 0080 / 072 796 3793
orders@mbfi.co.za
www.mbfi.co.za
Metson
Tel: 011 792 8968
Enviro Crops Fertigation Range www.metson.co.za
consists of Calcium Shuttle, Top
NPK and Top Cal using the unique Omnia Specialities
shuttle translocation mechanism, Marius de Beer 083 655 0129
as well as Sodium Molybdate, www.omnia.co.za
Humates and Fulvates.
Plaaskem
Farmtek
Tel: 011 823 8000 / 19
Tel: 011 784 0595 / 072 193 3600 www.plaaskem.co.za
enquiries@crc-grp.com
Fertigation Academy
Tel: 082 808 1100
Tel: 021 808 4803
akademie@ademgasteplaas.co.za
www.sun.ac.za/agron
GreenZone
Tel: 011 868 1141
www.greenzone.co.za
Consult the Fertiliser, Speciality fertilisers and Irrigation chapters for more
role players.
216
Straight and multi-nutrient fertilisers
inputs
Fertiliser
See also the Soils, Compost and organic fertilisers, Earthworms and
vermicompost and Speciality fertilisers chapters
1. Overview
Fertilisation is a method of improving the nutritional status of the soils, and
can be tailored to provide the correct nutritional requirements at the most
appropriate time.
Fertilisers are food for plants; they contain plant nutrients (nourishing
substances), which all plants need to grow and stay healthy.
There are 13 elements which plants take from the soil. Nitrogen (N),
phosphorus (P), and potassium (K) are used in relatively large amounts.
Sulphur (S), calcium (Ca), carbon (C) and magnesium (Mg) are also
often required. Zinc (Zn), Iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), Boron (B),
copper (Cu) and Molybdenum (Mo) are other elements.
The soil provides most of the nutrients needed, and shortages can be
overcome by using carefully chosen fertilisers. It would be wasteful to
apply a nutrient if your soil already has sufficient.
In general, macro elements such as nitrogen (N), phosphate (P) and
potassium (K) are the nutrients most likely added to the soil.
Nitrogen (N)
Phosphorous (P)
Potassium (K)
Applying nitrogen (N) improves overall crop

quality. It helps plants develop the green colour
they need to take food from the sun, and to take
the necessary food from the soil. N increases the
number of branches, leaves, seeds and fruits, and
accelerates the number of plant cells in the plant. A
shortage of nitrogen will result in yellow leaves and
poor plant growth.
Adding phosphorous (P) to the soil leads to better
root development, helps with grain and seed
development. Plants are assisted to ripen early and
mature quickly.
The addition of potassium (K) to the soil improves
crop yields and quality, strengthens plants and helps
them resist drought and disease. It helps the plant
to breathe and plays a major role in the plants use
of water (stomata) and its build up of starches,
sugars, fats and protein.
Although NPK volumes are the highest, it is of utmost importance to

emphasise the necessity of all other elements too.
Magnesium (Mg)
Magnesium (Mg) helps plants to breathe and

phosphorous to get into the plant. Mg is a vital
element in photosynthesis. Too much will slow
down the plants ability to absorb potassium.
Calcium (Ca)
Calcium (Ca) forms the building blocks in plant

cells which ensure firmness, shelf life and quality
produce.
Sulphur (S)
Sulphur (S) is essential for uptake of Nitrogen

(N). S helps in leaf development and increases the
quality of grain and fruit. It is responsible for flavour
attributes in crops such as onions and garlic.
Calcium (Ca)
Calcium (Ca) strengthens plants and reduces/

neutralises toxicity in the soil.
Zinc (Zn)
Find the Zinchem entry under heading 6
Fertilisers are either straight or multi-nutrient. Straight fertilisers are

products containing one of the main plant nutrients. Some examples are
given below:
Plant nutrient
Fertiliser
Nitrogen (N)
Urea
calcium ammonium nitrate (CAN)
Limestone ammonium nitrate (LAN )
Phosphate (P)
Single superphosphate (SSP)

Triple superphosphate (TSP)
Potassium (K)
Muriate of potash (MOP)
P and K are shortened forms: P = P2O5 x 0.44 and K = K2O x 0.83

Multi-nutrient fertilisers contain more than one of the main plant nutrients.
There are figures (numbers) printed on a fertiliser bag which will give you
the ratios of plant nutrients of that fertiliser. They always follow the same
sequence. The first number is the ratio of N, the second is the ratio of P,
and the third refers to the ratio of K. Divide the figure given in the ration by
9, and then multiply it by 30. So 3.2.4. (30), for example, means that the
fertiliser contains 10% of N, 6.6% of P and 13% of K.
(The above information is taken from the Fertiliser Retailing Guide, put out
by the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations, the Fertiliser
Industry Advisory Committee, Omnia and Yara Specialities).
The Law of the minimum illustrated by barrel staves of varying lengths

representing growth-controlling factors. This is also known as Liebigs
law. The barrel story illustrates that success will be limited / handicapped
by that element which is deficient. If only one element lacks in availability
or been inadequite in supply one will not achieve optimum results.
Therefore one promotes a comprehensive nutrient programme or
balanced diet for that matter.
What is the effect of water on fertiliser in the soil?
Water dissolves the fertiliser. The nutrients are carried by the soil water to
the roots of the plant. If there is not enough water in the soil, the nutrients
cannot reach the roots of the plant, nor can they be absorbed by the plant.
Can a farmer apply too much fertiliser?
Excessive fertiliser use can damage crops and reduce yields. It contributes
to pollution of soil and ground water. Apart from also being a waste of
money, it damages the overall image of agriculture when it comes to looking
after the environment.
How do I know how much fertiliser to apply?
This depends on soil and crop. Clay soil, for example, requires a totally
different application to sandy soil. If you want to know what fertiliser you
need and how much to apply to your soil, take a soil sample from your
land or a leaf sample from one of your crop plants and have it tested at an
agricultural laboratory or a place where soil can be analysed to show which
nutrients are lacking. These places can give a fertiliser recommendation.
Soil analyses cost under R150 per sample. This money will be well spent
because it can save you thousands later.
When is the time to apply fertiliser?
If fertiliser is applied at the wrong time, the yields will be lower and the
farmer will make less money. The basal dressing should generally be
applied at planting, and the top dressing should usually be completed
before the plant flowers.
217
2. Best Fertiliser Practice

Fertiliser need
Over fertilising or under fertilising will affect your profit too much will
increase your costs and be bad for the environment; not putting enough
fertiliser on will decrease the yield and thus your income. Two factors will
assist you:
A soil analysis is crucial. Take a soil sample, representative of the field
(dont just take the sample from one place). The interpretation of the
analysis must be soil and crop specific.
Determine the target yield.
Liming
Liming must by no means be neglected. Too much acid in the soil:
decreases the availability of phosphorus
inhibits the efficient uptake and use of both water and fertilizer
renders applied herbicides insufficient
suppresses the effectivity of micro-organisms in the soil
Under highly acidic conditions it can, from an economic point of view, even
be more beneficial to lime instead of increasing the fertiliser application
rate.
Biological life
The biological life in the soil was neglected in the past. The value of microorganisms in soil mustnt be underestimated. The positive influence of a
well balanced, healthy microorganism population on the availability of plant
nutrients has been well proven. Experts are available to advise farmers
accordingly.
Do not neglect the biological life in the soil. A healthy micro-organism
population make more plant nutrients available a great benefit. Experts
are available to advise you.
Product choice
Compare the pros and cons of the different products. More concentrated
products can reduce costs (there is less to transport), but in general do not
contain the same amount of secondary elements.

The presidents Report on www.fssa.org.za covers the international fertiliser market,
the world economy and Sub-Saharan Africa matters. Find also the Statistics
menu option, which includes International Price Trends of Some Fertilizers and
Raw Materials.
The South African industrys margins are determined largely by world

market prices of major raw materials, while domestic prices are primarily
driven by import parity cost of commonly traded fertiliser commodities.
The main fertiliser consumers in Africa include Egypt (30%), South Africa
(23%) and Morocco (9%). Total fertiliser consumption in sub-Saharan
countries is approximately 1% of the world fertiliser consumption. On
average these farmers use 8-10 kg/ha of nutrients which is only 10% of the
world average. More nutrients are removed from the soil annually, mainly
through harvesting of crops, than are being returned to the soil.
Through its programme for the revitalisation of the agricultural sector in
Africa the Comprehensive Africa Agricultural Development Programme
(CAADP) NEPAD has set a target of 6% annual average growth rate in
agriculture at the national level by 2015. In order to stimulate the increase
in productivity necessary to achieve this target, farmers in Africa will have
to use substantial amounts of fertilisers (both organic and inorganic) to
increase yields.
Read about the Abuja Declaration on Fertilisers for an African Green Revolution at
www.caadp.net and www.africafertilizer.org.
View the following websites:

www.agindustries.org.uk Agricultural Industries Confederation (UK)
www.efma.org European Fertiliser Manufacturers
www.ifdc.org International Fertiliser Development Centre
www.fertilizer.org International Fertiliser Association
www.ipipotash.org International Potash Institute
www.ipni.net International Plant Nutrition Institute
www.fertiliser-society.org The International Fertiliser Society
www.sulphurinstitute.org The Sulphur Institute
Application
Although band placement of fertiliser is generally the most effective, there is
a place and time for broadcast application and foliar sprays. The method of
fertiliser application has a definite effect on fertiliser efficiency.
Precision farming
This ensures that the whole field is fertilised according to the soil analysis and
expected yield. Money is saved, yields are increased and risk is reduced.
The Presidents Report on www.fssa.org.za covers domestic fertiliser and agricultural

lime markets, and local industry matters. Find also the statistics menu option.
FERTILISER CONSUMPTION IN SOUTH AFRICA

(Metric Tonnes)
Year
Physical
Total
Conc
2000*
2 011 701
415 933
81 602
114 022
611 557
30.4
2001*
1 948 278
395813
90 842
105 013
591 668
30.4
2002*
2 301 043
481759
100 898
135 439
718 096
31.2
2003*
2 020 100
420827
87 593
106 641
615 061
30.4
2004*
2 137 054
427571
99 440
121 490
648 501
30.3
2005*
1 654 996
3472601
69 587
96 995
513 842
31.0
Taking regular plant sap samples will help you to address nutrient deficiencies
in time. They will also prevent unnecessary fertiliser being applied.
2006*
2 072 877
428 719
88 913
126 963
644 595
31.1
2007*
2 013 708
439 480
83 996
113 634
637 110
31.6
Source: adapted from the article Best Fertilizer Practices which appeared in
Volume 14 of The FarmAfrica
2008
1 862 487
424 123
80 728
92 487
597 338
32.1
2009
1 858 454
414 304
78 795
92 320
585 419
31.5
2010
1 728 362
398 192
70 828
88 299
557 319
32.2
Water use
Determine the water content of every field. If there is not enough, then
plant less or dont plant at all. Effective weed control is important since
water and plant nutrients are consumed by weeds. Effective soil cultivation
allows more water (and fertiliser) to infiltrate the soil.
Plant sap analysis
* Including estimated non-member imports

Source: FSSA
Foskor
225
The industry supplies around 2 million tons of fertiliser products to the local
market annually at a value of around R10 billion. In South Africa the maize
industry consumes almost 40% of all fertilisers and the market, therefore,
is much influenced by what happens to this industry.
Negatives for the fertiliser industry include a land reform policy where it
takes some time for new farmers to be fully established as commercial
farmers, and if farmers were discouraged from planting maize and went
instead for crops which use less fertiliser than maize. The emergence of a
biofuel industry would be a positive for the industry as the crop demand
would impact favourably on the need for fertiliser.
Agricultural lime
Aglime information can be found on the Fertiliser Society of South Africas
website www.fssa.org.za
Cape Lime
Tel: 027 213 3090
www.capelime.co.za
Grasland Ondernemings
Tel: 018 632 6046
www.grasland.co.za
Agricultural lime producer
Find Feeds, Stock Remedies, Pesticides and Fertilizers under the Divisions menu
option at www.daff.gov.za, website of the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and
Fisheries (DAFF)
The Fertilisers, Farm Feeds, Agricultural Remedies And Stock Remedies Act,
1947 (Act No. 36 of 1947) provides for:
the appointment of a Registrar of Fertilisers, Farm Feeds, Agricultural
Remedies and Stock Remedies;
the registration of fertilisers, farm feeds, agricultural remedies, stock
remedies, sterilising plants and pest control operators;
to regulate or prohibit the importation, sale, acquisition, disposal or use
of fertilisers, farm feeds, agricultural remedies and stock remedies;
the designation of technical advisers and analysts.
The Main provisions of Act No 36 of 1947 are: Control over the registration
of fertilisers, farm feeds, agricultural remedies, stock remedies, sterilising
plants and pest control operators; to regulate or prohibit the importation,
sale, acquisition or disposal of these inputs. This Act applies where a person
imports, sells, acquires or disposes the mentioned articles. It is therefore
advisable to be aware of these requirements. Always buy from reputable
suppliers.
If promulgated as an Act, the Fertilizers and Feeds Bill [B41-2012] Bill, will
in effect replace parts of Act 36 0f 1947.
6. Role players
Associations
Fertilizer Society of South Africa (FSSA)
Tel: 012 349 1450
Fax: 012 349 1463
general@fssa.org.za
www.fssa.org.za
The FSSA, a non-profit Article 21 company, represents the interests of the
fertiliser and aglime industries in South Africa.
The FSSA:
actively promotes the agro-economic and environmentally accountable
fertiliser and aglime practices;
develops a positive public awareness and acceptance of the need for
fertiliser and aglime use in food production;
improves the operating environment within which its constituent
industries operate in a spirit of free enterprise and fair trade;
assimilates, adds value to and disseminates fertiliser and aglime related
information;
provides a discussion forum for its members and other parties on all
aspects relating to fertiliser and aglime distribution, agronomic advice
and product quality.
National Plant Food / Organic
Fertiliser Association of SA
Tel: 031 782 3105
gromor@iafrica.com
International Zinc Association

of Southern Africa (IZASA)
Tel: 083 456 4989
www.izasa.org
H Pistorius & Company

Tel: 012 342 1075
www.kalk.co.za
Agricultural lime producer
Landbou Kalk see H Pistorius &

Company
Plaaslike Boeredienste (Pty) Ltd
Tel: 016 986 0691
www.pbd.co.za
P&B Lime Works
Tel: 028 424 1157
www.pandblime.co.za
SA Lime & Gypsum
Tel: 0860 103 515
www.sakg.co.za
Kalkor (Pty) Ltd

Tel: 011 721 3141
Agricultural lime trader
Companies: mineral fertilisers

Agriman (Pty) Ltd
Tel: 012 997 2365
Clariant Southern Africa
Tel: 011 471 7220
www.clariant.com
Suppliers of fertiliser additives
(i.e. anticaking; wetting, dedusting
agents; defoamers; water-repellent
and granulation agents)
Farmsecure Holdings (Pty) Ltd
see Kynoch Fertilizers
Foskor (Pty) Ltd
Tel: 011 347 0600
Tel: 015 789 2000
Tel: 035 902 3111
www.foskor.co.za
Kynoch operates warehouse,

import and blending facilities
in all the major ports in the
Southern Africa Region and a
number of inland locations.
Farmers are serviced by a large
sales, agronomic, horticultural
and technical support team.
The Kynoch brand has been
part of agriculture in Southern
Africa for more than 100 years.
In 2010, Kynoch became
a member of Farmsecure
Technologies, a cluster of
farm input and technological
businesses in the Farmsecure
Group.
Mgwali Commodities (Pty) Ltd
Tel: 011 315 7977 Ext 219
Producers of enriched rock Fertiliser trader

phosphate,
phosphoric
acid,
Miochem International
sulphuric acid, MAP and DAP
Tel: 031 777 1245
Industrial Commodities
Trader in DAP and MAP
Holdings (Pty) Limited
Tel: 011 880 5200
NWK Ltd
www.ich.co.za
Tel: 018 633 1000
www.nwk.co.za
Intshona Group of Companies
Tel: 021 852 1660
Omnia Nutriology
www.intshona.com
Tel: 011 709 8778
www.omnia.co.za
Kynoch Fertilizer
Tel: 011 317 2000
With an ever-expanding base of
www.kynoch.co.za
new technologies and specialist
www.farmsecure.co.za
application expertise, Omnias
Kynoch Fertilizer is a leading agricultural businesses are at the
importer, blender and retailer forefront of the growing specialism
of a complete range of granular, in farming.
liquid and speciality fertilisers
in Southern Africa (including The Specialities product range is
South Africa, Mozambique, being exported to 18 countries
Malawi,
Zimbabwe
and including Australasia and various
South American countries.
Zambia).
226
PBD Boeredienste (Pty) Ltd

Tel: 016 986 0691
www.pbd.co.za
Blend and sell fertiliser
Profert
Tel: 018 293 3530
www.profert.co.za
A fertiliser blender, Profert is
represented by marketing agents
country-wide and maintains good
relations with all agricultural
companies and agricultural co-ops.
Sasol Nitro
Tel: 011 344 2400
www.sasol.com
Sasol Nitro supplies limestone
ammonium
nitrate
(LAN),
ammonium sulphate and a
comprehensive range of ammonium
nitrate and ammonium sulphate
based liquid and granular NPK
fertiliser blends.
its agronomists to do fertiliser

application
recommendations
based on proven best practices and
scientific research conducted both
in South Africa and abroad. The
programme is able to import soil
analysis performed by recognised
laboratories in South Africa.
Zinchem
Tel: 011 746 5000 / 58
Fax: 011 421 2235
www.zinchem.co.za
Fertilizer for the Farm
Crops are generally low in Zinc
particularly when grown on Zinc
deficient soils. Close to 50% of
the world cereal soils are deficient
in Zinc and it is estimated that one
third of the worlds population is at
risk of Zinc deficiency which can lead
to health problems including poor
immune response and impaired
growth and development.
Zinchem, a registered ISO

Sasol Nitro has developed a 9001:2000 company, is a leading
comprehensive scientific model, supplier of Zinc products to
agriculture in Southern Africa.
trade name FertEx, used by
Biostimulants
Biostimulants are not fertilisers per se but root stimulants which increase nutrient
uptake. See the Speciality fertilisers chapter for a full list of role players.
Kelpak
Tel: 021 786 2090
www.kelpak.com
Metson
Tel: 011 792 8968
www.metson.co.za
MBF International
Tel: 082 738 0080 / 072 796 3793
www.mbfi.co.za
Stimuplant
Tel: 012 802 0940 / 4009
www.stimuplant.co.za
Organic fertilisers
See the Compost and compost tea and Earthworms and vermicompost chapters
for a complete list. The biostimulants (previous sub-heading) in most cases are
permitted for organic and/or biological farming.
Eco-Fert
Tel: 086 100 5051
www.eco-fert.co.za
Eco-Fert products are registered according to South African Law 36/1947
and as organic product (SGS registration) qualify as fertiliser for first world
export crops.

A fertiliser advisors training course, administered by the FSSA, is aimed
at improving the skills of fertiliser advisors. Candidates are drawn
from private sector, government, agri-business and co-operatives in
South Africa and from neighbouring countries. Contact Gisela Deysel
by calling 076 672 3793; by faxing 086 660 2088 or by emailing
gisela@basos.co.za.
AGFACTS collects, analyses and presents retail sales information on
the South African fertiliser and agricultural lime industries on behalf of
the Fertiliser Society of South Africa. www.agfacts.co.za
The Department of Soil, Crop and Climate Sciences at the University
of the Free State. Call 051 401 2212 or find their pages at www.ufs.
ac.za.
227
The Unit for Environmental Sciences and Management at North-West

University in Potchefstroom. Call PW van Deventer at 018 285 2267
or write to him at 10058591@nwu.ac.za.
Fertiliser companies conduct in-house training and research within
their own Research and Development departments.
The Agricultural Research Council institutes periodically do
fertiliser-related research.
Other role players

DFM Software
Tel: 021 904 1154
NviroTek Labs
Tel: 082 885 8699
www.nviroteklabs.co.za
Software to identify fertiliser needs Independent analysis of soil, water,

and effectiveness
plants, fertiliser, lime and feed
Electrolee
Tel: 012 347 9933
www.electrolee.co.za
Optimise your fertilising practices

Visit the websites listed earlier in this chapter
The following publications are available from the FSSA:
Fertilizer Handbook (also available in Afrikaans). This is a hard cover
handbook that has primarily been written for the use of persons who
are involved in some way or another in a fertiliser advisory capacity.
It is not intended to be a complete technical handbook, but rather a
concise presentation covering a wide range of topics. For this reason,
interested farmers and students will also find it to be a useful guide. It
is prescribed as part of the agricultural curriculum at some universities
and universities of technology in South Africa.
Deficiency Symptoms in Maize. A4-size colour pamphlet depicting the
deficiency symptoms in maize.
Plantfood & Fertilizers. Illustrated publications for the emerging farmer.
A4-size, in ring-binder format.
Soil Acidity and Agricultural Lime (also available in Afrikaans). This
brochure contains the two chapter Soil acidity and Agricultural lime
which appear in the Fertilizer Handbook. This brochure is intended as a
general guide for agronomists and farmers alike who have a common
purpose in sound liming
Soil Fertility. Illustrated publications for the emerging farmer. A4-size, in
ring-binder format.
FSSA Journal a publication containing the proceedings of the FSSA
annual congress
The Proceedings of previous Symposiums

Visit www.kejafa.co.za or call 011 0254 388 for the following publications:
Bemesting Fertilizer
Sea Energy Agriculture
Fertility from the ocean deep
Fertilizer Handbook
Find the Value chain study of the fertiliser industry at www.namc.co.za (take
the Published reports option).
Find the Info Paks on www.daff.gov.za (take the publications menu) that
deal with soil. These include Soil: acid soil and lime and Soil: application
of lime.
The information under the opening heading of the chapter was taken from the
Fertiliser Retailing Guide, put out by the Food and Agriculture Organisation
of the United Nations, the Fertiliser Industry Advisory Committee; Farmers
Weekly 2 July 2010 page 60; and also from information supplied by Omnia and
Kynoch.
Our thanks to the FSSA for providing feedback on the draft chapter
inputs
Fleet maintenance and spare parts
1. Overview
The correct servicing and maintenance of agricultural machinery is
vital, considering the conditions under which they operate.
Keep up to date with the latest developments and new implements
and new technology (more bearings fail from over greasing than under
greasing!)
Keep work shops clean and dust free.
Remove chain from implements during off-season and lubricate.
Source: Bearings International
2. Role players
Associations
Diesel and Gas Engine Association of Southern Africa (DAGEASA)
c/o Agfacts
Tel: 011 453 7249
www.agfacts.co.za
Companies involved
Your local agribusiness / co-operative e.g. AFRGI, Kaap Agri, Suidwes, OVK etc.
ADEPART see Barloworld Power Perkins

Africa Truck Parts & Wheels are specialists in truck parts especially
for European heavy duty vehicles Hella, Jonesco, TBP, Valeo, DTP
etc. See advert below.
Afintapart www.afintapart.co.za
Agrinet Tel: 011 657 2000 www.agrinet.co.za
AL-KO Trailco Tel: 016 421 4791/2/3 www.alko.co.za
Automotive Equipment International (AEI) Tel: 011 474 7480
www.aei.co.za
Barloworld Power Perkins Tel: 011 898 0450 www.bwep.co.za
Bearings International Tel: 011 899 0000 / 083 250 9191 www.
bearings.co.za
Bearing Man Group (BMG) Tel: 031 576 6200 www.bmgworld.net
228
Bearing Services Africa Tel: 011 397 6384 www.bearingservices.

co.za
Bepco Tractor Parts Tel: 011 397 0760 www.bepco.co.za
Bolt & Engineering Distributors Tel: 018 469 4218 www.bolteng.
co.za
BPW Axles Tel: 011 681 3300 www.bpw.co.za
Burquip International Tel: 031 792 1020 www.burquip.co.za
Cargo Crankshaft Rebuilding Tel: 011 873 6685 www.cargocranks
haftrebuilding.co.za
Components for Africa Tel: 011 953 4580/1 www.componentsforafrica.
com
Craft Hydraulic Services Tel: 057 355 2215
Deutz Dieselpower www.deutz.co.za (branch details on the
website)
Discount Group Tel: 013 665 1052 / 5070 www.discountused.co.za
Donaldson Filtration Systems (Pty) Ltd is the industry leader in
ambient air-, fuel-, lube, compressed air- and gas turbine filtration. Air/
oil separators, mist eliminators, industrial hydraulics, bulk fuel filtration,
accessories, bag filters, service and turnkey projects. Visit www.
donaldson.co.za or give 011 997 6000 a call.
Dozer Parts Tel: 011 452 1224 www.dozer.co.za (Caterpillar
components, spare parts etc.)
Ehd Tel: 011 870 5000 www.ehd.co.za (diesel engine parts)
Electromechanica is a supplier of industrial automation, electrical and
switchgear products and services. Visit www.em.co.za.
Equipment Parts & Engines Tel: 011 571 9000 www.equipmentparts.
co.za
Ernest H Johnson Tel: 011 613 8711 www.ehj.co.za
GBS Gearbox Services Tel: 018 464 1024
Gasket Centre Tel: 016 455 1381
Go Axels & Suspensions Tel: 011 864 1503
Hans Afrique Tel: 012 993 4776 www.hansafrique.co.za
H & H Gear Rebuilders Tel: 011 823 5058
Heads Tractor Tel: 012 379 8881 www.headstractor.co.za
Hydracor Hydraulics Tel: 011 397 1280
Hyflo www.hyflo.co.za
Inttrac Trading CC Tel: 016 365 5799
JHB Tractor Spares Tel: 011 677 2100 www.jhbtractorspares.co.za
(replacement parts for FORD, FIAT and NEW HOLLAND tractors).
MATO Products Tel: 011 923 6000 (grease pumps)
Macparts Tel: 031 702 4642 / 082 652 5223 macparts@mweb.co.za
Megnetto Wheels Tel: 041 404 5298
McGyvers Spares and Repairs Tel: 056 212 1419 (for Caterpillars)
Metal Events Tel: 086 163 8368 www.metalevents.co.za (Spare parts
for agricultural implements)
New Way Motor & Diesel Engineering Tel: 011 680 5632 www.
newway.co.za
Partmaster t/a Partrite Tel: 058 307 6500 www.partrite.co.za
Perkins see Barloworld Power Perkins
QSV Motor Spares Tel: 011 220 1000 www.qsv.co.za
Reapers Agricultural Supplies Tel: 033 394 6301 www.reapers.co.za
(Landini and McCormick tractors provide servicing and spares)
Saaymans Springs and Industrial Coils & Engineering Tel: 021
946 3175 www.saaymansspringworks.co.za (all types of springs)
Serco Tel: 031 508 1000 www.serco.co.za

Software Farm Tel: 012 365 2683 www.softwarefarm.co.za (vehicle
Cost Control software)
Terraquip (Pty) Ltd Tel: 011 914 3648 (John Deere and Kubota
spares)
Truck Division Tel: 018 462 4824 (the repair and rebuilding of all truck
gearboxes, repairs to prop shafts etc)
Truck Spare Parts (TSP) Tel: 011 398 1700 www.espa.co.za
UniPART Tel: 011 621 7000 www.hdc.co.za
Van Zyls Staalwerke Tel: 058 863 2452 http://vanzylstaal.co.za
VARIQUIP Tel: 033 345 8084 www.variquip.co.za
Vesconite Tel: 011 616 1111 www.vesconite.com
Vitamech Tel: 021 907 8000 www.vitamech.co.za
Western Tel: 018 632 2150 www.western1.co.za
inputs
Forklifts
If you think about it, to operate a forklift or other lifting equipment is more
complicated than driving a car, yet most would pale at the thought of the
operator of their forklift moving their car for them!
Think, on the farm, how dust can affect the machines that are not cared
for properly. How, during the season, you are in a real hurry to get trucks
loaded and out to market. Surely you want this to happen smoothly. I use a
fan belt as an example. Surely it is quicker to change a worn fan belt before
it breaks, than to hold up a vehicle for loading while you go to town, get
a fan belt (if there is one in stock) and then have to change it. Hopefully
your engine has not seized because the operator, in a hurry, did not see his
generator light come on on the dashboard (if the generator light is working
that is!)
We strongly recommend that all supervisors, and in fact anyone who has
authority over the forklift operators, attends a forklift management seminar
to ensure that they know what to expect of their operators and know
how to keep them in line. If they do not do this, the money they spend
on the training is really the equivalent of buying a licence which so many
companies wish they could do!
Save money: have your forklift operators and their managers trained by a
reputable training company.
Source: Des Fell, Accredited Training. Write to him at info@accreditedtraining.
co.za
Role players
A Square Forklift Tel: 011 900 1777 www.forklift.co.za
Accredited Training Tel: 021 851 8656 info@accreditedtraining.co.za
www.accreditedtraining.co.za
AVIS Rent-a-forklift Tel: 011 397 1784 www.avisforklift.co.za
DDL Equipment Tel: 011 443 4233 www.ddl.co.za
East Coast Forklifts Tel: 031 709 0371 www.eastcoastforklifts.co.za
The Forkman Tel: 012 804 2383 www.forkman.co.za
Liftpart Agencies Tel: 021 531 7225 www.liftpart.co.za
LMI Academy Tel: 011 475 5876 www.lmi-academy.co.za
Machine Tool Mecc Tel: 011 894 7160/7084 www.jacsa.co.za
Manitou Tel: 011 975 7770 www.manitou.co.za
Masslift Africa Tel: 011 786 8524 www.mitsubishiforklifts.co.za
Quali Prod Tel: 0861 782547 www.qualiprod.co.za
Rovic & Leers Tel: 021 907 1700 www.rovicleers.co.za
Shamrock Handling Concepts Tel: 011 659 1444 www.
shamrockhandling.co.za
Shukela Training Centre Tel: 031 508 7700 www.sugar.org.za
Toyota forklifts Tel: 011 395 0600 www.toyotaforklift.co.za
229
inputs
Fuels and lubricants
1. Overview
The price of fuel has everything to do with the profitability of a farming
operation, and increases play havoc with the farmers budget, to say nothing
about the knock-on effects across the economy.
Farmers should be aware of the diesel rebate requirements (find more
under the Websites and publications heading).
Numerous booklets and websites offer fuel-saving tips, and agricultural
operations need to implement as many of these as possible. These include
servicing vehicles regularly, installing filtration on bulk oil and diesel systems
(see heading 3), and using alternative energy where feasible.
2. Diesel and winter

Diesel is not like water, which is a simple mixture which freezes at a single
temperature. Some elements in diesel freeze earlier than others and
become waxy. These crystals turn the diesel cloudy, block the fuel filter and
make it difficult to pump the diesel to the engine. Some companies include
an additive to help this.
There are also other steps you can take:
Make sure the fuel tanks are sheltered or located underground.
Try to garage vehicles overnight or park them in a sheltered position.
Ensure that there is no water in your tank; that any remaining summer
diesel has been used up before winter starts (order your diesel in
time!)
With Donaldsons full range of pre-cleaners you can extend the life of your
air filter by removing up to 90% of the dirt and contaminants before it
reaches the filter. The pre-cleaners are designed especially for equipment
operating in very heavy dust and debris environments such as agricultural
and construction vehicles and mining equipment.
The Donaspin and TopSpin are self-cleaning and require no
maintenance. They also offer a lower restriction which means:
your engine breathes easier
you can reduce air filter element usage
you will have lower costs per operating hour
Source: Donaldson Filtration Systems Pty (Ltd). Contact 011 997 6000 or visit
www.donaldson.co.za.
4. Frequently Asked Questions

What kind of engine oil should I use in my farm equipment?
The equipment owner should always select and use oil that at least meets
the minimum API Engine Service Classification recommended by the engine
manufacturer. Most gasoline engines require motor oils designated API
Service SG or better. Farm diesel engines require oils designated API
Service CF-4 or better.
What do you mean by API Engine Service Classification system?
This system, developed by the American Petroleum Institute, provides
a guide for the selection of crankcase oils suitable for various service
conditions. It classifies general ranges of engine service needs based upon:
engine design and construction
lubricating oil
operating conditions
maintenance practices
fuel characteristics
But remember: not all cold starting problems in winter are caused by fuel.
Before winter starts, ensure that your fuel filters are clean, and are replaced
according to the manufacturers schedule. Above all, make sure you are
using a winter grade lubricant.
Heres how it works. Each service class is designated by letters, the first
letter being S for petrol and C for diesel engines. The higher the second
letter the higher the performance level of the oil. This provides a convenient
means for the engine manufacturer to indicate the service characteristics of
his various engine designs and hence their lubrication requirements.
Source: SHELL
Do the SAE numbers define oil quality?
3. Installing filtration on bulk oil and diesel

systems
No. The SAE numbers refer to the viscosity of oil only, as defined in the
SAE Crankcase Oil Viscosity Classification. Viscosity is a measure of the
resistance to flow, or you might say it is the body or thickness of
the oil. A poor quality oil can have the same SAE viscosity classification as
a good oil.
Proper filtration:
reduces downtime and resultant loss of production
reduces component repair and replacement
reduces fluid replacement and disposal costs
reduces total cost of ownership
Filtration on bulk oil and diesel systems prevents the ingression of solid
particulate matter into equipment when filling or topping up oil or fuel tanks.
Over 70% of system failures are the direct result of poor fluid condition or
management.
How is multi-viscosity oil different from a single viscosity oil?

A multi-grade oil is one which meets an SAE viscosity requirement at both
0oC and 100oC. It does not thin out as much when heated or thicken up as
much when cooled as a single viscosity oil. For example, SAE 15W-40 oils
meet cold cranking requirements of SAE 15W at 0oC and high temperature
viscosity requirements of SAE 40 at 100oC. Thus, a multi-grade oil stretches
the usable temperature range. It provides easier cold-weather starting,
quicker, more efficient lubrication, reduced engine wear, and better fuel
economy.
In addition to prolonged component life, cleaner diesel gives other benefits,

including improved fuel consumption and reduced service costs.
How often should I change engine oil in my tractor?
Source: Donaldson Filtration Solutions
If your tractor is in A-1 mechanical condition, operating on the recommended

type crankcase oil, and under normal operating conditions, follow
230
instructions in the owners manual. If any of the conditions vary greatly, the
drain period should be reduced accordingly.
Does oil actually wear out?
The functions of the engine oil are to lubricate, cool, seal and clean. When
an oil loses its ability to perform any of these functions, it is worn out.
Contamination of oil occurs in all engines. The contaminants are unburned
and partially burned fuel; fuel combustion products, including water; dirt and
dust. These contaminants eventually destroy the oils capability to function
efficiently. Oil should be drained before it reaches this condition. Engines
will run better longer, when the oil is changed as recommended.
How effective are oil filters, and how often should they be
changed?
Oil filters should be serviced in accordance with instructions contained in
the service manual. When properly serviced, they do an effective job of
removing the larger solid particles contaminating the oil, thereby reducing
wear and increasing engine life. Oil filters cannot, however, remove the
need for changing the oil at proper intervals.
What can cause one oil to become excessively thick as compared to
another when both are used at the same operating temperatures
and loads?
Excessive thickening of lubricating oil in service is associated with the
amount of contaminants it contains and how much the oil has oxidized. For
example, solid contaminants such as finely dispersed carbon in diesel engine
oils can cause severe thickening. The thickening of crankcase oil in service is
generally associated with infrequent oil drain practices.
What causes a crankcase oil to become discoloured?
Many engine oils are naturally dark in colour even before use because of their
additive content. Further darkening of engine oils is normal in use. Marked
changes in colour are caused by even minor amounts of contaminants.
Dispersed carbon (fuel soot) causes diesel oils to become extremely dark
very rapidly. Combustion residues from the antiknock additive in gasoline
can cause a grey appearance. Water can cause a cloudy or emulsified
appearance.
What causes crankcase oils to thin out?
The most common cause of motor oil thinning out is an excessive amount of
unburned fuel entering the crankcase. This can be a warning of a mechanical
problem unrelated to the lubricant.
What are API Gear Lubricant Service Classifications and what do they
mean?
API Service GL-1 describes a service which can be satisfied with a straight
mineral lubricant.
API Service GL-2 describes a service which can be satisfied with a rear
axle worm gear lubricants. (Seldom used in farm equipment)
API Service GL-3 describes a service which can be satisfied with a mild
EP (extreme pressure) lubricant.
API Service GL-4 describes a service which can be satisfied with a
multipurpose-type gear lubricant generally regarded as one meeting
the requirements of formed Military Specification MIL-L-2105.
API Service GL-5 describes a service which can be satisfied with a
multipurpose-type gear lubricant generally regarded as one meeting
the requirements of Military Specification MIL-L-21058.
What makes hydraulic fluid foam?
Generally, this is caused by contaminants e.g. dirt or water. Also, a common
cause is aeration, caused from an air leak into the hydraulic system.
Is the proper storage and handling of fuels and lubricants really as
important as some oil company representatives indicate?
Yes! The source of many fuel and oil complaints is right at the fuel storage
tank or oil drum, after delivery has been made to the consumer. Great
care should be taken to keep water and other contaminants out of fuels
and lubricants by storing drums under cover or on their sides to prevent
rainwater from entering through the bung, by keeping fuel tanks filled to
prevent moisture accumulation from condensation, and by keeping lubricant
containers tightly closed when not in use.
Safety must also be considered in handling light petroleum products, fuel oil,
diesel fuel, kerosene and gasoline. Mishandling and carelessness in handling
these products are fire and explosion hazards. Never allow gasoline to
mix with other products because it is a most volatile material. Only a small
quantity of gasoline in diesel fuel or kerosene will lower the flash point and
cause a serious safety hazard.
Does an oil lose its effectiveness in storage?
No, providing it is properly stored and contamination does not occur.
Source: ENGEN
A 20 year Liquid Fuel Infrastructure Plan is being finalised.
The government department relevant to this chapter is the Department

of Energy. The Contact Us/Regional Offices link on www.energy.gov.za
will give you provincial contact numbers. The national telephone number is
012 317 9000.
The National Energy Regulator (NERSA) has a mandate is to regulate
the petroleum pipeline industries in terms of the Petroleum Pipelines Act,
2003 (Act No. 60 of 2003). Visit www.nersa.org.za.
The CEF Group of Companies
www.cef.org.za
CEF is a private company, incorporated in terms of the Companies Act, and
is governed by the CEF Act. It manages the operation and development of
the oil and gas assets and operations of the South African government. Find
contact details for and information on the following at www.cef.org.za:
PetroSA
iGas
Petroleum Agency SA
Oil Pollution Control SA (OPC SA)
South African National Energy Research Institute (Saneri)
The National Energy Efficiency Agency (NEEA)
The Strategic Fuel Fund Association (SFF)
Energy Development Corporation (EDC)
The petrol price in South Africa is linked to the price of crude oil in
international markets and is quoted in US dollars (US$) per barrel.
International petrol prices are essentially driven by supply and demand for
product in a particular market. Crude oil prices combined with the Rand/
Dollar exchange rate therefore have a major impact on petrol prices.
A crude-oil refinerys biggest input cost is crude oil. In order for a refinery
to make a profit, the price for the product manufactured from crude oil has
to be higher than that of the crude oil price. When crude oil prices increase
- as they have over the past months the petrol price has to increase so that
crude oil refineries are able to cover their own costs.
Also incorporated into the retail price for fuel is the contribution to taxes
and levies by government and relevant regulatory authorities, like the Fuel
levy, Customs & excise duty, Road Accident Fund levy, Petroleum Products
levy, Transport Recovery levy and the Demand Side Management levy.
A fuel-tax rebate exists for VAT registered farmers, who can claim money
back on their diesel purchases. Find the Diesel Refund Guide on www.sars.
gov.za.
232
South African Bureau of Standards (SABS)

Tel: 012 428 7911
www.sabs.co.za
The diesel standard (specification), SANS 342, like all national standards
developed by Standards South Africa the standards-generating division
of the SABS was developed through consensus by a national technical
committee consisting of stakeholders in the field.
Find the Discussion Document on the review of Fuel Specifications and
Standards for South Africa at www.energy.gov.za.
Fleet operators can buy clean fuel and lubricants only to find that it
becomes contaminated during bulk storage as well as in machinery and
vehicle tanks. Donaldson Filtration Systems has developed bulk fuel
filtration solutions that are well suited to African conditions. Call either
011 997 6000, 021 530 2900 and visit www.donaldson.co.za.
Engen Petroleum Tel: 021 403 4911 www.engen.co.za
- Lubricants Switchboard Tel: 031 250 2911
- Agriculture Sales Manager Tel: 082 801 4709
- Customer call centre Tel: 08600 36436
Central, North West & Northern Cape Region, Willie Coetzer 083 305
1853 willie.coetzer@engenoil.com
6. Role players
Associations
Fuel Retailers Association Tel: 011 886 2664 www.fuelretailers.
co.za
National Petroleum Employers Association Tel: 011 498 7683
NORA SA (National Oil Recycling Association) Tel: 021 448 7492
www.norasa.co.za
Paraffin Safety Association Tel: 021 671 5767 www.paraffinsafety.
org
ROSE Foundation (Recycling Oil Saves the Environment) Tel: 021 448
7492 www.rosefoundation.org.za
The South African Petroleum Industry Association (SAPIA)
aims to represent the common interests of the petroleum refining and
marketing industry in South Africa and to promote understanding of
the industrys contribution to economic and social progress with all
stakeholders. Visit www.sapia.co.za or call 011 783 7664.
The South African Supplier Development Agency (SASDA)
matches emerging companies in the historically disadvantaged
communities with the major oil companies in areas of preferential
procurement. Visit www.sasda.co.za or phone them at 010 201 4700.

The Central Energy Fund (CEF) is the South African governments
holding company in the petroleum industry. CEF is mandated by the
state to engage in the acquisition, exploitation, generation, manufacture,
marketing and distribution of energy from and to engage in research
relating to the energy sector. Take a look at www.cef.org.za or phone
010 201 4700.
The Energy Development and Research Centre (EDRC) at the
University of Cape Town is a role player.
The Sector Education and Training Authority (SETA) for petroleum
companies is ESETA. Contact them for accredited trainers, or visit
www.eseta.org.za.
The R36-million PetroSA Synthetic Fuels Innovation Centre (PFSIC)
the countrys first academic facility offering research on improving
the quality of diesel was opened at the South African Institute for
Advanced Materials Chemistry at the University of the Western
Cape in 2012. Call 021 959 3080 or visit www.uwc.ac.za.
Companies
Blue Chip Lubricants Tel: 011 462 1829 www.bcl.co.za
BP Southern Africa Tel: 021 408 2911 www.bpsa.co.za
Bulperd Tel: 082 414 2569 www.bulperd.co.za (diesel carts for the
farm)
C&N Petroleum Equipment also supplies farmtank systems and
equipment (find the Agricultural option on the website). Phone 011
397 8416/7 and see www.candnpetro.com.
Chevron South Africa (Pty) Ltd markets its products in South Africa
under the Caltex brand. Visit www.caltex.co.za.
Free State and parts of Eastern Cape, Callie Kotze 073 334 6955 / 051
503 7013 callie.kotze@engenoil.com
KwaZulu-Natal and Swaziland, Lucas Ndlovo 082 736 8858 Lucas.
Ndlovu@engenoil.com
Fluid Controls Trading Tel: 011 839 2836/7 www.fluidcontrols.co.za
Fuchs Lubricants SA Tel: 011 565 9600 www.fuchsoil.co.za
Ictus Equipment Tel: 011 824 2941 www.ictus.co.za
Innovative Technical Solutions Tel: 031 766 1976 www.dieselguard.
co.za
Intshona Group of Companies Tel: 021 852 1660 www.intshona.
com (There are links for each of these products on the website:
pneumatic & handheld lubrication equipment, hose reels, centralised
oiling systems, DC diesel pumps, drip feed lubricators, hoses, quick
couplers, grease and oil nipples, toggle clamps, pressure switches,
electronic tyre inflators, machine tool protection).
Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE) Tel: 011 520 7299 www.jse.
co.za/commodities (a crude oil contract has been introduced. For
details, see the website).
Joubert Implements Tel: 021 887 1220 www.joubertimplemente.
co.za (diesel carts for transporting fuel on the farm)
Lubrication Equipment Tel: 011 493 8235 www.lubrequip.co.za
Petro-Logic Tel: 011 657 6000 www.petro-logic.co.za
Sasol Tel: 011 441 3111 www.sasol.com
Shell South Africa Tel: 011 996 7000 www.shell.co.za
Total South Africa Tel: 011 778 2449 www.total.co.za
Transtank SA Tel: 011 864 2675 www.transtank.co.za (a range of
standard tanks manufactured and marketed throughout Africa)
Wintrust Mega Lube Tel: 021 887 4780 sakkie@wintrust.co.za

Visit the websites of the companies involved.
Find out more about the diesel rebate requirements and the Diesel/
Biodiesel Refund Reference Guide publication at www.sars.gov.za/tools/
documents.
The formula for how the pump price of fuel is arrived at can be found on
a number of websites including www.energy.gov.za (the Department
of Energy), www.cef.org.za and www.sapia.co.za (the South African
Petroleum Industry Association). CEF (Pty) Ltd is responsible for
administering the system that sets the petrol price.
www.opec.org Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries
(OPEC). Find the Monthly Oil Market Report, OPEC Bulletins and
other publications here.
Find Energy & resources under the Economic Intelligence menu
option at www.agbiz.co.za, website of the Agricultural Business
Chamber.
For comparative passenger car fuel economy and CO2 emissions data,
visit www.naamsa.co.za/ecelabels.
233
inputs
General farm equipment
1. Batteries
Battery Centre www.batterycentre.co.za
Current Automation www.rectifier.co.za
First National Battery www.battery.co.za
Willard Batteries Automotive www.willard.co.za
2. Building and welding

See also the Structures and building supply chapter
Afrox Client Centre Tel: 0860 020202 www.afrox.com (welding

equipment for farmers)
Banbric Building Tel: 033 386 0882 www.banbric.co.za and www.
banbricnorth.co.za
Breathecoat Paints Tel: 021 852 8131 / 6096 www.breathecoat.
co.za
BM Power Centre Tel: 021 511 2346 www.bmpowercentre.co.za
(Blockmaking machines)
ESAB Sub Saharan Africa www.esab.co.za
FinnBUILDER Tel: 011 705 1897 www.finnbuilder.co.za
Genpower Tel: 0861 101 103 www.genpower.co.za (builders
equipment and welders)
Grinding Techniques Tel: 011 271 6400 www.grindtech.com
(reinforced cutting and grinding wheels and more)
Harding Treated Timbers Tel: 031 569 5750 www.htt.co.za (building,
fencing, telephone poles)
Hydraform Tel: 011 913 1449 www.hydraform.com (design,
manufacture and distribute machines for the production of interlocking
dry-stacking soil-cement blocks).
Jaytrade cc Tel: 021 385 1652 www.jaytrade.co.za
LulaTM 082 576 6007 / 082 968 8403 www.lula.co.za (cost-effective
digger for foundations, trenches etc)
Rand Plastics Tel: 011 626 2630 (stackable tables and chairs)
Stumbelbloc Tel: 083 228 8036 www.stumbelbloc.com
Technilamp Tel: 011 839 1837 www.technilamp.co.za (red zone
heater projects radiant heat at a wavelength which passes through the
air unimpeded. It essentially only warms people and not the building
environs and inanimate objects, amounting to a massive 70% energy
saving).
Wilkinson Brick Making Machines Tel: 011 948 6072 www.wbm.
co.za
Find the directory of brick suppliers on the website www.claybrick.org.za.
3. Cables and electrical

Aberdare Cables Tel: 011 396 8000 www.aberdare.co.za
Anzac Cables & Wire Tel: 011 873 5775 www.anzac.co.za
Malesela Taihan Electric Cable Tel: 016 450 8331 www.m-tec.
co.za
Marshall-Fowler Tel: 011 412 1130 http://marshall-fowler.com
Prepaid Metres Tel: 087 5500 870 www.PrePaidMeters.co.za
4. Cold storage
Commercial Cold Storage Group Tel: 031 205 7277 www.comcold.
co.za
Echo Coldrooms Tel: 012 803 9490 www.echocoldrooms.co.za
Emmies Refrigiration Tel: 014 736 6918 www.emmies.co.za
GEA Refrigeration Africa Tel: 021 555 9000 www.grenco.co.za
Profreeze Tel: 051 430 6837 www.profreeze.co.za
5. Clothing, canvas and tents

Army Surplus Stores Tel: 012 327 3282 www.armystores.co.za
Bundutop Tel: 011 025 5736 www.bundutec.co.za
Bushtec Adventure Tel: 012 671 1101 www.bushtecadventure.
co.za
Camp Master Tel: 0861 264 636 www.campmaster.co.za
Canvas & Tent Tel: 036 634 1902 www.canvasandtent.co.za
Cristy Sports Tel: 021 712 5020 www.cristys.co.za
Four Lakes Tel: 021 557 0606 www.fourlakes.co.za (muck boots and
other footware)
Janki Oorpakke Tel: 058 223 0418 / 082 927 6712 www.jankioorpakke.
co.za
Jonsson Workwear Tel: 031 314 4000 www.jonsson.co.za
KRB Safety Equipment & Packaging Tel: 012 661 0935/6 www.
k-r-b.com
National Tents and Sails SA Tel: 012 719 9035 www.natent.co.za
Sifort Tel: 012 667 2586 www.sifort.co.za (army tents, trading tents,
marqees and more)
Tentco Tel: 011 397 6451 www.tentco.co.za
The Kit Group Tel: 011 538 0000 www.kitgroup.co.za
The Supply Co Tel: 013 755 4627 www.supplycompany.co.za
Top Canvas Tel: 044 878 1138 www.topcanvas.co.za
Workwear Depot Tel: 013 752 4142 www.workweardepot.co.za
6. Crop- and horticulture-related

Alrite Engineering Tel: 011 626 2580 www.alrite.co.za (brushcutters,
chainsaws, lawnmowers etc)
Dormas Tel: 011 496 2800 www.dormas.co.za (fruit and vegetable
handling equipment)
Farm Elect Tel: 011 472 3422 www.draminski.com (grain moisture
meter)
Fruit Sizers & Allied Dave 083 463 4332 www.fruitsizers.co.za (fruit
and vegetable packhouse equipment)
GPB Consulting Tel: 021 852 7811 www.consultgpb.co.za (design of
fruit packhouse equipment layout)
Goldpack Tel: 031 569 4199 www.goldpack.co.za (automatic weighing
and packing solutions)
Hardi Crop Protection SA Tel: 011 613 8711 / 021 905 2260 www.
hardi.co.za (crop spraying equipment)
Husqvarna www.husqvarna.com/za (for chainsaws and brushcutters)
I & M Smith Tel: 011 781 6150 www.iandmsmith.com (electrostatic
sprayers and crop processing equipment)
Jaytrade Tel: 021 385 1652 www.jaytrade.co.za (sprayers, pruning
equipment)
JOSCO Services Tel: 021 851 1155 www.joscoservices.co.za (mowers,
slashers, knapsack sprayers, driveshafts etc)
LYNX see Fruit Sizers & Allied cc
Mayfield Fertiliser Applicator Tel: 011 486 0978 / 083 301 3568
www.mayfield.co.za (back-pack for manual application of fertiliser)
Plastrip Tel: 021 851 5455 www.plastrip.com
Saaymans Tel: 021 946 3175 www.saaymansspringworks.co.za
(blades for lawnmowers and farm implements)
Taljar Services & Wincut Tel: 012 333 2927 www.taljar.co.za
(shears for all types of tree farming forestry, citrus, deciduous and
viticulture)
234
7. Fire fighting
See separate chapter on fire.
8. Knife sharpeners
BC Technologies Tel: 082 403 2638
Blade Buddy Tel: 083 514 3454
9. Livestock-related
Abaserve Tel: 012 460 7834 (a completely integrated application
designed for abattoirs, wholesalers and meat-processing industries)
AAB-Dart system www.pnenviro.co.za (a darting system designed
for farmers and game ranchers to deliver medicines and vaccines to
livestock)
Accelerate Design Tel: 012 666 9733 www.accelerate.co.za
Agrifeed Systems Tel: 048 881 1711 / 082 652 4930 www.
agrifeedsystems.co.za (feed mixers)
Animal Handling & Safety Equipment Services Tel: 0861 264625
www.animalhandling.co.za (animal control poles, gloves, cages, remote
injection equipment)
AXXON Tel: 011 837 7177/6/0 (milking systems from parlours to
trolley-milkers for cattle and small stock; electronic weighing and ID
systems including electronic ID for all classes of stock)
Bessemer Tel: 011 762 5341/2 www.bessemer.co.za (poultry houses,
bulk feed bins, Brandt mobile agricultural products)
BJP Supplies Tel: 023 342 6070 / 082 335 3970 www.rumax.co.za
(manufacturer of feed mixers, pellet machines, hammer mills and
electronic scales)
Cango Engineering Tel: 044 272 3590 www.hammermills.co.za
Chemvet Tel: 011 437 9000 www.chemvet.co.za (chicken and pig
houses)
Diamond Implements Tel: 013 665 1032 (Lachish Feed mixers)
Dicla Farm and Seeds Tel: 011 662 1371 www.dicla.com (poultry
equipment)
DIVAC Tel: 044 874 2720 www.divac.co.za (abattoir equipment;
facilities designed according to SA, EU and USDA Export standards).
Drotsky Aktief & Agrifeed Systems Tel: 011 864 1601/2 www.
drotsky.co.za (manufacturers of hammer mills, feed mixers, pelleting
machines and other feed processing equipment)
The Downer Cowjack Tel: 044 878 1138 / 083 262 2697 www.
cowjack.co.za
Durotec Tel: 041 585 5578 (surface, skin and udder hygiene, isoglove,
dairy and equipment cleaning solutions)
Farm Elect Tel: 011 472 8910 www.draminski.com (pregnancy
detectors for sheep, pigs; bull semen analyser)
Four Lakes Tel: 021 557 0606 www.fourlakes.co.za (animal health and
dairy herd management products)
Greenfields Tel: 033 263 1305 www.greenagri.co.za (sole distributors
of Siloking feed equipment in Southern Africa)
GSI Group Africa (Pty) Ltd Tel: 011 794 4455 www.gsiafrica.co.za
(a variety of equipment for poultry and pig farming e.g. fans, heaters,
electronic climate controls, feeders, watering systems etc)
Havco Tel: 017 712 5355 www.havco.co.za
HOTSURE Tel: 0861 HOTSURE www.hotsure.co.za (biotelemetry
solutions)
Image X Tel: 011 869 6888 www.imagex.co.za (pregnancy detectors)
Jarvis Products Corporation RSA Tel: 011 454 0100
John F Marshal Tel: 011 842 7100 www.johnfmarshall.co.za (agro
processing and abattoir equipment; a range of poultry, rabbit and
livestock equipment)
Kanhym Landgoed Tel: 013 249 7964 www.kanhym.co.za (feed mills,
feed kraals)
Keenan see Richard Keenan SA
Kentmaster Tel: 011 455 3748 www.kentmaster.com (equipment for

the meat industry)
Kylami Trailer Hire Tel: 011 466 2997
New Quip Tel: 011 472 2201 www.newquip.co.za (pig, poultry and
dairy equipment)
NMR Engineering Tel: 034 325 9960 www.nmreng.co.za
Pennells Tanks Tel: 015 516 4981/2/3 www.pentanks.co.za (water
troughs)
Plantkor Tel: 036 468 1309 www.plantkor.co.za (feeders and drinkers
as well as an extensive range of pig equipment)
Plastiflo Products Tel/fax: 042 293 1827 (various troughs and feeders
available)
RAU Easy Farming Tel: 082 550 6883 www.raueasy.com
Reapers Tel: 033 394 6301 www.reapers.co.za (stop gates, scales,
drinking troughs, catch dips, ovifeeders etc)
Richard Keenan SA (Pty) Ltd Tel: 033 330 3135 Fax: 033 330 3136
(suppliers of Mixer Wagons and Orbital Spreaders)
- Howick 084 238 6053
- Bloemfontein 051 435 3122
- Grahamstown 046 622 7605
- Cape Town 027 213 4789
Roff Industries Tel: 056 212 2697 www.roff.co.za (feed mixers and
more)
Rolo Voermengers Tel: 082 964 6879/ 082 350 8051 www.
rolovoermengers.mobi (feed mixers)
Storti International (Northmec) Tel: 011 922 2300 www.northmec.
co.za (feed mixers)
TAL-TEC Tel: 012 250 2188/9 www.taltec.co.za (manufacturer of
cattle and sheep handling equipment)
Technilamp Tel: 011 839 1837 www.technilamp.co.za (Infrared
Lamps Key in Profitable Livestock Care)
Trogtek Tel: 057 355 1151 www.trogtek.co.za (Oasis feed and water
cribs)
W & W Krippe Tel: 082 789 4777 www.krippe.co.za (feed and water
troughs, feeding rings)
For livestock identification equipment see the Precision Livestock Farming
chapter.
10. Scales and weighing equipment

AXXON Tel: 011 837 7177/6/0
Libra Measuring Instruments Tel: 012 803 2805 www.lmi.co.za
RuDDScales Tel: 011 702 3010 / 071 968 0754 www.rudd.co.za
Scalerite Tel: 011 618 2554 www.scalerite.co.za
Refer to the Precision livestock farming chapter.
11. Septic tanks and sanitation

Atlas Plastics Tel: 018 469 1201 www.atlasplastics.co.za
Ballam-Waterslot Tel: 012 347 9151 / 082 417 8069 www.
ballamwaterslot.co.za
Bio-Systems SA Tel: 021 786 2972/ 082 901 9011 www.biosystemssa.
co.za
Enviro Options Tel: 011 762 1624 www.enviro-loo.com
Jo Jo Tanks Tel: 013 262 3021 www.jojotanks.co.za
SA Biotech Tel: 087 751 4431 www.sabiotech.co.za
Sani-tech Tel: 0861 10 86 42 www.sanitech.co.za
Sannitree International Tel: 021 761 1266 www.sannitreeinternational.
co.za
Septank cc Tel: 028 271 5001 / 083 251 3038 www.septank.co.za
ZerH20 Tel: 072 819 2060 www.zerho.co.za
235
12. Tools and power tools

Adendorff Machinery Mart www.tooltime.co.za
Agrinet www.agrinet.co.za
All Power www.allpower.co.za
Awesome Tools www.awesometools.co.za
Black & Decker Power Tools www.blackanddecker.co.za
Bolt & Engineering Distributors www.bolteng.co.za
Boltfast www.boltfast.co.za
Bosch Power Tools www.bosch-pt.co.za
CML Machine Tools www.cmlmachinetools.com
Cortool Tel: 012 565 6587
Domar www.dolmarpowerproducts.com
Echo Outdoor Power Equipment www.echo-usa.com
Executool http://executool.co.za
Festool www.festool.co.za
Gedore South Africa www.gedore.co.za
Husqvarna www.husqvarna.co.za
Irwin Industrial Tools www.irwin.com
Lasher www.lasher.co.za
L&J Tools www.ljtools.co.za
Machine Tool Promotions www.mtpsa.co.za
Magi-Clamp www.magi-clamp.co.za
Makita Power Tools www.makita.co.za
Mech-Tech www.mech-tech.co.za
Metabo Power Tools www.metabo.co.za
Passetti Power Tools www.passettipowertools.co.za
Protea Industrial Equipment www.protea.co.za
Robotic Systems SA (Pty) Ltd www.roboticinnovations.co.za
Rothenberger www.rothenberger.co.za
Skill Craft www.skillcraft.co.za
Skok Machine Tools www.skok.co.za
Snap-on Africa www.snapon.co.za
Stihl www.stihl.co.za
The Toolshop www.toolshop.co.za
Toolquip & Allied www.toolquip.co.za
Tools for Africa www.nattools.com
Topline www.toplinetools.co.za
Torque Tool www.torquetool.co.za
Trevco www.trevco.co.za
Wrth South Africa www.wurth.co.za
Associations
Hand Tool Manufacturers Association Tel: 011 298 9419
theresa@seifsa.co.za
Find information on the Toolmaking Association of South Africa
(TASA) and tooling initiatives at www.ntipweb.co.za.
236
inputs
Grain storage and handling
2. National strategy and goverment contact

The Strategic Integrated Projects (SIPs) announced by government in 2012
include SIP 11, a specifically agri-logistics and rural infrastructure one. The building
of facilities for storage is listed here, amongst which silos feature.
Find information on the different directorates by taking the Divisions option at
www.daff.gov.za, website of the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and
Fisheries
1. Overview
For the storing of grain, a farmer has the following storage options:
deliver the crop immediately to the miller/processor
use silo bags
erect your own silos
make use of commercial silos off-farm
Commercial grain silo owners provide storage facilities (grain silos) for
the safe and hygienic care of grains and oilseeds for the owners thereof.
The facilities have to adhere to the regulations and requirements of the
Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries and Department of
Health regarding food safety.
A total storage capacity of about 17 million tons is available throughout the
production areas in South Africa for the handling and storage of summer
grains (white maize, yellow maize and sorghum), winter cereals (wheat,
barley, oats and rye) and oilseeds (sunflower seed, soy beans and canola).
The following services are amongst those available at commercial grain
silos:
grading at intake and out loading
drying
cleaning
weighing
The advantages of on-farm grain storage include the following:
The producer is adding value to his grain.
By cleaning and proper storage of his own grain, the producer can
convert a previous cost item only into a small cost portion and a
large asset portion.
After five years, a quality grain silo is paid for at roughly the same rate
as central storage would have cost with the remaining 25 35 year;
only the relative small operational and maintenance cost remains.
Large savings on transport can be realised.
Easier, automated logistics in the case of flow-through bins.
Proper grading and in the case of wheat for instance, blending up
or down can realise huge additional revenue. Own cleaning of grain
results in the producer retaining the screenings for feed and avoiding
the penalty. Ensuring grain is delivered at the right moisture allows
several percent higher realisation.
Grain can be stored for longer periods at lower cost, thereby taking
full advantage of the time value of grain. The only qualification to
these advantages is that a proper, low risk system be installed.
Source: Grain Silo Industry, ABC Hansen
Perishable Products Export Control Board (PPECB) Tel: 021 930

1134 www.ppecb.com
Department of Health Tel: 012 312 0000 www.doh.gov.za
3. Role players
Associations
Grain Handling Organisation of Southern Africa (GOSA) Tel: 012
807 3002 www.gosa.za.net

Training in the silo industry includes the following courses:
Grading
Fumigation
Silo operating
Silo maintenance
Marketing
Stock management
Personnel management
General administration
ARC-Plant Protection Research Institute (ARC-PPRI)

Stored Grain and Oil Seed Research Unit
Tel: 012 808 8000 / 217
infoppri@arc.agric.za
Activities include research on fungal contamination, insect pests and
rodent infestation of grain in bulk storage, mills and small-scale farming
systems. A number of examples, in no order of significance, are listed
below.
East Cape rural communities tend to store grain in closed galvanised
tanks in which the high moisture content of the grain encourages
fungal growth. The infected grain may be toxic to humans and
animals, leading to unsafe food. Drying huts, to reduce the moisture
content of the grain, have been developed and the technology
implemented.
The control of pests in stored grain, if carelessly or incorrectly done,
may result in unsafe food due to
- Contamination with pesticides
- Contamination with toxic organisms
- Food with little or no nutritional value
Pesticide evaluation (suitability, method of application, safety
periods) is of the utmost importance to ensure that harvested
grain is stored optimally and is safe for consumption. Our research
addresses aspects of both on-farm (household use) and mass
storage. Resistance to stored grain pesticides is increasing, therefore
development and evaluation of new pesticides and/or pesticidefree methods like microwaves to control stored grain pests are
important for the stored grain industry.
Ecologically-based rodent management in emerging pig and poultry
farming systems.
Source: ARC-PPRI. Contact Frikkie Kirsten at KirstenF@arc.agric.za
239
Grain Quality and Arbitration

Services (GQAS)
Gert Delport
Tel: 012 329 0064 / 083 227 8163
Grain Training Institute
Tel: 012 546 9240 / 083 227 8161
info@gtinstitute.co.za
www.gtinstitute.co.za
Pest Management Academy

Henk Pottas
Tel: 0861 99 99 00
http://pestmanagementacademy.
com
Fumigation training
A call centre is run by ABC Hansen

for the industry 0861 GRAIN1
Hendrik van Aswegen has years of (472461)
diverse experience, ranging from
grading, management of stored Providers of silo equipment also
grain, and fumigation of bag-, bulk, facilitate training in grain storage
ship and closed circuit fumigation and handling.
systems.
Companies involved
Jones Masjiene
Tel: 014 543 4889 / 083 627 6026
jones@maxitec.co.za
ABC Hansen
Tel: 012 804 2033
www.millingsupply.com
Just Another Problem Solver

(JAPS)
Tel: 011 965 1205 / 082 890 9476
jaapjan@worldonline.co.za
AC Trading
Tel: 012 803 0036
www.hippomills.co.za
African Micro Mills
Tel: 031 584 6250
www.africanmicromills.com
Sorter and cleaner for grain, seeds

etc for animal feed
Kongskilde
Tel: 011 894 2341
www.kongskilde.com
Bessemer
Tel: 011 762 5341/2
www.bessemer.co.za
Advert on page 244
Big Dutchman
Tel: 011 452 1154
www.bigdutchman.co.za
Grain Silo Industry

Tel: 012 807 3002
www.graansilo.co.za
The Grain Silo Industry performs administrative services for its members.
It offers advice and information on grain handling and storage.
Silo owners
AFGRI Ltd
Tel: 017 624 1000
www.afgri.co.za
Allem Broers (Pty) Ltd
Tel: 056 343 3111
BKB GrainCo
Tel: 021 807 8900 / 8
www.grainco.co.za
GWK Ltd
Tel: 053 298 8200
www.gwk.co.za
Humansdorpse Koperasie
Beperk
Tel: 042 295 1082
www.humkoop.co.za
Kaap Agri Ltd
Tel: 022 931 8200
www.kaapagri.co.za
MGK Ltd
Tel: 012 252 3778
www.prodsure.co.za
Moorreesburgse Koringboere
Tel: 022 433 8300
www.mkb.co.za
NTK Limpopo Agriculture Ltd
Tel: 014 719 9211
www.ntk.co.za
NWK Ltd
Tel: 018 633 1000
www.nwk.co.za
Equipment
Buhler
Tel: 011 801 3500
www.buhlergroup.com
Drotsky
Tel: 011 864 1601
www.drotsky.co.za
Overberg Agri (Pty) Ltd

Tel: 028 214 3854
www.overbergagri.co.za
Flomech
Tel: 031 569 2038
www.flomech.co.za
Senwes
Tel: 018 464 7800
www.senwes.co.za
Suidwes
Tel: 018 581 1000
www.suidwes.co.za
Tuinroete Agri Ltd
Tel: 028 713 2404
www.tagri.co.za
TWK Ltd
Tel: 017 824 1000
Vilko Villiersdorp Cooperative
Tel: 028 840 1120
www.villiersdorpko-op.co.za
VKB Limited
Tel: 058 863 8111
www.vkb.co.za
The millers and animal feed companies also own silos. Refer to the relevant
chapters.
Maximill Roller Mills

Tel 056 217 1580/1
sales@maximill.co.za
Cango Engineering
Tel: 044 272 3590
www.hammermills.co.za
Oos Vrystaat Kaap Bedryf

(OVK)
Tel: 051 923 4500
www.ovk.co.za
Sentraal-Suid Koperasie
Beperk
Tel: 028 514 8600 / 49
www.ssk.co.za
Martnez Y Staneck SA
www.martinezystaneck.com.ar
Plantkor
Tel: 036 468 1309
www.plantkor.co.za
ROFF Industries (Pty) Ltd
Tel: 056 212 2697
www.roff.co.za
Silo Warehouse
Tel: 012 332 1469
The GSI Group Africa (Pty) Ltd www.silos.co.za
Tel: 011 794 4455
www.gsiafrica.co.za
Staalsak
Tel: 058 635 2032 / 082 881 1468
Hydrex
admin@staalsak.co.za
Tel: 011 440 4472
www.hydrex.co.za
Fumigants
Coopers ES
Tel: 011 979 4246 / 082 447 9333
www.cooperses.com
Degesch SA
Tel: 011 974 2338
www.degesch.co.za
National Fumigants
Tel: 011 769 1300
Tel: 031 767 3972
www.natfum.co.za
Grading equipment, GMO testing and other

Advanced Integrated Pest
Management
Tel: 012 346 0162
www.aipm.co.za
Avima
Tel: 011 769 1300
www.avima.co.za
Frikkie Kirsten 012 808 8217
Kirstenf@arc.agric.za
Biomin Animal Nutrition

Tel: 018 468 1455
www.biomin.net
Stored grain protection pesticides
Buckle Packaging
Pesticide testing, rodent control Tel: 011 613 8024
www.bucklepack.co.za
research, mycotoxin analysis
243
Electronic Silo Certificates

(ESC)
Tel: 011 797 5591
www.silocerts.co.za
Ronin Grain Management

Solutions
Tel: 011 608 3666
www.roningms.com
Managing silo certificates online
Silobag Systems
Tel: 083 570 1574
www.silobag.co.za
GPB Consulting
Tel: 021 852 7811

Standards (SABS)
GPB has been involved in the Tel: 012 428 7911
upgrading of a number of grain www.sabs.co.za
storage depots.
Pesticide residue testing for quality
control and R&D purposes
Lab World
Tel: 012 685 9600
Stargate Scientific
www.labworld.co.za
Tel: 011 675 7433
Rhine Ruhr Process Equipment www.stargatescientific.co.za
Tel: 011 444 1321
www.rhineruhr.co.za
Read article in Biotechnology and
plant breeding chapter

Grain Handling, Storage & Drying Handbook. This is an excellent guide to plan
your silo storage complex, one of those things a processor or farmer will do
sooner or later. It is available from ABC Hansen (find contact details under
heading 3). ABC Hansen also puts out a monthly electronic newsletter. The
website, www.abchansenafrica.co.za is a wealth of information.
Call 012 842 4017 or email iaeinfo@arc.agric.za for the following leaflets,
available from the ARCInstitute for Agricultural Engineering (ARC-IAE):
Bou van permanente sloot- en bunkersilos
Building of permanent trench and bunker silage silos
Hamermeul handleiding en toetsverslag 1997
Handleiding vir die konstruksie van graansilos vir plaasopberging
Manual for the construction of grain silos for farm storage
Grading of maize and storage are two topics included in the excellent
marketing document Field Crop Marketing on www.daff.gov.za (take the
publications and then general publications menu options). It is part of
a training series.
Find also the Infotoon on grain storage. Visit www.agis.agric.za/efarmer.
There is also an Info Pak at www.daff.gov.za (take publications option).
Large amounts of food in sub-Saharan Africa goes to waste as a
result of inappropriate storage.
A joint Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO)-World Bank report,
entitled Missing Food: The Case of Postharvest Grain Losses in Sub-Saharan
Africa, estimates the value of grain losses in sub-Saharan Africa at around
$4-billion a year. The report calls for investing in post-harvest technologies
to reduce the losses and boost the continents food security.
Find the report on www.polity.org.za
Our gratitude to Dirk Kok at the Grain Silo Industry who gave feedback on
the draft chapter.
inputs
Implements
1. Overview
Included in the category of Implements are hay and forage equipment,
planters, telehandlers and loaders, sprayers, ground-working equipment,
spreaders and graders. In this chapter we give details of suppliers and
dealers, and where more information may be found.
The reader is also referred to supplementary chapters e.g. Tractors,
combines and balers, Precision farming, Conservation tillage and
Animal traction: the use of animal power where suppliers of implements
are also listed.
2. Role players
Affiliates of the South African Agricultural Machinery Association
(SAAMA) see the Tractors, Combines and Balers chapter are also
major suppliers of agricultural implements e.g. New Holland SA, Northmec,
John Deere etc.
Find suppliers of implements in the Conservation Agriculture chapter.
Producer organisations like Grain SA run farm implement maintenance
training courses.
Agribusinesses and co-operatives deal with agricultural implements (refer
to the Agribusiness chapter). Only some of these companies are listed
here.
AgriCAD Tel: 0861 001 204 www.agricad.co.za
AgriVaria SA Tel: 021 884 4556 www.agrivaria.co.za
Agri Afrika Tel: 086 111 3692 www.agriafrika.co.za
Agri-Phyto Tel: 028 735 2425 www.dbx.co.za
Alpha Engineering Tel: 028 514 3450 www.alpha-engineering.co.za
Benoni Farmers Supply Tel: 011 423 2801 www.farmersupply.co.za
BJP Supplies Tel: 023 342 6070 www.rumax.co.za
BP Implements Tel: 056 515 1066/7 www.bpimplemente.co.za
Cango Engineering Tel: 044 272 3590 www.hammermills.co.za
Carel van Niekerk Engineering Tel: 022 913 2435 www.piket.co.za
Carrotech Agricultural Equipment Tel: 021 865 2044 www.
carrotech.co.za
Diamond Implements Tel: 013 665 1032
Monitor fertilising flow Electrolee Tel: 012 347 9933 www.
electrolee.co.za
GC Tillage Tel: 033 346 2251 www.gctillage.co.za
GENTAG Tel: 018 431 1287 www.gentag.co.za
GMG Power SA Tel: 011 392 1144 www.gmgpowersa.co.za
Havco Tel: 017 712 5355 www.havco.co.za
INTTRAC Tel: 016 365 5799 www.inttrac.co.za
Inyoni Africa Tel: 013 712 2175 www.inyoniafrica.co.za
Joubert Implemente Tel: 021 887 1220 / 767 www.joubertimplemente.
co.za
Just Another Problem Solver (JAPS) Tel: 011 965 1205
jaapjan@worldonline.co.za
Josco Services Tel: 021 851 1155 www.joscoservices.co.za
Kongskilde Tel: 011 804 2341 www.kongskilde.com (find advert over
the page)
Kouga Implements Tel: 042 295 1146 / 082 655 1146
244
Landmech South Africa Tel: 086 047 2337 www.landmech.co.za

Mascor Tel: 033 413 2164 www.mascor.co.za
Mnani Implements Tel: 013 665 3054 www.mnani.co.za
Monosem Planters see Carrotech
Morningdew Farms Tel: 011 613 4266/7 www.mdf.co.za
NewQuip Agri Supplies Tel: 011 472 2201 / 082 610 0960 www.
newquip.co.za
Nigel Plen see Turfmaster (Pty) Ltd
Orbach Agri Tel: 016 424 1145 www.orbach.co.za
Quali Prod Tel: 086 178 2547 www.qualiprod.co.za
Radium Engineering Tel: 012 719 9062 www.radium.co.za
Reapers Tel: 033 394 6301 www.reapers.co.za (find advert on page
235)
Ritlee Industrial & Agricultural Equipment Tel: 011 452 3434
www.ritlee.co.za
Rolo Voermengers Tel: 082 350 8051 / 082 964 6879 www.
rolovoermengers.mobi
Skaarland Engineering Works Tel: 022 433 2343
Southtrade Tel: 021 981 6044
Staalmeester Tel: 018 431 0693 / 0300 www.staalmeester.co.za
Tatu contact Valtrac (see Tractor, combines & balers chapter)
Theebo Tech (Pty) Ltd Tel: 021 981 2161 www.equalizer.co.za
Tijbros Agricultural Machinery Tel: 011 662 1371 www.dicla.com
Turnerland Manufacturing Tel: 022 723 1413 www.turnerland.
co.za
Van Zyl Staalwerke Tel: 058 863 2452/ 082 800 1389 www.
vanzylstaal.co.za
Vitamech Tel: 021 907 8000 www.vitamech.co.za
VKB Ltd Tel: 058 863 8111 www.vkb.co.za
Wesmeg Tel: 018 581 1000 www.suidwes.co.za

Koos le Roux has written the Meganisasiegids (Mechanical Guide). Le Roux
can be contacted at 082 828 9531.
publications, available from the ARC-Institute for Agricultural Engineering
in Silverton:
Mechanisation basics: Sprayers en spraying techniques (Training manual)
Mechanisation basics: Row crop planters (Training manual)
Mechanisation basics: Calculations and measurement (Training manual)
Introduction to row crop planters
Comparative review of technical specifications for no-till jab-planters
The operation and application of mounted mowers
The operation and application of hay rakes and hay tedders
The operation and application of medium and big square balers
The application and operation of round balers
The application and operation of rotary cultivators
The operation and application of subsoilers and rippers
The operation and application of chisel ploughs
See the websites of companies involved, both here and in the Tractors,
Combines and Balers chapter. The members of the South African Agricultural
Machinery Association (SAAMA) sell implements too. Visit www.nhsa.co.za
(New Holland) and www.johndeere.co.za (John Deere SA), for example.
www.agrisales.co.za agricultural equipment, new or used
245
inputs
Irrigation
1. Overview
Irrigation is the artificial application of water to the soil usually for assisting
in growing crops. Agriculture that relies only on direct rainfall is referred to
as rain-fed farming.
Sources of irrigation water can be groundwater extracted from springs
or by using wells, surface water withdrawn from rivers or dams, or nonconventional sources like treated wastewater, desalinated water or drainage
water.
Irrigation systems typically being used in South Africa today include:
canals
flood irrigation
draglines, quick-coupling lines.
pivots
sprinklers
micro irrigation
drip irrigation
These irrigation systems can be defined under the following types:

static (micro and sprinkle) these systems remain static while water is
applied;
moveable (quick coupling; dragline; hop-along; big gun; rotating boom)
these remain static during irrigation but are moved, manually or
mechanically, between irrigations;
moving (centre pivot; linear and travelling irrigator), which move by
themselves during during irrigation;
flood (basin; border; furrow; short furrow) water flows over the soil
surface for spreading and infiltration purposes.
Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irrigation (adapted); Irrigation Basics, an
article by Johannes Maree (contact him at johannesmaree@absamail.co.za)
Irrigated agriculture plays an important role in stabilising the production

of food and eventual food security. Although it uses 60% of the available
water in South Africa, it does not do so at the expense or the detriment
of any other sector of the economy. Yet no farmer would disagree that
the demand on our scarce water resources makes the efficient use of all
water in South Africa a necessity.
Source: adapted from a letter written by Johannes Mller, president of Agri SA,
to the Minister of the Department of Water Affairs

Computer software for farmers
Irrigation scheduling is defined as the correct amount of water being applied
to a crop at the correct time. We have only a limited resource of water,
which should be utilised in the most efficient way possible. By optimising
scheduling principles we can:
prevent over and under watering
facilitate crop manipulation
prevent unnecessary crop stress
create ideal air-water balance
manage soil water buffer
optimise salinity management
prevent soil compaction
save on energy costs
promote root development
improve fertiliser uptake
maximise harvest potential
Water legislation means that a farmer has to budget for how much water
will be used. By using scheduling software the farmer can tell exactly how
much water he used so that he can estimate how much hes going to need
for the next year as required. Some software companies have addressed the
new regulations by developing software solutions that can successfully keep
track of water budgeting information and spray records.
One module uses climate and soil moisture information to generate
irrigation recommendations. It will also help predict water requirements.
By loading this information, you will be able to make use of a second module
which controls the irrigation in the field. This module also can determine
when to irrigate in order to prevent frost or to cool down the plants by
keeping track of temperature readings. By means of radio or of wired links,
the pumps and valves in the field are controlled.
Source: DFM Software
3. Design norms
Find the menu option Approved Designers on the SABI website. Contacts
are given for seven of the provinces: Gauteng, Eastern Cape, Kwazulu-Natal,
Limpopo, Mpumalanga, Free State and Western Cape.
In South Africa there is a great need for farmers, crop, soil and fertiliser
specialists to have information on crop water requirements, nutritional
requirements and the scheduling thereof in terms of recommendations for the
designer to optimally design an irrigation system for specific circumstances.
A multi-disciplinary approach is required when evaluating water quality for
irrigation purposes, so as to identify any anticipated problems with drip
systems, the determination of and management of available water sources
e.g. boreholes, peak and annual crop water requirements, analaysis of soil
water holding capacity and infiltration rate. The designer must highlight any
problems e.g. the blockage of drip systems with irrigation water, and make
recommendations to solve the envisaged problems.
Find the SABI makes proposals and provides technical information on
www.sabi.co.za take the Design Norms menu. Norms in the following
are proposed: pipe friction in main and sub-main pipelines, application
efficiencies, irrigation hours per week, minimum pump capacity (safety
factor for wear and tear), permissible suction velocities.
The following types are dealt with:
micro irrigation
drip irrigation
sprinkler irrigation
centre pivot
flood irrigation
4. For the newcomer

Find out about the support offered by the Department of Water Affairs
(DWA) to resource-poor irrigation farmers.
Drip irrigation is the ideal solution for small-holders (see diagram which
follows). It uses specially designed pipes pre-fitted with advanced drippers.
The irrigation system drips the exact amount of water and nutrients that
crops need right at the root zone. Thus, every drop of water is effectively
used to raise quality and increase year-round yields.
Why is drip irrigation so successful?
It keeps soil aerated.
It reduces weed growth.
It cuts down diseases and fungiUniform, efficient water distribution.
Evaporation and water run-off are minimised.
It enables easy control of water consumption.
It is the most efficient, accurate use of water and nutrients.
246
6. Role players
Associations
SA Irrigation Institute (SABI)
Tel: 021 855 5412
riana@sabi.co.za
www.sabi.co.za
Established more than 35 years ago, SABI today has more than 450 members
that include inter alia designers, engineers, soil scientists, crop experts,
economists and irrigation farmers. Furthermore, there are more than 65
company members, which represent mainly manufacturers and suppliers of
irrigation equipment.
Source: Netafim
SABIs main roles are:

Commenting on governments job creation targets in 2012, Dr Ferdi Meyer of the
University of Pretoria agreed that agriculture could meet its one million new jobs
target if failed land reform projects were put back into production and if more
land was made available for irrigation farming (see the chapter on job creation).
Irrigation was also identified as one of five priority area under the Accelerated and
Shared Growth Initiative for South Africa (AsgiSA) years ago.

Tel: 012 336 8664
www.dwa.gov.za
Selecting the Documents menu option will provide a spread of available
information, including the National Water Act 36 of 1998, Water Quality
Management and more.

Directorate: Water Use and
Irrigation Management
Tel: 012 846 8567
DWUID@daff.gov.za
Directorate: Infrastructure
Support
Tel: 012 319 846 8502
ATvC@daff.gov.za
DAFF has identified irrigation development as one of five priority areas for
the Accelerated and Shared Growth Initiative for South Africa (AsgiSA).
Expansion of irrigation by 50% is being targeted, which triggered the need
for a revised irrigation strategy. Find the document Irrigation Strategy for
South Africa on the internet, or approach DAFF for it. The chapters are
listed below:
General
Natural resource base for irrigated agriculture in South Africa
Institutional structures and arrangements required for successful,
efficient, sustainable irrigated agriculture
Resource surveys, land suitability evaluation and land use planning
Irrigation research, extension and advisory services
Infrastructure for irrigated agriculture
Management in irrigated agriculture
Education and training of irrigation scientists and farmers
Revitalisation, re-development or upgrading of irrigation schemes and
private irrigation farms that have collapsed or are under-utilised and
handling of cases of unlawful irrigation
Development of new commercial irrigated areas
Mini-scale irrigated agriculture for household and community level
food security
Strategies relating to non-agricultural laws which strongly impact on
irrigated agriculture
irrigation standards and norms

being a forum where industry players can raise issues
sharing of knowledge to promote efficient irrigation water use and
water conservation
SABI serves the interests of irrigation farmers, irrigation designers and
students of irrigation. SABI members are found in the professional,
academic, private and government sectors, with increasing membership on
the continent of Africa. Irrigators and farmers who experience problems
with their irrigation systems can contact SABI, who will provide a list of SABI
Approved Designers, who can be approached for a quotation and technical
evaluation. SABI approved Irrigation Designers complete the SABI National
Exam and are bound by the SABI ethical code to designing irrigation systems
that meet the SABI design norms. SABI holds a bi-annual SABI National
Congress, which attracts local, African and international delegates. For
networking and knowledge dissemination, SABI also holds branch meetings
and farmers days. The Institute offers various AgriSETA-accredited training
courses nationwide throughout the year, and publishes the bi-monthly SABI
Magazine/Tydskrif, South Africas only irrigation magazine.
The South African National
Committee on Irrigation and
Drainage (SANCID)
www.sancid.org.za
Landscape Irrigation
Association
Tel: 011 606 3855
www.sali.co.za
SANCID represents South Africa The Borehole Water Association

at the International Commission on of SA
Tel: 011 447 0853
Irrigation and Drainage (ICID).
www.bwa.co.za
Southern African Regional
Irrigation Association (SARIA) Network on Irrigation and
Based at the Water Research Extension for Small-scale
Agriculture (NIRESA)
Commission
Tel: 012 330 0340
Tel: 012 330 0340
gerhardb@wrc.org.za

Chapter 8 of Irrigation Strategy for South Africa deals with the education and
training of irrigation scientists and farmers
SABI, as the recognised representative organisation of the irrigation industry

in South Africa associated with the optimal and effective use of irrigation
water, organises and facilitates a series of training courses each year. SABIs
training courses are suited to experienced and trainee farm workers,
irrigation managers and irrigation designers, and have been presented for
more than 10 years in co-operation with the private sector, universities,
research organisations and agricultural colleges all around the country. SABI
courses are all built on sound theoretical foundations but are presented
248
in a practical manner with the assistance of SABI company members and

approved SABI designer members. Since 2009 SABI courses have been
accredited by SAQA (South African Qualifications Authority), and are
thus recognised as part of the registered NQF (National Qualifications
Framework) learning programme.
The following courses are presented:
Irrigation Operator Course
Irrigation Manager Course (Installation and management of irrigation
systems)
Introductory Irrigation Design Course
Advanced Irrigation Design Course
The Agricultural Colleges and
Provincial Departments of
Agriculture present short courses
on irrigation for small scale as well
as for commercial farmers. These
include a basic introduction to
irrigation planning, examination
of soil, economics and irrigation
scheduling. Find contact details
in the Agricultural education and
training chapter.
Krohne HP
The ITSC has run courses in

the past Irrigation practices
and systems (subtropical crops);
Irrigation Scheduling.
Companies involved provide
training on practical aspects of
irrigation, such as installation,
maintenance and management of
irrigation systems.

University
Providers of South African Department Civil Engineering
Qualification Authority (SAQA) Tel: 041 504 3461/3531
courses,
accredited
with www.nmmu.ac.za
AgriSETA, offer courses related
to irrigation. Find contact details Designing of various types of
in the Agricultural education and irrigation systems
training chapter.
Tel: 021 808 4789
Tel: 012 842 4000
www.sun.ac.za/soil
reindersf@arc.agric.za
www.arc.agric.za
For the development, testing and Tel: 083 453 9364
evaluation of irrigation equipment mcvdw@telkomsa.net
in world-class laboratories, in-field
evaluations of irrigation systems, University of Pretoria
improvement of existing designs, Continuing Education
practices and established irrigation Tel: 012 420 3880
methods as well as the rehabilitation Martin.steyn@up.ac.za
of irrigation schemes.
A short course in irrigation
management is offered
ARC-Institute of Tropical and
Subtropical Crops (ARC-ITSC)
Tel: 013 753 7000
Tel: 012 330 0340 / 9053
www.arc.agric.za
www.wrc.co.za
Companies involved: piping and irrigation systems

For a complete list of companies involved, visit www.sabi.co.za take the
Membersip and Company Members menu options. Postal address, contact
person, telephone, email and fax are given for each company.
ABC Pumps & Engineering Tel: 041 379 2912

Agrico Tel: 021 950 4111 www.agrico.co.za
Agrinet Tel: 012 657 2000 www.agrinet.co.za
Agriplas (Pty) Ltd Tel: 021 917 7177 www.agriplas.co.za
Agri-Tech Distributors Tel: 021 949 5844
Amatola Irrigation Tel: 043 732 1927
Amitech Tel: 011 864 2040 www.amitech.co.za
Aquacheck Tel: 021 970 5140 www.aquacheck.co.za
Arand Engineering Tel: 021 905 4410
Arcus Gibb Tel: 043 706 3600 www.gibb.co.za
Biancs Water Products Engineering Tel: 035 795 1065
Boland Plastiek Produkte Tel: 021 872 0301 www.bolandplastiek.
co.za
Boseng (Pty) Ltd Tel: 021 905 5555 www.boseng.co.za
Turf-Ag
250
Calafrica Tel: 013 752 5087 www.calafrica-sa.co.za

Campbell Scientific Africa (CS Africa) Tel: 021 880 1252 www.
csafrica.co.za
Charlson Import Agencies Tel: 021 551 6778 www.charlson.com
Conns Manufacturing co (Pty) Ltd Tel: 021 981 7601 www.conns.
co.za
Controlled Irrigation Tel: 011 608 0767 www.conirr.co.za
CropSystems Tel: 021 914 4591 www.cropsystems.co.za
DPI Plastics Tel: 011 345 5600 www.dpiplastics.co.za
Electric Motor Laminations Tel: 021 507 7200 www.emlsa.co.za
Elster Kent Metering (Pty) Ltd Tel: 011 470 4900 www.elster.com
Elsumo (Pty) Ltd Tel: 021 875 5781 www.elsumo.co.za
Endutrac Tel: 034 212 3860 www.endutrac.co.za
FAB Water Engineering Tel: 011 793 5513 www.fabwater.com
Farmarama Tel: 043 732 1633
Flowmetrix SA cc Tel: 031 206 0630 www.flowmetrix.co.za
Franklin Electric South Africa (Pty) Ltd Tel: 011 609 4150
Floppy Sprinkler (Pty) Ltd Tel: 013 752 4252 www.floppysprinkler.
com
Grundfos (Pty) Ltd Tel: 011 579 4800 www.grundfos.co.za
Hanna Instruments Tel: 011 615 6076 www.hannainst.co.za
Hose Manufacturers Tel: 021 948 3971 www.hoses.co.za
House of Irrigation Tel: 012 810 9326 www.irrigation.co.za
Hytech Agriculture Tel: 011 664 8767
Incledon Tel: 011 462 7555 www.incledon.co.za
Inyoni Africa Tel: 013 712 2175 www.inyoniafrica.co.za
Irricon (Edms) Bpk Tel: 013 712 4261
Irrigation Unlimited cc Tel: 012 736 2121www.iunlimited.co.za
Irrigator Products (Pty) Ltd Tel: 021 982 7561 www.irrigator.co.za
Irritech Agencies Tel: 033 342 3177 www.irritechsa.co.za
J Gey van Pittius (Pty) Ltd Tel: 021 858 1204
Krohne Tel: 011 314 1391 www.krohne.com
KSB Pumps & Valves (Pty) Ltd Tel: 011 876 5600 www.ksbpumps.
co.za
Lindsay Africa Tel: 021 868 7100 www.zimmatic.com
Incledon
Loxton Irrigation Tel: 021 883 9860 www.loxtons.co.za

Macsteel Fluid Control Tel: 021 850 5500 www.macsteel.co.za
Marley Pipe Systems (Pty) Ltd Tel: 011 739 8600 www.
marleypipesystems.co.za
Microjet Irrigation Systems Tel: 021 535 1310 www.microjet.co.za
Mikon Agri (Pty) Ltd Tel: 082 451 1338 www.mikon.co.za
Model Maker Systems Tel: 012 665 0121 www.modelmaker.co.za
Mottech Water Control Solutions Tel: 022 492 3469 www.mottech.
co.za
National Rotating Equipment Tel: 031 569 9696 www.nresa.com
Netafim South Africa Tel: 021 987 0477 www.netafim.co.za
Obaro Tel: 012 381 2819 www.obaro.co.za
Optima Agrik cc Tel: 015 293 1646
Petzetakis Africa Tel: 021 980 2500 www.petzetakis.co.za
Plastiek Pype Tzaneen Tel: 015 307 5585
Rain Bird International Inc Tel: 011 958 1930
Rhino Plastics Tel: 021 932 6601 www.rhinoplastics.co.za
RJ Irrigation Tel: 018 294 6665 www.rjirrigation.co.za
Rotrix Africa Tel: 023 342 3438 www.rotrixirrigator.co.za
Senninger Irrigation Tel: 033 330 7583 www.senninger.com
Senter 360 Tel: 018 469 1331 www.senter360.co.za
Sizabantu Piping Systems Tel: 031 792 9500 www.sizabantupiping.
co.za
SPP Pumps Tel: 0860 777 786 www.spppumps.com
Spray Tech Tel: 021 946 2872 www.spraytech.co.za
Stewarts & Lloyds Tel: 0860 10 27 99 www.stewartsandlloyds.co.za
Swaziland Water Agri Dev Enterprise Tel: 00268 404 7950 www.
swade.co.sz
Tony Turner Agencies Tel: 015 293 1414 www.ttagencies.co.za
Turf-Ag Products (Edms) Bpk Tel: 012 661 4561 www.turf-ag.co.za
Ubuntu Plastics Tel: 012 542 3064
UIC Instrumentation (Pty) Ltd Tel: 031 468 2561 www.uic.co.za
Valley Irrigation of Southern Africa Tel: 011 814 7007 www.valleyza.com
Wilo Salmson Tel: 021 948 6104 www.wilo.co.za
WSM Leshika Consulting Tel: 015 491 4756 www.wsmleshika.co.za
251
Companies involved: other

DFM Software Solutions Tel: 021 904 1154 www.dfmsoftware.co.za
Nvirotek Labs Tel: 082 885 8699 www.nviroteklabs.co.za Analyses
of water irrigation
SecuCell Tel: 016 982 4393 www.secucell.co.za Switching ON/OFF
via your cellphone

Take a look at the following websites:
International Commission on Irrigation and Drainage (ICID)
www.icid.org
Irrigation Association Australia www.irrigation.org.au
Irrigation Association (US) www.irrigation.org
International Water Management Institute www.iwmi.org

SABI Magazine/Tydskrif is published by SABI every second month. It is the
only irrigation industry magazine in South Africa and is distributed to more
than 5 0000 irrigation farmers and associated professionals in South Africa.
SABI Magazine/Tydskrif gives the reader first hand information and a range of
topical and technical articles on the irrigation industry in South Africa. Visit
www.sabi.co.za for more information and to subscribe to the magazine.
SABI also does a newsletter called Newsjet. Find a copy on their website.
Irrigation Design Manual usually given as part of the Irrigation Design
Course. Contact SABI for a copy.
The Water Research Commission has numerous relevant publications.
One of these is Irrigation water measurement Guidance for water user
associations. Water user associations (WUAs) will be assisted greatly by
these guidelines addressing the choice, installation and management of
water measuring devices for canal, pipeline and river distribution systems.
This and many other publications are available from the Water Research
Commission. Call 012 330 0340, email orders@wrc.org.za or visit www.
wrc.org.za
Available from the Training Resources Development at Cedara are 8 posters
on irrigation. For further information, contact Noreen Mhlongo or Clive
Viljoen at 033 355 9304, or send an email to Noreen.Mhlongo@kzndae.
gov.za or Clive.Viljoen@kzndae.gov.za.
Visit www.vaalharts.net, website of the Vaalharts agricultural valley, one of

the best exporting agricultural regions in South Africa.
publications, available from the ARC-Institute for Agricultural Engineering:
Irrigation design manual (Planning and design of irrigation systems)
Irrigation Users Manual (installation, management and maintenance of
irrigation systems)
Besproeiingsbedryfshandleiding/Irrigation Users Manual on cd (pdfformat)
The efficient use of labour in sprinkler irrigation systems
The effects of wind on sprinkler irrigation
Aspects to consider when selecting sprinklers for use in irrigation systems
Critical elements which influences the efficiency of small-scale farm
sprinkler irrigation systems
Engineering aspects of sub-surface drip irrigation
Treatment of low quality water for drip irrigation systems
The performance and care of drip irrigation emitters
Investigation into materials for lining of canals
Petrol-driven irrigation pump for emerging farmers
An evaluation of some irrigation methods for small vegetable gardens in
remote rural areas
Manual on the evaluation of irrigation systems
Irrigation made easy (training manual)
Thanks to Riana Lombard from SABI for feedback on the draft chapter.
252
Some of the repacking takes place overseas for two reasons: 1) to

recheck the quality of the fruit received, and 2) to react quicker to the
market demands.
inputs
Source: Packaging Council of South Africa
Packaging
1. Overview
Packaging here includes rigid and flexible plastic containers, cardboard
containers, plastic bulk bins, punnets and trays for fruit and vegetables,
sachet machines, tinplate pails and cans and other metal containers,
polyfoam, polystyrene, as well as equipment to vacuum pack meat,
fish, cheese, confectionery, pasta, fruit, powders.
Packaging has moved way beyond the old concepts of a box cheap
as possible in which to move produce from farm to store.
Before the consumer makes the buying decision, packaging must fulfil a
number of basic criteria i.e. protecting the product and the consumer,
providing information for informed choices, functional design and
offering fair value.
In promoting your product, a fundamental requirement is that the
produce should arrive at its destination in top condition. Packaging
that offers strength (especially in stacking), correct ventilation, overall
protection and that are gentle on the produce is essential.
A walk along any fresh produce market floor will emphasise the role
of packaging in promoting fresh produce. Nothing looks better than
a neatly stacked row of pallets boasting an attractive, branded, quality
product for sale. (The contrast is brown, unattractive cartons, often
bent and buckled, offering inferior quality to the cheap-line buyer).
New labelling legislation came into effect from March 2012, governing
the use of terms like free range, organic, free range etc. The
legislation stems from the Department of Healths Labelling and
Advertising of Foodstuffs (regulation R146/2010), but detailing and
enforcing these protocols will be the responsibility of DAFF. Coupled
with the Consumer Protection Act (CPA), it means that labelling of
products will require more thought, accuracy and caution than in the
past.
3. Recycling and biodegradable packaging

The following menu options on the Packaging Council of South Africa
(PACSA) website www.pacsa.co.za will be of interest to the reader:
Recovery Action Group (RAG)
Packaging and the environment
Packaging recycling in SA
Waste Management Plan
Find the Plastics & the environment option at www.plasticsinfo.co.za
4. Role players
Associations
Source: Packaging Council of South Africa (adapted)
Often smaller farmers, far from the market, dont see that other
farmers get a higher price for the same quality, but better presentation.
Whether on the market floor or in a supermarket, buying is based more
on appearance than on eating quality. The buyers first glance is decisive.
Bill Kerr in an article Presentation boosts profits. Find it in the archives at
2. Packaging in agriculture
A major trend in the food industry is to make packaging more
environmentally friendly and to increase the rate of recycling.
Local fresh produce buyers have refined logistics to where produce is
packed in the field and stays in that container all the way through to the
retailers shelf.
Bulk bins are used, but this is for produce that is intended for juicing.
Computerisation (bar coding) makes it possible for the producer or
purchaser to trace any pallet, bulk bin or carton from the farm to the
supermarket throughout the supply chain. For high value products
RFID (Radio Frequency Identification Discs) tags are increasingly being
used to counter fraud and control inventories.
Packaging Council of South

Africa (PACSA)
Tel: 011 463 9909
www.pacsa.co.za
Polystyrene Packaging Council

(PSPC) of South Africa
Tel: 012 259 0554
www.polystyrenepackaging.co.za
The Council is a national voluntary

association of raw material
suppliers, packaging converters
and manufacturers. PACSA is a
spokesbody for the industry in
South Africa, dealing with issues
like legislation, environment, etc.
Responsible Packaging
Management Association of
Southern Africa
Tel: 032 942 8256
www.rpmasa.org.za
Responsible Packaging Management

is a process that follows the entire
lifecycle of a container. Its purpose
Plastics SA
Previously the Plastics Federation of is to address economic, legal and
regulatory concerns associated
South Africa (PFSA)
with container use.
Tel: 011 314 4021
www.plasticsinfo.co.za
Companies
AFCOM GE Hudson Tel: 011 627 7000 www.afcom.co.za
Afripack Tel: 031 452 1300 www.afripack.co.za
Agripallet Tel: 011 914 2033 www.afripallet.co.za
Ampaglas Tel: 021 511 6081 www.ampaglas.co.za
Astrapak Tel: 011 615 8011 www.astrapak.co.za
Azapac (Pty) Ltd Tel: 031 700 5816 www.azapac.co.za
Bowler Plastics (Pty) Ltd Tel: 021 704 2223 www.bowler.co.za
Boxmore Plastics International Tel: 058 624 2200 www.boxmore.
co.za
Secure packaging is essential to keep and protect the product inside
the bag and must be able to withstand physical transport and handling
during distribution to allow the bag to be received by the consumers
in good condition. From manual and portable heat sealing and stitching
machines for low production, to high speed industrial systems that are
fitted over conveyors for continuous production, Buckle Packaging
& Engineering (Pty) Limited are able to advise accordingly. Call 011
613 8024 or visit www.bucklepack.co.za
Colpak Tel: 021 593 8523 www.colpak.biz
Consol Ltd Tel: 011 874 0000 www.consol.co.za
253
Cotton Picker cc Tel: 011 801 3000 www.mtech.co.za

Crown Bag Tel: 058 635 1166 / 7 www.crownbag.co.za
CX Pallets Tel: 011 822 8656 www.cxpallets.co.za
Dairypack see Polyoak
Diversified Paper & Plastics (Pty) Ltd www.diversifiedpackaging.
co.za
Dynamic Fibre Moulding Tel: 032 456 2387 www.dfmsa.co.za
Fried International Imports Tel: 011 486 4725 www.fii.co.za
Future Packaging & Machinery 011 794 3310 http://futurpac.co.za
Gerber Packaging Tel: 011 652 0710 www.gerberfresh.co.za
Golden Era Group Tel: 011 323 1900 www.golden-era.co.za
Goldpack Packaging Systems Tel: 031 569 4199 www.goldpack.
co.za. Goldpack branches:
- Cape Town 021 534 0215
- Johannesburg 011 266 7460
- Durban 031 569 4199
- Port Elizabeth 041 374 5373
Greif South Africa Tel: 083 441 4134 www.greif.co.za
Groplast (Pty) Ltd Tel: 011 412 4411 www.groplast.co.za
Gundle Plastics Group Tel: 011 876 6400 www.gundle.co.za
Hammermill Tel: 011 768 2289 www.bagcloser.co.za
Heb Cooler Tel: 031 791 0005 www.hebcooler.co.za
Houers Koperatief Bpk Tel: 015 345 8100
Huhtamaki South Africa Tel: 011 730 6300 www.huhtamaki.co.za
ILIP Packaging (Pty) Ltd Tel: 021 976 5715 www.ilip.co.za
International Bag Buyers Tel: 012 250 0120 www.internationalgroup.
co.za
KRB Safety and Packaging Tel: 012 661 0935 www.k-r-b.com
Kemtek Imaging Systems Holdings Ltd Tel: 021 521 9600 www.
kemtek.co.za
Lab-O-Mat Tel: 051 773 0068 www.labomat.co.za
Label-IT Packaging Tel: 011 708 5899 www.label-it.co.za
LANDPAK Tel: 012 250 0120 www.internationalgroup.co.za
Lowveld Lumber & Pallet Tel: 013 754 9000 www.lowveldlumber.com
MCG Industries Tel: 021 508 7100 www.mcgindustries.com
Metal Closures Group SA Ltd www.mcgindustries.com
MPact Formerly Mondi Packaging South Africa Tel: 011 994 5500 www.
mpact.co.za
MPact Plastic Containers Tel: 021 577 1205 www.mpcsa.co.za
Multiknit Tel: 013 751 2376 www.multiknit.co.za
Multivac Southern Africa (Pty) Ltd Tel: 016 341 5911 www.
multivac.com
Nampak South Africa Tel: 011 719 6300 www.nampak.com
National Packaging Systems KZN Tel: 031 700 2700 www.
nationalpackaging.co.za
Pallet Supply Company Tel: 021 907 2300 www.palletsupply.co.za
Path Plastics Co (Pty) Ltd Tel: 021 551 9191 www.pathplastics.
co.za
Polyoak Packaging Group Tel: 011 494 4470 www.polyoak.com
Premier Packaging Tel: 011 849 7884 www.prempack.co.za
Rand Plastics (Pty) Ltd Tel: 011 626 2630/5 www.randplastics.co.za
Redfern Labels Tel: 08600 LABEL www.redfern.co.za
Rheem South Africa Tel: 031 910 6900 www.rheem.co.za
Sakpro see Multiknit
Sealed Air Africa Tel: 011 392 1870 www.sealedair.com
SIG Combibloc Obeikan SA Tel: 021 551 3834 www.sig.biz
Signea Systeme (Pty) Ltd Tel: 011 965 0823 www.signea.co.za
Smart Farming Technologies Tel: 021 555 0293 ww.smartfarming.
co.za
Sunny Packs Tel: 011 878 5920
Tetra Pak South Africa (Pty) Ltd Tel: 011 570 3000 www.tetrapak.
com
Tristar Plastics (Pty) Ltd see Astrapak
ULMA Packaging Tel: 011 608 4005/6 www.ulmapackaging.com
Ultrapak see Astrapak
Standards, training and research

BMI Research
Tel: 011 615 7000
www.bmifoodpack.co.za
Institute of Packaging SA
(IPSA)
www.ipsa.org.za
FOODBEV
Tel: 011 253 7300
www.foodbev.co.za
The organisation is also a voluntary

body
focusing
on
industry
professionalism via education. As
part of its commitment to education
the Institute of Packaging manages a
packaging diploma programme and
also runs the well known Goldpack
and Student Goldpack Awards.
FoodBev is the Sector Education

and Training Authority responsible
for facilitating training in the food
and beverages manufacturing
sector. Packaging operations are
included in its learning programmes. SA Agri Academy
Find accredited training providers Tel: 021 880 1276/7
on the website.
Genesis QA South Africa
Tel: 021 880 1764
www.genesisqa.com
Packaging standards
Packaging
and
packaging
requirements is included in the
training done on technical market
access requirements.

Visit websites of associations and companies mentioned in this chapter.
A Handbook of Packaging Technology is a most valuable information source
for the African packaging industry and is the prescribed text book for
students at the Institute of Packaging SA. To order a copy contact the
national secretariat at 011 782 0233 or email secretary@ipsa.org.za.
Packaging Review is the official journal of the Packaging Council of South
Africa. Contact the editor by calling 011 835 2221 or by faxing 011 835
1943.
Another publication is Packaging & Print Media. Visit www.packagingmag.
co.za or phone 021 712 1419 for more information.
Food & Beverage Reporter, which includes Packaging Reporter, is a printed
magazine for the food, beverage and packaging industries in southern Africa.
Contact 011 462 5645 or visit www.developtechnology.com.
Bizcommunity.com put out a weekly retail newsletter which includes a
packaging heading. Call 021 680 3500 or visit http://retail.bizcommunity.
com.
Book thirteen of the series Training manuals: cooperatives is called
Packaging, Pricing & Storage. The books can be viewed at www.daff.gov.
za/publications.
Ingeo bioplastics offers the food, cosmetics and other industries a new
packaging material derived from sugar instead of petroleum. Read about it
at www.natureworksllc.com.
254
Power factor
inputs
Pumps and generators
See also related chapters like Irrigation and Boreholes & windmills
1. Overview
Selecting a pump for a project is a team effort: the more the user can tell
about his requirements (i.e. flow, head, levels, alternative duties), the easier
it is for the supplier (and the user) to select the correct equipment. Here is
a piece written by Gerhard Botha of New Way Power Systems points to
guide a successful engine-driven generator application. Write to him at
wollies@newway.co.za.
When an AC circuit is composed of a pure resistive load, the current

wave is in phase with the voltage wave. With a pure inductance load
the wave lags the voltage wave by 90 degrees. A pure capacitance load
will have a current wave that leads the voltage wave by 90 degrees.
The inductance and capacitance waves do not consume engine
power, but they do increase the current flow in the generator and are
measured by the ammeter. For this reason inductance and capacitance
are sometimes called reactive power or wattles power.
Watts or kilowatts are real power. With a resistive load, watts equal
volts times amperes. If inductance or reactance is in the load, the
current will be higher, so multiplying volts times amperes gives a result
that is more than the real power. Therefore volts times amperes is
called apparent power and is measured in kilovolt-amperes or kVA.
Real power (kW) divided by apparent power (kVA) is the power
factor or PF. Technically PF equals cosine q, where q is the phase angle
between the voltage wave and the current wave.
kW = Real Power= kVA x PF
kVA = Apparent Power
PF = kW/kVA = Real Power/Apparent Power
Excess capacity
Considerations for proper hardware selection, from the engine

manufacturers perspective, to achieve a successful engine-driven
generator application.
Generator basics
A generator may be either AC (Alternating Current) or DC (Direct
Current). AC generators are also called alternators and are now so
common that AC generator and generator has become synonymous
terms.
An AC generator produces electrical current by passing a conductor
through a flux field. On 15KW and smaller generator sets permanent
magnets are typically used for the flux field, while larger sets use a
DC current in field windings. The AC generators output current is
generated when the armature windings cut the flux field. Regulating
the DC current in the field windings, controls voltage.
Early AC generators used a fixed field and a rotating armature. The
modern AC generators use rotating field windings with a stationary
armature to produce output current. The rotating field is called the
rotor and the stationary armature is the stator. An exciter generates
the DC current for the rotating field. The exciter can either be static
or rotating.
Sizing generators
Three ways of sizing a generator set are: Peak Load, Motor Starting and
Transient Response.
When sizing for Peak Load, the installer calculates the maximum
kilowatt electrical load and selects a generator set with equal or
greater kilowatt capacity.
To size an engine for Motor Starting, the installer determines the
maximum motor starting current (inrush current) together with any
other loads and selects a generator set with equal or greater kilowatt
capacity. Since typical motor starting current is five times running
current, maximum voltage dip occurs during motor starting. Smaller
generator set sizes can be used when motors have sequential starting
or use reduced voltage starting. Sequential starting spreads out the
inrush load of several motors, while reduced voltage starting lowers
individual motor starting current.
Transient response sizing is based on the ability of the generator set
to accept a load and recover to normal frequency and voltage within a
specified time. Transient response is typically checked by block loading
the set with a load bank.
The customer must specify the limits for maximum voltage dip,
recovery time and power factor.
The typical generator set runs at less than its full capacity most of the
time. As the load decreases, the operating efficiency of the engine
decreases which increases cost per produced kilowatt. This not a
major concern for Standby generator sets. However, the increased
cost of operating Prime and Continuous systems at decreased loads
can be significant.
Part load operation also allows unburned fuel to gather in the engine
exhaust and lubrication systems. This type of operation can result
in unsightly leakage from the exhaust system, as well as increased
maintenance costs. An oversized engine will more likely have these
problems. A generator set operates best from 50% to 90% of full
rated load. Long-term operation at less than 30% of full load is not
recommended.
Single phase and three phase power
Single phase (1f) AC consists of either one or two voltages in series with
exactly the same phase relationship. Single phase AC supplies power
over two or three lines.
Three phase (3f) consists of three separate voltages spaced 120
electrical degrees apart, using three lines plus a neutral line. The phases
are usually given letter designations (Phase A, Phase B, Phase C). Not
two phases are at zero voltage at the same time. No two phases are at
peak voltage at the same time.
Exercising
Standby generator sets are exercised on a regular basis to ensure readiness
when needed. Exercising for short periods of time with no load is
detrimental to the engine. The engine is best exercised when run for 30
minutes or more with 50% to 75% load. This allows the engine to run at
normal operating temperatures.
Balanced three phase loads
Generators should have the resistive and inductive loads balanced on each
phase. A phase imbalance of more than 5% will cause unstable voltage
regulation. This problem cannot be corrected with engine or generator
adjustments. The distribution circuits should be rearranged until balance
can be achieved.
256
2. Role players
Associations
South African Pump Manufacturers Association (SAPMA)
Tel: 072 889 2789
http://sapma-sa.co.za

Find the Training option at http://sapma-sa.co.za
In-house training on products and pumping systems is done for staff and
distributors by companies involved in this industry.
Companies
Adendorff Machinery Mart www.tooltime.co.za
Aesseal SA Tel: 011 466 6500 www.aesseal.co.za
Agrimaster Tel: 021 859 1816/7 www.agrimaster.co.za
All Power Tel: 041 451 3936 www.allpower.co.za
Automotive Equipment International (AEI) Tel: 011 474 7480
www.aei.co.za
Barloworld Power Perkins supplies diesel and gas engines to the
industrial, construction, agricultural, marine and electrical power
generation markets. Based in Boksburg, they are responsible for
providing parts, warranty, sales, service and technical support
throughout the subcontinent. Call 011 898 0450 or visit www.bwep.
co.za.
Brisan Turbo www.brisanpumps.com
B&S Commercial Power Tel: 021 981 6040 www.bspower.co.za
Bundu Power Tel: 011 397 7373 www.bundupower.co.za
Continental Genset Supplies Tel: 018 431 1817/8 www.
continentalgenerators.co.za
Cyclone Industries cc Tel: 011 821 5900 www.cyclone.edx.co.za
D & D Pumps Tel: 021 981 5392 www.ddpumps.co.za
Davis & Shirtliff Tel: +254 020 6968 000 www.dayliff.com
DR Pumps Tel: 012 811 0229 www.drpumps.co.za
Elsumo (Pty) Ltd Tel: 021 875 5781 www.elsumo.co.za
Ernest Electro Engineering Tel: 011 792 9550 www.ernestee.co.za
Franklin Electric SA Tel: 011 723 6500 www.franklin-electric.co.za
Generator King Tel: 086 111 3847 www.genking.co.za
GEN-TEK Tel: 011 608 4676 www.gen-tek.co.za
Genpower Tel: 0861 101 103 www.genpower.co.za
GOSCOR Power Products Tel: 0861 GOSCOR (467 267) www.
goscor-power-products.co.za
Grundfos has a well established distribution base in South Africa and
the African continent ... In a continent like Africa where one of the
major problems is accessibility to clean drinking water, it is clear to see
why our priority focus area is Water Supply. Find the Africa Water
Facts and more on their website, www.grundfos.co.za. Call them at
010 248 6000.
Heidelkor Tel: 016 341 6130/1 www.heidelkor.com

Jomandi Generators Tel: 011 662 1371 www.jomandi.co.za
KSB Pumps Tel: 011 876 5600 www.ksbpumps.co.za
Maiden Electronics provides Power solutions for Africa. Call 011
468 1619 or 084 435 4113, or visit www.maidenelectronics.co.za
McBeans Tel: 033 342 1541 www.mcbeans.co.za
Find contacts for New Way Motor & Diesel Engineering in Gauteng,
North West and Western Cape at www.newway.co.za.
Northern Generator Services Tel: 012 993 1426 www.
northerngenerators.co.za
N and Z Instrumentation & Control Tel: 011 435 1080 www.nz.co.
za
Oddesse see Ernest Electro Engineering
Performa Pumps Tell: 011 845 1100 www.performa.edx.co.za
Perkins see Barloworld Power Perkins
Pump & Seal Services Tel: 011 894 5106 www.pumpseal.edx.co.za
Rapid Allweiler Pump & Engineering Tel: 011 573 7400 www.
rapidpumps.co.za
Red Rhino Tel: 011 668 1923/4 www.red-rhino.co.za
Southern Cross Industries Tel: 051 434 3575 www.southx.co.za
Staden Borehole Pumps Tel: 051 522 0397 http://stadenpumps.
com
Stewarts & Lloyds Tel: 0860 10 27 99 www.stewartsandlloyds.co.za
Sulzer South Africa Tel: 011 820 6000 www.sulzerpumps.com
Vac-Cent Services Tel: 011 827 1536 www.vaccent.co.za
Verder Pumps SA Tel: 011 704 7500 www.verder.co.za
Water Max Solar Pumps see All Power
Waterlinx Tel: 011 444 8902 www.waterlinx.co.za
Watson Marlow Bredel SA Tel: 011 796 2960 www.watson-marlow.
com
Wilo South Africa Tel: 041 487 0022 www.wilo.co.za
Zakpower Tel: 012 362 8372 www.zakpower.co.za
ZM Pumps Tel: 082 552 3917 www.zmpompe.co.za

Visit the different websites mentioned in this chapter. The Southern Cross
Industries website, for example, has technical information on factors which
you should bear in mind if pumping water from creeks, dams, bore drains
or earth tanks.
www.worldpumps.com covers developments in power generation, pulp
and paper, food and drink, desaliniation all the uses that pumps and
generators could have.
Petrol-driven irrigation pump for emerging farmers
Petrol-aangedrewe besproeiingspomp vir beginnerboere
A guide to manufacturing the kit treadle pump
The topics of manure pumps (types suitable, considerations for pump
installation etc) is dealt with in the publication Manure handling in intensive
animal production units, written by HT Breedt, edited and revised by F
Cilliers. Copyright. 2009. It is also available from the ARC-Institute for
Agricultural Engineering.
Find out about the annual International Pump User Conference (IPUC) at
www.ipuc.co.za.
Visit the website of the British Pump manufacturer Association www.
bpma.org.uk.
257
inputs
Rainwater harvesting
Also refer to the Water chapter
1. Overview
Rain does not always fall where humans want it to fall, but we work with
it to our own advantage. On a national level, dams such as the Gariep
Dam, Vanderkloof Dam, Midmar Dam, Pongolapoort Dam, Vaal Dam or
Theewaterskoof Dam have been constructed to collect and store rain water
on a large scale. On a local or farming level, thousands of smaller dams have
been built by the owners of the land, using their tractors, dam scrapers,
front-end loaders or other equipment available on the farm. The basic idea
is to keep the rain water on the land where it falls i.e. harvesting rainwater.
At a later date this water will be used for irrigating crops, drinking water for
animals and even as drinking water for human consumption.
Some rainwater might require treatment before it is considered suitable for
drinking. So-called appropriate technology methods (e.g. as solar water
disinfection) provide low-cost disinfection options for treatment of stored
rainwater for drinking.
Rain Water Harvesting (RWH) is increasingly being accepted as a practical
method of providing both irrigation and potable water in agricultural and
development projects throughout the world. RWH has wide application
also in urban and peri-urban areas where the quantity, reliability and quality
of piped water are sometimes questioned.
Enough rain falls on the African continent to supply the water needs for 13
billion people, twice the current world population. However, little of the
rainfall is collected or stored through sustainable methods, such as small and
large-scale rainwater harvesting.
The technique addresses the negatives of conventional ploughing or

breaking up of the soil in preparation for planting, including nutrient loss,
erosion and a ballooning carbon footprint. At the same time, it adds several
extra positives, most importantly the capture of rainwater in a shallow
trough, allowing the water to settle and nourish the soil, rather than being
lost through run-off. On either side of this trough, between each crop
line, a section of ground is left untilled. Suddenly, you have no erosion, and
increased water content in your soil.
One of the negatives of ploughing is you release carbon deposits trapped
in the soil, contributing to climate change. Because of the no-till corridors,
this problem is greatly reduced.
It has been shown that, in turn, the implementation of In Field Rainwater
Harvesting increases production and decreases the risk of crop failure,
Botha said.
In the three years we have been testing the method in Limpopo, there
has been a 55% increase in production over the output of previous crops
where conventional ploughing was used to prepare the land.
The reduction of crop failure risk comes from improved water content in
the soil.
In the back yard scenario, the trough acts as a repository for fallen leaves
from other plants. This compost mixes with the water, providing the perfect
organic fertiliser.
For the field model, thought is being put into various value adds including
inter-cropping with another crop or with indigenous plants. Leaf litter
would in this way be generated for the trough, as well as other benefits like
increased pollination.
The new system also meets the last pillar of sustainability social acceptance.
The back yard garden model has been embraced by the 1000 households
in Botshabelo township Bloemfontein, where it was tested, as well as 150
households in Alice and Hogsback in Eastern Cape.
Botha said he believed the system was ideal to roll out on the vast expanses
of farming land presently lying fallow in the Eastern Cape, and then on into
Africa.
The level of economic activity has been shown to double in rural villages
with access to more water. This has a direct impact on poverty.
Source: http://www.peherald.com/news/article/3652
Every household with a roof can potentially harvest and store rainwater.
In South Africa, where the backyards of rural homesteads add up to a
whopping 200 000 hectares (i.e. double the current area under smallholder
irrigation), the potential impact on food security is more than significant.
3. Role players
Source: EH Walter (Hydrex), in correspondence with the National Agricultural

Directory; UN Environment Programme (UNEP) Environmental Food Crisis
report, May 2009. Find it at www.unep.org; www.sciencedirect.com /science;
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rainwater_harvesting; Tsepho Khumbane, Trustee
of The Mvula Trust (adapted)
2. Grower points of interest

A NEW rainwater conservation technique developed in South Africa is
producing such good results it could be rolled out across the continent. In
Field Rainwater Harvesting has already been tested in the Free State and the
Eastern Cape for subsistence back yard gardens and is entering the fourth
year of trial across large-scale crop lands in Limpopo.
It was presented at the 3rd International Forum on Water and Food on
November 16 2011, to warm applause from delegates, by Dr Cobus Botha,
a specialist researcher at the national Agricultural Research Council, where
it was invented and refined.
Applied UV
Tel: 021 448 6721
www.applieduv.co.za
ping viable in areas where people

had abandoned crop production.
See heading 2.
Applied UV specialises in ultraviolet

water disinfection, a system used
to disinfect the drinking water for
farms, houses, hospitals, hotels
and communities that are without
treated water.
Builders Warehouse
Tel: 0861 335 2739
www.builders.co.za
Builders Warehouse supplies various

water storage devices which can
be attached to downpipes. Branch
ARCInstitute for Soil, Climate contact details can be found on the
website.
Tel: 051 861 1172
Fax: 051 861 1027
DPI Plastics
bothac@arc.agric.za
Tel: 011 345 5600
www.dpiplastics.co.za
Near Bloemfontein in South
Africas flat, dry province, the ARC
has developed In field Rainwater
Harvesting systems, making crop-
258
Free Water Systems

Tel: 021 531 6471
www.freewater.co.za
Garantia South Africa
Tel: 032 944 5679/81/83
www.garantiasa.co.za
Hydrex Water Storage
Tel: 011 440 4472
www.hydrex.co.za
Kyasol Green Building
Technologies
Tel: 011 840 0840
www.kyasol.co.za
MVULA Trust
Tel: 011 403 3425
www.mvula.co.za
Your local Water Board should

be able to assist you with advice,
publications etc. Rand Water, for
example, has a booklet Going with
the Flow, which shows the reader
how to build a water tank for
storing storm water / rainwater.
Contact Grant Pearson.
SPATIUM
Louw van Biljon 082 777 2647
spatium@isat.co.za
Umhlaba Consulting Group
(Pty) Ltd
Water for Development Unit
Director Jonathan Denison
Tel: 043 722 1246
jonathan@umhlabagroup.co.za

Mvula Trust is the largest NonDepartment of Agricultural
Governmental
Organisation
Economics
supporting Water and Sanitation
MF Viljoen
Development in South Africa.
Tel: 051 401 2824
www.uovs.ac.za/agric-econ
Ozone Innovations
Tel: 021 854 6400
www.ozoneinnovations.com
Tel: 012 330 0340
www.wrc.org.za
Ozone, activated oxygen, is a
natural purifier. Its clean, fresh In-field rain-water harvesting
scent is often noticed after a heavy improves
small-scale
farming
rain. Ozone Innovations specialises income and profitability. Studies
in the design, manufacture and to assess economic viability, social
installation of chemical-free ozone acceptability and environmental
and ultra-violet light sterilisation sustainability have shown in-field
equipment.
rainwater harvesting (IRWH) to
be a sustainable approach towards
empowering rural people to
Rain Harvesting Systems
fight food insecurity and improve
Tel: 086 100 7246
livelihoods.
info@rainharvesting.co.za
www.rainharvesting.co.za
Rainwater for drinking should be
Rainman Landcare Foundation carefully stored and treated prior to
consumption. Several technologies
Tel: 044 801 5017
exist for home treatment including:
www.rainman.co.za
ozone sterilisation, UV, distillation.
Fairly simple sand filters followed
Rainwater harvesting training
by household chlorine may also be
utilised.
Rand Water
Water Quality Specialist Services,
For further details, contact Dr Jo
Bulk Water Services
Burgess at the Water Research
Tel: 011 682 0278 / 89
Commission, 012 330 9039 (RWH
gpearson@randwater.co.za
www.randwater.co.za (click on the for domestic use), or Dr Andrew
Sanewe on 012 330 9047 (for
Water Wise logo)
agricultural use).

Various reports on in-field rainwater harvesting and conservation are
available from the Water Research Commission. Contact them or visit
www.wrc.org.za.
Kejafa Knowledge Works stocks the publication Water Harvesting Techniques.
Contact them at 011 025 4388 or visit www.kejafa.co.za.
www.harvesth2o.com the online rainwater harvesting community

Find the Info Pak Collecting rainwater from your roof under the
Publications option at www.daff.gov.za.
Hoops are raised earth structures (bunds) constructed as semi-circles on
gently sloping land. They are made so that the tips of the bunds or hoops
point up the slope and are on the same level with the contour line. The
hoops capture rainwater that runs down the slope. Rainwater Harvesting for
Increased Pasture Production, CTA Practical Guide Series No 3, an equivalent
of the South African Info Paks, is a brochure dealing with the making of
these hoops. Visit www.cta.int.
A google will bring you to numerous articles on websites like www.
sciencedirect.com (Treating and storing rainwater for domestic indoor
use), www.gdrc.org (An introduction to rainwater harvesting) and www.
wikihow.com (Build a rainwater collection system).
Excellent sources include:
Botha, JJ, van Rensburg, LD, Anderson, JJ, Hensley, M, Macheli, MS,
van Staden, PP, Kundhlande, G, Groenewald, DC, & Baiphethi, MN,
(2003). Water conservation techniques on small plots in semi-arid areas
to enhance rainfall use efficiency, food security, and sustainable crop
production. Report No. 1176/1/03, Water Research Commission,
Pretoria.
Hensley, M, Botha, JJ, Anderson, JJ, Van Staden, PP & Du Toit, A, (2000).
Optimising rainfall use efficiency for developing farmers with limited access
to irrigation water. Report No. 878/1/00, Water Research Commission,
Pretoria.
Kundhlande, G, Groenewald, DC, Baiphethi, MN, Viljoen, MF, Botha,
JJ, Van Rensburg, LD, Anderson, JJ (2004). Socio-economic study on
water conservation techniques in semi-arid areas. Report No. 1267/1/04,
Water Research Commission, Pretoria.
Water resources management in rainwater harvesting: An integrated
systems approach includes case studies of villages / farm workers who
catch rainwater for a variety of purposes.
Above: One of the many possible tanks in which rainwater can be stored.
Photograph courtesy of Hydrex.
259
inputs
GROBLERSDAL, South Africa Thandeka Mabuzas small-scale dairy

farm, on the banks of the Olifants River, gives off hardly any of the earthy
smell you might expect from a thriving dairy operation. But the lack
of manure odour is hardly the only benefit from the farms pioneering
biogas dairy.
Renewable energy
By using vats to digest cow dung and then harvesting and burning the
methane, Mabuza now produces electricity for her house and barns.
See also the Energy, Biofuels and Fuels and lubricants chapters
This project is a triple win situation, said the former agricultural

extension officer with the then South African department of agriculture
and land affairs. I can confirm that through turning manure into energy,
I have reduced my electricity bill by a quarter. And I am preventing
deforestation by reducing destructive harvesting of fuel wood, a major
source of power for many small farming operations.
1. Overview
The renewable energy sector is one of the fastest growing sectors in the world.
For South Africa, it can mean job creation, sustainable development, and a
reduced burden on Eskom. It is also a logical response to climate change.
Because they are constantly replenished, renewable energy resources have
security of supply. After the initial start up costs, energy is sourced from
wind, waves, sun, earth heat (geothermal), biomass and rivers. Renewable
energy technologies (RETs) that we use to harness these resources also
operate without polluting and are therefore called clean technologies.
A greater diversity of energy resources is in the best interests of national
and international security.
The demand for renewable energy is growing globally and so it provides
both a path to sustainable economic growth and potential exports. Using
renewable energy can meet our energy needs today and ensure that there
will be clean air and lots of energy for our grandchildren.
Source: Earthlife (adapted)
The 12-hectare farm in South Africas Limpopo province, about 150

kilometres (94 miles) northeast of Pretoria, has a 16 dairy cows, whose
manure is fed into three anaerobic digesters. The resulting gas is then
burned to produce electricity.
Source: adapted from the article South African dairy goes green with manure
power at www.trust.org/alertnet.
3. Biomass
Biomass is a term generally referring to any plant or animal matter. Examples
of biomass as a direct fuel source include wood chips, municipal waste,
animal manure, macadamia nut shells, sugar cane residue and agricultural
wastes, particularly in rural areas.
Plant oils are also produced from biomass. These oils can be extracted from
sunflowers, soybeans, groundnuts, vegetables and other plants, and turned
into fuel. Energy can also be produced by converting biomass to a gas.
Biogas is dealt with under the previous heading. For notes on biofuels
(ethanol and biodiesel), please consult the separate Biofuels chapter.
2. Biogas
Visit http://biogasassociation.co.za.
Gasification: Utilising biomass as a fuel source
Certain by-products of agriculture, (animal waste, crop residues, etc)

originally considered waste streams, are increasingly being seen as a valuable
by-product and a value adding resource, and rightly so. In todays fiercely
competitive agricultural environment; farmers must look more closely at
their waste streams and ensure that they are not throwing away potential
cost savings or revenue.
Gasification is the incomplete pyrolysis of hydrocarbon biomass.

Feedstock such as wood, manure, waste paper or coal can be converted
to a clean burning Producer gas (Synthesis gas) consisting primarily of
Hydrogen (H2) and Carbon Monoxide (CO) which can be used to replace
diesel or petrol.
Biogas is a gas consisting of approximately 50-70% methane (CH4) and 5030% carbon dioxide (CO2). Synonyms for biogas include words such as
sewage gas, marsh gas, methane. Biogas can be purified (scrubbed) and used
for power generation and/or heating and cooling. Benefits of a biogas plant,
in addition to electricity, are odour control, waste management, improved
fertiliser value, reduced GHG emissions.
Biogas is well established in China, India and other Asian countries as a rural
source of energy.
For Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) and Carbon Credits, the
possibility exists of registering a number of operations under one umbrella
registration thereby reducing the registration costs and lowering the size
barrier. This is potentially a second income stream for farmers. Find notes
on Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) at www.tradeplusaid.co.za.
Role players (see heading 12)
Agama Energy
Engineering
Acrona Systems
Biogas Power
Biogas SA
Cape Advanced
Engineering (CAE)
EcoSecurities
Humphries Boerdery
Lindon Renewables
South African Biogas Industry
Association (SABIA)
Southern Energy
Sunfuel Cleantech Group
Trade Plus Aid (TPA)
Ubuntu Energy Solutions
Weltec
Gasification is ideal for large scale agricultural enterprises as it converts

what is primarily a waste stream into an environmentally friendly, clean
burning fuel which can be used to generate electricity and for heating,
especially in the colder climates. Biogas plant energy yields can be
enhanced by separating the solids and liquids in digester effluent and
gasifying the solids.
Process waste has always been a nuisance to management of large
commercial agricultural enterprises such as feedlots (Animal Manure)
and sawmills (Off Cuts, Sawdust and Woodchips). In the past, direct
combustion of the waste, for heating, was advocated and actually
integrated with a reasonable amount of success. The environmental and
labour impacts, however, were not realised until recently.
Source: Biogas Power

Biogas Power
Cape Advanced Engineering
(CAE)
ECCOFuels
Energy & Densification
Systems (Pty) Ltd
ENVIRO-LOG
Enviroserv
Lindon Renewables
Renewable Energy Solutions
Scanwood Solutions (Pty) Ltd
Southern Energy
Sunfuel Cleantech Group
University of the
Witwatersrand
260
4. Geothermal energy
7. Natural gas
This is energy contained in the heated rock and fluid that rises from the
extremely hot core of the Earth and filters into cracks and pores in the
Earths crust. It can exist as hot water, steam or hot dry rocks. In order to
access it, wells are drilled into the Earths surface. South Africa does not
have many geothermal resources, except in the area around Aliwal North
and in the Cape Fold mountains.
Energy in water, in the form of motive energy or temperature differences,

can be harnessed and used. Since water is about a thousand times heavier
than air, even a slow-flowing stream of water can yield great amounts of
energy.
Hydroelectricity, a renewable energy source obtained from moving water,
supplies about one-sixth of the worlds electricity. With seven major rivers
(Nile, Niger, Congo, Senegal, Orange/Gariep, Limpopo and Zambezi)
Africa, which holds about 10 percent of the world hydro-energy potential
and, with very low energy per capita consumption level, has so far exploited
a small part of its capability.
Due to the high capital cost and environmental and social impact of large
dams, renewable hydro developments today are increasingly focused on
smaller-scale projects (less than 10MW). These smaller hydro-plants do
not impact on riverine eco-systems, and using local technology and skills to
develop small-scale hydro can also create local jobs.
Visiongain, an independent information provider, estimates the global
hydropower market to be worth US56.51 billion. Find the Hydropower
Market 2011-2021 report at www.visiongain.com.
Hydroelectricity can also be generated at sea as Marine energy or marine
power.
An area of 70km x 70 km could provide all of South Africas electricity

requirements from concentrated solar power (CSP).
Solar power generation is the fastest-growing electricity source, doubling its
output every two years.
Solar resources are by far the most abundant and readily accessible in South
Africa, as Africa is well endowed with sunshine the whole year round. We
have twice as much sunlight than that in Europe where solar power units
are compulsory in some countries such as Switzerland. In Europe you find
solar power farms where farmers make more money from selling surplus
solar power to the national grid than from traditional farming.
There are two distinct ways we can utilise solar power, either by using the
heat of the sun (solar thermal) or by converting sunlight into electricity with
photovoltaic panels. There is also passive solar buildings are constructed
in such a way that they absorb the heat of the sun (by facing north) thereby
reducing heating costs.
Solar power for farms in remote regions is a viable option because they do
not have direct access to grid-fed electricity. It becomes viable to use solar
power because there is usually a very high cost to get grid-fed electricity to
the farm which is for the farm owners account. And the cost of electricity
is then supplied at a much higher route than that for urban areas.
Source: www.solardome.co.za and www.solar-panel.co.za

Vortex Hydro Systems
ZM Pumps
6. Landfill gas
Also see the Waste management chapter
Landfill gas is a complex mix of different gases created by the action of

micro-organisms within a landfill. These gases can be collected and used to
produce heat or electricity. Not only are landfill gas projects an important
source of energy (what a creative form of waste management!), they also
reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Energy & Densification
Systems (Pty) Ltd
Enviroserv
8. Solar
One hour of sunlight packs enough energy to power the world for a day.
5. Hydro energy
African Alternative
Technologies (AAT)
Bethlehem Hydro
Earth Power
See the Energy chapter
Interwaste Environmental
Solutions

African Alternative
Technologies (AAT)
ARC Institute for Agricultural
Engineering
All Power
Association for Renewable
Energy Cooking Appliances
(AFRECA)
Aurora Power Solutions (APS)
Bundu Power
Davy Pumps
Divwatt (Pty) Limited
Earth Power
Gunda Imports and
Distribution
Jabula Holdings
JLinx
Kabi Energy
Lindon Renewables
Mainstream
Renewable Power
Nuon RAPS Utility

Olivia Energy Solutions
Plan my Power
Renergy Technology
(Rentech)
Secur-a-lite
Selected Energy
Solardome SA
Solar Heat Exchangers
Solar World Africa
Solien
Sonnenkraft
South African Photovoltaic
Industry Association (SAPVIA)
Sun Africa
Sun Electricity
Sustainable Energy Society of
Southern Africa (SESSA)
Suntank Solar
Tasol
Tenesol Manufacturing
ZM Pumps
261
9. Wind energy
Renewable energy will make up 42% of new power projects in South Africa
by 2030, of which wind energy is expected to account for about half.
Renewable energy generation is seen as a possible catalyst for increased

economic benefits and industrial development by achieving various
objectives in South Africa:
South Africa, with its ample coastline, has the potential for major electricity
generation from wind. Hermann Oelsner (African Wind Energy Association
- AfriWEA) states that South Africa has the potential to be able to
generate electricity from wind in excess of its current total national power
consumption, and without the harmful effects of fossil fuel and nuclear
powered generation plants.
The World Wind Energy Association (WWEA) believes the small wind
power market has the potential to increase its market share substantially in
the foreseeable future tenfold in 2020 and become a mature industry.
Find the Small Wind Report 2012 at www.wwindea.org.
Read about the Wind Atlas for South Africa at www.wasaproject.info.
African Alternative
Technologies (AAT)
African Wind Energy
Association (AfriWEA)
Bundu Power
Darling Wind power
Divwatt (Pty) Limited
Earth Power
Genesis Eco-Energy
Innowind
JLinx
Kestrel Wind Turbines
Lindon Renewables
MetroWind Van Stadens Wind
Farm
Palm Tree Power
Winglette
ZM Pumps

We may have taught China to drive, eat, and buy its way to ruin; China may
yet show us how to save the world. Thomas J Campanella, http://www.bbc.
co.uk/news/world-asia-pacific-13799997
Growing urbanisation and the resultant environmental threats it generates
has led the government of China to invest nearly US$50 billion annually on
the development of its renewable energy sector since 2009. Its five-year
investment in environmental protection is on track to reach US$454 billion.
By 2015, its environmental protection industry is expected to top US$317
billion.
Following the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster in Japan in 2011, Germany
is looking to phase out nuclear power completely by 2022. The country has
been at the forefront of renewable energy technologies for years now and
is well positioned to become the first country to switch to green power
completely.
The world market for wind turbines reached a record 41 GW in 2011,
up from 37.6 GW in 2010, with China adding more than 40% of the new
capacity. The largest markets in order are China, the USA, India, Germany
and Canada. Find information at www.wwindea.org, website of the World
Wind Energy Association (WWEA).
The worlds solar power generating capacity will grow by between 200%
and 400% over the next five years, with Asia and other emerging markets
overtaking leadership from Europe Germany, the worlds biggest PV
market, is likely to be the main global driver in 2012, followed by China,
the United States and Japan. The fastest PV capacity growth is expected in
China and India, followed by the southeast Asia, Latin America, the Middle
East and North Africa.
Sources: ESI-Africa.com newsletter, 2 February 2012, European Photovoltaic
Industry Association (EPIA), May 2012
job creation
improved export competitiveness
assisting South Africa to reach its carbon mitigation commitments
safeguard exports from possible carbon tariffs and taxes and
build energy security
Renewable energy plays a vital role in assisting South Africa to reach its
commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 34 percent by 2020
with the potential of creating more than 50 000 employment opportunities
and generate approximately US$ 55 billion in green investment over the
next fifteen years.
The Industrial Policy Action Plan (IPAP) recognises the potential for South
Africa to become a regional renewables manufacturer and services hub
by localising elements of the global value chain for wind and solar power
generation. However, this requires an integrated and coherent strategy
which combines a renewable energy generation plan with an appropriate
financing model and a sound industrial development strategy.
Over the last few years industrial policy interventions have made some
progress in contributing to the development of green industries in South
Africa.
The Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Programme
(REIPP) was launched in August 2011 with the goal of reaching a
capacity of 17.8 Gigawatt renewable energy generation by 2030. Find
the Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement
Programme website at www.ipp-renewables.co.za
Increasing levels of local content has been secured in the REIPP.
New regulations on the mandatory blending of biofuels have been
published in the Government Gazette.
In November 2011 the Energy Efficient Building Regulations became
effective and the Industrial Energy Efficiency Programme was
launched.
To date 215 000 solar water heaters have been installed.
The following areas are also identified in the IPAP document as areas for
further developments in green industries in South Africa:
The western and southern coast and inland areas of South Africa is
economically viable for wind energy development.
Solar power provides and attractive opportunity for further
development, especially Concentrated Solar Thermal (CST) power.
Energy efficiency can be improved by introducing new electricity
savings technology, adjusting existing technologies and conserving
energy by reducing the demand for electrical power provided through
the electricity grid.
Efficient waste management is identified as an important part of a
green economy in South Africa, especially industrial development
opportunities in recycling, reducing energy usage and reducing air and
water pollution.
In terms of solar water heaters the goal is to have a total of one million
systems installed by 2014.
Source: Tralac eNewsletter, 25th April 2012, an article by Willemien Viljoen

Department of Energy
Department of Trade
and Industry
National Treasury
Economic Development
Department
262
12. Role players
Engineering and consulting

African Wind Energy Association (AfriWEA) www.AfriWEA.org
Association for Renewable Energy Cooking Appliances (AFRECA)
www.afreca.org
Association for the Study of Peak Oil and Gas (ASPO) South
Africa www.aspo.org.za
Earthlife Africa www.earthlife.org.za
South African Biogas Industry Association (SABIA) www.
biogasassociation.co.za
South African Institute of Agricultural Engineers http://saiae.
co.za
South African New Economics Network (SANE) www.sane.org.
za
South African Photovoltaic Industry Association (SAPVIA)
www.sapvia.co.za
Southern Africa Alternative Energy Association www.saaea.org
Southern Africa Bioenergy Association (SABA) www.saba.za.org
Southern African Solar Thermal Industry Association (SASTELA)
www.sastela.org
South African Wind Energy Association (SAWEA) www.sawea.
org.za
The Sustainable Energy & Climate Change Project (SECCP), in
co-operation with Southern and Northern NGOs, works to advance
policies and measures including energy efficiency in supply and
consumption and renewable energy and clean technologies. SECCP
news and findings can be found on www.earthlife.org.za take the
Research menu option.
Sustainable Energy Society of Southern Africa (SESSA) www.
sessa.org.za
The Green Connection http://thegreenconnection.org.za
WWF SA www.wwf.org.za
Electricity suppliers/producers
Amatola Green Power (AGP)
Tel: 011 783 1922 / 082 579 1211
www.amatolagreenpower.co.za
Humphries Boerdery
Tel: 014 736 3843
Methane is captured from manure

An electricity trading company and other waste at this large pig
operating independently from farm.
ESKOM or Municipalities.
Bethlehem Hydro
Technology Centre (MAT)
Tel: 012 349 2944 / 073 168 3539 www.mat.org.za
www.bethlehemhydro.co.za
MetroWind Van Stadens Wind
Darling Wind Power (Pty) Ltd
Farm
Tel: 010 201 4700 / 083 631 0383 Tel: 041 505 8000
www.darlingwindfarm.co.za
www.metrowind.co.za
Eskom has been granted a $250
million loan (about R1.9 billion)
from the World Bank for its Eskom
Renewables
Energy
Support
Project (ERSP). Eskom Renewables
Business is one of its units. Find
the Renewable energy option at
www.eskom.co.za
Trade Plus Aid (TPA)

Tel: 011 483 1875
www.tradeplusaid.co.za
The TPA agricultural biogas project

aims to implement domestic
biogas projects throughout the
impoverished rural areas of South
Africa. The selling of Certified
Emission Reduction or carbon
Greenways Farm
credits under the CDM is being
Shelby Tyne 083 642 8229
used to raise the required funds to
Electricity for the farms daily needs develop the project. Find technical
is generated from a poultry biogas and other information on the
system.
website.
African AlternativeTechnologies GreenCape Initiative

Tel: 031 576 0416 / 084 941 3993 Tel: 021 811 0250
http://green-cape.co.za
www.aatec.co.za
Agama Energy
Tel: 021 701 3364
www.agama.co.za
InSynch Sustainable Solutions

Tel: 076 668 8877
www.insynch.co.za
Alt-e Technologies
Tel: 021 511 9504
www.alt-e.co.za
Interwaste Environmental
Solutions
Tel: 011 323 7300
www.interwaste.co.za
Alternative Energy Solutions

Mainstream Renewable Power
Tel: 082 909 6999
www.africanemissionstrading.co.za Tel: 021 657 4040
www.mainstreamrp.com
Aurora Power Solutions (APS)
Tel: 021 421 9764
Tel: 021 887 1026
www.apsolutions.co.za
Fax: 021 883 8514
info@mbbsouth.co.za
Cape Advanced Engineering
www.mbb.co.za
Tel: 021 577 3413
www.cae.co.za
Red Cap Investments
Tel: 021 790 1392
Combustion Technology
http://red-cap.co.za
Tel: 021 715 3171
www.combustiontechnology.co.za
Tel: 021 981 5629 / 083 226 0967
Cullinan Energy Solutions
www.renewableenergysolutions.
Tel: 082 679 9307
www.cullinanenergysolutions.co.za co.za
Earth Power
Tel: 021 702 1102
www.earthpower.co.za
Enviroserv
Tel: 011 456 5400
www.enviroserv.co.za
Genesis Eco-Energy
Tel: 083 460 3898
www.genesis-eco.co.za
Green Power
Tel: 021 511 0297
www.green-power.co.za

(SEA)
Tel: 021 702 3622
www.sustainable.org.za
Talbot Green Energy
Tel: 033 346 1444
www.talbot.co.za
Ubuntu Energy Solutions
info@ubuntuenergy.com
www.ubuntuenergy.com
Finance and marketing support

Several international groups have helped with South African renewable
energy projects e.g. African Development Bank (AfDB), www.afdb.
org, Agence Franaise de Dveloppement, www.afd.fr, and Danish
International Development Assistance (DANIDA), http://um.dk/en/
danida-en.
The Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA) is involved
with projects like Renewable Energy Market Transformation (see www.
remtproject.org) and the Cacadu Rural Economic Development Initiative
which creates employment opportunities and aid economic development
through renewable energy projects in the Eastern Cape, Cacadu District.
Contact the Programme Co-ordinator of the latter at 041 508 7320, or by
writing to WendyF@dbsa.org.
South African Renewables Initiative (SARi) looks to mobilise and
channel international public finance into the development of renewables
generation capacity in a way that would also deliver economic, social and
263
environmental benefits. The initiative is being driven jointly by the DoE, the
Department of Trade and Industry and the National Treasury. Visit www.
sari.org.za.
To achieve the goals set out in the Governments Industrial Plan for Action
(IPAP) the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) has earmarked
R25 billion towards building a green economy over the next five years. Find
more at www.idc.co.za.
The commercial banks have units that fund renewable energy projects. The
first bank in South Africa to be powered by wind is the Nedbank branch in
DuNoon, Western Cape.
The National Business Initiative has a Sustainable Futures unit. Call them
at 011 544 6000 or visit www.nbi.org.za.
Provincial investment agencies like Invest North West and Wesgro have
renewable energy finance. Find their details in the Providers of financial
services chapter.
South African German Chamber of Commerce
Tel: 011 486 2775
Tel: 021 422 3311
Tel: 031 335 1020
www.germanchamber.co.za
Government
www.energy.gov.za
National Treasury
Tel: 012 315 5111
www.treasury.gov.za
Department of Trade & Industry

www.thedti.gov.za
An amount of R800 million has been
made available by the National
Treasury for the Green Fund over
the two financial years ending
Department
2013/2014.
www.economic.gov.za
(NPC)
www.npconline.co.za
Input suppliers
AEAMD Renewable Energy Tel: 011 312 7402 www.ae-amd.co.za
All Power Tel: 041 451 3936 www.allpower.co.za
Acrona Systems Tel: 011 483 1875 www.acrona-systems.com
Biogas Power Tel: 083 678 5563 www.biogaspower.co.za
Biogas SA Tel: 072 445 4739 www.biogassa.co.za
Bundu Power Tel: 011 397 7373 www.hybridpower.co.za
Divwatt (Pty) Limited Tel: 011 794 3825 www.divwatt.com
Earth Power Tel: 021 702 1102 www.earthpower.co.za
ECCOFuels Tel: 011 456 5400 www.eecofuels.com
Energy & Densification Systems Tel: 011 794 4660 www.russiltech.
co.za
ENVIRO-LOG Tel: 078 169 7870 www.envirolog.co.za
Innowind Tel: 041 487 2418 www.innowind.com
Jabula Holdings Tel: 082 820 8838 www.jabulaholdings.co.za
JLinx Tel: 021 863 1566 www.jlinx.co.za
Kestrel Wind Turbines Tel: 041 401 2500 www.kestrelwind.co.za
[the renewable power arm of Eveready (Pty) Ltd]
Kabi Energy Tel: 010 003 0202 www.kabienergy.com
Lindon Renewables Tel: 031 949 2441 www.lindon.co.za
Nuon RAPS Utility Tel: 035 573 1529 www.nura-energy.co.za
Olivia Energy Solutions Tel: 082 990 9111 www.oliviaenergy.co.za
Palm Tree Power Tel: 013 753 2464 www.palmtreepower.com
Plan my Power Tel: 011 678 5101 www.planmypower.co.za
Renergy Technology (Rentech) Tel: 011 776 4300 www.rentech.com
Scanwood Solutions Tel: 012 803 0036 www.scanwood.co.za

Selected Energy Tel: 0861 SOLAHART www.solahart.co.za
Solar Heat Exchangers Tel: 011 462 0024 www.solarheat.co.za
Solar World Africa Tel: 021 421 8001 www.solarworld.co.za
Solardome SA Tel: 021 886 6321 www.solardome.co.za
Solien Tel: 044 877 1733 www.solien.co.za
Sonnenkraft Tel: 011 326 2344 www.sonnenkraft.co.za
Southern Energy Tel: 082 413 2955
Sun Africa Tel: 082 822 5380 / 079 505 4564 www.sunafrica.co.za
Sun Electricity Tel: 0861 786 532 www.sunlec.co.za
Sun Power Technology Tel: 082 652 0982 www.isoll.com
Sunfuel Cleantech Group www.biodieselone.co.za
Suntank Solar Tel: 0860 111 786 www.suntank.com
TASOL Tel: 0861 111 3078 www.tasolsolar.co.za
Tenesol Manufacturing Tel: 021 797 7377 www.tenesol.com
Vortex Hydro Systems Tel: 048 885 0132 / 082 954 4925
Winglette Tel: 058 622 1838 / 082 773 8496 www.winglette.com
ZM Pumps Tel: 082 552 3917 / 073 070 8545 www.zmpompe.co.za
and www.powerspout.com

ARCInstitute for Agricultural
Tel: 012 842 4017
www.arc.agric.za

Grassland Sciences
Prof Nico Smit
Tel: 051 401 2211
Nelson Mandela Metropolitan www.ufs.ac.za/animal
University (NMMU)
Centre for Energy Research
Tel: 041 504 2259
SA Herbal Science and Medicine
http://energy.nmmu.ac.za
Institute
Tel: 021 959 2911
www.uwc.ac.za
Outeniqua Research Farm
Tel: 044 803 3700
Dr Klaasen is actively involved in
Research in biogas
developing biofuels from indigenous
Kraalbos and alternative smallSouth Africas National Energy scale energy from Kraal manure.
Research Institute (SANERI)
Tel: 010 201 4700
University of the
www.saneri.org.za
Witwatersrand
Centre of Material and Process
The public entity entrusted with Synthesis (COMPS)
the co-ordination and undertaking Tel: 011 717 7567
of public interest energy research, www.wits.ac.za/Centres/COMPS/
development and demonstration.
www.beautifuel.co.za
Centre for Renewable and
Sustainable Energy Studies
Tel: 021 808 4069
www.crses.sun.ac.za
Also find the directory at www.urbansprout.co.za.

South African
Reports like The bid for private power: an overview of SAs renewable energy bid
process and Financing renewable energy in developing countries Drivers and
264
barriers for private finance in sub-Saharan Africa (March 2012) and The Green
Investment Report - The ways and means to unlock private finance for green
growth (January 2013) are available at www.polity.org.za.
South African Renewables Initiative (SARi) http://blog.sari.org.za seeks
to catalyse international financing for South African renewable energy
projects and industries.
Contact the ARC-Institute for Agricultural Engineering at 012 842 4017 or
iaeinfo@arc.agric.za for the following publications:
Biogas design and operation manual
Biogas from cattle manure
Biogas purification
Biogas equipment
Biogas water pump
Manure handling in intensive animal production units
Manual for the domestic drying of vegetables with a convection solar drier
The construction of a domestic convection solar drier (plans/sketches)
Water heating by means of solar energy
Solar water heating system (plans/sketches)
The Endangered Wildlife Trusts South African Good Practice Guidelines for
Surveying Bats in Wind Farm Developments is available by calling 011 372
3600.
Solar
The Global Solar Council is a CEO-level coalition of leading international
companies in the photovoltaic solar value chain. Visit www.globalsolarcouncil.
net for more information.
General renewable energy (global)

International Renewable Energy Agency www.irena.org
The UN Secretary-Generals Sustainable Energy for All initiative www.
sustainableenergyforall.org.
www.esi-africa.com is the Online power journal of Africa
Find the notes on the Pure Energy Systems Wikipedia at http://peswiki.
com and on alternative energy at https://attra.ncat.org, website of the
ATTRA programme (National Sustainable Agricultural Information
Service)
Visit www.unep.org, website of the United Nations Environment
Programme (UNEP).
European Renewable Energy Council www.erec.org
The World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) released its The Energy
Report, which says that it is possible for 100% of the globes energy
needs to be supplied through cleaner renewable energy technologies
by 2050. Visit www.wwf.org.za / www.panda.org.
The latest World Investment Report at http://unctad.org (United Nations
Conference on Trade and Development) sets out the global investments
would be required between 2010 and 2015 to limit greenhouse gas
(GHG) emissions to the levels outlined in the Copenhagen Accord.
Read about the Energy and Climate work programme at the World
Business Council for Sustainable Development (see www.wbcsd.org).
Find the World Economic Forums report Developing Renewable Energy
Capacity at www.wef.org
RECHARGE, the global source for renewable energy news www.
rechargenews.com
www.energy.sourceguides.com, an online directory for renewable
energy businesses world wide
Demonstrates practical solutions to environmental problems for the
twenty-first century (United Kingdom) www.cat.org.uk
Renewable Energy Policy Network for the 21st Century (REN21) www.ren21.org (find the latest Renewables Global Status report)
www.eia.doe.gov/fuelrenewable.html official energy statistics from
the US Government
www.engerati.com global voices transforming energy
Wind
World Wind Energy Association www.wwindea.org
German Wind Energy Association www.wind-energie.de
The American Wind Energy Association, quoting Pike research in 2011,
believes that the small wind industry is set to triple by 2015. Visit www.
awea.org
Danish Wind Industry Association www.windpower.org
Folkecenter for Renewable Energy (Denmark) www.folkecenter.net
inputs
Seeds and seedlings
Refer also to the Biotechnology and plant breeding chapter
1. Overview
The seed is where it all begins. Without the seed, you dont have a valuechain!
When you consider the huge percentage of people on the African continent
who depend on agriculture for their livelihoods, you will appreciate that
seed has the potential to be the single most transformational industry in
Africa.
Source: Tom Adlam of the Africa Seed Investment Fund (ASIF) and www.sansor.
org.

South Africa has a relatively well-developed seed system operated by local
and multinational seed companies alongside informal operators.
For more on what is happening in South Africa, find the latest Annual
Report on www.sansor.org, website of the South African National Seed
Organisation (SANSOR). Included are reports given by the Chairman and
General Manager, and then the following are covered:
Agronomy
Horticulture
Forage
National Seeds Certification
Plant Breeders Rights Licences
Phytosanitary Issues
Plant Breeding
Seed Analysts
Genetically Modified Seed
Industry Issues
3. SADC business environment

The use of improved seed among small scale farmers is low and rarely
exceeds 10 percent in most SADC Member States and yet these farmers
produce up to 80 percent of the key staple food crops in the region.
Furthermore, the movement of seed from one country to another within
the region is also exacerbated by fragmented regulatory frameworks.
Noting this, the Harmonised Seed Regulatory System (HSRS) was endorsed
at the 2007 SADC Council of Ministers meeting. Following the endorsement,
Member States are expected to amend their national legislation in line with
the system.
The SADC HSRS aims to increase the number of available varieties to
farmers, promote investment in the seed sector, and make it easier and
cheaper for seed companies to introduce seed varieties in other SADC
Member States.
The SADC HSRS comprises three components, namely; SADC Crop Variety
Release System; SADC Seed Certification and Quality Assurance System,
and SADC Quarantine and Phytosanitary Measures for Seed.
The SADC Variety Release System provides for a shorter period of
testing and releasing on new varieties
The SADC Seed Certification and Quality Assurance System introduces
the use of common terminologies, standards, procedures, seals, labels
and a certification scheme in order to guarantee the production and
sale of high quality seed throughout the region.
The SADC Phytosanitary Measures for Seed System promotes the safe
movement of seed with respect to pests and diseases.
To facilitate implementation of the regional HSRS, SADC with the support
of international co-operating partners has

established a SADC Seed Centre at the
SADC Plant Genetic Resources Centre in
Lusaka, Zambia.
The Centre is expected to play a major role
in the implementation of the HSRS as it will
co-ordinate and supervise the operations of
the system to ensure that the objectives of
the system are effectively attained.
Source: an abridged version of the article
Southern Africa intensifies efforts to address
seed supply challenges in the region which can
be found at http://zambianeye.com.
4. International business
environment
The Annual Report, available on www.sansor.
org, provides updates.
Svalbard Global Seed Vault

Deep inside a snow covered mountain
on a remote island in the Svalbard
archipelago, halfway between mainland
Norway and the North Pole, lies the
Svalbard Global Seed Vault. It is a fail-safe,
state-of-the-art seed storage facility, built
to stand the test of time and of natural
or manmade disasters.
The purpose of the Vault is to store
duplicates (back ups) of all seed samples
from the worlds crop collections.
Permafrost and thick rock ensure that,
even in the case of a power outage, the
seed samples will remain frozen. The
Vault can therefore be considered the
ultimate insurance policy for the worlds
food supply. It will secure for centuries,
or longer, millions of seeds representing
every important crop variety available in
the world today.
Source:
http://www.croptrust.org/main/
arcticseedvault.php?itemid=842
Highveld
Middleveld
Lowveld
Northern KwaZuluNatal
Cape &
Midlands
Great
Karoo
Sowing
Eastern
depth
Cape &
Little Karoo (cm)
Seed
(kg/ha)
Spacing
in rows
(in cm)
Spacing
between
rows
Bambara
groundnut
Oct
MidNovember
Oct Nov
Not
applicable
N/A
50
15
90
Cow-peas
Oct Jan
Oct Jan
Oct Jan
Oct Dec Oct Jan
Oct Jan
45
40
15
90
Cotton
N/A
Mid Oct
Nov
Mid Oct
Nov
Mid Oct
Nov
N/A
N/A
45
20 25
15 20
100
Dry Beans
Nov Dec
Jan Mid
Feb
Mar April 20 Dec

15 Jan
15 Dec 15
Jan
Dec 15 Jan
60 75
7.5
75 90
Groundnuts
20 Oct 20
Nov
20 Oct 20
Nov
15 Oct
30 Nov
20 Oct
30 Nov
20 Oct 30
Nov
N/A
57
50
7.5
90
Maize
Oct Nov
Nov Dec
N/A
Nov
Dec
Oct Nov
Oct Nov
45
6 12
30
90 230
Sunflowers
Oct Nov
Oct Jan
N/A
N/A
Oct Nov
Oct Nov
30
60 90
Soybeans
Oct Nov
Nov
Oct
N/A
Oct Nov
N/A
35
65 80
20
90
Wheat
May Aug
May Jul
N/A
May Jul
May Jun
Jun Jul
45
70 130
20
30 45
Oct mid
Nov
267
African Seed Trade Association (AFSTA) represents the seed industry

in Africa and the Indian Ocean islands. It is a non-profit, non-political
association with a mission to promote development of seed industry and
national seed associations, which will facilitate farmers access to improved
varieties. Visit www.afsta.org.
Read about the Forum for Africa Seed Testing (FAST) on the UNs
Food And Agriculture (FAO) website, www.fao.org.
The Alliance for A Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA), together
with the African Agricultural Capital Group, launched the Africa Seed
Investment Fund (ASIF) in 2009 to invest in some twenty small/mediumsized seed companies in Southern and Eastern Africa. Visit www.agraalliance.org and www.aac.co.ke for more.
Other regional and international bodies include:
International Seed Federation (ISF) www.worldseed.org
International Seed Testing Association (ISTA) www.seedtest.org
Global Crop Diversity Trust www.croptrust.org
5. Aspects to consider when deciding what to

plant
Environment
Make sure the soil is suitable for the proposed crops. Take into account
soil depth, texture, acidity and salinity.
Study the rainfall and temperature pattern over the various seasons
when deciding which crop can be grown successfully at different times
of the year.
Planting dates
Make sure of the correct planting dates of each crops and for each
region.
Cultivar
Ensure that the cultivar to be planted is adaptable to the prevailing
conditions. Consider yield potential, tolerance to drought and acidity,
length of growing season, disease and insect resistance, lodging,
sprouting or prolificacy (multiple cobs) and intended use. However,
in some instances, rotation of cultivars can be used to spread the risk
of entire crop loss from infestation and to maintain a high biological
diversity.
Note: The use of certified seed is highly recommended. Consult an expert, a
seed merchant, or the local co-operative to obtain information on cultivars
recommended for a specific area.
Seedbed preparation
A plough or tined implement can be used for primary cultivation.
Ploughing is, however, not recommended for sandy soils that are
susceptible to erosion.
Wind erosion is an important factor that should always be taken into
account. In areas where wind is a problem, conservation tillage (zero or
minimum cultivation and use of stubble or mulch) is recommended.
The seedbed should be firm and weed free. In cases where wind
erosion is a problem, the seedbed should not be too fine.
268
Planting spacing and depth

Planting depth is determined by the moisture status of the soil, as well
as clay fraction and the soil type.
Generally bigger seeds can be planted deep and smaller seeds
shallow.
The spacing between plants is wider in low rainfall areas.
Planting method
All the crops mentioned in the table can be planted mechanically or by
hand. In the latter case, a hand hoe or spade can be used.
Do not compact the soil, but firm it down to ensure good soil/seed
contact.
Weeds
A weed free environment during seedling emergence time is highly
recommended because by the time the weeds germinate the crop
will be well established and have a competitive advantage. Weeds
can be controlled by hand, mechanically, or by the use of herbicides
(especially when using conservation tillage), or a combination of the
three methods.
In the case of chemical control, particular attention must be given to
herbicides residual periods, during which the remedy is active in the
soil.If a system of crop rotation is followed, the herbicide applied may
damage follow-up crops.
Bear in mind that the clay fraction of the soil has an influence on the
quality and quantity of the herbicide needed refer to the product
guidelines.
Fertilisation
Make sure that the soil has sufficient nutrient content for crop growth
by using fertiliser before planting and/or top dressing. Compost or
organic matter (manure) should be applied three to four weeks before
planting.
Fertiliser can be applied when the results from soil analysis will tell
you what nutrients are required in the soil, with the type of fertiliser
to use recommended. To have soil analysed, contact the Department
of Agriculture or ARC in your area, an extension officer, or one of the
role players from the Soils chapter. The type of fertiliser best suited
often depends on the expected yield and the previous crop (in the case
of crop rotation).
The optimum pH for most crops is 4,5 to 5,5 (KCI). Lime should be
applied in the case of soils with a pH of below 4,5. Poultry manure also
alleviates low pH problems.
Economy
Before planting, note the inputs required and estimate the costs.
Dont look at the cost of individual products in isolation, but at the
combination of them all. At times, you might need to invest more at
the beginning of the season but will find you need to spend much less
towards the end of the season.
Consider product marketability before planting. Compare the input
costs to the crop income.
Diseases and insect pests

Crops belonging to the same family are often attacked by the same
group of pests and diseases. Related crops should therefore not be
included in successive plantings or even in the same three-year
rotation programme (e.g. cowpeas, groundnuts, bambara groundnuts,
soyabeans).
Pesticides should be used as recommended to prevent yield loss.
Fields should be inspected on a regular basis to spot pests at an early
stage, especially in the case of maize and cotton.
Pesticides can be applied manually or mechanically.
Remember: When using chemicals, you need to use protective clothing

for your eyes, face and skin. You also need to ensure that all chemicals
are stored separate from food, feed and seed and locked away from
children. Remember too that it is important to read and follow
instructions on labels.
Harvesting
Most crops can be harvested mechanically or by hand. These methods
can also be combined. If harvesting is done by hand, threshing can be
either mechanical or by hand.
Watch out for seed damage during harvesting (especially to legumes).
Gradual growth
Do as much as possible in the first season. Spend as much as you can
afford in the first season for inputs and increase expenditure in the
second season (e.g. work on 1ha or less first and make enough money
and gain enough experience to expand to 2ha or more in the second
season).
Source: www.sansor.org A Crop Guide for Emerging Farmers.

Legislation
The seed industry is regulated under the Plant Improvement Act,
1976 (Act No. 53 of 1976) to ensure orderly trade in seed. This Act
makes provision for the registration of premises from which the sale,
cleaning and packing of seed may be undertaken and to prescribe the
conditions subject to which seed may be sold. Included in the Act is
provision for the establishment of certification and other schemes and
it also provides for the designation of the authority that shall exercise
the powers, perform the functions and carry out the duties conferred
upon them.
269
The Plant Breeders Rights Act, 1976 (Act No 15 of 1976) protects

the intellectual property rights of persons who have bred or developed
new varieties of plants. The holder of a plant breeders right is entitled
to obtain royalties for the use of his/her variety by other persons.
The Genetically Modified Organisms Act, 1997 (Act No 15 of 1997)
controls the production and use of genetically modified organisms
(GMOs). The Act requires risk assessments to be carried out before
the release of any GMOs.
Seed testing started in South Africa in the late 1940s. The Official Seed
Testing Station (OSTL) is based at Roodeplaat. The OSTL has as its aim to
ensure the physical and physiological quality of seed. Its functions include
the development of policy and guidelines for the physical and physiological
quality of seed and also to control, investigate and maintain seed quality. A
system has been introduced whereby private and company seed testing
laboratories are able to register and conduct tests for own purposes, test
seed for certification purposes and also advertise their testing services
at a cost. Currently 24 such laboratories are registered, and testing of
approximately 35 000 seed samples takes place on an annual basis. This
frees the OSTL to deliver an official service in terms of legislation.
Registrar Plant Improvement
Tel: 012 319 6034
JoanS@daff.gov.za
Registrar Plant Breeders Rights
Tel: 012 319 6183
noluthandon@daff.gov.za
Registrar Genetically Modified
Organisms
Tel: 012 319 6382
NompumeleloM@daff.gov.za
Agricultural Products Inspection
Services (APIS) Director:
Inspection Services
Tel: 012 319 6502
dapis@daff.gov.za
Directorate Genetic Resources
Director
Tel: 012 319 6024

Quality Assurance
Agricultural Production Inputs
Tel: 012 319 7306
Registration of seed treatments
Official Seed Testing Laboratory
Tel: 012 808 5395
SeedTesting@daff.gov.za,
PamelaS@daff.gov.za
The Plant Genetic Resources
Centre (PGRC)
National Gene Bank
Tel: 012 808 5392
pgrc@nda.agric.za
270
7. Role players
inputs
Associations
Grassland Society of Southern Africa (GSSA)
Seedling Growers Association of SA (SGASA)
www.seedlinggrowers.co.za
South African National Seed Organisation (SANSOR)
Tel: 012 472 9500
www.sansor.org
SANSOR was established in 1989, and assumes the position of watchdog
to ensure that standards are maintained.
SANSOR has been appointed as the designated body to administer seed
certification schemes under the Plant Improvement Act of 1976. The
South African Seed Certification Scheme is a legally prescribed scheme
underwritten by provision of this legislation. However, participation in
seed certification is voluntary. The basic objective of seed certification is
to make seed of superior quality available and guarantee the quality by
means of a certificate, seal and label. The emphasis is on genetic quality i.e.
varietal true-to-type, with high requirements of germination and physical
purity. Strict field requirements are laid down for seed production.
Southern African Plant Breeders Association
www.sapba.co.za

Find this heading in the Biotechnology and plant breeding chapter for
details of the universities and ARC.
Training of seed inspectors began with SANSOR and developed into an
ongoing programme. Some 230 private seed inspectors report to SANSOR
in the execution of functions under the certification schemes. Training
courses for seed analysts have been ongoing.
SANSOR is in the final stages of development of an AgriSETA accredited
training module for Seed Analyst, Seed Samplers and Seed Certification
Inspectors. This curricula forms part of the new model for qualification
development, the QCTO (Quality Council for Trades and Occupations)
launched by the Minister of Higher Education and Training and was funded
largely by the AgriSETA. The material is currently in its final stage of public
verification process.
Biowatch South Africas Outreach Facilitators give training in low-cost and
organic agricultural methods. Included in this is the concept of starting a
seed bank. Read about more at www.biowatch.org.za.
Companies involved
Refer to the adverts in this chapter (the Capstone Seeds advert is in
the Maize chapter). There are SANSOR member lists (by crop and by
activity type) on www.sansor.org. Find contact details of nurseries on www.
seedlinggrowers.co.za.

The websites of companies and associations involved are a useful
source of information.
Companies involved supply customers with growing guides and
technical information on how to get the most out of seeds supplied.
Biowatch South Africas Outreach Facilitators give training in low-cost
and organic agricultural methods. Included in this is the concept of
starting a seed bank. Read about more at www.biowatch.org.za.
Our thanks to SANSOR for feedback on the draft chapter.
Speciality fertilisers
1. Overview
What is the wisest, most effective way to encourage plant growth?
Any person about to grow a crop considers the options, and in this
publication there are several chapters which touch on this precision
farming, conservation agriculture, biological farming, fertiliser, compost
and organic fertiliser, earthworms and vermicompost, and more.
Farmers no longer see the soil as a dead thing which needs to be
pumped full of fertiliser in order to produce a crop. Over-fertilising is
not only expensive; it is also bad for the environment (see the Best
fertiliser practice heading in the Fertiliser chapter). The use of
speciality fertilisers is one way in which farmers seek to optimise crop
production practices whilst minimising waste.
Speciality fertilisers can be applied along with irrigation water (see the
Fertigation chapter), or in a controlled-release way where a pre-plant
application releases nutrients for the plant throughout the time when
it is growing. Speciality fertilisers might also be applied by foliar feeding
where the plant absorbs nutrients through its leaves rather than
through the roots. Speciality fertilisers are not only chemicals but can
be plant hormones, growth stimulants or biostimulants.
271
2. Role players
Aquilo Africa
Tel: 073 525 6034
www.aquilo.co.za
Ground-up Fertilisers
Tel: 072 439 0456 / 082 881 0301
alan@ground-up.co.za
Biofix South Africa

Tel: 011 409 5012
www.biofix.co.za
Haifa Chemicals RSA Ltd

Tel: 021 982 0309
www.haifa-group.com
Biogrow
Tel: 028 313 2054
www.biogrow.co.za
Haifa Group is a global leading

supplier of potassium nitrate
for agriculture and industry,
specialty plant nutrients and
Carbon Fertiliser Technologies food phosphates. It operates in
Tel: 042 283 0506
more than 100 countries across 5
www.cft-sa.com
continents. Haifas solutions and
fertilisers are designed to improve
Visit
www.eco-fert.co.za
for
plant nutrition, enhance application
contact details for Eco-Fert across
efficiency and boost growers
the country.
profit while minimising harmful
environmental impacts.
Ecologika
Tel: 011 806 8952
Hanna Instruments
www.ecologika.co.za
Tel: 011 615 6076
Tel: 021 946 1722
Eco-fert
Tel: 031 701 2711
Tel: 086 100 5051
Tel: 041 373 3303
www.eco-fert.co.za
www.hannainst.co.za
Efficient Microbes
For over two decades, Hanna
Tel: 031 266 2935
Instruments has led the world in
www.efficientmicrobes.co.za
water quality measurement and
control technology.
Fleuron
Tel: 011 626 2928
www.fleuron.co.za
Hygrotech SA (Pty) Ltd

Tel: 012 545 8000
www.hygrotech.co.za
Karabos
www.karabos.co.za
MBF International
Tel: 082 738 0080 / 072 796 3793
Fax: 086 547 6711
orders@mbfi.co.za
www.mbfi.co.za
MBFi is an agricultural technologies

Contact details countrywide are on business, founded in 2003. We
the website
manufacture and supply insecticides,
fungicides, rhizobium bacterial
Kelpak
inoculants, fungal and bacterial
Tel: 021 786 2090
plant promoting inoculants, plant
www.kelpak.com
hormones, plant performance
products, SAR products, amino
Liquid seaweed bioregulator. acid, seaweed fertilisers, chelated
Ongoing research and trial data liquid and soluble powder fertilisers,
from around the globe have proven unique seed treatment packs and
Kelpaks ability to significantly adjuvant products.
increase the health, quality and
yield in a wide variety of crops, Mycoroot
benefiting farmers around the Tel: 083 636 0706
world for over 30 years.
www.mycoroot.co.za
Kynoch Fertilizers
Tel: 011 317 2000
www.kynoch.co.za
Microbial Solutions (Pty) Ltd

Tel: 011 475 4362
www.microbial.co.za
Kynoch Fertilizers is a leading

importer, blender and retailer of a
complete range of granular, liquid
and speciality fertilisers in South
Africa. Farmers are serviced by a
large sales, agronomic, horticultural
and technical support team.
Soil inoculants improve the quality

of the soil regardless of the crop
being grown. These include
wheat, maize, sorghum, soy beans,
sunflowers, pastures, vegetables,
potatoes and permanent crops
such as orchards & vineyards.
272
Metson
Tel: 011 792 8968
www.metson.co.za
Sienna Bionatec
Tel: 018 285 1128
www.siennabionatec.com
Metson
is
an
agricultural
manufacturing business with its
main focus on a complete range
of ORGANIC and GLOBALG.A.P.
compliant water soluble and
liquid chelated foliar feeds, liquid
fertilisers, growth stimulants, crop
specific nutrition, seed coatings,
spray, sanitisers and rinse aids.
Soilfoodweb Lab
Tel: 015 268 2912 / 082 885 9608
www.sfisa.co.za
National Plant Food (Gromor)

Tel: 031 782 3105
www.gromor.co.za
Nutrico
Tel: 011 392 4072
www.nutrico.org
Ocean Agriculture
Tel: 011 668 1974-7
www.oceanag.co.za
Omnia Fertiliser
Tel: 011 709 8778 / 8916
www.omnia.co.za
For more info on Soilfoodweb

labs the world over, go to www.
soilfoodweb.com.
STIMUPLANT
Tel: 012 802 0940 / 4009
See the advert on page 495.
STIMUPLANT CC is known
since 1978 for the consistently
high quality of their inoculants.
They specialise in the production
of
environmentally
friendly
microorganisms that ensure a high
quality yield in agriculture. These
micro-organisms help the farmer
to increase crop yield, as well as
maintaining soil fertility and even
increasing it.
The Specialities product range is Tola Organics

exported to 18 countries including Tel: 032 946 0425
Australasia and various South info@tolaorganics.co.za
American countries.
Zylem SA
Sidi Parani
Tel: 033 347 2893
Tel: 053 298 2817
www.zylemsa.co.za
www.sidiparani.co.za
Our thanks to Dawie Fourie (Haifa) and Chris Barnard (Fertigation Academy) for
input to this chapter
Eco-Fert (Pty) Ltd

Tremendous capabilities exist in the correct utilisation of soil organisms.
Soil can be self supportive with fertiliser needs once we have more
knowledge of correct organism management, but until such a stage we
have to depend on adding the nutrients removed through the production
of various crops.
A main advantage of Eco-Fert products is its soil reviving abilities such
as bringing back earthworms (excellent earthworm food) which are
responsible for soil aeration, increased water absorption, and the supply
of vermicast (processed soil) known as the best plant feed.
Along with earthworms, numerous other soil activities are activated by
micro organisms such as:
Metson
Prokaryotes: include bacteria, actinomycedes and cyanophycea

Eukaryots: include fungi algae and protozoa, a population of 247
billion micro organisms can live in an active soil per ha, this is 8967
kg of underground livestock per hectare.
The role of Eco-Fert as a fertiliser company is to move towards the goal
post of diminished fertiliser costs through establishing beneficial soil micro
organisms which manufacture nutrients, to feed them, and supply any
shortfall of nutrients according to plant needs.
Eco-Fert specialises in fertilisers which contribute to sustainable soil
production. Products are based on soil-friendly sources derived from the
sea and land, and have multiple use being an excellent soil life feeder (soil
microbes) and effective foliar absorption as a plant feed.
Source: www.eco-fert.co.za/site/products/sea-boost/ (adapted)
273
Associations
inputs
Find the Structures and facilities menu option at http://saili.co.za, website

of the South African Institute of Agricultural Engineers (SAIAE).
Government
Structures and building supplies

See also the General farm equipment and Human settlements chapters

Tel: 012 319 846 8502
ATvC@daff.gov.za
1. Role players
Companies
AfriSam Tel: 086 014 1141 www.afrisam.co.za
Amatola Tel: 043 732 1927 amairri@telkomsa.net
B & T Structures Tel: 013 665 1914 / 1966 www.btsteel.co.za
BANBRIC BUILDING Tel: 033 386 0882 www.banbric.co.za
Besco Staalwerke Tel: 076 942 0295 / 087 944 5618
Breathecoat Paints Tel: 0861 000 435 www.breathecoat.co.za [South
African manufacturer and producer of quality, eco-friendly paints (lead
and solvent free). Ideal for human and livestock (e.g. dairy) structures.
ISO 14001: 2004 and ISO 9001: 2008 compliant].
Chemvet Tel: 011 437 9000 www.chemvet.co.za
DB Steel Structures Tel: 011 363 3712
Eco Insulation www.eco-insulation.co.za
Econo Steel Structures Tel: 012 254 0496
Ezehut Products Tel: 012 803 7433 www.ezehut.co.za
FinnBUILDER Tel: 011 705 1897 www.finnbuilder.co.za
G&M Paints (Pty) Ltd Tel: 011 822 4066
Harding Treated Timber Tel: 031 569 5750 www.htt.co.za
Homescor Wonings Tel: 011 892 1045 www.homescor.co.za
Hough Structures Tel: 016 366 1555 www.steel-structures.co.za
Lookout Trailer & Lift Tel: 084 607 4896 www.lookoutlifts.co.za
PATT Projects Tel: 012 811 0125 / 0753 www.pattprojects.co.za
Pro-spec Tel: 033 330 2295 www.pro-spec.co.za
Robor Steel Tube & Pipe Tel: 011 971 1600 www.robor.co.za
SM Structures Tel: 011 786 1043 www.stemansteel.co.za
Span Africa Steel Structures Tel: 033 346 2555 www.spanafrica.
co.za
Structures 2000 Tel: 011 974 4797 www.structures2000.co.za
STUMBELBLOC Tel: 083 228 8036 www.stumbelbloc.com
Superfab & Erectors Tel: 016 342 4069 www.superfab-steel.co.za
Tugela Steel Tel: 031 566 4601-4 www.tugela.co.za
UNIKEM Tel: 031 700 4859 www.unikem.co.za
WEP Engineering & Construction Tel: 011 967 1574 / 1050 www.
wepeng.co.za
Wilkinson Brick Making Machines Tel: 011 948 9702 www.wbm.
co.za

Tel: 014 717 3819 / 078 228 0008
www.alut.co.za
Africa Land-Use Training offers
a four day course on basic farm
planning. Learners who successfully
complete this course should be
able to:

Tel: 012 842 4000 / 17
www.arc.agric.za
The ARC-IAE is involved the

designing, testing and development
of farm structures, stores,
workshops, labour housing and
appropriate
animal
housing/
assess and collect data on handling facilities.
natural resources on a farm;
do basic map reading;
draw a farm map showing land
capability units;
do a basic infrastructure
development plan for a farm.

publications, available from the ARC-IAE:
Manual on housing for pigs (also available in Afrikaans)
Extensive pig housing (also available in Afrikaans)
Beef cattle facilities manual (also available in Afrikaans)
Dairy cattle facilities manual (also available in Afrikaans)
Manual on sheep facilities (also available in Afrikaans)
Small-scale broiler house (also available in Afrikaans)
Heating of broilers and broiler housing
Small-scale poultry housing in South Africa
Concrete on the farm (also available in Afrikaans)
Building of permanent trench and bunker silage silos (also available in
Afrikaans)
Manual for the construction of grain silos for farm storage (also available
in Afrikaans)
Structures and equipment for the storage and handling of grain on the
farm
Small-scale milking shed (also available in Afrikaans)
Agricultural structures and facilities database (suppliers of livestock/
agricultural equiment) also available in Afrikaans
Only available in Afrikaans:
Afkoel van melkbeeste in Suid-Afrika
Lae-koste melkverkoeling
Handleiding oor volstruisbehuising
ARC-IAE publications which overlap with water storage, fencing and
undercover growing/hydroponics are listed in those chapters.
Also available from the same ARC Institute is Manure handling in intensive
animal production units, written by HT Breedt, edited and revised by F Cilliers.
Copyright. 2009. This publication includes notes on the optimal structure
and location of different farm buildings in relation to the management of
livestock manure.
274
inputs
Tractors, combines and balers
1. Overview
Buying equipment is one of the largest investments that a farm business can
make. Large amounts of money are committed and some of the equipment
is used only a few times during the year, and in many cases it is difficult to sell
this equipment at a suitable trade value. Furthermore, the machinery needs
to be constantly maintained and eventually replaced.
Reasons for replacing machinery:
You need to replace machinery when repair costs exceed the benefit
of using the machinery.
Machinery that is not reliable can lead to losses, both in time and
produce.
The need for capacity can be a good reason to upgrade your
equipment
New technology can mean that replacing your machinery is profitable
for your operations.
Planning when and how the equipment will be replaced can mean a
difference of thousands of rands in annual production costs. So, when do
you make these replacements?

Find the Chairmans Report on www.saama.co.za or www.agfacts.co.za for an
updated economic overview.
The AGFACTS Newsbrief appears on a monthly basis. Subscribing to it gives

you the following:
a concise, four page summary of current factors affecting the South
African agricultural machinery industry;
the latest retail tractor sales information for the month and the yearto-date;
on a quarterly basis, the latest retail combine harvester and baler sales
information for the quarter and the year-to-date;
the latest information on agricultural machinery price changes by
category;
the latest information on crop prospects, whether it be summer or
winter crops, intentions to planting or crop forecasts;
subjects such as size and age make-up of the South African tractor
park, the used tractor market, the breakdown of tractors available
in South Africa by manufacturer and model and future tractor sales
prospects.

It is possible to equip a wide range of tractors with programmes linked to
satellites that enable the tractor to drive itself. Precision farming is the
way of the future for the commercial farmer in the quest to limit wastages
and improve efficiency, and these programmes play a vital roll in this farming
method. For more information, enquire at your dealer.
a) Keep it until it no longer functions

Some farmers hang onto machinery until it no longer operates and it is not
worth fixing. You run the risk of machinery breaking down during a crucial
time and/or having to arrange finance on short notice.
b) Replace when cash is available
You can choose to replace machinery only in years when income is above
average. Can you predict when extra cash will become available? What if
the machine breaks down before there is extra cash to replace it?
c) Replace something every year
You can plan to spend almost the same amount on new machinery every
year by replacing one piece of equipment every year. This helps to avoid
making large purchases in one year, but you should take care not to replace
the machinery before it has reached the end of its economic lifespan. This
will benefit you if you have not only made provision for capital replacement
but also have some cash reserves. You can then put down a deposit and
borrow less.
d) Replace regularly
This minimises the risk of breakdowns and costly repairs by replacing crucial
machinery every few years. Even if the equipment breaks down, the repairs
could often be covered by the original warranty. This approach is more
feasible if you cultivate a large number of hectares.
Several finance options exist. Check with your bank or agribusiness to find
which best suits your operation.
Source: adapted from the article Provision for capital replacement in AgriReview
1st Quarter 2007
You can extend the life of your air filter by removing up to 90% of the
dirt and contaminants before it reaches the filter. The pre-cleaners are
designed especially for equipment operating in very heavy dust and
debris environments such as agricultural and construction vehicles and
mining equipment.
The Donaspin Pre-cleaner has a durable, corrosion-resistant steel
construction. There is no maintenance required and it has no moving
parts.
The Pre-cleaners are self-cleaning and require no maintenance. They also
offer a lower restriction which means:
your engine breathes easier
you can reduce air filter element usage
you will have lower costs per operating hour
Source: Donaldson Filtration Systems Pty (Ltd). Call 011 9976000 or visit www.
donaldson.co.za.
4. Buying a second-hand tractor

When you buy a second-hand tractor from a garage, ask if there is a
guarantee (an agreement with the seller that you can return an item or
get it repaired if something is wrong with it). Guarantees for second-hand
tractors are usually only for three months. If you are buying from another
farmer, then try to find out why he or she is selling the tractor. Try to ask the
tractor driver if the tractor has given a lot of trouble.
Is there something seriously wrong with the tractor? Try the following test
when you go to at the tractor. Take a friend who knows about tractors and
who can do these tests with you, if you have no experience with tractors.
276
Check the air filter. If it is a paper filter, then it will have two rubber seals
glued at both ends of the cartridge. Check that the seals do not let air
through. If they do, then it means that dust may have gone past the filter
and into the engine. Dust in the engine is very serious. Check carefully for
oil and fuel leaks. You might not see any straight away because at garages
tractors are steam cleaned and degreased before they are sold. Turn on
the ignition. On most tractors there are lights, one for oil pressure and the
other to show that the alternator is charging. They should both go on when
the key is turned. If they dont, you know that something is wrong. Start the
engine both lights should go out. If they dont go out, then dont buy the
tractor unless the garage repairs this fault. Warm up the engine check that
the temperature gauge works. Listen to the engine as it warms and watch
the exhaust.
If the engine does not run smoothly and there is blue-white smoke coming
out of the exhaust, then it probably means that something is wrong with
the fuel-injection system. This can be very expensive to repair. If the tractor
blows a lot of dark smoke, then the piston rings could be worn. This usually
means that the tractor needs an engine overhaul.
Use all the gears in both ranges. Check that the gear lever is not too loose in
any gear and check that it does not jump out of gear. Check the hydraulic lift
system. You will need a plough to check that it works properly. Check to see
if any hoses are broken or needing replacing. Check the grease nipples. If
they are clean, then it probably means that the tractor has been maintained
regularly. Also check that the power-take-off works. Run the tractor for a
while until the engine is hot. Then check again for oil and diesel leaks. Make
a list of all the things that are wrong and which need fixing. Work out the
cost of repairs. Then decide if you still want to buy the tractor. Show the
list to the seller to see if he or she will sell the tractor to you for a better
price.
Whether you buy a second-hand tractor or a new one, make sure you
get an operators manual. Read this carefully. It will tell you how to get
the best use from the tractor. If you want to do a lot of repairs yourself,
then buy a workshop manual. This will tell you how to do most type of
repairs.Workshop manuals are expensive and they must be ordered from
the factory.
Source: The Peoples Guide To Farming Growing Plants Handbook By The
Environmental And Development Agency Trust and Juta Education.
5. For the newcomer
Maintaining your tractor:

When
What to do
Every day
Clean the air pre-cleanerCheck the

oil, water and tyre pressure
Every 50 hours
Grease the hydraulic lift nipples,

kingpin nipples, front axles, brake
and clutch nipples.Check and
clean the air filter/oil bath.Drain
condensate from the first fuel
filterTighten all nuts and bolts,
check for leaks. Check battery,
clean connections with baking soda
and water.
Every 100 hours
Check the alternation fan belt

tension Drain oil, change oil filter
and first fuel filterCheck and top up,
if necessary, gear box, differential
and hydraulic oil levers.
After every 1000 hours
Get a trained mechanic to set

tappets and calibrate injectors and
to see if it needs any other servicing
or repairs.
It is possible for Emerging Farmers to spend more on repairing their tractors

than it costs to buy a new tractor. If a group of farmers is starting a tractor
hire scheme, then they should always put money into a fund to pay for a
new tractor, and include this fund in their hire charges. (They should also
remember that tractor prices increase).
6. Role players
SA Agricultural Machinery
Association (SAAMA)
Tel: 011 453 7249
www.saama.co.za
South African Haulage Tractor

Transport Association
Tel: 011 453 7249
The following is taken from The Peoples Guide to Farming Growing Plants
Handbook by the Environmental & Development agency trust and Juta Education.
Our thanks to Donaldson Filtration Systems for feedback on the information.
ARC-Institute for Agricultural Engineering (ARC-IAE)

Tel: 012 842 4000
www.arc.agric.za
In the first and second year of owning a new tractor the repair costs are
not that high. But by the time the tractor is five years old, more things start
going wrong and repairs become more expensive.
The ARC-IAE is involved in research and development with regards

to implements and tractor utilisation. Training can be provided in basic
mechanisation concepts and mechanisation planning.
Size of tractor:
Several AgriSETA accredited groups run tractor and tractor-related

courses. Examples include:
If you have large areas of land, a bigger tractor pulling larger implements will
do the work more quickly. If your area of land is less than 10 hectares, then
buying a big tractor is a waste of money.
Buying tractors:
Since the tractor is expensive, farmers may end up spending more on
ploughing than on what they get from selling their crops. Options are to
hire a tractor, or perhaps better, to buy a tractor together as a group of
farmers.
Agriskills Transfer Tel: 012 460 9585 www.agriskills.net

Koue Bokkeveld Training Centre Tel: 023 317 0983
Premier Pork Producers Tel: 012 361 3920 www.premierpork.co.za
Protea Training Centre Tel/fax: 021 982 4580 protea@kingsley.co.za
Skills for Africa Tel: 012 379 4920 www.skillsafrica.co.za
SA Sugarcane Research Institute (SASRI) Tel: 031 508 7404
Producer organisations like Grain SA have courses. Visit www.grainsa.
co.za or call 08600 47246.
Greenfields HP
NHSA HP
278

Tel: 051 401 3551
www.ufs.ac.za
Bioresources Engineering &
Environmental Hydrology
Tel: 033 260 5819
The Centre of Excellence, a http://beeh.ukzn.ac.za
division of the Department of
Agricultural Economics, does
research in mechanisation and
labour planning.
Agriculture and farming equipment supplier New Holland South
Africa Agriculture has made a significant investment in establishing a
training facility in Bothaville, in the Free State. The company spent an
initial R4-million to set up the existing facility and R2,5-million is set aside
for training each year in line with its commitment to ongoing training
initiatives for the New Holland team, distributors and customers.
Northmec VHP
The companys culture encompasses a strong focus on providing

technical skills training throughout the country to maintain the highest
standards in the local agricultural sector, says New Holland South Africa
Agriculture MD Peter Askew.
The company also has a team of highly skilled operator trainers that
provides training in the operation and basic servicing of different types of
agricultural machinery; the training provided also focuses on the functions
of the equipment and the operating procedures for the machines.
Training is provided in ten official languages throughout Southern Africa.
Source: excerpt from the article Agriculture equipment supplier invests in
training facility on www.engineeringnews.co.za.
SAAMA Members
For the list of SAAMA members, go to www.agfacts.co.za - take the Services and
SAAMA menu options.
AIM Group Tel: 011 394 3800

ARGO Industrial Tel: 011 914 1700 www.argosa.co.za
Barloworld Equipment Agriculture H O: Tel: 011 898 0380 www.
masseyferguson.co.za
Bell Equipment Tel: 035 907 9199 www.bellequipment.com
Carel van Niekerk Engineering Tel: 022 913 2435 www.piket.
co.za
Eqstra Agricultural Equipment Tel: 011 571 0200 www.eaesa.co.za
Ernest H Johnson Tel: 011 613 8711 www.ehj.co.za
Falcon Agricultural Equipment Tel: 033 330 4764 www.
falconequipment.co.za
GC Tillage Tel: 017 702 3028 www.gctillage.com
279
Greenfields Agricultural Holdings Tel: 033 263 1305 www.

greenagri.co.za
John Deere Tel: 011 437 2600 www.deere.com/sa
Kongskilde SA (Pty) Ltd Tel: 011 894 2341 www.kongskilde.com
Kverneland Tel: 033 345 2733 www.kvernelandgroup.com
Mahindra SA Tel: 012 661 3161 www.mahindra.co.za
New Holland SA Tel: 011 922 2000 www.nhsa.co.za
Northmec Tel: 011 922 2000 www.northmec.co.za
Orbach Agri Tel: 016 424 1145 www.orbach.co.za
Radium Engineering Tel: 012 719 9062 www.radium.co.za
Smith Power Equipment Tel: 086 176 4847 www.smithpower.co.za
Southtrade Tel: 021 981 6044
Staalmeester Agricultural Imports Tel: 018 431 0300 www.
staalmeester.co.za
Valtrac Tel: 056 817 7308 www.valtrac.co.za
The publications below are available from Agfacts:

Agfacts Agricultural Machinery Price Comparisons White Book. This
detailed monthly pricing report covers tractors, combine harvesters
and attachments, hay and forage machinery, planters, fertiliser
spreaders and spray equipment available on the South African
market.
Agfacts Newsbrief. The AGFACTS Newsbrief appears on a monthly
basis and contains current information on conditions within and
connected to the South African agricultural machinery industry.
Agfacts Used Tractor Price Guide Blue Book. This is a quarterly report,
available on annual subscription. It is the most comprehensive guide
to used tractor prices available in South Africa. It also contains new
prices and abbreviated specifications on new tractors currently
available in South Africa.
Agfacts Tractor prices/Specifications Green Book. This is a quarterly
report, available on annual subscription. It contains the latest
prices of all tractor models available in South Africa, together with
abbreviated specifications.
Agfacts Tractor Guide Grey Book. This publication contains detailed
specifications of all tractor models available in South Africa.
Other role players

Your local agribusiness / co-operative e.g. AFGRI, Suidwes (Wesmeg), GWK,
Kaap Agri and VKB. Their websites often include new and used agricultural
machinery menu options.
AGFACTS Tel: 011 453 7249
Donaldson Filtration Systems Tel: 011 997 6000 www.donaldson.
co.za
Reapers Tel: 033 394 6301 www.reapers.co.za
Response Group Trendline www.response.co.za
RGT Smart Market Intelligence Tel: 041 364 0211 www.rgtsmart.
co.za
VITAMECH Tel: 021 907 8000 www.vitamech.co.za

www.saama.co.za SA Agricultural Machinery Association
www.agfacts.co.za Agricultural Facts News Brief
www.trekkerwerf.co.za a Landbouweekblad initiative
www.agrisales.co.za agricultural equipment monthly, new and used
Tractor make
Meganisasiegids. The greater and more important costs of mechanisation

arise from using equipment to carry out the various functions e.g. ploughing,
disking, harrowing etc. The book consists chiefly of tables which make it
possible to work out costs per hour or per hectare with a specific tractor,
fuel usage (litre/hour or litre/hectare) and more. The Meganisasiegids can be
ordered from Koos le Roux. Call 082 828 9531 or write to koosleroux@live.
co.za.
Tractor Maintenance (Training manual)
Field capacities of agricultural machines & tractor performance
Werktempos van landbouwerktuie & trekkerwerkverrigting
Tractor performance optimisation
Kejafa Knowledge Works has books on mechanisation. Call 011 025 4388
or visit www.kejafa.co.za.
Find the Guide to machinery costs 2010-2011 under Publications and
Economic analyses options at www.daff.gov.za.
Supplier and company website
Contact details
Agrico
Agrico-Andrag www.agrico.co.za
018 632 7260
Case-International
Northmec www.northmec.co.za
011 922 2000
Claas
Barloworld Equipment Agriculture http://barloworld.claas-partner.com
011 898 0450
Deutz Fahr
GMG Power www.gmgpowersa.co.za
011 392 1144
Farmtrac
Farmtrac www.farmtracsa.co.za
011 662 2846
Foton
Greenfields Agricultural Holdings www.greenagri.co.za
033 263 1305
Hinomoto
Hinomoto www.hinomoto.co.za
010 222 0670
Indo Trak
Indo Trak www.indoplast.co.za
011 664 8852
Jinma
Jinma Tractors SA www.jinmatractors.co.za
016 422 7966
John Deere
John Deere www.deere.com/sa
011 437 2600
Kubota (Sonalika)
Irrimec www.irrimec.com
032 944 5679
Kubota
Smith Power Equipment www.kubotasa.co.za
011 284 2000
Landini
Argo Industrial www.argosa.co.za
011 914 1700
Massey Ferguson
Barloworld Equipment Agriculture www.masseyferguson.co.za
011 898 0450
McCormick
Argo Industrial www.argosa.co.za
011 914 1700
New Holland
New Holland SA www.nhsa.co.za
011 922 2000
Same
Eqstra Agricultural Equipment www.eaesa.co.za
011 571 0200
Tafe
Michigan Tractors
018 381 5485
Valtra
Valtrac www.valtrac.co.za
056 817 7308
YTO
VB Agri www.vbagri.co.za
021 883 9595
280
SABS
inputs
Trailers
Be aware that some companies mentioned in the Tractors, combines and balers,
Trucks and heavy machinery and Implements chapters also supply trailers
Aluglide Tel: 011 392 2259 www.aluglidetrailers.co.za

Bulperd Tel: 082 414 2569 www.bulperd.co.za
Crisbox Tel: 012 719 8319 / 072 274 7269 www.crisbox.co.za
Cruiser Trailers Tel: 011 021 0833 / 083 639 0170 www.cruisertrailers.
co.za
Engelbrecht Sleepwaens Tel: 018 786 2545 / 787 4416 www.
etrailers.co.za
Hardmans Trailers Tel: 031 202 5887 www.hardtrail.co.za
JME Trailers Tel: 053 444 1313 www.jmetrailers.co.za
Karet Trading Tel: 056 515 4333/4/5 www.karet.co.za
Landmech South Africa Tel: 086 047 2337 www.landmech.co.za
Leos Sleepwaens Tel: 013 932 4151/2 www.leostrailers.co.za
Details of NICs Trailers agents countrywide may be found at www.
nictrailers.co.za, or by calling 018 673 0224 / 082 859 0904
Torsion Engineering Tel: 016 362 3456 www.torsion.co.za
Vencedor Trailers Tel: 018 290 1774 / 079 504 3502 www.
vencedortrailers.co.za
VTEC Trailers Tel: 016 986 2194 www.sleepwa.co.za
2. Key points for livestock farmers

Gross Vehicle Mass (GVM)
It is common practice amongst farmers to compare trailers prices by looking
at size and GVM, and then buying the cheapest one. The GVM is not a
reflection of the trailers carrying capacity. The weight of the trailer should
be subtracted from the GVM to arrive at its carrying capacity. Should you
buy a 2,6T trailer, it is illegal for it to carry a 2,6T load.
EXAMPLE: A trailer is equipped with so-called 3T axle. It is registered
for 2000kg. Its weight is 680kg. Its legal carrying capacity is 1320 kg.
Technology and quality

Consequently, the technology and workmanship which goes along with
building a trailer becomes crucial. Flexible undercarriages last longer and
absorb shock and vibration. Independent sprung suspension is more lasting
than conventional suspension [leaf-spring suspensions]. This suspension
gives more stability to the trailer and fewer vibrations which make livestock
restless (horses, in particular, become restless if the underframe vibrates
beneath them, but this applies to cattle and sheep too).
Value and resale value

The extras like removable livestock railings add to the value of the trailer
and, together with the previously mentioned points, contribute to the
trailers second-hand value. Some manufacturers produce combination
trailers, suitable for cattle, sheep or horses. The premise that a trailer is
without value once it is finished only applies to that trailer which was
originally cheaper (and metallurgically incorrect) built. A few fractures, a
coating of paint and new tyres will do the trick if it was right when bought.
Cheaper can be expensive.
All trailers are required to be SABS sanctioned. Legal requirements are for
the purpose of road safety: reflector lights, basic dimensions etc. This is not
a statement on the strength of livestock railings or indeed of the soundness
of the trailers structure.
Safety
The majority of trailers is registered to a maximum of 2400kg (GVM) i.e.
the mass of the trailer itself combined with the weight of the load should
not exceed this figure. For good reason: the maximum braking ability of the
brake component only goes up to this figure.
In this country, there are very few manufacturers are registered for 2400kg
3500kg bracket. Their components meet the standards and these are
largely imported.
GCM / BKM (Gross combination mass / Bruto kombinasie massa)

The gross combination mass is that of the bakkie, the trailer, the bakkie load
and the trailer load. This figure appears on the bakkie or vehicle towing the
trailer.
EXAMPLE:
4500 kg (Bakkie BKM) 1600kg (Bakkie mass) = 2900kg. This represents
the load on the bakkie, the load on the trailer and the trailers mass.
2900kg 600kg (trailers mass) = 2300kg. Divided this could be 1 ton
on the bakkie and 1300kg on the trailer.
The weight classification varies from vehicle to vehicle.
Weight implication
The average cow weighs 500kg, and requires space of 1800mm x 900mm.
Thus, a cattle trailer [beeswa] will typically be 3600mm x 1600mm high. Be
careful of trailers of 1.7m height: this is too low.
4x500kg = 2000kg + trailers weight of 600kg = 2600kg is necessary
reading. This means the average bakkie may not pull this trailer (with four
cattle on board).
The average cattle trailer is registered for 1800kg, weighs approximately
600kg, which gives you an carrying capacity of 1200kg i.e. only two animals
of 500kg. It does not matter how long or wide the trailer is: it is about
weight.
NB Some manufacturers do not include the extras when giving the figures,
and you may find that the weight of the spare wheel, railings, rubber mats
etc is not included.
NOTE: There is a difference between a cattle cart or sheep cart and a
trailer that can transport cattle and sheep. The former have rubber mats
(to prevent slipping), a gate combination at the rear in the middle because
animals moving to the rear cause pressure which lifts the bakkie up.
Home-made
Complying with the law becomes very difficult, if not impossible, particularly
for a trailer with a GVM of more than 750kg.
Remember: trailers are vehicles that must be roadworthy and loaded
according to specifications. If an accident were to occur, even were the
trailer not the cause, there would be potential problems with insurance and
third-party claims. When it comes to the trailer, its load and the vehicle
pulling it, stay within the bounds of the law and road regulations. It is not
worth a life or a third-party court case.
Source: NIC Trailers (contact details under heading 1)
281
Components
inputs
Trucks and heavy machinery
Barloworld
Tel: 011 445 1000
www.barloworld.com
Eaton
Tel: 011 392 7770
www.eaton.com
Cummins Diesel SA
Tel: 011 321 8700
www.cummins.com
ZF Services SA
Tel: 011 457 0000
www.zfsa.co.za
1. Overview
Trailers
This chapter is weighted towards the trucks. Readers wishing for a

database of heavy machinery providers should consult a copy of the Plant
Equipment & Hire bulletin magazine. Each issue runs an updated directory
with over fifty categories e.g. bulldozers, crawler excavators, backhoe
loaders, landfill compactors etc.
AFRIT see Other heading Henred Fruehauf

below
Tel: 011 878 4000
Duncanmec
Tel: 011 900 2580
www.duncanmec.co.za
Contractors Plant Hire
Association (CPHA)
Tel: 011 420 1955
www.cpha.co.za
Other
Road Freight Association
Tel: 011 974 4399
www.rfa.co.za
It might be better to hire than to

buy
Manufacturers
DAF
Tel: 010 001 2561
www.daf.com
Mitsubishi FUSO
Tel: 012 677 1500
www.fuso.co.za
DFM Warrior
Tel: 031 705 0900
http://warriortrucks.co.za
Powerstar South Africa

Tel: 012 940 1780
www.powerstarsa.com
FAW Group
Tel: 011 392 1530
www.fawtrucks.co.za
Renault Trucks
Tel: 011 383 9200
www.renault-trucks.co.za
Freightliner South Africa

Tel: 012 677 1611
www.mercedes-benzsa.co.za
Scania
Tel: 011 661 9600
www.scania.com
Hyundai Commercial
Tel: 086 142 7222
http://commercial.hyundai.co.za
Tata
Tel: 011 255 9600
www.tata.co.za
International Trucks
Tel: 011 421 2129
www.internationaltrucks.co.za
Toyota Hino
Tel: 0800 11 66 04
www.hino.co.za
Isuzu Trucks South Africa

Tel: 011 550 0300
www.isuzutruckssa.com
UD Trucks Southern Africa

(UDTSA)
Previously Nissan Diesel
Tel: 012 564 9500
www.udtrucks.co.za
IVECO South Africa

Tel: 011 205 3701
www.iveco.co.za
MAN Truck and Bus
Tel: 011 928 6800
www.mantruckandbus.co.za
Mercedes Benz Commercial
Vehicles
Tel: 012 677 1500
www.mercedes-benzsa.co.za
Metaforge
Tel: 086 171 8191
www.metaforge.co.za
Volkswagen
Tel: 0860 103 349
www.vwcommercial.co.za
Volvo
Tel: 011 842 5000
www.volvotrucks.co.za
Western Star
Tel: 011 365 2000
www.westernstar.co.za
Africa Truck Parts & Wheels

Tel: 011 826 1136
www.africatruckparts.com
Landmech South Africa

Tel: 086 047 2337
www.landmech.co.za
AFRIT Road Transport

Equipment
Tel: 012 541 2123
www.afrit.co.za
Quali Prod
Tel: 086 178 2547
www.qualiprod.co.za
ALS Agri Hire

Tel: 018 290 8070
www.alsgroup.co.za
Bell Equipment
Tel: 035 907 9111
www.bellequipment.com
Komatsu Southern Africa
Tel: 011 923 1000
www.komatsu.co.za
Serco
Tel: 031 508 1000
www.serco.co.za
Trailord
Tel: 051 434 2045
www.trailord.com
Van Tonder Transport
Tel: 012 803 3658
http://vantondertransport.co.za

BROOKE PATTRICK does magazines of relevance to this chapter like
Plant Equipment & Hire Bulletin and The Civil Engineering Contractor.
Visit www.brookepattrick.co.za or call 011 603 3960.
www.commercialtrader.co.za for trucks, tractors, trailers and
plant
Fleetwatch see www.fleetwatch.co.za
FOCUS on trucking and logistics visit www.charmont.co.za
Truck and Trailer Tel: 011 888 6686 www.truckandtrailer.co.za
282
Over inflation
inputs
Tyres
1. Overview
Tyres can either cost you a lot of money through incorrect use and care, or
they can help to reduce operating costs.
Sound advice is vital in order to be able to contain costs. This is essential
even at the time of selecting the correct tyre for the operation. Correct tyre
pressures have to be recommended and then these have to be maintained.
Injuries to tyres will occur, and it is necessary to have them repaired
correctly.
Dont take short cuts on tyres.
2. Radial Ply
Speed
Speed
Symbol
km/h
A1
A2
10
A3
15
A4
20
A5
25
A6
30
A7
35
A8
40
50
60
65
70
80
90
Over inflation causes premature wear on the centre of the tread,

shortening the life of the tyre.
Although advanced materials may be used that protect against tyre
damage, rubber is particularly prone to absorbing oil, grease, fuel and
other solvents, and is further degraded by exposure to heat and light.
Therefore, tyres should be kept in a cool, clean and dark area, and away
from other machinery such as motors, generators and welders as the
ozone emitted by such equipment causes cracks in the rubber and,
ultimately, failure of the tyre carcass. Similarly, wash any chemicals offthe
tyres after using the tractor in spraying operations.
For storing tyres mounted on rims, but not on machinery, reduce the
pressure to ten psi and store vertically on the tread. Tyres off rims can
be stacked evenly on their sidewalls, but never so high as to distort the
bottom tyre.
On a machine or implement in storage for extended periods, block up
the vehicle to lift the tyres off the ground. If this is not possible, increase
the standard tyre pressure by 25% to reduce deflection and move the
vehicle periodically.
Source: adapted from an article by Goodyear which appeared in Pula-Imvula (a
magazine put out by Grain SA), January 2009.
Imported tractors are normally fitted with

Radial Ply tyres. These tyres are all marked
with a Load Index and Speed Symbol on
the sidewall. A copy of the Speed Symbol
table is to the left.
However, these merely indicate the
tyres maximum carrying capacity and
speed at the maximum speed. When it
comes to recommended tyre pressures,
it would be advisable to either use the
tyre pressures as recommended by the
tractor manufacturer, or alternatively
call in a tyre expert to recommend tyre
pressures. This is particularly important
when looking at 4 wheel drive or Front
Wheel Assist tractors.
3. Useful notes
Checking tyre pressure
The best time to check tyre pressures is when theyre cold. Hot tyres
build up pressure by about 20 per cent. Never deflate hot tyres. Always
inflate your tyres to the vehicle or tyre manufacturers specifications. If
you are setting out on a long journey, or carrying a heavy load, increase
the pressure of each tyre by 30kPa.
If you notice that a tyre requires repeated inflating, it could have a slow
puncture, or the valve could be leaking. Ask your tyre dealer to inspect
the tyre. Each tyre should always be fitted with a valve cap to stop dirt
from entering the valve core, causing it to leak.
NB Dont forget to check the pressure in the spare tyre.
Under inflation
A correctly inflated tyre generates heat when moving - it is designed
to do so. But an under inflated tyre can heat up to dangerous levels,
causing the tyre components to separate. Under inflation increases
shoulder-wear, resulting in heavier steering, which can cause your
vehicle to become unstable when cornering, braking or accelerating.
It also increases the vehicles rolling resistance, i.e. its ability to roll
freely on the road, which will increase fuel consumption.
Sources: Continental Tyre SA and Dunlop
4. Role players
Associations
Retail Motor Association (RMI)
Tyre Dealer and Fitment Association
(TDAFA)
Tel: 011 886 6300
www.rmi.org.za
Represents Tyre
Fitment Centres
Dealers
and
South African Tyre

Manufacturers Conference
(SATMC)
Tel: 011 791 1449
Fax: 0860 503 9880
www.rubbersa.com
This association represents the new

tyre industry on matters relating to
SATRP Company T/A South WTO negotiations, tyre safety, and
African Tyre Recycling Process the environment.
Company
Tel: 011 792 0359
www.rubbersa.com
Tyre standards and research

Standards (SABS)
Standards Information Centre
Tel: 012 428 7911
info@sabs.co.za
www.sabs.co.za
within South Africa are covered

under the South African Bureau of
Standards Data Book 1550 and its
annexure.
CSIR
Dr Morris de Beer
The regulations pertaining to the mbeer@csir.co.za
service conditions under which www.csir.co.za
Pneumatic tyres may operate
Tyre changing and repair equipment

Air-seal Products
Tel: 012 807 6715 / 083 324 2983
Automotive Equipment
International (AEI)
Tel: 011 474 7480
www.aei.co.za
and service of quality workshop

equipment, lubrication equipment,
wheel care equipment and tyre
repair consumables. AEI has
branches countrywide.
Survival Ultimate Tyre Solution

Tel: 012 803 5348
The leading specialist in garage www.tyresaver.co.za
equipment involved in the supply
283
Local Manufacturers
Dunlop Tyres International
(Pty) Ltd
Tel: 031 242 1111
www.dunloptyres.co.za
Find the Agricultural tyres under www.apollotyres.co.za
the Products option on the
website.
Good Year
Tel: 041 505 5400
www.goodyear.co.za
Continental Tyre SA
Tel: 041 406 5111
www.continental.co.za
inputs
Bridgestone South Africa

Tel: 011 923 7600
www.bridgestone.co.za
Major Importers
Alliance Tire Group
Tel: 041 365 1097
www.atgtire.com
Tubestone
Tel: 011 608 1301
www.tubestone.co.za
Heavy Duty Tyres

Tel: 011 394 4125
www.hdep.co.za
Tyrecor
Tel: 021 905 7688
www.tyrecor.co.za
Michelin
Tel 011 579 0300
www.michelin.co.za
Find the Agricultural & forestry

tyres option on the website.
Yokohama Southern Africa
Tel: 011 437 4600
www.yokohama.co.za
Pirelli
Tel: 012 665 5676
www.pirelli.com
Find the Agro/OTR option on the
website.
Tyre Dealers
Bandag
Tel: 011 439 6000
www.bandag.co.za
Maxiprest
Tel: 011 387 2000
www.maxiprest.co.za
Conti Partner
www.contipartner.co.za
Speedy Tyre and Exhaust

Tel: 0861 773 339 (SPEEDY)
www.speedy.co.za
Dunlop Accredited Dealers

Tel: 031 242 1111
www.dad.co.za
Hi-Q
Tel: 011 917 3400
www.hiq.co.za
Kwik-Fit
Tel: 011 565 8200
www.kwikfit.co.za
Supa Quick Auto Centres

Tel: 011 966 5900
www.supaquick.co.za
Tiger Wheel & Tyre
Tel: 011 256 4000
www.tigerwheelandtyre.com
Trentyre
Tel: 011 345 6700 / 0860 94 33 57
www.trentyre.co.za
Find out about the REDISA Integrated Waste Tyre Management Plan
(IIWTMP) at www.redisa.org.za.

Southern Africa Treads
Liana Shaw (Editor)
Tel: 011 658 0011
www.satreads.co.za
Each company involved see

previous heading has a website
and manuals, which are usually
beefed up versions of what is on
their website.
Other publications (usually car
ones) carry tyre-related articles
every now and then.
Water storage
1. Overview
Legal requirements before building a dam are given in this chapter and on the
Department of Water Affairs (DWA) website. All the required documents
and forms can be downloaded from that website.
The companies listed in this chapter are involved in water storage. Other
companies involved in the water sector are listed in the general water
chapter.
2. Legal requirements before constructing new

dams, altering existing dams or repairing dams that
failed
There are three legal requirements that must be met before a person may
construct, alter or repair a dam, namely Entitlement to Water Use, Dam
Safety Regulations and Environmental Legislation.
Entitlement to water use (Chapter 4 of the National Water Act,

1998)
A Water Use Licence or other appropriate authorisation must be obtained
from the Regional Director of the relevant region. An extensive guideline
named Water Use Authorisation Application Process describes this
process in detail. Since the acquisition of a new licence for the storage of
water takes a considerable time, it is advisable to apply for such a licence as
early as possible. Furthermore, the dam safety licence will not be issued for
any dam before the Water Use Licence is approved by the Department.
In the case of dams that failed, existing lawful water use (subject to
verification) will normally be acknowledged but it is essential that
confirmation is obtained in writing from the Regional Director.
The contact information for the relevant Regional Offices can be found in the
Water chapter in this directory, or at www.dwa.gov.za (take the Contacts
option).
Requirements in terms of dam safety legislation (Chapter 12 of

the National Water Act, 1998)
All relevant forms and contact details can be downloaded from www.dwa.gov.za
take the Sites and Dam Safety Office options.
The first step is to apply for classification of the dam on form DW 692E if
the wall height exceeds 5,0 m and if the storage capacity exceeds 50 000
m3. The Department will then inform the applicant of the classification of
the dam and of further procedures.
If the dam is classified as a category I dam, apply for a licence to construct on
form DW 694E and submit construction drawings. (Construction may only
commence after the licence to construct has been issued).
If the dam is classified as a category II or III dam, the services of an approved
professional person/engineer (APP) must be obtained. The APP must apply
for a licence to construct on behalf of the dam owner (this involves the
submission of an application form, design report, engineering drawings and
construction specifications). (Construction may only commence after the
licence to construct has been issued). The APP must also ensure that an
adequate quality control programme is in place during the construction
period. Before starting with storage of water, the APP must apply for a
licence to impound (this involves the submission of an operation and
maintenance manual and emergency preparedness plan together with an
284
application form DW 696E). After completion of all construction work,

the APP must submit a completion report, completion drawings and a
completion certificate stating that the work has been completed according
to his/her specifications.
On completion, the dam must be registered on form DW 693E.
Requirements in terms of environmental legislation

The provisions and regulations of Government Notices GN 385, GN 386
and GN 387, dated 21 April 2006, promulgated in terms of sections 24, 24D
and 24[5], read with section 44 of the National Environmental Management
Act, 1998 (Act No. 107 of 1998) regarding control over activities which
may have a detrimental effect on the environment, must be complied with.
Normally it will be required that an environmental impact assessment
(EIA) must be carried out before construction of a new dam or raising/reconstruction of an existing dam will be authorised. Written authorisation
must be obtained from the relevant provincial government department
before commencing with the project.
3. Legal requirements for existing dams

Entitlement to water use
Section 21(b) of the National Water Act, 1998 (Act 36 of 1998) defines
storage of water as a water use. If more than 10 000 m3 of water is stored
or in case a dam has a full supply surface area of more than 1,0 hectare, then
that water use must be registered on a form that will be supplied by the
Regional Director for this purpose. However, in some Water Management
Areas the general authorisation does not allow any dam, irrespective of
size, outside the licensing procedure and in those areas all dams must be
registered. Please contact the relevant Regional Office for information in
this regard.
Requirements in terms of dam safety legislation

All dams with a safety risk (a dam with a wall height exceeding 5,0 m and
with the storage capacity exceeding 50 000 m3) must be registered on form
DW 693E. The Department must be notified of any changes of particulars
(dam owner, address, telephone numbers, person in control, etc).
The dam must be operated and maintained in a responsible manner. Basically
this requires that the owner, or the person appointed by the owner, will
visit and inspect the dam on a regular (at least weekly) basis. Maintenance
work must be done regularly. In the case of unsafe conditions, emergency
procedures and safety measures must be taken and the Department
informed about it.
5. Role players
Associations
Engineering Council of South Africa www.ecsa.co.za
South African National Committee on Large Dams (SANCOLD)
021 808 2100 / 012 460 7100
South African Institute of Agricultural Engineers (SAIAE)
http://saiae.co.za
South African Irrigation Institute www.sabi.co.za
South African National Committee on Irrigation and Drainage
(SANCID) www.sancid.org.za
Companies
For reservoirs, dam scrapers, water tanks, dam linings etc
ALS Agri Hire Tel: 034 341 1636 www.alsgroup.co.za

Amatola Tel: 043 732 1633 amairri@telkomsa.net
Aquadam Tel: 012 810 0940 www.aquadam.co.za
Aquatan Tel: 011 974 5271 www.aquatan.co.za
Atlas Plastics Tel: 018 469 1201 www.atlasplastics.co.za
Buster Tel: 034 393 1188 / 082 575 8250
Circa-Flow Reservoirs Tel: 056 212 1941 www.waterinfra.co.za
Damsak Tel: 012 734 0070 www.damsak.co.za
Darachem Industries Tel: 011 892 2917 www.darachem.co.za
Dura-flex Tel: 018 632 4148 duraflexdams@gmail.com
Duys Tanks Tel: 011 769 2738 www.duys.co.za
Erichsen Konstruksie RSA Tel: 056 212 1941 www.waterinfra.co.za
Flexi Linings Tel: 011 334 7492
GSI Group Africa Tel: 011 794 4455 www.gsiafrica.co.za
GV Robertson Construction Tel: 013 737 8722 www.gvrobertson.
co.za
Hydrex Waterstorage Tel: 011 440 4472 www.hydrex.co.za
Hydrotek International Tel: 011 974 5715 www.hydrotek.co.za
JoJo Tanks Tel: 013 262 3021 www.jojotanks.co.za
LandMech Tel: 0860 472 337 www.landmech.co.za
MBB Services International Tel: 021 887 1026 www.mbb.co.za
Pennells Tanks Tel: 015 516 4981/2/3 www.pentanks.co.za
Piket Implements Tel: 022 913 2435 www.piket.co.za
Poly Aqua Linings Tel: 0800 203 257 / 083 284 7679 www.polypools.
co.za
Rogue Steel Tel: 033 345 0038 www.roguesteel.co.za
Quick Pools Tel: 015 293 2333/4/5 www.quickpools.co.za
Rainbow Reservoirs Tel: 015 297 7640 / 083 626 2457 www.rainbowreservoirs.co.za
Staalboer Tel: 082 210 0999 www.staalboer.co.za
Techno Marketing Tel: 082 771 5818
The dam owner must arrange for the execution of a formal dam safety
inspection when instructed to do so by the Department (at intervals between
5 and 10 years). In the case of category II and III dams the inspection must be
done by an APP. In the case of category I dams it is not prescribed by whom
the inspection must be done but it is in the owners interest to appoint an
experienced person to perform this task. If necessary, the inspection report
will indicate what work should be done to upgrade the dam to acceptable
safety standards.
4. National Water Resource Strategy
Information and statistics on water can be found on www.wrc.org.za,

website of the Water Research Commission.
Department of Water Affairs (DWA) www.dwa.gov.za

A Water Use Licence or other appropriate authorisation must be obtained
from the regional offices. Contact details can be found on the website (take
the contact us and Regional Offices options) or in the general water
chapter of this directory.
Other menu options on www.dwa.gov.za relevant to this chapter include
Dams, flows and floods, Dam Safety Office and Water Use Licensing
& Registration.
Additional information regarding national norms and standards on water
storage for irrigation purposes can also be obtained from the Department
of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries. Consult the Water and
Irrigation chapters.

publications, available from the ARCInstitute for Agricultural Engineering
(ARC-IAE) (these publications are also available in Afrikaans):
Earth Dams
Manual for the building of circular reservoirs
Affordable round dam for farms: a do-it-yourself manual
Information on the daily and weekly flow into the major dams can be found
on www.dwa.gov.za (take the Sites option).
Details of International, African and South African umbrella groups and role
players can be found on the Water Information Network website www.
win-sa.org.za.
Source: www.dwa.gov.za. Our thanks once again to Francois van der Merwe
and Jan Nortje of DWA for feedback on the draft chapter.
285
inputs
4x4s and other vehicles
Automobile Association (AA) Tel: 011 799 1000 / 083 843 22 www.
aa.co.za
Automobile Manufacturers Employers Organisation (AMEO)
Tel: 012 323 2980/1 or 323 2003 naamsa@iafrica.com
Automotive Industry Development Centre Tel: 012 564 5300
(Gauteng), Tel: 041 393 2100 (Eastern Cape) www.aidc.co.za
Automotive Industry Export Council www.aiec.co.za
The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) regulates aviation in South
Africa and provides official information for the aviation industry. Visit
www.caa.co.za.
Commercial Aviation Association of South Africa Tel: 011 659
2345 www.caasa.co.za (find the link to affiliate associations e.g.
Airports & Aerodromes Association of Southern Africa, the
Helicopter Association of Southern Africa etc).
Motor Industry Bargaining Council Tel: 011 369 7750 www.mibco.
org.za (find the provincial contact list on the website)
Motor Industry Development Council (MIDC) Tel: 012 564 5245
Motor Industry Ombudsman of South Africa www.miosa.co.za
is the independent dispute resolution forum for the South African
Motor Industry and its customers
National Association of Automotive Component & Allied
Manufactures (NAACAM) www.naacam.co.za
National Association of Automobile Manufacturers of South
Africa (NAAMSA) Tel: 012 323 2980 www.naamsa.co.za
National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA) is a constituent
association of the broader retail motor industry organisation. Call 011
789 2542/3.
Retail Motor Industry Organisation (RMI) www.rmi.org.za (find
the contact details of the six regional offices on the website)
South African Motor Body Repairers Association (SAMBRA)
www.sambra.co.za
Southern African Vehicle Rental and Leasing Association
(SAVRALA) www.savrala.co.za
2. 4x4s and other vehicles

Amarok www.amarok.co.za (see advert page 23)
Audi South Africa www.audi.co.za
BMW South Africa www.bmw.co.za
Chevrolet SA www.chevrolet.co.za
Fiat www.fiat.co.za
Ford www.ford.co.za
General Motors SA (Opel, Isuzu and Chevrolet) www.gmsa.com
GWM www.gwm.co.za
Honda www.honda.co.za
Hyundai Automotive SA www.hyundai.co.za
Isuzu www.isuzu.co.za
Kia Motors SA www.kia.co.za
Land Rover www.landrover.co.za
Lexus South Africa www.lexus.co.za
Mazda SA www.mazda.co.za
Mercedes-Benz South Africa www.mercedes-benz.co.za
Mitsubishi Motors www.mitsubishi-motors.co.za
Nissan South Africa www.nissan.co.za
Opel South Africa www.opel.co.za
Proton Cars South Africa www.protoncars.co.za
Rotary Air Force SA (gyroplanes) www.rafsa.co.za
Suzuki Auto South Africa www.suzukiauto.co.za
Toyota www.toyota.co.za
US Truck Sales (Dodge trucks) www.ustrucks.co.za
Volkswagen www.vw.co.za
3. ATVs and Others

Some companies listed under heading 2 also supply quad bikes and
motorcycles e.g. see www.honda.co.za.
Adendorff Machinery Mart Tel: 011 683 8360 www.tooltime.co.za
(motorcycles and quads also supplied)
GROGRO Tel: 012 348 3006 www.grogro.co.za
Jetrunner Battery Power Vehicles Tel: 021 851 7699 / 084 604
3815 www.batterypower.co.za (sit and ride vehicles for kids, electric
scooters, golf cars)
Muck Truck Tel: 016 423 2484 www.mucktrucksa.com (Built for
rugged outdoor life)
Nigel Plen (Pty) Limited Tel: 011 730 3400 www.turfmaster.co.za
(ride-on lawnmowers and other)
Quadmaster Tel: 033 330 6247 www.quadmaster.co.za
Rhino Tralies Tel: 051 448 0736 www.triomf.co.za (rails tralies
for bakkies)
Savannah Africa Tel: 043 732 1321 / 083 362 6988 www.savannahac.
co.za (the bakkie of the sky)
Rambo see GROGRO
Sifort Tel: 012 667 2586 www.sifort.co.za (awnings for trucks and
trailers)
SMM Steel Top Tel: 011 787 0014 www.steeltop.co.za
The Tomcar Tel: 012 347 7562 www.sportsride.co.za
Work Horse see GROGRO

Agricultural publications like Landbouweekblad and Farmers Weekly
carry articles about bakkies, cars and other vehicles.
Find the automotive overview in the South African Investors Handbook
at www.thedti.gov.za or www.jadafa.co.za.
CAR Magazine Tel: 011 301 4447 www.carmag.co.za. The publishers
also have booklets and technical booklets e.g. 4x4, Auto Africa and
Techno Burst.
Leisure Wheels the adventure motoring magazine. Tel: 011 704
3046. www.leisurewheels.com
Subscribe to the weekly newsletter from www.motormag.co.za,
South Africas first motor magazine online!
Find the Automotive pages on www.mbendi.com (take the Industries
option). Overviews, news and events are captured.
www.naamsa.co.za the website of the National Association of
Automobile Manufacturers of South Africa. News, statistics and
initiatives within the industry may be found here, including month-bymonth national sales.
www.autotrader.co.za used cars, 4x4s and other vehicles for sale.
Order the most recent South African Automotive Yearbook at www.
automotiveonline.co.za.
Purchase the Automotive Real Economy Insight at www.polity.org.za.
286
national issues
Biosecurity
1. Overview
People dont think of the far-reaching consequences of an action like bringing
fruit illegally across the border, or of buying unmarked pigs at an auction.
It might be out of innocence and ignorance that biosecurity measures are
flouted, but the revenue lost can amount to billions of rand which can bring
a whole sector to its knees and threaten the livelihoods of thousands.
Biosecurity analyses and manages risks in the sectors of food safety,
animal life and health, and plant life and health, including the associated
environmental risk. It encompasses the policy and regulatory frameworks,
and is a strategic and integrated approach.
Investing in its capacity to control disease and to protect its food systems is
in a countrys interest. Biosecurity is a national issue.
Source: www.fao.org/biosecurity, www.arc.govt.nz and Peter Oberem
2. Biosecurity and the livestock farmer

For detailed and specific information about applying biosecurity principles to
your operation, consult your veterinarian or the relevant commodity/trade
association e.g. South African Pork Producers Organisation (SAPPO).
While developing and maintaining biosecurity is difficult, it is the cheapest,
most effective means of disease control available, and no disease prevention
programme will work without it.
3. Zoonoses: diseases of livestock that can

affect humans
The word zoonosis has its origins in the Greek zoon, meaning animal, and
nosos meaning disease. In 1959, the World Health Organisation Expert
Committee on Zoonoses, defined zoonoses as those diseases and infections
that are naturally transmitted between vertebrate animals and man.
Zoonotic diseases are an occupational hazard for all those who work with
livestock, including farmers and their workers, veterinary staff, those in
the abattoir and dairy industries and, ultimately, the consumers of animal
products like meat, dairy products and eggs.
Preventing the transfer of zoonotic diseases from animals to humans rests
on three pillars. The first of these is keeping animals healthy through good
management, vaccinations and parasite control. The second pillar is personal
hygiene and attention to healthy working conditions in the livestock industry
particularly details like the provision of good ventilation and accessible
ablution blocks. The third pillar is food hygiene, maintaining a cold chain and
the inspection and quality control of animal products from the farm to the
table. If these three pillars are kept in place, the chance or risk of catching
any disease from an animal is very low you are much more likely to catch
diseases from other people! Prevention is better than cure; however, if you
suspect you have a zoonotic disease, it is advisable to consult a medical
practitioner as soon as possible.
Further details on the symptoms and treatment of zoonotic diseases are
obtainable on the World Health Organisation (www.who.int) and the
Contagious Diseases Centre (CDC) websites.
The table following summarises the most important zoonotic diseases of
livestock and gives some idea of how to prevent them being transmitted.
Disease
How it is
transmitted
Symptoms in
humans
Prevention
Anthrax
contact with
blood, skins
or meat of
diseased cattle,
sheep, goats
and pigs
skin, lung and

intestinal forms;
may be fatal if
untreated.
Vaccinate cattle
every year. Notify
state vet if there
are sudden deaths
in livestock. Do
not slaughter and
eat sick animals.
Avian Influenza
contact with
diseased birds
infected with
the virulent
strain
influenzalike symptoms;
often fatal in
people
Do not handle
dead birds of any
species without
gloves, face-masks
and protective
clothing.
Botulism
consumption
of meat or
other foods
contaminated
with the spores
or toxins of
Clostridium
botulinum
Flaccid paralysis
of muscles; it
progresses until
the patient
cannot sit or
stand, and
eventually
is unable to
breathe.
Vaccinate cattle.
Food hygiene and
cooking at high
temperatures.
Bovine brucellosis
inhalation of
or contact with
blood or birth
fluids of infected
cattle; drinking
unpasteurised
milk
acute symptoms
look like malaria
or influenza;
chronic
intermittent
fever, joint
problems
Vaccination of
heifers, regular
testing of cattle
herd. Hygienic
handling of
aborted material
or afterbirths.
Pasteurise milk.
Infectious diseases can be spread between operations by:

the introduction of diseased cattle or healthy cattle incubating disease
introduction of healthy cattle who have recovered from disease but
are now carriers
vehicles, equipment, clothing and shoes of visitors or employees who
move between herds
contact with inanimate objects that are contaminated with disease
organisms
carcasses of dead cattle that have not been disposed of properly
feedstuffs, especially high risk feedstuff which could be contaminated
with faeces
impure water (surface drainage water, etc.)
manure handling and aerosolised manure and dust
non-livestock (horses, dogs, cats, wildlife, rodents, birds and insects)
Biosecurity has three major components: Isolation, Traffic Control,
Sanitation.
Isolation. The most important step in disease control is to minimise
commingling and movement of cattle.
Traffic control includes traffic onto your operation and traffic patterns
within your operation. It is important to understand traffic includes
more than vehicles. All animals and people must be considered.
Animals other than cattle include dogs, cats, horses, wildlife, rodents
and birds.
Sanitation addresses the disinfection of materials, people and equipment
entering the operation and the cleanliness of the people and equipment
on the operation.
Source: adapted from Biosecurity Bascics for Cattle Operations and Good
Management Practices (GMP) for Controlling Infectious Diseases, published
by Institute of Agricultural and Natural Resources, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Extension
287
Disease
How it is
transmitted
Symptoms in
humans
Prevention
Disease
How it is
transmitted
Symptoms in
humans
Prevention
Bovine
tuberculosis
and human
tuberculosis
inhalation
of droplets
from coughing
cows; drinking
unpasteurised
milk
nodules on the
skin and in the
lymphnodes;
chronic weight
loss, severe
cough with
bloody phlegm
Workers in dairies
must be checked
regularly for TB.
Dairy cattle must
be tested regularly
for TB. Pasteurise
milk.
Hydatid
disease
consumption
or ingestion
of the eggs of
the tapeworm
Echinococcus
large cysts on
the brain, lungs
or in the liver of
people
Do not feed raw

meat, especially
cysts from sheep
carcasses, to dogs.
consumtion of
brain, lymphnodes or
spinal tissue of
affected cattle
chronic nervous symptoms

that become
worse; always
fatal as it is
incurable
Prevent the
disease coming
into South
Africa. Test cattle
that die after
showing nervous
symptoms.
Leptospirosis contact with

pigs or cattle infected with the
disease; contact
with infected
water
kidney failure,
jaundice and
liver failure;
responds well
to antibiotic
treatment.
Control rats (they

carry the disease).
Test for the disease
in livestock if there
are abortions.
Orf
Bacterial
wound infections
cuts and
wounds that
are exposed to
animal manure,
pus and would
infections of
animals
abscesses,
gangrene and
blood
poisoning
Wash and disinfect

all wounds immediately using running water. Cover
wounds if working
with animals, meat
or milk.
contact with
sheep or goats
infected with
orf
contagious
ecthyma, red
swollen areas
of skin of hands
or face
Wash hands well

and do not touch
your face while
working with
sheep or goats.
Q-fever
swollen
lymphnodes
and interstitial
pneumonia
Bubonic
plague
bites by rat fleas
bubon forms
in inguinal lymphnode, fatal
pneumonia
Rat control.
Control fleas on
animals including
goats, dogs and
cats.
inhaling dust
in the kraals,
contact with
aborted material from cattle,
sheep and
goats; drinking
unpasteurised
milk
Wear masks if
working in dusty
kraals; protective
clothing when
working with
aborted foetus
and uterine fluids.
Pasteurise milk.
Colibaccilosis consumption of
food, water or
other material containing
the organism
Escherichia coli
severe acute
gastroenteritis;
if caused by
Ecoli serotype
0157, severe
bloody gastroenteritis and
organ failure
Food hygiene.
Clean drinking
water (prevent it
being polluted by
human and animal
excreta). Wash
hands after handling animals and
before eating.
Psittacosis
inhalation of
the droppings
or blood of infected pigeons,
parrots, ducks
and turkeys
severe coughing
which can result
in heart failure
and death if
untreated
Have sufficient
ventilation when
working in pigeon
or poultry houses.
Use a face mask
and gloves if doing
necropsies on
dead birds.
Rabies
bites by infected mania and death

dogs, jackals,
cattle, horses,
sheep, wildlife
Vaccinate all dogs.

If cattle or any other animals show
symptoms, call the
state veterinarian
URGENTLY. If bitten, go straight to
a clinic or doctor
and inform the
state vet.
Rift Valley
Fever
mosquito bites
during an outbreak, contact
with blood
or aborted
material from
infected sheep
or cattle
Fever, retinitis
with haemorrhage and
edema, causing
blindness.
Encephalistis,
liver and kidney
failure. Can be
fatal.
Vaccinate sheep
if there is an
outbreak. Use
protective clothing and masks
if working with
infected animals or
carcases. Control
mosquitoes.
Ringworm
contact with
infected animals
round, scaley
skin lesions
Treat animals with

ringworm. Consult
a physician if you
become infected.
Severe gastroenteritis which

can be fatal in
the very young
and the elderly.
Sometimes septicaemia and
organ failure.
Food hygiene.
Prevent contamination of food with
animal faeces. Remember personal
hygiene and wear
protective clothing
if working with
sick animals or
their faeces.
BSE
Cryptosporidiosis
consumption of
food, water or
other material
containing the
organism Cryptosporidium
severe chronic
diarrhoea, difficult to treat
Prevent water being contaminated

with human or
animal excreta.
Wash hands after
handling animals
and before eating.
Congo Fever
contact with
the blood of
infected animals
or bites by the
tick Hyalomma
spp., or infected
people
muscle pains,
fever, severe
haemorrhage
under the skin
and internally;
highly fatal.
Do not crush
ticks with your
fingernails. Use
tick repellents
when working in
areas with high
tick levels.
Pseudo
Cowpox
(Bovine Orf)
contact with infective nodules

on cow teats
red inflamed
nodule on the
hands
Hygiene during
milking. Prevent
transmission
between cows.
Neuro-cysticercosis
consumption of
the eggs of the
pig tapeworm
Taenia solium
Cysts on the
brain can lead
to epilepsy and
madness in
people.
Personal hygiene
wash your hands
well and scrub
your nails before
eating.
contact with
the skin, meat
or blood of
infected or carrier pigs
Vaccinate pigs
Large painful
against Erisipelas.
nodule on the
hands. Can also
cause vegetative
endocarditis
(growths on the
heart valves).
Diamond
skin disease
(Erysipelas of
pigs)
Salmonellosis consumption of
food, water or
other material
containing the
organism Salmonella; contact
with animals
infected with
Salmonella
289
Disease
How it is
transmitted
Symptoms in
humans
Prevention
Sarcoptic
mange
contact with
infected pigs,
dogs and cats
small red itchy

areas on the
skin due to
infection by the
mite Sarcoptes
scabei
Treat and control

sarcoptic mange in
animals.
Tick bite
fever
bites by ticks
blackened area
after 10 days
where bitten by
a tick; severe
headaches.
Consult a physician
for treatment with
antibiotics.
Toxoplasmosis
consumption of
poorly cooked
mutton or pork;
ingestion of soil
contaminated
with cat faeces
granulomas in
the brain of HIV
positive people;
abnormalities in
newborn children if mothers
infected while
they are pregnant
Cook meat well.

Scrub hands and
nails before eating,
particularly after
digging in gardens.
Source: Prof CME McCrindle, Section head of Veterinary Public Health, Deptartment of
Paraclinical Sciences, at the Faculty of Veterinary Science of the University of Pretoria.
5. Role players
Agri Inspec Tel: 012 843 5630 www.agriinspec.co.za
The Livestock Health and Production Group Tel: 012 346 1590
www.lhpg.co.za
The statutory levies for the different sectors address, amongst other
issues, the health and hygiene systems in those sectors. Visit the
National Agricultural Marketing Council (NAMC) website at
www.namc.co.za or call them at 012 341 1115.
National Institute of Communicable Diseases (NICD) Tel: 011
386 6000 www.nicd.ac.za
Red Meat Industry Forum Tel: 012 667 1189 www.redmeatsa.co.za
South African Animal Health Association (SAAHA) Tel: 011 805
2000 www.saaha.co.za
South African Bee Industry Organisation Tel: 021 870 2900 www.
sabio.org.za
South African National Equestrian Federation (SANEF) Tel: 011
468 3236/8 www.horsesport.org.za
South African Ostrich Business Chamber (SAOBC) Tel: 044 272
3336 www.ostrichsa.co.za
South African Pork Producers Organisation (SAPPO) Tel: 012
361 3920 www.sapork.com
Southern African Poultry Association (SAPA) Tel: 011 795 9920
www.sapoultry.co.za
South African Veterinary Association Tel: 012 346 1150 www.
sava.co.za
South African Veterinary Council Tel: 012 342 1612 www.savc.co.za

Biosecurity legislation includes:
Agricultural Pests Act of 1983 (Act No. 36 of 1983)
The Animal Diseases Act 1984 (Act No. 35 of 1984)
Animal Health Act, 2002 (Act No.7 Of 2002)
Animal Improvement Act, 1988 (Act No. 62 of 1988)
Fertilizers, Farm Feeds, Agricultural Remedies and Stock Remedies
Act of 1947 (Act No. 36 of 1947)
Meat Safety Act of 2000 (Act No. 40 of 2000)
Medicines and Related Substances Control Act of 1965 (Act No. 101
of 1965)
Plant Improvement Act, 1973 (Act No. 53 of 1973)
Veterinary and Para-Veterinary Professions Act of 1982 (Act No. 19 of
1982)

DAFF is one of several government departments which sit on the Border Control
Operations Coordinating Committee (BCOCC). Find notes on all of the
DAFF directorates at www.daff.gov.za (take the Divisions menu option).

Tel: 012 319 6072
DPH@daff.gov.za
country. It secures and maintains

national, regional and international
markets for agricultural products.
This Directorate manages all risks

associated with plants and plant
products to protect South African
agriculture from quarantine and
regulated pests.

Tel: 012 319 7456
Directorate: Agricultural
Product Inspection Serves
Tel: 012 319 6100
DAPIS@daff.gov.za
This
Directorate
conducts
agricultural product inspections
and audit services at official ports
of entry, and plant and animal
quarantine as well as diagnostic
services. It contributes to safe food
and prevents animal and plant pests
and diseases from entering the
Find the lists of contacts and

information under the Food and
veterinary services option.
This directorate: manages animal
health through the setting and
analysis of essential international
and national standards; controls
and certifies the health status of
animals/animal products for import/
export, including the provision of
quarantine facilities; negotiates
protocols on the import and export
of animal/animal products.
Find details of the institutions and universities in the Animal health chapter.
For specific information pertaining to disease control, please contact the

Central Reference Laboratory at 012 529 8000 or write to Private Bag X04,
ONDERSTEPOORT, 0110.
Companies
Animal health companies manufacture vaccines and promotes biosecurity within
the continent. Find their details in the Animal health chapter.

Visit the websites of associations involved e.g. see the Biosecurity Plan
on the SAPPO website; find the Biosecurity Guidelines for the Ostrich
Industry document at www.ostrichsa.co.za; the Disease Management
option at www.sapoultry.co.za etc.
Find the links on the Food and Veterinary Services pages at www.daff.
gov.za (take the Divisions option). Under Epidemiology find options
like include Disease Maps, Disease Status, Disease Database, Disease
Reporting Forms etc.
Find details of the numerous Info Paks available from DAFF in the Animal
health chapter. These can be viewed under the Publications option
at www.daff.gov.za, or obtained from either the Resource Centre
(012 319 7141) or from the Supply Shop at the ARC Onderstepoort
Veterinary Institute. Tel: 012 529 9446. Examples of these publications
are Animal Health: Common and Important Diseases in Cattle, Poultry:
Disease prevention in chickens etc.
See also the other publications in the Animal health chapter.
Find the Comprehensive Atlas at www.agis.agric.za, activate the
control zones under Risks and Hazards and find the Animal Disease
Control Zones.
Find information on Avian Flu on the website of Birdlife International
(www.birdlife.org), and the websites of associations mentioned in the
Birds and farming chapter.
Technically the Swine Flu outbreak of 2009 was a human flu. Using the
term Swine Flu is erroneous. Read more at www.swineflusa.co.za
Find notes relevant to European Union biosecurity at http://ec.europa.
eu/food/animal/bips/index_en.htm
Read about African horsesickness (AHS) in the Equine chapter.
International Plant Protection Convention www.ippc.int
www.au-appo.org Inter-African Phytosanitary Council
290
2. Black Economic Empowerment: a history
national issues
(BEE)
Also referred to as Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment (B-BBEE)
1. Overview
Black Economic Empowerment should be about broad-based activities
that empower black people.
B-BBEE is not just about big business deals for a few individuals in
society. It must also lead to the empowering of ordinary people.
B-BBEE must be central to inclusive growth. Support must be given
to provisions of the New Growth Path which require a much stronger
focus on the broad-based elements of the BEE regulations. This
includes ownership by communities and workers, increased skills
development and career-pathing for all working people and support
for small enterprise and co-operatives, as well as a new emphasis on
procurement from local producers in order to support employment
creation.
To contribute to job creation, B-BBEE has to, amongst others,
promote new enterprise development, encourage local procurement
and enhance skills development and employment equity.
Source: www.sanews.gov.za (adapted)
There has been a global move in the past years towards requiring businesses
to be more accountable for the people they employ; the communities
they live in and work amongst; and the businesses with which they do
business. Most developed countries and many developing nations have
embraced concepts like Triple Bottom-line Accounting, which requires a
business to account for the way they treat society (issues like Affirmative
Appointments; Skills Development; Corporate Social Investment; Small
Business Development and Preferential Procurement) and the way they
treat the environment. Other countries make use of Social Responsibility
Indexes or Investor in People standards to measure and report on the
social responsibility of businesses.
First and foremost, Black Economic Empowerment (BEE) or Broad-Based
Black Economic Empowerment (B-BBEE) is an attempt to encourage all
businesses to measure and report on the role they are playing in uplifting
the society they are in. It is about encouraging the formal upliftment of
the have-nots or previously disadvantaged. That most of the havenots in South Africa are black (African, Coloured or Indian) is a result
of past disadvantage. That is why, in South Africa, our socio-economic
empowerment programme is, for the foreseeable future, focused on
black South Africans.
If we can fast-track capacity building, create a more-equal sharing of
wealth, and continue to grow and be more competitive, we will reap
the fruits of these programmes in the years to come. This will be up to
individual companies, and the individuals within those companies, as to
how well we succeed or how much we fail at becoming more sustainable
businesses, communities and a more socially balanced country.
Source: Adapted from an article by William Janisch, Empowerment Services
How does one go about encouraging an economy to achieve a transformation

to a more equitable distribution of wealth without destabilising it? Early
attempts by corporate businesses to sell stakes to black shareholders
involved intricate mechanisms of finance. Many of these deals were doomed
to fail, while successful ones were criticised for putting much wealth in the
hands of very few. For most previously disadvantaged South Africans the
struggle continued.
Black business bodies established the Black Economic Empowerment
Commission in 1998, a think tank of politicians, economists and consultants
who set about trying to find an answer to the problems that were holding
back economic transformation.
They recommended that Government should get in the driving seat.
They also pointed out that BEE involved more than just the transfer
of assets. There were other aspects such as the development of
skills, creating equitable standards in the workplace and the general
upliftment of communities.
Thirdly, they pointed out that unless there was a way to measure the
contribution an enterprise was making towards BEE, there would be
no way to manage the process.
In 2003 Government released a strategy document in which the notion of
a BEE scorecard was introduced. For the first time there was a mechanism
for measuring the progress towards BEE and so now there was a way
to manage and drive that process forward. Various draft BEE Codes and
Scorecards were debated and put out for public comment, and in 2007,
business, government, labour and civil society signed off the BEE Codes
of Good Practice. The gazetting of the Codes began a time of measuring
Broad-Based BEE so named because it measures a broad number of
contributions by an enterprise to social upliftment not just the transfer of
ownership and management.
The Amendment Bill gazetted in 2012 and the revision of the Codes is the
culmination of the recommendations made by the Presidential B-BBEE
Advisory Council. It aims to ensure that BEE fulfils its original purpose and
objectives i.e. empowering black people.
The Bill aims to align the B-BBEE Act with other legislations impacting
on black economic empowerment.
It aims to establish a B-BBEE Commission that will set up an
institutional environment for monitoring and evaluating black economic
empowerment.
It provides for the regulation of the verification industry by the
Independent Regulatory Board of Auditors, while also dealing with noncompliance and circumvention by introducing offences and penalties.
The Bill introduces inclusion of specific statutory offences involving
fronting and other forms of fraudulent misrepresentation of
empowerment status and the specification of penalties and blacklisting
of entities and/or management of those offences.
The Bill makes provisions for empowering the Special Investigations
Unit to investigate all offences involving fronting or corruption
committed by both the public and private sector with regard to the
application of the Act and B-BBEE Codes of Good Practice.
Find the latest on www.dti.gov.za and the other websites mentioned under
headings 8 and 9.
People who use the term Broad Based BEE (B-BBEE) rather than
BEE are emphasising that Empowerment benefit the many as opposed
to the few. The scorecard becomes more important than straight forward
ownership, because recognition is given to management control, skills
development and supplier development, Employment Equity etc.
291
3. How BEE works

The BEE Codes set principles of how organisations are to be measured as
to their social contributions as well as defining scorecards which allocate
targets for each element of the scorecard as well as a certain number
of points for achieving that target (also known as a weighting for that
element).
Your companys score will contribute to your customers BEE scores and so
you will probably find that they will request that you give them an official BEE
Certificate in order that they can calculate their score under the Preferential
Procurement element. By the same token you will need to obtain the BEE
Certificates of your suppliers in order to calculate your BEE score.
Other drivers behind getting a good BEE Score might include:
Those wishing to access government finance might be required to get
a certain minimum BEE Score.
Certain products may receive a BEE Label in stores depending on
the score of the producer or grower.
Prices paid for land under land reform may be adjusted according to
BEE scores of the seller.
Public perception might drive bigger brands to achieve a reasonable
score so as not to fall foul of a disapproving public.
The social imperative. If we do not develop our society so that the vast
majority participate meaningfully in the economy as soon as possible,
we could suffer social or political collapse and we will continue to suffer
the economic consequences high (and violent) crime and high social
welfare costs.
The higher your score, the more you will count towards your customers
score.
All along the food chain, companies are going to be looking at the BEE
credentials of their suppliers. In order to determine your BEE score,
your business will need to be verified. This means that you need to get an
approved verification agency to go through your paperwork and give you
a rating a BEE score. The costs of verification will vary depending on
the amount of work involved. The basis for charging will be similar to that
of auditors and accountants. Having all the information readily available
for verification agents when they arrive will help to keep the cost of your
verification down.
Source: Empowerment Services
4. Sector Charters and Sector Codes

All sectors do not use the Department of Trade & Industrys BEE Codes (dti
Codes). Some Sectors felt the need to adjust the dti Codes to make provision
for specific issues facing their own sector or to reward contributions that
their sector was best able to make.
For example: the finance sector is best able to finance empowerment or
bank the un-banked so they have included these as targets in their scorecard.
The IT sector can help provide Internet bandwidth and computer centres
to schools and communities so they might include that as a target in their
scorecard. Agriculture has a very specific contribution to make in terms of
agricultural land and has historical issues to deal with including high illiteracy
rates and HIV infection rates so chooses to focus attention on these issues
amongst others.
The dti Codes set specific rules for establishing Sector Charters or Sector
Codes because the country cannot afford to have one sector getting away
with murder while another sector has very heavy targets. Therefore, in
order to keep everyone on the same general playing field, the dti Codes
state the following:
A Sector Charter (or Section 12 Charter as some call it) is the

voluntary gathering together of a sector to set itself transformation
targets, which it will attempt to keep. A sector charter can be gazetted
for information purposes but has not weight when it comes to
determining your BEE score. Even if your sector has a sector charter,
you will still be measured on the dti Codes to determine your BEE
Status. The Charter targets are more guidelines for what kinds of
contributions the sector expects from its stakeholders.
A Sector Code (or Section 9 Charter as some call it) replaces
the dti Codes for that particular sector. There are strict rules for
establishing Sector Codes. They must be significantly aligned with
the dti Codes; they must include all elements (e.g. Ownership, Skills
Development, Procurement etc.) of the dti Codes but can include
additional items which will then steal points away from one or more
of the other elements; the amendments to the dti Codes must be
justified and approved by all major stakeholders in the sector as well as
put out for general public comment so other sectors can comment on
whether they feel the scorecard is fair.
Therefore, in the absence of a Sector Code, one is automatically measured
on the dti Codes.
5. Agriculture
Up to 2012, AgriBEE was a Sector Charter (Section 12 Charter), a guideline
and voluntary commitment of the sector which Verification Agencies could
use for measurement.
A draft AgriBEE Sector Code was published for comment in 2012, and was
gazetted as a Sector Code on 28 December 2012. The AgriBEE Scorecard
is thus now the official, compulsory scorecard for the Agricultural sector.
The scope of the AgriBEE Sector Code includes any enterprise that derives
the majority of its turnover from:
the primary production of agricultural products
the provision of inputs and services to enterprises engaged in the
production of agricultural products
the beneficiation of agricultural products whether of a primary or semi
beneficiated form
the storage, distribution, and/or trading and allied activities related to
non-beneficiated agricultural products
Find more information at www.agbiz.co.za amd www.thedti.gov.za.
6. Forestry
There is a Forestry Sector Code (i.e. Section 9), published in 2009, for all
the stakeholders within the forestry sector growers; contractors; the
fibre, sawmilling, pole and charcoal subsectors.
Visit www.forestrysa.co.za/forest-transformation-bbeee.
7. Fisheries
Up to this stage, quotas, different fisheries policies and the BEE Codes have
driven transformation as no Sector Charter or sector-specific framework
exists. The Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries is developing
the Transformation Framework for the Fisheries Sector in partnership with
the sectors business community.
292

BEE is about broad-based activities that benefit black people. The B-BBEE
framework should reinforce skills and rural development, enterprise and
social development while it must also attend to issues of job creation through
procurement and entrepreneurship.

Industry (the dti)
Tel: 0861 843 384
Tel: 012 394 1609 / 1870
agribee@thedti.gov.za
http://bee.thedti.gov.za
Department of Labour (DoL)

Tel: 012 309 4000
www.labour.gov.za
The DoL releases the annual

Commission for Employment
Equity (CEE) report. The CEE
See
also
the
Economic report looks at progress made with
Empowerment menu option on the Employment Equity Act (EEA)
the website www.thedti.gov.za
which is meant to drive equality in
the work place through equitable
representation of employees from
The B-BBEE Advisory Council
designated groups to broadly
Secretariat
reflect the national demographics
Tel: 012 394 1915
of the Economically Active
Fax: 012 394 2760
Population (EAP) of South Africa.
BBBEEAC@thedti.gov.za
Find the latest CEE report on the
Association of BEE Verification DoL website.
Agencies (ABVA)
National Treasury
Tel: 086 111 2282 (ABVA)
Tel: 012 315 5111
www.abva.co.za
www.treasury.gov.za
The National Treasury was tasked
with amending the Preferential
B-BBEE Charter Compliance
Procurement Policy Framework
Tel: 012 319 8460 / 59
Act (PPPFA) to allow for the
www.daff.gov.za
objectives of the Broad-Based
(B-BBEE) Act to be more closely
aligned to those of the PPPFA.
Find the Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment Amendment Bill at www.info.
gov.za.
9. Role players
Agriculture-specific role players
www.agrimega.co.za
Agri SA Tel: 012 643 3400 www.agrisa.co.za
Agricultural Business Chamber (Agbiz) Tel: 012 807 6686 www.
agbiz.co.za
AgriExpert Tel: 082 907 2810 www.agriexpert.co.za
Andisa AGRI Tel: 082 807 5587 www.andisaagri.co.za
Food and Allied Workers Union (FAWU) Tel: 021 637 9040 www.
fawu.org.za
The Fort Hare Dairy Trust (FHDT) is a partnership between white
farmers from the Tsitsikamma and Underberg areas through their
company Amadlelo Agri and the University of Fort Hare. It provides
hands-on training to black farmers from around the country. Call 040
653 0972, 082 795 7455 or visit www.amadlelo.co.za.
New Generation Agri Tel: 021 863 0397
Senwes Agricultural Services Tel: 018 464 7394 www.senwes.
co.za
South African Agricultural Processors Organisation Tel: 012 663
1660 www.grainmilling.org.za
TAU SA Tel: 012 804 8031 www.tlu.co.za
United Farmers Fund Trust (UFF) Tel: 021 418 7318 www.uff.
co.za
VinPro BEE Advisory Services Tel: 021 807 3304 www.vinpro.co.za
General BEE consultants

National Association of BEE Consultants Tel: 021 852 8160 www.nabc.
org.za
BEE Rating Solutions Tel: 0861 111 233 www.beeratingsolutions.
co.za
BEESA Consulting Tel: 011 726 3052 www.beesa.co.za
BEExchange Tel: 0861 124 668 www.beexchange.co.za
BEE2Business Tel: 012 940 1900 www.bee2business.co.za
Black Business Link www.blackbusinesslink.co.za
Black Pride Marketing Tel: 011 027 7540 www.blackpride.co.za
Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr Tel: 011 562 1000 www.cliffedekkerhofmeyr.
com
EconoBEE Tel: 011 018 3200 www.econobee.co.za
Empowerdex Tel: 011 883 8548 www.empowerdex.co.za
Empowerlogic Tel: 086 111 4003 www.empowerlogic.co.za
Ernst & Young Tel: 011 772 3000 www.ey.com
KPMG Tel: 011 647 7111 www.kpmg.co.za
Mpowerratings Tel: 011 880 0060 www.mpowerratings.co.za
National Rating Empowerment Agency (NERA) Tel: 011 463
8563 www.nerasa.co.za
Pricewaterhouse Coopers Tel: 011 797 4000 www.pwc.com/za
SEESA Tel: 086 117 3372 www.seesabee.co.za
Transcend Tel: 011 442 2433 www.transcend.co.za
Veri-Com Tel: 011 726 5361 / 00 www.vericom.co.za
Finance
DEC (Disability Employment Concerns) Trust www.dectrust.
co.za
Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) Tel: 011 269 3000
www.idc.co.za
The Land Bank is the external agency which manages and administers
the AgriBEE Equity Fund, which is geared towards increasing black
entrepreneurs in the agricultural sector. Call 012 686 0500 or visit
www.landbank.co.za.
National Empowerment Fund (NEF) Tel: 011 305 8000 www.
nefcorp.co.za. The Enterprise Development Fund (EDF), launched
in July 2011 with a R75-million contribution from the NEF and
further funding from the private sector, is to support black enterprise
development in South Africas industrial value chain, as well as act as
a catalyst for accelerating job creation in line with governments New
Growth Path.
Old Mutuals Masisizane Fund www.oldmutual.co.za/masisizane
Phatisa Tel: 011 463 1920 www.phatisa.com
Standard Bank General enquiries: 011 636 6162 sbsa.
agriculture@standardbank.co.za
Business representative groups and other role players

Association for the Advancement of Black Accountants of
Southern Africa (ABASA) www.abasa.org.za
Association of Black Securities and Investment Professionals
(ABSIP) www.absip.co.za
Association of South African Black Actuarial Professionals
(ASABA) www.asaba.co.za
Black Business Council
Black Business Executive Circle (BBEC) www.bbec.co.za
Black Conveyancers Association www.bcalaw.co.za
Black Gun Owners Association of South Africa (BGOASA) www.
bgoasa.co.za
Black Information Technology Forum (BITF) www.bitf.org.za
Black Lawyers Association www.bla.org.za
Black Management Forum www.bmfonline.co.za
Business Unity South Africa (BUSA) Tel: 011 784 8000 www.busa.
org.za
Fair Trade Label SA (FTSA) Tel: 021 448 8911 www.fairtrade.org.za
Foundation for African Business and Consumer Services
(FABCOS) Tel: 011 036 6348 www.fabcos.co.za
Independent Regulatory Board for Auditors Tel: 087 940 8800
www.irba.co.za
National African Chamber of Commerce and Industry www.
nafcoc.org.za
South African Black Entrepreneurs Forum www.sabef.org.za
South African Black Technical and Allied Careers Organisation
(Sabtaco) www.sabtaco.org
293
South African Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SACCI) Tel:

011 446 3800 www.sacci.org.za
South African National Accreditation System Tel: 012 394 3760
www.sanas.co.za
See also the chapters People with disabilities and Women.

Visit the websites listed earlier in this chapter e.g. http://bee.thedti.gov.
za.
Find the Status of AgriBEE Sector Code and impact of the new B-BBEE
Amendment Bill on agribusiness presentation, given by Dr John Purchase
at the Agricultural Business Chambers 2012 Congress, at www.agbiz.
co.za.
Everyones Guide to Black Economic Empowerment by Robin Woolley.
Order it from Zebra Press (visit www.zebrapress.co.za).
Shanduka Black Umbrellas is behind the launch of the publication
blackpages which showcases 100% black owned businesses. Visit
www.shandukablackpages.co.za.
Visions of Black Economic Empowerment Xolela Mangcu, Gill Marcus,
Khehla Shubane and Adrian Hadland (editors). ISBN 978-1-77009358-4.
www.bee123.co.za a website offering various tools, software and
BEE services
Broad Based BEE The Complete Guide Vuyo Jack ISBN 978-1-92009921-3
Standard Bank has an excellent dvd presentation of AgriBEE. Call
011 636 6162. Read the regular articles covering BEE structuring
and successes in the quarterly AgriReviews. Find back copies at www.
standardbank.co.za.
Find the books by Tony Balshaw at www.gt.co.za.
Find BEE companies on the Ezee-dex website, www.edx.co.za
The CSI Handbook. Trialogue. Tel: 021 683 7417. www.csimatters.
co.za
Visit www.econobee.co.za for an easy-to-use computer program

designed to help a business draw up its BEE scorecard.
www.beenews.co.za, for news, opinions, politics and updates on
294
national issues
Climate change and global warming
1. Overview
Several gases in the atmosphere trap energy from the sun and warm the
earth. Without this greenhouse effect life would not be possible on
this planet. Our activities over the past two centuries though, especially
the burning of fossil fuels like coal and oil, have increased the building up
of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. More energy from the sun is being
trapped and the earth is becoming warmer. Global warming refers to
this enhanced greenhouse effect.
It is true that our planet goes through natural cycles of change, lasting
hundreds of years. In that amount of time, though, plants and animals are
able to adapt. The manner in which humanity is developing though has
speeded up the changes in climate, leaving less time to adapt and placing
our ecosystems in danger.
Why have a chapter under the National issues section of the Agri Handbook
for South Africa? At a time when agriculture faces the challenge of increasing
food production dramatically to feed the expected nine-billion people
by 2050, climate change threatens to reduce what agriculture presently
produces. Climate change is a global issue, never mind a national one.
2. Africa
Prolonged drought is one of the most serious climatic hazards affecting the
agricultural sector of the continent. Most of agricultural activities in African
countries hinge on rain, and any adverse changes in the climate would likely
have a devastating effect on the sector in the region, and the livelihood of
the majority of the population.
Five main climate change related drivers: temperature, precipitation, sea
level rise, atmospheric carbon dioxide content and incidence of extreme
events, may affect the agriculture sector in the following ways:
Reduction in crop yields and agriculture productivity. There is
growing evidence that in the tropics and subtropics, where crops have
reached their maximum tolerance, crop yields are likely to decrease
due to an increase in the temperature.
Increased incidence of pest attacks. An increase in temperature
is also likely to be conducive for a proliferation of pests that are
detrimental to crop production.
Limit the availability of water. It is expected that there will be less
water available in most parts of Africa. Particularly, there will be a
severe down trend in the rainfall in Southern African countries and in
the dry areas of countries around the Mediterranean Sea.
Exacerbation of drought periods. An increase in temperature and a
change in the climate throughout the continent are predicted to cause
recurrent droughts in most of the region.
Reduction in soil fertility. An increase in temperature is likely to
reduce soil moisture, moisture storage capacity and the quality of the
soil, which are vital nutrient for agricultural crops.
Low livestock productivity and high production cost. Climate
change will affect livestock productivity directly by influencing the
balance between heat dissipation and heat production and indirectly
through its effect on the availability of feed and fodder.
Availability of human resource. Climate change is likely to cause the

manifestation of vector and vector born diseases, where an increase
in temperature and humidity will create ideal conditions for malaria,
sleeping sickness and other infectious diseases that will directly affect
the availability of human resources for the agriculture sector.
The impact of these adverse climate changes on agriculture is exacerbated
in Africa by the lack of adapting strategies, which are increasingly limited
owing to the lack of institutional, economic and financial capacity to support
such actions.
Africas vulnerability to climate change and its inability to adapt to these
changes may be devastating to the agriculture sector, the main source of
livelihood to the majority of the population. The utmost concern should
therefore be a better understanding of the potential impact of the current
and projected climate changes on African agriculture and to identify ways
and means to adapt and mitigate its detrimental impact.
Source: www.ceepa.co.za/Climate_Change
3. South Africa
More information on climatic and atmospheric change in South Africa is
provided within the National State of Environment Report see www.
environment.gov.za.
On the African continent only South Africa has emissions of greenhouse
gases to an extent that can justify a general strategy on CO2 mitigation.
South Africa produces 1.4 % of the worlds total CO2. However, our CO2
emissions per person are more than double the world average. This is a
result of our having had cheap energy, and our consequent inefficient use
of it.
Typical household contributions to CO2 emissions come from the sources
listed below:
every unit (kWh) of electricity used produces 0.5 kg of CO2
every litre of petrol burnt contributes 3kg of CO2 (~0.3 kg / km)
everyday consumer goods production and distribution results in
substantial CO2 output
Most South African crops are grown in areas that are only just climatically
suitable and with limited water supplies. The impacts of climate change will
worsen the serious lack of surface and ground water resources, exacerbate
desertification and may well alter the magnitude, timing and distribution of
storms that produce floods.
Source: Earthlife; Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (DAFF),
Directorate: Agricultural Risk and Disaster Management (ARDM), Early Warning Unit.
4. The Kyoto Protocol

Information on the Kyoto Protocol can be found on its official website Kyoto
Protocol www.kyotoprotocol.com and on the UNFCCC Climate Change Information
Kit Kyoto Protocol Fact Sheet visit http://unfccc.int.
The Kyoto Protocol is an extension of the 1992 UN Framework Convention

on Climate Change (UNFCCC), the worlds first treaty to attempt to
address global warming by limiting greenhouse gas emissions. The Protocol
295
deals in detail with its first commitment period, by the end of which most
developed countries pledged to reduce their emissions by agreed amounts.
The Protocols first commitment period ended in 2012.
6. Mitigation: what can we do to slow the process

down?
At COP17 in Durban 2011, governments of the Parties to the Kyoto

Protocol decided that a second commitment period, from 2013 onwards,
would follow the end of the first commitment period. An agreement would
be tied up by 2015 and come into force by 2020. A good website for reading
about the Durban Platform (as it became known) is www.iisd.ca/climate/
cop17.
Mitigation entails all human interventions that reduce the sources or

enhance the sinks of greenhouse gases.
Find updates on http://unfccc.int, website of the United Nations Framework

Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).
The science tells us that our emissions need to peak by 2020 and then
rapidly decline if we want to have a decent chance of avoiding runaway
climate change but its possible the new deal may only become fully
operational that year. As things stand the planet looks to be headed for
a four-degree temperature rise, rather than the two-degree rise these
negotiations are trying to keep us to. So its still looking pretty grim.
But its not like we have to wait for a global deal in 2020 to take action.
Domestic action can do a lot to change things. Some countries in the
European Union are cutting their emissions by up to 40% in the next
few years. Even China, the worlds top carbon emitter, plans to cut its
energy intensity over 40% in the next five years and is investing heavily
in renewables.
Source: excerpts from A dummys guide: Making sense of COP17 which can be found
at www.mg.co.za.
5. Carbon trading and the Clean Development

Mechanism (CDM)
The Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) is an arrangement under
the Kyoto Protocol allowing industrialised countries with a greenhousegas-reduction commitment to invest in projects that reduce emissions in
developing countries as an alternative to more expensive emission reductions
in their own countries. This has led to the development of an active carbon
trading market. Trade is in the form of carbon credits or the amount of
carbon saved through the use of more efficient, cleaner technologies.
Africa has been slow to tap investment through the UNs Clean Development
Mechanism (CDM) carbon offset programme. By January 2012, the continent
had only 2.12% of the 3 776 CDM projects registered globally.
Finance is to play a key role in supporting green, low-emission, climate
resilient development. Challenges identified include-
The enhanced greenhouse effect can be slowed down by following two

guidelines:
(1)0increase sinks
(2)0decrease sources of greenhouse gases
A sink is a process which removes greenhouse gases from the atmosphere.
For example: growing a tree where one did not previously exist provides
a sink for carbon dioxide, because the tree extracts carbon dioxide for
photosynthesis.
The energy sector is the largest single source of greenhouse gases in South
Africa. Integrated energy planning at the national level should ensure the
optimum overall mix of energy sources, with clean coal technologies
expected to be part of such a mix for the medium-term future. Technologies
being investigated include:
renewable energy sources (such as hydroelectric power, wind power,
solar power and biomass);
non-greenhouse gas emitting energy sources such as nuclear power;
technologies are also being investigated and developed to make coal
power stations less polluting and more efficient;
peaks in electricity demand can also be reduced by management of
the demand for energy and providing electricity more efficiently
by introducing new supply technologies and adjusting pricing
policies. There is also potential for importing energy, such as gas and
hydroelectricity, from other countries in the region.
Source: www.environment.gov.za
Africa is home to the worlds second-largest rainforest in the Congo

Basin, parts of which are untouched. At the same time, Africas dry
forests, which are being rapidly destroyed, play a critical role as a last line
of defence against creeping desertification. The forests are also major
sources of goods and services for the livelihoods of hundreds of millions
of people.
How can forests and forest resources be better harnessed to slow the
pace of global warming, and communities be helped to adapt to the
changing environment?
access to new and innovative sources of climate finance

promotion of synergies between developmental and climate finance
the use and delivery of limited sources of public finance to catalyse
climate capital
Proponents hope the worlds forests will be safeguarded by channelling

billions of dollars from rich countries to developing ones through REDD+
(Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and forest Degradation
in developing countries). However, critics fear the plan could be
undermined by poor design, weak governance, corruption and a lack of
clarity over land or resource ownership.
Finance is available through sources like the Adaption Fund of the Kyoto
Protocol, the UNs Clean Development Mechanism and the Green Climate
Fund, but pledges to the fund are slow. Nonetheless, the World Bank
reported in May 2012 that Carbon market trading had reached a record
value of $176-billion in the previous year.
Issues around preserving the worlds forests are debated by the

Collaborative Partnership on Forests (CPF), a grouping of 14 international
organisations and secretariats with substantial programmes on forests.
Visit the Climate Fund Info website for more details about the various funds www.
climatefund.info.
Read more about the CPF at www.cifor.org (take the Donors and
partners option). Information on REDD+ can be found at www.unredd.org.
Source: Forest Day Media Advisory November 2011
296
The percentage of Agricultures contribution to climate change is

disputed, and ranges from 22% down to somewhere between 10% and
5%. The largest portion of this is attributed to livestock (but see the note
on the Savory Institute under heading 10) .
Climate-smart agriculture, an initiative driven by the African Union
and New Partnership for Africas Development (NEPAD), is being
mooted for all of Africa to deal with climate change impacts that have
been taking a toll on food production and security.
Research shows that agriculture has a huge potential to cost-effectively
reduce greenhouse gases through changes in agricultural technologies
and management practices, particularly in developed countries.
Climate-smart agriculture includes proven practical techniques including
mulching, intercropping, conservation agriculture, crop rotation,
integrated crop-livestock management, agro-forestry, improved grazing
and improved water management.
Climate changes create risks and uncertainty with potentially serious
downsides. Without strong adaptation measures, climate change could
reduce food crop production by 10 to 20 percent by the 2050s, with
more severe losses in Africa. With nine billion people expected to inhabit
the world by 2050, food production in Africa alone must be tripled,
according to experts.
livestock farmers now also produce their own fodder, such as lucerne or
maize, and stock it for use during the long dry seasons. In response to the
long drought periods, farmers have adjusted the stocking intensity of their
livestock by selling their animals at younger ages. Another practice is to
change the timing, duration and location of grazing.
(b) Increased chemical application

With higher temperature and increased evapotranspiration, farmers
have resorted to increased application of chemicals such as Erian to
slow down evapotranspiration.
They also apply more farm manure to keep the moisture content of
the soil higher and retain the soil fertility.
More lime is also applied to maintain the soils correct pH balance.
(c) Increased use of irrigation

With water being the most important factor limiting agriculture in
South Africa, irrigation appears to be the most appropriate adaptive
strategy. Hence 65% of the respondents choose irrigation as an option
to adjust to climatic changes.
Farmers have also shifted from flood irrigation to sprinkler irrigation
for an efficient use of the limited water.
Several farms have also built their own boreholes to make effective use
of underground water.
There has also been increased use of wetlands for agricultural
production.
Source: adapted from SANews, December 2011
(d) Shade and shelter
7. Climate Change and South African

agriculture: impacts and adaption options
Farmers report having used the following strategies to cope with climate
change:
(a) Adjustments in farming operations

Changes have been made in the planting dates of some crops.
Crops with a shorter growing period such as cabbage have been
planted, as well as short season maize (120 days 140 days).
There has been an increased use of crop rotation and the early
harvesting of some crops. In KwaZulu-Natal for example, farmers
prefer to cut their sugarcane at an early stage to avoid the loss of
production due to the dryness of the cane (as a result of increased
temperature) if they have to wait for the cane to mature in the field.
In the situation of heavier rainfall, concentrated in shorter periods and
starting earlier (previously early September and now late October in some
provinces), farmers have responded by delaying the start of the planting period;
the increased use of modern machinery to take advantage of the
shorter planting period;
the collection of rain water by making furrows near the plants; and
the increased use of irrigation.
In response to higher temperatures, farmers have resorted to using
heat tolerant crop varieties;
crop varieties with high water use efficiency;
early maturing crop varieties, and increased crop and livestock farming
(mixed farming). For example, because of the high temperatures,
sugarcane farmers have shifted to producing macadamia nuts and tea,
which they consider easier to irrigate than sugarcane.
Livestock farmers have also adopted numerous practices aimed at efficient
use of water and scarce fodder. There is a general tendency to resort
to more heat tolerant breeds rather than the traditional ones, and most
When it is hot, livestock farmers plant trees to provide natural shades

for their livestock or as a wind or hail storm break. In South Africa,
farmers generally plant pine trees and Acacia karoo and Celtis africana
trees for this purpose.
In some instances, farmers use fishnets, grass, and plastics as coverings
to protect their plants against dryness and heat, and cold and frost.
Heating provided by firewood and paraffin heaters is also used by
livestock farmers to protect their animals against the cold.
(e) Conservation practices

In response to the increased occurrence of droughts farmers have adopted
various soil conservation practices in order to maintain or improve soil
moisture and fertility.
Principally to fight erosion, farmers have built many small dams or
planted trees around their farms.
Farmers have also increased their fallow periods by as much as one to
two agricultural seasons (instead of continuous cropping), to allow the
land to restore its nutrients.
Another conservation technique farmers use to protect the soil against
erosion is to keep the crop residues of the previous harvest on the
land. To preserve soil moisture, cool the soil surface and stabilise soil
temperature, they used mulching (layers of muck, peat, compost and
plastics) to cover the land.
To avoid excessive extraction of nutrients in the soil of their farms,
farmers have also reduced the density of crops or livestock on their
land.
(f) Other practices

To reduce the risk of losing income when farm produce decreases as a
result of the increased variability in the climate, some (especially largescale farmers) have insured their farms, while others (especially smallscale farmers) are increasing their involvement in non-farm activities.
Most large-scale farmers have also opted to taking lower risks by
reducing their cropping areas to manageable sizes.
Source: adapted from the paper Climate Change and South African Agriculture:
Impacts and Adaption Options by James KA Benhin
297

Find the South African Governments dedicated website at www.climateresponse.
co.za.

Directorate: Agricultural Risk and Disaster Management
Sub-Directorate Climate Change
Tel: 012 319 7955/6
PA.DADRM@daff.gov.za
www.daff.gov.za
At the second meeting of BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South
Africa) Ministers of Agriculture and Agrarian Development in October
2011, the different countries took on different tasks for the Action Plan
2012-2016. South Africa was given the co-ordinating role for reducing
the impact of climate change on food security and adapting agriculture to
climate change.
Department of Environmental Affairs (DEA)
Office of the Chief Negotiator 012 310 3351
Chief Directorate: Mitigation 012 310 3764
Chief Directorate: Climate Change Adaptation 012 395 1606
Chief Directorate: International Climate 012 310 3097
On the website, find climate change notes under Key issues.
www.energy.gov.za
South Africas is a coal-based economy, and as such ranks amongst the highest
emitters of greenhouse gases in the world. It needs to explore clean energy
initiatives, manage demand, and move towards a low-carbon economy.
Read about the various projects and programmes on the website.
The Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) is one of the two projectbased flexible mechanisms of the Kyoto Protocol (see heading 4). Under the
rules of the CDM, each host country must establish a Designated National
Authority (DNA). The DNA for the CDM in South Africa is located in the
Department of Energy. Find the Designated National Authority option
on the website.
Cabinet officially endorsed a Carbon Capture and Storage Roadmap as
one of the instruments for lowering the carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions
of South Africas coal-intensive energy system. Government voluntarily
committed to reducing CO2 emissions by 34% against a business-asusual trajectory by 2020 and by 42% by 2025, on condition of receipt
of international technology and financial support.Under South Africas
National Climate Change Response Policy, which was endorsed by
Cabinet in 2011, emissions were expected to peak in 2025 and begin
reducing from 2036 onwards.
Source: The article SA endorses carbon capture roadmap (May 2012) on www.
engineeringnews.co.za
9. Role players
ARCInstitute for Soil, Climate
Tel: 012 310 2500
www.arc.agric.za
Business Unity South Africa

(BUSA)
Tel: 011 784 8000
www.busa.org.za
Carbon Check
Research is done on the sustainable Tel: 011 369 0500
use and management of the natural www.carboncheck.co.za
resources. Drought monitoring is
Officially accredited by the UN
included.
to validate and verify greenhouse
Bembani Sustainability Training gas emission reductions under the
UNFCCCs Clean Development
Tel: 011 312 1480/7
Mechanism (CDM)
www.bembani.com
The Central Energy Fund

(CEF) houses a set of resources
designed to diversify the countrys
energy inputs, drive increases in
energy efficiency, invest in new
technologies such as solar and
promote alternatives such as
biofuels as part of a general move
to a more rational energy strategy.
It has also set up its own carbon
trading operation in London to
ensure that South Africa benefits
from the carbon trading trade. Visit
www.cef.org.za.
Coaltech Research Association
Tel: 011 498 7652
www.coaltech.co.za
Environment
Tel: 012 841 4007/2000
www.csir.co.za
www.climatechange.csir.co.za
Deutsche Gesellschaft
fr Internationale
Zusammenarbeit (GIZ)
Karola.Swart@giz.de
www.giz.de
Durban CEBA Initiative
Tel: 033 343 6380
http://durbanceba.org
A partnership between the
eThekwini Municipality and The
Wildlands Conservation Trust aimed
at uplifting local communities and
reducing our collective vulnerability
to climate change.
Earth Patrol
www.earthpatrol.co.za
Earthlife Africa
Sustainable Energy & Climate
Change Project
Tel: 011 339 3662
seccp@earthlife.org.za
www.earthlife.org.za
EcoSecurities
Tel: 011 575 6000
www.ecosecurities.com
Fossil Fuel Foundation

Tel: 011 788 6818
www.fossilfuel.co.za
Greenpeace Africa
Tel: 011 482 4696
www.greenpeace.co.za
www.greenpeace.org
Imbewu Enviro-Legal Specialists
Tel: 011 214 0660
www.imbewu.co.za
National Business Initiative
Sustainable Futures
Tel: 011 544 6000
www.nbi.org.za
Find the Climate and Energy
focus area options on the website
North-West University (NMU)
and Management
Dr J Berner
Jacques.Berner@nwu.ac.za
Tel: 018 299 2513
www.nwu.ac.za
One Million Climate Jobs
Campaign
c/o Alternative Information
Development Centre
Tel: 021 447 5770
www.climatejobs.org.za
Palmer Development Group
Tel: 021 671 1402
www.pdg.co.za
Red Cap Investments (Pty) Ltd
Tel: 021 790 1392
http://red-cap.co.za
Select Africa
Tel: 0860 234 567
www.spekbome.co.za
The Spekboom (Portulacaria Afra)
utilises unused land and helps save
the environment
South African Centre for
Carbon Capture and Storage
(SACCCS)
www.sacccs.org.za

EcoSecurities sources and develops Biodiversity Institute (SANBI)
carbon credits from GHG emission Climate Change and BioAdaption
reduction projects
Division
Tel: 021 799 8895 / 8766
Energy Research Centre
www.sanbi.org
Tel: 021 650 3230
www.erc.uct.ac.za
South Africas official body to
facilitate access to the Adaptation
Food & Trees for Africa (FTFA) Fund, set up to help developing
Tel: 011 656 9802
countries cope with climate
www.trees.co.za
change
FTFAs Bamboo for Africa is the first
internationally recognised Verified
Emissions Reduction Programme,
registered under the Verified
Carbon Standard that addresses
the contingent carbon liability of
corporate South Africa.
South-South-North
Tel: 021 461 8551
www.southsouthnorth.org
They seek to place poverty
reduction efforts at the centre of
all climate change issues.
298
Standard Bank
Carbon Finance and Trading
(SEA)
Tel: 021 702 3622
www.sustainable.org.za
Uhde
Tel: 011 236 1000
www.uhde.eu
www.thyssenkrupp.com
The developer of the EnviNOx
technology that enabled Omnia to
reduce its greenhouse-gas emissions
at its Sasolburg plant by 98%.

Prof JG van As
Department Zoology and
Entomology
Tel: 051 401 2427
(UKZN)
Bioresources Engineering and
Tel: 033 260 5490
http://beeh.ukzn.ac.za
World Wide Fund for Nature
(WWF)
Tel: 021 657 6600
www.wwf.org.za
www.panda.org/climate

For reports, views and the latest on Africas role in international climate
policy, visit the Africa Adapt website, www.africa-adapt.net.
The African Development Bank (AfDB) www.afdb.org
Find out about the Africa-wide Civil Society Climate Change
Initiative for Policy Dialogues (ACCID) at www.africaclimatesolution.
org.
Read about the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) at www.cdproject.
net. South African companies like Mondi are participants in the CDP.
Read about the Carbon Farming Initiative in Australia www.
climatechange.gov.au/cfi.
Website of the Carbon Neutral Company (UK) www.carbonneutral.
com
The Carbon Trust www.carbontrust.co.uk is a UK-based company
working to accelerate the move to a low carbon economy.
Center for International Forestry Research www.cifor.org

Find the webpages of the Climate Change, Agriculture and Food
Security (CCAFS) programme run by the CGIAR (Consultative
Group on International Agricultural Research) www.ccafs.cgiar.
org. The report Mapping hotspots of climate change and food security
in the global tropics is a key publication.
Climate Investment Funds www.climateinvestmentfunds.org
(CTA) Technical Centre for Agricultural and Rural Cooperation
www.cta.int
Deutsche Bank Climate Change Advisors www.dbcca.com
Ecosystem Marketplace is a leading source of news, data, and
analytics on markets and payments for ecosystem services (such as
water quality, carbon sequestration, and biodiversity). Visit www.
ecosystemmarketplace.com.
First Climate is a carbon asset management company www.
firstclimate.com.
Find the Food, Agriculture and Natural Resources Policy Analysis
Network (FANRPAN) website at www.fanrpan.org.
Find the report Climate change, water and food security by the UNs
Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) at www.fao.org.
Climate change will have a major impact on the availability of water for
growing food in the coming decades. Also take a look at the EX-Ante
Carbon-Balance Tool, a web-based tool developed by the FAO. It can
be used to identify the mitigation impacts of various policy- strategy
options for a region, a value chain or the whole agriculture sector and
thus provide CO2 fixing targets as an additional criterion for policy
monitoring, evaluation and analysis.
Visit the Forest Carbon portal at www.forestcarbonportal.com, a
clearinghouse of information, feature stories, event listings, project
details, how-to guides, news, and market analysis on forest-based
carbon sequestration projects.
Global Adaption Instsitute (GAIN) www.gain.org
Global Donor Platform for Rural Development www.
donorplatform.org
The Global Environment Facility (GEF) www.gefweb.org
The Gold Standard is an award winning certification standard for
carbon mitigation projects. Visit www.cdmgoldstandard.org.
299
IDEAcarbon are experts in climate finance, environmental markets,

energy commodities, and climate policy. Visit www.ideacarbon.com.
Recognising the problem of potential global climate change, the
World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) and the United Nations
Environment Programme (UNEP) established the Intergovernmental
Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) in 1988. The IPCC assesses
scientific, technical and socio- economic information relevant for the
understanding of climate change, its potential impacts and options for
adaptation and mitigation. It is open to all Members of the UN and
of WMO. Visit www.ipcc.ch for updates on Climate Change. See also
www.grida.no/climate/ipcc/index.htm.
The International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD)
www.iisd.org
International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN)
www.iucn.org
N/C Quest Inc (NCQ) Emissions Technology recycles machinery
exhaust fumes into fertiliser! www.bioagtive.com
Livestock make a substantial contribution to global GHG emissions?
Livestock are key to combating one of the major causes of climate
change desertification! Read about the work of the Savory Institute
at www.savoryinstitite.com.
Where huge amounts of money flow through new and untested
financial markets and mechanisms, there is always a risk of corruption.
Some estimate total climate change investments in mitigation efforts
alone at almost $700-billion by 2020. Public investments of no less
than $250-billion a year will eventually flow through new, relatively
uncoordinated and untested channels. In addition, pressure already
exists to fast-track solutions, further enhancing the risk of corruption,
says Global anti-corruption coalition Transparency International
(TI). Their report Global Corruption Report: Climate Change presents
guidelines to prevent corruption which could undermine climate
change remedy actions. Visit www.transparency.org.
The Commission on Sustainable Agriculture and Climate Change
is an initiative of the CGIAR Research Programme on Climate Change,
Agriculture and Food Security (CCAFS), with additional funding from
the Global Donor Platform for Rural Development. The Commission
is identifying which policy changes and actions are needed to help the
world achieve food security in the face of climate change.
The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) www.teriin.org
The UK government has produced an interactive Google Earth map,
which highlighted the impacts that a 4C average temperature increase
would have on different regions of the world. Find the map at www.
fco.gov.uk/en/global-issues/climate-change/priorities/science.
United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP) www.
unep.org/climatechange
United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change
http://unfccc.int
United Nations University Institute for Environment and Human
Security (UNU-EHS) www.ehs.unu.edu
Visit the blog run by the Bureau of International Information Programs
at the US Department of State. Go to http://climate.america.gov.
World Bank http://climatechange.worldbank.org
World Business Council For Sustainable Development www.
wbcsd.org (find Energy & Climate under the Work Program
option)
World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) www.wmo.int
Find the climate pages under the Our earth option at www.panda.
org, website of the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF).
The Working Group on Climate Change and Development
addresses the big questions on climate change through its Up In Smoke
reports. Find these at www.upinsmokecoalition.org.

Visit websites mentioned earlier in this chapter.
www.climatecrisis.net the Inconvenient Truth website.

www.worldviewofglobalwarming.org we make climate change
visible
Find the environment menu option at www.sacsis.org.za SA Civil
Society Information Service
Find the Eldis Climate Change Resource Guide at www.eldis.org/
climatechange.
For agro-climate information www.agis.agric.za/climate/.
The IMBEWU Sustainability Legal Newsletter and Legislation Update
frequently covers climate change. Write to admin@imbewu.co.za.
A presentation given by Dr Purchase of the Agricultural Business
Chamber (Agbiz) at COP 17 in Durban, entitled Agri-Food Chain:
Vulnerability and Adaption may be found at www.agbiz.co.za. Find
other discussion documents and reports here, including Climate Change
Risks and Opportunities for the South African Economy, developed by the
British High Commission, CAMCO and TIPS. Agbiz participated in the
workshop that laid the foundation for the Report.
Find the various research papers done by the CSIRs Natural Resources
and the Environment (CNE) at www.csir.co.za, including Policy and
technological constraints to implementation of greenhouse gas mitigation
options in agriculture.
The CSIR has implemented the South African Risk and Vulnerability Atlas
project. on behalf of the Department of Science and Technology, with
key inputs from South African research institutions and groups. Find it
at www.rvatlas.org.
Climate Management: the Biggest Future Shock to the Global Food
System, Ray A Goldberg, Djordjija Petkoski, Matthew Preble and Laura
Winig, Harvard Business School N 9-9 1 1-4 0 3
Find the different papers at www.polity.org.za, e.g. Better scientific
understanding of link between climate change, food security needed by Dr
Bob Scholes, The economics of climate change: Potential impacts on the
agricultural industry in sub-Saharan Africa and SA temperature rise above
global average.
Visit the Dairy Sustainability Website at www.dairy-sustainabilityinitiative.org. Read about the global industrys contribution in addressing
climate change.
Find the story Climate Change Causing Massive Movement of Tree
Species Across the West at www.sciencedaily.com.
For those who are interested in finding out how much their favourite
meal contributes to global warming, visit www.eatlowcarbon.org.
Some publications:
Scorched: South Africas Changing Climate by Leonie S Joubert
Boiling Point: People In A Changing Climate by Leonie S Joubert
Cleaner Energy Cooler Climate by Harald Winkler
Find Bending the curve: your guide to tackling climate change in South
Africa (Edited by Robert Zipplies) at www.africageographic.com/ag_
online/BTC_ebook.pdf
Various publications are available from the Energy and Development
and Research Centre. Visit www.erc.uct.ac.za or call 012 650 3230.
Climate Change: A Guide for Corporates by Hennie Stoffberg & Paul
Prinsloo, Unisa Press, Pretoria, 2009. Order the book at www.
trialogue.co.za.
Climate Risk and Vulnerability: a handbook for Southern Africa and the
South African Risk and Vulnerability Atlas (SARVA) are available from
the CSIR. Further enquiries Kristy Faccer at 011 358 0261; e-mail
kfaccer@csir.co.za or 012 841 2000; query@csir.co.za.
Municipalities Addressing Climate Change: A Case Study of Norway.
Kelman, I (editor) 2011, Nova Publishers, New York.
300
national issues
Developing farmer support
1. Overview
The 90s brought great upheaval to the political landscape of the country,
and the reader will be familiar with the changes that occurred.
The economic world also changed for the farmer. Deregulation meant no
subsidies, and no more marketing board to which the maize crop could be
sold. Many of the structures which existed prior to the 90s and which had
supported the white commercial farmer fell away, and with them thousands
of white commercial farmers too.
The reader will appreciate that in this decade two movements running
counter to each other were set in motion (have you ever tried to enter a
building that many people were leaving?) On the one hand, thousands of
commercial farmers began exiting because the going was tough and they
felt that it would be easier to make a living elsewhere. On the other hand,
government was wanting to establish thousands of new farmers.
Small-scale farming is useful and should be supported. Entry levels are
lower, machinery and technology is not as sophisticated, it creates food
security for the families who are farming and it allows for economic activity.
A major challenge for agriculture though is to support the emerging black
commercial farmer so that such a farmer becomes an active participant in
the commercial farming sector. It is possible to be a farmer in the postderegulation business environment. The 37 000 or so commercial farmers
who adapted and who are now amongst the best in the world prove this
to us.
All this time our commercial farmers (and farm workers) are getting older.
It is a national issue that our developing farmers be supported and become
established. We should recognise and encourage their mentors, and let
them know that they are doing a good job (and there is some good work
happening here!) And we should encourage our developing farmers. We
need them to succeed, not only because of transformation targets, but also
because this is where our food comes from, and what creates stability and
jobs in the rural areas.
2. The importance of markets

Markets continue to be seen as the means for ensuring that smallholder
producers of agricultural products are effectively integrated into the
mainstream of national economies, especially in developing countries.
For one thing, markets provide the opportunity for farm production to
contribute to poverty reduction through the cash income realised from
sales of farm produce. In turn, markets drive production as farmers strive
to meet the demands of consumers and end-users in terms of quantity and
quality. But their existence, or how effectively they function, cannot be
guaranteed in many developing countries.
In South Africa, there is an urgency to address the real concern that, in spite
of considerable investments into restructuring the sector since 1994 and
directly tackle agrarian and land reform, poverty is still rife and there is the
clear indication that much of this arises from farmers not being able to sell
produce at a profit. Unlocking markets for this group of farmers is therefore
considered a crucial developmental necessity.
Source: Ajuruchukwu Obi, Herman D van Schalkwyk and Aad van Tilburgs opening
chapter in Unlocking markets to smallholders: Lessons from South Africa Wageningen
Academic Publishers 2012.
Find several reports on www.namc.co.za, website of the National Agricultural
Marketing Council (NAMC), which have to do with linking farmers to markets.
Following a visit to the country, the UN Special Rapporteur released

a report on South Africa in the first quarter of 2012. On the topic of
supporting small-scale farmers (poor access to markets, a lack of
marketing skills, and a weaker bargaining position in the food chains), and
viewing the local food market as more accessible to them than the larger
export markets, the Rapporteur made some suggestions:
1) Use the Competition Commission to protect small food producers
from the abuse of buyer power. This could include placing obligations
on dominant companies to source from local and small-scale
producers, as was discussed during the 2011 takeover of Massmart
by Wal-Mart.
2) Provide commercial farmers with incentives, including financial ones,
to mentor emerging farmers.
3) Use legislation like the Preferential Procurement Policy Framework
Act (No. 5 of 2000) to favour small-scale farmers when it comes to
initiatives like school-feeding schemes and food relief programmes.
4) Stimulate the creation of food chains that benefit small-scale farmers.
A support programme for micro-mills, for example, creates a market
for maize growers and economic activity around them, in addition to
reducing the cost of maize meal.
Find the full report at www.ohchr.org and on www.agbiz.co.za.

Mechanised, commercial agriculture is a bonus to any country because it
creates food security whilst leaving the non-agricultural players the freedom
to pursue other work. The food could be imported, but it would become
very expensive, and that country would become vulnerable to agendas
other than its own.
The perspective of Commercial Agriculture is to link the success of Farmer
Support Programmes to agriculture as a whole. It is no use trying to create
a new generation of farmers if there is an unfavourable policy climate which
makes it difficult for even the experienced ones to succeed.
Profit margins have decreased in agriculture, and farmers have survived
by diversifying their operations (to spread the risk) and value adding. They
have also increased the size of their operations to reach economies of scale.
Does this changing face of agriculture mean that there is an implicit barrier
to many potential new entrants?
Training is a vital part of the development programme and is definitely the
foundation for success, but it is not enough. In addition to information a
person needs experience to operate effectively something you cannot get
from a textbook. And experience brings confidence. The mentor is not just
a provider of knowledge but rather a guide during this time.
Source: adapted from notes by Ajay Vashee, Vice-President of the International
Federation of Agriculture Producers; and an OVK presentation by Deon van der Ross.
Successful mentorship programmes are run by OVK, VKB and Grain SA, turning
emerging farmers into commercial ones.
In view of AgriBEE and the requirements that are set for the establishment
of new farmers, white South African commercial farmers can make
excellent contributions with regard to:
mentorship to new beginner farmers to develop technical and
business skills
the supply of mechanisation services for new beginner farmers on
contract for compensation OR in exchange for the use of a portion
of their land
renting of land from new beginner farmers in order to promote
their cash flow
donating surplus implements that can be used in a mechanisation
pool for rental
To make a success of AgriBEE will require synergy and creative thoughts.
The government has already realised that it has world-class expertise
in the South African farmer. A team effort is essential for BEE to be
successful and it is recommended that as many partners as possible with
common goals are involved so as to spread the risks.
Source: www.senwes.co.za (adapted)
302

- Applicants should indicate their educational levels, qualifications,

experience in running the enterprises, and skills levels of different
labour categories.
Required documents
Find information on all directorates at www.daff.gov.za (take the Divisions

option).
The Directorate: Education, Training and Extension Services facilitates and
supports education and skills training in the sector. Tel: 012 319 7028.
The Directorate: Research and Technology Development develops and
monitors the implementation of suitable policies and strategies for
research and development, technology transfer in the agricultural
sector. Tel: 012 319 6078.
The Directorate: Smallholder Development provides a national policy
framework for the settlement of new farmers. It facilitates the planning
and implementation of projects in support of land and agrarian reform
programmes, and monitors and evaluates the land and agrarian reform
programme. Tel: 012 319 8496.
The Directorate: Food Security supports and co-ordinates the design,
planning and implementation of food security programmes. Tel: 012
319 6736.
The Directorate: Agricultural Development Finance determines and
formulates policies, strategies and programmes on agriculture/rural
finance and co-operative development in the sector. It also monitors
the implementation of policies and sets norms and standards. Tel: 012
319 7295.
DAFF devised several agriculture-related development programmes to
respond to urgent priority issues such as food security, poverty alleviation,
food safety, economic growth and environmental conservation. These
issues are captured under the strategic programmes, which form the focus
areas of extension.
ID
Proof of address
Proof of legal access to land
Extension officer reports
Proof of access to water rights where applicable
Province
Co-ordinator and contact details
Eastern Cape
Mr S Tshunungwa 082 043 4263 / 084 524 1806

Mr F Hobson 040 609 3563
Free State
Dr TJ Masiteng 051 861 8424 / 082 568 2447/ 078

803 8537
Gauteng
Mr M Tlape 011 355 1447

Mr M Mosifane 011 355 1449
KwaZulu-Natal
Mr H Gwala 082 454 7237
Limpopo
Me J Thupana 015 294 3232

Mr H Maboa 015 294 3140
Mr TD Mahori 015 294 3404
Mpumalanga
Ms N Mafu 071 485 8461
North West
Ms E Mnguni 071 860 5374

Ms C Kgopane 018 389 5698
Northern Cape
Mr T Kadinda 053 839 7811/ 082 559 0838
Western Cape
Mr J Aries 021 808 5199
Comprehensive Agricultural Support Programme (CASP)
Ilima/Letsema
CASP is a programme aimed at expanding the provision of agricultural

support services and to promote and facilitate agricultural development
by targeting subsistence, smallholding and black commercial farmers from
previously disadvantaged background.
Ilima/Letsema is a programme aimed at reducing poverty through increased

food production initiatives.
Products and services

i. On-and-off Farm Infrastructure and Production Inputs
ii. Targeted training, skills development and capacity building
iii. Marketing and Business Development
iv. Information and Knowledge Management
v. Technical and Advisory Services, and Regulatory services
vi. Financial Services
Who may apply?
Smallholder farmers
Land and agrarian reform beneficiaries
Farm workers
Self help groups (SHGs) / Co-operatives
Small agribusinesses
Farmers on communal land in transition stage from subsistence to
smallholder
Women and youth
How to apply?
Contact the provincial Department of Agriculture for support.
Eligibility criteria
Must be a South African citizen
Must be from a historically disadvantaged group
Applicants should be black South Africans who are 18 years and above
(Indian, Coloured, and Chinese included)
Proof of Tenure
Access to Services (water, electricity etc)
Status of Farm Governance Systems
- Hence, the application form should indicate whether the owners are in
conflict or not
Managerial and Technical Skills
Products and services

Revitalisation of Irrigation Schemes
Household gardens and households supported with inputs
School, Community and public gardens
Livestock purchasing and hectares planting inputs
Mechanisation
Who may apply?
Smallholder farmers
Land and agrarian reform beneficiaries
Farm workers
Self help groups (SHGs) / Co-operatives
Small agribusinesses
Farmers on communal land in transition stage from subsistence to
smallholder
Women and youth
Self-help groups (SHGs)/co-operative
How to apply?
Contact the CASP or Ilima-Letsema Co-ordinator in your province for
further details.
Eligibility criteria
Must be a South African citizen
Must be from a historically disadvantaged group
Applicants should be black South Africans who are 18 years and above
(Indian, Coloured, and Chinese included)
Proof of Tenure
Access to Services (water, electricity etc)
Status of Farm Governance Systems
- Hence, the application form should indicate whether the owners are in
conflict or not
Managerial and Technical Skills
303
- Applicants should indicate their educational levels, qualifications,

experience in running the enterprises, and skills levels of different
labour categories.
Required documents
ID
Proof of address
Proof of legal access to land
Extension officer reports
Proof of access to water rights where applicable
Province
Co-ordinator and contact details
Eastern Cape
Mr A Sonandi 040 609 3538 / 071 331 8614

Mr F Hobson 040 609 3563
Free State
Dr TJ Masiteng 051 861 8424 / 082 568 2447/ 078

803 8537
Gauteng
Mr M Tlape 011 355 1447

Mr M Mosifane 011 355 1449
KwaZulu-Natal
Mr H Gwala 082 454 7237

Mr S Shongwe 033 355 9148 / 082 333 2312
Limpopo
Mr K Tshikolomo 015 294 3000 / 082 806 8762
Mpumalanga
Ms N Mafu 071 485 8461
North West
Ms Esther Mnguni 071 860 5374
Northern Cape
Mr T Kadinda 053 839 7811/ 082 559 0838
Western Cape
Mr J Aries 021 808 5199
EXTENSION OFFICERS IN THE PROVINCES

The Directory: extension and advisory service lists each and every extension
officer, local municipality, area of speciality and contact details. An updated
edition was expected by 2013.
For the purposes of space we have not reproduced a whole list here, instead
choosing to give a few contacts for every district and local municipality.
Wherever possible, this is of a person central to operations e.g. the admin
officer or supervisor. We may also have selected contact details for different
areas of expertise e.g. one livestock specialist and one crop specialist.
Eastern Cape
Alfred Nzo District
Matatiele 079 500 0606, 071 853 5031, 079 500 1876
Umzimvubu 073 295 3599, 079 500 1870, 083 567 2958
Amathole District
Amahlathi 043 683 1323, 042 230 0174, 073 810 1344, 078 212
4023
Buffalo City 043 706 8700, 073 650 3208, 083 567 0873
Great Kei 083 459 0366, 083 567 0931
Mbashe 047 499 1361, 047 577 0042
Mnquma 047 491 3742, 083 348 1849, 079 691 7948, 082 741 7961
Ngqushwa 040 673 3303, 082 448 8175, 082 448 8171
Nkonkobe 071 608 2370, 082 520 1682, 082 778 8217, 082 779
9554
Nxuba 083 567 7948, 072 272 8071
Cacadu District
Blue Crane Route 042 243 1149, 079 500 7429
Kouga 079 500 7428, 079 500 7430
Kou-Kamma 079 500 2039

Makana 046 622 7322, 071 853 8248, 083 261 3905
Ndlambe 073 391 1811, 079 500 1064
Port Elizabeth Metro 082 854 7545, 079 500 7427, 079 500 1969
Sundays River Valley 042 230 0174, 082 723 5815, 079 500 0516
Uitenhage 041 992 4818, 083 576 7918, 073 909 3194
Chris Hani District
Emalahleni 047 878 0074, 083 567 0204
Inkwanca 079 500 1049
Intsika yethu 047 874 0026, 083 567 0276
Inxuba yethemba 048 881 1211, 083 567 0459
Lukhanji 045 839 5211 , 083 567 0080
Ngcobo 047 248 1177, 083 399 5766, 083 382 9347
Sakhisizwe 047 877 0045, 083 567 0075
Tsolwana 083 567 0170, 083 567 0847
Joe Gqabi District
Elundini 082 309 5532, 079 500 1633
Gariep 051 653 1846, 083 567 5520, 073 311 0036
Maletswai 051 633 3011, 083 567 0053, 076 410 2679
Senqu 045 971 0039, 079 500 0722, 083 567 0820
OR Tambo District
Ingquza Hill 073 212 0291, 083 703 9157, 079 500 1099
King Sabata Dalindyebo 047 531 0258, 083 386 0658, 083 703 9185,
083 703 9085
Mbizana 083 394 4476, 079 500 1087
Mhlontlo 083 386 0649, 083 703 9186 / 047 553 0080
Ntabankulu 083 386 0659, 079 500 0711
Nyandeni 047 555 0037, 083 703 9187, 079 500 1477, 083 703
9182
Port St Johns 047 564 1178/9, 083 386 0682
Free State
Fezile Dabi District
Cornelia 076 305 3130
Edenville 073 644 3971
Frankfort 078 753 5832
Heilbron 056 212 3126, 072 765 0890
Koppies 082 430 4497
Kroonstad 056 212 3126, 073 471 3851, 072 217 6975
Parys 056 817 1095, 084 760 2079
Sasolburg 083 573 4701, 078 288 3221
Steynsrus 078 703 3898
Tweeling 058 813 1070
Viljoenskroon 078 674 6741
Villiers 084 392 0199, 072 715 6624
Vredefort 072 498 0827
Lejweleputswa District
Allanridge 057 398 1664
Boshof 053 541 0201, 053 541 0201
Bothaville 073 509 2532
Brandfort 051 821 1023, 083 736 4875
Dealeville 073 950 3640
Soutpan 073 327 2944
Theunissen 073 082 5661
Welkom 084 787 2027
304
Motheo District
Bloemfontein 051 506 1595, 083 357 9319
Dewetsdorp 051 541 0340
Thaba Nchu 082 259 5498, 083 774 0171
Thabo Mofutsanyane District
Bethlehem 058 303 5579
Clocolan 083 541 1870
Ficksburg 051 933 2109
Fouriesburg 072 122 3624
Harrismith 058 714 1430 / 058 612 1009
Memel 078 299 3964
Qwaqwa 083 785 7898 / 058 714 1430
Reitz 058 863 2591
Vrede 058 913 1467
Warden 083 456 2497
Xhariep District
Fauresmith 072 616 5318, 073 346 4333
Koffiefontein 053 205 0030, 083 960 7302
Petrusburg 053 574 0108, 083 272 6716, 073 521 6000
Smithfield 082 388 4061
Trompsburg 078 395 5771, 072 863 7728
Zastron 051 673 1100, 083 527 1109
Gauteng
Tshwane District
Pretoria 072 998 9212, 082 432 3532
Germiston District
Ekurhuleni Metro 011 821 7700 , 079 898 2580, 072 060 6366
Lesedi, Midvaal, Emfuleni 073 248 2826, 084 326 1549
Randfontein District
JHB Metro 083 392 7174, 079 581 4133
Mogale City 083 241 1006, 079 224 0032
Randfontein 011 411 4300
Westonaria and Merafong 083 720 1112, 072 158 3386
KwaZulu-Natal
Amajuba District
Dannhauser 034 312 4614
eMadlangeni 072 862 3278, 034 315 3936
Newcastle 034 366 9131
Ilembe District
Maphumulo 032 481 2008, 032 481 2160
Ndwedwe 032 532 4018, 032 532 3407
KwaDukuza 032 552 5302
Metropolitan municipality
Bergville 036 448 1164
Durban 031 332 6731, 031 302 2800
eThekwini 073 221 2993, 082 454 7741
Sisonke District
Greater Kokstad 039 832 9479, 039 727 2105
Hlanganani 039 832 9479, 039 832 0022
Ubuhlebezwe 039 834 1022, 039 834 1032
Umzimkhulu 039 259 0262
Ugu District
Hibiscus 039 699 1770, 039 699 1761
Ezingoleni 039 682 2045 / 6
uMuziwabantu 039 433 0110
Umzumbe 039 699 1784, 039 699 1761

Vulamehlo 039 974 0141
Umgungundlovu District
Msunduzi 032 481 2008, 033 347 6218, 033 347 6220
Umkhanyakude District
Hlabisa 035 838 1027 / 44
Jozini 035 572 5303
Mtubatuba 035 550 0210
uMhlabuyalingana 035 592 9830 / 3
uMkhanyakude 035 572 1280, 035 794 2381, 035 833 0068
Umzinyathi District
Endumeni 034 299 9660, 034 218 1041
Msinga 033 493 0002
Nquthu 034 271 0010/2
Umvoti 033 413 2155
Uthukela District
Emnambithi-Ladysmith 036 681 4908, 036 634 6300
Okhahlamba 036 448 1164
Umtshezi 036 352 3033, 036 352 3119
UThukela 082 427 2883, 083 416 8019
Uthungulu District
Mthonjaneni 035 450 2121, 036 111 3365
Nkandla 035 833 0068
Ntambanana 035 795 1345
uMhlathuze 035 794 2381
Umlalazi 035 474 2163 / 5512 / 5329
Zululand District
Abaqulusi 034 980 9098, 083 545 0887, 083 696 5741
eDumbe 034 995 1275, 034 995 0070
Nongoma 035 831 0051 / 0326
Ulundi 035 794 2381, 035 873 0322
Pongola 034 413 6187 / 1370
Limpopo
Capricorn District
Aganang 083 525 0118, 071 680 3439
Blouberg 076 671 5344, 071 877 6255
Lepelle-Nkumpi 073 169 9708, 076 238 0138
Molemole 083 922 7815, 082 671 5721
Polokwane 015 632 4145, 015 287 9940, 015 297 7993
Mopani District
Ba-Phalaborwa 072 177 6098, 082 541 1656
Greater Giyani 083 951 1540, 083 581 2110
Greater Letaba 083 734 6717, 073 056 7267
Maruleng 072 629 8881, 072 629 0671
Tzaneen 073 183 4888, 082 855 5164
Sikhukhune District
Elias Motsoaledi 082 904 0922, 082 332 1969
Ephraim Mogale 082 507 4025, 073 770 7808
Fetakgomo 082 941 6129, 082 907 8477
Greater Tubatse 082 853 0780, 083 743 6711
Makhuduthamaga 082 671 5896, 072 480 1919
Vhembe District
Makhado 079 455 9935, 072 118 4709
Musina 082 951 5536, 082 907 1174
Mutale 082 901 2261, 084 324 0856, 073 475 9741
Thulamela 072 681 3079, 082 965 6074
307
John Taolo Gaetsewe District
Waterberg District
Bela-Bela 084 304 2221, 072 224 6400
Lephalale 078 303 7016, 072 288 1432
Modimolle 082 773 0234, 082 555 8185
Mogalakwna 072 304 7611, 072 406 3438
Thabazimbi 082 881 0797, 083 640 4143
Mpumalanga
Ehlanzeni District
Bushbuckridge 013 773 0333, 013 799 0248
Mbombela 013 737 6408, 013 759 4055, 013 759 4063
Nkomazi 013 781 0647, 013 782 0035
Thaba Chweu 013 235 2073 / 2641, 072 265 9791
Umjindi 013 759 4000
Gert Sibande District
Albert Luthuli 013 883 0041, 072 420 3333
Dipaliseng 084 588 2234, 082 592 4760
Govan Mbeki 017 647 2934, 072 420 7135
Lekwa 082 334 9425, 072 420 7933
Mkhondo 082 882 7557, 082 341 1152
Msukaligwa 017 819 2076, 083 499 5593
Pixley Ka Seme 071 894 8498, 071 622 0318
Nkangala District
Camden 082 559 1866

Mothibistad 082 559 2660, 082 559 2221
Loopeng 082 559 5948
Heuningvlei 082 559 1112
Namakwa District
Calvinia 027 341 1083, 082 560 8855, 082 560 8881
Springbok 027 712 1315, 082 560 9000, 082 560 8686
Fraserburg 023 741 1116
Pixley Ka Seme District
De Aar 082 560 8336, 082 559 7289
Colesberg 082 560 8885, 082 560 8366
Douglas 082 560 8822, 082 560 8433
Prieska 082 560 8550
Victoria Wes 082 560 8799
Siyanda District
Upington 082 590 8890, 082 560 5777
Postmasburg 082 560 6200, 082 560 6004
Western Cape
Cape Metropole District
Dr JS Moroka 013 973 1790, 072 411 7404

Emakhazeni 013 253 1216, 082 863 0799
Emalahleni 013 690 1279, 072 410 8101
Steve Tshwete 013 282 4826, 072 410 8893
Thembisile Hani 013 947 2551, 072 411 7567
Victor Khanye 013 665 3440, 082 430 6256
North West
Bojanala Platinum District
Madibeng East 012 709 2822, 072 141 5394
Madibeng West 012 252 3991, 071 862 4332
Moses Kotane East 012 252 3991, 071 862 4286
Moses Kotane West 083 697 4082, 072 555 7186
Dr Modiri Molema District
Ditsobotla 018 632 7400/1, 072 688 4140
Mafikeng 018 336 1120, 082 579 5804 / 018 381 1392/4
Mooifontein 018 336 1120, 071 860 5288
Ramotshere Moiloa 018 384 1369, 071 860 5337
Ratlou 071 860 5325, 071 860 5355
Tswaing 053 948 1697 / 0061
Dr Kenneth Kaunda District
Maquassi Hills 082 061 1860 / 018 389 5441/018 389 5621
Matlosana 018 299 6500, 071 860 5390
Tlokwe 018 299 6500, 071 860 5378
Dr Ruth Segomotsi Mompati District
Moretele 012 714 3902, 071 862 4289
Rustenburg 014 592 1690, 082 804 2147
Reach the offices for Greater Taung, Kagisano, Mamusa, Naledi and Taung
North at 053 927 0432.
Northern Cape
Frances Baard District
Vaalharts 082 559 0875, 082 559 6648
Kimberley 082 559 0843, 082 559 0838
Bellville 021 948 6966

Khayelitsha 021 361 0562
Cape Winelands District
Montagu 023 614 3610
Stellenbosch 021 883 2560
Wellington 021 873 0241
Worcester 023 347 1121
Central Karoo District
Beaufort West 023 415 3134
Laingsburg 023 551 1034
Eden District
Riversdal 028 713 2442 / 3305
Oudtshoorn 044 272 6077
Mossel Bay 044 690 5109
George 044 803 3710
Overberg District
Caledon 028 212 1158
Swellendam 028 514 1196
Bredasdorp 028 424 1439
West Coast District
Malmesbury 022 482 2265
Vredendal 027 213 2000
Piketberg 022 913 1112
Ladismith 028 551 1017
Moorreesburg 022 433 2330
Best Practice In Research and Development and Extension in the
provinces:
Technical assistance, advisory service, knowledge transfer is given through
various modes including:
demonstrations that involve interaction with farmers on a
participatory basis i.e. practical, face-to-face
the taking of farmers to centres of excellence to learn about farming
methods/technologies
farmers days and/or information days where farmers interact with
researchers
308
Other programmes
These include:
Integrated Sustainable Rural Development Strategy (ISRDS)
Integrated Food Security Nutrition Programme (IFSNP)
Marketing and Entrepreneurship Development
Masibuyele Emasimini
National Land Care Programme
Smallholder Development Support Programme
Find more at www.daff.gov.za (take the Programmes menu option).
Department of Rural Development and Land Reform (DRDLR)

The Recapitalisation and Development Programme is designed to help
farmers graduate into commercial farmers.
Find more information about the department on the website or in the
Land reform chapter.
5. Role players
The EXTENSION OFFICERS in the provinces see previous heading.
The PROVINCIAL DEPARTMENTS OF AGRICULTURE work closely
with the AGRICULTURAL COLLEGES to provide training for emerging
and small-scale farmers. (Find the full list in the Agricultural education and
training chapter). Short courses (FET Further Education and Training) on
crop, goat and dairy production, map reading, farming systems approach,
entrepreneurial training, irrigation as well as health and food safety are
provided.
COMMODITY ASSOCIATIONS are involved with capacity building
programmes. Find these associations in the relevant chapters e.g. find
details for Cotton SA in the cotton chapter, the National Wool Growers
Association of South Africa (NWGA) in the wool chapter etc. Some of these
are:
The Fresh Produce Exporters Forum is committed to support
emerging growers in their quest to establish themselves as significant
players in the fresh fruit industry. Read more about their work under
the Our initiatives option on the website. Visit www.fpef.co.za.
The Grain Farmer Development Association (GFADA) is a body
to support new entrants into the grain industry and to help them
become independent grain farmers. The GFADA was launched by the
Agricultural Business Chamber, the Maize Trust, the Sorghum Trust,
Grain SA, Omnia Fertiliser, Pannar Seed, L&L Agricultural Services,
Syngenta SA, Tongaat Hulett Starch, the National Chamber of Milling,
the SA Chamber of Baking and the Winter Cereal Trust. Go to www.
grainmilling.org.za (find the GFADA menu option).
Grain SA has a Farmer Development Programme that is funded by
the grain trusts Maize, Sorghum, Winter Cereals and Oil and Protein
Seeds Development Trust. The programmes include the formation of
and service to study groups, planting of best practice demonstration
trials, farmers days, Farmer of the Year Competition, individual
support to advanced (semi-commercial) farmers, training courses,
radio broadcasts and a monthly newsletter. Call 086 004 7246 to find
out more about training offered. You can also try Jane McPherson at
082 854 7171 or jane@grainsa.co.za. A training schedule can be found
under Developing agriculture at www.grainsa.co.za.
Read about the National Emergent Red Meat Producers
Organisation (NERPO) at www.nerpo.org.za. They can be reached
at 012 361 9127 and 012 472 0005.
Some livestock BREED SOCIETIES like Brangus provide mentorship to
help newcomers. See the Animal improvement and breeders chapter.
ORGANISED AGRICULTURE bodies either directly represent emerging
farmers or have farmer help programmes. A group we mention here is
United South African Agricultural Association (USAAA) Tel: 028 424 2890
/ 028 425 2524. Find contact details of AFASA, Agri SA, NAFU SA and the
TAU SA in the Organised agriculture chapter.
DISTRICT FARMER UNIONS, affiliated to organised agriculture or

commodity associations, are often involved with mentoring or capacity
building programmes.
Find out if there is a DISTRICT STUDY GROUP in your area. These
are often affiliated to organised agricultural bodies and/or commodity
associations e.g. The Kopanang Study Group is a group for developing
farmers in the Kroonstad, Steynsrus and Edenville areas. The study
group gathers six times annually. Courses include veld management, herd
management, establishment and management of pastures and more.
AGRISETA ACCREDITED TRAINING PROVIDERS find the
complete list in the Agricultural education and training chapter. Some of
these are mentioned here.
Africa Land-Use Training Tel: 014 717 3819 www.alut.co.za
Agridelight Training & Consultancy Tel: 012 348 0991 http://
agridelights.co.za
Agri Skills Transfer Network Tel: 012 460 9585 / 083 271 6378
www.agriskills.net
Buhle Farmers Academy Tel: 079 409 2187 www.buhle.org.za
Elgin Community College Tel: 021 848 9413 www.elginlearning.org.za
Magidi Agri Development Tel: 016 422 7342
Mthonyama Tel: 043 643 3429 Fax: 043 643 5376
SA Agri Academy Tel: 021 880 1276 www.agriacademy.co.za
Umnga Farmers Training Centre Tel: 045 933 1318 www.umnga.
co.za
UNIVERSITIES run short courses or forums designed for the developing
farmer.
The School of Agricultural Sciences at the Mafikeng campus of the
North-West University. Call 018 389 2746 / 51.
The Standard Bank Centre for Agribusiness Leadership and
Mentorship Development at Stellenbosch University Tel: 021 808
9047 cbruce@sun.ac.za
Sustainability Institute Tel: 021 881 3196 www.sustainabilityinstitute.
net
The University of Fort Hare establishes development projects with
local communities as partners through University and external funding.
Examples include Nguni Cattle farming, dairy farming, dried soups,
fresh vegetable production, animal traction, etc. Call 040 602 2126 or
visit www.ufh.ac.za.
University of the Free State Centre of Excellence Tel: 051 401 3551
/ 2557
University of the Free State Lengau Agricultural Development Centre
Tel: 051 443 8859
UNIVERSITIES also build capacity through their degree courses and
research. Some which have a direct bearing on extension and supporting
the emerging farmer sector include:
Tel: 051 401 3765
Agricultural Economics, Extension
and Rural Development
Tel: 012 420 3248 / 51
www.up.ac.za
A new qualification, an Advanced

Diploma in Sustainable Agriculture
and Rural Development (ADSARD)
aims to meet the needs of the
Agricultural Extension and Advisory
Service.
Continuing Education
Tel: 012 420 5051
www.ceatup.com
Economics
Agricultural Management
Tel: 051 401 3551
www.ufs.ac.za/agriman
African Centre for Food Security
Tel: 033 260 5792
http://acfs.ukzn.ac.za
Read about the Agricultural
Extension and Rural Resource
Management (AERRM) programme
at http://agextension.ukzn.ac.za
The method of studying at UNISA distance learning along with practical modules
at a centre near you makes for an ideal method of studying or upgrading your
qualifications, whether you are an extension officer, farmer or entrepreneur.
309
Various BUSINESSES some affiliated to the Agricultural Business

Chamber (see www.agbiz.co.za) are involved in mentorship and training.
These include:
Agri Business Development Agency (ADA) Tel: 033 347 8600
www.ada-kzn.co.za
www.agrimega.co.za
Agri Start Tel: 018 642 1596 / 083 265 6210 www.agristart.co.za
Balimi Bonke Tel: 082 736 2638 balimibonke@webmail.co.za
DFM Software Solutions supplies its Farm Management software to
BEE farms free of charge with only a small license fee payable per year.
Call 021 904 1154 or visit www.dfmsoftware.co.za.
EPA Bonile Jack Tel: 011 315 8255
Foskor (Pty) Ltd Tel: 011 347 0600 www.foskor.co.za
Kaap Agri provides production and marketing information, and links
emerging farmers with organisations which provide other services.
Kaap Agri also offers training to emerging farmers and farm workers on
an ongoing basis through its training academy in Porterville as well as
on site. In addition, Kaap Agri also provides financing for the production
needs of emerging farmers. This programme is open to all indiviuals or
groups within the service areas of Kaap Agri. Call 022 482 8000 or visit
www.kaapagri.co.za.
The MGK Group has a division, Temo, which focus its attention on
the development of new farmers who are engaging in grain farming
(maize, sorghum or sunflowers) in mainly the North West Province.
Visit www.temoagri.co.za or phone 012 381 2922.
NWK Ltd Tel: 018 633 1147 / 52 www.nwk.co.za
New Generation Agri Tel: 021 863 0397
Old Mutuals Masizizane Fund www.oldmutual.co.za/masisizane
OVK Ltd Tel: 051 923 4500 www.ovk.co.za
Pick n Pay who announced a partnership with Nkomamonta
Organic Farmers Co-operative in June 2012 that will see the cooperative supplying 217 tons of organic vegetables to Pick n Pay stores
countrywide. See the Ackerman Pick n Pay Foundation listing later.
Similar to the Young Farmer of the Year Award, the Toyota New
Harvest of the Year Award competition is sponsored by Toyota and
recognises historically disadvantaged farmers who have triumphed
over adversity to grow successful, competitive farming enterprises.
Contact Prof van der Westhuizen at 051 507 3434 or email
cvdwesth@cut.ac.za.
Umnga Farmers Development Company (Ltd) Tel: 045 933 1318
www.umnga.co.za
Umtiza Farmers Corp Tel: 043 722 4215 www.umtiza.co.za
Womiwu Rural Development Tel: 015 297 2107 www.womiwu.
com
CONSULTANTS are involved in establishing new farmer programmes
(see the Agricultural consultants chapter). Some examples:
ANDISA Agri Tel: 082 807 5587 www.andisaagri.com
Farm Smart Tel: 082 784 6232 www.farmsmart.co.za
SABRI nurtures promising SMEs through the start-up and growth phases
of their businesses. Visit www.sabri.co.za and phone 021 674 1134.
SCIENCE COUNCILS and SEMI-STATE BODIES are involved in
supporting small-scale agriculture. Find details of all Science Councils in the
Research and development chapter. Some examples:
The Agricultural Research Council (ARC) has a mandate to support
resource poor farmers. Find details of the different research institutes
in the Research and development chapter, or visit www.arc.agric.
za.
The Agribusiness Development (AD) Division at the National

Agricultural Marketing Council (NAMC) is tasked to work with
other role players in designing programmes aimed at increasing
market access, encouraging new business development and capacity
building of historically disadvantaged agribusinesses. Visit www.namc.
co.za and phone 012 341 1115.
The national programme, the South African Pesticide Initiative
Programme 2 (SA PIP 2) is to provide funding for training 450
smallholders nationally on responsible pesticide use, food safety,
agricultural practices and legislation. There is huge potential for
more small scale farmers to be empowered to be sustainable
and commercially viable exporters as they constitute only a small
percentage of the perishable products exporters. The Perishable
Products Export Control Board (PPECB) has been appointed the
implementing agency for SA PIP 2. Call the PPECB at 021 930 1134 or
visit www.ppecb.com.
NGOs, TRUSTS and FOUNDATIONS support small scale farmers and
other entrepreneurs.
Ackerman Pick n Pay Foundation Tel: 021 658 1561 www.picknpay.
co.za
Bethlehem Farmers Trust Tel: 058 303 0560
Biowatch Tel: 035 550 3148 www.biowatch.org.za
Future Farmers Foundation Tel: 083 555 0082 www.
futurefarmersfoundation.com
IsBaya Development Trust Tel: 021 851 9698 www.isbaya.org
Kei Farmers Support Centre Association (KFSCA) Tel: 047 532
4343 kfsca@intekom.co.za
Lima Rural Development Foundation Tel: 033 342 9043 www.lima.
org.za
Maize Trust Tel: 012 807 3958 www.maizetrust.co.za
A huge number of small farmers in Sub-Saharan Africa implement farming
practices that are close to organic practices. Participatory Guarantee
Systems (PGS) serve small producers and contribute effectively to the
development of a local market by linking producers and consumers
and educating consumers about organic farming by encouraging
them to participate in the guarantee system of the organic products
they purchase. Write to raymond.auerbach@nmmu.ac.zaor contact
the Rainman Landcare Foundation for more information.
The Siyazisiza Trust runs projects in several districts in KwaZuluNatal. Visit www.siyazisiza.org.za.
South African Society for Agricultural Extension (SASAE) Tel:
014 533 2172 www.sasae.co.za
Surplus Peoples Project Tel: 021 448 5605 www.spp.org.za
TechnoServe is preparing small holder farmers to supply Massmart.
Visit www.technoserve.org.za.
PROVINCIAL INVESTMENT AGENCIES (PIAs) and MUNICIPALITIES
are involved in farmer support programmes. Below are some examples (see
what your province and municipality offer).
Newport Market (Pietermaritzburg) Tel: 033 342 2487 / 082 495
7865
Find a complete list of PIAs in the Providers of financial services chapter.
Some BANKS are also involved through partnerships and funding e.g. Land
Banks Retail Emerging Markets (REM) offering.
Some INTERNATIONAL BODIES assist with emerging agriculture in this
country and elsewhere:
ECI Promoting Agribusiness Linkages (PAL) Tel: 011 602 1200
www.eciafrica.com
PUM Netherlands Senior Experts Tel: 021 951 6852 www.pum.nl
310

Find the relevant articles at www.polity.org.za e.g. Tipping the Balance
Policies to shape agricultural investments and markets in favor of smallscale farmers (Jan 2013).
NuFarmer & African Entrepreneur is a free monthly publication which
has previously won the Africa Economic Developer award. Contact
Johan Swiegers at 012 804 5854, 082 882 7023, nufarmer@pop.
co.za.
Pula Imvula is the Grain SA magazine for developing producers. Contact
Grain SA at 08600 47246 or visit www.grainsa.co.za.
Ubisi Mail is a magazine for emerging farmers and farm workers. See
what it offers at www.ubisimail.co.za.
The SANews daily newsletters frequently give reports of agricultural
developments details of land settlement and emerging farmer news.
Subscribe to the newsletters at www.sanews.gov.za
Unlocking markets to smallholders Lessons from South Africa Wageningen
Academic Publishers 2012 ISBN 978-90-8686-134-7
Peoples Farming Handbook 2nd edition David Phillip IBSN 0 86486
2310. Technical information for the farmer.
Small-scale livestock farming Carol Ekarius Storey Publishing
Find the Agricultural Marketing Extension training papers on www.
daff.gov.za (take the Publications and then General Publications menu
option). Also find the Info Paks (booklets of several pages, written
simply) which are also available from the Resource Centre at 012 319
7141.
Find the South African Journal of Agricultural Extension, published annually
by the South African Society for Agricultural Extension (SASAE), at
http://journals.sabinet.co.za/agri.
Find the regular articles in the Farmers Weekly, in particular the Back
to basics pages. Visit www.farmersweekly.co.za for archived articles.
Find the Land Bank research report Addressing challenges of financing
emerging farmers (2011) at www.landbank.co.za. ISBN: 978-0-62138509-0.
The ARC has leaflets and booklets too. For the complete list, visit
www.arc.agric.za.
The Infotoons colourful, simply laid-out may be viewed at www.
agis.agric.za/efarmer.
South Africas Agricultural Commodity Markets: understanding the rules
of the game in five commodity markets with the intention of creating
opportunities for emerging farmers by Nomonde Qeqe and Anton
Cartwright of the Surplus Peoples Project. Find the document at
www.spp.org.za.
Companies and associations involved often have useful material e.g.
SAKATA Seeds have grower guidelines for those wishing to plant
vegetable crops.
Read about the successful Ithuba Agriculture project at www.
ithubaagriculture.co.za. News of other projects can regularly be
found in Farmers Weekly and NUFARMER & African Entrepreneur
publications.
national issues
Energy
See the separate Renewable energy, Biofuels and Fuels and lubricants
chapters
1. Overview
Energy is the life blood or power that you need for everything you do:
from waking up in the morning and eating or drinking to walking, driving,
thinking and working and even for having fun. The energy that we need to
perform our daily tasks generally comes from the sun and the food we eat.
But there is another very important type of energy which we simply cannot
do without. It is the kind of energy that we need to run our households, do
our work at our places of business and to produce the goods that we need
to live. We need it for hot water; to make food and every time we switch
on lights or appliances such as irons; washing machines; heaters; televisions;
computers; power tools; industrial equipment and many more.
Energy is a central element to the economy and life as we know it.
The agro-food industry is an electricity-sensitive industry, and the
constant and affordable supply of energy is vital to its sustainability and
competitiveness. And since this same agro-food industry ensures that as a
nation we are food secure, energy is a national issue.
Source: notes from the National Energy Efficiency Campaign run by the Government
Communication Information System (GCIS); Agricultural Business Chamber report
back on BUSA meeting with the Minister of Energy in 2011
On the African continent, the shortage of energy is identified as a major

reason that companies are unable to expand and thus employ new
workers. Getting an electricity connection costs more on average in subSaharan Africa than anywhere else in the world, according to the African
Economic Outlook Report of 2012. This has large-scale implications on a
continent with a large unemployment problem, especially amongst young
people.
Source: The article Renewable energy technologies could be Africas saving grace
Mail & Guardian 1 June 2012
International
Technical Centre for Agricultural and Rural Cooperation (www.cta.int)
www.technoserve.org Business Solutions to Rural Poverty. It is
an international organisation which has many small-scale farmer
initiatives.
The AgriCultures network covers small-scale farming issues throughout
Africa and the world. Visit www.agriculturesnetwork.org.
It can be revealing to find out what is happening in the rest of Africa.
Take a look at www.naads.or.ug, Ugandas National Agricultural
Advisory Services. See also the websites of international groupings
mentioned in the Research and development chapter.
Access different resources at www.prolinnova.net (PROmoting Local
INNOVAtion) .
2. Energy efficiency
Our energy in South Africa currently mainly comes from electricity
produced at coal-fired power stations. The processes release green
gases that are harmful to our environment.
Because of the considerable socio-economic development that has
taken place in our country since 1994, much more electricity had
to be produced to supply the demand of so many more people and
businesses. This has led to our emitting even more of these harmful
gases into the environment.
To be energy efficient does not mean that we have to completely stop
using energy. It simply means to not waste any unnecessary energy, to
use less energy to perform the same activities and to learn how to make
use of other, renewable sources of energy that are kinder to Mother
Earth. By doing this we help save the Earth for future generations. It
will also ensure that there is enough energy for everybody.
Increased prices of electricity are an incentive to reduce consumption
and to use energy more efficiently (see heading 3: tips to farmers on
how to do this). It is also an incentive to independent power producers,
especially with renewable energy sources, to generate power.
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3. Energy-smart farming
As a farmer you are a businessman, someone who is just as concerned
about keeping operational costs under control as you are about your fields,
crops and cattle.
As a farmer, you also know that energy costs are rising and adding significantly
to operating costs. Controlling these costs means becoming more aware
of energy and the ways you can use electricity more effectively without
compromising your farms productivity.
By making small changes to the way you use power, you can ensure that you
get the best value for your energy rand and also play a part in reducing the
demand for power especially in peak periods when the possibility of load
shedding is always present.
You can make a start on effective power saving by looking at your operation
and assessing the equipment you use and the tasks you use it for.
Getting optimum performance from dryers

If you use dryers on your farm, remember that they can be shut down
during the drying process, or can even be switched off completely.
Alternatively, heating elements can be switched off and only the fans
left running. Fans can be switched off for short periods without causing
damage to produce such as grains, oil seeds and lucerne in the dryer.
Only use the heating elements in the case of emergencies, for example
during continuously rainy days and at night during the off-peak hours.
When using heat, it is essential to recirculate the heated air to the inlet
of the fan as this will save energy and costs.
When heating elements are used, it is advisable to insulate the ducting
to minimise heat loss through the sides. It is vital that there should be
no leaks in the ducting.
Irrigation
Making it less costly means that you should match the pipe and nozzle
sizes. You should also remember that pipes with a small diameter
operate at higher friction levels. More electricity is therefore needed
to increase the rate of water delivery and overcome the friction.
The nozzle sizes of sprayers should be checked on a regular basis.
If you reduce the wear and tear, you reduce water losses due to
leaking pipes. Leaking pipes mean that pumps have to deliver more
water and this increases the electricity consumption. By carrying out
regular maintenance, you benefit from reduced power costs and water
savings.
Using cellphone and computer technology could result in major
savings. Its a fact that if you use these methods to schedule irrigation,
you can save up to 30% of the energy you generally use. Making sure
that water is pumped to storage dams above irrigated areas means that
you can use gravity flow, even when power is not available.
Electric motors
Electric motors consume vast amounts of power. The older your
motors are, the higher the chances are that they use more electricity
than they should. You can reduce your bills significantly by replacing
these motors with new generation high efficiency electric motors
(Eff 1). Make sure that the motors you install can run at 3/4 of their
capacity to perform everyday jobs. Running at full load for long periods
requires much more power.
Dairy parlours
Saving power in the dairy parlour means rinsing the milking machines
with cold water directly after milking. A complete washing cycle should
take place outside Eskoms peak hours.
Ice bank cool tanks can be used to build the ice bank during off-peak
hours to pre-cool and cool milk during Eskoms peak hours.
Coldrooms
You save electricity by keeping the doors to cold rooms properly
sealed. Opening doors only when required cuts down on cold air being
leaked into neighbouring areas. You should always also remember
that overfilled coldrooms actually have a lower cooling efficiency.
Air does not flow as easily between and under produce in overfilled
rooms. This means that it takes longer to cool down your produce and
that more electricity is needed to reach the storage temperature.
Condensers should be well ventilated to deliver the best performance.

For greatest effectiveness, compressor rooms and condensers should
be installed on the southern side of a building, where they are not
affected by direct sunlight. You should check filters and coils regularly
and see that they are always clean, and also make sure that there is
enough gas in the air conditioning plant. The proper use of air curtains
will also reduce the loss of conditioned air.
Coldrooms are major users of electricity. If you take several simple
steps, however, cold losses can be minimised and you will benefit from
lower electricity costs.
Reducing the energy needs of animal housing

Reducing the cost of animal housing begins with the building itself.
Proper roof insulation ensures a cool environment throughout the year
and means that less money has to be spent on additional energy to
regulate temperatures. Painting a roof silver will also reflect more heat
off the structure.
When using natural ventilation for animal housing, buildings should not
be wider than 12 metres for optimum utilisation of wind cooling.
If you are building animal housing, remember that the long walls of the
building should face north and south and the short walls should face
west and east. This will help to dispel the heat that builds up inside
buildings during the day.
Increasing the energy efficiency of animal feed processing plants

Animal feed processing plants usually have large numbers of electric
motors. By installing a capacitor bank you can generally improve the
electrical efficiency of a plant. A plant can be managed so that cleaning
and operations requiring low electricity can be done during peak hours,
and scheduling the actual operations outside Eskoms peak hours.
Insulation of greenhouses
When you build greenhouses, bear in mind that a double-insulated
plastic cover retains more heat and warmth in greenhouses. Keeping
air and soil temperatures constant through insulation means that
less energy has to be used to create warmth in the greenhouse
environment.
Farming using alternative energy sources

As a farmer you can take steps to utilise the waste generated through
normal farming operations to create energy. Harnessing the power of
the sun can also save energy costs - over the years, these can add up to
considerable savings and transform the way you do business.
Where considerable amounts of animal waste are present, you could
investigate the possibility of using biogas installations to generate heat
and electricity. These installations take the heat generated by animal
waste and enable it to be piped into feedlots and piggeries for use as
heating, or used for the production of cheap electricity.
Generating power
If you wish to generate emergency power for short periods, consider
purchasing a standby generator. Running off petrol or diesel, these
generators are custom-made for various outputs. You should consider
the amount of energy you will need and seek advice from an expert
when considering an installation. Keep in mind that generators should
only be used in well-ventilated spaces (be careful of the carbon
monoxide build-up!) and should be far enough away from buildings so
that their noise does not disturb people or animals.
Energy from the sun, wind and water

There are a number of options available to utilise solar power. You
should investigate which of the various options available would suit
you best. Solar panels can be used to supply electricity for pumping,
charging batteries for lights and any other low wattage use. However,
they can be expensive, have a lifespan of approximately ten years and
are vulnerable to hail and theft. They also need to be cleaned regularly
as dust can reduce their efficiency.
Effective water heating can be provided through a network of black
polythene and copper piping through which water is pumped. This can
be installed on a roof and used to heat water for the house and/or
swimming-pool.
Wind energy can be used to charge batteries that can supply power to
low wattage equipment in households. Where water flows constantly
from a high point, the water flow can be used to generate electricity.
312
Using dual fuel systems for efficiency

Dual fuel systems are generally used for heating air or water in a heating
system. They are frequently used for drying and intensive animalhousing operations.
The working principle is based on using heating elements during
Eskoms off-peak hours and alternative fuel during Eskoms peak hours.
Alternative fuel options are coal, gas, diesel, oil, paraffin, wood, stalks
or any other medium that is readily available in the area.
The bottom line for energy efficiency is that we all bear the responsibility
of doing what we can to save power. As a farmer, you have a significant
role to play. You will also benefit by making your operations more
cost-effective and energy-efficient saving money while you help our
country.
Source: www.eskom.co.za/dsm

South Africas is a coal-based economy, and as such ranks amongst the
highest emitters of greenhouse gases in the world. It needs to explore
clean energy initiatives, manage demand, and move towards a low-carbon
economy. Find the Acts & legislation option at www.energy.gov.za
Cabinet has officially endorsed a Carbon Capture and Storage Roadmap
as one of the instruments for lowering the carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions
of South Africas coal-intensive energy system. Government has committed
to reducing CO2 emissions by 34% against a business-as-usual trajectory
by 2020 and by 42% by 2025, on condition of receipt of international
technology and financial support.
The Integrated Energy Plan (IEP) of 2003 maps out the future of the
countrys energy sector.
The Integrated Resource Plan 2010-2030 (IRP) is to be a guide to
government on how it will meet the countrys electricity demands over
two decades. It envisages that by 2030 the total share of coal in electricity
generation will be significantly reduced by increasing the amount of lowcarbon nuclear and renewables technologies. By 2030, 42% of new
electricity will come from renewable sources (including wind, solar and
hydro) and 23% by nuclear. Other sources are coal (15%), liquid fuels
(9%), natural gas (6%) and imported hydro power (6%).
The Multi-Year Price Determination (MYPD) refers to the planned way
in which the price is to be increased. The third multiyear price determination
period (MYPD3), is the period April 1, 2013, to March 31, 2016.
The process of introducing renewable energies independent power
producers (IPPs) into South Africas system of electricity generation has
attracted billions of rands in international investment. Find the Renewable
Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme
website at www.ipprenewables.co.za.
The Green Economy Accord by government and social partners at the
close of 2011 marked a significant milestone in achieving South Africas
clean energy policies. It is part of the New Growth Path (NGP). Read more
about the NGP in the Job creation chapter.
Strategic Integrated Projects (SIPs) are part of the Infrastructure Plan
developed by Government to support economic development and address
service delivery in the poorest provinces. Each SIP comprises of specific
infrastructure components and programmes. Three of these are related to
energy:
SIP 8 Green energy in support of the South African economy
SIP 9 Electricity generation to support socio-economic development
SIP 10 Electricity transmission and distribution for all
Department of Energy Tel: 012 406 8000 www.energy.gov.za
Department of Public Enterprises Tel: 012 431 1000 www.dpe.
gov.za
Department of Science and Technology Tel: 012 843 6300 www.
dst.gov.za
National Nuclear Energy Executive Co-ordination Committee
(NNEECC) is a government inter-departmental body to oversee
the countrys nuclear future.
5. Renewable energy
Find the separate Renewable energy chapter.
South Africa is to procure 3 725 MW of energy from the renewables sector

through the Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Programme
(REIPPP), to be introduced to the electricity mix between 2014 and 2016.
This is part of the IRP (see heading 4) which places specific emphasis on
broadening electricity supply technologies to include gas, imports, nuclear,
biomass, renewables (wind, solar and hydro), in response to both the
countrys future electricity needs as well as reduce its CO2 emissions.
The process will also create jobs and attract international investment. The
department has set aside 100 MW of the 3725 MW for smaller projects of
less than 5 MW.
Growing urbanisation and the resultant environmental threats it generates
has led the government of China to invest nearly US$50 billion annually
on the development of its renewable energy sector since 2009.
Chinas five-year investment in environmental protection is on track to
reach US$454 billion. By 2015, its environmental protection industry is
expected to top US$317 billion.
China will introduce favourable tax and financial policies to support the
development of its green economy, according to its 12th five-year plan,
which started last year.
Source: the article China spends US$50 billion a year on renewable energy, an www.
esi-africa.com report in February 2012
6. Nuclear
For information on nuclear energy, find the links at www.pbmr.co.za.
The countrys Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) which addresses the

electricity generation mix for the next 20 years has 23 percent of the mix
given to nuclear energy. Nuclear energy already provides the world with
17% of its electricity, and South Africa will probably be going ahead with
building its second nuclear power station. Pro-nuclear arguments include
the points that nuclear energy:
has a low contribution to global warming, as there is little greenhousegas emission;
could reduce the dependence on fossil fuels;
could generate a high amount of energy from a single plant; and
is available and not subject to fluctuations in energy production
experienced with solar or wind energy.
The case against nuclear energy includes:
We have not found a way to deal with radioactive waste. Even with
the best security and safety standards, accidents can still happen.
It is foolish to compare nuclear waste to other chemicals. Unlike
other substances, the waste from nuclear energy has to be looked
after for hundreds, if not thousands, of years. So we may not give
the Earth a death sentence by the climate-change noose, but by a
lethal injection of nuclear waste instead.
Nuclear power is just not sustainable. Not only does it take many
years to develop a nuclear power station, but uranium (the energy
source for nuclear power) is also in short supply. It is believed that
the supply of uranium is estimated to last for only 30 to 60 years,
depending on the demand. It just does not make business sense to
invest billions in something that has such a short life span and that
will be such a liability to the environment.
Source: Ferrial Adam on www.thoughtleader.co.za (adapted)
Role players (see headings 4 and 10)

National Nuclear Energy Executive Coordination Committee
Nuclear Energy Corporation (NECSA)
Nuclear Industry Association of South Africa (NIASA)
Pebble Bed Modular Reactor (PBMR)
313
Government is in the process of establishing the National Radioactive

Waste Management Institute (NRWMI), which will assume responsibility
of managing radioactive waste disposal at a national level.
North-West University (NWU) and the University of the
Witwatersrand (Wits) announced in 2011 that they would jointly launch
a programme of short courses directed at providing professionals with
further and specialised training in the field of nuclear energy.
7. Hydrogen
Water is split into oxygen and hydrogen. Their later recombination releases
energy. Hydrogen and fuel cell technology promises a cleaner, more
environment-friendly, oil-independent future.
South Africa has a significant competitive advantage in developing hydrogen
and fuel cell technologies since it has considerable deposits of platinum which
is a key catalytic material used in fuel cell and reformation technologies for
the production of electricity and hydrogen, respectively.
The Department of Science and Technology has launched the Hydrogen
and Fuel Cell Technologies Research, Development and Innovation Strategy
(HFCT and RDI), which aims to build sufficient capacity in research,
development and innovation to supply 25 percent of the global hydrogen
and fuel cell markets platinum group metals catalyst demand by 2020.

Hydrogen South Africa (HySA) / Catalysis
The New Holland NH2 made history by becoming the first hydrogenpowered tractor to go into service on a farm. Using fuel cell technology,
the machine delivers the performance of a conventional diesel tractor the
same size but with no harmful emissions only heat and water vapour
are given off. The tractor was presented to South Africas agricultural
community at the 2012 Nampo agricultural show. It will still be a number
of years before hydrogen tractors are commercially available though.
Source: Farmers Weekly 20 January 2012 p 24; Engineering News 17 May 2012.
8. Natural gas
South Africa imports a substantial amount of gas from Mozambique and
plans are underway to construct a gas powered fire plant with 140MW
capacity through a joint venture between Sasol and Mozambiques local
power utility.
There have been discoveries of massive gas reserves off the coasts of
Tanzania, Mozambique and Namibia. South Africa could even look at
further increasing the ratio for natural gas in South Africas energy mix the
IRP. South Africa has the chance to buy gas from its neighbours, which would
also stimulate regional co-operation and trade while it solved the electricity
problem.
The US Energy Information Administration estimates there are about 485trillion cubic feet of shale-gas reserves in the southern Karoo.
Extracting between 4% (20-trillion cubic feet) and 10% (20-trillion cubic
feet) of the estimated shale-gas resources would have an economic impact
of R80bn-R200bn a year on South Africas gross domestic product, according
to Econometrix, the research provider of a report commissioned by Shell.
Average government revenue would be between R35bn and R90bn a year,
and the process would generate 300 000 to 700 000 permanent jobs for a
period of 25 years, it said.
Shale-gas exploration in the Karoo has, however, run into stiff opposition due
to the fracking technique used to extract the gas. Fracking, or hydraulic
fracturing, involves injecting millions of litres of water, chemicals and sand
into the earth at high pressure to free pockets of natural gas.

Included amongst the points of objection is that there is no mention of the
possible environmental impact of fracking in the report. Should aquifers in
this country become contaminated, it doesnt matter how much money you
have got, you cannot fix it. It is physically impossible to remove it, clean it
and put it back. South Africa is an arid country, and by 2025 we wont have
enough water
Source: adapted from Business Day, 2 March 2012

Africa Earth Observatory Network (AEON)
Shell South Africa
Treasure the Karoo Action Group (TKAG)
Bundu Oil & Gas
Falcon Oil & Gas

There is also interest from other oil and gas companies such as Sasol,
Sungu Sungu, Chesapeak and Statoil.
10. Role players

Associations, pressure groups & NGOs
Agriculture (Agri SA) is represented on the National Electricity Response
Team (NERT) through Business Unity South Africa (BUSA). See
www.busa.org.za.
Energy Intensive User Group (EIUG) www.eiug.org.za
Nuclear Industry Association of South Africa (NIASA) www.
niasa.co.za
South Africas Independent Power Producers Association
(SAIPPA) www.saippa.org.za
South Africa National Energy Association (SANEA) www.sanea.
org.za
South African Pipeline Gas Association (SAPGA) www.sapga.
co.za
Treasure the Karoo Action Group (TKAG) www.treasurethekaroo.
co.za
Women in Oil and Energy South Africa www.woesa.com

South African Pipeline Gas Association (Sapga)
Sasol, who wants to expand (its gas to liquids GTL) technology
9. Shale gas
Visit www.treasurethekaroo.co.za.
Education and research

Africa Earth Observatory
Network (AEON)
www.aeon.org.za
Coaltech Research Association
Tel: 011 498 7652
www.coaltech.co.za
Cape Peninsula University of

Technology
Faculty of Engineering
Energy Institute
Tel: 021 460 3660 / 4257
www.cput.ac.za
314

Energy Materials
Tel: 012 841 2911/ 3338
www.csir.co.za

Energy Research Centre
Tel: 021 650 3230
www.erc.uct.ac.za
Hydrogen South Africa (HySA) /

EWSETA Energy and Water Catalysis
Sector & Training Authority
Tel: 021 650 2509
Tel: 011 274 4700
www.hysacatalysis.uct.ac.za
www.eseta.org.za
Fossil Fuel Foundation
Tel: 011 788 6818
Tel: 051 401 2482
www.fossilfuel.co.za
www.ufs.ac.za/igs
Centre for Applied Radiation
Science and Technology (CARST)
(Mafikeng Campus)
Tel: 018 389 2757
www.nwu.ac.za
Post-Graduate School of
Nuclear Science and Engineering
(Potchefstroom)
Tel: 018 299 4363
Tel: 033 330 4668 / 082 371 7650
halsteads@ukzn.ac.za
Energy expert info on data for
sources of energy in SA e.g. fossil,
nuclear, biofuels

South African Institute for Advanced
Materials Chemistry
PetroSA Synthetic Fuels Innovation
Several South African universities Centre
and one research institution Tel: 021 959 3080
are involved with the European www.uwc.ac.za
Organisation for Nuclear Research
(better known as CERN) in the PetroSAs first academic fuel
SA-CERN programme. Find research centre, opened in 2012,
the links at www.sa-cern.ac.za. will improve the companys gas-toliquid processes
Companies
AgriFarm
Tel: 0861 247 427
www.agrifarm.co.za
Bundu Oil & Gas
http://challengerenergy.com.au
Electro Mechanica
Tel: 011 249 5000
www.em.co.za
Eskom
www.eskom.co.za
Contact an Eskom Energy

Services Advisor in your region.
Call 0860 037 566 or visit www.
eskom.co.za/idm.
ETA Awards, turning ideas into
energy visit www.eta-awards.
co.za
Falcon Oil & Gas
www.falconoilandgas.com
Institute for International

Research (IIR)
The website provides contact Tel: 011 771 7000
details for Eskom power stations www.iir.co.za
and visitor centres.
Maiden Electronics
Eskom has an Energy Advisory Tel: 011 468 1619
Service (formerly Agrelek) for www.maidenelectronics.co.za
farmers to help you cut costs.
Services offered include:
Power solutions for Africa
total energy analysis to identify
areas of waste
recommendations
on Tel: 021 887 1026
process
and
technology www.mbb.co.za
improvements
assessment
studies
to Energy is only one area of expertise
determine current and future relevant to MBB Consulting
Engineers.
energy needs
advice on the most appropriate
The contract for the Medupi
energy source and tariff
information on the most Power Station (at Lephalale in
efficient and cost-effective Limpopo) was awarded to the
Medupi Power Station joint
electro-technologies
315
venture, a consortium made up

of Murray and Roberts, GrinakerLTA Civil Engineering and Concor.
The entire station is scheduled for
completion by 2015. It will be the
biggest dry-cooled power station
in the world with an installed
capacity of approximately 4 800
Megawatts.
Nuclear Energy Corporation
(NECSA)
Tel: 012 305 4911
www.necsa.co.za
Prepaid Metres
www.PrePaidMeters.co.za
SASOL
Tel: 011 441 3111
www.sasol.com
Shell South Africa
Tel: 011 996 7000
www.shell.co.za
VOLTEX
Tel: 011 879 2000
www.voltex.co.za
Regulatory and government

See also heading 4
National Electricity Regulator

(NERSA)
Tel: 012 401 4600
www.nersa.org.za
The National Emergency Response
Team (NERT) is a partnership
between government, business,
labour and civil society to address
the power shortages. Agriculture is
represented here through Business
Unity South Africa (BUSA).
Pebble Bed Modular Reactor
Tel: 012 641 1000
www.pbmr.co.za

Energy Development Institute
(Sanedi)
Tel: 010 201 4700
www.sanedi.org.za
Sanedi incorporates six Statebacked programmes, including the
South African Centre for Carbon
Capture and Storage; Working
for Energy; the Green Transport
Programme;
the
Renewable
Energy Centre of Research and
Development; the Energy Efficiency
Programme and the South African
Smart Grid Initiative.

The growing economies and population of emerging nations mean that huge
investment is needed for these power markets to meet demand. Countries
across South East Asia, Africa and the Middle East have been amending
regulatory frameworks and embarking on privatisation, as many of them are
in serious need of external funding to ensure that their respective electricity
industries are capable of dealing with the inevitable surge in demand.
The power market in South East Asia, Africa and the Middle East is
currently dominated by thermal power, which accounted for almost 85%
of total installed capacity in 2011. Renewable energy is expected to have a
greater share of the power market in the future, with solar and wind power
sectors in particular expected to expand, but the demands of these growing
economies make a substantial reliance on renewables impractical.
The high capacity of thermal power compared to more sustainable forms
makes it a more profitable and pragmatic solution. Consequently, the share
of thermal power is only expected to decrease to 79.5% by 2020.
The region has to invest heavily in order to increase its installed capacity and
improve its existing infrastructure. Transmission networks in many of these
countries are already under tremendous pressure to supply power without
interruption, and many new transmission projects are already underway or
in the pipeline.
Source: http://www.esi-africa.com/node/15004
Some international role players

www.afdb.org the African Development Bank (AFDB) has approved
the funding of numerous projects in South Africa. The loan to Eskom is
the biggest ever approved by the AFDB.
Clean Energy Insight (CEI), proponents of nuclear energy in North
America www.cleanenergyinsight.org
Find the latest World Energy Outlook report at www.eia.gov, website
of the US Energy Information Administration (EIA).
Energy Watch Group www.energywatchgroup.org
European Nuclear Education Network (ENEN) www.enen-assoc.

org
International Atomic Energy Agency www.iaea.org
International Energy Agency www.iea.org
International Institute for Energy Conservation (IIEC) www.iiec.org
World Energy Council www.worldenergy.org
World Nuclear Association http://world-nuclear.org
The following are some role players in the provision of electricity in SubSaharan Africa:
Empresa National de Electricidade (Angola) www.ene.co.ao
Botswana Power Cooperation www.bpc.bw
Societe National dElectricite (Democratic Republic of Congo) www.
snel.cd
Electricity Supply Commission of Malawi (ESCOM) www.escom.
mw
Electricidade de Mozambique, Hydro Cahora Bassa and Mozambique
Transmission Company (Mozambique) www.edm.co.mz and www.
motraco.co.mz
Copperbelt Energy Corporation and Zambia Electricity Supply
Corporation Limited
NamPower (Namibia) www.nampower.com.na
Swaziland Electricity Company www.sec.co.sz
Tanzania Electric Supply Company Limited www.tanesco.co.tz
Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority (ZESA) www.zesa.co.zw
to be disbanded into the National Grid Service Company (NGSC)
Eskom (South Africa) www.eskom.co.za
Ethiopian Electric Power Corporation www.eepco.gov.et
Kenya Electricity Generating Company (Kengen) www.kengen.co.ke
Kenya Power www.kplc.co.ke
Power Holding Company of Nigeria www.phcnonline.com
Electricity Company of Ghana www.ecgonline.info

www.esi-africa.com the online power journal of Africa
Subscribe to the daily Energy Insight eNewsletter from www.
engineeringnews.co.za.
Saving Electricity in a Hurry is designed to help the country deal with its
electricity issues. The publication, commissioned by the International
Energy Agency (IEA), is a brief case study which highlights lessons from
recent electricity shortfalls in Chile, Japan, New Zealand, South Africa
and the United States. Find it at www.iea.org.
Find the Energy Access Situation of Developing Countries report from
the United Nations Development Programme and World Health
Organisation at www.polity.org.za.
www.openinnovation.eskom.co.za Eskoms Open Innovation
Platform: Calling all innovators and solvers!
Find the various reports and papers on energy at www.polity.org.za
e.g. Mozambiques gas holds promise for SAs energy security, Stable policy
implementation needed to encourage renewable energy investment.and
Nuclear Energy: The light and dark sides.
www.greenpeace.org/africa/en/, NGO Greenpeace Africa launched its
report The advanced energy [R]evolution a sustainable energy outlook
for South Africa in 2011. It pushes for a nuclear-free power mix and a
big renewable scale-up in which 140 000 jobs could be created. See
also http://risksofnuclear.greenpeace.org/. In another paper, The Eskom
factor: Power politics and the electricity sector in South Africa, Greenpeace
say that if water becomes scarce, other users would lose the right to
the resource since Eskom is the strategic user.
Energy and Capital www.energyandcapital.com Practical
Investment Analysis in the New Energy Economy
Find the article Study: Solar power is cheaper than nuclear on http://
theenergycollective.com.
The price tag for six new nuclear reactors envisaged in SAs energy
road map could range from a modest R322-billion to a staggering R1.4trillion. Find the article South Africas nightmare nuclear bill on www.
mg.co.za in which three experts do their own calculations.
Find the discussion paper How Policy Changes Affect Shareholder Wealth:
The Case of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Disaster at http://elpub.bib.
uni-wuppertal.de (Bergische Universitt Wuppertal).
Find the energy menu option on www.africa-adapt.net (click on
explore themes).
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Other perspectives:
national issues
Food security
1. Overview
The availability of food is the starting point of all life.
Food security is the assurance that individuals, households, communities
and nations have access to enough safe, quality food at all times. Food
insecurity is the absence of food security and is characterised by the
presence of hunger, starvation, malnutrition and/or the fear of facing
food shortages.
Food insecurity is strongly related to unemployment and poverty.
The continued high level of global hunger hampers the achievement of
the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), the eight globally-agreed
anti-poverty targets with a 2015 deadline.
With a child dying every six seconds because of undernourishment-related
problems, hunger remains the worlds largest tragedy and scandal, says FAO
Director-General Jacques Diouf.
2. Food Prices
150-million joined the already food insecure people after the dramatic price increases
in 2007-2008. Role players like Brazilian agricultural economist Marcos Fava Neves
and Agriculture Business Chamber CEO John Purchase predict regular food crises in the
future. What is being done to stabilise the food market?
The 2007/08 food crisis was serious and structural, caused by nine factors,
with different levels of effect:
use of grains and agricultural land for biofuels
population growth effects (220 thousand new stomachs per day)
strong income increase and distribution in emerging economies (with
not accurate consumption data)
urbanisation of population (megacities)
local governments income support programs
high oil prices
production shortages (due to climate, not sustainable water usage,
plagues and diseases, low prices and other factors)
dollar devaluation and investment funds speculation
Ten solutions were identified in 2009 to deal with the food crisis, trying to
bring more equilibrium and a win-win strategy.
sustainable horizontal expansion in food production using new available
areas in South America and Africa where water is not scarce
vertical expansion increasing productivity
reduction in food taxes, other market protections and barriers that
increases costs and inflate food prices for the final consumers
investment in global logistics to reduce waste and costs for food
transport
use the best sources for biofuels production that dont compete with
food chains (ethanol from sugar cane is the best example here when
compared to corn for feed)
investments towards a reduction in transaction costs that occur in all
food chains
new generation of cheaper and innovative sources of fertilisers (today
they represent a high cost to farmers)
sustainable supply contracts to farmers for more balanced margins
allocation
spreading innovations (GMOs, nanotechnology and others)
consumer behaviour changes to avoid losses and even overconsumption of food (obesity)
Source: Marcos Fava Neves, professor of strategic planning and food chains at FEARP
School of Economics and Business, University of Sao Paulo, Brazil
This is a new face of hunger. There is food on shelves but people are
priced out of the market. Josette Sheeran, the head of the UNs World
Food Programme (WFP)
In the longer term, the international community, particularly the leaders
of the international community, should sit down together on an urgent
basis and address how we can, first of all, improve these economic
systems, distributions systems, as well as how we can promote the
improved production of agricultural products, UN Secretary-General
Ban Ki-moon.
Affordable food in the long term depends on viable local agricultural
sectors which receive fair prices for their products and are able to pay
fair prices for farm requisites.
The long-term survival of local agriculture is endangered by subsidies paid
to producers in developed countries. The recent reintroduction of export
subsidies in the EU and USA clearly show developed countries only pay
lip service to trade liberalistion. While South Africas strong stand against
export subsidies as a member of the Group of 20 is commendable, we
also need national protection against the effect of export subsidies on
import prices.
Source: Dr Koos Coetzee. Find the article What can we do about high food prices
at www.farmerweekly.co.za.
High-tech agriculture is not readily taken up at community level as

it is capital intensive and requires a high level of skill. Based on supertechnology, huge crops can be grown quickly. Food Aid organisations can
channel market surplus to ensure food security. This works if there is
enough free money to buy or subsidise massive amounts of food on
a regular basis. In theory, high tech agriculture can meet food security
needs. Recent years do expose weaknesses, though. What happens
when there is not enough free money to channel market surplus to the
hungry?
Source: Rob Small of Abalimi, writing for a Trialogue publication on CSI projects
[Commercial farmers have the know-how and technology to produce

food on the required scale] ... consumer resistance to genetically modified
(GM) crops is limiting food production. Hungry people dont have the
luxury of choosing non-GM foods and those opposed to it must realise
that their stance contributes to famine in African countries.
Source: Dr Koos Coetzee in the article Urbanisation poses challenges for agriculture
at www.farmerweekly.co.za

Directorate: Food Security
Tel: 012 319 6736
DFS@daff.gov.za
Read about the following programmes on the website:
Integrated Food Security and Nutrition Task Team
Household Food Production Programme
Ilima Letsema campaign in support of war on poverty
FAO & Department of Agriculture
Food Insecurity and Vulnerability Information Mapping System
(FIVIMS)
Comprehensive Agricultural Support Programme
An amount of R4bn has been set aside by the government to assist
smallholder farmers, which ties in with the Zero Hunger initiative of the
Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries. It is aimed at developing
small-scale emerging agriculture by giving preferential procurement status
to smallholder farmers.
318
Ilima/Letsema Campaign
Child grant success
The Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries encourages

household food production through backyard gardens as well as
programmes such as the Household Food Security and Ilima/Letsema
Campaign, whose main objective is to motivate communities to plough,
plant and produce their own food.
Two studies confirm that Child Support Grants (CSG) have reduced the
depth and severity of poverty.
The objectives of the campaign are to:

invest in the improvement of the quality of livestock such as Nguni
cattle, goats and chickens in communal areas
increase family and community production for household food and
nutritional security
develop an agricultural development corridor
increase the percentage of land that is put to productive use
activate fallow land in the former homelands
rehabilitate degraded agricultural land to productive use
rehabilitate and expand the existing irrigation schemes
establish new irrigation schemes
establish contract farming for high-value and feedstock products
for biofuels, wine, essential oils, hemp, medicines, leather, juices,
canning and dairy
This campaign also distributes agricultural starter-packs to poor
households and supports small-scale farmers.
Source: adapted from the 2010-11 Yearbook available on www.gcis.gov.za.
The successful production of food cuts across other government department

areas too. Some examples follow:
Department of Rural
Details of SASSA district offices are
Development and Land Reform available on the website.
Departments of Trade and
Department of Science and
Industry
www.thedti.gov.za
Technology
www.dst.gov.za
The DTI is involved in several
Under
The
Poverty
Relief aspects of food security e.g. coagro-processing,
Programme of the Department of operatives,
Science and Technology (DST) import and export
rural communities are guided in the
production of oyster mushrooms Department of Energy
to diversify and add to their food www.energy.gov.za
base. Through further funding by
DST to the ARC-PPRI, beekeepers Department of Public
Enterprises
from 40 rural communities from all
www.dpe.gov.za
over South Africa are trained in the
basics of beekeeping and related State owned enterprises like Eskom
industries. Honeybees provide and Transnet fall under the DPE.
a direct source of food (honey)
and have a major impact on crop Competition Commission
production through pollination.
www.compcom.co.za
Development
www.dsd.gov.za
Theoretically, competition keeps

prices down (because the client
can go elsewhere if she or he
does not like your prices). Price
This is the department in charge fixing between players in the food
of social grants through the South industry is bad news for food
African Social Security Agency security.
(SASSA). Contact SASSA at 012
400 2000 or visit www.sassa.gov.za The Competition Amendment
Act holds major implications for
In the provinces:
directors and senior management.
The Act introduces provisions to
hold personally accountable, and
Free State 051 410 8304
criminally liable, individuals who
Gauteng 011 241 8300
cause firms to engage in cartel
KwaZulu-Natal 033 846 3300
activity. Find the document on
Limpopo 015 291 7400
www.compcom.co.za and www.
thedti.gov.za.
North West 018 388 0060
Northern Cape 053 802 4900
Western Cape 021 469 0200
The reports entitled, The Impact of the International Financial Crisis on

Child Poverty in South Africa, and Vulnerability of Children and Poor
Families to the Economic Recession of 2008 - 2009, found that child
grants served as a form of diversified income, making poor households
less susceptible to the effects of the shock.
They were conducted by the United Nations Childrens Fund, Financial
and Fiscal Commission of South Africa and Social Development
Department, with the aim of looking at the impact of the 2008 - 2009
economic recession on children in South Africa.
Source: SANews newsletter, 17 August 2011
4. Role players
All the role players in this publication!
ACAT
Tel: 033 234 4223
www.acatkzn.co.za
F & G Trust (Farm and Garden

national trust)
Tel: 021 801 9677
www.farmgardentrust.org
Help rural farmers and families

to improve their quality of life Food, Agriculture and Natural
beginning with low cost food.
Resources Policy Analysis
Network (FANRPAN)
Tel: 012 804 2966 / 3186
African Centre for Food
www.fanrpan.org
Security (ACFS)
Tel: 033 260 5792
http://acfs.ukzn.ac.za
FANRPANs vision is A food secure
southern Africa free from hunger
and poverty.
Agri Iphepeng
Tel: 018 642 1596 / 083 265 6210
Food and Agriculture
coishar@gds.co.za
Organisation (FAO)
Agricultural Business Chamber Tel: 012 354 8536
www.fao.org/world/southafrica
(Agbiz)
Tel: 012 807 6686
www.agbiz.co.za
The Food and Agriculture
Organisation of the United Nations
Find the Food security option leads international efforts to defeat
under Economic intelligence on hunger.
the website.
FoodBank South Africa
Agricultural Colleges working Tel: 021 531 5670
with the Provincial Departments www.feedback.org.za
of Agriculture offer basic training
courses in food security. Find their Foodgardens Foundation
details in the Agricultural education Tel: 011 342 4440
www.foodgardensfoundation.org.
za
Agricultural Research Council
Heifer International South
(ARC)
www.arc.agric.za
Africa
Tel: 031 777 1374
The need for sufficient, safe and www.heifer.org.za
nutritious food permeates the
strategic imperatives of government Hope Nutritional Training and
and therefore the goals of the ARC. Research
Its core activities are all related to Tel: 011 326 3507
www.hopenbc.co.za
food security in some way.
Built Environment Support
Group
Tel: 033 394 4980
www.besg.co.za
Bureau for Food and
www.bfap.co.za
Human Science Research

Council
Centre for Poverty, Employment
and Growth (CPEG)
Tel: 012 302 2000
www.hsrc.ac.za/CPEG.phtml
Find the numerous research

outputs under the Food security,
Economic Justice Network is a agriculture and rural development
faith-based network on inter alia category.
food security. Visit www.ejn.org.za.
319

Council (NAMC)
Marketing and Economic Research
Centre (MERC)
Tel: 012 341 1115
www.namc.co.za
The
AgriPlanner
programme
contributes to Governments
overall objective of ensuring
sustainable food availability for all
through schools and communities
growing food naturally. The
further development of vegetable
Find the Quarterly Food Price gardens builds income generation
Monitor and Food Cost reports on capabilities.
the website.
Tel: 021 881 3196
Morogo Research Programme
(MRP)
Tel: 018 299 2319
Tshikululu Social Investments
Retha.VanDerWalt@nwu.ac.za
Tel: 011 544 0300
www.tshikululu.org.za
Strategies to reduce food-insecurity
in rural settings should acknowledge Uses Corporate Social Investment
Africas indigenous food culture (CSI) funds to invest in food
which is based on the utilisation of security
naturally-occurring food-plants and
subsistence cropping of traditional Umthati Training Project
vegetables. African vegetables Tel: 046 637 0012
are nutritionally superior to their www.umthathi.co.za
Western counterparts.
(UFS)
Operation Hunger
Tel: 011 902 4000
www.operationhunger.co.za
Economics
Provincial Departments of Tel: 051 401 2824 / 3864
Agriculture details in the www.ufs.ac.za/agri-econ
Agriculture in the Provinces
chapter have on-going Food Centre for Sustainable Agriculture,
Security Projects aimed at providing Rural Development and Extension
livelihood means to vulnerable Tel: 051 401 3765
communities particularly in the www.ufs.ac.za/censard
rural areas. These projects are
Food Garden Management is a
also aimed at creating sustainable training video available from the
agricultural small-macro-medium UFS. Call 051 401 2557.
enterprises (SMME).
Soil For Life
Tel: 021 794 4982
(Dimtec)
www.soilforlife.co.za
Tel: 051 401 2721
South African New Economics
Network (SANE)
www.sane.org.za
Institute for Food, Nutrition and
Well-being
Prof Sheryl Hendriks
Tel: 012 420 3811
Tel: 021 447 2023
sheryl.hendriks@up.ac.za

Find the Quarterly Food Price Monitor at www.namc.co.za
South Africa has committed itself to achieving eight millennium development

goals by 2015, the first of which is to halve poverty and hunger.
Find the UN Special Rapporteur report on South Africa (2011) at www.
agbiz.co.za. Although saying that South Africa is to be praised for integrating
the right to food in its constitution, it calls for an inclusive food system to
be created. The right to food has yet to deliver results for 12-million food
insecure, most of whom live in the rural areas.
Although the country is food secure at a national level, at household

level it is a different story. The countrys poor spend at least 36,4% of
their income buying food compared to 2,9% spent by the rich. High
food prices have a great effect on food security, particularly for the most
vulnerable rural people.
Source: Prof Andre Jooste, previously of the National Agricultural Marketing Council.

Article 25.1 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights states:
Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and
wellbeing of him and of his family, including food, clothing, housing and
medical care.
The first of the Millennium Development Goal is to halve poverty and
hunger by 2015
The current global food system is a skewed system that is fails the estimated
925 million people globally who are experiencing food insecurity.
www.au.int African Union (AU). The AU/NEPAD Comprehensive
Africa Agricultural Development Plan (CAADP) sets out Africas plan
of action to attain food security.
Africare www.africare.org
Agricultural Market Information System/G20 Rapid Response
Forum www.amis-outlook.org
Comite Permanent Inter Stat de Lutte Contre la Secheresse au
Sahel (Permanent Inter-State Committee on Drought Control in the
Sahel CILSS) www.cilss.bf
The Committee on World Food Security pages are at www.fao.
org/cfs/en/
Read about overseas development groups DD International at www.
ddinternational.org.uk and Farm Africa at www.farmafrica.org.uk.
The Economist Intelligence Unit (visit www.eiu.com) has issued
warnings in the past about southern Africas future food security.
Find the Food security programmes and Initiative on Soaring Food Prices
options at www.fao.org, website of the UNs Food and Agricultural
Organisation (FAO). Dr John Purchase of South Africas Agricultural
Business Chamber was appointed to the High Level Panel of Experts
(HLPE) of the FAOs Committee on World Food Security in 2011.
Famine Early Warning Systems Network (FEWS-NET) www.
fews.net provides world overviews. Find the food security status
reports.
Food, Agriculture and Natural Resources Policy Analysis
Food First Institute for Food & Development Policy www.
foodfirst.org rejects the Green revolution. Read more on their
website.
Food Insecurity and Vulnerability Information and Mapping
Systems (FIVIMS) www.fivims.net
Fortifying Africas Future (FORTAF) www.fortaf.org. Find
practical information on fortifying basic foods (i.e. addressing mineral
and vitamin deficiencies) in Africa.
The Global Agriculture and Food Security Program (GAFSP) is
a multilateral mechanism to assist in the implementation of pledges
made by the G20 in Pittsburgh in September 2009. Find updates at
www.gafspfund.org.
Global Forum on Food Security and Nutrition http://km.fao.
org/fsn/
International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent
Societies (IFRC) www.ifrc.org responds to food crises as well as
to other disasters.
International Food and Agribusiness Management Association
(IAMA) www.ifama.org Your Global Food System Network
International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) www.ifpri.
org
The mission of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and
Development (OECD) is to promote policies that will improve the
economic and social well-being of people around the world. Visit
www.oecd.org.
320
Oxfam GB is a development, relief, and campaigning organisation that

works with others to find lasting solutions to poverty and suffering
around the world. An Oxfam electronic newsletter is available. Also
find research reports on the website, www.oxfam.org.uk.
Regional Hunger and Vulnerability Programme (RHVP) www.
wahenga.net
ReliefWeb www.reliefweb.int is the global hub for time-critical
humanitarian information on Complex Emergencies and Natural
Disasters. Updated reports on Food Security issues are included.
Right to Food www.righttofood.org website relating to Jean
Ziegler, a previous UN Special Rapporteur.
Southern African Regional Poverty Network (SARPN) www.
sarpn.org
There are regular features on food security (and food prices) at www.
worldbank.org, website of the World Bank.
The UNs World Food Programme (WFP) www.wfp.org
Worldwide AgriCultures Network supports small-scale family
farming. Visit www.agriculturesnetwork.org.

The websites mentioned earlier in this chapter.
A book by Prof Neves (see his notes under heading 2) was launched at the
2012 Agricultural Business Chamber congress. Contact Ms Lindie Stroebel
at lindie@agbiz.co.za for a copy of Surviving the global food jungle Realities,
options and strategies for South Africa.
Find the latest Agricultural Outlook, done by the FAO and OECD, at www.
agri-outlook.org.
Eating from One Pot: The Dynamics of Survival in Poor South African Households
by Sarah Mosoetsa, published in 2011 by Wits University Press. EAN:
9781868145331
Find various papers and reports at www.polity.org.za e.g. The State of
Food Insecurity in the World 2012 (October 2012), Global Food Outlook (May
2012) and Towards the future we want: End hunger and make the transition to
sustainable agricultural and food systems (June 2012).
Find the research paper maintaining that high food prices were behind
the tension and deaths at Marikana. Visit http://necsi.edu/research/social/
southafrica.
Find the excellent articles by Prof Johann Kirsten on food security at
www.farmersweekly.co.za. A plan for food security action envisions a
comprehensive plan of action being championed by the president and led
by the most appropriate ministry and the Planning Commission or some
co-ordination structure. The article should be required reading.
national issues
HIV and AIDS
1. Overview
The HIV epidemic is more than a social or humanitarian issue, because it also
presents one of the most significant threats to Africas on-going economic
growth and development. HIV/AIDS affect business and enterprise at every
level, from increased absenteeism, reduced productivity through to the loss
of knowledge and essential skills.
From 2001 to 2011, the total number of people living with HIV increased
from an estimated 4.21 million in 2001 to 5.38 million by 2011. In 2011,
an estimated 10.6 percent of the total South African population was
HIV positive. Approximately one-fifth of South African women in their
reproductive ages are HIV positive.
HIV is everyones business. Thats why public-private partnerships have
become so central to mounting an effective response to the disease. This
epidemic is a priority business issue for many companies and the workplace
is a key environment in which to tackle it.
An important message to the person finding out that they are infected is that
a healthy, continued life is possible (dont give up!) ARV medication holds out
a lifeline, and studies point to the importance of nutrition, basic food safety,
adequate sleep and a positive attitude.
Source: Stats SA as quoted by SANews in July 2011; Jeffrey Sturchio, writing for a
Business Action For Africa report on the Millenium Development Goals (adapted). Visit
www.businessactionforafrica.org.
2. HIV/AIDS and the farmer

Farm workers are the most under-serviced labourers in South Africa. Poor
access to health care and health related information is partly due to their
remote location of work. The high incidence of poverty and low level of
education makes the farm worker even more vulnerable to the impact of
HIV and AIDS.
Roughly one third of the food produced in the world for human
consumption every year approximately 1.3 billion tonnes gets lost
or wasted, according to an FAO-commissioned study. Find Global food
Losses and Food Waste at www.fao.org.
Workers are scared to test and fear that they might be HIV positive.
Unfortunately not knowing your status and not testing will not remedy this
situation. Lack of awareness and high levels of stigma around HIV and AIDS
are problems.
World overviews of food insecurity are given by the Famine Early Warning Systems
Network (FEWS-NET) visit www.fews.net
Estimates from the International Labour Organisation suggest that South

Africas agricultural workforce could decline by more than 15% by 2020
due to HIV and AIDS.
Losing skilled workers has a significant impact on productivity, but there
are also social challenges. How do you deal with a household that is now
without an income? And what if there are orphans that are left behind?
Farmers often dont know where to turn to in order to help their workers.
321
The stigma, different misconceptions and the fear to die alone if

diagnosed with HIV, especially in rural settings, necessitate that a HIV/
AIDS policy needs to be built upon trust and confidence amongst all the
players/stakeholders. Involvement of all stakeholders in an early stage
helps building the necessary team approach.
Before starting awareness sessions for the farm workers in our
programmes, the farmer / farm management need to speak to the farm
workers, indicating commitment and stipulating assurance that people will
not be fired (one of the fears is that they will be fired if tested positive).
By implementing an HIV programme the hope is that the workers are
more knowledgeable about the importance of a healthy life style.
AgriAids, through funding provided by USAID, specialises in providing
HIV awareness, testing and support for farm owners and workers. The
Department of Health is a key partner in all the AgriAids interventions,
as their involvement ensures sustainability.
Source: AgriAids. Contact them at 012 392 0500 or visit www.agriaids.org.za
3. The subsistence farmer

HIV/AIDS accelerates rural impoverishment and the breakdown of extended
family relations that have over many years been the foundation of traditional
safety-net mechanisms.
Subsistence agriculture makes for a hard life, particularly in areas that are
badly hit by HIV. Put farming and AIDS together, add drought or disease,
and you have a diabolical mixture of circumstances. Subsistence farmers
typically work in remote areas with poor access to markets and agricultural
services. Poverty is widespread. The burden of tending to family members
with AIDS-related diseases and the frequent death of these persons
leads to a decline in production among subsistence households, as human
and financial resources are invested in taking care of people rather than
crops and animals. Lower production, in turn, causes food insecurity that
exacerbates the effects of AIDS and heightens the likelihood of HIV
exposure and infection. A vicious cycle is set in motion.
Because HIV largely affects the population group aged between 15 and
49 years, it is often parents that are lost to the pandemic. As a result,
farming skills that would normally be passed from mothers and fathers to
their children tend to be lost, with the new generation left ill-equipped
to continue with agriculture. In some cases, when AIDS claimed all the
adults, children are left to manage households, raise siblings and attempt
to produce food. This creates another cycle of lack of formal education,
leading to unemployment and children growing up without any parental
guidance and love, leading to marginalisation.
Advice to subsistence or small-scale farmers would include:
Grow millet and sorghum. These crops can grow without irrigation
no small matter in an aids-affected household with little labour or
money to spare.
Invest more in the farming of indigenous livestock e.g. Nguni cattle,
a local breed that copes better with dry African weather than other
breeds and which has greater resistance to ticks and diseases. European
breeds need expensive medication and vaccinations, and that they are
sometimes unable to survive the South African climate.
Chicken farming, which requires less expertise than cattle breeding,
could also prove useful for families struggling to cope with AIDS.
In addition, poultry is a cheap source of the protein that is vital in
maintaining the immune system of HIV-positive persons for as long as
possible.
Adapted from an article in the Mail & Guardian, 7 June 2005
4. Stages of HIV infection and disease

It is now recognised that it may take between 7 and 10 years and possibly
longer for AIDS to develop after infection. There are four stages: acute
infection, the silent phase, early symptomatic disease, and finally AIDS.
Details of these stages are available on www.redribbon.co.za.
5. Nutrition and food safety

No specific food or nutrient can destroy the virus, but a healthy eating
pattern and life style will strengthen the immune system. Good nutrition
will help you to fight infections and delay the development of full-blown
AIDS. This will improve well being and prolong life.
It seems prudent for all HIV infected individuals to consume an adequate
vitamin intake from food, but in those with a poor dietary intake, a
multivitamin and mineral supplement should be used.
Food hygiene is important in HIV-positive individuals with poor immune
function as they are at an increased risk of food poisoning. Special care
should be taken with uncooked products such as eggs, fish, meat and milk
products.
Food Safety Precautions
Wash hands thoroughly before handling or eating food. Avoid raw/
unpasteurised milk.
Meat, fish or chicken should always be well cooked.
Avoid raw eggs in uncooked foods e.g. drinks, mayonnaise, etc.
Discard cracked eggs.
Do not buy prepared salads with chicken, fish, meat, egg or mayonnaise
from the supermarket.
Leftover food should be refrigerated as soon as it has cooled.
It should be reheated once and should be hot all the way through.
Wash all fruit and vegetables well.
Store food in a cool, dry place.
Moderate exercise should be encouraged and will assist in the toning
or development of muscle.
Source: Marianne E.Visser, Nutrition and Dietetics Unit, University of Cape Town.
6. What should be said in a campaign about HIV

and AIDS
What we should say in a campaign about AIDS and HIV should be clear and
factually based.
You can contract HIV through unprotected sex or direct exposure to
HIV positive blood.
You and your partner should get tested before having sex and this
should be very early on in your relationship. HIV has a window period
and this means it may not show up on the first test.
You must talk with your partner about sex, condom use and Sexually
Transmitted Diseases (STDs).
If you are HIV positive there is support for you. Do not feel alone, seek
help and medical treatment.
Even if both parents are HIV positive, their children can be born
HIV free. This is known as PMTCT (prevention of mother to child
transmission). Consult a medical practitioner about this.
Shunning HIV positive people will not contribute to eradicating HIV,
but could lead to non-disclosure and possible infection. Discrimination
is nothing but a lack of knowledge that leads to fear and exclusion.
An HIV positive person, on Anti-Retroviral Treatment, with a high CD4
count and undetectable viral load, is a safer sexual choice than not
knowing your partners HIV status (or your own). This does not mean
that you can have unprotected sex with an HIV positive person, the
message still remains: practice safe sex and know your status, as well
as the status of your sexual partner/partners.
Source: Jennifer Thorpe on www.thoughtleader.co.za and Gerhard Lombard (AgriAids)
322
7. National Strategy and government contact

The National Strategic Plan (NSP) for HIV, sexually transmitted infections
(STIs) and tuberculosis (TB) (2012 2016) is a framework to guide the
activities of all partners whose work is relevant to HIV, STIs and TB in
South Africa. It provides goals and strategies for the countrys response
to these diseases during the period 2012 to 2016. The NSP will guide the
development of provincial strategic implementation plans as well as sector
implementation plans.
Department of Health Tel: 012 395 8000 www.doh.gov.za
Department of Social Development Tel: 012 312 7500 www.dsd.
gov.za
Department of Science and Technology (DST) Tel: 012 843 6300
www.dst.gov.za
Medicines Control Council (MCC) www.mccza.com
The National Health Council (NHC) is made up of the Minister
of Health, the MECs for Health from all provinces, the South African
Local Government Association (SALGA) and South African Military
Health Services.
South African Medical Association (Sama) www.samedical.org
South African National Aids Council (SANAC) officially brings
together the government and civil society in the fight against HIV/AIDS.
Visit www.sanac.org.za.
8. Role players
National Aids Helpline 0800-012-322 www.aidshelpline.org.za
ACAT KZN Tel: 033 234 4223 www.acatkzn.co.za

Access Health (SA) Tel: 0860 654 323 www.accesshealthsa.com
AgriAids acts as a conduit between farm owners/management,
farm workers and the Department of Health. AgriAids reaches
thousands of farm workers with HIV, TB and STI prevention messages
and screening, provision of general health screening and support in
obtaining treatment. Call 012 392 0500 or visit www.agriaids.org.za.
AIDS Foundation of South Africa Tel: 031 277 2700 www.aids.org.
za
AIDS Law Project Tel: 011 356 4100
CareCross is involved in programmes at several farms in the Eastern
Cape. Visit www.carecross.co.za.
Centre for HIV/AIDS Networking (HIVAN) Tel: 0860 448 911
www.hiv911.org.za
Find the Eastern Cape Aids Council pages at www.ecsecc.org.
Good nutrition is of enormous importance to HIV-positive people.
ePap is more than 29 times more nutritionally dense than refined
maize and is packed with 28 micro and macro nutrients. Visit www.
epap.co.za.
Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA) Tel: 012 338
9300 www.hpcsa.co.za
International Organisation for Migration South Africa works
with sectors that traditionally employ a relatively large number of
migrant workers including the commercial agriculture sector. Call 012
342 2789 or visit www.iom.org.za.
Kaelo has offices in Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban. Visit www.
kaelo.co.za.
Khululeka provides training, materials and support for pre-schools
and care-givers across a wide region. Visit www.khululeka.org.
Details of Lifeline offices and crisis lines across the country are available
at www.lifeline.org.za.
LoveLife www.lovelife.org.za
082 467 2863
National AIDS Helpline Tel: 0800 012 322 www.aidshelpline.org.za
National Institute for Communicable Diseases is a division of the

National Health Laboratory Service. Call 011 386 6000 or visit www.
nicd.ac.za.
South African Business Coalition on HIV/AIDS (SABCOHA) is
empowering business in the fight against HIV. Visit www.sabcoha.
org or phone 011 880 4821.
South African Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SACCI)
runs workshops and guidance on implementing HIV/AIDS policies. Call
011 446 3800 or visit www.sacci.org.za.
South African AIDS Vaccine Initiative (SAAVI) Tel: 080 VACCINE
www.saavi.org.za
Southern Africa AIDS Trust Tel: 011 478 8300 www.satregional.
org
Southern African HIV Clinicians Society Tel: 011 341 0162 www.
sahivsoc.org
Southern Africa Trust Tel: 011 318 1012 www.southernafricatrust.
org
Treatment Action Campaign (TAC) Tel: 021 422 1700 www.tac.
org.za
Ubuntu Institute Tel: 011 566 6813 www.ubuntuinstitute.com
Helping to support the ordinary lives of AIDS orphans

Children in Distress Network (CINDI) www.cindi.org.za
Children of the Dawn www.childrenofthedawn.org.za
HeartBeat www.heartbeat.org.za
Noah www.noahorphans.org.za
Starfish www.starfishcharity.org
Cotlands www.cotlands.co.za
Training
Find the HIV/AIDS awareness training option at www.skillsportal.co.za.
AgriSETA accredited training providers cover HIV/AIDS
Awareness. Refer to the Agricultural education and training chapter.
AIDS Consortium has offices in Johannesburg, Polokwane and
Rustenburg. Visit www.aidsconsortium.org.za.
Call the Rain has won awards for its innovative storytelling approach
to HIV/AIDS prevention. Its One Bokkie Story has been used by
over 500 storytellers from across South Africa, Swaziland, Malawi and
Namibia in the fight against HIV/AIDS and Tuberculosis. Counselling
training is also offered. Call 021 919 4365 / 082 228 7354 and visit
www.calltherain.co.za.
Education, Training and Counselling Tel: 011 614 0872 www.edutc.
co.za
The Foundation for Professional Developments HIV/AIDS Clinical
Management Course supports the professional growth of physicians,
nurses and health care workers. The FPD has also worked with
AgriAids to provide VCT (Voluntary Counselling and Testing) on farms
with mobile units. Call 012 816 9000 or visit www.foundation.co.za.
Free to Grow Tel: 021 852 4445 www.free-to-grow.co.za
Hope Nutritional Training and Research Tel: 011 326 3507 www.
hopenbc.co.za
Interactive Solutions Tel: 012 809 8608 / 082 430 4562
Learn Scape Tel: 011 475 4777 www.learnscapes.co.za
Project Literacy operates countrywide. Find contact details at www.
projectliteracy.org.za/HIV.asp.
Right to Care builds public- and private-sector capacity for the
clinical care and treatment of individuals living with HIV and associated
diseases. Phone 011 276 8850 or visit www.righttocare.org.
Research (and training)

Africa Centre for HIV/AIDS Management Tel: 021 808 3002/6
www.aidscentre.sun.ac.za
Centre for AIDS Development, Research and Evaluation
(CADRE) has offices in Johannesburg, Grahamstown and Cape Town.
Visit www.cadre.org.za.
323
Contact Dr Joe Molete at Tel: 012 841 4220/2000 or jmolete@csir.

co.za to find out about the involvement of the Council for Scientific
and Industrial Research (CSIR).
Health Economics and HIV/AIDS Research Division (HEARD)
Tel: 031 260 2592 www.heard.org.za
Human Science Research Council (HSRC) Tel: 021 466 7946
www.hsrc.ac.za/HAST.phtml
There is a HIV Prevention Research Unit at the Medical Research
Council. Write to gita.ramjee@mrc.ac.za, call the Durban branch at
031 203 4700, or visit www.mrc.ac.za.
Contact the HIV/AIDS Unit at the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan
University at 41 504 2958 or visit http://hivaids.nmmu.ac.za.
Sub-programme 5 of the North-West Universitys Unit for
Environmental Sciences and Management is Spatial planning,
development and implementation. HIV and AIDS features as a cause
for enormous concern. Contact Selne Cornelius at 018 299 2544 or
with an email to Selna.Cornelius@nwu.ac.za.
Stellenbosch Universitys Bureau for Economic Research has done
research on the economic impact of HIV/AIDS. Phone 021 887 2810
or visit www.ber.ac.za. Qualifications are also offered by its Telematic
Services in HIV/AIDS Management. Call 021 808 3563.
The Valley Trust Tel: 031 716 6800 www.thevalleytrust.org.za
Contact the Department of Agricultural Economics at the University
of the Free State. Call 051 401 2824 / 3864 or visit www.ufs.ac.za/
agri-econ.
Dr Henry Mwambi at the University of KwaZulu-Natal can be
reached at 033 260 5614 / 082 684 7185 or mwambih@ukzn.ac.za.
The University website is www.ukzn.ac.za.
The Walter Sisulu University houses the Centre for HIV and AIDS.
Find more information and contact details at www.wsu.ac.za/cha.
Voluntary Counselling and Testing (VCT)
Numerous clinics and hospitals around the nine provinces do VCT. Lists
of these are available on www.aidshelpline.org.za. You can also call the
National AIDS Helpline and ask for the nearest voluntary counseling and
testing (VCT) centre. The number is 0800-012-322.

South African
Visit the websites listed earlier in the chapter.
The following Info Paks are available at www.daff.gov.za, website of the
Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (DAFF). Alternatively,
contact their Resource Centre at 012 319 7141.
HIV/AIDS and nutrition [Eating the right food can help your immune
system to fight infection]
HIV/AIDS and the farm worker [Basic information on HIV and AIDS]
HIV/AIDS: Caring for people with AIDS [Basic guidelines to caring for
people with HIV and AIDS]
HIV/AIDS: Know your rights [The rights of a person suffering from HIV
and AIDS]
HIV/AIDS: Staying healthy [Basic guidelines on how to stay healthy when
you are HIV positive]
HIV/AIDS: What women should know [Information for women about
HIV and AIDS]
Find South African National HIV Prevalence, Incidence, Behaviour and
Communication Survey and other material by the Human Sciences Research
Council (HSRC) amongst the free downloads on www.hsrcpress.ac.za.
The HIV/AIDS Emergency A Guideline for Educators available in four languages
(English, Afrikaans, Sesotho, Xhosa). This is available from the Department
of Basic Education.
Social Investment Exchange is a stock exchange with a difference. Invest

from as little as R50 in one of the HIV/AIDS related organisations and track
your donation to see how it is benefiting the chosen cause. Visit www.sasix.
co.za.
Find the many useful notes on setting up workplace HIV/AIDS policies
and
programmes
at
www.westerncape.gov.za/eng/directories/
services/11442/10452.
African
A number of reports can be found on www.polity.org.za e.g. Medical
practitioner versus traditional healers: Implications for HIV & AIDS policy, The
Fiscal Dimension of HIV/Aids in Botswana, South Africa, Swaziland and Uganda
(March 2012) and HIV/AIDS and Human Insecurity in Southern Africa.
www.redribbon.co.za the one-stop web portal focusing on HIV
and AIDS in Southern Africa
Southern Africa HIV and AIDS information Dissemination Service
www.safaids.net
www.fanrpan.org
www.sahivsoc.org
www.satregional.org
Regional Aids Training Network (RATN) www.ratn.org
The African Comprehensive HIV/AIDS Partnerships (ACHAP) at www.
achap.org
International
The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV and AIDS (UNAIDS)
www.unaids.org. Find the latest statistics here and news on the
progress against HIV and AIDS.
The World Development Reports reveal that most people affected by
the HIV/AIDS pandemic in sub-Saharan Africa depend on agriculture,
and that up to 26 percent of the agricultural labour force in east and
southern Africa be lost within two decades. Find these annual reports
at www.worldbank.org.
An Amnesty International study showed that poor, rural women bear
the brunt of South Africas HIV pandemic. Visit www.amnesty.org.
The Invisible Cure: Africa, the West and the Fight against AIDS Helen
Epsteins Viking/Penguin
www.africaid.co.uk the Maruva Trust works with HIV positive
children and adolescents in Zimbabwe.
World Health Organisation www.who.int
The Global Fund to fight HIV/AIDS www.theglobalfund.org
International Aids Society www.iasociety.org
Read about the International Labour Organisations Programme on
HIV/AIDS at www.ilo.org/aids.
www.aidsmap.com HIV and AIDS sharing knowledge, changing
lives
www.aidsportal.org is supported through a global network. Subscribe
to their newsletter.
USAID through PEPFAR has subsidised the NPOs who do HIV testing,
and many of these offer Voluntary Counselling and Testing (VCT) freeof-charge in the rural areas. Visit www.usaid.gov.
Our thanks to Gerhard Lombard of AgriAids for feedback on the draft
chapter.
324
national issues
Human settlements
1. Overview
When you feel you belong, you take ownership of your environment. It is,
after all, in your interests to act in a way that ensures the continuity and
permanence of this community, your community.
Any society which has a high percentage of people without a sense of
belonging will have tension. This is true whether those people are:
disadvantaged through the history of the country (see the Black
Economic Empowerment and Developing farmer support)
disadvantaged by means of gender (see the Women chapter)
just out of school with no chance of employment (see the Job creation
and Youth chapters in this section)
physically disabled in some way (see People with disabilities).
Having a house is part of belonging. In this chapter we will look at the issue
of those who are literally without houses, or who live in very unsatisfactory
ones.
2. Urbanisation
People migrated to the cities through a variety of reasons.
Pull factors like access to jobs and work opportunities, access to urban
facilities, the attraction of the bright lights, to be closer to loved ones.
Landlessness, joblessness, poverty and the imposition of unfair taxes
on rural people were push factors.
These have been augmented lately by the global economic meltdown,
the local recession and concomitant job losses, and the movement
across our border of human beings looking for a better life in this
country.
Some of the townships built in the last century were the creation of the
government of the time; the informal settlements that sprang up then and
since were not. They are more like economic refugee zones, and human
parking lots, crammed with people hoping and praying to make it into better
housing in the cities.
Human settlements must go beyond houses to this sense of belonging. It
should be about homes and the existing possibilities for the people in those
areas.
Source: Tokyo Sexwale speeches in SANews, and award-wining architect Mokena
Makeka

Human Settlements is Outcome 8 of Governments 12 priority outcomes. This outcome
puts emphasis on sustainable human settlements and improved quality of household
life, which is achievable through a number of interventions. Read about these in the
latest yearbook at www.gcis.gov.za.
In terms of section 26 of the Constitution everyone has the right to have

access to adequate housing [Section 26(1)]. The state must take reasonable
legislative and other measures, within its available resources, to achieve
the progressive realisation of this right [Section 26(2)]. The legislation that
the then Department of Housing promulgated falls squarely within this
Constitutional imperative.
Section 2 of the Housing Act, 1997 (Act No. 107 of 1997) compels all three
spheres of government to give priority to the needs of the poor in respect
of housing development [Section 2(1)(a)]. In addition all three spheres of
government must ensure that housing development -
provides as wide a choice of housing and tenure options as is reasonably

possible;
is economically, fiscally, socially and financially affordable and
sustainable;
is based on integrated development planning; and
is administered in a transparent, accountable and equitable manner,
and upholds the practice of good governance [Section 2(1)(c)].
Though this legislation, existing and future, and the Housing Code, the
Department of Human Settlements is carrying out its legislative imperative
as set out in the Housing Act, 1997.
The Department of Human Settlement (DHS) received R22-billion for the
delivery of housing in 2011/12, while a further R100-billion was allocated to
other departments to assist with the necessary bulk infrastructure needed
to establish successful settlements. The DHSs budget is expected to grow
to R26,6-billion in 2013/14.
Department of Human
Settlements (DHS)
Tel: 0800 146873
www.dhs.gov.za
Department of Co-operative
Governance & Traditional
Affairs
Tel: 012 421 1310
www.cogta.gov.za
Contact details of provincial offices

are available on the website.
Department of Public Works
Tel: 012 310 5083
www.publicworks.gov.za
The United Nations Human Settlements Programme, UNHABITAT, is the United Nations agency for human settlements.
It is mandated by the UN General Assembly to promote socially and
environmentally sustainable towns and cities with the goal of providing
adequate shelter for all (see www.unhabitat.org). South Africa has
international commitments under Agenda 21 and the Habitat Agenda to
meet.

Associations
Aluminium Federation of Southern Africa (AFSA) www.afsa.org.za
Association of South African Quantity Surveyors (ASAQS)
www.asaqs.co.za
Built Environment Professions Export Council (BEPEC) www.
bepec.co.za
Clay Brick Association www.claybrick.org.za
Consulting Engineers South Africa www.cesa.co.za
Cement and Concrete Institute www.cnci.org.za
Green Building Council of South Africa (GBCSA) www.gbcsa.org.za
Institute of Timber Frame Builders (TFBA) www.itfb.co.za
Master Builders South Africa (MBSA) www.mbsa.org.za
South African Council for the Quantity Surveying Profession
(SACQSP) www.sacqsp.org.za
South African Council for the Project and Construction
Management Professions (SACPCMP) www.sacpcmp.org.za
South African Federation of Civil Engineer Contractors
(SAFCEC) www.safcec.org.za
South African Institute of Architects www.saia.org.za
NGOs
Development Action Group Tel: 021 448 7886 www.dag.org.za
Habitat for Humanity South Africa is dedicated to making decent
shelter a matter of conscience and action. Visit www.habitat.org.za or
call 021 657 5640.
Khuthaza, formerly Women for Housing, facilitates opportunities
for women within the housing sector. Visit www.khuthaza.org.za and
phone 011 275 0268.
Niall Mellon Townships Initiative Tel: 021 426 2540 www.
nmtownshiptrust.com
Planact Tel: 011 403 6291 www.planact.org.za
SANGONET is the development information portal for NGOs in
South Africa. Find the listings of NGOs at www.ngopulse.org. Reports
like Success at a Price: How NGO advocacy led to changes in South Africas
Peoples Housing Process can be found on the website too.
South African Civil Society Information Service www.sacsis.org.za
325
Government agencies and statutory bodies

Agrment South Africa Tel: 012 841 3708 www.agrement.co.za
CASIDRA Tel: 021 863 5000 www.casidra.co.za
Council for the Built Environment Tel: 012 346 3985 www.cbe.org.za
Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA) Tel: 011 313 3911
www.dbsa.org
Housing Development Agency Tel: 021 487 9211 www.thehda.
co.za
Independent Development Trust Tel: 012 845 2000 www.idt.org.za
National Home Builders Registration Council (NHBRC) Tel: 011
317 0000 www.nhbrc.org.za
National Housing Finance Corporation (NHFC) Tel: 011 644 9800
www.nhfc.co.za
National Urban and Reconstruction Agency (NURCHA) Tel: 011
214 8700 www.nurcha.co.za
Rural Housing Loan Fund (RHLF) Tel: 011 621 2500 www.rhlf.co.za
Social Housing Foundation (SHF) Tel: 011 274 6200 www.shf.org.za
Social Housing Regulatory Authority Tel: 011 274 6200 www.shra.
org.za
Thubelisha Homes see Social Housing Foundation

Find contact details of Construction Education & Training Authority
(CETA) branches and training providers on the website www.ceta.
org.za. Their phone number is 011 265 5900.
Cement and Concrete Institute Tel: 011 315 0300 www.cnci.org.za
CSIR Built Environment Tel: 012 841 3051 www.csir.co.za
Research results released by the South African Institute of Race
Relations (SAIRR) in February 2012 showed that over 80 percent
of South African households do not qualify for home loans. This places
additional pressure on government to provide housing. Call the SAIRR
at 011 482 7221 or visit www.sairr.org.za.
The Sustainability Institute offers a one-week course Ecological
Design for Community Buildings. Visit www.sustainabilityinstitute.net
or call them at 021 881 3196.
Examples of two universities follow:
and Management
Prof S Cilliers
Tel: 018 299 2523
Sarel.Cilliers@nwu.ac.za
www.nwu.ac.za

Department of Quantity Surveying
and Construction Management
Tel: 051 401 2248
Department of Architecture
Tel: 051 401 2332
www.ufs.ac.za/architecture
Field of research: urban and

settlement ecology
Department of Urban and
Regional Planning
Tel: 051 401 2486
www.ufs.ac.za/urpl
Some other role players

AGAMA Energy (Pty) Ltd Tel: 021 701 3364 www.agama.co.za
EnviroChoice Tel: 011 312 1480/7 www.bembani.com
InSynch Sustainable Technologies Tel: 076 668 8877 www.insynch.
co.za
Moladi Tel: 041 372 2152 www.moladi.net
SPATIUM Environmental Design Tel: 058 256 1195 / 082 777
2647
Sustainable Energy Africa Tel: 021 702 3622 www.sustainable.org.za
Sustainable Living Centre www.sustainable.co.za
Sustainable Villages Africa (SVA) Tel: 012 361 1846 / 072 510 0187
www.sva.co.za
Walter Sisulu Environmental Centre Tel: 012 801 3197 www.
wsec.co.za
5. Some notes on sustainability

A sustainable community ideally does not depend on externalities for its
functioning and survival. It would incorporate the following:
It is economically viable / has an economic base / has an economic
reason for being (raison d etre). Every location / site / social group has
something which makes it unique. Its uniqueness becomes its reason for
existence, its magnet for attracting investment / for creating a market. New
and existing communities should have some primary activity in its economic
make-up. This is important for the creation of a diverse local economy. In
urban areas, suburbs should be transformed into an economy which is not
dependent on the CBD or commercial/industrial areas for survival. Towns
should not depend on cities for their survival.
It does not export waste. Limit the waste flow. Keep the biological and
technological waste streams separate and upcycle it (where waste is used as
resource for the next step in the communitys metabolism). This approach
follows natures dictum of waste is food: it eliminates pollution. Create jobs
from the waste!
It does not import resources. Resources are seen as: material, energy,
labour, knowledge, capital and wisdom. Anything local which can be used
as catalyst / multiplier for the local economy should be developed, and
regarded as a resource.
It maintains and fosters diversity. Biological, social and economic. The
degradation of natural systems is taboo (over-harvesting, loss of biodiversity,
monocultures, etc). Diversity is natures design framework.
It grows social capital. Fosters conditions for society to thrive and
enhances its capacity to meet its needs:
Level 1: Natural systems are not damaged. To do so will undermine and
limit that community sooner or later.
Level 2: This relates to conditions at the social system level: a decision
made elsewhere might result in people not having access to resources,
or to education. Any power that does not recognise interdependence
is not sustainable.
Level 3: Successful strategies for social sustainability: participation,
transparency, responsibility / accountability, honesty.
Local knowledge, wisdom, culture are nurtured, tapped; this is reflected in
decisions made at this level. Social and ecological implications are linked.
It governs itself. The smaller and more local the government, the more
participation there is and the more legitimate, accountable and effective
it becomes.
It is designed with the intention to facilitate all of the above. Design
does not stop at the house, street, landscaping, cadastral subdivisions or
planning regulations. It asks questions about what waste is produced, where
it goes and how it is managed. It asks questions about how the community is
managed and how it earns its keep. It asks questions about how the habitat
is enriched by the resident community. In short, the designers (for there
are many) must create frameworks which nurture communities and their
habitats not to limit or constrain through regulations, for regulation is a
signal of design failure.
Adapted from Louw van Biljons Sustainable Development Manifesto(January 2006)
in which he acknowledges two crucial books as sources: Cook, David. 2004. The
Natural Step. Towards a sustainable society. Schumacher briefing No. 11. Green
Books, Totnes, Devon. - Mc Donough, William & Braungart, Michael. 2002. Cradle
to Cradle. North Point Press, New York. Van Biljon can be contacted at Tel: 058 256
1195 / 082 777 2647
326
Food may be produced in the rural areas. When it is transported for

processing in urban areas and then transported back to consumers in
the rural areas, it will have become fairly more expensive. At the time of
researching this chapter (June 2012), the monthly Food Price Monitor (find
these at www.namc.co.za) found that rural communities paid R14.89 more
than urban consumers for the same food basket in April 2012.
national issues
Infrastructure and agrologistics
3. Roads
1. Overview
The provision of infrastructure increases economic activity because the
cost of doing business is lowered. Goods and produce arrive at markets
at a competitive price, and this clears the way for greater prosperity and
increased employment opportunities. When infrastructure is inadequate or
inefficient, the opposite happens.
Infrastructure both hard infrastructure and soft is what makes a country
functional. Without infrastructure, life as we know it would not be possible.
Roads, railways, harbours and airports allow for the movement of people and
goods, whilst energy allows for this movement to be sustained. Nothing
exists without access to water (its not for nothing that ours is the blue
planet), and adequate waste management keeps the space around us clean
and allows for continued activity and life. The soft infrastructure the
institutional, industrial and social aspects is as vital and necessary as the hard.
This chapter will look largely at the transport element of hard infrastructure.
Energy, water and waste management are covered in chapters elsewhere
in this directory, and there are chapters which cover education, financial
services and other components understood as soft infrastructure.
The cost of logistics in both South Africa and the wider African continent has
long been cited as a major constraint to doing business. When food prices and
unemployment are high, the case for doing something about our infrastructure
becomes a national issue.
2. Agro-logistics
South Africas total road network is about 754 000km, of which over
70 000km are paved or surfaced roads.
Much of the countrys road system was built during the 1970s, and
these roads are older than the original twenty-year design life. A
maintenance backlog amounts to some R100 billion.
Around 3 000 km of the national roads are toll roads. About 1 800
km of these are maintained by SANRAL, while the rest have been
concessioned to private companies to develop, operate and maintain.
A multi-billion Rand freeway improvement scheme has significantly
eased congestion on the roads in Gauteng, the countrys busiest
province.
The overwhelming majority of our land freight tonnage is carried by
road, even though it is at least 25% more expensive than rail.
Sources: Farmers Weekly 17 December 2010, South Africa: Investors Handbook
2011/2012, www.wikipedia.org
4. Railways
State-owned group Transnet Freight Rail (TFR) currently carries about
three-million tons of agricultural goods on rail down from nine-million
tons a year in 1994. The decrease has been attributed to
a decline in rolling stock quantities
the age and condition of the rolling stock (breakdowns would lead to
late deliveries)
decline in service levels as a result of cable theft, infrastructure failures,
historical underinvestment in maintenance
increasing road competition due to dynamics and structural changes in
grain industry
Logistics challenges are:
The presentation by Transnet CEO, Brian Molefe, at the Agribusiness Indaba in May
2012, gives top agricultural transportation demand (road and rail), million tonnes per
annum, as follows:
Top 5
2011
2016
2021
2026
2031
2036
2041
Sugar cane
24.0
27.4
30.6
33.8
38.3
43.5
49.4
Maize
13.4
15.1
16.7
18.3
20.6
23.1
26.0
Wood
8.9
10.3
11.8
13.5
15.7
18.6
22.0
Vegetables
4.2
4.9
5.3
5.8
6.4
7.0
7.7
Wheat
3.4
3.9
4.3
4.8
5.4
6.1
6.9
Other agri
32.3
37.1
41.7
46.4
53.2
61.1
70.3
TOTAL
86.2
98.6 110.5
122.7 139.6
159.4 182.4
Agriculture is about the production of food and fibre. Agro-logistics refers

to getting these products to where they are needed (where the demand is).
Infrastructure allows for this to happen: the mass movement and storage
of this food, to the movement of time-sensitive goods within and outside of
our borders.
A lack of reliable infrastructure means that the country is not competitive
e.g. when it is cheaper, in Cape Town, to import maize from across the
Atlantic Ocean than to have it transported from inland.
Food is more expensive when the cheaper methods of transport are not
available. Road transport is 25% more expensive than rail, and yet more
than two-thirds of our grain is moved by road. Transporting by rail would
translate into reduced food prices but these facilities are not reliable.
Major grain producing areas and storage sites (silos) are located in the
vicinity of TFRs low density rail network or branchlines.
This secondary rail network was specifically built to service this industry
by providing a stable and low-cost rail service at a time that the grain
industry was regulated.
Rail service was regular and predictable then, because the grain
demand and supply was coordinated by the now defunct Maize Board
the equivalent of a modern-day logistics integrator of sorts.
TFR, by default, has assumed this role in the current deregulated era,
but in an environment of poor, guarded and unco-ordinated information
flows and many stakeholders.
Transnet has launched a new business unit to focus on the agriculture sector,
and aims to position itself to move 130-million tons of the future agricultural
demand by 2041. The shift from road to rail should reduce carbon emissions,
the cost of doing business and slow down rising food prices.
Sources: The presentation Transnet and Agri-logistics by Transnet CEO Brian Molefe at
the Agribusiness Indaba in May 2012
The African Union has advocated the use of standard gauge (1 435mm)
on the continent, in order to enhance trade interconnectivity between
countries. South Africas neighbours use standard gauge. South Africas
network consists largely of the narrow Cape gauge, at a width of 1 067
mm.
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5. Ports
Agricultural products form a significant component of the freight that is
handled in the South African ports.
The country operates deepwater ports (Richard Bay, Saldanha Port and
Ngqura), hub ports (Durban and Cape Town), and multipurpose ports (Port
Elizabeth, Mossel Bay and East London). There is also a seaport at Port
Nolloth.
Durban is Africas busiest port and the largest container facility in
southern Africa, and is conveniently situated to the industrialised
Durban/Pinetown and Gauteng areas.
Richards Bay, the worlds largest bulk coal terminal, is the countrys
leading port when it comes to cargo volumes and size.
Saldanha is the deepest and largest natural port in Southern Africa.
The new Port of Ngqura, situated just outside of Port Elizabeth, forms
part of the Coega Industrial Development Zone in the Eastern Cape.
A range of agricultural products are handled at dry bulk and liquid bulk
terminals in the ports of Cape Town, Port Elizabeth, East London, Durban
and Richards Bay. These include timber, grain, animal feed, edible oils and
fertiliser.
Fresh Product Terminals (FPTs) are located in Cape Town, Port Elizabeth and
Durban. These provide refrigerated solutions for the handling of palletised
fruit in break bulk terminals. Increasingly the palletised operation is being
replaced with reefer containers. As such, expansions plans of the FPTs
are limited, and increasingly fruit is being handled through the container
terminals.
The state-owned Transnet National Ports Authority manages the
countrys ports.
The Port Development Plans contained in Transnets Long Term Planning
Framework (LTPF) show major expansions in capacity for all cargo types in
all the ports. While some expansions are specific to agricultural products
(e.g. the East London grain elevator), expansions in container, break bulk,
liquid and dry bulk terminals make general provision for agricultural imports
and exports. Port capacity plans have been developed in alignment with rail
and road plans, to ensure total transportation logistics solutions for the agri
sector.
Sources: The presentation Transnet and Agri-logistics by Transnet CEO Brian Molefe
at the Agribusiness Indaba in May 2012
6. Airports
The countrys principal airports are in Johannesburg, Cape Town, Durban,
Bloemfontein, Port Elizabeth, East London, George, Kimberly, Pilansberg
and Upington.
Airport Company South Africa (ACSA) invested about R20 billion in
South Africas airports in the run-up to the 2010 FIFA World Cup, with
major upgrades to Johannesburgs OR Tambo International Airport and
Cape Town International Airport. The old Durban International Airport
was replaced by King Shaka International Airport to the north of Durban,
built at a cost of R7.9 billion. Twenty-one air traffic control centres, run by
Air Traffic and Navigation Services, support operations that cover 145
licensed airports with paved runways and more than 580 aerodromes with
unpaved runways.
Source: South Africa: Investors Handbook 2011/2012 (find it at www.thedti.gov.za)

Governments Industrial Policy Action Programme (IPAP) sets out
cross-border infrastructure and sector development as a Key Action
Programme. Find the document at www.thedti.gov.za.
IPAP became part of the New Growth Path (NGP), which sets a goal
of creating 5 million new jobs by 2020 (see the Job creation chapter). It
NAMC HP
329
identifies structural problems in the economy and points to opportunities in

specific sectors (jobs drivers).
The Plan includes the expansion of ports and rail-lines, and modernising
the road networks. Other infrastructure to receive attention are dams,
irrigation systems, power stations, renewable energy plants, transmission
lines and broadband, and expanding the building of schools, hospitals and
universities.
Transnets strategic infrastructure developments have been adopted as part
of the National Planning Commissions National Development Plan and
the Strategic Integrated Projects (SIPs) programme of the Presidential
Infrastructure Co-ordinating Commission. The eleventh of these priority
projects (Sip 11) is an agro-logistics and rural infrastructure one. Included
here are facilities for storage (silos, fresh produce facilities, packing houses)
and transport links to main networks (rural roads, branch train-lines and
ports).
Various funding models are being investigated for the R3.2 trillion
infrastructure development plan with several options on the table.
Investing in infrastructure is a winner because it lays the basis for higher
growth, inclusivity and job creation. It will also support the integration of
African economies.
Development
Tel: 012 394 1006
www.economic.gov.za
Department of Transport
(DoT)
Tel: 012 309 3000
www.transport.gov.za
Minister Patel heads up the

Secretariat of the Presidential
Infrastructure Co-ordination
Commission (PICC), tasked
with rolling out governments
infrastructure plan.
Other government departments

involved include the Department
of Cooperative Governance and
Traditional Affairs (CoGTA), the
Department of Public Works,
the Department of International
Relations and Cooperation and
the Department of Trade and
Industry.
Tel: 012 319 8455
Department of Public
Enterprises
Tel: 012 431 1000 / 21
www.dpe.gov.za
Road
construction,
repairs
and maintenance form part of
Governments Expanded Public
Works Programme (EPWP).

Africas infrastructure lags behind that of other developing regions.
Moving goods across borders and the lack of infrastructure are major
obstacles to trade between African countries (Intra-Africa trade is only
around 12% of the continents overall trade).
The NEPAD Agency has identified infrastructure development as the
most critical need in bridging the gap between Africa and the developed
world. Without adequate transport, energy, telecommunications
and water networks, all other development initiatives are severely
hampered.
The cost of addressing Africas infrastructure needs is around $93
billion a year, according to the World Bank.
Many investors are now viewing the situation as an opportunity.
Read about the Programme for Infrastructure Development in Africa
(PIDA) at www.pidafrica.org.
Spatial Development Initiatives (SDIs) or trade corridors are
government-driven programmes in areas of inherent potential.
Transport modes (roads, ports, railways etc) are harmonised.
The Regional Indicative Strategic Development Plan (RISDP), the
SADC Regional Infrastructure Development Master Plan (RIDMP),
the North South Corridor and the New East-West Transport Corridor
(NEWCOR) are all measures adopted to improve intra-African
infrastructure.
Find news of infrastructure projects per country on www.afdb.org, website of
the African Development Bank.
9. Role players
The provincial investment agencies are involved e.g. Invest North West.
Find their details in the Providers of financial services chapter.
Localise your milling take out the transport costs. See the Micro milling
chapter.
State general
See heading 7.
National Agricultural
Marketing and Economic Research
Centre (MERC)
Tel: 012 341 1115
www.namc.co.za
TRANSNET Ltd
Tel: 011 308 3000
www.transnet.co.za
Transnet is the custodian of rail,

ports and pipelines. In 2012 it
announced that it would spend
R300 billion on capital projects
over a seven-year period. This
infrastructure plan looks set to
create 588 888 new jobs in the
South African economy.
Ports
Ports Regulator www.portsregulator.org
South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA) www.samsa.
org.za
South African Shippers Council (SASC) www.sashippers.org.za
Transnet National Ports Authority Tel: 011 351 9001
Transnet Port Terminals www.transnetportterminals.net
Roads
In terms of the National Roads Act, 1998 (Act 7 of 1998), government is
responsible for overall policy. Other role players are:
The South African National Roads Agency Limited (SANRAL),
responsible for a road network. Visit www.nra.co.za. SANRAL
operates in four regions Northern, Eastern, Southern and Western.
Find the Road Transport Management System (RTMS) under the
Major Projects option. The contact number for the RTMS Technical
Working Group is 011 848 5300.
Administrative Adjudication of Road Traffic Offences (AARTO)
www.aarto.gov.za
The Cross-Border Road Transport Agency (CBRTA) regulates
and controls the cross border transport of passengers and freight. Visit
www.cbrta.co.za.
The Transport Appeal Tribunal Road-Traffic Management
Corporation (RTMC) is responsible for road traffic management.
This includes the registration and licensing of vehicles, the testing and
licensing of drivers, infrastructure safety audits. Read more at www.
rtmc.co.za.
The Road Accident Fund provides compulsory cover to all users
of South African roads, resident or foreigner, against injuries sustained
or death arising from accidents involving motor vehicles within the
borders of South Africa. See www.raf.co.za.
South African Road Federation (SARF) www.sarf.org.za
Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC) www.rtmc.
co.za
Stretches of the national road network have been given to private companies
to develop, operate and maintain. These role players are:
Bakwena Platinum Corridor Concession, between Pretoria and Bela
Bela and between Pretoria and the Botswana border on the N4
N3 Toll Concession the N3 between Heidelberg in Gauteng and
Cedara in KwaZulu-Natal
TRAC the N4 East, Maputo Development Corridor
Road Transport Management System (RTMS) is an industryled, voluntary self-regulation scheme that encourages consignees,
consignors and transport operators engaged in the road logistics value
chain to implement a vehicle management system that preserves road
infrastructure, improves road safety and increases the productivity of the
logistics value chain. Visit www.rtms-sa.org.
330
Airports
Air Traffic and Navigation Services (ATNS) Tel: 011 607 1000
www.atns.co.za
Airport Company South Africa (ACSA) Tel: 011 723 1400 www.
airports.co.za
South African Civil Aviation Authority (SACAA) Tel: 011 545
1000 www.caa.co.za
Railways
National Railway Safety
General Manager: Agriculture and Regulator
Bulk Liquids Business Unit
www.rsr.org.za
Tel: 011 960 2360
www.spoornet.co.za
Passenger Rail Agency of South
Africa (PRASA)
Transnet Rail Engineering
www.prasa.com
Tel: 012 391 1301
Special Economic Zones (SEZs) / trade hubs

Coega Development Corporation (CDC) www.coega.co.za
Dube Tradeport www.dubetradeport.co.za
East London Industrialised Development Zone www.elidz.co.za
Maputo Corridor Logistics Initiative www.mcli.co.za
Richards Bay Industrial Development Zone (RBIDZ) www.
richardsbayidz.co.za
Representative bodies and NGOs

Find the agro-logistics option under the Economic intelligence option
at www.agbiz.co.za, website of the Agricultural Business Chamber.
Built Environment Professions Export Council (BEPEC) www.
bepec.co.za
org.za
The Consulting Engineers South Africa. Visit www.cesa.co.za or
call 011 463 2022.
The civil society watchdog, Corruption Watch is paying attention
because of the scale of the countrys infrastructure programme. See
their website at www.corruptionwatch.org.za.
Grain Handling Organisation of Southern Africa (GOSA) Tel: 012
807 3002 www.gosa.za.net
Grain SA Tel: 0860 047 246 www.grainsa.co.za
The National Chamber of Milling (NCM) Tel: 012 663 1660 www.
grainmilling.org.za
Nepad Business Foundation has an Infrastructure Sector desk. Call
011 463 2022 or visit www.nepadbusinessfoundation.org.
Opposition to Urban Tolling Alliance (OUTA) www.outa.co.za
Road Freight Association Tel: 011 974 4399 www.rfa.co.za
South African Association of Freight Forwarders (SAAFF) Tel:
011 455 1726 www.saaff.org.za
South African Association of Ship Owners (SAASO) Tel: 031 266
1384 www.saasoa.com
South African Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SACCI)
hosts a SACCI Infrastructure Committee. See www.sacci.org.za.
South African Cities Network Tel: 011 407 6471 www.sacities.net
South African Federation of Consulting Engineering Contractors
(SAFCEC) Tel: 011 409 0900 www.safcec.org.za
South African Institution of Civil Engineering www.saice.org.za
South African Transport and Allied Workers Union (SATAWU)
Tel: 011 333 6127 / 9199 www.satawu.org.za
Southern African Vehicle Rental and Leasing Association
(SAVRALA) Tel: 083 250 0333 http://savrala.co.za
Finance
African Infrastructure Investment Managers (part of the Macquarie
Group South Africa) Tel: 021 670 1234 www.macquarie.co.za
The Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA) is one of several
development finance institutions in South and Southern Africa. Visit
www.dbsa.org. The DTIs the Regional Spatial Development Initiative
Programme (RSDIP) is housed at the DBSA. The RSDIP is tasked with
identifying infrastructure and industrial development opportunities in
the Southern African Development Communities (SADC) region.
Visit www.infrastructuredialogues.co.za. The DBSA is one of the
hosts.
Market notices (location differentials for commodities) on the

Johannesburg Stock Exchange take into account the logistics involved
in the transport of commodities. Contact the Commodity Derivatives
Division at 011 520 7535 or visit www.jse.co.za/commodities.
KZN Growth Fund Tel: 031 304 1116 www.kzngrowthfund.co.za
PricewaterhouseCoopers Tel: 011 797 4000 www.pwc.co.za/en

Tel: 012 841 3871

Department of Quantity Surveying
and Construction Management
Tel: 051 401 2248
Find the latest State of Logistics

Survey for South Africa: logistics value University of Johannesburg
and cost drivers from a macro and Tel: 011 559 3461/ 4950/ 2464
micro economic perspective at www. www.uj.ac.za
csir.co.za/sol.
The Institute for Transport and
Logistics Studies (ITLS) Africa is
Envision International
housed within the Department
Tel: 011 326 1474
of Transport and Supply Chain
www.envision-int.co.za
Management.
Training in fleet, transport and fuel
management
Tel: 033 260 5490
Centre for Supply Chain
Management
Department of Logistics
Sugarcane transport research
Tel: 021 808 3981
www0.sun.ac.za/cscm
Graduate School of Business &
Leadership
Transport Education and
Tel: 031 260 1615 / 26
Training Authority
http://gsbl.ukzn.ac.za
Tel: 011 781 1280
www.teta.org.za
Economics
Tel: 051 401 2824 / 3864
Companies
Barloworld Logistics www.barloworld-logistics.com
Frost & Sullivan Tel: 021 680 3260 www.frost.com
FPT Group Pty Ltd Tel: 021 401 8853 www.fpt.co.za
Grain Silo Industry lizbe@graansilo.co.za www.graansilo.co.za
Imperial Logistics are the sponsors of the CSIR State of Logistics
survey. Call 011 821 5500 and visit www.imperiallogistics.co.za.
Industrial Logistic Systems Tel: 011 656 1100 www.ils.co.za
Sherwood Tel: 011 255 0300 www.sherwood.co.za
Stargate Scientific supply rapid GMO testing equipment to enable
decisions on storage and transportation of product to be made quickly
and accurately. Call 011 675 7433 and visit www.stargatescientific.co.za.
Super Group Tel: 011 523 4000 www.supergrp.com
Townshend International Tel: 021 851 1007 www.townsend.co.za
Van Tonder Transport Tel: 012 803 3658 http://vantondertransport.
co.za
Regional and continental

African Association of Public Transport www.uitp.org
African Civil Aviation Commission (AFCAC) - www.afcac.org
African Development Bank www.afdb.org
African Shipowners Association http://african-shipowners.org
The African Unions Department of Infrastructure and Energy www.
au.int/en/dp/ie/
African Union Commission www.au.int/en/commission
Agency for the Safety of Aerial Navigation in Africa (ASECNA)
www.asecna.aero
Business Action For Africa www.businessactionforafrica.org
Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA)
www.comesa.int
The Corporate Council of Africa www.africacncl.org
331
The Cross-Border Road Transport Agency (CBRTA) regulates

and controls the cross border transport of passengers and freight. Visit
www.cbrta.co.za.
Contact Andr Pottas, Deloitte Corporate Finance Advisory Leader
for sub-Saharan Africa, about investing in Africas infrastructure at
apottas@deloitte.co.za.
East African Community (EAC) www.eac.int
Engineers Against Poverty (EPA) www.engineersagainstpoverty.
org
Federation of East and Southern African Road Transport
Associations (FESARTA) www.fesarta.org
Infrastructure Consortium for Africa (ICA) www.icafrica.org
International Transport Workers Federation www.itfglobal.org
Maritime Organisation of West and Central Africa (OMAOC)
www.omaoc.org
NEPAD Planning and Coordinating Agency (NEPAD Agency)
www.nepad.org
Port Management Association of Eastern and Southern Africa
(PMAESA) www.pmaesa.org
Port Management Association of West and Central Africa
(PMAWCA) www.pmawca-agpaoc.org
Southern African Development Community (SADC) www.sadc.int
Southern Africa Global Competitiveness Hub www.satradehub.org
Southern African Rail Association www.sararail.org
The Southern Africa Trust has identified transport, energy and
water infrastructure as important to facilitate intra-regional trade and
investment. Visit www.southernafricatrust.org.
Union of African Railways www.uic.org
Find the notes on SSATP (Sub-Saharan Africa Transport Program) on the
World Banks website. Take the Countries/Africa/Transport options
on www.worldbank.org. Find also the logistics competitiveness report.

Visit the many websites listed earlier in this chapter e.g. www.csir.
co.za/sol, where you will find the latest State of Logistics survey done
by the CSIR.
A source used for this chapter is Transnet and Agri-logistics, a presentation
by Transnet CEO Brian Molefe at the Agribusiness Indaba in May 2012.
The presentation includes maps on transport routes, volumes, road vs
rail market share etc.
The National Agricultural Marketing Council (NAMC) commissioned
a benchmark study The role of transport in logistics of agriculture. Find
this excellent report at www.agbiz.co.za.
Find the South African Institution of Civil Engineerings 2011
Infrastructure Report Card at www.saice.org.za.
The Agricultural Marketing Commodity Profiles at www.daff.gov.za
(take the Publications option) include an analysis of logistics and the
value chain of several agricultural commodities.
The NAMC/DAFF International TradeProbe, available at www.namc.
co.za, covers trade and agrologistics issues.
The daily Engineering News eNewsletter is the best way to stay up-todate on African infrastructure events. Sign up at www.engineeringnews.
co.za.
Transport World Africa is a bi-monthly magazine put out by 3 S Media.
Visit www.twa.co.za.
Cape Media Corporation publishes the Road Ahead magazine. Visit
www.capemedia.co.za.
A number of conferences happen around the themes of infrastructure
(infrastructure, energy, utilities etc). Some examples:
- Find the Infrastructure option at www.africainvestor.com
- The annual Africa Utility Week www.african-utility-week.com
- The Africa Rail event: www.terrapinn.com or www.africa-rail.com
- Spintelligent is responsible for the iPAD (Infrastructure Partnership for
African Development) events. See www.ipad-africa.com.
Business Monitor International (BMI) published Africa Making Sense
Of The Infrastructure Deficit in 2012. Visit www.businessmonitor.
com.
http://ports.co.za/ Ports & ships, Shipping and harbour news out of
Africa
Find various reports and papers at www.polity.org.za like Addressing
Africas Infrastructure Challenges (May 2012)
Find the Transport Forum Special Interest Group web pages at www.
transportsig.com.
Take a look at the Logistics option at www.cga.co.za, website of the
Citrus Growers Association.
national issues
Job creation
1. Overview
The loss of employment is the start of many other problems and deprivations.
Outwardly it is linked to poverty, food insecurity and a general lowering of
living standard. A loss of confidence and self-respect accompanies this too.
If there is no way out, people get used to living in this poverty, and with
them begins a long-term unemployment trap. The standard unemployment
figures of around 25% used in this country do not include discouraged
work seekers.
Everybody agrees that we need to create jobs, and there is much debate
about how to do it (see heading 3).
Job creation is the most critical issue facing us as a nation. Some may groan
at the prospect of another day at work. Imagine facing another day without
having work!
What you yourself can do for those without employment might be limited
to a recognition that a lot of fear and anxiety must go with not having a job,
especially the ones who have families and dependants. But at least you are
seeing this. And the more people seeing this, the more likely it is that a
change will happen.
Jobs provide self-respect, independence and fulfilment. Productive work
is the bedrock of democracy and human development. South Africa
needs jobs: it needs them more urgently than ever, and it needs them in
the kind of numbers we have never created before.
From the report Five million jobs: how to add five million jobs to the South African
economy over the next five years. Find it on the Centre for Development and
Enterprise website, www.cde.org.za.
Studies conducted show that on average every worker in South Africa

supports a minimum of five dependents on their meagre wages. This
means every time a single worker losses a job, five or more persons
who are plunged into crises of poverty, loses their dignity and a sense of
belonging. Social cohesion of communities in the process is destroyed.
Source: Joint statement by Zwelimzima Vavi and Bobby Godsell, Co-Chairs of the
Millennium Labour Council, on preserving current jobs and avoiding retrenchments.

South Africa is susceptible to the global economy. We saw this in 1998
(the South East Asia crisis) and in 2009 (the global financial crisis and the
recession which came with it). Even today, the low growth and debt crisis
in the developed world casts a shadow over us. Europe is a major trading
partner and her problems affect South Africas manufacturing and export
sectors deeply.
In the second half of 2011, global unemployment had reached the highest
level ever recorded at over 200-million or some 6.2% of a total potential
workforce of some 3.23-billion. In countries like Spain and Greece it was
over 40%. In 2012, some 197-million people worldwide did not have a job,
according to the International Labour Organisation (ILO). Jobless totals
are unlikely to diminish any time soon.
Find the latest reports and statistics at www.ilo.org, website of the ILO.
See also
International Monetary Fund (IMF) www.imf.org
International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC-Africa) www.
ituc-africa.org
World Economic Forum (WEF) www.weforum.org
332
3. Ideas to prompt economic growth

Read about the New Growth Path (NGP) and the National Development
Plan (NDP) under heading 5.
In addition to the NGP and NDP, several other discussions have happened
over the past five years e.g. the Congress of South Africa Trade Unions
(Cosatus) A Growth Path Towards Full Employment and the Busa discussion
document, entitled Perspectives on an Inclusive Higher Job Rich Growth Path
for South Africa by 2015.
The calls to nationalise mines and farms arises from the discontent that here
is not where we want to be. Directly or indirectly, unemployment is at the
root of every social, economic and political challenges in this country, says
the Centre for Development and Enterprise report listed under heading 7.
While recognising BEE as an enabler, the recently relaunched Black
Business Council (BBC) says that black-owned business should be enabled
to step up and achieve its own aims. The BBC went as far as calling for
the formation of a Ministry dedicated to small businesses in South Africa.
Dr Reuel Khoza is on record as saying: The issue of job creation is stifled
when our economy is not expanding. And the issue needs to be addressed
by focusing on entrepreneurship. Government should therefore create an
enabling environment with minimal regulation to enable entrepreneurs to
flourish.
Below are some of the other suggestions and opinions we came across
while compiling this chapter.
Education is an essential tool to build our economy and create decent
jobs. There are no decent jobs without decent education. Fix the
education system!
A compulsory subject called Management Skills and Financial Basics
should be taught in our schools for the last three years (Grades 10,
11, 12). This would gear people towards entrepreneurial and business
thinking.
Create a window period after school of compulsory youth service
where young people learn trades and are introduced to economic and
business principles.
Create a bridging programme for school leavers (some 20 per
municipality) to close gaps in schooling and expose people to career
opportunities.
Create a voucher system for school leavers to help them fund their
studies or start a business.
Leverage more apprenticeships and learnerships to prepare young
people for a role in the labour market.
Small businesses make up 77% of non-government jobs. We should
make every effort to create a climate where our small businesses
flourish.
Its the governments responsibility to create jobs. The private sectors
job is to make a profit. Without this, there will be no jobs and no tax
to collect.
The countrys labour laws make it too expensive to employ large
numbers of unskilled people yet there is no alternative to solve our
unemployment problem.
Austerity measures by governments usually deepen unemployment and
inequalities. There should be greater taxes on financial transactions
to discourage excessive speculation and limit the disruptions brought
about on the productive economy by financial markets.
Make our business environment more investment friendly to
encourage money coming into the country. There cant be new jobs if
the economy is not expanding!
Create a wage subsidy to help the private sector to hire more
people.
What happens when the skills we have do not match the job market? The
Adcorp Employment Index lists hundreds of thousands of jobs available
which cannot be filled because we dont have the necessary skills. Countries
need people with the relevant training and skills to do the jobs required.
The Sector Education and Training Authorities (SETAs) have lists of scarce
skills in the different economic sectors to guide people undertaking career
choices. Making use of these should mean that we dont need to attract
skilled immigrants while many of our local graduates with degrees and
diplomas take up jobs as carguards and waiters!
4. Labour in agriculture
Agriculture and its value chain is one of the key sectors for job creation and a strategic
rural development tool for the revival of the economies of small towns, Dr John
Purchase, Agricultural Business Chamber.
The National Development Plan targets several sectors to create additional

jobs by 2030, agriculture being one of these sectors. A number of agricultural
experts have said that it is possible for the agricultural sector to create a
million jobs by 2030, assuming there is leadership, political will and a plan
of action. These include Prof Mohammed Karaan (Stellenbosch University),
Prof Nick Vink (Stellenbosch University) and Dr Ferdinand Meyer (Pretoria
University).
Estimates of new jobs in the primary production sector are based largely on
more land being brought under agricultural cultivation, in particular through
irrigation schemes. Commercialising communal land, reviving failed land
reform projects and handling current ones better would make millions of
hectares of land productive again. Efforts should also be made to:
bring about the certainty that boosts investor confidence in the sector
increase investments in research and development
find new markets
choosing technologies that did not lead to the shedding of jobs
boost small scale farmers
encourage and grow young entrepreneurs in the agricultural sector
Attention should be given to winning sectors like citrus which have high
export potential and are also labour-intensive. Championing and encouraging
these will also lead to greater economic growth translating into more jobs.
The areas of potential in agriculture for the Industrial Policy Action Plan
(IPAP) include food processing, soy beans, organic food, small-scale milling,
fruit and vegetable canning, Rooibos and honeybush, beverages and
aquaculture.
With transport costs and infrastructure coming under pressure, there is a
good argument for processing and value adding to take place closer to the
source of the primary product, says Prof Johan Willemse (University of the
Free State). In doing this, there is a greater chance of creating more viable
jobs as well as building vibrant rural economies.
South Africa is a net exporter of primary agricultural goods and a net
importer of processed food. An obvious possibility for job creation would
be to support the establishment of processing facilities, which will not only
create jobs but will also have a multiplier effect on the benefit to the entire
economy, says Lindie Stroebel (Agricultural Business Chamber).
Sources: the presentation given by Dr Meyer to the 2012 Agricultural Business
Chambers 2012 congress at www.agbiz.co.za, Landbouweekblad 12 August 2011;
Farmers Weekly 29 June 2012; SAPPO June 2011 Newsletter; AgriReview 1st
Quarter 2011.

As part of job creation, ALL government departments are expected to align their
programmes to job creation. Find details for all government departments at www.
info.gov.za
Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (DAFF) Minister Tina JoematPettersson received the Knight of the National Order of Merit Agricol by
France. The bestowing of the highest order on her was in recognition of an
8.8% growth in employment. The DAFF website is www.daff.gov.za. The
job creation potential in agriculture is examined under heading 4.
Resource management in the country has the potential to create thousands
of jobs through government initiatives such as Working for Water (WfW),
Working for Land, Working on Fire, Working for Wetlands, Working for
Energy and other programmes. The job creation target in the Green
economy is 300 000. Visit the Department of Environmental Affairs
website at www.environment.gov.za.
Department of Higher Education & Training (DHET) www.dhet.gov.za
334
The Department of Labour is in charge of the Unemployment Insurance

Fund (UIF) which pays money to retrenched workers. It has also used money
to invest in job creation initiatives, to support the training lay-off scheme
and other projects that might benefit the unemployed. For information on
the Department of Labour and its activities, visit www.labour.gov.za.
The State Owned Enterprises (SOEs) training capabilities can to be leveraged
to increase the production of artisans and specialised skills. Find their details
at the Department of Public Enterprises website www.dpe.gov.za.
Department of Public Works www.publicworks.gov.za
Department of Social Development www.dsd.gov.za
The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) is the major role player
in the countrys economy www.thedti.gov.za. Read about Industrial Policy
Action Plan (IPAP) later in this chapter.
The New Growth Path was developed by the Economic Development
Department (EDD). Read about it later in this chapter, or find it on the
EDD website, www.economic.gov.za.
National Planning Commission www.npconline.co.za
The National Treasury has a R9 billion Jobs Fund, which aims to create
150 000 jobs over three years. Applications from companies and nongovernmental organisations with innovative job creation projects are
welcomed. Visit www.treasury.gov.za.
The Presidents Infrastructure Coordinating Commission (PICC)
is chaired by the President, and consists of the Ministry of Performance
Monitoring and Evaluation, Treasury, the South African Local Government
Association (SALGA) and the nine provincial premiers. The PICC is will
integrate and co-ordinate the long-term infrastructure build.
Statistics SA conducts the Quarterly Labour Force Survey, a householdbased sample survey. It collects data on the labour market activities of
individuals aged 15 years and above who live in SA. Visit www.statssa.gov.
za.
The National Planning Commissions Diagnostic Report identified nine
challenges facing South Africa and which should be addressed by 2030.
Of these, two are critical and inter-related and must be the highest
priorities: too few people work and the quality of education available to
the majority is poor. The thrust of the NPC is to reduce poverty and
inequality. South Africa has the potential and capacity to eliminate poverty
and reduce inequality over the next two decades.
Find the Diagnostic Report and the National Development Plan at
www.npconline.co.za.
Find the animated videos 9 Challenges facing South Africa
Diagnostic Report National Planning Commission (NPC) on
www.youtube.com
Government has adopted the New Growth Path (NGP) as the framework
for South Africas economic policies. The NGP places employment at the
centre of governments efforts and aims to rebuild the productive sectors of
the economy, moving away from a consumption-led, unsustainable growth
trajectory. It aims to create five million job opportunities by 2020 and bring
unemployment down to 15 percent. It is trying to create opportunities for
people on a mass scale in infrastructure development, agriculture, mining
and beneficiation, manufacturing, the green economy and tourism.
The Industrial Policy Action Plan (IPAP), which falls under the New
Growth Path, has stabilised sectors like clothing and manufacturing. It has
done so through programmes like Clothing and Textile Competitiveness
Improvement Programme, Motor Industry Development Programme
(MIDP), Automotive Production and Development Programme (APDP)
and Manufacturing Competitiveness Enhancement Programme (MCEP).

Find the latest IPAP under Publications at www.thedti.gov.za.
The countrys infrastructure programme will be expanded as part of
efforts to create five million jobs in this decade. Forty three major projects
have been identified which total expenditure of up to R3.2 trillion in the
years 2012 2015. Analysts have said the move will allow the state to play a
more leading role in employment creation in the face of a weakening world
economy and falling company profits. The work entailed is also an ideal
opportunity to introduce a labour intensive approach to development.
Short-term employment and various forms of social support for those
not able to find jobs include programmes such as the Expanded Public
Works Programme (EPWP), the Community Works Programme, the
development of small businesses and co-operatives, the Jobs Fund,
vocational training and the War on Poverty Campaign.
Various environmental programmes are linked to the EPWP e.g. Working for
Water (see the Invasive Alien Species chapter), Working on Fire (see the
Fire chapter), and the various LandCare themes (see separate chapter).
The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) is also proposing special
economic zones (SEZs) to expand on the work of the Industrial
Development Zones (IDZs) and to attract more foreign investment.
Read about current IDZs at www.elidz.co.za, www.coega.co.za and www.
richardsbayidz.co.za. Under the SEZ plan, existing IDZs will continue to
operate as SEZs.
The state had also announced tax breaks worth R20 billion designed to
support new industrial projects and manufacturing, with an investment
value of R8.4 billion having been approved in 2012.
6. Role players
Government
See heading 5.
Semi-government and parastatals

The Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA) administers the
National Treasurys Job Fund. The fund is targeted at established companies
with a good track record and that plan to expand existing programmes or
pilot innovative approaches to employment creation, with a special focus on
opportunities for young people. Read more at www.jobsfund.org.za. The
DBSA website is www.dbsa.org.
The Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) is a key funder of
government policies (NGP and IPAP2) and launched a R10 billion fund, to
run over 5 years from 2011, for job creation and growing the economy. Visit
www.idc.co.za.
Public Investment Corporation (PIC) www.pic.gov.za
Find details of Small Enterprise Development Agency (Seda) in the
Developing financial services chapter, or visit www.seda.org.za.
Find contact details of the South African Social Security Agency
(SASSA) and its district offices at www.sassa.gov.za.
The Sector Education & Training Authorities (SETAs), National Skills
Authority (NSA), the Quality Council on Trades and Occupations
(QCTO), the National Artisan Moderation Body (NAMB) etc refer
to the Department of Higher Education & Training website, www.
dhet.gov.za.
335
Unions and business associations

Find a list of all registered labour unions at www.labourguide.co.za.
org.za
Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA)
Tel: 0861 16 16 16 www.ccma.org.za
Confederation of Associations in the Private Employment Sector
Tel: 011 269 8847 www.capes.org.za
CONSAWU Tel: 012 661 4265 www.consawu.co.za
Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) Tel: 011 339
4911 www.cosatu.org.za
The Food and Alied Workers Union (FAWU) Tel: 021 637 9040
www.fawu.org.za
Federation of Trade Unions of South Africa (FEDUSA) Tel: 011
279 1800 www.fedusa.org.za
The Millenium Labour Council (MLC) is a body set up to analyse and
tackle the causes of unemployment www.mlc.org.za.
National Council of Trade Unions (NACTU) Tel: 011 833 1040
www.nactu.org.za
National Education Health & Allied Workers Union (NEHAWU)
Tel: 011 833 2902 www.nehawu.org.za
National Bargaining Council for the Sugar Manufacturing and
Refining Industry Tel: 031 508 7331/2
At Nedlac (National Economic Development & Labour Council)
Government comes together with organised business, organised labour
and organised community groupings on a national level to discuss and
try to reach consensus on issues of social and economic policy. Visit
www.nedlac.org.za or phone 011 328 4200.
Productivity SA www.productivitysa.co.za
SAFATU South African Food and Allied Trade Union
Solidarity Tel: 0861 25 24 23 www.solidaritysa.co.za
South African Confederation of Trade Unions (SACOTU) is a
confederation consisting of FEDUSA and NACTU
South African Farm Workers Association (SAFWA) Tel: 084 739
4401 shawnmac@lantic.net
South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) Tel: 011 877
3600 www.sahrc.org.za
Sugar Manufacturing and Refining Employment Association Tel:
031 508 7300
United Association of South Africa trade union (UASA) Tel: 0861
00 8272 www.uasa.org.za
Research, consultants and other role players

Adcorp Tel: 011 244 5300 www.adcorp.co.za
Bureau for Food and Agricultural Policy (BFAP) www.bfap.co.za
Centre for the Study of Democracy Tel: 011 559 1937 www.uj.ac.
za/cod
Consultancy Africa Intelligence Tel: 086 605 2301 www.
consultancyafrica.com
Ernst and Young Tel: 011 772 3000 www.ey.com
Efficient Group Tel: 012 460 9580 www.efgroup.co.za
Goldman Sachs Tel: 011 784 1348 www.goldmansachs.com
Gordon Institute of Business Science (Gibs) Tel: 011 771 4000
www.gibs.co.za
Research areas of the Human Science Research Council (HSRC)
include labour markets and social policy, employment monitoring and
employment-orientated industry studies. Visit www.hsrc.ac.za.
Investment Solutions Tel: 011 505 6000 https://sa.investmentsolutions.
co.za
Macquarie First South Tel: 011 583 2000 www.macquarie.co.za
Oxford Business Group (OBG) www.oxfordbusinessgroup.com
Parliamentary Monitoring Group (PMG) www.pmg.org.za
Solidarity Research Institutue Tel: 012 644 4300 www.navorsing.
co.za
South African Institute of Race Relations (SAIRR) Tel: 011 482
7221 www.sairr.org.za
Tony Healy and Associates Tel: 011 476 1620 www.tonyhealy.co.za
University of Cape Town Development Policy Research Unit Tel: 021
650 5705 www.commerce.uct.ac.za
University of the Free State Department of Agricultural Economics
Tel: 051 401 2250 www.ufs.ac.za/agri-econ
University of the Witwatersrand Labour Policy and Globalisation

Tel: 011 717 4443, and the Education Policy Unit which researches
education and the labour market. Tel: 011 717 3076 www.wits.ac.za
Urban-Econ Tel: 012 342 8686 www.urban-econ.com

Find the latest annual World of Work Report and Global Employment
Trends on www.ilo.org, website of the International Labour
Organisation.
Find the latest Industrial Policy Action Plan (IPAP) under Publications
at www.thedti.gov.za.
There are booklets on the New Growth Path to help shop stewards,
business representatives and government officials to communicate
the contents of the NGP to a wider audience. Find these at www.
economic.gov.za.
Find the latest World Economic Forum (WEF) report at www.
weforum.org. South Africa ranks 95th in labour market efficiency,
with rigid hiring and firing practices (139th), a lack of flexibility in wage
determination by companies (138th), and significant tensions in labouremployer relations (138th). It does well on other accounts though and
is ranked the top sub-Saharan country.
Read about the 26 success stories in the World Bank report entitled
Yes Africa Can: Success Stories from a Dynamic Continent. The report
highlights the role that governments play by intervening in a way which
allows the private sector to flourish. Find this and other reports like
Investing across borders (how easy is it for foreign companies to do
business in South Africa?) at www.worldbank.org.
The improvement of high education and Further Education and
Training (FET) colleges is mooted in the recently released Green
Paper on Post-School Further Education and Training, would accelerate
efforts to build a capable labour force. Visit www.dhet.gov.za.
Find the many reports and articles at www.polity.org.za to do with
the economy and job creation e.g. The unemployment debate is too
fragmented to address the problem (December 2012), Nationalisation
case studies: Lessons for South Africa (November 2011) and Youth
Unemployment Have you got any ideas? and An Overview of the South
African Labour Market for the Year Ending 2012 Quarter 1 (July 2012).
Find the South African Survey done by the South African Institute of
Race Relations at www.sairr.org.za.
The Adcorp Employment Index, created in 2009, is released every
quarter. Visit http://adcorp.co.za.
Find the Quarterly Labour Force Survey (QLFS) and the Quarterly
Employment Survey (QES) at www.stassa.gov.za and at www.polity.
org.za.
The South African Reserve Banks Quarterly Bulletin can be accessed
at www.resbank.co.za.
ManpowerGroup surveyed nearly 40 000 employers across 39
countries, South Africa included, during the first quarter of 2011 to
gauge the impact of talent shortages on the global labour market. Find
the Talent Survey at http://us.manpower.com.
Lulaway Job Centres http://lulaway.co.za
Download the National Development Plan from www.npconline.co.za.
Scan the contents page, peruse the Foreword (worth a read), jump to
page 41 and checkout that romantic vision statement, then quickly dash
to the Problem Statement on page 411 and then read the Nation Building
Vision on page 426. Lastly cast your eye over the Bill of Responsibilities
on page 435 and then return to the Chapters to dissect and digest.
In 1976, just after the Soweto Riots life was uncertain. The demise of
apartheid seemed unattainable; there were predictions of a blood bath,
and our lovely country was close to being razed to the ground. Exactly
18 years after the Youth uprising we held our first democratic elections
in 1994. So why shouldnt we defeat poverty and inequality by 2030
its only 18 years away? Have faith as we live in the land of endless
possibilities.
Source: excerpts from Lets do it! South Africas vision for 2030, an article by Ann
Brown on www.ngoplse.org
336
Land Redistribution
national issues
Land reform
There are several related chapters to this one e.g. Developing farmer
support, The Importance of rural development, Black Economic
Empowerment and Development financial services
The purpose of the land redistribution programme is to provide the poor

with access to land for residential and productive use to improve their
livelihoods.
Land reform cannot benefit the country if poor people have to buy land on
the open market without assistance. To achieve this, government assists the
needy to purchase and develop land and provides services.
Government acknowledges the need to maintain public confidence in
the land market while redistributing land to the poor. The redistribution
programme has depended largely on transactions between willing buyers
and willing sellers.
People who qualify for the land redistribution programme include:
1. Overview
Property rights and security of tenure create a sense of certainty and
permanence which are important for human beings and their civilisations
and economies. This is true whether you be a farm dweller, farm owner
or person with money to put into a business. So how do we speed up land
reform whilst reaching job creation targets for agriculture and maintaining
food security and investor confidence?
The blame for the slowness of land reform as it has been experienced is
placed at three doors:
the bureaucracy involved and staff shortages which translates as a lack
of capacity in government to carry out the process;
limited funds and comparatively modest budgets for purchasing
available land; and
the willing-buyer-willing-seller principle, said to distort the land market
because once the state enters, the price goes up.
It has been a hundred years since 1913 when the Natives Land Act was
passed. Undoing the legacy of colonial and apartheids unequal land
distribution and ensuring the continued productive use of agricultural land
transferred to black ownership is a national priority.
labour tenants
women
farm workers
emerging farmers
the urban and rural landless
poor
The Redistribution Programme has different components or subprogrammes, namely:

Agricultural development to make land available to people for
agricultural purposes;
Settlement to provide people with land for settlement purposes;
Non-agricultural enterprises to provide people with land for
enterprises such as eco-tourism projects.
Land Tenure
Land tenure describes the way in which people own or occupy land. In
South Africa, registered ownership is more secure than other ways of
holding land. Apartheid laws made it impossible for black people to get
registered ownership rights, or any other rights to land in most parts of
the country. This created a severe land shortage for black people and many
people established homes in areas where they had no legal rights.
Tenure reform must:
2. The three Land Reform programmes

The three comprehensive and far-reaching land reform programmes,
initiated after 1994, are:
Land Restitution
Land Redistribution
Tenure Reform
Land Restitution
Parliament passed The Restitution of Land Rights Act, No. 22 of 1994, to
restore or compensate people for land rights they lost because of socially
discriminatory laws passed since 1913.
Restitution can mean restoring the land itself or providing alternative land or
monetary compensation or other relief. The form restitution takes depends
on the circumstances of each claim. Alternative compensation applies if
the claimant prefers it, or if it is no longer feasible to restore the actual
land. The claimants are always involved in negotiating the settlement.
Individuals, communities or their descendants who lost land rights due to
racially discriminatory laws or practices on or after 19 June, 1913 qualify for
restitution.
Examples of racially discriminatory laws include the Native Land Act of 1913,
the Native Administration Act of 1927, the Development Trust and Land
Act of 1936, the Asiatic Land Tenure Act of 1946, the Group Areas Acts of
1950 and 1966, the Rural Coloured Areas Act of 1963 and the Community
Development Act of 1966.
resolve problems of insecurity, inequality and lawlessness

remove development bottlenecks
resolve tenure disputes, overlapping tenure rights and conflicting
claims
balance systems of group rights with individual rights
give all rights holders under communal ownership systems, including
women, adequate representation in decision-making processes
put in place an adequate system of land administration to support
individual and communal land tenure
provide for law enforcement agencies to intervene in land rights
disputes in order to be flexible and allow for change and adaptation
Fundamental Principles of Land Tenure Reform
The property clause in the Constitution also applies to tenure reform. This
states: a person or community whose tenure of land is legally insecure as
the result of past racially discriminatory laws or practices is entitled, to the
extent provided by an Act of Parliament, either to tenure which is legally
secure, or to comparable redress.
Who qualifies for tenure reform?
All people who hold land under forms of tenure that do not give them the
same level of security as registered ownership, in particular this includes:
farm workers
labour tenants
people living in informal settlements
More information is available at www.ruraldevelopment.gov.za.
338

Section 25 of the South African constitution provides for the expropriation of land for a
public purpose or in the public interest and is subject to compensation. The willingbuyer, willing-seller approach is expected be replaced in 2013 with the provisions
of Section 25 to speed up land reform. At the end of 2012 Cabinet approved the
establishment of the Office of the Valuer-General which will decide fair prices for land
earmarked for distribution.
The third priority of the Medium Term Strategic Framework (MTSF)

is Comprehensive rural development strategy linked to land and agrarian
reform and food security.
The Green Paper for Land Reform is a proposal on how to improve land
reform (find it at www.ruraldevelopment.gov.za). It is comprised of six work
streams: 3-Tier land tenure system; Office of the Valuer-General; Land Rights
Management Board; Land Management Commission; Communal Tenure;
and Legislative amendments. The National Reference Group (NAREG) was
constituted to engage with government on the contents of the Green Paper
for Land Reform. Find updates on www.agbiz.co.za. At least three pieces
of legislation are expected to follow these deliberations: a Land Protection
Bill, which would give effect to the Land Management Commission, and
a Valuer General Bill, as well as the already published Draft Land Tenure
Security Bill.
Department of Rural
Development and Land Reform
(DRDLR)
Tel: 012 312 8911
Chief Land Claims Commissioner
Tel. 012 312 9244
Directorate: Smallholder
Development
Tel: 012 319 8495/6
www.daff.gov.za
This Directorate provides support
to farmers through land reform
programmes with the aim of
developing viable and sustainable
agricultural ventures. Find contact
details for and information on the
other DAFF directorates at www.
daff.gov.za.
The postal and physical addresses

of all offices national, provincial
and district are available on the
DRDLR website. Contact details for
DRDLR provincial communication
officers and Regional Land Claims
Commissioners can also be found
there.
www.npconline.co.za
Land programmes
One of the key objectives of the Land Reform programme through the
Recapitalisation and Development Programme (RECAP) initiative
is to increase agricultural production, guarantee food security, job
creation and graduate small scale farmers to commercial farmers in the
agricultural sector. The DRDLR committed itself to recapitalise more
than one thousand deserted and unproductive farms.
To ensure the success of this project, the department has selected
strategic partners who are currently farmers themselves, co-operatives
who were previously assisting white farmers or commodity organisations
who have vested interest on the projects because the sustainability of
their businesses depend on agricultural produce. These strategic partners
come with their own resources and guarantee uptake along the value
chain or buying of products from the farmers.
Find the relevant forms and more information at www.ruraldevelopment.
gov.za take the Programmes and Land reform options.
The objective of Land Acquisition for Sustainable Settlement (LASS)
is two-fold:
Commonages for Agricultural Development: municipalities are enabled
to acquire land to extend or create a commonage, and to establish
schemes which involve the productive use of the land resources.
Urban Settlements: municipalities are enabled to acquire land for
residential development within confines and conditions set by the
DRDLR.
The LASS grant can be made available to municipalities that have a dire
need for land for settlement purposes. Municipalities identify the settlement
needs in their communities before approaching the DRDLR for funding for
land acquisition.
Proactive Land Acquisition Strategy (PLAS) is the acquisition of
strategically located land with high agricultural potential. The DRDLR then
selects beneficiaries who can lease the land with the option to purchase
it. Beneficiaries include farm workers/dwellers, the National Rural Youth
Services Corps participants, women, and unemployed agricultural
graduates.
The Commonages product aims at improving peoples access to municipal
land for agricultural purposes.
Comprehensive Agricultural Support Programme (CASP) see the
Developing farmer support chapter.
Programmes to be discontinued (except for applications still being
processed):
The Land Redistribution for Agricultural Development (LRAD)
programme
Farm Equity Schemes
Settlement Production Land Acquisition Grant (SPLAG)
4. Deeds Registration
See the Department of Rural Development and Land Reform website www.
ruraldevelopment.gov.za.
Since its adoption of a constitution with non-racial principles in 1996, the

deeds office no longer keeps records based on race. This means that, apart
from land acquired by black owners as a result of governments redistribution
process, it is difficult to know how much agricultural land has been bought
by black commercial farmers. Time for a comprehensive land audit?
5. Role players
Farmer unions
Find details of AFASA, Agri SA, NAFU SA and the TAU SA in the Organised agriculture
chapter.
Land and other relevant NGOs

Association for Rural
Advancement (AFRA)
Tel: 033 345 7607 / 8318
www.afra.co.za

Valuers
www.saiv.org.za
Association for Community

Rural Advancement
Tel: 053 712 0791/2/3
Southern Cape Land Committee

(SCLC)
Tel: 044 803 9900
www.sclc.co.za
Border Rural Committee

Tel: 043 742 0173
www.brc21.co.za
Surplus Peoples Project (SPP)

Tel: 021 448 5605
www.spp.org.za
Land Access Movement of SA Transkei Land Service

(LAMOSA)
Organisation (TRALSO)
Tel: 011 833 1060 / 3
Tel: 047 531 2851/2
Fax to email: 086 516 4936
www.tralso.co.za
www.lamosa.org.za
Trust for Community Outreach
Nkuzi Development
and Education
Association
Tel: 021 685 3033
Tel: 015 297 6972
http://tcoe.org.za
www.nkuzi.org.za
Women on Farms Project
Nkuzi has offices in Polokwane, Tel: 021 887 2960/1/2
Pretoria, Elim and Modomolle.
www.wfp.org.za
Other organisations include BAWSI, the Development Action Group, and
the Landless Peoples Movement.
339
Research
Africa Institute of South Africa
Tel: 012 304 9700
www.ai.org.za
Centre for Development and
Enterprise (CDE)
Tel: 011 482 5140
www.cde.org.za
South African Institute of Race

Relations
Tel: 011 482 7221
www.sairr.org.za

Department: Sociology
Prof Ntsebeza
Tel: 021 650 3501
Find the Land Reform menu www.sociology.uct.ac.za
option on the website.
Centre for Rural Legal Studies Lengua Agricultural Centre
Tel: 051 443 8859
Tel: 021 883 8032
mcdvw@telkomsa.net
www.crls.org.za
The CRLS promotes land and labour
interests of men and women farm
workers in the Western, Eastern
and Northern Cape of South Africa
through Training, Information
dissemination, research, advocacy,
legal intervention and development
facilitation. Research projects
are linked to general projects,
and results are incorporated into
training packages and advocacy
work.
Institute for Justice and
Reconciliation
Tel: 021 763 7128
www.ijr.org.za

Tel: 051 401 2163
Institute for Poverty, Land and
Agrarian Studies (PLAAS)
Tel: 021 959 3733
www.plaas.org.za
Other universities, like the
University of KwaZulu-Natal, also
do research into the Land Reform
process.
PLAAS see University of the

Western Cape
Settlement support and finance

See also the Developing farmer support and Development Finance
services chapters
AgriSETA and AgriSETA accredited providers are involved in postsettlement programmes. Find contact details in the Agricultural education
AgriExpert
Tel: 082 907 2810
www.agriexpert.co.za
ANDISA Agri
Tel: 082 807 5587
www.andisaagri.com
strategic planning
business planning and feasibility
studies
managing change of control
transactions and land reform
land reform policy research
project management
micro-finance product design
and outgrower schemes
finance raising; debt, equity
and grants
EIA agricultural economic
assessments
rural development
Commercial Banks assist clients

to access funds.
Land Bank
Tel: 012 686 0500
www.landbank.co.za
Resource Consulting Services
(SA)
Tel: 058 622 1499
www.rcs-sa.com
Projects include the integration
of commercial and emerging
or developing commercial farm
enterprises reflecting the objectives
of land reform.
SA Agri Academy
Tel: 021 880 1276
Eighty percent of its core business
is focused on the commercialisation
of the new SME farmer sector as
new entrants to the agricultural
sector.
SABRI
Tel: 021 674 1134
www.sabri.co.za
SABRI nurtures promising SMEs
through the start-up and growth
phases of their businesses by coordinating access to resources
required to grow a business.
Small Enterprise Finance
Agency (SEFA)
The Land Reform Empowerment
Facility (LREF)
Tel: 08600 54852
www.sefa.org.za
Land Reform projects. LREF funds

are to help previously disadvantaged
farm
workers,
neighbouring
communities and emerging farmers
to acquire land through mortgage
finance and control of land based
productive assets through equity
share schemes.
Vumelana Advisory Fund
Tel: 011 612 2000
www.vumelana.org.za
They run the Mmamahlola
Agribusiness Cluster project in
Limpopo
Khula wholesales funds to Womiwu Rural Development

commercial banks and other Tel: 015 297 2107
high credit-rated institutions at www.womiwu.com
preferential rates for on-lending to
International
The European Union and
individual countries within it like
Belgium and Switzerland fund
land reform
International Land Coalition
www.landcoalition.org
The Land Research Action
Network (LRAN) is a network
of
researchers
and
social
movements committed to the
promotion and advancement of the
fundamental rights of individuals
and communities to land, and to
equitable access to the resources
necessary for life with human
dignity. www.landaction.org.
SADC Directorate of Food,

Agriculture and Natural
Resources (FANR)
Regional Land Reform Technical
Support Facility (SRLRTSF)
Tel: +267 3951863
www.sadc.int
US Agency for International
Development (USAID)
Tel: 012 452 2000
http://sa.usaid.gov
In the agriculture sector, USAID
has programmes to increase Black
ownership of assets.

Numerous publications, policy documents etc are available at www.
ruraldevelopment.gov.za.
Find the many publications, research reports and policy briefs at www.
plaas.org.za. Examples include Joint ventures in agriculture: Lessons from land
reform projects in South Africa.
Several studies and reports can be found at www.polity.org.za. These
include Nationalisation case studies: Lessons for South Africa (November 2011)
and Talks of nationalisation: A bane for the South African investment climate.
The Centre for Rural Legal Studies has discussion papers, briefing papers,
conference proceedings, and research publications. Call 021 883 8032/3 or
visit www.crls.org.za.
Find the Land reform option at www.sabinetlaw.co.za.
Land, Memory, Reconstruction and Justice Edited by Cherryl Walker, Anna
Bohlin, Ruth Hall and Thembela Kepe University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN)
Press in partnership with Ohio University Press 2011.
The websites of the role players (see previous headings) make for good
reading.
340
national issues
South Africa attempted to influence all future legislation with the breadth
and scope of its new Constitution in 1996. It has to be said that to this day
our Constitution is still one of only a hand full that actually acknowledges
Disability by name.
People with disabilities
The Disability Act is being crafted to deal with enforcement, non-compliance

and implementation of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with
Disabilities.
1. Overview
Today, South Africa must rate as one of the most equity and diversity
conscious countries in the world. Within this local universe must exist every
conceivable variation and reflection of a larger world including race, interrace, gender, culture, nationality, language, religion, sexual orientation, class,
political affiliation and status.
It is in this context that we need to identify a sizable yet remarkably
invisible component of this demographic soup disability. With perhaps the
exception of HIV/Aids, Disability is unique in that it can, and does cut across
every variable in humanity; socio-economic, political, cultural, racial, gender
etc, without exception.
The fight for disability rights is just the request of one human to another
that his or her humanity be acknowledged beyond the mask of the
disability. If we remain blind to disabled people by refusing them access
to our workplaces and shopping malls, we will never get to see or
acknowledge the human behind the disability. Who then is more blind,
the one who refuses to see, or the one who cannot see but wishes to
be seen?

The United Nations Convention on the Rights and Dignity of Persons
with Disabilities (UNCRPD) was ratified by 20 countries in 2008.
Disability has arrived on the world stage in terms of being recognised not
only as a victim of discrimination and abuse, but as an independent member
of the citizenry of the world, entitled to equal rights and dignity. Visit www.
un.org/disabilities for more information.
Read about Disabled Peoples International (DPI) at www.dpi.org.
Find the links to DPI Regional Development Offices in Africa, Asia-Pacific,
Europe, Latin America and North America-Caribbean.
Working with its 182 member States, the International Labour
Organisation (ILO) seeks to ensure that labour standards are respected
in practice as well as principle. Key ILO instruments relating to the right
to decent work of persons with disabilities and prohibiting discrimination
on the basis of disability include: ILO Convention No 159 on Vocational
Rehabilitation and Employment (Disabled Persons), 1983, and its accompanying
Recommendation No 168. Visit www.ilo.org.
The World report on disability (June 2011), the first report of its kind,
was produced jointly by the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the
World Bank.
The report provides the best available evidence about how to create
the environments which will enable people with disabilities to flourish,
and deals with the barriers in health care, rehabilitation, education,
employment, and support services. The report concludes with
recommended actions for governments and their partners.
Find the report on www.who.int, www.worldbank.org or on www.
polity.org.za.
South Africas National Disability Machinery (NDM) is to facilitate the

adoption of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, the
Millennium Development Goals and the Africa Decade of Persons with
Disabilities within the South African context; and to provide a platform for
multi-stakeholder engagement across disciplines and sectors on the national
disability agenda.
Several other mechanisms have been used with differing degrees of success
to integrate people with disabilities, principally:
The Employment Equity Act
The Skills Development Act
The Promotion of Equality and Prevention of Unfair Discrimination
Act
The Labour Relations Act
The Integrated National Disability Strategy (white paper)
The National Building Regulations
South Africa provides social security grants for people with disabilities,
orphaned and fostered children and the elderly.
Department of Women, Children and People with Disabilities
Tel: 012 359 0013
www.dwcpd.gov.za
This department is responsible for driving the governments equity, equality
and empowerment agenda in terms of those living with disabilities.
Department of Health
Tel: 012 395 8000
www.doh.gov.za
4. Role players
Further directories and contact lists of suppliers and service providers are
available from these organisations. DeafSA, by way of example, provides contact
lists for educational facilities, research, sign language classes and interpreting
services, videos and television programmes, tours, clubs, schools, sports, clinics,
churches etc.
The South African Disability Alliance (SADA) is made up by various
affiliates from the following list (affiliates are marked with a ).
Amasondo Investments (Pty) Ltd disabilities who have the skill and
Tel: 031 767 0348
integrity to serve on the boards of
info@qasa.co.za
entities and companies it invests in.
Address enquiries to Ari Seirlis at
This
is
an
empowerment QASA.
company established to engage in
business ventures in the context Age-in-Action (formerly the SA
of Broad Based Black Economic Council for the Aged)
Empowerment.
Amasondo Tel: 021 426 4249
Investments provides persons with www.age-in-action.co.za
341
Association for People with

Disabilities (APD)
www.apd.co.za
www.disabilitygauteng.org
www.apdec.org.za
www.apdfreestate.co.za
www.apdlimpopo.co.za
Johannesburg 011 646 8331/2/3
Pretoria 012 328 6447
Port Elizabeth 041 484 5426
Chatsworth 031 403 7041
Polokwane 015 291 1787
Kimberley 053 833 3315
Rustenburg 014 533 0593
Eco-Access focuses on using the

environment in their work with
visually impaired people, in terms
of sensitisation, leadership courses,
food gardens at schools, hydroponic
gardens, etc.
Epilepsy South Africa
Tel: 021 595 4900
www.epilepsy.org.za
Provincial contact details
are
GebareBoere
Tel: 082 057 4700 (sms only)
www.gebareboere.co.za
Empowering the deaf through
agriculture
Autism South Africa

Tel: 011 484 9909
www.autismsouthafrica.org
Health Systems Trust

Tel: 031 266 9090
www.healthlink.org.za
Cheshire Homes
Tel: 011 792 3510/1
Tel: 021 685 6169
http://cheshirehomes.org.za
Deaf College see NID College
Deaf South Africa
Tel: 023 342 0757
Fax: 023 342 0088
Corporation (IDC)
Tel: 0860 693 888
www.idc.co.za
Read about the IDCs People with
Disabilities Fund on the website.
JobAccess.co.za
Deaf Federation of South Africa
Tel: 082 410 4128
(DEAFSA)
www.jobaccess.co.za
Tel: 082 333 4442
www.deafsa.co.za
An online database of disabled
Provincial contact details are workseekers CVs that are matched
to vacancies that are uploaded
by employers and recruitment
Disabled Childrens Action
agencies.
Group (DICAG)
Tel: 021 797 5977
Living Link
www.dicag.co.za
Tel/fax: 011 447 7183
www.thelivinglink.co.za
Disability Empowerment
Concerns (DEC) Trust
Living Link works towards the
www.dectrust.co.za
economic inclusion of people with
intellectual impairments.
DEC
is
an
empowerment
investment trust established to Masisizane Fund
engage in business ventures in www.oldmutual.co.za/masisizane
the context of Broad-Based Black
National Association for People
Economic Empowerment.
with Cerebral Palsy
Disability Equity Solutions Tel: 011 452 2774
www.napcp.org.za
South Africa see Progression
Disabled People South Africa
(DPSA)
Tel: 021 422 0357
www.dpsa.org.za
Provincial contact details
Disability Solutions
Tel: 021 872 1101
www.disabilitysolutions.co.za
National Institute for the Deaf

(NID)
Tel: 023 342 5555
www.nid.org.za
are National Council for People

with Disabilities in South Africa
(NCPPDSA)
Tel: 011 452 2774
www.ncppdsa.org.za
NID College
Down Syndrome South Africa Tel: 023 347 3546 / 082 739 2081
college@nid.org.za
(DSSA)
Tel: 0861 DOWNSA (369 672)
Accredited AgriSETA training
www.downsyndrome.org.za
providers in Mixed Farming
Eco-Access
Systems and Plant Production.
Tel: 011 477 3676
www.eco-access.org
Oasis Association
Tel: 021 671 2698
www.oasis.org.za
South Africa Federation for

Mental Health (SAFMH)
Tel: 011 781 1852
www.safmh.org.za
Runs the Claremont Bakery for

people with intellectual disabilities. South African Human Rights
Commission (SAHRC)
Tel: 011 877 3600
Occupational Therapy
www.sahrc.org.za
(OTASA)
Tel 012 362 5457
Association for Specialised
www.otasa.org.za
Education (SANASE)
www.sanase.org.za
Progression
Tel: 0860 SKILLS (754 557)
South African Sports
www.progression.co.za
Association for the Physically
Progression
offers
consulting Disabled (SASAPD)
services, which afford people with Tel: 087 721 8262
disabilities the opportunity to be www.sasapd.org.za
successfully integrated into the
SA National Council for the
workplace.
Blind (SANCB)
QuadPara Association of South Tel: 012 452 3811
Africa (QASA)
www.sancb.org.za
Tel: 031 767 0348
www.qasa.co.za
SANCB is the umbrella organisation,
comprising organisations of and
Provincial contact details are for the blind across all provinces.
Read about the many activities and
services It offers on the website.
REHAB
Tel: 043 722 1811
South African Spine Society
www.rehab.bigup.co.za
Tel: 021 910 3322
www.saspine.org
Skills for Africa
Tel: 012 379 4920
Thabo Mbeki Development
www.skillsafrica.co.za
Trust for Disabled People
(TMDT) see South African
An AgriSETA-accredited training Disability Development Trust
provider
University of the
South African Disability
Witwatersrand
Development Trust
Centre for Deaf Studies
Tel: 011 326 3282
Tel: 011 717 8337
www.saddt.org.za
www.wits.ac.za

Refer to the websites listed earlier in the chapter.
The National Accessibility Portal (NAP) is a one-stop information, services
and communications channel that will support everyone involved in the
disability field persons with disabilities, caregivers, the medical profession,
and those offering services in this domain. Read more at www.napsa.org.
za.
www.outonalimb.co.za read about the efforts of a disabled biker and his
team to raise awareness and funds for the disabled.
Celebrated on the first Friday of September each year, Casual Day is the
fundraising project, which calls upon South Africans to dress differently on
the day and to wear the sticker to show their support for disabled people.
Visit www.casualday.co.za.
See also the following international websites:
Inclusion International www.inclusion-international.org
Read about the International Classification of Functioning, Disability
and Health (ICF), devised by the World Health Organisation, at www.
who.int
The European Disability Forum www.edf-feph.org
Centre for Accessible Environments www.cae.org.uk
World Federation of the Deaf www.wfdeaf.org
342
Phones
national issues
Safety and security
1. Overview
Crime destroys value, destroys lives and leaves deep scars. The resultant
fear can lead to a siege mentality and a negative spiral that goes nowhere
creative.
The murder rate from farm attacks, in particular, has drawn much attention
or very little depending on who you are and how you have experienced
it. One farmer group took the matter to The Hague, and drew international
censure against farm attacks in South Africa.
Some will point out that a society characterised by some 40% unemployment
and a vast wealth gap between the haves and the have-nots has a
national crisis on its hands. These 40% are marginalised as they have little
real hope of a job and a meaningful life. There is an inevitable spill over to
increased crime levels.
The truth is that farmers make a country food secure. There are farmers who
have long been involved in programmes which assist with skills development,
access to land and equipment, and small business development, and doing
this long before AgriBEE (which sets targets and encourages this) came
along. When its agricultural sector is exposed to violent threat, that country
is not acting wisely.
The State has a responsibility to protect the lives and property of its citizens.
Safety and security is a national issue.
Always have a cellphone as an alternative to your landline.

Cellphones should have the telephone numbers of the police and farm
watch keyed in for easy access during an emergency.
Test your telephones, sirens and alarm systems regularly.
Communication & Social

Have an emergency plan and practice it with your family so that each
one of them know what to do.
Let your family know what your movements are.
Liaise with your local police station or agricultural union on what the
law allows you to do.
Be attentive when you hear conversations of unusual events.
Encourage a safety consciousness amongst your colleagues.
Dogs
Farmers should keep well-trained dogs on the premises, with some
kept inside the house at night.
Pay attention to their behaviour e.g. if they become inexplicably sick,
or if their behaviour is different upon your return to the house (if they
are fearful or bark at a particular place).
On which part of the yard do they spend most of their time? The other
side might well deserve some attention as it makes you vulnerable.
Strangers
Be wary of strangers who wish to buy livestock, certainly if you do not
sell livestock as a rule. Or they may be looking for work, or making
enquiries about somebody who is in your employ.
Equipment
Keys should be carefully controlled to prevent their duplication.
Remove all keys from all vehicles when not in use. Be aware if keys
disappear or re-appear without explanation.
Labour
2. Security tips
Read over this list to see how safety aware you are ...
Farm Layout
Dont plant trees or shrubs near gates. These are hiding places for
perpetrators.
Be aware of gates that are closed when they ought to be open.
Attitude & Routine

Be alert at all times.
Vary your routine. This applies especially after doing a cash withdrawal
in town: this should never be done on a predictable basis. If you have
two entrances to your farm, you have the advantage.
Make a habit of not going to sleep immediately after switching off the
lights. Stay awake for a while.
Good relations and communication with farm workers is crucial.

Know every person, who his/her family is, where they come from.
Depending on your relations with them, they could be included in a
farm watch system. Certainly they should be encouraged to be alert
on security matters and to report anything unusual alien motor cars,
strangers on the farm etc. Reward your workers for useful hints and
information.
Have copies of your workers identity documents.
Be aware of unusual behaviour and activity on their part especially if
you have just hired or retrenched somebody e.g. if they vacate their
posts without any reason.
Money
As far as possible, avoid keeping large sums of money on the
premises.
Sources: Perpetrators of farm attacks: An Offender Profile, D Mistry & JDhlamini,
2001; www.agrisa.co.za; www.saps.gov.za and Kobus Visser (Agri SA).
House
An electric perimeter fence is a good idea. Failing that, a four-foot
fence to keep the dogs around the house.
Have security chains on the doors, and peepholes to see who is at the
door.
Dont sleep in a place where you are visible from the outside. Security
gates should be installed at the sleeping quarters inside the house as
well as outside. (It goes without saying that you should have burglarproofing and an effective alarm system).
Dont go outside at night to investigate noises. Call the police or farm
watch.
Erect a fence, rather than a wall, around the house, to ensure better
visibility.
Have a first aid kit; know what is in it.
Have a torch or two handy, preferably in a strategic place in the
house.

Safety and security leads to increased confidence in the economy and social
structures. Priority 6 of the Medium Term Strategic Framework (MTSF)
which guides government in the 2009-2014 period is to intensify the fight
against crime and corruption. Priority 6 helps government achieve success
with many of the other ten priorities listed.
Find out about White Paper on Safety and Security at www.gov.za. In the
second half of 2012 it was being reviewed with a trip to parliament (as part
of the public comment process) on the cards.
The Rural Safety Strategy (RSS), officially launched by the South African
Police Services (SAPS) late in 2011, requires sustained buy-in from farmers,
farm workers and others living in rural areas. It should go hand-in-hand with
the security arrangements being run by many communities.
343
South African Police Services

(SAPS)
Emergency Tel: 10111
Crime Stop Tel: 08600 10111
www.saps.gov.za
National Firearms Call Centre
Tel: 012 353 6111
firearms@saps.org.za
Civilian Secretariat for Police
Tel: 012 396 2500
www.policesecretariat.gov.za
Independent Police
Investigative Directorate
(IPID)
Formerly the Independent
Complaints Directorate
Tel: 012 399 0000
www.ipid.gov.za
Department of Correctional
Services
Tel: 012 307 2000
www.dcs.gov.za
Department of Justice and

This provides government with Constitutional Development
civilian policy management capacity, Tel: 012 406 4600
independent of the vested and www.doj.gov.za
occupational interest of the Police
Service.
4. Role players
Associations
AfriForum
Tel: 012 644 4484
www.afriforum.co.za
www.afriforum911.co.za
Agri SA
Tel: 012 643 3400
www.agrisa.co.za
A team of expert agricultural,
business and public leaders manages
the Agri Securitas Trust Fund. They
identify the projects that are to be
financed. The overall objective of
the Trust Fund is to contribute to
the protection of rural areas and to
improve the alertness of the rural
community by:
financing approved projects
initiated at grassroots level in
the interests of the relevant
community so that such
community can improve its
own safety in the process;
providing information to
promote own alertness and
the protection of homesteads;
making contibutions towards
approved trust funds created
to assist financially those
children who are orphaned as
a result of a farm attack; and
making contributions towards
Agri Securitas Trauma Scheme
premiums in order to assist
members of Agri SA to make
financial provision for medical
expenses incurred after farm
attack or accident.
Business Against Crime (BAC)

Tel: 011 883 0717
www.bac.org.za
Find provincial contact details,
statistics and reports on the
website.
Security Association of South
Africa (SASA)
Tel: 031 764 6681
www.sasecurity.co.za
Security Industry Alliance
(SIA)
Tel: 011 498 7346
www.securityalliance.co.za
SIA is an alliance of security
associations in South Africa
Solidarity
Tel: 012 644 4300
www.solidariteit.co.za
www.solidariteitradio.co.za
South African Chamber of
Commerce and Industry
(SACCI)
Tel: 011 446 3800
www.sacci.org.za
SACCI believes that it is imperative
that the causes of farm attacks
and murders are immediately
addressed, not only on moral
and legal grounds, but also in the
national economic interest.
South African Intruder

Detection Services Association
The list of approved projects and (SAIDSA)
some notes on each can be found Tel: 011 845 4870
on www.agrisa.co.za take the www.saidsa.co.za
Agri Securitas option.

Security Employers Association
(SANSEA)
Tel: 011 498 7468
www.sansea.co.za
TAU SA
Tel: 012 804 8031
www.tlu.co.za
TAU SA has developed a security
policy to support members, their
families and neighbours to create
a safe environment which will
promote economic agricultural
practices. Where possible, cooperation with the authorities
is recommended, but it is also
realised that mutual support in
rural areas can do much to ensure
the safety of life and property.
TAU SA conducts training for

members during which selfdefence, legal matters, first aid
and fire fighting receive priority
attention and these aspects are
integrated to ensure a practical
protection plan.
Their website has a menu option
which provides statistics of farm
attacks and stock theft and more.
The strategic objectives of this
organisation may also be found
here.
2012 was the year the TAU SA
drew the attention of Europe to the
unacceptably high murder rate of
South African farmers. Forty-eight
members of the EU parliament
condemned the killings.

Centre for the Study of Violence
and Reconciliation
Tel: 011 403 5650
Tel: 021 447 3661
www.csvr.org.za
SASSETA (Safety and Security

Education
and
Training
Authority)
Tel: 086 110 2477
www.sasseta.org.za

Defence, Peace, Safety and
Security
Tel: 012 841 2297 / 4487
www.csir.co.za/dpss/ss.html
Skopos Centre
Tel: 082 061 8429
www.firearmacademy.co.za
University of Johannesburg
Centre for the Study of Economic
Crime (CENSEC)
Tel: 011 559 2637
www.uj.ac.za
Institute of Justice and

Reconciliation
Tel: 021 763 7128
www.ijr.org.za
UNISA College of Law

School of Criminal Justice
Department of Security Risk
Management
Tel: 011 471 3654
www.unisa.ac.za
Director Jan Hofmeyr has

expressed concern at the increasing
polarisation in the national debates
on farm attacks. Creating a solution
for this problem would require
Waters Firearms Competency
new inclusive forms of debates.
Assessment
and
Training
Centre (FCATC)
Institute for Security Studies
Tel: 011 660 7673 / 086 6815 117
Tel: 012 346 9500/2
www.fcatc.co.za
www.iss.co.za
Leigh Matthews Stress and
Trauma Centre
Tel: 011 226 2200
www.leighmatthews.co.za
A countrywide network of centres
Companies
Armour Systems & Projects
Tel: 072 292 4706
www.armoursystems.co.za
Aquila Services Group

Tel: 041 365 7990
www.aquilagroup.co.za
Bullet resistant conversions to Beka

bakkies
Tel: 011 238 0000
www.beka.co.za
344
Floodlights, emergency lighting and NWET

other luminaries. Contact details of Tel: 0861 6938 48
Beka branches nationwide can be www.nwet.co.za
found on the website.
Video surveillance
Bernhard Agencies
Tel: 011 802 1783 / 082 312 0035 ROBOGUARD
Tel: 018 297 1488
www.bernhardagencies.co.za
www.togra.co.za
They
provide
night-vision
Find the Farm security systems
equipment e.g. binoculars.
menu option on the website.
Big Brother CCTV
SecuCell
Tel: 011 788 7750
Tel: 016 982 4393
www.bigbrother.co.za
www.secucell.co.za
Infra-red sensitive cameras etc
Cell phone based security systems
Cellsecure Holdings
SpyCatcher South Africa
Tel: 012 644 1285
Tel: 011 450 2158 / 079 888 2804
www.cellsecureholdings.com
www.spycatcheronline.co.za
Automate and regulate your
security by means of your cell phone A range of products supplied to
e.g. any breach of security sends an help farmers fight crime and secure
their properties from criminals.
SMS to (up to) five numbers.
Handheld, head-mounted and
Defence Concepts
goggle night vision units are
Tel: 011 444 2534/5
especially popular.
www.defcon1.co.za
Stinger Stun Guns
Reinforcing windows: protection Tel: 084 516 3475
from forced entry, natural disaster, www.selfdefense.co.za
bullet resistant etc
WirelessAlert
HOTSURE
Tel: 021 438 8324
Tel: 0861 468 7873
www.wirelessalert.co.za
www.hotsure.co.za
Find Your business/farm security
Monitoring systems for your under Solutions on the website.
vehicles, animals, house and other
assets
Statutory and other

Crime Line
SMS to 32211
www.crimeline.co.za
Policing Association of South

Africa (POLSA)
Tel: 012 429 6808
Your anonymous crime tip-off line
Private Security Industry

Regulatory Authority (PSIRA)
Tel: 012 337 5500
www.psira.co.za
CrisisOnCall
Tel: 012 335 3776 / 0861 57 4747
www.crisisoncall.co.za
A 24-hour countrywide call-centre
to deal with any crisis. One feature
is the trip monitoring service which
provides total peace of mind to
farmers and their families when
travelling back to their farms.
CrisisOnCall contributes on a
monthly base to the Agri Securitas
Trust Fund and thus contributes to
the safety of people in the country.
South African Human Rights

Council (SAHRC)
Tel: 011 877 3600
www.sahrc.org.za
Details of regional offices are on
the website.

Visit the websites of role players listed earlier in the chapter.
www.muurvanherinnering.8m.com lists the names of victims of farm

attack
Find the safety and security directory at www.security.co.za.
Security Focus the official magazine of the Security Industry of Southern
Africa. The online version, as well as other security publications may be
found at www.secpub.co.za.
www.crimeline.co.za, a Primedia initiative which had led to the arrest
of more than 1000 criminals by July 2011. Tip-offs can also be smsed
to 32211.
www.mjhood.co.za the FAQ option takes you to questions relating
to firearm licences.
The Open Society Foundation for South Africa (OSF) www.osf.org.
za has a Criminal Justice Programme
www.ifsecsa.com IFSEC South Africas Securex is South Africas
largest security event
A new comprehensive source of information and analysis on crime,
criminal justice and crime prevention in South Africa, the Crime
and Justice Hub, is available on the Internet. See www.issafrica.org/
crimehub.
www.censorbugbear.org/rural-murders/
Treurgrond 20 jaar van plaasaanvalle in Suid-Afrika, authored by Dirk
Hermann (Solidarity) and Chris van Zyl (TAU SA), is published by Kraal
Uitgewers. It describes 1 363 murders which occurred during 2 617 farm
attacks between 1990 and 2010. The book is available in English as Land
of Sorrows. Visit www.treurgrond.co.za and www.kraaluitgewers.co.za for
more information.
National Directory on Services for Victims of Violence and Crime contains the
information of more than 1500 organisations and government services in
all nine provinces. The directory can be used as a quick resource to access
specialised services for victims, court preparation and support, protection
and investigation services, social services centres as well as shelters and
crisis centres. It can be accessed at the national department of Social
Development (DSD) as well as at all non-governmental organisations
working with the department. Visit www.dsd.gov.za for contact details.
The movie War of the Flea relates statistics and provides the background of
farm attacks in South Africa. Find the trailer on www.youtube.com.
Find the thesis done by Veronica Hornschuh (University of Pretoria) on
farm attacks at http://upetd.up.ac.za.
Perpetrators of farm attacks: An Offender Profile, D Mistry & J Dhlamini, 2001.
Oorwin Plaasaanvalle, and in English, Counteract Farm Attacks by Lukas Swart
is printed by CLS Publishers. Contact them at 021 447 4646.
345
national issues
Water
See also the Water storage, Irrigation, Boreholes and windmills and
Waste management chapters
1. Overview
Water cannot be created. The water we have now is as much as there will ever
be.
South Africa is a dry country by world standards. Its climate varies from
desert and semi-desert in the west to sub-humid along the eastern coastal
area. Its average rainfall of about 450mm per year is well below the world
average of about 860mm. Evaporation is high, which places extra pressure
on this resource.
Water resources in the country comprise of surface water (77%), return
flows (14%) and groundwater (9%). Inland water resources include 22
major rivers, 165 large dams, more than 4 000 medium and small dams on
public and private land, and hundreds of small rivers.
The following table presents the water resource allocations per water user
group:
Water user/sector
Proportion of allocation
Agriculture
62%
Domestic
27%
Urban
23%
Rural
4%
Industrial
3,5%
Afforestation
3,5%
Mining
Power generation
2,5%
2%
Source: Water for Growth and Development (WfGD) Framework, 2009
Agriculture is an important sector contributing to the countrys food security,

rural welfare and contributing to job creation. It consumes some 62% of the
countrys water resources doing so, placing a considerable responsibility on
the shoulders of all in the sector. Agriculture faces increased competition for
water resources from domestic and industrial users.
Water is a national issue for several reasons:
The necessity for water makes it a human security issue. Water is a key
to stability in the lives of communities and to the growth of nations.
Because South Africa is a water-scarce country, the water we have
should be used wisely.
Water use behaviours can have a detrimental effect on the quality of
our water. Industrial, mining and agricultural pollutants, as well as poor
maintenance of waste water treatment works degrade our water and
aquatic life.
The costs to the economy of making increasingly toxic water fit for
human consumption is an unnecessary, avoidable expense.
The trading status of South African agricultural products, both for
export and local, is threatened by the quality of water in some areas.
The shadow goes further than the safety of the food to the very
profitability of various businesses (read jobs).
The Grundfos website, http://za.grundfos.com, quotes research on websites

like those of the United States Environmental Protection Agency and the
United Nations Population Fund to bring us some thought-provoking facts:
Each flush of the toilet uses the same amount of water that one person
in the Third World uses all day for washing, cleaning, cooking and
drinking.
Twelve million people die each year from lack of safe drinking water,
including more than 3 million who die from waterborne diseases.
The average distance a woman in Africa and Asia walks to collect water
is 6km.
The weight of water that women in Asia and Africa carry on their heads
is equivalent to the maximum baggage weight allowed by airlines 20
kg, or 44lbs.
Women are the primary caretakers for those who fall ill from waterrelated diseases, reducing their time available for education and
productive economic efforts.
One-third of women in Egypt walk more than an hour a day for water;
in other parts of Africa, the task can consume as much as eight hours.
According to the United Nations, there are more than 250 internationally
shared rivers covering nearly half the total land surface of the earth, as
well as innumerable shared aquifers.
About 300 potential conflicts around the world have been identified, but
history suggests very few, if any, are expected to develop into armed
conflict. In the past century, only seven minor skirmishes over water
were documented. But in the future nearly all the worlds major rivers
are expected to come under increased pressure to provide water for
farming and industry as well as drinking water for the 3-billion extra
people expected to be born before the worlds population starts to
drop.
By 2025, says the UN, nearly one in three people will live in countries
that are affected by water shortages. These already affect 450-million
people in 29 countries and, according to the World Water Forum,
tensions over water rights and allocations are expected to mount. Last
year the Pentagon predicted that water disputes would rise up the agenda
in global politics in the coming years.
Source: an excerpt from Water: a new source of conflict on www.mg.co.za.
Some role players and websites

www.globalwaterresearchcoalition.net is the website of the Global
Water Research Coalition (GWRC)
IHP-HELP Centre for Water Law, Policy and Science www.
dundee.ac.uk/water
International Centre for Integrated Water Resources
Management (ICIWaRM) www.iciwarm.org/en/
International Water Management Institute (IWMI) produces
public goods tools and knowledge to help developing countries
gain more crop per drop from water used to grow food. Visit www.
iwmi.org.
International WaterCentre www.watercentre.org
Regional Centre for Training and Water Studies of Arid and
Semi-arid Zones (RCTWS) www.rctws.com
Regional Centre on Urban Water Management (RCUWM)
www.rcuwm.org.ir
Find the Water option at www.unesco.org, the United Nations
Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO)
website. Links exist to the International Hydrological Programme
(IHP), the World Water Assessment Programme (WWAP),
UNESCO-IHE (Institute for Water Education) and Water
Centres around the world.
Water Centre for Arid and Semi-arid Zones of Latin America
and the Caribbean (CAZALAC) www.cazalac.org
World Water Council: an global movement for a water secure world
www.worldwatercouncil.org
349
Water for Africa

Tel: 012 336 8387 / 7500
www.dwa.gov.za
Huge reserves of underground water in some of the driest parts of Africa

could provide a buffer against the effects of climate change for years to
come. Groundwater is no panacea for Africas water shortages but it could
form an important part of a strategy to cope with an expected sharp increase
in demand for water as the continents population increases.
Researchers from the British Geological Survey and University College
London have for the first time mapped the aquifers, or groundwater, across
the continent and the amount they hold.
Read more at http://iopscience.iop.org/1748-9326/7/2/024009/article
Source: Engineering News 20 April 2012
Farming out production to other countries?

A solution for the southern tip of the continent would be to grow the
agricultural sectors of countries such as Zambia, where there is more
than enough rainfall.
Doing so would lessen the strain on South Africa where over 60% of
the water is used for irrigation, and would also stimulate neighbouring
countries. South Africa would be able to import the food Zambia grows
and also get growing markets for its own goods.
As climate change progresses, along with the expected drop in rainfall,
this would help mitigate many of the problems that the country faces
with ensuring food security.
Source: adapted from the article Farming out South Africas water worries on
www.mg.co.za.
Some role players and websites

African Water Association www.afwa-hq.org
Eastern Africa Water Association (EAWA) www.eawanet.org
Economic Accounting of Water (EAW) is a practical framework that
assists in the understanding of the role of water in the economy of a country
or River Basin. Visit www.sadcwateraccounting.org.
The Water Project (When water comes everything changes) http://
thewaterproject.org

The percentage of the South African population with access to clean
drinking water has increased from 62% in 1994, to 93% in 2011. [SA
Good News 16 April 2012]
Broadening access to water services has left the country with a huge
annual water infrastructure maintenance backlog.
Water-stressed South Africa needs to invest a massive R573-billion
on the full water value chain over the next ten years. This includes
about R394-billion for water services; R162-billion for water resources
infrastructure; and R16-billion for water demand management.
Government did an assessment in the mid-2012 document the MidTerm Review of the Priorities of Government of progress made in its
programmes. The document is a halfway mark between the 2009 to
2014 electoral term.
On the environment, the review finds 34% of South Africas
terrestrial ecosystems, 82% of its main river ecosystems and 65%
of its marine bio-zones are threatened.
Half of the countrys wetlands have already been destroyed.
It says water demand is expected to rise by 52% over the next 30
years, while the supply of water is likely to decline if the country
lost more wetlands and if leaks from old and poorly-maintained
municipal infrastructure persist.
The Minister is the custodian of South Africas water resources, responsible

for the formulation and implementation of policy governing this sector.
While striving to ensure that all South Africans gain access to clean water
and safe sanitation, the water sector also promotes effective and efficient
water resources management to ensure sustainable economic and social
development.
South Africas Constitution and the Bill of Rights enshrine the basic human
right to have access to sufficient water and a safe and healthy environment.
The two Acts that enable government to fulfil these rights through the
Department Water Affairs are:
The National Water Act, 1998, which aims to ensure that water
resources are protected, used, developed, conserved, managed and
controlled in a sustainable manner, for the benefit of everyone in South
Africa;
The Water Services Act, 1997 (Act 108 of 1997), which created a
regulatory framework within which water services could be provided.
The different acts regarding water are available under the documents
menu option on www.dwa.gov.za. Go to the Parliamentary Monitoring
Group website www.pmg.org.za for Annual Reports and briefings of the
Department and Water Boards.
The National Water Resource Strategy (NWRS) is an assessment of the
supply-demand ratio in relation to water resources, which was initiated in
2004. The assessment is conducted on a five-yearly basis, and the National
Water Reserves Strategy 2 (NRWS-2) sets out the strategic direction
for water resource management for the period 2013-2017.
The National Water Act, 1998, which sets the framework for the management
of South Africas water resources, provides for the establishment of
water-management institutions, which include catchment management
agencies (CMAs) and water-user associations (WUAs).
Water boards have been established to operate as water services providers,
which mainly entails the provision of bulk water supply. These water boards
include: Albany Coast Water, Ikangala Water, Overberg Water, Amatola
Water, Lepelle Northern Water, Pelladrift Water, Bloem Water, Magalies
Water, Rand Water, Botshelo Water, Mhlathuze Water, Sedibeng Water,
Bushbuckridge Water, Namakwa Water and Umgeni Water. Read about
these water boards on their websites e.g. www.randwater.co.za, www.
umgeni.co.za and www.magalieswater.co.za.
Refer to the latest yearbook on www.gcis.gov.za for a comprehensive overview
of National Strategy.
South Africas rivers

The main problems affecting the quality of the countrys river water
include faecal pollution, eutrophication (the inflow of nitrates and
phosphates), high salinity, high toxicity (from, among other sources,
agricultural pesticides) and acid mine drainage.
Faecal pollution (which leads to diseases like cholera and typhoid) and
pesticides need to be monitored widely, since they pose health risks to
human and agricultural activities.
The web pages of the Resource Quality Services Directorate of the
Department of Water Affairs (DWA) are at www.dwa.gov.za/iwqs. Find
the River Health Programme and other options.
Find the article on the latest Report on the State of Rivers and Dams at
www.engineeringnews.co.za.
350
DWA Regional Offices:

Head Office
Chief Director: Regional Coordination and Support
Tel: 012 336 7500

paa@dwaf.gov
Eastern Cape
Chief Director: Eastern Cape
Tel: 043 604 5402 / 082 809 5892

starkeya@dwa.gov.za
Director: Operation and

Maintenance
Tel: 083 627 5920 / 083 627 5920

coetzeed@dwa.gov.za
Director: Institutional
Development
Tel: 043 701 0354 / 083 627 5920

kekez@dwa.gov.za
Director: Water Sector

Support
Tel: 043 604 5407 / 083 627 5929

Mbambisag@dwa.gov.za
Director: Corporate Services
Tel: 043 604 5414 / 082 809 5892

starkeya@dwa.gov.za
Free State
Chief Director: Free State
Tel: 051 405 9281 / 082 803 3204

ntilit@dwaf.gov.za

Support
Tel: 051 405 9123 / 082 885 3915

RamunenyiwaP@dwa.gov.za
Establishment
Tel: 051 405 9266 / 082 513 7888

MahunonyaneM@dwaf.gov.za
Director: Water Regulation

and Use
Tel: 051 405 9280 / 082 884 5585

MsaneB@dwa.gov.za
Gauteng
Chief Director: Gauteng
Tel: 012 392 1303 / 082 802 5715

SmitH@dwa.gov.za

Support
Tel: 012 392 1511 / 082 317 6424

Mngunit@dwaf.gov.za
Establishment
Tel: 012 392 1306 / 082 807 3522

KeetM@dwaf.gov.za
KwaZulu-Natal
Acting Chief Director /

Director: Water Services
Tel: 031 336 2763 / 083 625 6247

masefielda@dwa.gov.za
Director: Water Use and

Regulation
Tel: 031 336 2763 / 083 625 6247

masefielda@dwa.gov.za
Acting Director: Institutional

Establishment
Tel: 031 336 2858 / 082 803 1817

reddyj@dwa.gov.za
Director: Corporate Services

& Finance
Tel: 031 336 2926 / 082 888 2954

MkhizeV@dwa.gov.za
Limpopo
Chief Director: Limpopo

Region
Tel: 015 290 1215 / 082 807 5643

Matukaa@dwa.gov.za

Support and Development
Tel: 015 290 1227 / 082 329 0801

MtileniR@dwa.gov.za
Acting Director: Water

Service
Tel: 015 290 1437 / 082 808 0419

MuthatW@dwa.gov.za
Director: Water Regulation

and Use
Tel: 015 290 1463 / 082 941 7965

KomapeM@dwa.gov.za
Establishment
Tel: 015 290 1213 / 082 908 7924

KobeL@dwa.gov.za
Mpumalanga
Chief Director: Mpumalanga
Tel: 013 759 7310 / 082 513 7888

MahunonyaneM@dwa.gov.za
Establishment
Tel: 013 932 2042 / 082 807 4198

VaswegJ@dwaf.gov.za

Regulation and Use
Tel: 013 759 7313 / 083 492 9690

MusekeneM@dwa.gov.za
351
North West
Chief Director: North West
Tel: 018 397 9547 / 082 873 1549

brisleym@dwa.gov.za
Corporate Service Manager
Tel: 018 387 9500 / 083 627 8220

vanvuurenl@dwa.gov.za
Northern Cape
Chief Director: Northern
Cape
Tel: 053 830 8803 / 082 883 6741

AbrahamsA@dwa.gov.za

Regulation and Use
Tel: 053 830 8802 / 082 883 6741

Abe@dwa.gov.za

Support
Tel: 053 830 8801 / 082 806 0699

TCH@dwa.gov.za
Western Cape
Chief Director: Western

Cape
Tel: 021 941 6000 / 082 809 2218

khanr@dwa.gov.za

Support
Tel: 021 950 7153 / 082 887 6251

LubelwP@dwa.gov.za
Operations
Tel: 021 950 7287 / 082 320 8228

PetersenA@dwa.gov.za
The countrys limited water resources will play a role in constraining a

business-as-usual growth trajectory. In its Diagnostics Overview, the
National Planning Commission (NPC) notes that South Africa is the
30th driest country in the world, and that the intensity of its water use
is high.
An extensive infrastructure network is needed to store and transport
water between and within river basins. Besides building new infrastructure
to bolster suppliers, greater emphasis will also have to be given to
improving water resource management and encouraging more efficient
consumption by municipalities, farmers and the mining industry.
Find the NPCs work at www.npconline.co.za.
Department of Rural
Development and Land Reform Forestry and Fisheries (DAFF)
Water Use and Irrigation
Development
Water is required for socio- Tel: 012 846 8567 or 9
economic
development
and
growth. The Department of Rural National Treasury
Development and Land Reform www.treasury.gov.za
has singled out access to clean
and piped water as one of the Department of Human
biggest challenges undermining the Settlements
progress of the Comprehensive www.dhs.gov.za
Rural Development Programme
(CRDP).
www.weathersa.co.za
Department of Environmnetal
Affairs
6. Role players
Associations, industry bodies and NGOs
Agricultural Business Chamber
Tel: 012 807 6686
www.agbiz.co.za
Association for Water and Rural

Development (AWARD)
Tel: 015 793 7500
www.award.org.za
Find Energy & Resources under

the Economic Intelligence menu Endangered Wildlife Trust
(EWT)
Tel: 011 372 3600
www.ewt.org.za
The EWTs Source to Sea

Programme addresses the need for
the conservation of freshwater
ecosystems and species in southern
Africa.
Environmental Monitoring
Group (EMG)
Tel: 021 448 2881
www.emg.org.za
South African Committee on

Large Dams
Tel: 021 808 2100 / 079 490 0210
Agricutural Engineers (SAIAE)
http://saiae.co.za
There are 19 autonomous Water
Boards, responsible for the
purification and distribution of
water for domestic, institutional,
agricultural
and
industrial,
commercial and other use. Most of
them are members of the SAAWU
the South African Association of
Water Utilities (see earlier listing).
Federation for a Sustainable

Environment
www.fse.org.za
Hippo Water Roller Project
www.hipporoller.org
People are able to transport almost
five times the amount of water in
one trip, without having to carry 20
kilograms on their heads.
Mvula Trust
Tel: 011 403 3425
www.mvula.co.za

(WISA)
Tel: 011 805 3537
www.wisa.org.za AND www.
ewisa.co.za
The Water Institute of Southern

Africa (WISA) is a voluntary nonprofit association comprising water
The largest NGO supporting water
sector professionals, interested
and sanitation development in
parties, companies, government
South Africa
departments, educational and
institutions,
local
National Water Forum (NWF) research
authorities
and
associated
Louis Meintjies 082 461 7262
organisations.
www.nwf.za.net
Water
Users
Associations
(WUAs) include all sectors
dependent on a specific water
resource which they utilise.
Notes on the WUAs may be
found on www.dwa.gov.za take
the Documents, Legislation
and National Water Act menu
options.
Save the Vaal Environment

(SAVE)
Tel: 083 286 3500
www.save.org.za
South African Association of
Water Utilities (SAAWU)
Tel: 011 455 0176
www.saawu.org.za
Banks
Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA)
Water Demand Management Programme
Tel: 011313 3362
www.dbsa.org

Find the education option under Publications on the Water Research Commission
(WRC) website www.wrc.org.za. It includes the career guide Water@Work focusing on potential careers in the water sector. The career guide may also be
found at www.wisa.co.za.
ARCInstitute for Soil, Climate

Tel: 012 310 2500
www.arc.agric.za
Centre for Development and

Enterprise (CDE)
Tel: 011 482 5140
www.cde.org.za
A wide field of water management

aspects are addressed by ARCISCW. Areas of water management
such as improving dryland water
use efficiency through water
harvesting
and
conservation
agriculture;
managing
water
quality in the environment and for
agricultural use; drought and flood
monitoring and response farming
to climatic conditions are but a few
water issues addressed.
Find the CDE Round Table report

Water: a looming crisis on their
website
Natural Resources and Environment
Unit
Tel: 012 841 3957 / 3477 / 2282
Tel: 021 888 2441 / 2444
www.csir.co.za
352
Technology (TUT)
Department of Environmental,
Water & Earth Sciences
The Sector Education and Training Tel: 012 382 6379
Authority (SETA) related to water. www.tut.ac.za
Energy and Water SETA
Tel: 011 274 4700
www.eseta.org.za

Tel: 012 346 9500/2
www.iss.co.za
International Water
Management Institute (IWMI)
Tel: 012 845 9100 / 132
www.iwmi.cgiar.org
Monash South Africa
Tel: 011 950 4000
www.monash.ac.za
Centre for Water Sciences and
Management
Tel: 018 293 0918
Ingrid.Dennis@nwu.ac.za
Tel: 018 299 2493/2128
Nico.Smit@nwu.ac.za
The trade union UASA did an

economic impact study on the
countrys water. It found that any
decrease in the quality and thus
usability of water in South Africa
by 1% may result in the loss of
200 000 jobs, a drop of 5,7% in
disposable income per capita, and
an increase of 5% or R18,1 billion
in government spending. Call 011
472 3600 or visit www.uasa.co.za.
Freshwater Research Unit (FRU)
www.fru.uct.ac.za
One of the Strategic Academic
Clusters at the University of the
Free State is Water management
in water-scarce areas.

Management
The mission of the Water Research Tel: 051 401 2863
Group is to develop a research www.ufs.ac.za/cem
profile in the following identified
focus areas:
Tel: 051 401 2482
Use of risk to contribute www.ufs.ac.za/igs
towards the management and University of KwaZulu-Natal
conservation of freshwater Bioresources Engineering &
ecosystems.
Effects of pollution to Tel: 033 260 5490
surface freshwater aquatic http://beeh.ukzn.ac.za
ecosystems, emphasising on
the responses of organisms, Water Research Commission
populations and communities. (WRC)
Contribution to the local, Water Utilisation in Agriculture:
national and regional science Dr Gerhard Backeberg
of aquatic ecosystem health.
Tel: 012 330 0340
www.wrc.org.za
Rhodes University
Institute for Water Research
Supporting
sustainable
Tel: 046 622 4014
development through research
www.ru.ac.za/static/institutes/iwr
funding, knowledge creation and
dissemination
Stellebosch University
Water Institute
Find the Research menu option
Tel: 021 808 3072
on the WRC website.
www0.sun.ac.za/water
Companies Involved
Also find the companies in the Water storage, Irrigation and Waste
management chapters. Precision farming saves water refer to the
Precision farming chapter as well.
Water purification and recycling solutions
Absolutely Pure Water Tel: 021 555 3151 www.absolutelypurewater.
co.za
Absolutely Water Tel: 011 907 8377 www.absolutelywater.co.za
Agro-Hytec Distribution Tel: 021 863 2884 www.agrohytec.co.za
Akwasolv Tel: 082 903 4457 / 072 084 1441 www.akwasolv.co.za
Aquamat Tel: 011 472 1311 www.aquamat.co.za
Applied UV Tel: 021 448 6721 www.applieduv.co.za
Biobox Systems Tel: 012 803 7601 www.biobox.co.za
Biolytix Tel: 021 881 3715 www.biolytix.co.za
ClearWater SA Tel: 051 446 1581 www.clearwatersa.co.za
Crystal Clear Tel: 011 640 6445 www.crystalclear.co.za

Eco Aqua Technology Tel: 082 559 2777 www.ecoaquatech.co.za
FBF Organics Tel: 033 346 1444 www.fbforganics.com
Free Water Systems Tel: 0860 728 392 www.freewater.co.za
Grundfos Tel: 011 579 4800 www.grundfos.com
Hemcro Africa Tel: 012 841 4958 www.hemcro.co.za
P & B Lime Works Tel: 028 424 1157 www.pandblime.co.za
Pure Water SA Tel: 011 907 8377 www.purewatersa.co.za
Southern Trident Tel: 041 467 0871 www.southerntrident.com
Safe Water Solutions (SWS) Africa www.swsafrica.com
Ultimate Water Tel: 021 556 7418 www.ultimatewater.co.za
Valve & Allied Tel: 011 789 4110 www.vacc.co.za
Water Purification Systems www.waterpurificationsolutions.co.za
Engineering
Aurecon Group Tel: 012 427 2000 www.aurecongroup.com
Gibb Engineering and Science Tel: 011 519 4600 www.gibb.co.za
SSI Consulting Engineers www.ssi-dhv.com
WorleyParsons RSA Tel: 021 912 3000 www.kv3.co.za
Irrigation
Find a complete list in the Irrigation chapter.

JL Irrigation Tel: 082 467 3219
Krohne Tel: 011 314 1391 http://krohne.com
Lindsay Africa Tel: 021 986 8900 www.zimmatic.com
Senter 360 Tel: 018 469 1331 www.senter360.co.za
Turf Ag Tel: 012 661 4561 www.turf-ag.co.za
Valley Irrigation of Southern Africa Tel: 011 814 7007 www.
valleyirrigation.com
Consultants and services
Carin Bosman Sustainable Solutions Tel: 012 940 2071 www.
cbosss.com
InSynch Sustainable Solutions Tel: 076 668 8877 www.insynch.
co.za
One of the services offered by Janet Edmonds Consulting is Permit
applications: Water Use Licenses. Call 033 940 0450 / 082 828 7953,
write to Janet.jec@edelnet.co.za or visit www.jecenviro.co.za.
NRM Consulting Tel: 011 318 0895 www.nrmconsulting.co.za
NviroTek Labs Tel: 012 252 7588 www.nviroteklabs.co.za
South African Bureau of Standards (SABS) Tel: 012 428 7911
www.sabs.co.za
PROMEET offers technology for retaining moisture on your lands.
Call Michiel Theron at 082 802 2442 or email him at promeet@lantic.
net.
SRK Consulting Tel: 011 441 1111 www.srk.co.za
Water Footprint Certification Consultancy Tel: 079 037 8366
www.waterfootprint.co.za
Tanks, instrumentation, pumps and other equipment
Grundfos Tel: 011 579 4800 www.grundfos.com
Hanna Instruments supplies water quality measurement and control
technology: technically advanced yet easy-to-use equipment for the
agricultural industry. Visit www.hannainst.com. Contact details for
branches across the country are on the website.
Hippo Roller www.hipporoller.com
JoJo Tanks Tel: 013 262 3012 www.jojotanks.co.za
N&Z Instrumentation & Control Tel: 011 435 1080 www.nz.co.za
Roundabout Water Solutions is a part of PlayPumps International
which provides clean drinking water. See www.playpumps.org.
353

Visit the websites of the various role players, mentioned earlier in this
chapter.
The Water Wheel is a two-monthly magazine on water and water
research. Tel: 012 330 0340.
Hundreds and hundreds of publications are available from the Water
Research Commission. Contact them at 012 330 0340 or email
orders@wrc.org.za. Visit www.wrc.org.za to see what is available.
WATER Sewage & Effluent is a monthly magazine published by Brooke
Pattrick Publications. Visit www.brookepattrick.com.
Water & Sanitation Africa (an alternate monthly publication) is published
by 3S Media. Read more at www.3smedia.co.za.
Visit the Water Wise website (see www.waterwise.co.za), Rand
Waters environmental brand.
Visit the websites of the different Water Boards e.g. www.randwater.
co.za, www.umgeni.co.za and www.magalieswater.co.za.
Find the many papers on www.polity.org.za e.g. Access to water: The
Southern African context; Off-track and What Risks Lie Ahead for African
Water Security?
What is YOUR water footprint? Visit www.waterfootprint.org, home
of the Water Footprint Network.
Publications available from the CSIR include Climate Risk and
Vulnerability: a handbook for Southern Africa and The National Freshwater
Ecosystem Priority Areas Atlas. The latter is a HUGE document with lots
of maps of freshwater rivers and wetlands that need to be protected.
It is available online on the CSIR website.
Some of the Infotoons at www.agis.agric.za/efarmer deal with water
issues. See Using soap water in a low-cost irrigation system to produce
vegetables and fruit and Making the most of rainwater.
The following Info Paks (booklets) can be accessed at www.daff.gov.
za/publications: Collecting rainwater from your roof and Wetland
Values and Functions.
Lesotho Highlands Water Project helps to ensure an adequate supply

of water to Gauteng in South Africa while also generating hydropower
for Lesotho. Visit www.lhda.org.ls.
www.africanwater.org an independent initiative dedicated to the
promotion of sustainable water resources management and use
www.internationalrivers.org at the heart of the global struggle to
protect rivers and the rights of communities that depend on them
The World Wildlife Fund Sanlam Living Waters Partnership blueprint
was launched in 2009, and outlines specific actions to ensure that
healthy freshwater ecosystems underpin economic and social wellbeing in South Africa. Find it at www.panda.org.za/livingwaters.
Find the Infographic: The secret life of drinking water on www.cnn.
com.
To do with Storm water management:
There is a great Journal/Magazine called Urban Green File which runs
articles and news for the environmental design/planning fraternity. In
this journal, many articles on actual projects where stormwater
management have been deliberately applied have appeared over the
last few years. Contact the editor for their archive (accessible on-line)
and permission to access it: infrastructure@brookepattrick.co.za or
www.brookepattrick.com.
Landscape SA Karyn Richards (editor). Tel: 011 326 0303 or visit www.
eaglepub.co.za.
Environmental Management Carol Knoll (editor). Tel: 011 268 6732.
Visit www.emmagazine.co.za.
The Institute of Landscape Architecture (www.ila.org) and the University
of Pretorias School of Architecture and Landscape Architecture (www.
up.ac.za) are two other contacts.
354
national issues
Women
1. Overview
Improving the status of women is a vital step necessary to alleviate poverty
and reduce population growth in Southern Africa.
Each one of us is aware of the tremendous role played by the women in our
lives to determine what we are; our mothers, sisters and daughters. In the
story of humanity, though, the role played by women is usually obscured,
and when analysis is done, information (when there is any) shows their role
as being marginal.
Are we aware that 2010 2020 is the Womens Decade in Africa, or the
policies set out to be implemented during this decade?
The Womens Decade was established on the basis of ten thematic areas
that would be treated at the local, national, regional and continental levels:
fighting poverty and promoting economic empowerment of women
and entrepreneurship
agricultural and food security
health, maternal mortality and HIV and Aids
education, science and technology
environment, climate change and sustainable development
peace, security and violence against women
governance and legal protection
finance and gender budgeting
women in decision-making positions
the promotion of young womens movements

The Convention on the Elimination of All Form of Discrimination Against
Women (CEDAW), or the International Womens Human Rights Treaty,
was adopted by the UN in 1979. CEDAW was also the first document to
comprehensively address womens rights within political, cultural, economic,
social and family spheres. CEDAW is often referred to as the International
Bill of Rights for Women. South Africa ratified CEDAW in December 1995;
and its Optional Protocol in March 2005.
The 1993 Declaration on the Elimination of Violence Against Women
(DEVAW) set forth ways in which governments should act to prevent
violence, and to protect and defend womens rights. DEVAW holds states
responsible to exercise due diligence to prevent, investigate and, in
accordance with national legislation, punish acts of violence against women,
whether those acts are perpetrated by the state or by private persons.
The Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action (1993) states that
international human rights instruments must be applied in such a way
as to take more clearly into consideration the systematic and systemic
discrimination against women that gender analysis has clearly indicated.
Gender-based violence and all forms of sexual harassment and exploitation,
including those resulting from cultural prejudice and international trafficking,
are incompatible with the dignity and worth of the human person, and must
be eliminated.
The International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD)

Programme of Action (1994) considers the inter-relationship between
population, sustainable economic growth and sustainable development,
advances in the education, economic status and empowerment of women.
The Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action (1995) binds
governments to implement the agreed strategic objectives of the twelve
areas of concern:
Women and Poverty
Education and Training of Women
Women and Health
Violence Against Women
Women and Armed Conflict
Women and the Economy
Women in positions of power and decision-making
Institutional mechanisms for the advancement of women
Human Rights of Women
Women and the Media
Women and the environment
The Girl-Child
The Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights
on the Rights of Women in Africa commits States to combat all forms of
discrimination against women through appropriate legislative, institutional
and other measures. Furthermore, it commits states to:
adopt and implement appropriate measures to prohibit exploitation or
degradation of women;
adopt and implement measures to ensure the protection of every
womans right to respect for her dignity and protection of women
from all forms of violence, particularly sexual and verbal violence;
identify the causes and consequences of violence against women and
to take appropriate measures to prevent and eliminate such violence;
eliminate harmful practices and to protect women who are at risk of
being subjected to harmful practices or all other forms of violence,
abuse and intolerance.
Further regulations pertain to: Marriage; Separation, divorce and annulment
of marriage; Access to equal protection before the law; Widows rights; and
Right to inheritance.
At the Third Ordinary Session of the African Union (AU) Assembly of Heads
of State and Government in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia in July 2004, the Heads
of State and Government adopted the Solemn Declaration on Gender
Equality in Africa (SDGEA). The Declaration is an important African
instrument for promoting gender equality and womens empowerment as it
strengthens African ownership of the gender equality agenda and keeps the
issues alive at the highest political level in Africa.
On 17 August 2008, in Johannesburg, SADC Heads of State and Government
signed the SADC Protocol on Gender and Development, an important
step in work towards the empowerment of women, the elimination of
discrimination and the achievement of gender equality and equity. This
Protocol sets 28 substantive targets for achieving gender equality by 2015,
and is a legally binding agreement compelling SADC Member States to
hasten their efforts towards this end.
Source: excerpts from Gender equality and equity: Towards A 10-Year Review of
the Population Policy Implementation in South Africa (1998-2008), compiled by the
Department of Social Development.

The National Machinery for Advancing Gender Equality (often
abbreviated as NMG) was developed following the 1995 World Conference
on Women in Beijing, as part of a National Gender Policy.
355
Key components within the NMG are:

Ministry of Women, Children and People with Disabilities
Gender Units or Focal Points (GFP) situated in line departments
Joint Monitoring Committee on Improvement of Quality of Life and
Status of Women (JMC)
Commission on Gender Equality (CGE)
NGOs who work in the field advance gender equality
While Government looks to the NGM as critical for facilitating gendersensitive delivery, responsibility for implementation lies with the different
government ministries and agencies. For this reason, all government
initiatives and departments have a gender mainstreaming element to them.
The mainstreaming strategy is articulated in South Africas National Policy
Framework for Womens Empowerment and Gender Equality.
Several pieces of legislation are specific in their protection of women against
discrimination in the workplace, including:
Employment Equity Act, Act 55 of 1998
Promotion and provision of Unfair Discrimination Act No 2 of 2000
Preferential procurement Policy Framework Act No 3 of 2000
Skills Development Act No 97 of 1998
Skills Development Levies Act No 9 of 1999
Basic conditions of Employment Act No 75 of 1997
Labour Relations Act No 66 of 1995
Broad Based Black Economic Empowerment Act No 53 of 2003
A Women Empowerment and Gender Equality Bill (WEGE) is in the pipeline.
A National Council against Gender-based Violence has also been approved.
Find updates on www.info.gov.za.
All national departments are involved in empowering women. Find
contact details at www.info.gov.za. Here we highlight only a few.
Department of Women,
Children and People with
Disabilities
Monitoring & Evaluation
Tel: 012 359 0172
Institutional Support
Tel: 012 359 0179
Advocacy & Mainstreaming
Tel: 012 359 0203
www.dwcpd.gov.za
Development
Tel: 012 312 7410
www.population.gov.za
Department of Trade & Industry

(DTI)
Gender & Womens Empowerment
Unit
Tel: 012 394 1606
Directorate: Gender
Mainstreaming
Tel: 012 319 7211
www.daff.gov.za
Find the document Towards an

enabling environment for Women
Economic Empowerment in South
Africa (2011) on the Department of
Trade and Industry website, www.
thedti.gov.za.
South Africas Population Policy,

which provides a framework for all
population development initiatives,
a specific focus on the rights and
development and women.
The aim of the annual Female Entrepreneur of the Year competition,

run in partnership with provinces and the private sector, is to empower
women in the agricultural, forestry and fisheries sector by recognising their
contributions and increasing their visibility. The ceremony is a culmination
of a process, which starts in the provinces early in the year. Entries and
nominations are made in the following categories:
Best Female Worker in the Sector
Best Subsistence Producer in the Sector
Top Entrepreneur in the Sector: Smallholder
Top Entrepreneur Processing in the Sector
Top Female Entrepreneur in the Sector: commercial
Top Entrepreneur in the Sector: Export Markets
Guiding documents and reports of this yearly event may be found under the
Publications option at www.daff.gov.za. Contact 012 319 7312 or 012 319
6943 for more information.
Provincial Governments run programmes of which women may take

advantage. Find out what is happening in your province.
Laws and policies designed to combat and reduce domestic violence
include:
The 16 Days of Activism Campaign (an international campaign
celebrated worldwide)
The Kopanong Declaration and the 365 Day Action Plan to End
Gender Violence
The Constitution of South Africa
The South African Bill of Rights, which protects our rights and
freedom
The Womens Charter for Effective Equality in South Africa
The Domestic Violence Act of 1998 (DVA) which confirms that
domestic violence is not just a private matter between two people
but a public policy issue which the government has to seriously
tackle
The Maintenance Act of 1998
Criminal Law (Sexual Offences and Related Matters) Amendment
Act
Employment Equity Act
Promotion of Equality and Unfair Discrimination Act of 2000
For a full discussion on the above, refer to the document Women making
a fresh start A guide for women leaving abusive relationships which can be
found at www.nisaa.org.za.
Policy and legislation are critical in changing practices based on patriarchal
attitudes and behaviour but it is difficult to legislate the attitudes away.
The global strategy to transform gender relations should also include
continuous education and the creation of spaces to debate issues relating
to patriarchy, womens empowerment and gender equality.
Adapted from a speech by Deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe in 2011 at the
National Womens Conference
4. Role players
Agri-Expo gives financial support
to the South African Womens
Agricultural Union (SAWAU),
assistance to its congress and
training to its show judges. Call 021
975 4440/1 or visit www.agriexpo.
co.za.
Sanlam COBALT
Tel: 021 947 3574
kobus.engelbrecht@sanlam.co.za
www.sanlam.co.za
Women are capable plan-makers,

especially those on farms who
help keep the farming business
Food, Agriculture and Natural going with their innovative
Resources Policy Analysis
entrepreneurial activities. But
Network (FANRPAN)
regardless of their considerable
Tel: 012 804 2966 / 3186
contribution to wealth creation on
sndema@fanrpan.org
the farm and the knock-on effect in
www.fanrpan.org
job creation for the neighbouring
FANRPAN runs the Women communities, their work is not
Accessing
Realigned
Markets often lauded.
(WARM) project.
Find details of the annual search for
the top women entrepreneurs on
Rural Womens Movement
the website.
(RWM)
Tel: 031 579 4559 / 073 840 5151
South African Womens
http://rwmsa.org
Agricultural Union (SAWAU)
RWM consists of 500 indigenous Tel: 082 388 3104
www.savlu.org
womens organisations involved
in projects such as small-scale Some SAWAU members are
farming, catering, block making, directly involved with farming,
hand crafts, and arts and culture. whether part time or full time.
The majority are living on privately- Crops include fruit, vegetables and
owned farms, traditional authority, seedlings, livestock and poultry.
and freehold areas.
The adding of value to products is
also common drying, preserving,
Rural Womens Action Research bottling fruit; making jam; selling
Project (RWAR)
eggs; and the processing of feathers
Tel: 021 650 5640 / 3067
and wool. This national umbrella
356
organisation has branches in

towns across the country and in
Namibia. Find contact details on
the website.
Women on Farms Project

(WFP)
Tel: 021 887 2960 /1/2
www.wfp.org.za
Masisizane Womens
Housing & Financial
Services Co-operative
Tel: 083 720 9525
Women in Agriculture and

Rural Development (WARD)
structures exist in most provinces
e.g. visit www.fs.agric.za/WARD.
html. See The provinces and
agriculture chapter for Provincial
Department of Agriculture contact
details.
WFP builds organisation amongst

women in agriculture by building
their capacity as agents of
change and as leaders. Womens
programmes include health, cooperatives, labour rights, land and
housing, trade justice, social security
and trade competencies. Subscribe
to their Plaasfokus newsletter.
Nafcoc Womens Chamber

Tel: 011 807 6644
www.nafcoc.org.za
General contacts of relevance to women
They run a production loan scheme

for small agricultural projects and food
security projects.
NISAA Institute for

Womens Development
Tel: 011 854 5804/5
www.nisaa.org.za
This is a Community-Based Non-Profit

NGO which focuses on the abuse of
women and womens issues.
People Opposing Women

Abuse (POWA)
Tel: 011 642 4345
www.powa.co.za
An NGO undertaking research into

gender-based violence (GBV) in Africa
Africa Gender Institute

Tel: 021 650 2970
http://agi.ac.za
Based at the University of Cape Town
Sonke Gender Justice

Network
Tel: 021 423 7088
www.genderjustice.org.za
Black Sash
Tel: 021 686 6952
http://blacksash.org.za
An independent, non-governmental
Human Rights organisation that has
worked tirelessly for justice and equality
in South Africa for more than 55 years
Business Womens
Association (BWASA)
Tel: 0860 000 041
execd@bwasa.co.za
www.bwasa.co.za
With branches across the country, the

BWASA is the largest association of
professional and businesswomen in
SA. It helps with career guidance and
business opportunities. It also facilitates
the matching of suitable mentors with
mentees. Its Development Fund assists
with education, development, growth,
empowerment and uplifting of women.
South African Human

Rights Commission
(SAHRC)
Tel: 011 877 3600
www.sahrc.org.za
Commission on Gender
Equality
Tel: 011 403 7182
www.cge.org.za
The CGE promotes and protects gender

equality in South Africa. Contact details
for provincial offices can be found on
the website.
Foundation for the

Development of Africa
www.foundationdevelopment-africa.org
Find out about the Women Development

Programme.
Gender Links
Tel: 011 622 2877
www.genderlinks.org.za
A Johannesburg-based NGO that focuses

on research, training and advocacy for
achieving gender equity
South African Women in

Dialogue (SAWID)
Tel: 012 845 2041 / 33
www.sawid.co.za
Techno Girls
Tel: 012 394 1644
TMtshali@thedti.gov.za
A dti award
Technology for Women

in Business programme
(TWIB)
Tel: 012 394 9500
www.thedti.gov.za
www.seda.org.za
Thuthuzela Care Centres
(TCC)
Find a list of all the branches at www.

shukumisa.org.za (take the Dealing
with rape option).
Tshwaranang Legal
Advocacy Centre
Tel: 011 403 8230 / 4267
www.tlac.org.za
To end violence against women
Ubuntu Institute
Tel: 011 566 6813
www.ubuntuinstitute.com
The Ubuntu Institute runs a Gender

Equality and Empowerment of Women
Programme.
Institute for Womens and Based at the University of Pretoria

Gender Studies
Tel: 012 420 3898
marinda.maree@up.ac.za
Womens Development
Businesses (WDB)
Tel: 011 341 9900
www.wdb.co.za
WDB Micro-Finance is a not-for-profit

organisation providing rural women
with capital in the form of group loans
and basic training.
Isivande Womens Fund

(IWF)
Tel: 0861 843 384
Women in Finance
Tel: 084 353 9865
www.womeninfinance.co.za
Human Sciences Research

Council (HSRC)
Tel: 012 302 2000
www.hsrc.ac.za
Khuthaza
Formerly Women in Housing
Tel: 011 275 0268
www.khuthaza.org.za
Law, Race & Gender
Research Unit
Tel: 021 650 5906
www.lrg.uct.ac.za
The IWF is an exclusive womens

fund established by the dti Gender
and Women Empowerment Unit
in partnership with Old Mutual
Masisizane Fund. Find more under
the Economic Empowerment and
Women Empowerment options at
www.thedti.gov.za.
Khuthaza aims to position women
for entrance into the housing and
construction related professions, to
encourage entrepreneurship and to
support women.
Women in Oil & Energy of

SA (WOESA)
Tel: 011 835 1880
www.woesa.com
A non-profit organisation that promotes

women in the oil and energy sector.
Womens Legal Centre

(WLC)
Tel: 021 424 5660
www.wlce.co.za
The WLC seeks to advance the struggle

for equality for women, particularly
black women.
Womens Net
Tel: 011 429 000
www.womensnet.org.za
Using ICTs strategically to create a

society where women and girls are
agents of social change
There are numerous other sector-specific womens associations e.g.

Women in Information Communication and Technology (WICT),
Womens International Shipping and Trading Association (WISTA),
357
Association of South African Women in Science and Engineering (SAWISE), African Women Chartered Accountants (AWCA), Women in
Nuclear (WIN).
national issues

The African Union launched the African Womans Decade in 2010,
and has created the Women, Gender and Development Directorate
(WGDD) in the Office of the Chairperson. Visit www.au.int.
The African Womens Development Fund (AWDF) www.awdf.
org is a grant-making foundation which supports local, national
and regional organisations in Africa working towards womens
empowerment.
Feminist theory website includes 5 000 bibliographic references,
nearly 600 internet links, material on feminism in 130 different
countries and indepth profiles of 80 internationally-known feminists.
www.cddc.vt.edu./feminism
The Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) publication The
state of food and agriculture has a section on women in agriculture. Find
the latest edition at www.fao.org.
Associated Country Women of the World (ACWW) is the largest
international organisation for rural women. Visit www.acww.org.uk.
Find the Gender & Diversity programme at www.genderdiversity.
cgiar.org.
www.fcem.org the World Association of Women Entrepreneurs (Les
Femmes Chefs dEnterprises Mondiales FCEM)
Gender, Science and Technology for Development http://
gstgateway.wigsat.org
www.icrw.org International Centre for Research on Women.
This site includes information about international research projects,
seminars, social policy issues, grants, advocacy efforts, and publications.
The focus is primarily on women in developing and transition
countries.
Leading Women in Africa www.leadingwomenofafrica.com is a
pan-African movement uniting women leaders in order find ways and
means to contribute to the maintenance of peace and stability in the
continent through the unity and Economic empowerment of Women
of Africa in the 21st century.
Find several papers on Women/Gender issues at www.polity.org.za.
Examples include Gender dimensions of agricultural and rural employment:
Differentiated pathways out of poverty (January 2011), Women: the real
rocks in sustainable development (August 2011), The state of the nation,
government priorities and women in South Africa (February 2012) and The
keepers of seed: The impact of the Green Revolution in Africa on female
farmers.
Rural Women New Zealand www.ruralwomen.org
The South African Development Community (SADC) has signed
both a Declaration on Gender and Development (1997) and a Protocol
on Gender and Development (2008). The latter is more binding and
sets out targets for SADC countries to reach by 2015. Visit www.sadc.
int.
Of all the Millenium Development Goals (MDGs), goal number
five preventing womens deaths during pregnancy and childbirth
is generating the least resources and lagging furthest behind. The
United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) www.unfpa.org
is an international development agency supporting countries to use
population data for policies and programmes to reduce poverty and
to ensure that every pregnancy is wanted, every birth is safe and
every girl and woman is treated with dignity and respect.
UN WOMEN www.unwomen.org is the United Nations Entity for
Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women.
Womens Entrepreneurial Development (WED) programme at
the International Labour Organisation (ILO) www.ilo.org/wed
Womens Environment & Development Organisation (WEDO)
www.wedo.org
Women for Women International helping women survivors of
war rebuild their lives www.womenforwomen.org
An international website www.womeninagriculture.com
Women Organizing for Change in Agriculture and Natural
Resource Management (WOCAN) www.wocan.org
A detailed list of Government role players, NGOs and shelters offering
counselling, care and support is included in the closing pages of Women
making a fresh start A guide for women leaving abusive relationships
which can be found at www.nisaa.org.za.
Youth
See also the Agricultural education and training, and Careers and
employment in agriculture chapters
1. Overview
Unemployment and lack of education among the youth are a threat to the
development of the country, and a squandering of opportunity. Challenges
faced by youth can become national crises in ten or twenty years time. But
while youth can represent the threat of social unrest, they also represent the
opportunity for lasting change and transformation.
In a way that is impossible to achieve through our current systems and
institutions, youth bring the potential for new mindsets and approaches
to old problems, with the chance to permanently erase systemic faults in
our world that no amount of social engineering can change. The built-in
willingness of youth to try new solutions and to challenge age-old problems
can be channelled towards highly creative developments in any society that
is willing to be youth-focused.
South Africa will experience a youth bulge in its population curve for the
next four decades. This is called a demographic dividend because it boosts
the size of the working population and is an opportunity to boost economic
growth and innovation. After the youth bulge, South Africa will face other
challenges, and hopefully will have built up the strength to move more of
the economy over to technology and knowledge intensive activities.
Source: Michael Stuart, writing for the National BEE Handbook

Find out about the UNs Programme on Youth at www.un.org/youth.
Africans aged between 15 and 24 currently comprise 60% of the

continents unemployed, with 22-million of those 40-million unemployed
youths having abandoned the search for a job.
The 2012 African Economic Outlook report, which contains country notes
on 53 countries, urges African governments to pursue programmes and
incentives that will help facilitate job creation and the acquisition of new
skills among young Africans, whose numbers are set to double to around
400-million by 2045, from 200-million currently.
The 293-page study is co-written by the African Development Bank
(AfDB), the OECD Development Centre, the United Nations Economic
Commission for Africa (UNECA) and the UN Development Programme
(UNDP).
Source: The article Africa needs programmes to boost youth employment study
at www.engineeringnews.co.za
Find the International Labour Organisations latest Global Employment Trends

for Youth report on www.ilo.org or www.polity.org.za. The ILO further
estimates that between 80 to 100 million youth worldwide are unemployed.
The report identifies short-term problems like the social hazards associated
with joblessness and prolonged inactivity, but also possible longer-term
consequences in terms of lower future wages and distrust of the political
and economic system.
The Discussion Paper, Putting Young Africans to Work: Addressing Africas
youth unemployment crisis (September 2011), draws on a series of Dialogues
held in May 2011 with the governments of Zambia, Mozambique and
358
Swaziland. The Dialogues were convened by The Brenthurst Foundation

and comprised distinguished experts from the United States, Costa Rica,
Argentina, the Ivory Coast and South Africa, all of whom contributed to
this volume. With diverse backgrounds in government, business, policy
implementation and academia, each expert brings a unique perspective to
bear on the pressing issue of youth unemployment in Africa. Find it at www.
polity.org.za.
The 2011 Regional Dialogue held by FANRPAN (Food, Agriculture and
Natural Resources Policy Analysis Network) was entitled Advocating for
the active participation of youth in the agricultural value chain. Read more
at http://dialogue2011.fanrpan.org or contact FANRPAN at 012 804 3186.
Find the International Youth Foundation webpages at www.iyfnet.org.

Unemployment and youth
To reach the global average labour participation rate of 56 percent, South
Africa would need to employ 18 million people five million more than
today. Most pressing is the unemployment among those working age youth
below 25 years of age where about 50 percent are unemployed.
The challenge is to create jobs for the people we have now, not those we
hope to have one day when our education system is vastly improved. This
means focusing both on lower- wage, start-up jobs and strategies to provide
access to work for the young and unskilled and not only on formal, higher
paid employment.
Unemployment at an early age often scars people for life. Young people
excluded from the labour force for long periods are deprived of on-thejob learning, leaving them with permanent skills deficit. On the other hand,
young people are the quickest learners. Skills acquired in youth are deeply
ingrained. If we cant find everyone a job and the truth is that we cant
we should focus on the young.
Sources: SAnews 23 February 2012; extracts from the Centre for Enterprise
Developments 5-Million Jobs document at www.cde.org.za
An opportunity for agriculture?
Each province has its own trial where the two best contestants per section
proceed to the nationals. Each section has two age groups juniors for
children under 14, and seniors for children under 18. All participants must
be scholars and they compete for the province where they attend school.
There are fifteen classes in which children compete i.e. beef catle, dairy
cattle, meatgoats, milchgoats, fibregoats, woolsheep, muttonsheep, horses,
pigs, chickens, rabbits, fancypigeons, racingpigeons, home industries and
dairy products. Each class is judged in different sections.
This is one of the most wonderful opportunities for children to work
with animals and as a positive introduction to agriculture. All children are
welcome. For further information, contact Hennie Prinsloo at 082 671
9712.
Toyota SA National Young Farmer of the Year

For details of their young farmer work, contact other farmer unions like TAU SA and
NAFU SA (details in the Organised agriculture chapter).
The Toyota SA National Young Farmer of the Year competition is the

culmination of nine provincial competitions in which farmers aged between
18 and 35 compete. These farmers must have been a member of a provincial
affiliation of Agri SA for at least two years and they compete against other
young farmers from the same province before being selected as finalist in
the larger competition. The nine provincial finalists are then further judged
on their farming skill, financial and business acumen and a multitude of other
scientific criteria.
The Land Bank Future Farmers Show

This is an event which happens at the Royal Agricultural Show in
Pietermaritzburg. Youth from matric to the age of 30 show off their
livestock.
The Annual Woolworths Trust EduPlant Programme

The Woolworths Trust EduPlant programme starts each year with an
invitation to educators to attend a free one-day permaculture workshop.
Educators who acquire permaculture skills become food security
champions in their communities. They are encouraged to develop food
gardens that yield much-needed food for hungry school children.
The average farmer (and farm worker!) is older than before, with young
people choosing alternative careers to agriculture. Reasons attributed for
this vary from perceptions that it is not a sexy industry: you work hard
for low returns, and the comparative business climate and future is brighter
elsewhere.
Once schools have developed gardens, they enter their projects into a
national competition, receiving ongoing support and advice. All finalist schools
win a cash prize as well as environmental, health and gardening resources.
Additional prize money and resources are awarded to the winners of the
emerging, intermediate, advanced and provincial categories.
Roelof Bezuidenhout, a farmer in the Eastern Cape, has warned that the
ageing in all sectors of agriculture doesnt augur well for governments plans
for rural development, to say nothing about the countrys food security. If
it takes years for a newcomer to build experience and become proficient,
we have to ask ourselves where the next generation of farmers is going to
come from and how good they will be.
EduPlant is run by Food & Trees for Africa. Contact EduPlant at 011 656
9802 or visit www.trees.co.za. Educational materials for schools linking
permaculture to the active learning curriculum are also available.
Could the high rate of unemployment amongst the youth is an opportunity

for agriculture?
Find the National Youth Development Agency Act (Act No. 54 or 2008) at www.
nyda.gov.za and the National Youth Policy 2009 2014 document at www.info.gov.
za.
Africa relies heavily on agriculture for its GDP (the average is 35%). It
made sense that African heads of state would sign the Maputo Declaration
committing to invest 10% of their annual budgets to agricultural development
and research. Very few have reached this target.
The private sector would be sure to follow the lead provided by African
governments investing in agriculture. Enabling policies, well-functioning
markets and support to commercial and small-scale farmers would
encourage success and job creation. And the more the young see a thriving
agricultural sector, the more they will be attracted to it.
National Agricultural Youth Show

The future of agriculture lies within the attitude of the youth towards
agriculture. The National Agricultural Youth Society is a non-profit
organisation that strives to encourage youth and to engender a love for
agriculture. Find Youth shows under the Activities option at www.
agriexpo.co.za.
In April 2009 cabinet approved the National Youth Policy (NYP) for 20092014 which details a number of policy imperatives. This is being followed up
with an Integrated Youth Development Strategy that sets out specific plans
to give effect to the policy propositions.
National attempts to empower youth focus on employment initiatives and
small business development support, in the belief that solving the economic
problems of youth will in turn make them less vulnerable to other social
problems.
Work experience opportunities include internships, learnerships,
apprenticeships and national youth service. The establishment of a National
Youth Service has been viewed as a mechanism to encourage voluntary
and service activities by young people to support community and national
developments, whilst simultaneously accessing new opportunities for skills
development, employment and income generation.
359
Recognising that youth is a challenge beyond any one ministerial mandate,

all government departments have some youth focus, be this bursary
schemes, internships, mentorships and incubator programmes. Contact
details and websites for all government departments can be found at www.
info.gov.za.
National Treasury
www.treasury.gov.za
A youth employment subsidy has
been considered. The subsidy
compensates employers for taking
on young employees and can act to
offset the costs of training or risk
incurred by employers especially
those running small enterprises.
Cosatu has expressed concerns
that such a subsidy would lead
to the displacement of older,
experienced workers by younger,
cheaper ones.
efforts of State Owned Companies

(SOC) under the DPE, such as
Eskom, Transnet, South African
Airways,
Broadband
Infraco,
Alexkor, South African Express, the
South African Forestry Company
and Denel, towards maximising
their inputs towards youth
economic empowerment, focusing
on:
job creation
skills development
entrepreneurship
development
corporate social investment
(CSI) and related initiatives
Department of Rural
Development
The National Rural Youth Service www.population.gov.za
Corps (NARYSC) is a two-year
programme aimed at empowering Two studies at the end of 2011
rural youth from each of the 3 000 confirm that Child Support Grants
rural wards across the country. (CSG) have reduced the depth and
The programme targets youth severity of poverty. They were
aged between 18 and 35 years conducted by the United Nations
who hold Grade 10 or Standard Childrens Fund, Financial and Fiscal
Commission of South Africa and
8 school reports, who will be
Social Development Department.
trained in technical, artisan and The reports entitled, The Impact
social-work skills over two years. of the International Financial Crisis
Skills to be learnt are dictated by on Child Poverty in South Africa,
needs in rural areas, determined and Vulnerability of Children and
through household and community Poor Families to the Economic
profiles. After the completion of Recession of 2008 - 2009, found
the two-year training programme, that child grants served as a form
candidates
work
in
their of diversified income, making poor
communities providing services in households less susceptible to the
local socio-economic development. effects of the shock.
Find the NARYSC option on the
Department of Higher
website.
Education and Training
www.dhet.gov.za
Department of Public
Enterprises
Department of Women,
www.dpe.gov.za/youth
Children and People with
The Youth Economic Participation Disabilities
(YEP) aims to co-ordinate the www.dwcpd.gov.za
The SAnews newsletter is a good way to stay in touch with various (mostly
government) initiatives for youth. Visit www.sanews.gov.za to subscribe.
5. Other role players

Agri-Expo
Tel: 021 975 4440
www.agriexpo.co.za
Agri-Expo initiated the National

Agricultural Youth Show Association
in 1999 and is still involved.
Bafenyi Trust
Tel: 018 293 0086
www.bafenyitrust.com
A trust providing sustainable

infrastructure
for
pre-school
disadvantaged
children
near
Potchefstroom in the North West
Entrepreneurship and fascinating

Business Today Training
Tel: 011 873 8240
Life Choices training for youth
www.businesstodaysimulations.
com
Centre for Development and Find research reports on youth
Enterprise (CDE)
e.g. South Africas door knockers:
Tel: 011 482 5140
Young people and unemployment in
www.cde.org.za
metropolitan South Africa and the
more recent 5-Million Jobs.
Centre for Youth
Development (CYD)
Tel: 011 410 6837 / 8
www.cyd.org.za
The mission of the section 21

company is to facilitate a sustainable
process of counselling, research,
training and development for the
creation of enabling environment for
youth.
Childrens Institute
Tel: 021 689 5404 / 8343
www.ci.org.za
The Childrens Institute is a leader in

child policy research and advocacy in
South Africa. Its annual South African
Child Gauge publication provides an
insight into the status of the countrys
children.
Development Bank of
Southern Africa (DBSA)
Tel: 011 313 3911
www.dbsa.org
Run through its Young Professionals

Programme, Siyenza Manje is aimed
to support the growth of skills at local
government level.
DG Murray Trust
Tel: 021 670 9840
www.dgmt.co.za
Investments in
development
early
childhood
Elgin Learning Foundation

Tel: 021 848 9413
www.elginlearning.org.za
Council (HSRC)
Tel: 012 302 2000 / 416
tmasilela@hsrc.ac.za
www.hsrc.ac.za/ypi
The HSRC runs a Youth Policy

Initiative. Several resources on its
website will be useful to people
planning
youth
empowerment
projects.
The June 16 1976 Foundation

www.june16.org.za
Junior Achievement SA
(JASA)
Tel: 011 331 3150
www.jasa.org.za
Details of all programmes are on their

website. Of special interest here is
the Enterprise Dynamics Programme
which runs for 3 hours, once a week
for 11 weeks. It costs a commitment
Offices exist in all provinces (find fee of R50.
contact details on the website)
360

Agency
Tel: 08600 96884
www.nyda.gov.za
The agency is a result of a merger

between Umsobomvu and the Youth
Commission. Part of its functions
are to facilitate the roll-out of youth
economic participation, undertake
Find provincial and municipal policy, research and development,
contact details on the website.
provide advisory and information
services and promote access to
funding.
Trust
Tel: 012 346 2409
www.nydt.org
Through Problem Solving as teaching

medium the NYDT assists teachers
and students from grade 1 to grade
12 - to develop their personal and
professional skills, and achieve career
milestones.
National Economic
Development and Labour
Council (Nedlac)
Tel: 011 328 4200
www.nedlac.org.za
One of the four chambers is

Labour Market, under which youth
unemployment falls.
Youth Entrepreneurial
Development Unit (YEDU)
Tel: 018 389 2111
www.nwu.ac.za
The Transport and Economics

Department in the Faculty of
Commerce and Administration on the
Mafikeng Campus houses the Youth
Entrepreneurial Development Unit.
YEDU guides potential businesses
from infancy to ultimate corporate
achievement.
Resonance Institute of
Learning
Tel: 011 888 3498
www.ril.co.za
Youth Development training courses
Salesians of Southern Africa

Tel: 021 697 2455
www.salesians.org.za
Seven communities manage their

own youth development activities,
which range from youth oratories and
schools to skills training programmes
and HIV/AIDS interventions.
Santam Agriculture supports young

Santam Agriculture
Tel: 012 369 1202
farmers through the annual Young
Hannes.duplessis@santam.co.za Farmer of the Year competition.
www.santam.co.za
School Leavers Opportunity
Training (SLOT)
Tel: 033 398 0508 / 9 / 10
www.slot.co.za
SLOT is an NGO that has a success

rate of 45 60% in either placing
their students in formal employment,
or helping them start their own
ventures. They are specialists in job
preparation and job creation.
Seda is an agency of the South African

Small Enterprise
Development Agency (Seda) Department of Trade and Industry
Find contact details at www.seda. (the dti).
org.za or in the Developmental
financial services chapter.
Race Relations
www.sairr.org.za
Youth unemployment is about 50%.

A study by the South African Institute
of Race Relations said about half of
current 25- to 34-year-olds will never
find work.
South African Youth

Agribusiness Co-operative
(SAYA Co-op)
Mr Aggrey Mahanjana
Tel: 012 361 9127 / 348 8566
NERPOs
subsidiary
youth
development and agribusiness entity
South African Youth Council

Tel: 021 447 7899 / 6388
A voluntary civil society youth

organisation
St Anthonys Centre
Tel: 011 022 4630/1/2/3
www.st-anthonyscentre.co.za
Projects have been able to help literally

thousands of needy, marginalised
people in the past forty years.
Strategy & Tactics

Tel: 021 424 4837
www.s-and-t.co.za
S&T is a developmental consultancy

which managed the task team that
drafted the white paper on the
National Youth Service, its attendant
business plans and implementation
strategy.
Sukuma Afrika
Tel: 011 784 1042
www.sukumaafrika.org
Sukuma Afrika facilitates networking,

dialogue, information, mentoring and
access to finance for entrepreneurs
with projects in Africa.
Swiss-South African
Cooperation Initiative (Ssaci)
Tel: 011 642 2110
www.ssaci.org.za
SSACI was praised by the Higher

Education and Training Minister
2011 for its work in providing
apprenticeships and other training
opportunities to young previously
disadvantaged South Africans.
Triple Trust Organsation

Tel: 021 689 6000
www.tto.org.za
Committed to the alleviation of

poverty in South Africa through
making markets work for the poor
Young Agribusiness
Entrepreneurial
Development Programme
(YAEDP)
Mr Aggrey Mahanjana
Tel: 012 361 9127 / 348 8566
A NERPO project with other strategic

partners to help unemployed young
agricultural graduates enter the
agricultural sector
Youth Development through A programme implemented by the

Football (YDF)
Deutsche Gesellschaft fr Internationale
Tel: 012 432 0100
Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH in
www.za-ydf.org
partnership with the Department of
Sport and Recreation South Africa
(SRSA) in 10 African countries
Youth in Agriculture and YARD is active in all provinces.
Rural Development (YARD)
Mr N Phungo 072 676 4306
phungon@webmail.co.za
Youth Development Network
(YDN)
Tel: 011 836 2172
www.ydn.org.za
This is a national network of six

youth developmental organisations
operating in South Africa. YDN has
an excellent website with resources
including manuals, tools, publications,
and research. Find the national and
international links to other youthrelevant role players.
Visit the websites of the role players listed earlier in the chapter. Also find
the reports and papers on www.polity.org.za of relevance to youth e.g. Youth
Unemployment: Finding Solutions (May 2012).
361
agricultural education,
training & careers
1. Overview
The challenges facing government and society are substantial, but not
insurmountable. Amongst them are the low literacy levels, which hinder
the development of agricultural and other basic vocational skills.
The skills needed for agricultural production, food security and sustainable
rural development include:
literacy and numeracy skills
basic decision-making and problem-solving
technical and vocational skills in agriculture, and land and water
management
leadership, planning and management skills
social, interpersonal and communication skills
negotiation and facilitation skills
the critical thinking that is necessary for fostering innovation and
change
food preservation and processing skills
marketing skills
business, income-generating and entrepreneurial skills
the awareness of social, political and legal institutions that is necessary
for effective participation in civil society
Many of these skills could be considered the building blocks for success in
the modern world and should be gained through primary and secondary
education. Unfortunately, this has not been the case as the education system
has failed many youngsters, especially in rural areas.
We need to retain our skills, invest in education, and create and implement
robust agrarian reform in order to help small-scale farmers. Innovative
public-private partnerships must be forged to support the green economy,
build on conservation efforts and develop a robust skills and training regime
especially in terms of developing entrepreneurship and innovation.
The provision of Adult Basic Education and Training (ABET) is a
cornerstone in the work of the Sector Education and Training Authorities
(SETAs). Certainly generating literacy amongst farm workers remains
one of the greatest challenges to our investment in people.
Along with the provision of skills and the capacity to perform, the spin-offs
of education and training go beyond the workplace and staff morale: people
become agents of change and positive participators in the development of
their communities.

KEY DEVELOPMENTS DURING 2011 2012
These are some of the key developments that have taken place in the skills
development field over the past two years. For more detail please see The
Skills Handbook (links in section 9 of this chapter):
The Infrastructure Plan which has a specific Human Resource
Development (HRD) component which all government infrastructure
projects will need to meet.
The National Skills Accord signed in July 2011 to set eight specific
commitments jointly agreed to by business, labour and government
in order to support the 5 million new jobs target of the New Growth
Path.
The Human Resource Development Council (HRD Council

of SA) Secretariat was established in order to provide admin and
support functions to this new body which was called for in the HRD
Strategy (2010 2030), Souh Africas guiding document for all human
resource related planning.
The publication of the draft Qualification Sub-frameworks Policy
Document this document intends to provide quidelines as to how
quality assurance will be handled across the three distinct subframeworks of the NQF: the higher education framework (quality
assured by the CHE), the occupational framework (quality assured by
the QCTO) and the general and further framework (quality assured
by Umalusi). This document is important because learners need to be
able to move seamlessly from one framework to another such as when
a student at an FET college wants to progress to a university.
The Quality Council for Trades and Occupations (QCTO)
clocked its first year of operation since it was first mandated in the
2007 Joint Policy Statement of the Minister of Labour and the Minister
of Education. There are high hopes that this body will streamline and
fast-track all work related learning, ironing out many of the problems
that were identified in the SETA-based learning system.
Artisan development. Artisans provide a key level of skill which is vital
for economic growth, but also can economically empower people who
have not had access to higher education opportunities. The National
Programme for Artisan Development was launched at Eskoms Academy
for Learning on 4 July 2012, and is the work of the new National
Artisan Moderating Body (launched November 2010), which was
also the first appointed Quality Partner of the QCTO. The Programme
seeks to streamline artisan development across more than 300 sites of
assessment, and also extend access the public FET colleges to become
more involved in artisan training and assessment.
The Green Paper on Post-school Education and Training. This
document was used to gather public input on proposed changes to
the entire education and training system (higher, general and further,
and workplace learning) which will be rolling out from 2013. The
Green Paper proposes a new community colleges system to extend
access to learning into rural areas, and seeks to strengthen the public
FET college system which is in many cases the only source of formal
education available in rural areas.
NSDS 3 (National Skills Development Strategy III) is the formal
guiding plan for all 21 SETAs and was launched in January 2011. It
runs for five years until January 2016. It is different from NSDS 1 and
2 in that it uses a bottom-up approach to get SETAs to set their
own targets for the period, based on extensive stakeholder input and
detailed quantitative research into the needs of their sector. NSDS 3
brings with it a new Sector Skills Plan process which is intended to
result in much more accurate planning around the supply and demand
for skills.
OFO 2012. The Organising Framework for Occupations (2012 edition)
was launched on 1 March 2012. The OFO is a classification system for all
the jobs and groups of jobs in the economy. It helps SETAs, employers
and training providers to plan training based on more accurate supply
and demand information, and to develop training programmes tightly
linked to the actual tasks required by each occupation. The OFO is
used in all skills reporting by the Department of Higher Education
and Training (DHET), such as Workplace Skills Plans, Annual Training
Reports and Sector Skills Plans. It makes it possible to identify scarce
skills in the economy when the name of the job may vary widely across
different sectors of the economy, and across different employers.
Changes in administration, governance and operations of SETAs, public
FET colleges and public higher education institutions. The DHET has
done extensive work since 2009 to put all its key agents onto a solid
footing in terms of governance, administration and operations. This
has included changes to the way the institutions are funded, how their
boards are constituted, and how they are put under administration.
The DHET has put several of these institutions under administration
where malpractice or poor performance have been in evidence.
Source: excerpts from Is SA governments target of reducing unemployment by 21%
by 2030 a tall order? written by Helen Bimbassis, Deloitte
3. National strategy and Government contact

Government departments of relevance to this chapter are the Department
of Basic Education, and the Department of Higher Education and
Training, and of course the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and
Fisheries. Find contact details for all departments at www.info.gov.za.
362
Find the Agricultural Education and Training strategy (AET Strategy)

on www.daff.gov.za take the Divisions and Education, Training &
Extention Services menu options. The AET Strategy is concerned with the
provision and maintenance of sound education and training to support an
environmentally and economically sustainable agriculture.
infrastructure components and programmes. SIP 11 is Agri-logistics and
rural infrastructure, and includes the expansion of agricultural colleges (see
heading 6).
Agriculture Sectoral Education
and Training Authority
(AgriSETA)
Mr Jerry Madiba
Tel: 012 301 5600
www.agriseta.co.za
FoodBev SETA
Tel: 011 253 7300
www.foodbev.co.za
FP&M SETA
(Fibre Processing and Manufacturing
Education and Training Authority)
The AgriSETA Board offers financial Tel: 011 234 2311
support to you as employer and www.fpmseta.org.za
employee in respect of training and
development programmes. See The SETA responsible for training
in the forestry sector
heading 8.
South African Agricultural
Teaching Association (SAATA)
www.saata.co.za
Association of Principals of
Agricultural Colleges (APAC)
Mr Pepenene Serage
Tel: 018 299 6816
Higher Education South Africa

(HESA)
Tel: 012 481 2842
www.hesa.org.za
5. Agricultural schools
Three branches of agriculture studies are offered at these schools:
Agricultural Sciences, Agricultural Technology and Agricultural Management
Practices, the last two being practical in nature.
Agricultural Sciences is the study of the relationship between soils,
plants and animals in the production and processing of food, fibre,
fuel and any other agricultural commodities that have an economic,
aesthetic and cultural value. It is an integrated science that combines
the knowledge and skills from Physical Sciences, Life Sciences, Social
Sciences, Earth Sciences, Engineering, Mathematics and Economics.
This subject must be seen within the holistic science framework rather
than as an isolated science.
Agricultural Management Practices is the study and application of

economic and management principles that are used in the production,
transformation and marketing of food and other agricultural products.
The foregoing principles are used in the production and value adding of
high quality agricultural products that have economic, aesthetic, social
and cultural value.
Agricultural Technology focuses on technological processes used in
agriculture to create an understanding of how processes, equipment
and structures are used with people, soil, plants, animals and their
products to use the environment, to sustain and maintain quality of life
and to promote economic, aesthetic and sound cultural values.
Schools that offer all three (Agricultural Schools) are listed here. For a list
of other schools which offer Agricultural Sciences but are not classed as
Agricultural Schools, contact SAATA (details under heading 4).
Schools where we were unable to confirm contact details are marked with
.
Eastern Cape
School
Contact Details
Phandulwazi Agricultural
School (Alice)
Hor
Landbouskool
(Cradock)
High Cell: 082 491 9044 / 082 573 1320

Tel/fax: 040 653 8758
Marlow Tel: 048 881 3121
Fax: 048 881 3192
www.marlow.co.za
Winterberg Agricultural High

School (Fort Beaufort)
Tel: 046 645 1168

Fax: 046 645 1518
www.winagric.co.za
Free State
School
Contact Details
Weiveld Landbouskool en
Hotelskool (Parys)
Tel: 056 817 6688

Fax: 056 817 6689
theprincipal@weiveldschool.co.za
Horskool Kroonstad
(Kroonstad)
Tel: 056 212 4551

Fax: 056 212 5434
www.blouskool.co.za
Horskool Hendrik Potgieter

(Reddersburg)
Tel: 051 553 0129 / 083 406 9787

Fax: 051 553 0758
info@landbouskool.co.za
www.landbouskool.co.za
Jacobsdal Agricultural High School

(Jacobsdal)
Tel: 053 591 0050

Fax: 053 591 0061
lanties@bfn.co.za
www.landboudal.com
Unicom High School

(Tweespruit )
Tel: 051 963 0013

Fax: 051 963 0128
Unicom-hs@mwebbiz.co.za
Bultfontein Horskool
(Bultfontein)
Tel: 051 853 1140

Fax: 051 8531676
bulties@schoolink.co.za
www.bulties.co.za
Gauteng
School
Contact Details
Horskool Bekker (Magaliesburg)
Tel: 014 577 5936/7

hoof@hsbekker.co.za
www.hsbekker.co.za
KwaZulu-Natal
School
Weston Agricultural College
(Mooi River)
Contact Details
Tel: 033 007 0028 / 071 829 2591
Fax: 033 007 0029
contact@weston.co.za
www.weston.co.za
363
Vryheid Agricultural High School

(Vryheid)
Tel: 034 982 6005 / 6 / 7

Fax: 086 543 9375
finance@vryheidlandbou.co.za
http://vryheidlandbou.co.za
James Nxumalo Agricultural High

School (Ulundi)
Tel: 035 879 1075

Fax: 035 879 1077 / 086 689 8974
jamesnxumalo@mweb.co.za
Zakhe Agricultural College

(Baynesfield)
Tel/fax: 033 251 0094

mwzakhe@mweb.co.za
www.zakhe.co.za
Limpopo
School
North West
School
Contact Details
Horskool Sannieshof (Sannieshof)
Tel: 018 683 0011

Fax: 018 683 0476
hskoolshof@lantic.net
PH Moeketsi Agricultural High

School (Taung)
Tel: 053 994 1845

Fax: 053 994 1846
Kromellenboog Combined School

(Christiana)
Tel: 053 441 9100 / 082 447 6612

Fax: 053 441 2791
maria@beefmaster.co.za
Horskool Wagpos (Brits)
Tel: 012 255 5646/7

Fax: 012 255 5568
www.wagposhs.co.za
Contact Details
Dimani Agricultural High School

(Shayandima)
Tel: 015 964 3520

Fax: 015 964 3520
Adonai.makhwathane358@gmail.
com
Kheto Nxumalo Agricultural High

School (Giyani )
Tel: 015 812 3313

Fax: 015 812 4200
Harry Oppenheimer Agricultural

High (Limburg)
Tel: 015 426 0006

Fax: 015 426 0046
Tshipakoni Agricultural High

School (Vumani )
Settlers Agricultural High School
(Settlers)
Tel: 014 730 0211 / 014 001 7023

Fax: 014 730 0291
www.settlers.co.za
Hor Landbouskool Kuschke

(Eerstegoud)
Tel: 015 225 8904

Fax: 015 225 8905
kuschke@kuschke.co.za
Merensky High School (Tzaneen)
Tel: 015 305 7901/2

Fax: 015 305 7903 / 086 698 2410
www.hsmerensky.co.za
Mpumalanga
School
Northern Cape
School
Contact Details
Hor Landbouskool NoordKaapland, (Jan Kempdorp)
Tel: 053 456 0424

Fax: 053 456 0425
info@rotland.co.za
http://rotland.co.za
Horskool Martin Oosthuizen

(Kakamas)
Tel: 054 431 0884/5

Fax: 054 431 0443
admin@hmoskool.co.za
Western Cape
School
Tel: 021 869 8143

Fax: 021 869 8144
hlb@mweb.co.za
www.bolandlandbou.co.za
Hor Landbouskool Oakdale

(Riversdal)
Tel: 028 713 2549

Fax: 028 713 3248
admin@hlsoakdale.wcape.school.
za
www.oakdale.co.za
Augsburg Landbougimnasium
(Clanwilliam)
Tel: 027 482 2120/2

Fax: 027 482 1850
admin@augsburg.wcape.school.za
www.augsburggim.co.za
Contact Details
Beestepan Agricultural High School Cell: 082 682 2923

(Middleburg)
Fax: 013 243 0705 (Attention:
Beestepan)
Perdekop Agricultural High School
(Perdekop)
Tel: 017 785 1028 / 082 828 4917

Fax: 017 785 1028
Morgenzon Landbou Akademie

(Morgenzon)
Tel: 017 793 3089/58

Fax: 086 672 4112
landties@mweb.co.za
www.hsmorgenzon.co.za
Mathews Phosa College (Schagen)
Tel: 013 733 3224

Fax: 013 733 3226
mpcollege@absamail.com
Sinethemba Agricultural High

School (Piet Refief)
Tel: 017 730 0094 / 082 682 0550

Fax: 086 552 7640
Suikerland Agricultural High

School, (Malelane)
Tel: 013 790 1191

Fax: 013 790 1190
suikerland@gmail.com
Mahhushe Agricultural High School Tel: 013 780 7064

(Kwalugedlane)
Fax: 013 780 7064
Cell: 083 289 5872
Umzimvelo Agricultural School
(Ermelo)
Tel: 017 819 5820

Cell: 079 896 8878 / 079 896 9137
Fax: 086 615 9444
billy@askit.co.za
Horskool Middelburg
(Middleburg)
Tel: 013 282 7393/4/5

Fax: 013 282 4402
hsmiddelburg@middies.co.za
www.middies.co.za
Contact Details
Boland Agricultural High School

(Windmeul)
A community farming project was launched in May 2012 at Bekker

School, near the small town of Magaliesburg, Gauteng. This project was
established to create employment, and encourage development of a selfsustaining farming enterprise for the general assistance staff at the school.
In total, it will assist 55 households, or approximately 250 people, who
live on the school grounds.
Named Tswelopele, which means moving ahead in Setswana, this
three-year project was established on three hectares of land owned by
agricultural boarding institution Bekker School, and the use of which was
donated to the project. The project will benefit the local community by
enabling it to grow vegetables and poultry, for its own needs and to be
sold to the school and the wider community. Bekker School has provided
water and electricity to the project as well as ongoing technical and
practical support.
The project is funded by Mutual & Federal, a member of the Old Mutual
Group.
When the produce is harvested an allocation will go to the families and
the rest will be sold to Bekker School, parents of the learners and the
wider community. Proceeds will be ploughed back into the project for
the benefit of the community.
Source: adapted from the article Tswelopele farming project launched on www.
sagoodnews.co.za
364
6. Agricultural Training Institutes / Agricultural

Colleges
Maluti FET College
Tel: 058 713 6100 / 072 342 7159

www.malutifet.edu.za
Agricultural Training Institutes, also called Agricultural Colleges, offer higher

education for those wanting to follow a career in agriculture, as well as
short courses, known as further education training (FET).
Midlands FET College
Tel: 033 266 6586 / 083 379 9760
Motheo FET College
Tel: 051 406 9300 / 78 (t/f)

www.motheofet.co.za
These short courses are offered in animal production, crop production, as

well as in areas like tractor maintenance and the safe handling of chemicals.
A document Structured Training Programmes, listing all short courses, may be
found on www.daff.gov.za. Alternatively, contact the Agricultural Training
Institute of your choosing.
Mthashana FET College
Tel: 034 980 1010 / 084 959 8224
Nkangala FET College
Tel: 013 243 5148 / 082 871 8865
Sekhukhuni FET College
Tel: 013 269 0278

www.sekfetcol.org
Sivananda FET College
Tel: 031 771 0148
South Cape FET College
Tel: 044 884 0359 / 082 571 3105

www.sccollege.co.za
Taletso FET College
Tel: 018 632 4317 / 083 764 5565

www.taletsofetcollege.co.za
Umfolozi FET College
Tel: 035 474 2304 / 073 599 4958

www.umfolozicollege.co.za
Waterberg FET College
Tel: 015 491 8581 / 082 463 4873

www.waterbergcollege.co.za
Westcol FET College
Tel: 011 692 4082

www.westcol.co.za
Institution and Province
Contact Details
Fort Cox
Eastern Cape
Tel: 040 653 8033/4

Fax: 040 653 8036
www.fortcox.ac.za
Grootfontein
Eastern Cape
Tel: 049 842 1113

Fax: 049 842 4352
Mpofu
Eastern Cape
Tel: 040 664 9064 / 53 / 54

Fax: 040 664 9051
www.agr.ecprov.gov.za
Tsolo Agricultural College

Eastern Cape
Tel: 047 542 0025 / 107

Cell: 082 301 9829
www.agr.ecprov.gov.za
Glen College
Free State
Tel: 051 861 8328 / 16

Fax: 051 861 1122
http://fsagric.fs.gov.za
Cedara
KwaZulu-Natal
Tel: 033 355 9304/5

Fax: 033 355 9303
www.kzndae.gov.za
Owen Sithole
KwaZulu-Natal
Tel: 035 795 1345

Fax: 035 795 1379
www.kzndae.gov.za
Madzivhandila
Limpopo
Tel: 015 962 7200

Fax: 015 962 7231
www.lda.gov.za
Lowveld
Mpumalanga
Tel: 013 753 3064

Fax: 013 755 1110
Tompi Seleka
Mpumalanga
Tel: 013 268 9300/1/2

Fax: 013 268 9305
Potchefstroom
North West
Tel: 018 299 6500

Fax: 018 293 3925
Taung
North West
Tel: 053 994 9800

Fax: 053 994 1130
Elsenburg
Western Cape
Tel: 021 808 5451

Fax: 021 884 4319
www.elsenburg.com
7. AgriSETA approved Further Education and

Training (FET) Colleges
Institution
Contact details
Boland FET College
Tel: 021 886 7111 / 082 459 9141

www.bolandcollege.com
East Cape Midlands FET College
Tel: 049 891 0201 / 082 772 6270

www.emcol.co.za
Gert Sibande FET College
Tel: 017 712 9040 / 082 563 0329

www.gscollege.co.za
Goldfield FET College
Tel: 057 910 6000 / 083 280 2537

http://gfc.za.net/GFET/
Lovedale FET College
Tel: 043 604 0700 / 082 856 1450

www.lovedalecollege.co.za
Find a full list of FET Colleges per province at www.careerhelp.org.za.
8. AgriSETA: Learnerships and apprenticeships

Find the Skills delivery/Learnerships and Apprenticeships options at www.
agriseta.co.za.
Learnerships and apprenticeships are a combination of on-the-job learning

along with some theoretical training. The major part of the training can be
offered on the farm.
They are available in the following subjects: Agricultural Management;
Agronomy, Animal Husbandry and Horticulture (for both farm owner and
farm worker); Fruit; Grain; Milling; Red Meat; Seed; Sugar; Sugar Processing;
and Tobacco.
A learnership leads to a qualification and the level of qualification starts at
Level 1 (equal to Grade 9). The highest level is level 5. Although it is not
unit standard based, the apprenticeship also leads to a recognised national
qualification indicating that you are competent in the skill for which you
trained.
There are many financial incentives for a business owner to put employees
(and unemployed people) on these learning programmes. AgriSETA picks
up the bill for most aspects of the training (including a weekly allowance
if the learner is unemployed), and the employer receives tax deduction
benefits once the leaner has successfully completed his/her training.
The employer and learner will sign an agreement for the duration of the
learnership/apprenticeship. The strategy is that the employer offers an
opportunity to the learner to obtain practical experience in the work place,
the practical experience obviously having some bearing on the learners
theoretical training.
After completion of the learnership, the employer will have no further
obligation towards the learner. By taking in such a learner you as employer
get the opportunity of evaluating the person with a view to future
employment.
Should you wish to offer an unemployed person the opportunity to complete
a learnership, you are welcome to contact AgriSETA.
366
9. Adult Basic Education Training (ABET) and

General Training
Find the ABET menu option at www.agriseta.co.za.
A number of AgriSETA-accredited providers offer ABET training (see

heading 10).
Thrive Learning Facilitation provides a helpful interface between
employers needing to develop Workplace Skills Plans and Annual
Training reports, and their SETAs, and also assists training providers to
attain accreditation status across a number of SETAs. Visit www.thrive.
co.za or call 0861 847 483.
RainbowSA Publishings The Skills Handbook, a sister publication, takes
you through the skills strategy and legislation in an easy-to-understand
way and provides an extensive list of training providers. View the book
at http://books.google.co.za or order the hard copy or CD-ROM at
www.skillshandbook.co.za.
10. AgriSETA accredited training providers

Primary and Secondary qualifications, Citrus Modules, Ornamental
Horticulture and Landscape qualifications are listed on the website www.
agriseta.co.za. A comprehensive list of AgriSETA accredited training
providers can also be found under the ETQA menu option.
Abattoir Skills Training Tel: 012 347 1237 www.rmaa.co.za
African Land-Use Training (ALUT) Tel: 014 717 3819 www.alut.
co.za
Afrivet Business Management Tel: 012 991 6416 www.afrivet.
co.za
Agri Skills Transfer Network Tel: 012 460 9585 / 083 271 6378
www.agriskills.net
BC Landscape Training & Consultancy Tel: 011 475 7263 www.
bclandscape.co.za
Boland Agri Training Centre Tel: 023 230 0144 / 082 961 1081
Botsitso Development Service Providers Tel: 051 430 5666
Buhle Farmers Academy Tel: 079 409 2187 www.buhle.org.za
College of Sustainable Agriculture Tel: 021 855 2848 www.csa.
edu.za
Deloitte Consulting Tel: 012 482 0007 www.deloitteconsulting.co.za
Dew Crisp Farms Tel: 011 840 1600 www.dewcrisp.co.za
Dicla Training Tel: 071 692 2229 www.diclatraining.com
Duzi Corp 56cc Tel: 082 645 0833
Earth Innovations Tel: 043 726 9900 www.earthinnovations.co.za
Elgin Learning Foundation www.elginlearning.org.za
Emfundisweni Skills Development Tel: 039 252 3450 / 082 720 6542
Fair Deal Agric Training Centre Tel: 011 851 2613 / 082 572 3278
Food Gardens Foundation Tel: 011 880 5956
Food and Trees for Africa Tel: 011 784 6399 www.trees.co.za
GhoenasKraal Training Centre Tel: 083 272 7485/6 www.
ghoenaskraal.co.za
Grain Quality and Arbitration Services Tel: 012 329 0064
Green Futures Horticultural & Life Skills College Tel: 028 384
8044 www.greenfutures.co.za
HENCHEM Tel: 021 948 7366 www.henchem.co.za
Institute of Natural Resources Tel: 033 346 0796
Intsukaze Training Centre Tel: 046 645 2221 / 084 840 3994
Koue Bokkeveld Training Centre Tel: 023 317 0983
KwaZulu-Natal Poultry Institute (KZNPI) Tel: 033 346 0049
www.kznpi.co.za
Liston Agrisolutions Tel: 083 597 3183 / 074 752 7219
Madzivhandila College of Agriculture Tel: 015 962 7200 www.lda.
gov.za
Manstrat Tel: 012 4602499 / 082 569 6511 www.manstrat.co.za
Marang Women in Agriculture & Development Tel: 014 566
3238
MICROmega Holdings Limited Tel: 010 226 4000 / 071 890 0633
www.micromega.co.za
Millennium Skills & Dev. Tel: 018 294 3115 / 073 159 8110
Molasba Mega Trade Tel: 015 291 4007 / 082 958 4025
Montshepetsa Bosiu Farming Tel: 015 291 2319
Morwa Agri-Development Tel: 012 343 1212 / 083 495 9986
Mpumalanga Agri Skills Development and Training Tel: 013 754
1162 www.masdt.co.za
MPOSA Institute for Dairy Technology Tel: 012 843 5600/ 083 656
3638
NWGA National Wool Growers Association of South Africa
Tel: 041 365 5030 www.nwga.co.za
Phezukomkhono Training Services Tel: 044 279 3288
Protea Training Centre Tel: 021 948 1275 / 082 670 1636
Rainman Landcare Foundation Tel: 031 783 4412 www.rainman.
co.za
Rekopane 014 262 2332 / 084 560 7483
SA Agri-Academy Tel: 021 880 1276 www.agriacademy.co.za
SAFROPA Tel: 012 258 8000
SASRI Tel: 031 508 7400 www.sasa.org.za/sasri
Scientific Roets Tel: 039 7271515 www.scientificroets.com
Sciowave Tel: 084 567 8975 jan@reveal.co.za
Shukela Training Centre Tel: 031 508 7735
Sikhula Agri Training Tel: 021 852 2643 www.sikhulatrust.co.za
Simo Consulting Associates Tel: 011 394 1424 Fax: 011 394 6186
Siyasanga Training Centre Tel: 043 736 9398 / 083 448 8475
Skills for Africa Tel/fax: 012 379 4920 www.skillsafrica.co.za
Skills for All Tel: 018 290 7113 / 082 780 5247
Teledimo Logistics and Training Services Tel: 083 572 1558 www.
teledimo.co.za
Temo-Thuo Business Skills Solution Tel: 012 325 2165 / 083 358
0560
Thuto Lere Community Empowerment Project Tel: 016 976 2372
www.tcep.co.za
Thuto-ya-Setshaba Tel: 083 413 1325
Tirhani Association for the Development of Women Tel: 013 777
6191 / 083 482 0000
Tommy Phiri Labour Relations & Training Services Tel: 012 252
7680 084 611 5003
Tondeeca cc/Tracks & Wings Tel: 014 736 2992 / 082 322 3952
Tropical Sky Trading 54 (Mfumo Rixaka) Tel: 011 974 8356 / 072
103 0832
Tsolo Agriculture & Rural Development Institution Tel: 047 542
0107 / 082 857 5814
Two-a-Day Group Tel: 021 859 7500 www.tad.co.za
Ubhaqa Land and Agrarian Reform Agency Tel: 033 345 7440
www.ubhaqa.org
Uluntu Skills Development Centre Tel: 043 722 9185 / 083 381
8181
Umnga Farmers Group Tel: 045 933 1318 www.umnga.co.za
Umthathi Training Project Tel: 046 622 4450 www.umthathi.co.za
Vukani Community Training Tel: 039 251 0982 / 084 724 5181
Womiwu Rural Development Tel: 015 297 2107 www.womiwu.
co.za
Zakhe Training Centre Tel: 033 251 0094 / 082 920 7408
NOTE: A number of agribusinesses like NWK, OVK, Kaap Agri are accredited
training providers but do in-house training only.
Accredited training providers in related sectors can be found on the

websites of FoodBev and the forestry SETA, FP&M SETA. Visit www.
foodbev.co.za and www.fpmseta.org.za respectively. Training providers
accredited with other SETAs also offer training relevant to the agricultural
sector e.g. Resonance Institute of Learning and IMAC Services
which offer business and financial training for co-operatives and smallscale farmer businesses.
369
11. Agricultural Research Council (ARC) training

The ARC Institutes are able to structure courses upon request. The numbers
of persons accepted for the courses and the costs vary and are obtainable
from the contact numbers.
Natural resources and engineering

Tel: 012 808 8000
Principles
of
integrated
pest management (IPM) for
established and developing
agricultural systems
Handling, extraction and
Identification of plant-parasitic
nematodes
identification
of
The
phytophagous mites and of
slide mounted specimens of
selected mite families
Introductory and advanced
spider identification courses
Identification of some parasitic
mites (Acari) of birds and
domestic animals in Southern
Africa.
Alien plant control for land
managers
Beekeeping development for
resource-limited farmers and
for extension workers
Practical
course
in
phytobacteriology techniques
in applied entomology
Introductory mycology
Fungal taxonomy course

Plant inspectors course for
the identification of quarantine
pests and diseases
Mushroom production
Rodent management
Training
of
smallholder
farmers
Ecologically-based rodent pest
management
Tel: 012 842 4000
Courses are provided as required
in the fields of mechanisation, soil
conservation structures and animal
housing.
ARC-Institute for Soil, Climate
Tel: 012 310 2500
Specialised courses are structured
as components of research and
service programmes in the fields of
rainwater harvesting, soil science
and climate studies.
Field crops
ARC-Institute for Industrial
Crops (ARC-ICC)
Tel: 014 536 3150

(ARC-SGI)
Tel: 058 307 3400
Courses on tobacco, cotton and A regular course on wheat

fibre crops are presented on production is focused on extension
request.
officers and farmers. Other courses
on small grains are presented
on demand and in collaboration
(ARC-GCI)
with commercial and developing
Tel: 018 299 6100
agricultural industries.
Courses are offered on the
production
of
dry
beans,
sunflowers, soy beans, groundnuts,
maize and sorghum.
Horticulture
ARC-Institute for Tropical and
Tel: 013 753 7000
Training includes lectures as well as
practical in-field demonstrations.
Courses
cover
crop
and
cultivar selection, orchard floor
management,
pruning,
post
harvest handling, plant diseases and
management of diseases etc.
ARC-Roodeplaat Vegetable
and Ornamental Plant Institute
(VOPI)
Tel: 012 841 9611
Hydroponic Vegetable Production
and Basic Vegetable Production for
Improved Nutrition Courses are
presented.
Livestock and animal health

ARC-Animal Production
Institute (ARC-API)
Tel: 012 672 9111
ARC-Onderstepoort
Veterinary Institute (ARC-OVI)
Tel: 012 529 9111
Courses include animal production

and management, pastures, cheese
and yoghurt production, meat
processing and carcass cutting.
Courses offered include applied

veterinary
helminthology,
veterinary ectoparasitology and
tick identification.
12. Universities
Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT)
Faculty of Applied Sciences
Tel: 021 864 5217
www.cput.ac.za
National Diplomas in Agricultural Management and Agriculture (Animal
Production or Crop Production), Horticulture, Consumer Science,
Environmental Health, Environmental Management, Food Technology and
Nature Conservation are offered. BTech and MTech qualifications in these
areas are also offered.
Central University of Technology (CUT)
School for Agriculture and Environmental Sciences
Tel: 051 507 3113 / 34
www.cut.ac.za
A National Diploma in Agricultural Management (3 years) and a BTech:
Agriculture (Degree) is offered. An MTech and DTech are research
options. Research is done in the fields of Agricultural Management,
Animal Production and Crop Production.
Short courses are also offered, and students and lecturers are involved
in community service and frequently liaise with industry. The latter is
mostly accomplished during the second year of training in the form
of experiential training on a farm for a one-year period, while various
assignments in most subjects also necessitates completion on a farm or
agricultural business.
Merit bursaries from the 2nd year of study, and Innovation Fund
bursaries for research projects are available.
Mangosuthu University of Technology
Faculty of Natural Sciences
Tel: 031 907 7111 / 679
www.mut.ac.za
Three year National diplomas in Plant production or Animal production
offered. Bursaries are available.
Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University
George Campus (Saasveld)
Tel: 044 801 5111
Departments within the School of Natural Resource Management are
Forestry, Agriculture, Nature Conservation, Game Ranch Management and
Wood Technology. The National Diploma, BTech degree, MTech and DTech
in agriculture are offered.
Port Elizabeth North Campus
Tel: 041 504 3527
www.nmmu.ac.za/agri
National Diploma in Agricultural Management; BTech in Agricultural
Management; MTech and DTech in Agriculture.
ARC-Infruitec-Nietvoorbij
Tel: 021 809 3100
Faculty of Agriculture, Science & Technology (Mafikeng Campus)
Tel: 018 386 1321/9
www.nwu.ac.za
Courses cover orchard and

vineyard management, post-harvest
technology and processing etc
The School of Agricultural Science is made up of three disciplines, two

centres and an experimental farm. The disciplines are Animal Science, Crop
Science and Agricultural Economics and Extension.
371
374
375
CUT DPS
377
Tel: 018 299 2606
www.nwu.ac.za
The Centre for Environmental Management (CEM) and the Research Entity
Environmental Science and Management offer a range of subjects that have
a bearing on agriculture e.g. Zoology, Botany and Microbiology. In addition
to these, Masters and Doctoral Programmes in Agricultural Economics are
offered at Potchefstroom.
Masters and Doctoral Programs in Agricultural Economics at the
North-West Universitys Potchefstroom Campus
The world economy and society has changed fundamentally over the
past two decades away from traditional notions of an industrial society
towards a fully globalised world economy. Hence, agriculture needs to
remain internationally competitive in a free market environment.
Agricultural research and education are, and will remain a prerequisite
for increasing agricultural productivity and endured competitiveness
in a globalised world economy. Agriculture has the ability to generate
income for farmers and the rural workforce. This in turn will address
food security and poverty alleviation. Given that few countries have
achieved economic growth without agricultural development, it can
be concluded that the sector can significantly contribute to poverty
alleviation. Therefore, agricultural research and education should be a
high priority, especially within the developing world.
Therefore, the main aim of the Masters and Doctoral program in
Agricultural Economics at the Potchefstroom Campus of the North-West
Universitys is to equip students with knowledge and practical experience
that will empower him/her to contribute to solutions relating to these
difficult real world challenges in an dynamic agricultural environment.
Contact Mr J van der Merwe at 018 299 2373 or send an email to Johnny.
VanDerMerwe.@nwu.ac.za.
Crop Science 012 382 5342

Horticulture 012 382 5342
Environmental, Water and Earth Sciences 012 382 6232
University of South Africa (UNISA)
College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences
Study-info@unisa.ac.za
www.unisa.ac.za
The method of studying at UNISA distance learning along with practical
modules at a centre near you makes this an ideal method of studying or
upgrading your qualifications, whether you are an extension officer, potential
farmer or entrepreneur.
SCHOOL OF AGRICULTURE AND LIFE SCIENCES
Department of Agriculture, Animal Health and Human Ecology the focus
is on agricultural management, animal health, community agriculture and
social development. This department also hosts the Unit for Indigenous
Technological Knowledge Services. Call 011 471 2289
Agriculture 011 471 2809
Animal Health 011 471 2984
Human Ecology 011 471 3103
Department of Life and Consumer Sciences call 011 471 2230
Life Sciences e.g. Animal physiology, biochemistry, botany, biology,
microbiology and zoology 011 471 3604
Consumer Sciences e.g. Food, clothing and textiles, nutrition and
hospitality 011 471 3438
SCHOOL OF ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
The Department of Environmental Sciences focuses on nature
conservation, horticulture and landscaping, and environmental monitoring
and management. Call 011 471 2213.
Faculty of AgriSciences
Tel: 021 808 4833 / 737
www.sun.ac.za
Environmental Sciences 011 471 3222

Horticulture and Landscaping 011 471 3138
Department and website
Telephone
http://academic.sun.ac.za/agric_econ/
021 808 4758
Agronomy www.sun.ac.za/agron
021 808 4803
Animal Science www.sun.ac.za/animal
021 808 4916
Conservation Ecology and Entomology

www.cons-ent.com
021 808 3728
Food Science www.sun.ac.za/foodsci
021 808 3578
Forest and Wood Science
021 808 3323
Genetics and Institute of Plant Biotechnology

www.sun.ac.za/genetics
021 808 5839
Horticultural Science
www.sun.ac.za/horticulture
021 808 4900
Plant Pathology www.sun.ac.za/plantpath
021 808 4799
Soil Science www.sun.ac.za/soil
021 808 4794
Viticulture and Oenology (DVO)

http://academic.sun.ac.za/viti_oenol/
021 808 4545
Institute for Wine Biotechnology (IWBT)

www.sun.ac.za/wine_biotechnology
021 808 3770
Tshwane University of Technology

Faculty of Science
Tel: 012 382 6203
www.tut.ac.za
Animal Sciences 012 382 5332
Biotechnology and Food Technology 012 382 6366

The Department of Geography offers undergraduate degrees in
environmental management and geography modules up to doctoral level.
Call 011 471 3689 / 2084
CENTRE FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
Tel: 011 471 2143
The College is situated within the Florida Campus on the corner of
Christiaan de Wet and Pioneer Avenue, Florida, Johannesburg. It offers
both University-of-Technology and University programmes under one roof.
In Agriculture, for example, we offer a National Diploma and BTech in
Agricultural Management as well as a generic BSc (Agric).
The College is committed to teaching, research and community
participation in order to meet the needs of South Africa, the SADC region
and Africa as a whole.
Tel: 040 602 2232
Fax: 086 628 2403
www.ufh.ac.za
Departments in the School of Agriculture and Agribusiness are: Agricultural
Economics and Extension; Agronomy; Livestock and Pasture Sciences.
Departments like Geography, Biochemistry and Microbiology, Geographic
Information Systems (GIS) etc are housed within the School of Biological
and Environmental Sciences or the School of Physical and Computational
Sciences.
378

Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences
Tel: 051 401 2322
E-mail: natagri@ufs.ac.za
www.ufs.ac.za/natagri
NMMU
Department
Telephone and website
051 401 2824

Animal, Wildlife and Grassland Sciences
051 401 2211

Architecture
051 401 2332

www.ufs.ac.za/architecture
Centre for Environmental Management
051 401 2863

www.ufs.ac.za/ccem
Centre for Microscopy
051 401 2264

www.ufs.ac.za/ccem
Centre for Sustainable Agriculture, Rural

Development and Extension
051 401 3765

Chemistry
051 401 9212

www.ufs.ac.za/chem
Computer Science and Informatincs
051 401 2754

www.ufs.ac.za/it
Consumer Science
051 401 2304
Disaster Management Training and

Education Centre for Africa (DiMTEC)
051 401 2721

Genetics
051 401 2595
Geology
051 401 2515
Geography
051 401 2255
051 401 2482 / 2175

www.ufs.ac.za/igs
Lengau Agricultural Development Centre
051 443 8859
Mathematics and Applied Mathematics
051 401 2428
Mathematical Statistics and Actuarial

Science
051 401 2945
Microbial, Biochemical and Food

Biotechnology
051 401 2679

Paradys Experimental Farm
051 443 9011
Physics
051 401 2926

www.ufs.ac.za/physics
Plant Sciences
051 401 2514

Quantity Surveying and Construction

Management
051 401 2248
Soil, Crop and Climate Sciences
051 401 2212
Urban and Regional Planning
051 401 2486

www.ufs.ac.za/urpl
Zoology and Entomology
051 401 2427
The University of the Free State presents a number of short courses for
commercial and emerging farmers. These are presented in Afrikaans,
English or Sesotho. To find out about the financial planning and strategic
management courses offered by the Centre for Agricultural Management,
call 051 401 3551 or visit www.ufs.ac.za/agriman.
College of Agriculture, Engineering and Science
Tel: 033 260 5184
www.ukzn.ac.za
The schools related to agriculture are:
379
School of Agricultural, Earth and Environmental Sciences Agricultural

Economics; Agricultural Extension and Rural Resource Management;
Animal and Poultry Science; Dietetics and Human Nutrition; Crop
Science; Horticultural Science; Plant Breeding; Agrometeorology;
Geography; Soil Science; Environmental Hydrology
School of Life Sciences Biochemistry; Genetics; Microbiology;
Biological and Conservation Sciences
Other Schools in the College include the School of Engineering; the School
of Chemistry and Physics; and the School of Mathematics, Statistics and
Computer Science. Numerous Centres are linked to the Faculty including
the African Centre for Crop Improvement; the African Centre for Food
Security; and the Centre for Environment, Agriculture and Development.
Details of all of these can be found on the website.
Faculty of Sciences, Health & Agriculture
Tel: 015 268 2202/3
www.ul.ac.za
The most relevant branch here (for readers of this publication) is the
School of Agriculture & Environmental Studies. The Bachelor of Science
in Agriculture (Agricultural Economics, Agronomy, Horticulture, Animal
Production or Pasture Science) and Bachelor of Agricultural Management
in Animal Production are offered. Readers may be interested in other
qualifications too e.g. Bachelor of Nutrition and Bachelor of Science (offered
in Biological Sciences, Soil Science etc).
Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences
Tel: 012 420 3201
www.up.ac.za
Departments within the School for Agricultural and Food Sciences
are: Consumer Science; Agricultural Economics, Extension and Rural
Development; Plant Production and Soil Sciences; Animal and Wildlife
Sciences; Centre for Nutrition; Centre for Wildlife Management; Post
Graduate School for Agriculture and Rural Development; Centre for

Environmental Economics and Policy in Africa; South African Institute
for Agricultural Extension; SADC Centre for Land Related, Regional and
Developmental Policy.
Other schools within this faculty are the School for Biological Sciences, the
School for Physical Sciences and the School of Mathematical Sciences.
Tel: 012 529 8000
On the website, find the interactive links to the departments: Anatomy
and Physiology, Companion Animal Clinical Studies, Paraclinical Sciences,
Production Animal Studies, Veterinary Tropical Diseases.
University of Venda
School of Agriculture
Tel: 015 962 8000 / 8310 / 8408
www.univen.ac.za
The School of Agriculture offers Agricultural Economics, Animal Science,
Agricultural and Rural Engineering, Family Ecology and Technology, Forestry,
Horticultural Sciences, Plant Production, Soil Science. There is also a Centre
for Rural Development and Poverty Alleviation and a separate School of
Environmental Sciences.
Tel: 035 902 6649 / 6065
www.uzulu.ac.za/agriculture
The Agricultural Department covers Agronomy, Animal Science, Economics,
Extension and Rural Development.
CPUT
380
agricultural education,
training & careers
Careers and employment in
agriculture
See also the Job creation and Agricultural education and training chapters
1. Overview
There are many different careers in the agricultural industry, from farm
workers to scientists. Under heading 2, these careers and relevant academic
path of study is set out.
There are hundreds of other careers which touch on the world of
agriculture which may not be inherently agricultural in and of themselves.
A look through the different chapters of this book will give you an idea of
these: there are managers, secretaries, social workers, mechanics, lawyers,
politicians, meteorologists etc. In this chapter we have tried to list some of
these options too (see headings 3 and 4).
If you are considering a career in agriculture or in the agro-food industries,
contact the SETAs for a list of skills that are scarce. These details can usually
be found on their websites. Contact details for agriculture-related SETAs
can be found in the Agricultural education and training chapter. Four
publications setting out the scare skills in agriculture, forestry and fisheries
can also be found on www.daff.gov.za (take the Divisions and Education,
training & extension services options).
Two sources were vital in compiling this chapter: Careers in Agriculture
and Water@work. Find both of these listed under the Websites and
publications heading.
2. Careers in agriculture
Agricultural Engineering/Bioresource
Find information specifically on Bioresource engineering at http://beeh.ukzn.
ac.za.
This category of engineer plans, designs and develops the equipment or
infrastructure needed for the production and processing of agricultural
products and they specialise in a specific field such as agricultural
mechanisation, soil and water conservation, agricultural structures, irrigation
and drainage and technology for food processing.
The agricultural engineering programme is termed differently by different
universities namely: biological and agricultural engineering, and processing
engineering and bioresource engineering. The latter is more likely to be
used widely by most institutions as recommended in the academic circles.
What do I need to become an agricultural engineer?
You must really enjoy studying science and engineering to be able to
successfully complete your studies in this field and thereby ultimately realise
your dream of becoming an agricultural or bioresource engineer.
Employment opportunities
The employment opportunities available to the agricultural engineers
include the following focus areas:
Energy Sources and Mechanisation Agricultural engineers contribute
through research and development of alternative energy sources and
machines, testing and improvement of existing sources of machinery.
Agricultural engineers also provide consultation services on implement
replacement, especially expensive machinery which is not always
suitable to local conditions.
Farm Structures Farm structures contribute to a successful farming
enterprise. The agricultural engineer creates these facilities in
accordance with animals needs and product demands within the
boundaries of structural durability and the sensible application of
capital. This field includes buildings for intensive meat, milk and egg
production; storing, drying, refrigeration and processing of a large
variety of agricultural and other products; glasshouses, plastic-covered
tunnels, etc for animal, flower and vegetable production.
Irrigation and Drainage The agricultural engineers services involve the
design of new irrigation systems, e.g. pivot and conventional irrigation
systems, micro, drip and flood irrigation and drainage. They also play
a leading role in the planning and design of large state water schemes,
hydrological research and water usage in the Republic of South Africa.
Conservation of Natural Resources Soil and water are limited but
necessary for economical food production. Here the agricultural
engineer can also help by means of advisory services relating to
protective soil conservation and pasture systems and may get involved
with the design and planning of conservation structures and safe
transport systems for flood water control.
Career opportunities in Agricultural Engineering
Qualification
Duration
Institution
Entry Requirement
BSc Eng
Agric
Four
years (full
time)
University of KZN
Mathematics and Physical

Science, all on level 6
(70-79%)
Job opportunities

ARC
universities
consulting
food processing companies
agricultural equipment & systems manufacturers
See the website of the South African Institute for Agricultural Engineers at http://
saiae.co.za
Agricultural economists are economists who studied economics with special
emphasis on the food systems, natural resources, environmental policy and
economic development, and as such whose area of specialization is focused
towards the agricultural sector. They analyse and advise the optimal use
of production factors for the environmentally sustainable production of
food and fibres in an internationally competitive marketing milieu. They are
also concerned with all economic activities, which include the manufacture
and distribution of agricultural means of production, the farming process,
determination of government policy concerning agricultural and consumption
affairs, purchasing, processing and distribution of agricultural products, as
well as the international trade policies.
381
Agricultural Technical Services
Career opportunities in Agricultural Economics

Qualification
BSc
(Agric)
Agricultural
Economics
Duration
Four years
(full time)
Institution
Universities offering agricultural
degrees
Entry
Requirement
Mathematics, Physical
Science, Agricultural
Science or Economics
/ Business Economics
Level 4 (50-59%)
Job opportunities
Government Departments
DAFF
International Relations and Cooperation
Trade & Industry
Labour
Water and Environment Affairs (DWEA)
Banking Institutions
commercial banks
Land Bank
Development Bank of SA (economists, credit consultants / advisors
and commodity traders)
Consulting firms, academic and research institutions
universities, ARC, Statistics SA (lecturer, researcher, economist)
Other private organisations
media companies
consulting firms
international agencies (development)
seed companies
agribusinesses and co-operatives
Agricultural technicians assist agricultural scientists in their work and help

with the collection of information. They also give advice and information to
the farming industry. There are three groups of agricultural technicians:
Agricultural resource technicians
work together with the agricultural resource officer
are involved in the classification, description and plotting of a
regions natural resources.
Agricultural extension technicians
assist the agricultural extension officer
collect information to determine the needs of extension
Agricultural research technicians
help the agricultural researchers.
Career opportunities in Agricultural Technical Services
Qualification
Duration
National Diploma in Agriculture: Botany;

National Diploma
in Nature Conservation;
National Diploma
in Analytical Chemistry;
National Diploma in Agriculture: Animal Production;
National Diploma in Engineering
Three
years
(full
time)
Institution
Entry
Requirement
Most
Universities of
Technology
Mathematics,
Agricultural
Science, Physical Science or
Biology
Job opportunities
Visit the website of the Agricultural Economics Association of South Africa (AEASA),
www.aeasa.org.za.
government departments: DAFF and DWEA

ARC
agribusinesses and agricultural co-operatives
Animal Science
Agronomy
Agronomists are responsible for the successful growing of corn, maize, grain
sorghum, groundnuts, sunflower, cotton, sugar cane, potatoes and forage
crops. Agronomists must develop and implement production systems
with the aim to have optimal economic production without harm to the
environment.
Animal scientists are qualified people involved in research and development

and who give advice to the livestock industry concerning the production
of animals and their products. These scientists focus areas include: animal
nutrition, breeding, genetics and meat science, as well as various production
systems with regard to a variety of farm animals.
Responsibilities of an animal scientist
Career opportunities in Agronomy

Qualification
Duration
Institution
Entry
Requirement
BSc (Agric)
for a career as an
agronomist (scientist)
Four
years (full
time)
Universities
offering agricultural degrees
Mathematics and
Physical Science
level 4 (50-59%)
National Diploma
in Agronomy and
BTech in Crop
Production
for a career as an
agronomist (technician)
Three
years
(full time)
Most
Universities of
Technology
and
Colleges of
Agriculture
Mathematics and
Physical Science
Job opportunities
agribusinesses and agricultural co-operatives
fertiliser manufacturers
agricultural pesticide departments
universities
See websites like those of the South African Society of Crop Production, www.
sascp.org.za, as well as those of related commodity organisations (find these in the
relevant chapters in the Agronomy and horticulture section of this handbook.
Animal science refers to the study of livestock in their specific environment

and their products such as meat, milk, fibre, leather and the variety of
products which emanate from these primary products. This includes the
development of new products and the processing and marketing of animal
products. Animal scientists make important contributions in various fields,
through:
assisting the industry to effectively utilise the natural resources of the
country
researching the challenges which face the livestock producer and the
livestock product manufacturer
giving advice on all animal species and their products (contribute to the
livestock industry)
conserving and putting to use the rich genetic biodiversity on animal
species farmed in South Africa
using up-to-date biotechnology to help the livestock industry to keep
abreast of the global competition it faces in animal production and
products
The nature of the work varies from working directly with animals to the
fundamentals of molecular biotechnology. Researchers may therefore spend
their working day in the laboratory and/or physically working with animals.
Consulting animal scientists find themselves in the applied situation, which
requires travelling and experiencing the industry in a wide sense.
Requirements: what kind of personality do I need?
The most important requirement is that animal scientists should like to
work with animals.
382
Entomology
Career opportunities in Animal Science

Qualification
Duration
Institution
Entry Requirement
BSc
Agric Animal
Science
Four years
(full time)
Universities offering
agricultural
degrees
Science Level 4 (5059%)
Job opportunities
animal husbandry industries e.g. farms, feedlots
livestock products e.g. dairy
feed, forage and stock remedies companies
agricultural extension officers
technical adviser/manager for businesses involved in the livestock,
livestock products, distributors of forage and stock remedies
teaching / lecturing
research: nutrition, physiology, breeding and processing of products
consultancy and advisory services e.g. private
consultant, agricultural co-operations
nature conservation institutions
legislative/regulative e.g. Department of Agriculture
pharmaceutical companies
Entomologists are basically involved in research to ensure plant protection.

There are various categories such as plant pathology, microbiology and
insect diversity.
What is needed to become an entomologist?
You must have a strong interest in science studies and research.
Career opportunities in Entomology
Qualification
Duration
Institution
BSc
Entomology
Three years
(full time)
Most
Mathematics, Physics
Universities and Biology Level 4
(50-59%)
Entry Requirement
Job opportunities
DAFF
ARC
academic institutions
Food Science / Food Technology

Take a look at the website of the South African Society of Animal Science (SASAS)
www.sasas.co.za.
Biological Nitrogen Fixation

What is biological nitrogen fixation?
Availability of nitrogen in soil is perhaps the single most important factor
limiting plant growth and crop yields. Some free-living and symbiotic
bacteria directly influence availability of nitrogen in soil by conversion of
atmospheric dinitrogen to ammonia in the process termed biological
nitrogen fixation (BNF). Worldwide BNF accounts for 65 % of the nitrogen
used in agriculture, of which the symbiosis of legumes with nitrogen-fixing
rhizobia is by far the most important source. Legumes such as soy beans,
groundnuts, peas, beans, lentils, lucerne and clover are a major source of
protein for human and animal consumption.
What is needed to become a biological nitrogen fixationist?
A strong interest in biological science and research is essential and the
person should love to work under uncomfortable conditions with soil.
Career opportunities in Biological nitrogen fixation
Qualification
Duration
Institution
Entry Requirement
BSc
Agric or
Microbiology
Three
years (full
time)
Most
Universities
Biology
and/or Agricultural Science
and Chemistry
Job opportunities
government research: National and Provincial Departments of
Agriculture
ARC research centres
private companies: commercial inoculant manufacturers
own company consultant
university academics: research on legume nitrogen fixation
Food scientists are responsible for food examinations and inspections to

ensure that food is healthy and safe for human consumption. Their functions
revolve around the following areas:
investigating the basic nature of food and its nutritional, physical and
chemical properties
research into new and economical production procedures
development of new and safe food products
management within companies involved in food processing and
preservation
Food technologists are concerned with aspects pertaining to the production,
preservation and development of high-quality foods. They also manage
processing plants and quality assurance laboratories. They are charged with
monitoring of food-quality standards by government bodies (namely the
South African Bureau of Standards).
Career opportunities in Food Science / Technology
Qualification
Duration
Institution
Entry Requirement
BSc Food Science

or BSc (Agric)
Food Science for
career as a Food
scientist
Four
years (full
time)
Most
Universities
Mathematics, Physics
and Biology or Agricultural Level 4 (50-59%)
National Diploma
in Food
Technology
and a BTech Food
Technology for
a career as a Food
technologist
Four
years
Most
Universities
of
Technology
(As above)
Job opportunities
Departments of Agriculture
ARC
food manufacturing / processing companies
Take a look at www.saafost.org.za, website of the South African Association for
Food Science and Technology (SAAFoST).
383
Horticulture and Hydroponics
Microbiology
Horticulturists are involved in the application of scientifically based production

systems of vegetables, fruit and ornamental plants. Hydroponics is a kind of
a system of production called soilless growing where fertilisers and minerals
are added to or mixed with water and supplied to plants. Horticulturists
can advance their career as biotechnologists by furthering their studies in
this discipline. The positions that can be found in the institutions listed in the
table below, include among others, the following:
Microbiology is the study of micro-organisms such as bacteria, viruses

and protista that can only be seen with a microscope. We can call them
the unseen multitudes! All living organisms have the metabolic ways to
grow, reproduce and maintain themselves. A single bacterial cell, under
the best conditions, can produce in less than a day more than a billion
descendants. Viruses are not alive, they need a living host to survive. Today
we define a virus as a noncellular infectious agent. Protista are dominated by
eukaryotic organisms that are single celled. Different protista differ in their
characteristics and nutrition.
agricultural product sales

arborist
chemical research
and development
consumer relations
corporate horticulturist
disease and pest manager
equipment sales
extension specialist
fertiliser sales representative
floral crop grower
floral shop manager
fruit and vegetable grower
garden centre manager
garden writer
golf course superintendent
greenhouse manager
home and commercial lawn
horticultural artist
horticultural consultant
horticultural therapist
interior plantscape designer
interior plantscape manager
landscape contractor
and marketing
landscape designer
nurseryman
nursery crop grower
nursery manager
owner of horticultural
business
park manager representative
park/zoo horticulturist
plant breeder
plant propagator
plant researcher
quality control specialist
radio/tv editor
retail and wholesale
sales representative
roadside marketer
seed and bulb sales
and marketing
sod grower care manager
teacher high school/
junior college
urban forester / horticulturist
What does a microbiologist do?

A microbiologist works mostly in a laboratory or a place where a
microscope can be installed. It can be anywhere in the field of nutrition,
agriculture, medicine, ecology, pharmacology, cosmetics, marine life or any
place where animals and plants or people live. Identification is by means of
DNA karyotyping.
Characteristics needed to become a microbiologist
Such a person must have a keen interest to work in a laboratory, an inquiring
mind and good concentration; must be accurate and exploring. He or she
must have a love for botany, zoology (biology), genetics and, in general,
for living and very small things. The candidate must be self-motivated and
mechanically inclined.
Career opportunities in Microbiology
Qualification
Duration
BSc (Agric) Four

Microbiology years (full
time)
Career opportunities in Horticulture and Hydroponics

Qualification
Duration
Institution
Entry Requirement
BSc (Agric)
Horticulture;
National Diploma
or BTech degree
in Horticulture
Four
years for
degree
and three
years for
National
Diploma
Most
Universities,
Universities
of
Technology,
Agricultural
Colleges
Science, Agricultural
Science and Biology
Job opportunities
DAFF
botanical gardens
farming businesses
fresh produce markets
seed manufacturing companies
agribusinesses / co-operatives
private enterprises
lecturing / teaching
research institutes e.g. ARC
development organisations
Visit www.sashs.co.za, website of the Southern African Society for Horticultural
Sciences (SASHS). The details of various fruit commodity associations can be
found in the relevant chapters in the Agronomy and horticulture section of this
handbook.
Institution
Entry Requirement
Most
Universities
and
Universities
of
Technology
Matric exemption (not

for Universities of
Technology). Average 50%
for Mathematics; 50% for
Physical Science; Biology
passed
Job opportunities
national ARC centres
National, Provincial Departments of Agriculture
food industries
wine cellars
lecturing / teaching
private companies
Visit the website of the South African Society for Microbiology at www.sasm.org.za.
Plant Pathology
Plant Pathology is defined as the study of the organisms and environmental
conditions that cause disease in plants, the mechanisms by which these
factors cause disease, the interactions between these causal agents and
the plant (effects on plant growth, yield and quality), and the methods of
managing or controlling plant disease. It also interfaces knowledge from
other scientific study fields such as mycology, microbiology, virology,
biochemistry, bioinformatics, etc.
Plant pathologists are scientists concerned with the understanding of the
dynamic processes involved in plant health. Their work is more research
orientated.
384
Career opportunities in Plant Pathology
Career opportunities in Soil Science
Qualification
Duration
Institution
Entry Requirement
Qualification
BSc Agric
In Plant
pathology
Three
years (full
time)
Universities
offering
agricultural
degrees

Level 4 (50-59%)
BSc (Agric) Soil Four years Most

Science for a career (full time)
Universities
as a soil scientist
and
universities
of
Technology
Mathematics and
Physical
Science
Level 4 (50-59%)
National Diploma: Three

Soil Science for a years (full
career as a soil
time)
technician
(As above)
Job opportunities
research: national and provincial government departments
ARC
agrochemical companies
seed companies
fertiliser companies
university academics
farming and nurseries
pharmaceutical representative
private company
private consultant
Take a look at www.saspp.co.za, website for the Southern African Society for Plant
Pathology.
Duration
Institution
Entry Requirement
Most
universities
of
technology
Job opportunities
agricultural co-operatives and agribusinesses
manufacturers of fertilisers
agricultural departments
ARC
universities
Read about the South African Soil Survey Organisation (SASSO) and the Soil Science
Society of South Africa (SSSA) at www.sasso.co.za and www.soils.org.za.
Pasture / Grassland Science

Pasture/Grassland Science deals with all aspects of the conservation,
improvement and utilisation of natural and established pastures.
The pasture/grassland scientist answers questions such as how often, how
severe and at what time of the year should grazing plants be defoliated, how
many animals can be kept on a certain pasture and why is it necessary to put
up fences and make camps.
Duration
BSc (Agric)
Three
Grassland/
years (full
pasture;
time)
National Diploma
in Nature
Conservation
Career opportunities in Statistics

Qualification
Career opportunities in Pasture / Grassland Science

Qualification
Statistics
Statisticians generate, collate, verify, maintain and disseminate statistical
information on the agricultural sector, including the monitoring and
projection of trends in agriculture, food security and food utilisation.
Institution
Entry Requirement
Most
Universities
and
universities
of
Technology
Mathematics,
Agricultural Science
and/or
Biology
Level 4 (50-59%)
Job opportunities
Departments of Agriculture
SANParks various sections of nature conservation
fertiliser and seed companies
Read about the Grassland Society of South Africa (GSSA) at www.grassland.org.za.
Soil Science
Soil scientists specialise in the development of soil, profile differentiation
and morphology. Also concerned with soil fertility, classification and
chemistry. The various divisions with focus areas of specialization comprise
the following:
Soil survey and analyses Scientists study soils by means of profile
pit observations or by drilling with mechanical augers and then do
physical and chemical laboratory analyses. The results obtained (also
compiled as maps and aerial photographs) are used as vital information
for infrastructural planning (urban planning, regional planning, roads,
pipelines, power lines, etc.) and agricultural management purposes.
Soil physicists and hydrologists study and research problems relating
to water and soil interactions, soil-air permeability, formation of
ploughsoles, etc.
Soil chemists and fertility specialists are concerned with soil nutrients
availability and deficiencies using specialised techniques for the purpose
of compiling the most effective fertilisation programmes.
Soil biologists the focus here is on transformations brought about by
micro-organisms.
Duration
Institution
BSc (Agric)
Four
Most
Economics or BCom years (full Universities
(Agric
time)
Economics)
Entry Requirement
Mathematics,
Agricultural Science
or Economics /
Business Economics
Job opportunities
Departments of Agriculture (provincial and national)
South African National Parks (SANParks)
commercial banks and other financial institutions
Veterinary Science
Veterinarians provide services to farmers. Pet owners, breeders, animal
welfare organisation, game reserves, zoos, etc. At government level they are
involved in regulatory services, i.e. diagnostic services, control of diseases,
prevention of disease introduction into the country and eradication of
diseases. They are also concerned with small and large animal practice and
the conducting of research.
Attributes to match the career
A keen interest in the medical field with a special and dedicated love for
animals, which means enjoying to play and care for them are attributes
essential to this choice of career. You also need to be physically strong.
Career opportunities in Veterinary Science
Qualification
Duration
Institution
Entry Requirement
Diploma Veterinary Nursing

for a career as
veterinary nurse
Two
years
(full
time)
University
of Pretoria Faculty of
Veterinary
Science
Mathematics and
Physical Science with a
minimum pass mark of
Level 4 (50-59%)
385
Job opportunities
veterinary clinics, dairies, kennels
universities
pharmaceutical firms and other industries
surgical instrument marketing firms
animal research centres
zoological gardens
animal welfare societies
Qualification
Duration
Institution
Entry Requirement
BSc Animal
Health for
a career as an
Animal Health
Scientist
Four
years
(full
time)
North-West
University and
others
Science, Biology and
Agricultural Science as
recommended subjects
Diploma in
Animal Health
for career as
Animal Health
technician
Three
years
North-West
University (full
time);
UNISA (minimum three
years distance
learning)
Senior Certificate:
Maths, Biology and
Agricultural Science as
recommended subjects
Qualification
Duration
Institution
Entry Requirement
Certificate:
Poultry Meat
Examination
for a career as
a Poultry Meat
Examiner
Co-operative
training / inservice training
/ 30 days with
minimum 15
000 slaughtered chickens
Universities
of
Technology
Minimum Grade 10
with at least one
of these subjects:
Mathematics,
Biology, Science or
Agricultural Science.
Experience will be
considered if you
do not comply with
these requirements.
Certificate:
Poultry Meat
for a career as
a Poultry Meat
Inspector
20 days inservice training.

Self study with
the completion
of applicable
assignments
Universities
of
Technology
Certificate in
Poultry Meat
Examiners /
equivalent manager,
supervisor or quality
control certificate
with applicable
experience.
A complete
curriculum vitae
with registration.
Job opportunities
poultry meat industry / poultry meat inspector
poultry abattoirs
state veterinary regulatory services
Job opportunities
state veterinary services
industry: feeds, medicines etc
laboratory animal science
veterinary public health
research
academia
zoological gardens
animal welfare societies
wildlife ranching and conservation
marine biology
animal production sectors
Qualification
Duration
Institution
Entry Requirement
National
Diploma
Veterinary
Technology
for a career
as a veterinary
technologist
Three years:
four semester
formal training,
two semesters
of suitable
experiential
training
Universities
of
Technology
Senior certificate
/ any equivalent
qualification: Level
4 (50-59%) for
Mathematics,
Physical Science
and Biology
BTech
Veterinary
Technology
for a career
as a veterinary
technologist
Two years on Universities

block study
of
Technology
National Diploma
in Veterinary
Technology or
an equivalent
qualification
Job opportunities
state veterinary services
laboratory animal science
research
academia
Take a look at www.saaha.co.za. In addition to the South African Animal Health
Association (SAAHA), there are a number of other animal health bodies. Find these
in the Animal health chapter.
Qualification
Duration
Institution
Entry Requirement
Certificate:
Red Meat
Examination
for a
career as a
red meat
examiner
Theory and
practical theory:
minimum 30 hours
tuition co-operative
training / in-service
training 80 days
divided as: 30 days
bovine; 30 days pigs
(minimum 3 000
pigs). 20 days sheep
(minimum 2 000
sheep)
Universities
of
Technology
Minimum Grade 10
with at least one
of these subjects:
Mathematics,
Biology, Science
or Agricultural
Science. Experience
will be considered
if you do not
comply with these
requirements.
Job opportunities
red meat industry
red meat abattoirs
state veterinary regulatory services
Qualification
Duration
Institution
Entry Requirement
National Diploma
Environmental
Health for
career as a meat
inspector
Three years
the last three
months are
co-operative
training.
Universities
of
Technology
Senior certificate
/ equivalent
qualification with
Level 3 (40-49%)
Mathematics and
Physical Science
BTech
Environmental
Health for
career as a meat
inspector
Two years on Universities

block study
of
Technology
National Diploma
Environmental
Health or
equivalent
qualification
Job opportunities
environmental health officer
health advisor
air pollution control officer
meat inspector
occupational hygienist
private consultant
386
3. Careers related to agriculture
Viticulture
Viticulturists apply plant science principles to manipulate the vine to produce
the kind of grapes necessary for the production of different wine types and
styles.
Find details of the following (and more) in the Water@Work career

guidance resource.
Compulsory school subjects: Mathematics, Physical Science, Biology

Academic requirements: BSc (Agric) Viticulture
Career opportunities in Viticulture and Oenology
Qualification
Duration
Institution
Entry Requirement
BSc Agric
Four
Stellenbosch
Viticulture
years (full University
and Oenol- time)
ogy for a
career as a
viticulturist/
oenologist

Science Level 5 (60-69%)
Higher
Certificate
in Agriculture for a
career as a
viticulturist
/ oenologist
Two
years
Elsenburg
Agricultural
Training Institute, Cape
Peninsular
University of
Technology
Senior certificate / equivalent qualification. If students

fail a Mathematics evaluation in the advent of the
academic year, they will
need to register for Mathematics.
Diploma in
Agriculture:
Cellar
Technology
for a
career as a
viticulturist
/ oenologist
Three
years
with
practicals
Elsenburg
Agricultural
Training Institute, Cape
Peninsular
University of
Technology
Mathematics, Biology and

Physical Science. Higher
Certificate in Agriculture
programme, with Viticulture and Wine Science
as selected subjects or
equivalent qualification.
Job opportunities
entrepreneur manager
product developer
technical food marketer
winemaker
Aquaculturist
Aquaculture is the cultivation of plants and animals that live in water,
including fish, shellfish, waterblommetjies, crustaceans, and even crocodiles.
These creatures are harvested for food, pets, aquariums, and for restocking
wild populations. Aquaculturists usually work as farmers or technicians. Like
farming, stock needs to be cared for all the time, even over weekends and
public holidays.
Aquatic Scientist
As an aquatic scientist, you will study various aspects of inland and marine
water environments. These cover the physical (e.g. temperatures, water
currents and rates at which water flows); the biological (e.g. plants, animals
and microbes that live in water); the chemical (e.g. the organic and inorganic
composition of water, water cleansing and water quality) and the ecological
(the ways in which organisms interact with their environments).
Biochemist
Biochemistry is the basis of all the life sciences. As a biochemist, you study
the cells of living things such as animals, plants, and micro-organisms,
their chemical composition and their metabolic processes. You apply
your knowledge in fields such as medicine, veterinary science, agriculture,
forestry, horticulture, environmental science, and manufacturing.
Biologist
In general, biologists study living organisms (i.e. their structure, functions,
evolution, distribution, and the way they relate to each another). As a
biologist, you research the life cycles of living things (e.g. humans, animals,
plants) and how these cycles relate to their environments.
Botanist
The South African Society for Enology & Viticulture website is www.sasev.org.
Botanists study the biology and ecology of all types of plants. As a botanist,
you could use your knowledge in areas such as conservation, management
of natural resources, agriculture, forestry, horticulture, medicine, and
biotechnology.
Ecologist
Weeds Biocontrol Science
Work in the field involves searching for natural enemies (either insects or
disease-causing organisms such as fungi) of invasive plants (weeds) in the
weeds country of origin and studying the natural enemies in quarantine to
determine whether they have potential in controlling the invasive plant, and
whether they are host-specific. The host-specific and damaging insects and
fungi are released from quarantine and placed onto their target weeds in the
field. The release sites are regularly visited to see whether they have become
established and are controlling the weed. Biocontrol scientists specialising
in aquatic weeds regularly wade in polluted, weed infested rivers or dams,
wearing waders, or use boats.
Career opportunities in Weed Biocontrol Science
Qualification
Duration
Institution
Entry Requirement
BSc or BSc
(Hons)
Entomology
Four
years (full
time)
Most
universities
Science and Biology or
Agricultural Science Level 4
(50-59%)
Ecologists study the relationships of plants, animals, and their environments,

and the ways that all these interact with each other.
Environment Engineer
As an environment engineer, you assess and manage the effects of human
and other activity on the natural and built-up environment; you conduct
environmental impact assessments, manage natural resources, and control
pollution.
Environment Health Officer

In this career, you develop, regulate, enforce, and monitor laws and
regulations that deal with public health, building, and environment
management, so as to promote good health, hygiene, and safety.
Environment Protection and Control

If you become an environmental protection officer, you will look after the
environment by monitoring the quality of effluents being discharged from
individual plants/processes or larger industrial or manufacturing sites.
Job opportunities
government departments
ARC centres
universities: lecturers, researchers
private consultants
private companies
Environment Scientist
There are many different kinds of work in environmental science. You
can deal with the conservation and management of natural ecosystems in
water and on land, habitats, rare or endangered fauna and flora, or nature
reserves.
387
Geographer
As a geographer you study the Earths surface, its land features, climate,
vegetation, and physical conditions. You also study and analyse the
relationships between human activities and the natural and built environment.
A climatologist is a geographer who studies climates, their phenomena,
and causes. A geomorphologist is concerned with the geological aspect of
the Earths land and seafloor surfaces. A fluvial geomorphologist studies
the science of river formation.
Geologist
Geology is an earth science, or geoscience, and includes knowledge from fields
such as physics, chemistry, biology, and palaeontology. Geotechnologists
and geotechnicians work closely with geologists.
Geophysicist
As a geophysicist, you use physics, mathematics, and chemistry to understand
and explain the physical features of solid earth, fluid earth, and the upper
atmosphere (i.e. the Earths surface and interior, and its atmosphere and
hydrosphere).
Geotechnologist
As a geotechnologist, you work in a very complex area, studying the crust
of the Earth to help locate and extract natural resources such as water,
minerals, and metals, and to determine conditions below the surface.
Hydrologist
Hydrologists study water in streams, rivers, and underground. In this
career, you evaluate different processes in the water cycle, such as rainfall,
evaporation, groundwater, and river flows so as to find out how much water
is available and how reliable is the supply.
Microbiologist
Find Microbiology under the previous heading. Careers here include:
agricultural scientist; aquatic scientist; biologist; botanist; ecologist;
entomologist; horticulturist; medical technologist; microbiologist;
pharmacist; zoologist; bacteriologist; virologist and mycologist.
Zoologist
Zoologists are biologists who study animals. In this career, you study
the structures, characteristics, functions, ecology, and environments of
animals; the evolution of animal forms; and animal anatomy, physiology,
embryology, behaviour, diseases, and geographical distribution. You may
work as a researcher at a university or research institute, as a laboratory
or fieldworker, in a museum, in education, or in wildlife management,
conservation, agriculture, and medicine.
4. Other careers people and companies listed in

this book
Find details of the following (and more) in the Water@Work career guidance
resource.
Accountant
As an accountant, you will prepare financial statements, budgets, accounting
systems, and cash flows so that managers can make sensible business
decisions and improve profits.
Accounting careers include chartered accountant, cost accountant, financial
accountant, accounting management consultant, financial manager, auditor,
credit controller and bookkeeper.
Administrator
Administrators and clerks do all the general office work that helps other
professional staff and managers to do their jobs e.g. keeping records,
writing up accounts, preparing and typing reports and letters, and filing. You
could be in charge of a companys administration, or you could become an
office manager, bookkeeper, cashier, personal assistant, typist or secretary,
or receptionist.
Business Process Outsourcing and Offshoring (BPO&O)

This industry, which has only been active in South Africa for about a decade, is
expected to grow annually by 50 percent for the next four years. It provides
an opportunity to create many jobs for unemployed South Africans: all one
needs is a basic matric. It includes jobs like call centres.
Cartographer
Cartography is the science of making maps, as well as their study as scientific
documents and works of art. In particular, it concerns all stages of evaluation,
compilation, design and graphic representation required to produce new or
revised maps from different forms of basic data, such as aerial photographs,
field records, historical manuscripts, other maps, and statistical reports.
The introduction of GIS (geographic information systems) and other
computer assisted mapping systems; wireless applications and GPS (global
positioning systems) have added new dimensions to cartographic techniques
and the use of digital spatial information. Conventional map production
techniques are giving way to the application of computer technology.
Chemical Engineer
If you work in chemical engineering, you will design and operate processes
that turn raw materials (through physical, chemical, and thermal changes) into
useful everyday products such as petrol, paper, fertilisers, pharmaceuticals,
toothpaste, sugar, plastics, synthetic fibres, chemicals, explosives, and
cement. You could also protect the environment by controlling the pollution
of water and air.
Chemical engineers, chemical technicians, and Chemical technologists are
careers here. Related specialisations are: Process design; Process control
engineer; Biochemical engineer; Petrochemical engineer.
Civil Engineer
Civil engineering is probably the broadest of the engineering fields. Civil
engineers create, improve, and provide facilities for living, industry, and
transportation. In a civil engineering career you need to know about
construction materials, soils, hydraulics, and fluid mechanics. You will also
be concerned with protecting and conserving the environment.
Civil engineers are helped by civil engineering technicians, who do much of
the practical and functional work, and civil engineering technologists, who
do the more theoretical work such as planning, design, or research.
Community Worker
Community workers encourage and help groups to help themselves and to
develop, that is, they help communities to identify their own needs, to take
decisions, and to develop ways in which to meet those needs. Community
workers travel within their communities and keep in close personal contact
with them.
Economist
As an economist, you develop and apply theories about how people spend
their money; processes involving the ways in which goods and services
are produced, supplied, and used; and how businesses or governments
allocate resources (e.g. natural resources, technology, labour, and capital
or finance). If you are interested in economics, you might consider one of
these careers:
Environment economist studies the environmental impacts of
projects and developments; advises industry and government on
regulations for environmental and natural resource management;
advises government about its responsibilities in terms of international
agreements and environment treaties
Other accountant; actuary; agricultural economist; conveyancer;
industrial economist; political scientist; stockbroker
388
Education/Training Practitioner
Education and training are essential in agriculture and beyond. It is a career
which might interest you if you enjoy teaching and helping people to grow
and develop their potential. In addition to schools and tertiary institutions,
there are also the following fields:
Human resources development practitioner. Here you would plan,
prepare, and conduct training for employees in industry, businesses, and
government departments, to help with skills development and raising
productivity (including on-the-job training and apprenticeships).
Training officer. This involves planning, developing, implementing, and
evaluating training and development programmes in organisations.
Adult educator this career is practised mainly in the areas of
professional development, adult basic education, skills development,
and personal enrichment.
Human Resource/Personnel Manager

As a human resources (or personnel) manager, you would be concerned
with people at work and their relationships with each other and with
the organisation e.g. staffing, training or human resource development,
organisation planning and development, labour relations, remuneration,
research, and administration.
Information Technology Specialist

People who work in information technology (IT) are concerned with
giving computers instructions to carry out tasks (computer programming),
designing and analysing computer programmes (systems analysis),
administering databases and networks, operating computer systems, and
designing hardware. IT-related occupations include website designer,
network controller, computer consultant, electronics engineer, personal
computer (PC) support technician, and Internet services and support
technician.
Laboratory worker/analyst
As a laboratory technician or technologist, you help scientists (in the physical,
chemical, biological, and life sciences) by collecting samples, carrying out
experiments, taking measurements, and recording results. If you become
a chemical laboratory technician or technologist, you will help to develop,
produce, and use chemicals and related products.
Lawyer
As a lawyer, you provide legal advice, write documents, conduct negotiations
on legal matters, and you may represent clients in courts of law. Not all
lawyers practise as legal professionals; you can also use your knowledge in
business-related matters such as industrial relations, taxation, commercial
transactions, and the incorporation of new companies.
Leisure and recreation provider

Tourism, leisure, and recreation are the fastest growing industry in South
Africa, and offer an exciting future in the areas of water-related leisure
activities, ecotourism and many others. If leisure, sport, and recreation
interest you as a career, there are many to choose from, such as working
as a: tourist manager, tour operator tour guide, tourist information officer,
travel agent, or recreation manager/officer.
Manager
As a manager, you provide leadership for organisations to achieve their
objectives. Managing a business includes organising, researching, planning,
controlling, and directing all or part of the work of other employees. You
would need to manage and motivate people so that they do their jobs well,
and you might also need to manage resources, such as finances. Different
types of managers perform different tasks:
Top management includes the chairman, board of directors, managing
director or chief executive officer, and other high-ranking managers.
Functional managers manage specific functions or divisions within a
company, such as administration, marketing, finances, or buying.
Operational managers are responsible for the way a business works,
for example, credit and cost control, or production managers.
General manager is the chief manager, responsible for the work of a

number of managers with specific responsibilities. She or he will have
a broad background and does not work as a specialist in any particular
field; this work combines functional and operational management.
Management consultant works independently as an advisor to
businesses on management matters; investigates problems and
provides solutions; helps with strategic planning.
Marketing specialist
If you work in marketing, you will have to find out what consumers want
to buy and how to supply them with these products or services as cheaply
and efficiently as possible. Other careers that involve marketing include
public relations, copywriter, product developer, purchase manager, creative
director, media director, and sales manager.
Mathematician/statistician/actuary
A mathematician develops mathematical theories and methods
(theoretical mathematics). In this work, you solve problems by applying
mathematical principles and models and by carrying out operational
research and numerical analyses (applied mathematics). You can
apply mathematical and statistical principles in many different areas,
including physics, medicine, computer science, ecology, industry, and
commerce.
A statistician collects, classifies, and analyses numerical information to
make decisions and forecasts, for example, and to evaluate processes.
An actuary is a statistical expert, working on information to do with
mortality, illness, unemployment, and retirement. In this career, your
specialised functions are useful mainly for the insurance industry in
developing life insurance policies, for instance, and medical aid and
pension schemes.
Mechanical Engineer
As a mechanical engineer you design, develop, produce, install, operate, test,
and maintain machinery and mechanical equipment. Mechanical engineers
are assisted by mechanical engineering technologists and technicians, and
all of them work closely with other professionals (e.g. with architects in
designing air-conditioning plants). Mechanical engineers, technologists,
and technicians normally specialise in a particular field and the mechanical
equipment associated with it. Here are some examples:
Agriculture tractors, threshing machines, harvesters, milking
machines, and packing machines
Water design and construct waterworks and waste and wastewater
treatment plants
Power generation steam, water, gas, and nuclear turbines used for
driving power generators
Meteorologist
Meteorologists study the Earths atmosphere and the changes in it that affect
day-to-day weather, long-term climate, and extreme weather conditions
such as hurricanes and tornadoes. You forecast the weather by examining
trends in the atmosphere such as wind currents, precipitation, and air
pressure. A related career is that of the meteorological technician; here
you would be responsible for collecting meteorological information and for
operating and maintaining weather observation networks.
Political scientist
As a political scientist, you study the way people behave politically as
individuals, groups, and as a large mass and their relationship to society and
the economy.
Process Controller
As a hydroelectric power plant process controller, you operate and control
instruments and machinery used for generating electric power. Coal-fired
or nuclear power plants also need process controllers. Process controllers
can also work in the chemical, power generation, and some food and
beverage industries.
Public Relations Professional

In the field of public relations, you work at creating and maintaining a
good image of your organisation and showing the public what is attractive
389
or appealing about it. You establish two-way communication between

an organisation and its audiences and/or the public (e.g. clients, other
businesses, government, shareholders, special interest groups, employees,
and communities). A related career would be personnel consulting.
Town and Regional Planner

Town and regional planners develop plans and policies for the use of
resources and land and for improving peoples living conditions. You would
be assisted by town and regional planning technicians.
Researcher
Researchers add to the knowledge in their particular field. As a
researcher, you look at what we know in your specialist area, and you
test theories to see how true they are. You collect information and
organise it in ways that make us look at it in a new way. You also are
encouraged to develop new technologies where possible.
Basic or fundamental research, you study and try to uncover
underlying principles and laws that govern the bio-physical world.
Applied research, you look for practical ways to apply basic
research.
Innovation is the process of turning an idea that has been generated
through research, into a new or improved product, process, or
approach that addresses the real needs of society and involves scientific,
technological, organisational, or commercial activities.
Social Scientist
Social scientists are concerned with the origin and development of human
society, and the institutions, relationships, and ideas in life in society. If you
are interested in a career in the social sciences, you could consider the
following:
Sociologist examines the ways in which social groups (e.g. families,
tribes, and communities) and institutions (e.g. religious, political,
and business institutions) interact and influence each other and the
behaviour of individuals.
Industrial sociologist applies the principles of sociology to the
organisation of workers and to the relationship between workers and
employers, and is concerned with labour relations in complex industrial
societies.
Anthropologist studies the origin, development, and functioning
of human societies and cultures, now and in the past, by looking, for
example, at religion, family and kinship systems, languages, art, music,
and economic and political systems. As an anthropologist, you may
specialise as an applied anthropologist, a physical anthropologist, a
linguistic anthropologist or a social/cultural anthropologist.
Social Worker
Social work is concerned with the well-being of people and helping them
to cope with problems caused by poor social conditions, unemployment,
and poverty.
Surveyor
Surveying (also called geomatics) is the science of measuring and mapping the
layout of the face of the Earth, including natural and man-made features and
the sea. After spending some years in the field, you may want to specialise
as one of the following: Hydrographic surveyor; Land surveyor also
called a cadastral surveyor; Engineering surveyor surveys routes for
pipelines, sewers, tunnels, roads, and railways; Topographic surveyor
measures and takes aerial photographs of the physical features of the
Earth such as rivers, hills, and valleys in order to compile maps; Geodetic
surveyor accurately locates positions on the Earths surface using signals
from satellites (e.g. the global positioning system or GPS), the positions of
stars, and electronic distance and levelling measurements; Mine surveyor
establishes the boundaries of mines and measures underground and
opencast mine workings; Remote sensing surveyor monitors changes
in the surface features of the Earth by using digital data from high-resolution
satellites and other imagery systems in the sky.
Welder
As a welder, you join two or more pieces of metal by applying heat,
pressure, or a combination of both. Brazing, soldering, electron beams,
and laser beams are other methods of joining metals. With similar levels of
qualifications, you could also become a boilermaker; tool, jig, and die maker;
blacksmith; plumber; sheet metal worker; fitter and turner; panelbeater.
Sources: www.daff.gov.za ; water@work
5. Bursaries
Find the sub-heading Bursaries under the heading 7.

Directorate: Sector Education and Training
Tel: 012 319 6628
www.daff.gov.za
The Directorate Sector Education and Training plays a major role in
promotion of careers in agriculture, forestry and fisheries by offering the
following:
External Bursary Scheme
Experiential training, Internship and Young Professional Development
Programme
International study programmes
External Bursary Scheme
The prime function of the External Bursary Scheme is to contribute towards
human resources development in the agricultural, forestry and fisheries
sector. The bursary scheme is the major part of a comprehensive youth
development programme undertaken by the Department of Agriculture,
Forestry and Fisheries. The criteria for financing shall be a combination of
the subject curricula: Mathematics and Physical Science. The Directorates
main focus is to train veterinarians, viticulturists, agricultural engineers,
economists, food scientists, fisheries scientists, foresters and other crucial
skills for the growth of the industries.
Experiential Training
The Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries will provide
experiential training opportunities primarily for bursars in relevant study
disciplines requiring experiential training as part of their qualification
conditions.
Experiential training opportunities may be accessible to other categories
of trainees, namely unemployed graduates, volunteers provided that the
following are available:
adequate financial resources to accommodate such trainees
adequate infrastructure resources to accommodate such trainees
appropriate and qualified mentor(s) to supervise trainees
specific or particular duties that can best be executed by trainees
390
The Directorate Sector Education and Training will maintain communication

and liaison with the different academic institutions regarding the progress
of trainees.
Internship
This category targets qualified unemployed agricultural, forestry and fisheries
graduates and graduates in other relevant fields who needs practical hands
on experience to enhance their employability.
Young Professional Development Programme
This category targets young graduate in possession of requisite Bachelors
degree such as BSc, BSc Agric, BSc Engineering, BVS or post graduate
qualification in Agriculture or natural science who would like to further their
studies at Honours, Masters and PhD level in the area research leading to
innovation in the critical scarce skills in agriculture
International Study Programme
This programme will allow the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and
Fisheries to provide resources to potential trainees in the agricultural, forestry
and fisheries fields to participate in international training interventions. The
focus of international programmes includes post-graduate studies and short
courses.
Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET)

Tel: 0800 872 222
www.dhet.gov.za
Bursaries
The Agricultural Economics Association of South Africa (AEASA)
offers the BD Nomvete Bursary to provide financial support for candidates
to complete PhD programmes in agricultural economics or an approved
related discipline. Visit www.aeasa.org.za for more information.
Career Wise Bursary Services
Tel: 011 484 7505
www.careerwise.co.za
Providing bursaries is one avenue for companies who seek to fall into
line with Black Economic Empowerment legislation (Corporate Social
Investment). At the same time, they will be sourcing future (suitable)
candidates for employment within their ranks. Find out what is available
from companies within the agricultural area in which you have an interest.
DAFF bursaries can be viewed on www.daff.gov.za. Select: (1) Divisions (2)
Education, Training and Extension Services (3) Careers in Agriculture.
Some district municipalities set aside funds for impoverished, promising
students to study further.
Foundations offer scholarships. These are available to students across
Africa even if the training happens in South Africa itself. These may be
specifically related to the agro-food industry e.g. the Protein Research
Foundation (visit www.proteinresearch.net) or general e.g. the Nelson
Mandela Foundation.
Postgraduate bursaries are offered by the Protein Research Foundation.
Write to pns@proteinresearch.net.
The Green Paper for Post-School Education and Training seeks to align
the post-school education and training system with South Africas overall
development agenda, including development strategies such as the New
Growth Path, the Industrial Policy Action Plans (IPAPs), the Human Resource
Development Strategy for South Africa 2010 to 2030, and Department of
Science and Technologys Ten-Year Innovation Plan.
Many students are unaware of the opportunities that exist out there
other than university.
There are 50 Further Education and Training (FET) colleges with 264
campuses all over the country which offer a range of programmes that
cater for most students needs and interest ranging from engineering,
business studies, art, music, to food services. Our country has a higher
and urgent demand for artisans, technicians and engineers and other
scarce skills that can be gained outside of universities.
Those who wish to enter the world of work or need to increase
their skills capabilities can also consider the options of learnerships,
apprenticeships and skills programmes run by the Sector Education and
Training Authorities (SETAs) which cover each economic sector in the
country.
Advice on careers may be obtained via the career advice website www.
careerhelp.org.za or from NQF and Career Advice Helpline on 0860 111
673. See also the National Qualifications Framework website, www.nqf.
org.za.
7. Role players
Associations
Association of Personnel Service Organisations
Tel: 011 615 9417
www.apso.co.za
Fundisa is a subsidised account designed to foster savings for education,

and aimed at lower-income groups. Savers receive a 25% bonus from
government in addition to the money they save. For further info visit www.
asisa.co.za/fundisa.
Read about the Jacob Zuma Education Trust at www.jacobzumatrust.
org.za.
Various industry associations offer bursaries themselves or could point
you to bursary providers in their industry e.g. the South African Association
for Food Science and Technology, the South African National Seeds
Organisation (SANSOR), the Animal Feeds Manufacturing Association
(AFMA), Subtrop, Stud Game Breeders/Wildlife Ranching SA, the Sugar
Industry Trust Fund for Education and the Wool Trust. Find their details in
the relevant chapters of this publication.
Enquire about bursaries which are available from institutions offering
the training e.g. University of the Free State and Mangosuthu University
of Technology. The Citrus Academy manages a bursary fund that supports
students at every level from secondary education upwards, and at a wide
range of academic institutions.
For information on bursaries, contact National Student Financial Aid
Scheme at 021 763 3232 or visit their website www.nsfas.org.za.
Provincial Departments of Agriculture offer bursaries. Some of these
are for careers in agricultural engineering, and contact details are provided
on http://saiae.co.za, website of the South African Institute for Agricultural
Engineers.
SETAs like AgriSETA and FoodBev are also a source of funding for studies.
The South African Institute of Race Relations (SAIRR) runs a bursary
programme. Find bursary programme information under the Products &
services option at www.sairr.org.za.
391
Bursaries for studies in agriculture are offered by the Study Trust. Details
can be found on www.studytrust.org.za. Call 011 403 1632/3 or write to P
O Box 29192, Melville 2109.
Read about the Cochran Fellowship Program offering US-based agricultural

training on the US Department of Agricultures Foreign Agricultural
Service (FAS) website www.fas.usda.gov.
Find the notes on careers in agriculture at www.elsenburg.com/agri-kids.
Recruitment and placement agencies
Visit the websites of the role players listed under heading 7.
The Student Web portal on the Agbiz website allows students to post their
CVs. Human Resource managers can view these CVs and post vacancies on
the website. Visit www.agbiz.co.za.
AgriJob
Tel: 012 332 0696
www.agrijob.co.za
Leaders Unlimited
Tel: 011 722 1600
www.leadersunlimited.co.za
Find the Career guides on scarce skills in agriculture, forestry and fisheries
under the Education, Training and Extension Services option at www.daff.
gov.za.
Agricultural Placements
Tel: 033 343 1106 / 082 337 1290
robbuchanan@yebo.co.za
Lulaway Job Centres

http://lulaway.co.za
Read about Jump Start Handbook, a career guide and life skills annual
targeted at Grade 9 to Grade 12 learners in schools countrywide. Go to
www.jumpstarthandbook.co.za or call 011 517 4076.
AgriVAS
Tel: 033 342 9310
www.agrivas.co.za
www.agristaff.co.za
Overseas Opportunities
Tel: 044 874 6440
www.overseas.co.za
Par Excellance Personnel
Practitioners
Tel: 011 888 3433
parexcel@iafrica.com
http:/users.iafrica.com/p/pa/
parexcel
Country Careers
Tel: 021 873 2133
admin@countrycareers.co.za
www.countrycareers.co.za
FW de Klerk Foundation
Tel: 021 930 3622
www.fwdeklerk.co.za
They guide, recruit and select

professional,
technical
and
managerial experts for the food,
beverage, packaging and agricultural
A register is compiled of people industries.
who are prepared to make their
special skills available to assist YDP Work & Travel
local authorities and government www.ydp.co.za
departments.
Agricultural internships in Australia
and the USA. Contact details for
Hopkins and Calvert
their offices in all the provinces are
Tel: 021 851 3639
www.hopkinscalvert.co.za
www.hopcal.co.za
Job Junction (Pty) Ltd
Tel: 015 297 6195
jobjunction1@mweb.co.za
Look for menu options like Careers on agricultural websites and

publications e.g. Landbouweekblad, Farmers Weekly, the SA Fruit Journal and
its website www.safj.co.za, and the Poultry Information Centre website
www.poultryinfo.co.za. Some company websites offering employment or
set out possible careers within that company e.g. www.donaldson.co.za/
careers.
Water@Work is a career guide focusing on potential careers in the water
sector. It can be downloaded from www.wrc.org.za, website of the Water
Research Commission.
Refer to An introduction to environmental careers, a booklet prepared by the
Department of Environmental Affairs. Contact Thomas Mathiba at 012 310
3653, 082 453 6789 and visit www.environment.gov.za.
Find out about the publication EnviroTeach at www.enviroteach.co.za.
Another vital contact for green jobs is Green Matter. Visit www.
greenmatter.co.za.
Call 021 975 2004 for the following recommended books:
Careers in health sciences Beyond 2000 Publishers. ISBN: 978-09814108-5-2 ISSN: 1681-7737
Careers In Science, Engineering And Technology Beyond 2000 Publishers.
ISBN: 978-0-9814108-4-5 ISSN: 1681- 7737
See what opportunities exist at:
Other
Read about the Agri-Food Career
& Bursary Fair, held by the
Produce Marketing Association
(PMA) at the Universities of
Pretoria and Stellenbosch, at www.
careerfair.co.za.
Agricultural companies like BKB
have open days for school goers
(and potential future employees).
Find out more on www.bkb.co.za.
Others, like Kaap Agri, make use
of learnerships to induct people
into different careers. Read about
learnerships in the Agricultural
education & training chapter.
HCR Development
Fax: 086 670 8401
hcvd@yebo.co.za
Consultation services on and
Development
Facilitator
for
Occupational
Curriculum
Development are offered. Act
as mentor for persons trained as
Development Facilitators. Member
of the Support Team tasked
with research and development
of envisaged QCTO models
for
Occupational
Curricula,
Qualifications and Qualification
Assessment Specifications
www.workerhire.com
www.sacareerfocus.co.za
www.jobspace.co.za
www.bursariesdirectory.net
www.humanjobs.co.za
www.biocareers.co.za
www.ydp.co.za
www.caepsa.co.za Worldwide Agri Exchange (opportunities here
and abroad)
www.jobs.co.za
www.careers.co.za
www.gumtree.co.za
www.careerjet.co.za find the Agriculture Forestry Fishing option
Our thanks to the Directorate Sector Education and Training for feedback
and input.
392
agricultural services
and technologies
Agricultural consultants
1. Business planning and technical
Aginfo (AMT)
Tel: 012 361 2748
www.agrimark.co.za
Agriconcept (Edms) Bpk

Tel: 012 654 6005 / 083 310 4872
www.agriconcept.co.za
Accurate and timely information Agricultural economic advisory

pertaining to agricultural markets services. We:
from these specialists in the field
specialise
in
economic
of marketing, international trade,
planning, business plans,
policy analysis and development.
evaluation, viability and cost
Their website will give the reader
benefit studies of agricultural
an indication of the feasibility and
nature, design and implement
other studies carried out by this
credit facilities for smallholder
group.
farmers
design and establish credit
Agri Inspec
facilities
for
smallholder
Tel: 012 12 843 5630
farmers
www.agriinspec.co.za
identify
and
evaluate
opportunities
for
small
Agri Inspec is an investigation
business and agro-industries
agency that renders monitoring
services to agricultural and
corporate industries, mainly to put
Marketing Company
a stop to illegal imports, trade and Tel: 082 573 4344
other import irregularities.
aim1@intekom.co.za
www.theaimco.com
AGRI LAND GROUP
Tel: 082 389 3430
Securing trade and finance
www.agrilandgroup.co.za
instruments from banks, finding
logistics solutions for communities,
Services include:
project management and more
agricultural
risk
analysis
reports interventions and Agricultural Consultors
International cc see
affirmations
agricultural
development Farmsecure Agri Science
project and business plans
comprehensive benchmarked Agricultural Resource
agricultural land guideline Consultants
Dr Jim Findlay
values nationally
land
reform
process Tel: 011 486 2254
management
agricultural
risk
analysis
and valuation methodology Agriscape Projects
workshop facilitation and Tel: 082 925 4805
www.agriscape-projects.co.za
training
Agri Mega Empowerment
Solutions (AgriMES)
Tel: 028 424 2890
www.agrimega.co.za
Alpix Pty Ltd

Tel: 082 453 5007
Fax: 042 293 3024
pinep@mweb.co.za
AgriMES offers services to

organised
agriculture
and
commodity organisations including
BEE, accredited training and labour
services.
Agricultural business plans, viability

studies, feasibility studies, financial
risk analysis, property valuations,
valuation
training,
valuation
guidelines,
biological
asset
valuations
Agri-Africa Consultants
Tel: 011 788 7810
www.agrisolafrica.com
Consulting in agribusiness, financial
and technical farm management;
agricultural marketing; agricultural
development; project design and
management
ANDISA Agri
Tel: 082 807 5587
www.andisaagri.com
strategic planning
business planning and feasibility
studies

managing change of control
transactions and land reform
Land Reform policy research
project management
micro-finance product design
and outgrower schemes
finance raising; debt, equity
and grants
EIA agricultural economic
assessments
rural development
Andrew Murray Consulting
Tel: 028 312 3064 / 082 459 1984
www.foodengineering.co.za
Food
process
engineers
Farmsecure Agri Science

Tel: 021 974 1900
Tel: 058 307 6945
www.fsagriscience.co.za
A wide range of Agri-specialist
services are offered, from precision
agriculture which includes soil
surveys (chemical and classification),
mapping, variable application of
fertilisers; agronomy; horticulture;
plant physiology; plant nutrition;
crop protection; irrigation; postharvest technologies; and orchard
planning across all fruit, vegetable,
grain and pasture crops. Farmsecure
Agri Science (FAS) is part of the
Farmsecure Group and a member
of Farmsecure Technologies.
and
project FarmVision
Tel: 042 296 0818 / 082 452 9893
www.farmvision.co.za
Biochemical and Scientific
Consultants
FarmVision
runs
consultancy
Tel: 033 343 1414
services to private and public
http://bsclaboratory.com
institutions. They consult in
An analytical laboratory providing agriculture, resource management,
management,
quality
chemical and microbiological testing wildlife
management
and
project
management. They also offer
Charles St Veterinary
training.
Consultancy
Tel: 012 460 9385
Farm-IT
www.csvet.co.za
Tel: 012 666 7000 / 083 653 6244
www.farm-it.co.za
Animal production consultants
Caryki Consulting
Tel: 082 456 0396 / 083 445 2662
caryki@iburst.co.za
Services offered include viability
and feasibility studies for most grain
and vegetable crops and livestock
types, business plan development,
agricultural project planning and
appraisal, food processing and
value adding.
Circle 7 Consulting
Tel: 083 880 2643
www.circle-seven.co.za
An agronomy consulting service is

offered
FIRI Consulting
Tel: 021 801 4711/2/3
www.firi.co.za
Consultants to the food industry:
production methods, food safety
etc.
Flori Horticultural Services
Tel: 082 564 1211
johannesmaree@absamail.co.za
They do a full feasibility study and

Quality management, food safety recommend suitable crops.
and other consulting
Food Consulting Services
Tel: 011 315 5007 / 082 923 1488
Elilox Group
www.foodconsulting.co.za
Tel: 041 582 5072
www.theeliloxgroup.com
Micro testing for predominantly
foodstuffs (not agricultural or feed
EPA Development Group
products)
Tel: 011 315 8255
Infrastructure
development,
business planning, programme
management,
project-revival
interventions, training for emerging
farmers
FoodNCropBio
Dr Wynand J van der Walt
Tel. 012 347 6334 / 083 468 3471
wynandjvdw@telkomsa.net
FoodNCropBios
Consulting
services
include
biosafety,
Farm Smart
intellectual property, seed trade and
Tel: 082 784 6232
regulatory systems. Use is made of
www.farmsmart.co.za
an extensive international network
Outsource your farm management that includes biotechnologists,
to a team of professional farm geneticists and toxicologists.
managers. Why employ an
individual when you can benefit Formentco Consultants
www.formentco.co.za
from a team?
393
Assists clients to take advantage of Development Facilitator. Act as

manufacturing funding and business mentor for persons trained as
investment incentive programmes Development Facilitators.
offered by the DTI.
Juventis
Tel: 012 347 6323 / 082 809 4788
Frudata
Tel: 021 975 6241 / 072 222 6846 www.juventis.co.za
www.frudata.co.za
Agricultural advisor & strategic
analyst:
Fruit Strategies International
Tel: 083 626 6338
www.fruit-strategy.com
strategic & business plans
reviews of career related
GPB Consulting
subjects
Tel: 021 852 7811
selection and visual appraisal
of breeding animals
Supply Chain Management
GPB Consulting are consulting
semi-scientific,
popular,
engineers and planners with
scientific articles
experience in techno-economic
consultations: hourly, daily,
and feasibility studies, planning and
project-specific
layout of facilities for processing,
scenario & strategy planning
handling and storage of agricultural
pig breeding and genetic
advice
products.
presentation and compilation
of short courses
Green Veterinary Group
Practice
market research
Dr Davies 082 573 4873
breeding plans and herd
analysis
Animal production consultants
Living Laboratories
HCR Development
Tel: 082 562 7987
Tel: 082 321 7661
http://livinglaboratories.co.za
www.hcrdev.co.za
LM Agric Solutions
Occupational Curriculum Develop- Tel: 012 997 5416
ment
consultation
services lmotjope@gmail.com
Lourens, Wayne
Tel: 072 288 0314
ingwenet@mtnloaded.co.za
Measured Farming
Tel: 033 345 2508 / 082 458 4335
clive@clivehenderson.co.za
Henderson
undertakes
Food security and small-scale/ Clive
emergent farmer development valuations and assignments in
the fields of Agriculture and
consultant in KwaZulu-Natal.
Forestry, with specific reference
to matters relating to court work
Manstrat Development
as a result of damage to crops by
Strategists
fire and chemicals etc, dissolution
Tel: 012 460 2499
of partnerships, Rights of Way,
www.manstrat.co.za
expropriation of land, and land
Manstrat Development Strategists claims.
offers a multitude of agricultural,
economic development, human Measured Farming Consultants
development, specialised training (Pty) Ltd
Tel: 011 465 1958 / 083 233 7104
and planning services.
Consult in valuations and the
Tel: 021 887 1026
purchase of farms, but also with
Fax: 021 883 8514
market surveys, technical advice,
info@mbbsouth.co.za
land use planning and development,
www.mbb.co.za
accounting etc.
Branches in Pietermaritzburg,
Nelspruit, Grahamstown and M I Murray
Tel: 028 341 0823
Mtunzini.
Fax: 086 620 6191
cattlepost@gmail.com
See advert below.
Measured Agriculture
Tel: 028 254 9433 / 082 894 4072
www.farms-for-afrika.com
Agribusiness development; farm

management
advice;
financial
planning; monitoring and evaluation;
policy and strategy; project feasibility
studies; rural development surveys;
rural livelihoods analysis etc.
395
MICROmega Holdings Ltd

Tel: 010 226 4000 / 071 890 0633
richard.nicholson@micromega.
co.za
www.micromega.co.za
NOSA, a role player in occupational
health and safety industry in Africa,
have diversified into training in Crop
Husbandry, Animal Husbandry,
Farm Management and Agricultural
Engineering. The course is
primarily aimed at increasing the
practical agricultural knowledge
and skills of small scale farmers,
emerging commercial farmers and
the employees of large commercial
enterprises and agricultural estates.
Mthonyama Development
Enterprise & Agric./Soc.
Consultants
Tel: 043 643 3429
Fax: 043 643 5376
mthonyama@intekom.co.za
Outcomes-based training and
consulting is offered in the following
commodities: poultry; piggery;
animal husbandry; vegetables and
crop production; veld management;
Land Care; soil conservation. They
also do computer skills, project
and financial management and cooperatives.
Nerpo Agribusiness Unit
Tel: 012 361 9127
www.nerpo.org.za
Original Agricultural Business

Systems (OABS)
Tel: 021 870 2953
www.oabs.co.za
An
Agricultural
Economics
consultancy firm with a systems
approach to problem solving. Find
the list of past and current projects
on the website.
Paterson Agricultural Services
Dr Alistair Paterson
Tel: 082 880 9002
KwaZulu-Natal-based, services are
offered in livestock management,
land redistribution; agricultural
training,
information
and
development.
Veterinary House Hospital

Tel: 033 342 4698
vethouse@mweb.co.za
Roos Agri Consultancy

Tel: 082 411 3080
Fax: 013 665 2752
johroos@corpdial.co.za
Investigations, feasibility studies,

business plans, proposals, farm
planning and resource conservation,
project implementation, turnkey
management,
BEE
ventures/
initiatives
Contracts often to feedlots

Training and coaching in business
and professional development Womiwu Rural Development
for family owned businesses in Tel: 015 297 2107
commercial agriculture.
www.womiwu.com
Scientific Roets
Tel: 039 727 1515
www.scientificroets.com
Agribusiness / Co-ops
Peter Dall Consultancy

Tel: 028 840 1735 / 082 784 4326
Fax: 028 840 2373
gpdall@iafrica.com
An agricultural project management

and training and consulting
engineering firm specialising in
rural development projects (deep
rural areas either in South Africa
or Africa)
Horticultural
consultant
and
mentor (a number of New Farmer
projects)
SkyeConsult
Tel: 031 776 3260
www.skyeseedlings.co.za
Peter Milton Livestock

Consultant
Tel: 083 630 8868
www.petermilton.co.za
Consulting service for vegetable Banks have teams of agricultural

advisors, who work closely with
and horticultural projects
the agricultural managers. The role
South African International
of these economists includes giving
Business Linkages (SAIBL)
assistance and advice on business
Tel: 011 602 1205
planning,
feasibility
studies,
info@saibl.co.za
expansion programmes etc. This
www.saibl.org
specialist service is available on
request for a fee.
SAIBL helps to build the capacity
and competitiveness of black owned
Universities
and empowered small and medium
South African enterprises, and to Universities
offer
consulting
link them to trade opportunities services. Some examples are:
and supplier business with domestic
and international companies.
Financial advisor and project

planning for livestock projects
PetWim Agric Consultants

Tel: 082 882 9777
Key services offered include: wimnell@farmingsuccess.com
mentorship to SMEs particularly www.farmingsuccess.com
in
agribusiness
management;
training on business skills for SMEs; Dr Wim Nell is one of the coauthors of the excellent Strategic
business planning, raising finance
approach to farming success
and conducting feasibility studies; publication.
project planning and project
management; facilitating access Plant Science Consultants
to markets; business linkages for Association (PSCA)
the purposes of forming business c/o Dr Jim Findlay
partnerships and the transfer of Tel: 011 486 2254
technology.
NviroTek Labs
Tel: 082 885 8699
Resource Consulting Services

(SA) (Pty) Ltd
Tel: 058 622 1499
www.rcs-sa.com
The Plant Science Consultants

Association has over 40 members
offering services in product
Independent analysis of soil, water, development and the registration
of crop protection products and
plants, fertiliser and feed
associated remedies to local and
foreign companies. Members
OneWorld Agribusiness
are positioned throughout South
Solutions
Africa and can conduct field trials
Tel: 021 818 2900
www.oneworldgroup.co.za
on almost any crop grown in the
country.
Sustainable
agribusiness
development assignments across Other members specialise in
sub-Saharan Africa
the management of product
registration programmes and the
Orchard Management Systems compilation of product registration
peter@orchman.com
dossiers for submission to the
jill@orchman.com
regulatory authorities, i.e. Act No.
www.orchman.com
36 of 1947. A list of members and
Technical
and
management their fields of expertise can be
consulting services to the fruit and found at www.croplife.co.za under
Associate Members.
wider horticultural industry
TAMMAC Consultants CC
Tel: 039 834 1405
tammac@xsinet.co.za
www.tammac.co.za
Agricultural consultants specialising
in all aspects of especially dairy
farm management, based in Ixopo
in southern KwaZulu-Natal. In
addition to consultancy services,
they offer a computer bureau
service.
Urban-Econ: Development
Economists
Tel: 031 202 9673
Tel: 051 444 6324
fs@urban-econ.com
www.urban-econ.com
There are usually consultants

at your nearest agribusiness to
help you with their expertise. An
example would be Terratek at
Suidwes.
Consult the Agribusiness chapter
Banks
Economics
Grassland Sciences
Lengau Agricultural Centre
mcvdw@telkomsa.net
University of Stellenbosch
Business School Executive
Development Ltd (USB-ED
Ltd)
www.usb-ed.com
A professional consulting firm

in the broad field of economic
The consulting division of the
development, agriculture being a
Stellenbosch Business School.
vital part of this.
Van Vliet De Wet & Partners
Tel: 011 726 8195
BUSINESS ENTERPRISES
www.be.up.co.za
Planning, design and construction of

plant and equipment for abattoirs Offers consultative and commercial
contract research services
and for the meat industry
396
2. Environmental
3. Finance and administration
A number of environmental consultants can also be found in the biodiversity

chapter.
ACER (Africa)
Tel: 035 340 2715
info@acerafrica.co.za
www.acerafrica.co.za
Environmental management
consultants
African Alternative
Technologies
Tel: 031 576 0416 / 084 941 3993
www.aatec.co.za
(ALUT)
Tel: 014 717 3819 / 078 228 0008
www.alut.co.za
EnviroMon
Tel: 021 851 5134
www.enviromon.co.za
Meteorological
consultation
services are provided e.g. in the
planning of building sites, wind
farms etc.
Geomeasure Group
Tel: 031 768 1900
Tel: 033 940 0450
www.jecenviro.co.za
NRM Consulting
ALUT offers a consultancy and Tel: 011 318 0895
training service to the agricultural www.nrmconsulting.co.za
and environmental sectors.
Regalis Environmental Services
Jan Vlok 044 279 1987
BTW Consulting
Tel: 013 697 6050 / 022 783 1663 janvlok@mweb.co.za
http://btw.co.za
SPATIUM Sustainability
Systems
Environmental Impact
Tel: 058 256 1195 / 082 777 2647
Assessments
spatium@isat.co.za
Conservation Management
Services
Suricata Environmental
Ken Coetzee 044 870 8472
Consulting
consken@mweb.co.za
Tel: 013 007 0077 / 082 339 9627
www.suricata.co.za
Animals
in
conservancies,
management
plans,
impact Zone Land Solutions
assessments
Tel: 083 299 6650
www.zonesolutions.co.za
Agfin
Tel: 043 726 1470
L Agricultural Services act as the

Administrators to the Maize Trust,
the Maize Forum and its Steering
See Agricultural and Industrial Committee, the Wheat Forum
Marketing Company entry under and its Steering Committee, the
first heading
Maize Board and the Southern
African Grain Arbitration Service
Excell Financial Advisors
Association (SAGAS).
Tel: 011 793 1188
www.excell.co.za
PricewaterhouseCoopers Agri
Industry Group
Huis van Oranje
National Leader and Southern
Tel: 012 940 4215
Region 021 815 3000
www.hvo.co.za
Specialist services e.g. tax,
Key Business Solutions
accounting, entrepreneurial advice,
Cell: 084 808 9925
internal audits etc.
www.keybs.co.za
Van der Walt & Co Association
L & L Agricultural Services
Management Services
Tel: 012 807 3958 / 4191
Tel: 011 789 1384
l-lagric@mweb.co.za
www.vdw.co.za
An independent and objective
service and consulting firm on
agricultural
commodities
in
Southern Africa. L & L Agricultural
Services provides managerial,
administrative, secretarial and
inguistic services to agricultural
and other entities. At present L &
Ventex Corporation
Tel: 079 668 5111
www.ventex.co.za
Mergers and acquisitions, agriBEE,
financial planning
4. Real estate and land valuations

Alpix Pty Ltd
Tel: 082 453 5007
pinep@mweb.co.za
Measured Farming Consultants

(Pty) Ltd
Tel: 011 465 1958 / 083 233 7104
Agricultural
Business
Plans,
Viability Studies, Feasibility Studies, SA Farm Consulting cc
Financial Risk Analysis, Property Tel: 033 344 3948
Valuations, Valuation Training, www.safc.co.za
Valuation Guidelines, Biological
Asset Valuations
The agricultural weekly publications Landbouweekblad and Farmers Weekly

cover agricultural property sales, as do their websites (find the Auctions
and Farm Sales menu option at www.farmersweekly.co.za). www.landbou.
com has a data bank of farm prices for the past decade.
Some websites advertising farms for sale:
www.adekfarms.com
www.agrisell.co.za
www.agri-land.co.za
www.auction.co.za
www.eduplan.co.za
www.gamefarmsinafrica.co.za
www.gamefarmestates.co.za
www.pamgolding.co.za
www.sahometraders.co.za
www.jackklaff.co.za
www.hoskens.co.za
www.kznfarmsales.co.za
5. Other
Agri Promo (www.agripromo.co.za) is a one-stop agricultural media and
marketing company, delivering the following corporate services: media
and communication services, magazines, publications, graphic design,
promotional material, corporate marketing services, printing services.
Par Excellance (Personnel Practitioners) call 011 888 3433 or visit
http:/users.iafrica.com/p/pa/parexcel. Other recruitment companies can be
found in the Careers in Agriculture chapter.
397
and technologies
Biotechnology and plant breeding
Biotechnology relating to animals is covered in the Animal Improvement and
breeders chapter
1. Overview
Biotechnology is a contraction of `biological technology. Although it has
been synonymous in some circles with genetic modification, it is a term used
to represent a continuum of different bio-techniques, ranging from noncontroversial tissue culture to controversial genetic engineering embodied
in modern biotechnology.
Biotechnology has been identified as the leading technology of 21 century
with tremendous potential to address economic, social and environmental
issues afflicting the poor in developing countries. It can increase crop yields,
reduce crop vulnerability to environment and climate stresses, reduce the
need for field applied chemicals, and improve the health and taste of foods.
st
Critics say these crops could irreversibly damage existing plants, harm
wildlife and that the patents on genetically engineered seed gives too much
power to multinational companies. A visit to the websites mentioned in this
chapter elaborate on the different perspectives.
Potential benefits
higher crop yields
higher incomes
less
use
of
chemicals
(pesticides, herbicides) with
decreased expenditure on
inputs
less toxic herbicide runoff
to
surface
water
and
groundwater
less exposure of farmers to
chemicals leading to improved
farmers health
control of abiotic factor
higher nutritional quality of
foods
reduced pre- and post-harvest
losses
longer shelf life
minimal exploitation of forests,
grasslands, marginal lands, and
swamplands for food crops
preservation of biodiversity
broader range of crops
suited for marginal areas and
consumed by poor people
in tropical and semi-tropical
areas (e.g., sorghum, cassava,
pearl millet)
Potential threats/controversies
new allergens
antibiotic resistance
new viruses
new weeds/super weeds
invasion
gene flow
gene erosion
possible undesirable effects on
non-targeted organisms
use of terminator gene that
prevents reproduction of seed
and increasing input costs
monopoly on biotechnology
research by a few powerful
private firms
lack of scientific and financial
support for GM crop research
from countries prohibiting
such technology
trade ban on GM export
products
aggravation of the prosperity
gap between North and
South
exploitation of natural genetic
resources without appropriate
compensation
unresolved issued relating to
intellectual property rights
and farmers rights
gene piracy
Adapted from www.uneca.org/csd/CSD4_Biotech_Report_Final.htm
Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) is just one particular

specialisation within the scientific discipline of biotechnology. Biotechnology
has traditionally been used to provide us with yoghurt, beer and bread,
in that we use bacteria or micro-organisms to create these products. The
difference is that modern practices of genetic engineering which is the
process through which GM takes place now enables us to shatter the
species boundaries. For example, we can insert genetic information from
whales into birds, or we can put bacterial and viral genes into plants, as
is done with most genetically engineered foods. Genetic engineering,
therefore, allows us to move DNA between unrelated organisms. There
are few limits to what we can do; the question is: What should we be doing,
or not doing, with this technology?
The art of plant breeding is seated in the ability of the breeder to identify
differences in traits of economic importance among plants, and to improve
these traits with available scientific knowledge.
Plant breeding covers:
breeding systems involved in self- and cross fertilising plants, vegetatively
propagated plants and hybrids
quantitative genetics
advanced breeding methods such as recombinant DNA technology,
double haploid breeding and mutation breeding
marker-assisted breeding using both protein- and molecular markers
Plant tissue culture, also called micropropagation, is a practice used to
propagate plants under sterile conditions, often to produce clones of a plant.
Different techniques in plant tissue culture may offer certain advantages
over traditional methods of propagation, including:
the production of exact copies of plants that produce particularly good
flowers, fruits, or have other desirable traits
to quickly produce mature plants
the production of multiples of plants in the absence of seeds or
necessary pollinators to produce seeds
the regeneration of whole plants from plant cells that have been
genetically modified
the production of plants in sterile containers that allows them to be
moved with greatly reduced chances of transmitting diseases, pests,
and pathogens
the production of plants from seeds that otherwise have very low
chances of germinating and growing, i.e. orchids and nepenthes
Plant tissue culture relies on the fact that all plant cells have the ability to
generate a whole plant (totipotency). Single cells (protoplasts), pieces of
leaves, or roots can often be used to generate a new plant on culture media
given the required nutrients and plant hormones.
Plant tissue culture is used widely in plant science, where it has a number of
commercial applications.
Source: University of the Free State and www.answers.com, www.mg.co.za (adapted)
2. Plant Breeders Rights

What Are Plant Breeders Rights (PBR)?
New plant varieties are protected in South Africa in terms of the Plant
Breeders Rights (PBR) Act, Act 15 of 1976. South Africa does not have a
plant patent system like in the USA, as the Patents Act 57 of 1978, states
that a patent shall not be granted for any variety of plant being the product
of a biological process. New plant varieties produced through biological
processes are therefore protected exclusively in terms of the PBR Act.
However, genetically modified plants could be subject to the Patents Act,
as they are not strictly new varieties of plants that were produced through
biological processes.
399
South Africa is a signatory of the UPOV Convention and the PBR Act was
promulgated as a result of the implementation of UPOV see www.upov.
org. In terms of the UPOV convention, member countries grant the same
rights to persons of foreign member countries as they grant to their own.
UPOV also regulates the right to claim priority to an application filed in
another member country. This simply means that a PBR application in a
UPOV member country could form the basis for a PBR application in another
UPOV member country, for the same variety, filed within one year.
When Does A Variety Qualify For PBR Protection?
To qualify for PBR protection, a plant variety has to be new, distinct,
uniform and stable.
New a variety is new if propagating material or harvested material
thereof, has not been sold or otherwise disposed of by, or with the
consent of, the breeder for purposes of exploitation of the variety
within certain time limits. If the variety has been disposed of in this
fashion in South Africa more than a year before the date of the filing of
the application or in other UPOV member countries more than six
years in the case of vines and trees or more than four years in the case
of other varieties it is no longer new. The definition of sell in the Act
includes: agree to sell, or to offer, advertise, keep, expose, transmit,
send, convey or deliver for sale, or to exchange or to dispose of to any
person in any manner for a consideration; and sold and sale have a
corresponding meaning. Thus, a mere agreement to sell propagating
material or harvested material, as opposed to the actual sale thereof,
can destroy the novelty of a variety, as an agreement to sell is also
included in the definition and deemed to be the same as sell.
Distinct a variety is distinct if, at the date of filing the application for
a PBR in South Africa, it is clearly distinguishable from any other variety
of the same kind of plant of which the existence on that date is a matter
of common knowledge.
Uniform a variety is uniform if, subject to the variation that may be
expected from the particular features of the propagation thereof, it is
sufficiently uniform with regard to the characteristics of the variety in
question.
Stable a variety is stable if the characteristics thereof remain
unchanged after repeated propagation, or, in the case of a particular
cycle of propagation, at the end of each such cycle.
What Is The Term of a PBR Registration?
A PBR is granted for a period of 25 years in the case of vines and trees; and
20 years in all other cases, calculated from the date on which the certificate
of registration is issued.
What Are The Rights Of The PBR Holder?
When does one infringe a PBR?

A PBR is infringed by any person who, not being the holder of the PBR,
performs, or causes to be performed, without a licence, the acts reserved
exclusively for the holder of the PBR. A licensee who fails to comply
with any term or condition of a licence also infringes the PBR. It is also
an infringement to use the approved denomination of a protected variety
in relation to plants or propagating material of any other variety for any
purpose whatsoever or to sell plants or propagating material of a protected
variety under any other denomination than the approved denomination of
that variety.
For more information in this regard, contact At van Rooy of DM Kisch Inc.
Email atv@dmkisch.com or visit www.dmkisch.com.
There is currently a Plant Breeders Rights Amendment Bill (find it at on www.info.
gov.za).
3. GM crop adoption In South Africa

Modern biotechnologies in innovation, health, food security and bioprocessing had been identified by government as one of the main future
drivers of the economy. It lead to the national biotechnology strategy of 2001
and establishment of four regional biotechnology innvovation centres. All
aspects of genetic modification, as one component of modern biotechnology,
are strictly regulated under the GMO Act 15 of 1997 (amended in 2006 to
comply with international biosafety requirements in trade). The Act is based
on pro-active safety assessments and requires permit approval for activities
from research laboratories to import/export.
Genetic modification in crop plants has delivered crop varieties with unique
resistance to targeted insect pests and tolerance to specific herbicides.
From introduction of GM cotton in 1997, GM maize in 1998 and GM soya
beans in 2000, these GM crops soon became mainstream. The final survey
on 2010 plantings showed that GM maize has stabilised at 74% of area
planted yellow at 77% of yellow area and white at 71%, GM herbicide
tolerant soya beans at 85% of area and GM cotton at practically 100%.
The combined area planted in 2010 to these three crops comes to almost
2.2 million hectares, placing South Africa in global 9th position amongst 27
countries.
The breakdown by GM trait for maize is 46% single insect resistance, 15%
single herbicide tolerance and 39% for both traits stacked. Part of insect
resistance already combines two resistance genes. All GM soya beans are
herbicide tolerant, while GM cotton is moving to 90% share of two insect
resistance plus one herbicide tolerance traits combined.
The effect of the protection given by a plant breeders right shall be that the
PBR holder has the exclusive right to undertake the production or reproduction (multiplication);
During 2010 permits approved for exporting GM maize grain totalled some
conditioning for the purpose of propagation;
2.5 million tons, with a similar volume expected in 2011. What is important,
sale or any other form of marketing;
is that South Afrtica has developed new markets for its maize grain exports.
exporting;
GM maize seed exported for planting amounted to 8763 tons while imports
importing;
were 1701 tons. From 2007 to July 2011 cumulative GM maize seed
stocking for any of the purposes referred to in the previous five bullet
volumes were 32932 tons exported and 9511 tons imported. Both trade
points ofactivities
valuable
foreign
(i) propagating material of the relevant variety; or0
(i) propagating material
of theadded
relevant
variety;
or funds to our economy.
(ii) harvested material, including plants, which was obtained through
New traits for maize and cotton in field trials include new insect resistance
the unauthorised use of propagating material of the relevant
combinations and herbicide tolerances, giving farmers extended options to
variety.
choose from. National innovation in GM traits cover experimental sugar
If any other person wishes to undertake any of the above acts, he may not
cane, maize, table grapes, cassava, and chinkerinchees.
do so without authority from the PBR holder. Usually this is in the form of
a licence.
Data research, collated and analyzed by Wynand van der Walt, FoodNCropBio,
However, a person who procures any propagating material of a variety in
a legitimate manner will not infringe the PBR in respect of the variety if he
resells that propagating material, or sells any plant, reproductive material
or product derived from that propagating material for purposes other
than the further propagation or multiplication thereof. The same applies
to use or multiplication of that propagating material in the development of
a different variety; use for purposes of bona fide research; and use of that
propagating material for private or non-commercial purposes. The Act also
allows a farmer who procured propagating material legitimately, to retain
and replant seed on the same land, but only for one season, and the right is
limited to the particular farmer.
wynandjvdw@telkomsa.net. The research on maize has been funded by the Maize

Trust.
Find global statistics at www.isaaa.org, website of International Service for

the Acquisition of Agri-Biotech Applications.
400
4. GMO a need for rapid testing

See the advert to the left.
GMO testing is a legislative requirement in the grain industry. Requirements

of the Cartagena Protocol make it essential to test grain for GMO presence.
The legislation for labelling GMO and non-GMO products is increasing
worldwide. Consumers have the right to know what is on their plates.
Two common methods are used for testing of GMO:
1. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR): Molecular DNA test which detects
certain DNA sequences in ground grain samples. This method is
performed in a laboratory and requires trained personnel. The method
takes several hours to complete and cost per analysis is high.
2. Immunoassay: This method makes us of specific antibodies to detect
specific proteins expressed by the gene involved in the GMO
technology. It is usually in the form of a flow lateral flow strip, and can
be performed at the grain facility. Minimal training is required. This is a
rapid test, completed in 5 minutes and cost per analysis is low.
Studies have shown that the lateral flow strip shows excellent is ideal for
screening throughout the supply chain, from the field to the silo and every
step in between, and all this while maintaining a relatively accurate result.
While polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is considered as the gold standard
for certifying non-GMO maize for export; It is not always feasible to
perform PCR at every stage of the supply chain because it of time and cost
constraints.
During importation and exportation, grain needs to be tested at the
harbours and borders to prevent GMO grain from entering a non-GMO
area. Testing after arrival at a grain processors facility is important to
pick up any contamination that could have occurred during loading and
transportation.
In most cases this neglected, since the PCR techniques are not simple to
perform and requires time which may not be available.
Most industry, farmers, and users requiring rapid results are moving toward
Lateral flow devices. Results are available immediately and time is not
wasted by waiting for laboratory results which can take days. The lateral
flow devices help the grain move faster through the supply chain.
The greatest need of any industry is time, and Lateral Flow devices offer
exactly this to the user. It is a growing trend, and the move toward Rapid
GMO testing has enabled decisions on storage and transportation of product
to be made quickly and accurately.
Source: Stargate Scientific. Visit them at www.stargatescientific.co.za or contact them
at 011 675 7433.

The
Directorate
Genetic
Resources within the Department
of Agriculture, Forestry and
Fisheries (DAFF) administers the
Plant Breeders Rights (PBR) Act,
Act No. 15 of 1976 as amended
in 1996. The objective of this Act
is to provide for a system through
which intellectual property rights
(plant breeders rights) relating to
varieties of certain kinds of plants
may be granted and registered.
Tel: 012 319 6024
Registrar: Plant Breeder Rights Act

Tel: 012 319 6183
NoluthandoN@daff.gov.za
Registrar for the Genetically
Modified Organisms Act, 1997
Tel: 012 319 6382
NompumeleloM@daff.gov.za
The Plant Genetic Resources
Centre (PGRC)
National Gene Bank
Tel: 012 808 5392
pgrc@nda.agric.za
Information and contact details for
DAFF directorates can be found
under the Divisions menu option
on www.daff.gov.za.
401

Technology (DST)
Biotechnology Strategies Unit
Tel: 012 843 6872 (Deputy
Director)
Tel: 012 843 6531 (Manager)
www.dst.gov.za
Department of Environment
Affairs
Directorate: Biodiversity Risk
Management
Tel: 012 310 3395 / 6
This directorate was formed
in 2005 to co-ordinate and
support work in implementing
the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety. Contact them for further
information on the Biodiversity
Act and GMOs.
The DSTs agency, the South

African Agency for Science
and Technology Advancement
(SAASTA), runs a technology
awareness
campaign
called
the Public Understanding of
Biotechnology (PUB). Call 012 392
9300 or visit www.saasta.ac.za and Department of Health (DOH)
Tel: 012 312 0000
www.pub.ac.za.
www.doh.gov.za
The former Biotechnology Regional
Innovation Centres (BRICs) have The DoH, which has a Biotec unit,
been merged into the Technology has responsibility for labelling and
Innovation Agency (TIA). Go to related legislation. According to
the Consumer Protection Act,
www.tia.org.za.
food containing more than 5%
of a GM ingredient needs to be
labelled.
6. Role players
Companies
Du Roi
Tel: 015 345 1217
www.duroilab.co.za
Monsanto SA
Tel: 011 790 8200 / 1
www.monsanto.co.za
Du Roi Laboratory is a South

African-based
horticultural
company specialising in the
production of tissue culture banana
plants.
Stargate Scientific
Tel: 011 675 7433
www.stargatescientific.co.za
FoodNCropBio
Wynand van der Walt
Tel: 012 347 6334 / 083 468 3471
wynandjvdw@telkomsa.net
GMO Test and other equipment

supplied to many sectors
Stargrow
Tel: 021 880 1882
www.stargrow.co.za
Refer
to
the
Agriculture Stargrow is a Cultivar Developer
consultants chapter for services and Fruit Tree Nursery.
here.
SunBio is a company within the
Hishtil SA
Institute for Wine Biotechnology at
Tel: 015 395 4034 / 43
Stellenbosch University. It is aimed
www.hishtilsa.com
at commercialising the research
outputs of the Institute. Find its
Hishtil complies with the strictest pages at www.sun.ac.za/wine_
international standards of healthy biotechnology
and clean propagation material
production complying with ISO Syngenta South Africa (Pty)
9001:2000 and GLOBALG.A.P.
Limited
Tel: 011 541 4000
INCOTEC South Africa
www.syngenta.com
Tel: 033 386 1560 / 071 352 1493
www.proteios.nl
TopFruit
Tel: 021 874 1033
Seed and coating technology
www.topfruit.co.za
NGOs and industry bodies

AfricaBio
Tel: 012 844 0126
www.africabio.com
African Centre for Biosafety
Tel: 011 486 1156
www.acbio.org.za
African Harvest Biotech

Foundation International
Tel: 011 079 4189
http://africaharvest.org
Biowatch South Africa
Tel: 031 206 2954
www.biowatch.org.za

Tel: 0861 242 000
www.cgcsa.co.za
The Consumer Goods Council
of South Africa is an industry
body representing over 12 000
member companies in the retail,
wholesale, manufacturing within
the Fast Moving Consumer Goods
(FMCG) industry. It is involved
in negotiations around the GM
labelling.
South African Plant

Improvement Organisation
(SAPO)
Tel: 021 887 6823
www.saplant.co.za
South African Society for
Biochemistry and Molecular
Biology
www.sasbmb.org.za
Southern Africa Plant Breeders
Association (SAPBA)
wcb@sun.ac.za
www.sapba.co.za

The PUB website contains a list of training providers and institutions in this area.
Careers in genetics and biotechnology may also be found there. Visit www.pub.
ac.za. Find Tertiary Institutions on the Links menu option on the Southern Africa
Plant Breeders Association website www.sapba.co.za.
and Ornamental Plant Institute
(VOPI)
Tel: 012 841 9611
www.arc.agric.za
CSIR Biosciences
Tel: 012 841 4220
www.csir.co.za

Tel: 012 481 4000
Biotechnology forms an integral www.nrf.ac.za
part of the Plant Breeding and
Crop Protection divisions of the North-West University
Agricultural Research Councils School of Environmental and
Roodeplaat
Vegetable
and Health Sciences
Ornamental Plant Institute. The Tel: 018 389 2416
Plant Breeding division relies on www.nwu.ac.za
biotechnology for the development
of molecular markers for various
vegetable crops.
Prof Klaus Kellner
Tel: 018 299 2510 / 082 569 6145
The other ARC horticultural and Klaus.Kellner@nwu.ac.za
field crop institutes do research, www.nwu.ac.za
breeding new cultivars producing
seed for cultivars developed in Private Companies conduct their
breeding projects. Find their details own research.
in the Research and development
chapter.
Read about Rhodes Universitys
Biomedical Biotechnology Research
African Biofortified Sorghum
Unit at www.ru.ac.za/biobru.
(ABS) Project
Tel: 011 781 4447 / 082 787 4799 Stellenbosch University
http://biosorghum.org
Institute of Plant Biotechnology
Tel: 021 808 3834 / 6
African Centre for Crop
www.sun.ac.za/ipb
Improvement (ACCI)
Tel: 033 260 5524
Institute of Wine Biotechnology
laing@ukzn.ac.za
Tel: 021 808 3770
www.acci.org.za
www.sun.ac.za/wine_
biotechnology
The African Centre for Gene
Technologies (ACGT) is an Department of Genetics
initiative that involves the CSIR, Plant Breeding Laboratory (SUthe University of Pretoria, the PBL)
University of the Witwatersrand, Tel: 021 808 4860
the University of Johannesburg and wcb@sun.ac.za
the Agricultural Research Council www.sun.ac.za/genetics
(ARC). Visit www.acgt.co.za for
The SU-PBL has long term
more information.
collaboration with the South African
Winter Cereal Trust to conduct
germplasm development.
The
Technology
SU-PBL also conducts a full scale
Department of Horticulture
triticale breeding programme.
Tel: 021 460 3170
www.cput.ac.za
402
SA National Biodiversity
Institute (SANBI)
GMO Monitoring and Research
Unit
Tel: 012 843 5117
www.sanbi.org
Tel: 051 401 2514 / 2378
Economics
Tel: 051 401 2824 / 3864
Department of Botany & Plant
Biotechnology
Tel: 011 559 2436
School of Agricultural, Earth and
Tel: 033 260 6075 / 5808
www.ukzn.ac.za

Tel: 031 260 3197
http://plantgermcons.ukzn.ac.za
Tel: 033 260 5151
Finnie@ukzn.ac.za
Forestry and Agricultural
Biotechnology Institute (FABI)
Tel: 012 420 3938/9

Centres supported by the Consultative Group on International
Agricultural Research (CGIAR) operate genebanks containing more
than 650 000 samples of staple crops and related wild species. Those
materials include traditional varieties developed through many generations
of selection by farmers, as well as wild species, crop breeding lines and
improved varieties. See www.cgiar.org/centers.
Centre and website
Africa Rice Centre (WARDA)
www.africarice.org
Scope of collections
Rice
Plant Sciences
Tel: 012 420 3770
plant.science@up.ac.za
International
Centre
for
Tropical Beans, cassava, forages
Agriculture (CIAT) www.ciat.cgiar.org
University of the
Witwatersrand
Sciences
Tel: 011 717 1000
www.wits.ac.za/apes
International Potato Centre (CIP)

www.cipotato.org
International
Maize
and
Wheat Maize, rye, triticale, wheat
Improvement Centre (CIMMYT)
www.cimmyt.org
Andean roots and tubers,
potato, sweetpotato
International Centre for Agricultural Barley, chickpea, faba bean,

Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA) forage, lentil, wheat
www.icarda.org
School of Molecular & Cell Biology

Tel: 011 717 6310 / 26 / 24
www.wits.ac.za/mcb
World Agroforestry Centre

www.worldagroforestrycentre.org
Sesbania
International Crops Research Institute for Chickpea, groundnut, pearl

millet and other millets,
the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT)
pigeonpea, sorghum
www.icrisat.org
International Institute for Tropical Bambara
groundnut,
Agriculture (IITA) www.iita.org
cassava, cowpea, soybean,
yam
International Livestock Research Institute Forages
www.ilri.org
International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) Rice

http://irri.org
The value of the collections for crop improvement is illustrated by the
recent experience of IRRI scientists and university colleagues. From an
old Indian rice variety, they retrieved a forgotten gene that can enable
modern rice varieties to withstand the devastating effects of flooding.
In Southeast Asia alone, this unpredictable menace causes rice harvest
losses worth US$1 billion annually.
By successfully introducing the gene into local varieties grown in floodprone areas, scientists have helped ensure a more dependable food
supply for poor farmers and their families. Through such developments,
the collections contribute importantly to global food security.
FAO projections suggest that world food production will have to increase
by 75 percent before 2050 to meet the needs of growing populations.
One of the keys to achieving that goal and warding off further food crises,
despite the menace of climate change, is an accessible reserve of crop
diversity.
Source: CGIAR Brochure Safeguarding the Worlds Agricultural Legacy
SADC Plant Genetic Resources Centre (SPGRC) www.spgrc.org.

zm
System-wide Information Network on Genetic Resources (SINGER)
enables users to search genebanks worldwide for required genetic traits.
This help researchers and farmers develop more nutritious plants that are
disease and pest resistant and can cope with drought, flooding and other
effects of climate change. See http://singer.cgiar.org.
African Biological Safety Association (AfBSA) http://afbsa.org
African Biosafety Network of Expertise (ABNE) www.
nepadbiosafety.net
African Biotechnology Stakeholders Forum (ABSF) www.
absfafrica.org
African Centre for Biosafety www.acbio.org.za
403
African Harvest Biotech Foundation International Foundation

provides the tools of biotechnology for Africa and the developing
world through crop and product orientated projects and programs
- http://africaharvest.org.
Biotechkenya.com Kenya is one of the most progressive countries
in Sub-Saharan Africa in developing transgenic agriculture products.
Biotechuganda.com a Uganda-based website containing information
on biotechnology and related issues
Bioversity International www.bioversityinternational.org
Cartegena Protocol on Biosafety (CPOB) http://bch.cbd.int/
protocol/
European South African Science and Technology Advancement
Programme (ESASTAP), an initiative of the Department of Science
and Technologys Programme for International Co-operation and
Resources www.esastap.org.za
International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology
(ICGEB) promotes the safe use of biotechnology worldwide with
special regard to the needs of the developing world www.icgeb.
org.
International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-biotech
Applications (ISAAA) facilitates the transfer of agricultural
biotechnology applications from industrial to developing countries
and counsels developing countries on the testing of products. It also
assists in the implementation of biosafety and food safety regulatory
procedures, the deployment of resistance genes, and with IPRs www.
isaaa.org.
The Global Crop Diversity Trust is a public-private partnership
raising funds from donors to establish an endowment fund that will
provide complete and continuous funding for key crop collections, in
eternity. Visit www.croptrust.org.
Union for the International Protection of New Varieties of
Plants (UPOV) www.upov.int

Refer to the websites listed earlier in this chapter.
Links to information on national biosafety and GMO debates can be
found at the following portal: www.acbio.org.za.
www.safeage.org offers advice to South Africans on GM foods amongst
other things.
Bio World Online, the Daily Biopharmaceutical News Source www.
bioworld.com
Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety www.biodiv.org/biosafety
For culturing and propagation techniques refer to: www.answers.com/
topic/plant-tissue-culture
AgriForest Bio-Technologies www.agriforestbiotech.com
www.non-gm-farmers.com Network of Concerned Farmers.
www.grain.org website of Genetic Resources Action International
(GRAIN)
www.actionbioscience.org Bring biology to informed decision
making
The United Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural Organisation
(UNESCO) www.unesco.org
South African Freeze Alliance on Genetic Engineering (SAFeAGE)
www.safeage.org
Find the quarterly South African Plant Variety Journal (compiled by
Directorate: Genetic Resources) on www.daff.gov.za (take the
Publications and General publications options).
Policy Brief: Securing Farmers Rights and Seed Sovereignty in South Africa
by Rachel Wynberg, Jaci van Niekerk, Rose Williams and Lawrence
Mkhaliphi. Contact Biowatch at 031 206 2954.
A number of publications are available from the Biotechnology Unit at
the Department of Science and Technology.
The cartoon above is used courtesy of the Department of Science and Technologys Public Understanding of Biotechnology (PUB) unit. Find these cartoons at www.pub.ac.za.
404
and technologies
Hydroponics & undercover growing
1. Overview
Translated directly, hydroponics means plants working (growing) in
water. The word hydroponic is derived from two Greek words: hydro
meaning water, and ponos meaning labour.
A modern definition of hydroponics: A system where plants are grown
in a growing media or substrate other than natural soil. All the nutrients
(6 macro- and 6 micro-elements) are dissolved in the irrigation water and
are supplied at a regular basis to plants. It is the cultivation of plants in
nutrient-rich solution rather than in soil.
Hydroponics supplies the plant with what it needs, when it needs it.
There is no genetic mutation that takes place inside the equipment nor
are any mysterious wonder chemicals introduced to the plant roots.
In hydroponics, water is used much more efficiently than in soil
cultivation. In certain hydroponic closed systems (recirculation)
probably as much as 50% less water is used, while in open systems
(drain to waste) 20-30% water savings can be realised.
Hydroponics can be incredibly sophisticated and requires good
management.
Hydroponics gives better and faster plant growth and potentially
greater yields since the growth factors such as nutrients, temperature,
humidity and light are closer to the plants exact needs. In some
hydroponic environments you can grow the plants much more closely
together than with conventional methods (provided there is sufficient
light). This is because the plants do not make as large a root system as
under conventional conditions since they dont have to go looking for
food. The food comes to them.
In South Africa, hydroponic vegetable production is almost always
done under protection (e.g. tunnels covered in special plastic and
shade-cloth).
Although Undercover is mostly seen as greenhouse and tunnel
production, shade-cloth systems (where plants are grown mainly in soil
but protected from harsh climate by the shade cloth) is also included in
this category.
The difference between hydroponics vegetable production and

production in soil:
Hydroponics
Field production
No soil is required.
Good topsoil is required. Good soil

= good drainage, texture, organic
material (e.g.compost), diseasefree.
Nutrients are available at all times.

Only
water-soluble
fertilisers
are used. Hydroponics fertiliser
formulations contain a balanced
nutrient content, taking the
plant species and growth stage,
climate and water conditions into
consideration.
Nutrients must be added to soil.

Unless a laboratory analysis is done,
too much or too few nutrients can
be added.
diseases
can
be Soil borne diseases can build up in

the soil.
Hydroponic production is not

organic because artificial nutrients
are always used and plants are
never grown in soil.
Many different hydroponic or soilless culture systems are in use today.

In true hydroponics no medium is used, which is typically called liquid
hydroponics compared to aggregate hydroponics in which a soilless medium
is used. These mediums can be organic (sawdust, wood-shavings, wood
chips, coco-peat, etc.) or inorganic materials (gravel, perlite, rockwool,
vermiculite, etc).
Both liquid and aggregate hydroponics can be used in an open or closed
production setup. In a closed system the excess nutrient solution (runoff)
is recovered and reused. While in an open system the runoff is channelled
away and not reused in the system. It is important to mention that in a closed
system the reservoir is normally flushed once a week and a completely new
batch of nutrient-rich water made up.
Advantages and disadvantages

Open System
Closed System
1. Initial capital outlay is less
1. Initial capital outlay is more

because it needs more pipes,
pumps, a water purification
system and bigger reservoir
2. Use more water
2. Use less water
3. Use more fertiliser
3. Use less fertiliser
4. Less change of contaminated

nutrient rich solution
4.
Greater
change
of
contamination of nutrient rich
solution
5. Less expense and capitalisation

needed to sterilise nutrient
rich solution
5.
Greater expense and

capitalisation needed to keep
recycled nutrient rich solution
sterile
6. Greater negative impact on

environment
6. Less negative impact on

environment
In South Africa two types of hydroponic systems are most often used. The
most common system is the open bag culture system (or drain-to-waste
system). In this production type, tomatoes, cucumbers and sweet peppers
are produced in tunnels or multi-spam structures and grown in plastic bags
or containers filled with media such as pine sawdust or Coco-peat. The
second system is the closed gravel flow technique systema closed, gravel
flow technique system (GFT). In GFT, vegetables such as lettuce and celery
are produced in troughs filled with gravel, normally under shade-cloth.
Source: Johannes Maree. Contact him at johannesmaree@absamail.co.za
3. Diseases and pests

Systems must be managed carefully. Factors like inadequate greenhouse
management, poor facilities, poor plant material, untrained workers etc can
lead to disease outbreaks. For a disease-causing organism or pathogen to
be able to infect a plant and cause a disease, three conditions have to be
optimal:
The pathogen/insect has to be present in the stage that causes
infection.
The plant must be susceptible to infection.
The environment must be conducive to allow infection to occur.
A great advantage with greenhouses Vegetables can only be grown in

is that since you can grow vegetables season.
out of season when the prices are
good.
Soil borne
controlled.
2. Closed and Open Systems
It is possible to produce organic

vegetables in soil because one
can use organic fertilisers such as
compost and manure.
This is known as the disease triangle.

It is important for a producer to know what pests or diseases are likely to
become a problem. Steps can then be taken to reduce the possibility of
the pest or disease entering the greenhouse and gaining a foothold on the
plants. Prevention is easier than cure!
If you are uncertain about the identification of the disease or pest, contact
an expert such as the Roodeplaat Diagnostic Centre Tel: 012 841 9611
or the Stellenbosch University Plant Pathology Disease Clinic Tel: 021
808 4798.
405
Only registered pesticides may be used to combat pests and diseases

(Act 36/1947). These can be obtained at registered chemical distributors,
nurseries and certain retail stores. The control chemical or pesticide will
only be effective if the pest has been correctly identified, and if the pesticide
has been applied correctly (mixing, spray technique, time of day etc).
Important:
Study the label carefully and apply the pesticide only as indicated on
the label.
Give attention to the safe use of chemicals and the protection of the
person applying them.
Make sure than pesticides do not occur on harvested products.
All pesticides are poisonous.
4. For the newcomer

What do I need to start a hydroponics production unit?
Garden units
source of clean water
the right location
specially formulated fertiliser
time to attend to the system daily
a little knowledge of plants and gardening
a commercial or home made unit
Commercial
Water is the most important consideration quality, quantity and
reliability.
A market. Know what, where and when to market your crop.
Hydroponics is labour intensive. During peak season, labour must be
available for 7 days a week.
Management skills: production, labour, marketing, infra-structure
Expertise in crop production, fertilisation and irrigation, pests and
disease management
Location: infrastructure, labour, market, etc.
Financing: the amount needed depends on the size, type of greenhouse,
labour cost and your market.
Dedication
Know the basics

To be able to produce vegetables successfully year after year, one needs to
be familiar with the basics of hydroponics that is: the plant, growth medium,
water and nutrients. By relying on recipes only, one will not be able to
identify the cause of a problem and you may not be able to correct them.
How do plants function?

Plants have only three types of organs: leaves, roots and stems. Know what
the organs look like and how they function so that you can deal with their
needs.
Growth medium
Growth medium is the substitute for soil in hydroponics systems. The
functions of growth medium are:
to provide the roots with O2
bring the water and dissolved nutrients in contact with roots
anchor the plants so that they do not fall over
Many different materials can be used as long as they provide the roots with
O2, water and nutrients.
In South Africa, gravel is popular in re-circulating systems, sawdust is the
most popular for the open bag system / drain to waste system.
406
Water and nutrients

All the nutrients plants need are dissolved in water and they are supplied to
plants every day. Macro elements (N; P; K; S; Ca) are needed in substantial
amounts, whereas plants need very small amounts of micro elements (Fe;
Zn; Mn; Mg; Cu; Co, Mg).
It is necessary to use specially formulated fertilisers. Fertilisers used for
hydroponics are more pure (and expensive) than other fertilisers to prevent
precipitation and blockages of the system.
Different hydroponics systems

Two different hydroponics systems are used to produce vegetables: the
gravel flow and the drain to waste system.
In the drain to waste system, plants are grown in containers and nutrient
solution is supplied to plants by means of a dripper, up to 12 times per day.
The number of irrigation cycles per day depends on temperature and the
growth stage of plants. The crops in the drain to waste system grow tall and
need to be trained and pruned so that they grow upwards as a single stem.
In the gravel flow system, the nutrient solution is re-circulated and the
roots of the plants stand in a thin film of nutrient solution all the time. Gravel
or sand is used most often as growth medium.
Which crops can be grown in a hydroponics system?

Any crop can be grown, but some will not be cost effective e.g. cabbages.
Presently, what is popular in South Africa are tomatoes, cucumbers and
peppers in a bag culture method with an open system drain to waste
systems and lettuce and herbs in gravel flow systems.
Which crop should I grow?

Nobody can make the decision of which crop to grow for you. Every
situation, every crop and every market has its own advantages, disadvantages
and requirements. Important considerations are the market and the
climate. The type of unit e.g. garden unit or commercial unit is also a factor
in determining which crops to grow.
Inspect the leaves every day for disease symptoms and insects. Act
immediately if a problem occurs.
Harvesting
Vegetables are perishable. The shelf life and quality depend on a chain of
actions:
Pick at the right stage without damage to the plant.
Pick early in the morning or when it is cool.
Keep picked vegetables out of the sun.
Handle carefully.
Store them at the right temperature (depends on crop).
Use the right packaging (depends on crop and market).
Transport with care.
An ongoing process
Agnes Moreriwa farms hydroponically on a 2,2 ha plot in Pretoria and
supplies vegetables to government hospitals in Pretoria and to the
Tshwane Fresh Produce Market. Her tips to emerging farmers:
Passionate interest is the main requirement for farming without it
youre bound to fail.
You need basic marketing and research skills.
Its important to grow products for a specific market, and to know
the people youre going to sell to.
You need to basic financial and record-keeping skills if you want to
make a profit.
Learning about farming is an ongoing process keep up with new
trends.
What works for other farmers may not work for you. Stick to what
is working for you.
Contact Agnes Moreriwa at 072 262 1445.
Source: Farmers Weekly, 2 July 2010 page 57.
Which variety do I choose?
There are many vegetable varieties available. Some were developed

specifically for commercial hydroponics production in greenhouses. Local
seed companies are able to recommend varieties that are widely adapted
and easy to grow. For household units common garden varieties are
recommended.
Production of flowers or vegetables, especially for the export market,

is unthinkable without undercover growing. If produced in a climatecontrolled greenhouse, the producer can supply vegetables out of season
when the price is good.
Seedlings
Hydroponics is becoming a very important way to produce vegetables in

South Africa because of the production potential, the high quality of the
produce and the efficient water usage.
Seedlings can be purchased at nurseries, or you can produce them

yourself.
When buying seedlings, look for young plants; the roots must not be
stuck to the walls of the seedling tray and must be white, not brown.
Soil- and water-borne diseases can be transmitted through seedlings.
Transplant only the strongest seedlings.
Do not use seedlings that are too old and pot bound.
To produce seedlings, follow instructions on seed packages.
Buying seed
Seed is available in small or large packages.
Small packets are sold at nurseries, co-ops and retail stores and are
suitable for garden and small-scale hydroponics units.
Large packets, suitable for commercial scale production, are available
from seed companies.
Taking care of plants

Different crops are planted at different spacing. Small plants can be
planted close to each other. Large plants need more space to grow and
must be spaced further apart.
Water flow must be checked every day and adjusted when necessary.
If plants turn yellow, it is normally a symptom of nutrient deficiency,
too little light or a disease.
Commercial scale hydroponics production is capital, labour and management

intensive.
Flowers offer by far the best opportunities for environmentally controlled
farming, with roses, mini roses, chrysanthemums, carnations, gysophili,
gerberas, asters, alstromeria, cymbidium and ferns all easily saleable
between October and mid-April in the Far East.
Prices for cut flowers such as mini roses and alstromeria are substantially
higher in this period when Northern Hemisphere production is limited
because of dull skies and the high cost of heating. Markets also exist for
a range of vegetables, including peppers, courgettes and cherry tomatoes,
but profits may be lower.
In South Africa plants are grown in greenhouses to protect them against the
strong UV radiation, to increase the humidity around plants, and to decrease
to some extent the extreme minimum and maximum temperatures that can
occur in a single day.
The principal advantage of plastic tunnels is that they are significantly less
expensive, but they do not offer climate control. Tunnels are often not
warranted against high winds. Planting space in tunnels is less favourable
than in greenhouses and the installation of climate control is very expensive
and therefore not recommended for tunnels.
408
The permanency and rigidity of an atmospheric controlled glasshouse

provides excellent protection against temperature fluctuations and strong
winds. A well constructed and erected greenhouse, with proper insect
preventing netting, will drastically reduce the incidence of insects (making
this pest more controllable). If the temperature and humidity are very high
and ventilation and circulation is poor, incidence of diseases may occur
though.
Controlled environment farming is not cheap to introduce. Half a hectare
would generally be the minimum viable size for cut-flower only enterprises.
Lack of finance has restricted the SA greenhouse industry, but there are
sources other than local banks for farmers to get credit.
There are a number of companies that assesses the suitability of developing
world farming ventures for funding from European financiers. European
financiers require projects that are practically and economically viable, run
by people with the necessary technical and managerial expertise and that
have guaranteed markets for their produce.
Growers should have done some extensive planning before they consider
contacting these companies. Potential growers must prepare a feasibility
study, including a marketing plan, the projects running costs and projected
cash flow for its first year and subsequent five-year period markets must
also be already identified.
Despite the high upfront costs, hydroponics projects can provide good
returns to investors if carefully planned and implemented.
It is important to ensure that the business is large enough to justify the
overhead costs and the level of managerial and logistical support required
(economies of scale). In this regard a project linked to an existing business
will invariably be more profitable than a standalone project.
Source: Stephen Hobson, Business Advisor. Call 082 331 3083 / 021 808 2974
6. National strategy and government contacts

www.daff.gov.za
Directorate: Food Safety & Quality Directorate: Plant Production
Tel: 012 319 6079
Assurance
DPP@daff.gov.za
Tel: 012 319 7306
DFSQA@daff.gov.za
7. Role players
Associations
Intensive Agriculture SA
Tel: 021 808 4809
info@iasa.co.za
www.iasa.co.za
East Coast Intensive

Horticulture
Tel: 033 343 8090
Cell: 084 822 5051 / 076 197 3657
ecihort@gmail.com

Agribusiness in Sustainable
Natural African Plant Products
(ASNAPP)
Tel: 021 808 2918
info@asnapp.org
www.asnapp.org
Dicla Training Centre

Tel: 071 692 2229
www.diclatraining.com
Johannes Maree 082 564 1211
johannesmaree@absamail.co.za
Specialist
in
hydroponics
production systems and natural Hefer Construction
plant development
Tel: 011 698 1740
www.hefer.co.za
Some of the Agricultural
Colleges present short course Intensive Agriculture SA
on hydroponics (find their contact Tel: 021 808 4809
details in the Agricultural education www.iasa.co.za
and training chapter).
Skills for Africa
ARC-Roodeplaat Vegetables
Tel: 012 379 4920
and Ornamental Plant Institute www.skillsafrica.co.za
(ARC-VOPI)
Tel: 012 841 9611 / 082 491 3288 Stellenbosch University
evdheever@arc.agric.za
Tel. 021 808 4803
The ARC offers three different www.sun.ac.za/agron
courses Hydroponics (Basic),
Hydroponics
(Practical)
and University of the Free State
Hydroponics
Management Lengau Agricultural centre
Systems.
Tel: 051 443 8859 / 083 453 9364
mcvdw@telkomsa.net
Technology (CUT)
Verti-Gro presents a course
Practical
hydroponics.
Call
031 767 2096 or write to
Tel: 051 507 3134 / 3113
sandison@daisyfresh.co.za
www.cut.ac.za
Dewcrisp
Tel: 011 840 1600
409
Companies involved
Advance Africa Tel: 011 646 1390 www.advanceafrica.co.za
Alnet Tel: 021 530 2400 www.alnet.co.za
Amatola Tel: 043 732 1927
Bimac International Tel: 011 462 9238 www.bimac.co.za
Coir Institute Tel: 011 262 4262 www.coirinstitute.com
DFM Software Tel/fax: 021 904 1154 www.dfmsoftware.co.za
Dicla Farm & Seeds Tel: 011 662 1371 www.dicla.com
Dynatrade SA Tel: 011 764 5416 www.dynatrade-sa.co.za
Ecogrow Kweekhuise (Edms) Bpk Tel: 021 849 8800
Filmflex Plastics Tel: 031 705 4660 www.filmflex.co.za
Flow Grow Hydroponics Tel: 072 740 4792 www.flowgrow.co.za
Greenhouse Technologies Tel: 011 613 2580 www.ghtech.co.za
GreenZone Tel: 011 868 1141 www.greenzone.co.za
Ground-up Fertilisers Tel: 072 439 0456 / 082 881 0301 alan@groundup.co.za
Gundle API Tel: 011 813 2180 www.gundle.co.za
Hanna Instruments Tel: 011 615 6076 www.hannainst.co.za (find the
details for the Cape Town, Durban and Port Elizabeth branches on the
website)
Haygrove Tunnels Tel: 021 859 1026 www.haygrove.co.za
Hefer Construction Tel: 011 698 1740 www.hefer.co.za
Hortishop Tel: 021 448 6194 www.hortishop.co.za
Hydroponics and Greenhouse Publications (Pty) Ltd Tel: 021 849
8800
Hygrotech SA Tel: 012 545 8000 www.hygrotech.co.za
I&M Smith Tel 011 781 6150 www.iandmsmith.com
Infigro Tel: 087 940 2999 www.infigro.co.za
Klips n Things Tel: 033 2342912 http://klipsnthings.co.za
Knittex Shadenetting Tel: 011 692 1658
Landpak Agrishade Tel: 012 250 0120 www.internationalgroup.co.za
Munters Tel: 011 997 2000 www.munters.co.za
Netafim Greenhouse Tel: 021 987 0477 www.netafim.net
Plaaskem Tel: 011 823 8000/8019 www.plaaskem.co.za
Plus Net / Geotex Tel: 011 412 3954 nets@plusnet.co.za
SAKATA Seeds Tel: 011 548 2800 www.sakata.co.za
SPECTRUM Agricultural Services Tel: 021 557 5787 www.azrom.com
Spraytech Tel: 021 946 2872 www.spraytech.co.za
Trempak Trading Tel: 011 452 3268 www.trempak.co.za
Tunnela Tunnels Tel: 012 751 6999 www.tunnelatunnels.co.za
TunnelMan Tel: 015 293 1414 www.ttagencies.co.za
Vegtech 2000 Tel: 021 987 6980 www.vegtech.co.za
Vermiculite Tel: 015 780 2802 www.palabora.com
VERTI-GRO Tel: 031 767 2096 www.vertigro.com and www.
daisyfresh.co.za
Wetwall Equipment Technologies Tel: 021 789 2308
Windell Hydroponics Tel: 021 448 6194 www.hortishop.biz
Windmaster Ventilation Tel: 011 452 8256 www.windmaster.co.za

Intensive Agriculture SA members have access to many technical publications
on subjects relating to vegetable production. Find IASAs details under
heading 7.
Successful Hydroponics, a publication by Prof Gert Venter (published by
Xlibris, United Kindgom in 2010), is also available in Kindle and CD-Rom
format. The publication is distributed internationally by Amazon, Kalahari
etc. Find Prof Venters other publications at http://hydrogro.webs.com/
publications.htm.
Kejafa has a DVD Successful hydroponics production. Call 011 025 4388
or visit www.kejafa.co.za.
Dicla Training Centre sells the DVD Hydroponic Production in Tunnels.
Call 071 692 2229 or visit www.diclatraining.com.
Undercover Farming, a bi-monthly magazine, is for greenhouse, tunnel,
shade net and hydroponics farmers. Call 012 804 5854 or visit www.
undercoverfarming.co.za for more.
Call 012 842 4017 or email iaeinfo@arc.agric.za for the following publications
available from the ARC-IAE:
Low-cost shade net structure
Development of an automatic rolldown shade-net for glasshouse
compartments
Guide to Hydroponics Vegetable Production 2001 Editor: JG Niederwieser.
Published by Agricultural Research Council, Roodeplaat Vegetable and
Ornamental Plant Institute. ISBN: 1-86849-196-X. Contact 012 841 9611.
Find the Production guidelines: hydroponic vegetable production and Production
guidelines: hydroponic vegetable production layout on www.daff.gov.za.
Companies involved usually have publications and guides to growing crops
undercover. Find a list of companies under the previous heading.
Timbali Technology Incubator is an enabling environment where fledgling
apprentice farmers have the opportunity to grow into independent,
competitive Agri- Small, Medium and Micro Enterprises (SMMEs). This is
achieved through mentorship, access to expertise, technology packaging,
finance and markets. For more information, visit www.timbali.co.za or
call 013 752 4247.
Sources for this chapter: Johannes Maree and Petrus Langenhoven. Our thanks to
Stephen Hobson for feedback on the draft chapter.
410
and technologies
ICT and agricultural media
1. Overview
How does one place a value on communication? It is probably the most
important aspect of life. To teach and to learn. To tell another how you feel.
With these we make a living and a life.
Information and communication technology (ICT) is transforming interactions between people and economies worldwide. In an ever increasing
global economy, ICT enables us to access and to store information, as well
as to communicate instantly.
Media be it radio, magazines, television forms part of ICT.
This chapter is a modest attempt to look at the agricultural media and ICT
available in this country (and beyond).

Find the ICT Sector Codes (Sector 9 charter) at www.thedti.gov.za take the
Economic empowerment option
Along with the shift in the world economy from West to East, increased
connectivity between people (through cellphones and the Internet for
example) is listed in the National Development Plan as one of the key
drivers of change in the country. Visit www.npconline.co.za for more.
infrastructure components and programmes. SIP 15 entails expanding
access to communication technology.
Department of Communication
www.doc.gov.za
Public Entities and Agencies:
South African Post Office www.postoffice.co.za
South African Broadcasting Corporation www.sabc.co.za
Sentech Ltd, core provider of wireless broadband in South Africa

www.sentech.co.za
National Electronic Media Institute of South Africa (NEMISA)
http://nemisa.co.za
The main aim of the Universal Service and Access Agency of
South Africa (USAASA) is to ensure that every man, woman and
child whether living in the remote areas of the Kalahari or in urban
areas of Gauteng can be able to connect, speak, explore and study
using ICTs. Visit www.usaasa.org.za.
The .za Domain Name Authority is responsibility for the .za domain
name www.zadna.org.za
Independent Communications Authority of South Africa
(ICASA) is responsible for regulating the telecommunications and
broadcasting industries in the public interest, to ensure affordable
services of a high quality for all South Africans. See www.icasa.org.za.
3. Computer programmes (software)

Visit www.afita2012.tw for information on the most recent World Congress on
Computers in Agriculture.
Record keeping remains a fundamental practice for the successful farmer

or business. Various computer programmes or software are available
for the farmer, ranging from financial programmes to administration and
management programmes. These cover the different types of livestock,
crops and functions on the farm. The latter includes irrigation scheduling,
fertilisation, tank control within a cellar (wine), packhouse control, payroll
software. There are also programmes for monitoring weather elements,
soil moisture, pests and diseases etc.
The advantages of software include:
less time spent on administration
quick and easy query resolutions, and thus better decision-making
analysis and summaries of costs and production and what still needs to
be done
better yields and quality
In addition to being an enhanced information and decision making tool for
the farm, it also becomes an invaluable way of bridging the space between
producer and market. Traceability the requirement of being able to track
the field or animal from where a product came makes software crucial.
Tel: 021 904 1154
Donkerhoek Data
Tel: 021 874 1047
www.donkerhoekdata.co.za
EnviroMon
Tel: 021 851 5134
www.enviromon.co.za
FARMS
Tel: 051 401 3109
OosthLK@ufs.ac.za
LPF Systems assists farmers to take

ownership and control over their
financial matters through training
and the use of financial management
software. The LPF AgriBusiness
Co-op Statement Conversion is
an ideal support for agri co-ops and
could save you hours of time.
Plan-A-Head Software
Tel: 033 342 7888
www.planahead.co.za
Produce Pak
www.producepak.co.za
A programme offered by the

Department
of
Agricultural Software Farm
Economics at the University of the Tel: 012 365 2683
www.softwarefarm.co.za
Free State.
First 4 farming
Tel: 011 254 5426 /
www.f4f.com
Syspro
Tel: 011 461 1000
www.syspro.com
Key Business Solutions

Tel: 084 808 9925
www.keybs.co.za
TechnoFresh
Tel: 043 721 1123
www.technofresh.co.za
LPF Systems
Tel: 021 910 3363
www.lpfsystems.com
TrioSagteware
Tel: 012 376 4180 / 082 682 3040
www.saboer.co.za
411
Many on-farm software programmes applicable to animal breeding are

available for producers, combining the functionality of herd management
with on-farm recording. Find details of livestock computer programme
(Software) providers in the Animal Improvement and breeders chapter.
There is also software to track assets like vehicles. Visit www.hotsure.co.za
or www.fleetcube.com for information.
4. DVDs
African Land-Use Training (ALUT) supply DVDs to assist you. These
include Successful meat goat production, Successful chicken production,
Successful pig production and Successful hydroponic production. Visit
www.alut.co.za. The phone number is 014 717 3819.
Kejafa Knowledge Works is a distributor of several agricultural DVDs
(and books). Visit www.kejafa.co.za or phone 011 025 4388.
5. The Internet
Using the internet brings a world of information to the farmer, as well as an
instantaneous method of communicating (email). Many website and email
addresses are provided in this handbook.
The world is home to 7 billion people, one third of which are using the
Internet. 45% of the worlds Internet users are below the age of 25.
Over the last five years, developing countries have increased their share
of the worlds total number of Internet users from 44% in 2006, to
62% in 2011. Today, Internet users in China represent almost 25% of
the worlds total Internet users and 37% of the developing countries
Internet users.
Internet usage in Africa grew by 2 527% between 2000 and 2011,
compared with a world average of 480%, according to Standard Banks
Africa Macro Insight and Strategy report, which looks at trends powering
Africas allure.
Source: Polity Newsletter 9 November 2011; Engineering News, 26 September 2011
www.landbou.com is the electronic arm of the agricultural weekly,

Landbouweekblad. A host of services is provided: agricultural news
and articles; agricultural product prices; agro company share prices;
SMS service with livestock auction prices; agricultural news on WAP
site; photo albums; a veterinary Q&A column; financial Q&A column;
agricultural blogs; forums for discussions; classified adverts online; a
data bank of farm prices for the past decade, and many more.
www.agriwiki.co.za is based on the international encyclopedia Wikipedia.
The intention is to build an agricultural website of information freely
available to all.
The focus of www.agriworldsa.com is the South African agricultural
and wine industries with its broad range of agribusinesses, wineries,
farming, producer and supply activities.
Find the agriculture option at Bizcommunity.com. The URL is www.
bizcommunity.com/Agriculture.
What do you do if you have a laptop PC but no phone line? How will
you get your email, pay your bills online, or do anything else you need an
Internet connection for?
Wireless: simply launch your Web browser, log in and surf! No wires
needed. When youre within range of a Wi-Fi Hotspot, the Internet
is all around you in the form of high-frequency radio waves ... and to
tap into it, all you need is a Wi-Fi card that fits into your laptop PC.
Visit www.nwet.co.za, www.mweb.co.za, www.vodacom.co.za/
business or www.yahclick.co.za for more information.
TelkomInternet powered by satellite operates by means of a satellite
dish and some specialised SpaceStream hardware that translates the
two-way Intelsat signal into a 24-hour Internet service with all the
attendant benefits. No telephone lines are required. The quality of
the signal is excellent, and many farmers have decided to upgrade to
the satellite service to improve their reception. Readers who would
like more information can call 10217 or visit Telkoms website at
www.telkom.co.za.
6. Magazines
Commodity
Several commodity-specific magazines are published on a regular basis.
Some examples are SA Graan/Grain, Pluimvee/Poultry Bulletin, Dairy
Mail, PORCUS, AFMA Matrix, Winelands, South African Sugar Journal,
SA Studbreeder/Stoetteler, Veeplaas etc. These are mentioned in the
relevant chapters of this handbook.
Weekly General
Farmers Weekly Tel: 011 889 0836 or visit www.farmersweekly.co.za
Landbouweekblad Tel: 021 406 2516 or visit www.landbou.com
Farming SA Tel: 0860 103 577 farm@media24.com
Monthly General
The Farm Africa Tel: 012 804 9729 www.agrifica.co.za
Food & Beverage Reporter Tel: 011 462 5645 www.developtechnology.
com
ProAgri Tel: 012 809 0150 www.proagri.co.za
Government and Agricultural Unions
DAFFnews the official newsletter of the Department of Agriculture,
Forestry and Fisheries. Tel: 012 319 6936.
Provincial Departments of Agriculture put out their own publication
e.g. AgriProbe in the Western Cape. Contact Magrieta de Lange for
information at 021 808 7613 or find the AgriProbe option at www.
elsenburg.com).
Agri SA and the TAU SA also have regular newsletters. Find these on
their websites, www.agrisa.co.za and www.tlu.co.za.
Banks and Agribusiness
Banks put out publications covering agricultural topics e.g. AgriReview,
the free, monthly publication from Standard Bank. Find information
and previous copies on the bank websites.
The Agribusinesses also have their own publications e.g. Afgriland.
Development-sector specific
Nufarmer & African Entrepreneur Tel: 012 804 5854 www.
nufarmeragripaper.co.za
Die Plaaswerker/The Farmworker Tel: 021 863 4055 www.agripromo.
co.za
Pula Imvula Tel: 086 004 7246 www.grainsa.co.za (available in English,
Afrikaans, Sesotho, Tswana, Zulu and Xhosa)
Ubisi Mail Tel: 012 843 5702 www.ubisimail.co.za
7. Television
AgriTV is a TV program focusing on rural development and issues related
to or impacting on rural development in South Africa in the broadest
sense. The program is presented by Thabo Mdluli. The program is
aired every weekday morning on SABC2 between 5:30 and 6:00. For
more information 011 791 5330 or 011 7915658 or go to www.agritv.
co.za
Living Land is aimed at developing the emerging farmer by addressing
questions on land reform and farming. It screens every Saturday
morning at 11h00 on SABC 2. To make contact, email livingland@sabc.
co.za.
Landbousake, part of Ontbytsake, is an Afrikaans language programme
focussing on commercial agriculture. Derrich Gardner is the presenter
of the programme. The programme is screened on the Afrikaans pay
TV channel kykNET on Tuesdays and Thursdays between 06:30 and
7:00. There are also repeat broadcasts on Tuesday and Thursday
afternoons at 13:00 as well as on Saturdays between 6:30 and 7:00.
For more information call 011 791 5330.
8. New farmer leaflets and booklets

Leaflets and booklets are available from the Departments of Agriculture
(both national and provincial). To view some of these, visit www.daff.
gov.za or the Provincial Departments of Agriculture websites (find
details in the Agriculture in the Provinces chapter).
412
Find the Infotoons at www.agis.agric.za/efarmer.

Find the Information sheets option at www.elsenburg.com. These
are technical information sheets in Afrikaans, English & Xhosa 100
subjects.
There is also some excellent literature on www.kzndae.gov.za, website
of the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Agriculture and Environmental
Affairs.
9. Radio
Radio Sonder Grense (RSG) informs listeners to agricultural

developments in Afrikaans. This happens on Monday to Thursday at
4h30 and 12h30. Visit www.rsglandbou.co.za for more information.
Radio Elsenburg on RSG (Radio Sonder Grense) broadcasts nationwide:
100 104FM. Listen on Fridays at 04h30 and 12h30; and Saturdays at
11h45. Find the Rado Elsenburg option at www.elsenburg.com.
Listen to Radio Pretoria on weekdays at 5h45 for agricultural news. For
enquiries, visit www.radiopretoria.co.za or call 012 543 0120.
Grain SA runs agricultural programmes for emerging farmers. Call 086
004 7246 or take the Farmer Development option at www.grainsa.
co.za for more information.
FREQUENCY
DAY
In addition to the advantages of mobility and instant access to market

information (e.g. SAFEX prices) and mobile money transfers, technology
is available which allows you to open/close gates from your cell phone, to
begin/end irrigation and more.
11. Books and Journals
Read about Farm Radio International under heading 13.
NAME
Cell phones are becoming the platform of choice when it comes to

Internet access. In low-income areas and countries across sub-Saharan
Africa, cell phones often are the first development in telecommunications
infrastructure.
TIME
Ukhozi FM
90.1
Wednesday
Friday
04:15 - 04:45
03:45 - 04:45
Radio Khwezi
90.5
Wednesday
19h00 20h00
Durban Youth
Radio
105.1
Tuesday
19:00 - 20:00
Highway Radio
101.5
Tuesday
20:00 20:30
Icora FM
100.4
Wednesday
19:00 - 20:00
Imbokodo FM
96.8
Friday
05:00 - 06:00
Maputaland
Community
107.6
Thursday
19:00- 20:00
Newcastle
Community
103.7
Thursday
20:00 21:00
Goodnews
Radio
93.6
Tuesday
14:00 15:00
Radio Sunny
South
97.0
Thursday
5:00 6:00
Zululand FM
97.0
Friday
5:00 6:00
The KwaZulu-Natal Department of Agriculture and Environmental

Affairs broadcasts technical agricultural information on eleven radio
stations, reaching some seven to eight million listeners every week. The
schedule of technical broadcasts is listed above. For further information
contact Vuyani Dlamini at vuyani.dlamini@kzndae.gov.za. For information
about province-specific agricultural radio shows, contact your provincial
10. Cell phones

Read about the GSM Commander software at www.gsmcommander.
com or give them a call at 021 981 7062.
To find out about cell phone based security systems, visit www.secucell.
co.za or phone 016 982 4393. Another contact is Centurion Systems at
0860 236 887 and www.centsys.com.
Find the articles How to water crops with a mobile phone on www.bbc.
co.uk, and Multiplying Agriculture by the Power of Mobile (August 2012)
on www.polity.org.za.
Find Mobile Services in a Wireless World: The CTA 2009 ICT Observatory
Meeting [Article and Abstract] on www.cta.int.
Find the Websites and publications heading in the different chapters of this
directory, where many publications are listed in their relevant sectors.
Find the South African Journal of Agricultural Extension, published annually

by the South African Society for Agricultural Extension (SASAE), at http://
journals.sabinet.co.za/agri. It can also be found on www.ajol.info (African
Journals Online). Find other journals of interest here e.g. South African
Journal of Botany, Southern Forests: a Journal of Forest Science, Sokoto Journal
of Veterinary Sciences and the International Journal of Agriculture and Rural
Development.
Find the journals at www.tandfonline.com, Taylor & Francis online.
Strategic approach to Farming Success by Dr Wimpie Nell and Mr Rob Napier.
This book is designed to assist the farmer/management team in thinking
strategically and imaginatively about the future of the farming business. Order
the book at www.farmingsuccess.com, email wimnell@farmingsuccess.com
or contact Dr Nell at 082 882 9777.
Finance and Farmers, now in its fourth edition, goes a long way in helping
you to manage your risks more effectively. What makes this financial manual
indispensable is that it guides you through most of the challenges you face
in an ever-changing business environment. The latest edition looks at issues,
including production economics, financial management risk, marketing, and
agricultural finance with relevant examples. To order a copy, phone 011
636 6162.
Kejafa Knowledge Works is a publisher and distributor of agricultural
books. Visit www.kejafa.co.za or phone 011 025 4388. Contact African
Land-Use Training (ALUT) too, to see which publications they have in
store. Call 014 717 3819 or visit www.alut.co.za. Numerous other role
players like Agriconnect, Media 24 (Landbouweekblad and Farming SA) and
SA Biofarm stock publications as well.
Provincial Departments of Agriculture also stock publications and
reports. Take a look at the Agric publications option at www.kzndae.
gov.za for example. Contact details for the provinces can be found in the
Agriculture in the Provinces chapter.
www.agriwiki.co.za has information on agricultural books available.
12. Libraries and Agricultural Museums

Institutions of learning offering agricultural degrees/diplomas have libraries,
as do the different Agricultural Research Council Institutes. Departments
of Agriculture be they provincial or national have libraries. The contact
number for the National Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries
is 012 319 6896.
The contact details for the National Library of South Africa is can be
found at www.nlsa.ac.za.
A further source of agricultural information are museums. We have listed
four of them here:
Willem Prinsloo Agricultural Museum Tel: 012 736 2035 / 076 054
5229
North West Agricultural Museum Tel: 018 632 5051 x 2264 / 081
632 5051
Free State Agricultural Museum Tel: 051 861 1182 / 1012
Bathurst Agricultural Museum Tel: 046 625 0884 / 079 987 9507
413
13. International media

Find reports on the international market for ICT on the websites of the
International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and the World Bank. See www.
itu.int and www.worldbank.org respectively.
The ACP/EU Technical Centre for Agricultural and Rural
Cooperation (CTA), together with its partners, held an international
seminar on the Role of the media in agricultural development in ACP
countries (Central, East, Southern and West Africa, the Caribbean and
the Pacific) in 2009.
Questions were asked, and people from Africa, the Caribbean and the
Pacific responded (you can imagine how quickly your emails inbox filled
up!) The e-discussions looked at the internet and mobile phones, but also
at other areas:
Digital cameras used to capture pictorially farmers problems.
Mp3 players making it easier for people to capture information
and transfer it easily e.g. for radio journalist interviews but also in
farmer/stakeholder surveys.
Radio satellite receivers in Africa allow broadcasters to download
web-based content (e.g. CTA radio material) without need for
Internet.
Web 2.0 tools allow people to access information in different
ways e.g. RSS feeds but also to enhance how information is shared/
exchanged e.g. web portals, information from workshops etc.
GPS technologies e.g. in Caribbean used in a variety of ways including
tracking information on pest and disease outbreaks, mapping (e.g.
agriculture census in Uganda).
Information from the seminar is still available at http://annualseminar2009.
cta.int
Access to Global Online Research in Agriculture (AGORA) is
designed to enhance the scholarship of the many thousands of students,
faculty and researchers in agriculture and life sciences in the developing
world www.aginternetwork.org.
AGRICOLA (Agriculture Online Access), the United States Department
of Agriculture (USDA) National Agricultural Library: visit http://agricola.
nal.usda.gov. Browse by subject: Animals and Livestock; Plants and Crops;
Research and Technology etc.
The AgriCultures Network shares knowledge and provides
information on small-scale, sustainable agriculture worldwide. Visit www.
agriculturesnetwork.org. The ILEIA (Centre for Information on Low
External Input and Sustainable Agriculture) office in The Netherlands
functions as the secretariat.
The UNs Food and Agriculture (FAO) has an international information
system, listing world literature dealing with all aspects of agriculture.
It is called AGRIS and can be accessed at http://agris.fao.org. A related
programme is Agricultural Information Management Standards (AIMS)
which can be accessed from the AGRIS web pages.
The Technical Centre for Agricultural and Rural Co-operation (CTA),
apart from running studies into the use of Information and Communications
Technologies in agriculture, puts newsletters to which visitors can subscribe
e.g. Agritrade, a twice-monthly news alert on agricultural trade issues. Sign
up at www.cta.int.
The Eldis Agriculture and Development Reporter is a regular bulletin
that highlights recent publications and announcements on agriculture and
development issues. In addition to the newsletter, find the Resource Guides
on www.eldis.org/agriculture.
European Federation for Information Technology in Agriculture,

Food and the Environment www.efita.eu
Farm Radio International is a Canadian-based organisation working in
direct partnership with over 400 radio broadcasters in thirty-eight African
countries. It strives to provide rural radio organisations in sub-Saharan Africa
with news and resources that help meet the needs of small-scale farmers.
For more information, visit www.farmradio.org.
International Telecommunication Union (ITU), Committed to
connecting the world www.itu.int
New Agriculturist www.new-ag.info keeps online readers abreast of
trends and innovation in agricultural development, particularly in Africa but
also in Asia and Latin America.
www.panos.org.uk. Panos London believes that the media is critical to
the success of poverty reduction. They promote the participation of poor
and marginalised people in national and international development debates
through media and communication projects.
TEEAL, a full-text digital library available at low cost to universities,
agricultural research organizations www.teeal.org
United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation
(UNESCO) published a set of media development indicators that focused
on the context of developing countries. Find these at www.unesco.org.
Vodafone and Accenture undertook a research programme intended to
measure the impact of mobile communications on the lives and prosperity
of farming communities in some of the worlds poorest countries. Find the
Connected Agriculture report on www.vodafone.com.

Agricultural Writers SA is a voluntary, non-profitmaking professional
association promoting the image and standards of agricultural
journalism in South Africa. These journalists serve the industry through
magazines, newspapers, radio and television. Agricultural leaders and
other experts regularly address branches on relevant topics. A Farmer
and an Agriculturist of the Year are nominated in each region annually,
in accordance with strict criteria, and they are honoured locally. An
independent panel of judges then chooses the national winners from
these candidates. Visit www.agriculturalwriterssa.co.za or call 012 804
8812 to speak to the secretariat.
Black IT Forum (BITF) www.bitf.org.za
Computer Society of South Africa (CSSA) www.cssa.org.za
The Meraka Institute is an operating unit of the Council for Scientific
and Industrial Research (CSIR) focused on ICT. Contact details of
the various staff members are available on the website www.csir.co.za/
meraka
Communication Workers Union www.cwu.org.za
Information Technology Association of South Africa www.ita.
org.za
International Federation of Agricultural Journalists www.ifaj.
org
The relevant SETA for this chapter is MICTSETA Media, Information
and Communication Technologies Sector Education and Training
Authority. Phone 011 207 2600 or visit www.mict.org.za.
The South African Communications Forum (SACF) brings together
the Public Sector, Private sector and civil society organisations with the
goal of Building partnership in bridging the digital divide and creating an
Information Society. Visit www.sacomforum.org.za.
Visit www.ufs.ac.za/it to read about the Department of Computer
Science and Informatics at the University of the Free State.
Wireless Access Providers Association of South Africa (WAPA)
www.wapa.org.za
414
and technologies
Laboratories and agriculture
1. Overview
Laboratories play a vital role in the monitoring and effectiveness of the
agricultural value chain.
Resources like soil and water are evaluated. Precision agriculture and
its accurate application of fertiliser, for example, depend on the soil
tests.
Inputs like animal feed and fertiliser are analysed. Using tainted inputs
like fertiliser can have a detrimental effect on a whole sector.
Tests and monitoring which happen in laboratories play a vital role in
the countrys livestock industry and biosecurity.
Agricultural products, both in their primary and secondary form, are
monitored to ensure quality and food safety.
A look at the company websites will give an indication of the services
available.

National Health Laboratory Services
Tel: 011 386 6000
www.nhls.ac.za
One of the specialised divisions is the National Institute for Communicable
Diseases (find the Zoonoses heading in the Biosecurity chapter).
The Provincial Departments of Agriculture provide laboratory services

e.g. find the Western Cape Department of Agriculture webpages at www.
elsenburg.com/vets/vetlab.html. Contact details of the provinces are given
in the Provinces and agriculture chapter.
South African National Accreditation System (SANAS)
Tel: 012 394 3760
www.sanas.co.za
SANAS is recognised by the South African Government as the single
National Accreditation Body that gives formal recognition that Laboratories,
Certification Bodies, Inspection Bodies, Proficiency Testing Scheme
Providers and Good Laboratory Practice (GLP) test facilities are competent
to carry out specific tasks.
Find the Agri-Laboratory Association of Southern Africa (AgriLASA)
website at www.agrilasa.co.za. AgriLASAs Laboratory Proficiency Scheme
has five disciplines: feed; fertiliser; plant; soil; water. Contact details of the
various personnel are on the website.
Contact details for the various representatives and members of the South
African Association of Veterinary Technologists (SAAVT) are on their
website, www.saavt.co.za.
The Southern African Grain Laboratory (SAGL) is an association
incorporated under Section 21 (Association not for gain). SAGL is a quality
analyses laboratory and has ISO/IEC 17025 accreditation. SAGL has
dedicated laboratories and technical capability to provide a comprehensive
range of tests on grain and related food and feed products. Visit www.sagl.
co.za or phone 012 807 4019.
The South African Wine Laboratory Association (SAWLA) is a division
of the South African Society for Enology and Viticulture (SASEV). Find links
to its fifty-or-so members on the website, www.sawla.org.
Hanna
415
4. Companies and other role players

Agricultural services
Many agricultural companies Molecular Diagnostic Services
have their own laboratories e.g. Tel: 031 267 7000
De Heus (Pty) Ltd and Chemtech www.mdsafrica.net
(Omnia).
Services include testing for
Parastatals like the Agricultural infectious diseases and genetic
Research Council (ARC) and mutations.
the Council for Scientific and
Industrial Research (CSIR) provide NivroTek Labs
laboratory services. Find details in Tel: 082 885 8699
the Research and development
chapter.
Standards (SABS)
Aspirata
Food and Health Cluster
Tel: 012 685 0800
Tel: 012 428 7911
www.aspirata.co.za
www.sabs.co.za
Bemlab cc
Tel: 021 853 1490
Swift Micro Laboratories

www.swift.co.za
Biochemical and Scientific

Consultants cc
Tel: 033 343 1414
http://bsclaboratory.com
Contact details for laboratories

countrywide are on the website.
Find details of the training offered.
Chemical
testing
and
Talbot Laboratories
microbiological Tel: 033 346 1444
www.talbot.co.za
CSIR
NRE Environmental Analytical
Laboratories
Tel: 021 888 2436
www.csir.co.za/nre/
Deltamune
Tel: 012 664 5730 / 086 113 3582
www.deltamune.co.za
Vetdiagnostix
Tel: 033 342 5014
www.vetdiagnostix.co.za
Department of Microscopy
Tel: 051 401 2264
www.ufs.ac.za/ccem
Vriesit Veterinary Andrology
Services
Tel: 012 547 0446
www.vriesit.com
Idexx Laboratories
Tel: 011 803 3001/2/3
Tel: 012 529 8345/6
Tel: 021 671 5140/6
www.idexxsa.co.za
Analysis of livestock semen
Lactolab (Pty) Ltd

Tel: 012 665 5655
www.lactolab.co.za
Milk analysis and milk testing
Suppliers of equipment
Anatech
Tel: 011 462 6776
www.anatech.co.za
Labworld
Tel: 012 685 9600
www.labworld.co.za
Bull Maurice Trading cc

Tel: 011 026 4077 / 7266
www.bullmaurice.com
Spraytech
Tel: 021 946 2872
www.spraytech.co.za
Inqaba Biotech
Tel: 012 343 5829
www.inqababiotec.co.za
Stargate Scientific
Tel: 011 675 7433
Labotec
Tel: 011 315 5434
www.labotec.co.za
Equipment
and
consumables
supplied into many industry
laboratories which include clinical,
pharmaceutical,
metallurgical,
food and beverage, water utility,
environmental
and
academic
institutes to name a few.
Labretoria
Tel: 012 460 2245
www.labretoria.com
and technologies
Legal aid and legislation
See also the Environmental Legislation chapter
1. Overview
Agricultural activity takes place within a wider social, environmental and
economic context, and so any attempt at compiling a list of the laws which
affect agriculture necessarily goes beyond the laws administered by the
Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries. The reader will find two
lists of legislation: one of laws administered DAFF, and a second list of other
legislation. The latter could be more exhaustive, but at the expense of its
helpfulness.
Several websites will be of assistance to the reader, like www.info.gov.za,
www.parliament.gov.za, www.polity.org.za and www.acts.co.za. Should
you wish to check up on the status of a bill, visit www.pmg.org.za, website
of the Parliamentary Monitoring Group.
Information can also be found on related / relevant websites e.g. to find out
more about the Meat Safety Act, visit the website of the Red Meat Abattoir
Association www.rmaa.co.za; if you are looking for information about the
Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and
Flora (CITES), visit www.cites.org etc.
In no way is this chapter meant to take the place of professional legal aid,
and you are encouraged to consult a qualified practitioner should you be
requiring legal expertise.
2. Laws administered by the Department of

Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (DAFF)
Find the list on www.daff.gov.za.
Animal Diseases Act, 1984, (Act No. 35 of 1984)

Animal Health Act, 2002 (Act No. 7 of 2002)
Animal Identification Act, 2002 (Act No. 6 of 2002)
Animal Improvement Act, 1988 (Act No. 62 of 1988)
Agricultural Laws Extension Act, 1996 (Act No. 87 of 1996)
Agricultural Laws Rationalisation Act, 1998 (Act No. 72 of 1998)
Agricultural Pests Act, 1983, (Act No. 36 of 1983)
Agricultural Produce Agents Act, 1992, (Act No.12 of 1992)
Agricultural Product Standard Act, 1990 (Act No. 119 of 1990)
Agricultural Research Act, 1990, (Act No. 86 of 1990)
Animals Protection Act, 1962 (Act No. 71 of 1962)
Conservation of Agricultural Resources Act, 1983 (Act No. 43 of
1983)
Fencing Act, 1963 (Act No. 31 of 1963)
Fertilizer, Farm Feeds, Agricultural Remedies and Stock Remedies Act,
1947 (Act No. 36 of 1947)
Genetically Modified Organisms Act, 1997 (Act No. 15 of 1997)
Groot Constantia Trust Act, 1993, (Act no. 38 of 1993)
Kwa-Zulu Cane Growers Association Act: Repeal Act, 2002 (Act No.
24 of 2002)
Liquor Products Act, 1989 (Act No. 60 of 1989)
Marine Living Resources Act, 1998 (Act No. 18 of 1998)
Marketing of Agricultural Products Act, 1996, (Act No. 47 of 1996)
Meat Safety Act, 2000, (Act No. 40 of 2000) - replaces the Abattoir
Hygiene Act (Act No. 121 of 1992
National Forest Act, 1998 (Act No. 84 of 1998). Find the Forestry
Laws Ammendment Act (No 35 of 2005) to amend the National
Forests Act, 1998 on www.forestry.co.za.
National Veld and Forest Fire Act, 1998 (Act No. 101 of 1998)
Onderstepoort Biological Products Incorporation Act, 1999 (Act No.
19 of 1999)
416
Performing Animals Protection Act, 1935 (Act No. 24 of 1935)

Perishable Products Export Control, 1983 (Act No. 9 of 1983)
Plant Breeders Rights Act, 1976 (Act No. 15 of 1976)
Plant Improvement Act, 1973 (Act No. 53 of 1973)
Sea Fishery Act, 1988 (Act No. 12 of 1988)
Societies for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1993 (Act No.
169 of 1993)
Veterinary and Para-Veterinary Professions Act,1982, (Act No. 19 of
1982)
Bills
Marine Fisheries Bill.
National Bill for Agricultural Training Institutes of South Africa
Plant Breeders Rights Amendment Bill
Pound Bill
Fertilisers and Feed Bill to Parliament. The Bill seeks to modernise the
regulation and regulatory framework of fertilisers, animal feeds (farm
feeds) and sterilising plants in order to support the animal welfare,
food safety, food security and environmental management objectives.
Contact Legal Services at the Department of Agriculture for more information call
012 319 6807 or fax 012 319 6611.
3. Some other laws which affect agriculture

Crops and livestock
Agricultural Products Enhancement Act
Animal Matters Amendment Act (Act No. 42 of 1993)
Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild
Fauna and Flora (CITES)
Livestock Improvement Act (Act No. 25 of 1977)
Medicines And Related Substances Act (Act No. 101 of 1965)
National Water Act (Act No 36 Of 1998)
South African Abattoir Corporation Act (Act No.120 of 1992) repealed
2005
Stock Improvement Act (Act No. 2 of 1998)
Stock Theft Act (Act No. 57 of 1959)
Sugar Act (Act No. 9 of 1978)
Environmental
Biodiversity Act (Act 10 of 2004)
Environment Conservation Act (Act No. 73 of 1989)
National Environmental Management: Protected Areas Act 57 of
2003
National Environmental Management Act 107 of 1998 (NEMA)
National Environmental Management Laws Amendment Bill [B 36A2007]
National Environmental Management: Biodiversity (Act 10 of 2004)
(NEMBA)
Labour, staff and education
Adult Basic Education And Training Act (ABET)
Agricultural Labour Act (Act No. 147 of 1993)
Basic Conditions Of Employment Act (Act No. 75 of 1997)
Compensation for Occupational Injuries and Diseases Act (Act No.
130 of 1993) and amended by Act 61 of 1997
Employment Equity Act (Act No. 55 of 1998)
Extension Of Security Of Tenure Act (Act No. 62 of 1997) (ESTA)
Labour Relations Act (Act No. 66 Of 1995)
Upgrading Of Land Tenure Rights Act (Act No. 112 of 1991)
Occupational Health and Safety Act (Act No. 85 of 1993) amended
by Act No. 181 of 1993
Sectoral Termination 13: Farm Worker Sector see Basic Conditions

of Employment Act
Skills Development Act (Act No. 97 of 1998)
Workmens Compensation
Unempoyment Insurance Fund
Pay As You Earn (PAYE)
Financial, tax and property
Administration of Estates Act No. 66 of 1965
Agricultural Debt Management Act (Act No. 45 of 2001)
Agricultural Debt Management Repeal Bill [B 24-2008]
Appropriation Bill B3-2012
Companies Act 1973 (Act No. 61 of 1973), amended by Act number
71 of 2008
Co-operatives Act (Act No. 14, 2005) and its ammendment in 2012
Co-operative Banks Act (Act No. 40 of 2007)
Deeds Registries Act (Act No. 47 of 1937)
Estate Duty Act (Act No. 45 of 1955)
Income Tax Act (Act No. 58 of 1962)
Land And Agricultural Development Bank Act (Act No. 15 of 2002)
Land Survey Act (Act No. 8 of 1997)
Local Government: Property Rates Act (No. 6 of 2004)- the land
tax
Mineral And Petroleum Resources Development Act (Act No. of
2002)
Minerals and Energy Laws Amendment Act (No. 11 of 2005)
National Small Business Amendment Act (Act No. 26 of 2003)
National Water Act (Act No 36 of 1998)
Prevention of Illegal Eviction and Unlawful Occupation of Land Act
(Act No. 19 of 1998)
South African Schools Act (Act No. 84 of 1996)
Bills
Draft Liquor Products Amendment Bill [B 22B-2008]
Spatial Planning and Land Use Management Bill [to replace the
Development Facilitation Act No 67 of 1995, Removal of Restrictions
Act No 84 of 1967 and the Physical Planning Act No 88 of 1967]
Sustainable Utilisation of Agricultural Resources Bill
Veterinary and Para-veterinary Amendment Bill, 2011 the Act was
being amended to cater for, amongst others, the performance of
compulsory community service by newly qualified veterinarians.
National, land reform
Appropriation Bill B3 2012
Broad Based Black Economic Empowerment Act (Act No. 53 of
2003)
Communal Property Associations Act (Act No. 28 of 1996)
Companies Act 1973 (Act No. 61 of 1973) As Amended
Disaster Management Act (Act No. 57, 2002)
Development Facilitation Act (Act No, 67 of 1995)
Distribution and Transfer of Certain State Land Act (Act No.119 of
1993)
Employment Equity Act (Act No. 55 Of 1998)
Extension Of Security Of Tenure Act (Act No. 62 of 1997) (ESTA) to
be replaced (see Land Tenure Security Bill)
Firearms Control Act (Act No. 60 of 2000) four amendment bills
have been tabled
Green Paper on Land Reform
Interim Protection Of Informal Land Rights Act (Act No. 31 of 1996)
Labour Relations Act (Act No. 66 of 1995)
Land Administration Act (Act No.2 Of 1995)
Land Reform Labour Tenants Act (Act No. 3 of 1996) (LTA) to be
replaced (see Land Tenure Security Bill)
Land Survey Act (Act No. 8 Of 1997)
Land Titles Adjustment (Act No 111 of 1993)
Upgrading Of Land Tenure Rights Act (Act No. 112 of 1991)
417
Prevention of Illegal Eviction and Unlawful Occupation of Land Act

(Act No. 19 of 1998)
Provision of Land And Assistance Act (Act No. 126 of 1993)
Provision of Land And Assistance Amendment Bill [B 40-2008]
Restitution of Land Rights Act (Act No. 22 Of 1994)
Restitution of Land Rights Amendment Act (No. 48 of 2003)
Rural Development and Land Reform General Amendment Act (4 of
2011)
State Land Disposal Act (Act No. 48 of 1961)
Transformation of Certain Rural Areas Act (Act No. 94 of 1998)
Bills
Land Tenure Security Bill set to replace Extension of Security of Tenure
Act (Act No. 62 Of 1997) (ESTA) and Land Reform Labour Tenants Act (Act
No. 3 Of 1996).
Bills published in the Government Gazette and which are being discussed
include the Labour Relations Amendment Bill, the Basic Conditions of
Employment Amendment Bill, the Employment Equity Amendment Bill and
the Employment Services Bill. For updates, visit www.pmg.org.za, website
of the Parliamentary Monitoring Group.
Exporting and marketing
Agricultural Produce Agents Amendment Act (No. 47 of 2003)
Companies Act 1973 (Act No. 61 of 1973) As Amended
Consumer Protection Act Act (Act 68 of 2008)
Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild
Fauna and Flora (CITES)
Co-operatives Act (Act No. 14, 2005)
Customs And Excise Act (Act No. 91 of 1964)
Foodstuffs, Cosmetics And Disinfectants Act (Act No. 54 of 1972)
and the new Labelling and Advertising of Foodstuffs (regulation
R146/2010)
Health Act of 1977 (Act 63 of 1977)
International Trade Administration Act (Act No. 71 of 2002)
Wine And Spirit Control Act (Act No. 47 of 1970)
Note also that there are various provincial nature conservation ordinances.
4. Inspections: Occupational Health and Safety

Act
It is important for farmers to maintain certain standards with regard
to labour regulations not only to protect farm workers, but also
themselves.
Where the risk cannot be removed, it certainly can be minimised.
Occupational safety and the use of child labour on farms are very
much the focus of the labour world, not only in South Africa but also
internationally through the International Labour Organisation. Farmers
should take particular care in this regard.
Specific concerns in the past have been around administration, safety
regulations and training. Although farmers spend substantial time on on-thejob training for their workers, there is a general lack of formal training. Farm
workers should be able to obtain formal certificates. Farm workers often
illegally work with electricity without having the necessary qualifications.
(Find out about Prior Learning Assessments from AgriSETA in which a
worker can receive recognition for what he already knows). In the same
way, if people have been trained for First-aid, they should be certified.
Other areas of non-compliance include failure to pay minimum wages, not
issuing payslips, making deductions for accommodation, failure to record
workers particulars properly and failing to pay overtime work on Sundays.
Farmers who do not comply with the Act are given notices and after 21
days inspectors return to check for compliance. Generally speaking, the
Department of Labour has found farmers to be very co-operative in the
matter of inspections.
Click on the Labour & social welfare option under Committees at www.
agrisa.co.za for a contract of employment and labour relevant documents.
Health and safety issues in the South African agricultural sector are
becoming increasingly important, following an international trend that
focuses on this field. The health and safety of workers is also important
in terms of compliance with labour law and for the prevention of
occupational injuries.
Measures to improve health and safety on site include enforcing workers
to wear Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), for example:
hard hats to be worn by all persons within 10 m of areas where
lifting or hoisting equipment is being used, or where head injury is
possible;
protective gloves to be worn by all persons engaging in handling of
heavy or sharp edged materials, welding or gas cutting activities, and
handling of corrosive chemicals;
safety boots to be worn by all persons in the active working area;
and
safety goggles to be worn when operating equipment under dusty
conditions, when cutting, welding or grinding, and when handling
hazardous chemicals.
Effective use of signage also contributes to compliance with health and
safety standards and should be easily visible to all active working areas.
Signage should be diagrammatic in nature, so that its meaning is easily
understood by people of different education levels / home languages.
Signs can be used for a number of different purposes, such as:
to designate specific areas for specific uses e.g. chemical storage
area, vehicle parking area, fire escape routes;
to indicate requirements of specific areas e.g. hard hats / gloves /
goggles required;
to indicate danger e.g. presence of corrosive materials, overhead
danger or slippery surfaces; and
to indicate restrictions e.g. no smoking, no use of cell phones, no
eating or drinking.
Effective health and safety on site also requires the designation of
responsible persons for a specific task, e.g. fire marshal in charge of a fire
evacuation exercise. In this way, management of specific events can be
controlled more efficiently.
5. Sectoral Determination 13: Farm Worker

Sector
Find the notes, set out in a user-friendly manner, at www.agrisa.co.za (look
under Committees and Labour & social welfare). Find the Contract of
Employment too.
This is part of the Basic Conditions of Employment Act, 1997, and it deals
specifically with Farm Workers in all farming activities in the Republic of
South Africa. It is available on www.labour.gov.za. Find details of minimum
wages here.
Every employer on whom this sectoral determination is binding must keep a
copy of the sectoral determination or a summary, available in the workplace
in a place to which the farm worker has access.
418
6. Legal aid for farmers

The
National
Employers
(NEASA) has regional offices
at Bloemfontein, Cape Town,
Durban, East London, Kimberley,
Contact details of provincial Klerksdorp, Port Elizabeth and
affiliates are given in the Organised Pretoria. Visit www.neasa.co.za.
agriculture chapter. Your provincial
farmers union will have details of Small Enterprises Employers of
South Africa (SEESA)
accredited labour consultants.
Tel: 0861 173 372
www.seesa.co.za
Agri Labour
Tel: 083 231 1113
SEESA Labour was established
Agri Labour Services
to protect the interests of small
Tel: 013 737 8778
business owners and farmers. Find
contact details on the website for
Cape Agri Employers
SEESA offices at Aliwal North,
Organisation
Bethlehem, Bloemfontein, Cape
Tel: 028 316 4956
Town, De Aar, Durban, East London,
George, Kimberley, Klerksdorp,
Cofesa
Nelspruit, Newcastle, Polokwane,
Tel: 011 679 4373
Port Elizabeth, Pretoria, Richards
www.cofesa.co.za
Bay, Springbok and Upington.
LWO Employers Organisation
TAU SA
Tel: 0861 101 828
Tel: 012 804 8031
info@lwo.co.za
www.tlu.co.za
www.lwo.co.za
Agri SA
Tel: 012 643 3400
agrisa@agrisa.co.za
www.agrisa.co.za
The LWO also conducts short Van Velden & Duffey

courses for the agricultural Incorporated Attorneys
Tel: 014 592 1135
employer.
www.vvd.co.za

Association for Rural
Advancement
Tel: 033 345 7607 / 8318
www.afra.co.za
Community Law and Rural

Development Centre
Tel: 031 205 8844
BAWSI
www.bawsi.org.za
Community Law Centre

Tel: 021 959 2950 / 1
www.communitylawcentre.org.za
Black Sash
Tel: 021 686 6952
www.blacksash.org.za
Congress of South African

Trade Unions (Cosatu)
www.cosatu.org.za
Details of provincial branches are Find

information
on
the
on the website
Employment
Conditions
Commission (ECC) at www.
Centre for Rural Legal Studies labour.gov.za. This is the body
which advises the Minister on
Tel: 021 883 8032
wages and other conditions of
www.crls.org.za
service.
The CRLS promotes the land and
labour interests of men and women Food and Alied Workers Union
farm workers in the Western, (FAWU) see the Labour and
Eastern and Northern Cape of agriculture chapter
South Africa.
Foundation for Human Rights
(FHR)
Tel: 011 339 5560/1/2
www.fhr.org.za
Labour Protect
Tel: 0860 522 687
www.labourprotect.co.za
Legal Resource Centre (LRC)

Tel: 011 836 9831
www.lrc.org.za
Law Clinic (University of

KwaZulu-Natal)
Tel: 031 260 2446
The LRC has branches and

contacts in Cape Town, Durban
and Grahamstown. Contact details
are available on the LRC website.
Land legal support and other

related services to farm dwellers Nkuzi Development
Organisation
in KZN
Tel: 015 297 6972
www.nkuzi.org.za
Lawyers for Human Rights
www.lhr.org.za
Nkuzi is active in Gauteng and
Offices in Durban, Johannesburg, Limpopo. Among their main
Musina, Pretoria, Stellenbosch and objectives is informing and
Upington (contact details on the advising farm dwellers and others
of their land rights; assisting in
website)
negotiations with land owners to
reach acceptable solutions to land
Legal Aid South Africa
conflicts; and opposing eviction
Tel: 0800 110 110
orders in court.
www.legal-aid.co.za
The objective of Legal Aid South
Africa is offer legal representation
to those who cannot afford it.
Satellite offices exist across the
country (details available on the
website).
Rural Legal Trust

Tel: 011 403 4426
South African Society for
Labour Law (SASLAW)
www.saslaw.org.za
Courts
Constitutional Court www.constitutionalcourt.org.za
Supreme Court of Appeal www.justice.gov.za/sca/
South African High Court www.justice.gov.za/master/m_main.
htm
The Land Claims Court of South Africa www.justice.gov.za/lcc/
index.html

Included amongst the many Useful Guides on www.labour.gov.za are the
following:
Basic Guide to Annual Leave (Farm Workers)
Basic Guide to Child Labour (Farm Workers)
Basic Guide to Compensation for Medical Expenses
Basic Guide to Compensation for Occupational Fatalities
Basic Guide to Compensation for Occupational Injuries and Diseases
Basic Guide to Deductions (Farm Workers)
Basic Guide to Employment Contracts (Farm Workers)
Basic Guide to Family Responsibility Leave (Farm Workers)
Basic Guide to Health and Safety Committees
Basic Guide to Health and Safety Duties of Workers
Basic Guide to Maternity Leave (Learnerships)
Basic Guide to Minimum Wages (Farm Workers)
Basic Guide to Overtime (Farm Workers)
Basic Guide to Pay Slips (Farm Workers)
Basic Guide to Public Holidays (Farm Workers)
Basic Guide to Sick Leave (Farm Workers)
Basic Guide to Termination (Farm Workers)
Basic Guide to Working Hours (Farm Workers)
Basic Guide to Working on Sundays (Farm Workers)
419
Find the documents and necessary forms on www.labour.gov.za. These

include information on:
Basic Condition of Employment
Compensation for Occupational Injuries and Diseases
Employment Equity
Labour Relations
Occupational Health and Safety
Service Delivery
Public Employment Services (PES)
Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF)
Public Employment Services (PES)
Amongst the other useful websites, publications and other media aids are
the following:
Find the Labour and social welfare option under Committees on
the Agri SA website, www.agrisa.co.za.
Find the Legislation option at www.agbiz.co.za, website of the
Agricultural Business Chamber.
Contact Apcor Legal Publishing for law books, wall charts, CDs. The
books are the type you can keep in your pocket for easy reference.
Labour law (farm sector included) is covered. Call 011 828 7700 or
visit www.apcor.co.za.
Visit www.fwdeklerk.org (Centre for Constitutional Rights) for
legal updates and commentary.
Videos, discussion papers, conference proceedings, briefing papers and
more is available from the Centre for Rural Legal Studies (CRLS).
Find details at www.crls.org.za or contact them at 021 883 8032.
Find the Legislation and Policies option at www.ruraldevelopment.
gov.za.
Find some pieces of legislation under the News and then Useful
documents options at www.farmersweekly.co.za.
Find the Legislation menu option on the Forestry South Africa
website www.forestry.co.za.
The Gaffney Group supplies ready-to-use legal documents for your
business. Visit www.gaffney.co.za or call 011 268 5804.
There is a link on the Kwanalu website, www.kwanalu.co.za, called
Acts and gazettes that deals with legislative issues.
The Labour Guide website www.labourguide.co.za is a highly
useful one. Find the many menu options UIF; Warnings; Codes of
Good Practice etc. Click on the issue about which you wish to know
more. A South African Labour Guide newsletter is also offered.
The LWO Employers Organisation provides labour related manuals,
pro forma vorms, disciplinary codes, policies and procedures, applicable
legal posters, etc. On their website, information is available in both
English and Afrikaans. Call Tel: 0861 101 828 or visit www.lwo.co.za.
Labourwise www.labourwise.co.za is the definitive online
South African Labour Help Resource. Find the Farmworkers menu
option which takes you to several guides and forms e.g. contract of
employment with explanatory notes. You have to be a member though
to view these. Call 0860 102 871.
Visit the Paralegal Advice website at www.paralegaladvice.org.za.
www.polity.org.za provides regular updates on legislation. Subscribe to
their daily newsletter.
The website of the Public Protector is www.publicprotector.org.
Sabinet offer legal services on a pre-paid, online subscription basis.
Visit www.sabinet.co.za for more.
The Southern African Legal Information Institute (SAFLII)
collects and publishes legal materials from Southern and Eastern Africa
for free online access. Read more at www.saflii.org.
The Shop Steward (Editor in chief: Zwelinzima Vavi) can be downloaded
at www.cosatu.org.za.
Legal (employment-related) questions are answered in every Solidarity
newsletter. These are available weekly, in Afrikaans and in English. Visit
www.solidarity.co.za.
The TAU SA has a CD (or hardcopy for those farmers without
access to a computer) includes guidelines on Sectoral Determination,
minmum wages and various legal procedures a farmer should follow.
Tel: 012 804 8031.
Our thanks to Marius Rieger (LWO Employers Organisation) for feedback on the
draft chapter.
and technologies
Mapping
1. Overview
It is essential to have accurate maps in any farming enterprise, particularly
if you are planning to do precision farming. Other times when you will be
grateful to have maps are when you are:
planning aerial crop-spraying
determining the potential of land
applying pesticides
ordering seed and fertiliser
wishing to insure your crops
hiring or renting land
when planning time periods for grazing
having overhead installations done e.g. power cables
estimating crop yields
determining crop suitability
searching for breeding stock
Geographical Information Systems (GIS), a system of synthesising
information, uses maps and ortho rectified photography as inputs to
generate data (ordinary photographs can lead to inaccuracies and GIS is
about measurement). Other systems of mapping include the use of satellites
and Topo-cadastral mapping.
2. Role players
Companies
Your nearest agribusiness (e.g. Suidwes and AFGRI) will be involved in
mapping and Geographical Information System, helping you to access farm
and regional maps. Find contact details in the Agribusiness chapter.
e-Liso SAT
Tel: 012 004 0102
www.e-lisosat.co.za
EWheels
www.ewheels.co.za
From Above Aerial

Photographs
Tel: 015 795 5182 / 083 629 3806
www.fromabove.co.za
Geographic Information
Management Systems (GIMS)
Find the contact form on the see ESRI South Africa
website.
GISCOE (Pty) Ltd
Tel: 012 345 8000
ESRI South Africa
www.giscoe.com
Tel: 011 238 6300
www.esri-southafrica.com
GTI Geoterraimage
On the website find contact details Tel: 012 807 9480
for branches in Cape Town, Durban, www.geoterraimage.com
Port Elizabeth and Mozambique.
(Pty) Ltd
Farm-IT
Tel: 033 392 8360
Tel: 012 666 7000
www.lri.co.za
www.farm-it.co.za
Farmsecure Agri Science
Tel: 021 974 1900 / 28
Tel: 058 307 6945
MAPCO Plaaskaarte
Tel: 017 712 1075
mapco@mweb.co.za
www.mapcosa.co.za
GPS mapping and soil assessment
Laminated maps drawn on fixed

scale: 1/10 000 A4 Laminated book
and photocopies included.
420
Electronic data available on request PROMEET

(Pdf. and shp. files)
Michiel Theron 082 802 2442
promeet@lantic.net
OPTOIT
Toit Theron 082 770 0684
TNH Wildlife
optoit@webmail.co.za
Tel: 082 890 9993 / 074 114 8651
tnhfence@mweb.co.za
www.tnhwildlife.com
Precision Mapping
Tel: 033 330 5755 / 082 445 1561
precisionmapping@gmail.com
Maps created using the latest GIS
www.precisionmapping.co.za
technology
Associations, government, training and other role players

Tel: 014 717 3819 / 078 228 0008
www.alut.co.za
Africa Land-Use Training offers a four day course on basic farm planning.
Learners who successfully complete this course should be able to:
assess and collect data on natural resources on a farm
do basic map reading
draw a farm map showing land capability units
do a basic infrastructure development plan for a farm
Some of the Agricultural Colleges do short course training in map reading
along with practical exercises involved with the different lectures. Find their
details in the agricultural education and training chapter.
ARCInstitute for Soil, Climate and Water (ARC-ISCW)
Tel: 012 310 2500
www.arc.agric.za
GIS: data processing (data capturing and projections); applications (crop
modelling, spatial modelling / interpolation, multi-layer modelling);
spatial database development (Informix, MS Access) and data
integration
Satellite & Airborne Remote Sensing: low-level imaging (digital multispectral
video camera, precision farming information); digital image processing
(geo-referencing, image classification); image interpretation (vegetation
mapping & monitoring - population dynamics, degradation mapping,
rangeland ecology, savanna ecosystems, crop inventories, drought
monitoring, land cover, soil mapping and conservation planning);
sample frame statistics (area / point); disasters (flood mapping; drought
monitoring; fire mapping).
The Council for Geosciences (CGS)
Tel: 012 841 1911
The Council for Geoscience (CGS) is one of the National Science Councils
of South Africa. It is the legal successor of the Geological Survey of South
Africa.
Agricultural Geo-referenced Information System (AGIS)

www.agis.agric.za
AGIS aims to be a comprehensive information system covering all aspects of
agriculture. Different types of information are available:
basic data (e.g. crop, climate and soil information)
interpreted information (e.g. grazing capacity, erosion potential of
soils)
models and application programmes (e.g. crop suitability and
adaptability)
Find the Dynamic Maps menu option on the website.
Department of Rural
Chief Surveyor General
Tel: 012 326 8050
Geo-spatial Services, Technology
Development and
Disaster Management
Tel: 012 312 9834
and Management
PW van Deventer
Tel: 018 285 2267
10058591@nwu.ac.za
www.nwu.ac.za
Accurate records based on the

soil type, rainfall, typography and
climate on individual farms are
Provincial contact details can be kept by Provincial Departments
of Agriculture.
Tel: 021 799 8738
Ground water maps. A list of http://cpu.uwc.ac.za
contacts can be found on the
website.
SANBI has established the B-GIS
Unit to provide biodiversity maps
Geo-Information Society of
to the public via the internet. This
South Africa (GISSA)
project is done with Cape Action
www.gissa.org.za
for People and the Environment
(CAPE).
Geological Society of South
Africa
The Universities cover mapping
Tel: 011 492 3370
and
Geographic
Information
www.gssa.org.za
Systems in course work. Find their
details in the Agricultural education
www.dwa.gov.za/groundwater

The Council for Geosciences (CGS) hosts the largest Geological Library
and Information Service in Africa, which continuously strives to improve
its coverage of African geology, in the form of books, journals and maps.
Information products is made available, both in standard analog and
electronic formats and Internet solutions for optimal information access are
being developed.
A modern Drawing Office produces a wide variety of geoscientific maps

using both conventional and electronic cartographic technologies. The
production procedures are increasingly automated, linked to the ARC/
INFO-based GIS, which facilitates rapid map production and updating.
www.brabys.com provides a useful SA business directory and online,

zoomable, interactive maps of SA that can be printed or e-mailed to a
friend.
International co-operative projects that have been carried out, or are in

progress, include geological mapping, geochemical and geophysical surveys,
and the production of maps in many countries, either on a bilateral basis,
i.e. Mozambique, Angola, Benin, Zambia, Namibia, Tanzania, Congo and
Burkina Faso, and Morocco, or collaboratively in the Southern Africa
Development Community (SADC) region.
Read about the RapidEye five-satellite, geospatial information system at

www.rapideye.de.
The CGS actively participates in a variety of SADC projects aimed at

promoting the economic development of the African sub-continent.
Earth observation technologies and geographic information systems, spatial
modelling and scenario planning are all listed as Key Strategic Areas and
thrusts in DAFFs National Agricultural Research and Development Strategy.
Find the document on www.daff.gov.za.
Spot your farm or anywhere else from outer space: visit either http://
earth.google.com or www.agis.agric.za/wip.
www.ppgis.net Open Forum on Participatory Geographic Information

Systems and Technologies
Read about the production of a training kit focusing on participatory
mapping practice, done by the Technical Centre for Agricultural and Rural
Co-operation (CTA) at http://pgis.cta.int.
421
Information derived from these technologies allows farmers to:
and technologies
apply inputs such as fertilisers and seed at variable rates exactly where
they are needed
make more efficient use of these inputs
Precision farming
2. Role players
Also see the Mapping chapter
1. Overview
Precision Farming promotes good stewardship of the land for future
generations, and preserves its potential for multiple uses.
At a time when the farmer is faced by decreasing profit margins and changing
climates, precision farming is a smart way to farm.
Precision farming utilises six ultra-modern technologies:
Global Positioning Systems (GPS), which provides a navigation system to
establish a position of a tractor or combine anywhere in a land within
less than 2 meters on a latitude-longitude grid overlay.
Geographic Information Systems (GIS) GIS Computers capture, manage
and analyse spatial data related to crop productivity and field inputs.
Variable Rate Technology (VRT), which provides on-the-fly control of
field inputs.
Optical satellite imagery provides real-time monitoring of crop
development and anomalies due to variation in soil potential, physical
or climatic variables, pest and diseases, or nutrient deficiencies.
Satellite Imagery and Aerial Imagery
Near Infra Red (NIR) Ortho rectified Imagery. This is becoming a very
important technology initially with timber and wine farmers but
spreading to all farmers.
The ARC-Institute for Soil,

Climate and Water (ARCISCW) has a section focusing
on precision farming research
and implementation. Specialised
equipment, together with an
extensive database of satellite
imagery, is used to develop products
to assist farmers in improving their
profitability through precision
farming. Take a look at www.arc.
agric.za, write to iscwinfo@arc.
agric.za or phone 012 310 2500.
Economics
Tel: 051 401 2824 / 3864
www.ufs.ac.za/agriman
New Holland SA
Agricultural Management, a division

of the Department of Agricultural
Economics, does research on
precision farming. Find the many
papers and publications done on
this topic on the website.
and Soil Science
Tel: 012 420 3809 / 3223
www.up.ac.za
Find details of the other universities
and short course providers in
the Agricultural education and
training chapter.
423
Companies involved
Agri-Solutions
Tel: 082 771 7541 / 079 899 6941
www.agrisolutions.co.za
Farm-IT Solutions
Tel: 012 666 7000
www.farm-it.co.za
Agrista
Tel: 031 303 2299
www.agrista.com
Farm-IT services include:
Caryki Consulting CC
Prof Carlu van der Westhuizen
Tel: 083 445 2662
Caryki@iburst.co.za
Cerealis Precision
Tel: 018 632 0362
info@cerealis.co.za
www.cerealis.co.za
CLM Positioning Solutions
Tel: 011 708 6539
www.clmps.com
farm management system

remote sensing/GPS surveying
agronomists and soil mapping
emerging farmer strategy
formulation and support
FarmSecure Agri Science
Tel: 021 974 1900
(Operations South)
Tel: 058 307 6900 / 17
(Operations North)
Farmsecure Agri Science (FAS)

is part of the Farmsecure Group
and a member of Farmsecure
Technologies. FAS shares the vision
Tel: 021 904 1154
of the Farmsecure Group which
is to Create Sustainability and
Products include the DFM Profitability in Agriculture.
Irrigation Control System and DFM
GeoSpace International
Continuous Soil Moisture Probe.
Tel: 012 348 4586
www.geospace.co.za
Effective Farming Solutions
Tel: 082 386 4000
Imagery and photos (near infrared
www.efarming.co.za
ortho) for precision farming
Electrolee
Tel: 012 347 9933
Tel: 033 392 8360
www.electrolee.co.za
www.lri.co.za
Monitor the flow of seed, fertiliser
Derived from leading edge airborne
and axle rotation.
remote sensing technology, LREye
Imagery provides growers with vital
EnviroMon
crop performance information.
Tel: 021 851 5134
Recurrent crop problems can be
www.enviromon.co.za
tracked over time, allowing for
For instrumentation to monitor cost-effective containment and
weather elements and soil moisture solution-planning.
conditions
Lantek SA
Falcon Agricultural Equipment Tel: 082 374 4760
Tel: 033 330 4764
www.lanteksa.co.za
www.falconequipment.co.za
424
MAPCO
Tel: 017 712 7020/3
www.mapcosa.co.za
Farming process, step by step. Call

011 709 8760, 011 709 8888 and
visit www.omnia.co.za.
Max Yield
Hannes 082 419 3337
hannes@maxyield.co.za
Promeet
Michiel Theron 082 802 2442
promeet@lantic.net
Agricultural
contractors
for Ronin Precision Farming
precision-based GPS planting
Systems
Tel: 011 606 2194
NEL Precision Farming
www.roninpfs.com
Tel: 018 771 9704
www.nelprecisionfarming.co.za
Read about the available precision
www.agleader.com
farming equipment on the website.
Ronin is also the agent for several
overseas companies like Trimble,
New Holland
Farm Works and DICKEY-john.
Tel: 011 922 2300
www.nhsa.co.za
SGS Nviro Crop
For precision farming equipment, Tel: 018 290 7343
find the contact details of branches www.nvirocrop.com
countrywide on the earlier New
SiQ
Holland advert (page 421).
Tel: 012 807 9460
www.siq.co.za
New Holland Precision Land
Management
Siolmix Africa
Tel: 056 212 4822
Tel: 021 882 8270
www.newhollandplm.com
www.soilmix.biz
Ask your nearest Northmec dealer
about the Cruizer guidance system Technifarm
and other equipment for precision Tel: 028 514 3140
farming. Speak to them at 011 922 info@technifarm.co.za
2300 or visit www.northmec.co.za. www.technifarm.co.za
NviroTek Labs (Pty) Ltd
Tel: 082 885 8699
dhattingh@nviroteklabs.co.za
Available services at OMNIA
Fertilizer Ltd include detailed soiland chemical maps for integrating
into the Precision Farming process
(OmniPrecise). An Agronomic
team can make recommendations
on how to develop the Precision
Terratek
Tel: 018 581 1016
www.terratek.co.za
Theebo Tech (Pty) Ltd
Tel: 021 981 2161
www.equalizer.co.za
TOPCON
Tel: 018 468 2822
www.topconpa.com
In a future scenario, some of the technologies used in precision farming

like global positioning systems (GPS) and sensors could help robots replace
labour for doing agricultural tasks
and technologies
Precision livestock farming
At the close of the last century, livestock farming worked with average
values per group, largely because of the size of operations. With the aid
of technology like software and electronic identification (EID), Precision
Livestock Farming (PLF) returns to recognising the individual animal.
PLF is a sub-set of precision farming. It exploits identification and associated
sensory and location technologies to optimise feeding and control.
Traceability and automated food information management are integral to
the PLF concept.
Increasingly, animal health, behaviour and welfare are becoming an integral
part of food quality. Monitoring animal health, behaviour and welfare can
assure consumers that the products they buy are from healthy animals that
were kept in ways that are in accordance with good farming practice.
Websites and publications

Find Precision Livestock Farming under the Animal Science option
at www.wageningenacademic.com, website of Wageningen Academic
Publishers.
Find the Animal ID option at www.daff.gov.za take the Divisions
and then Food and veterinary services options.
Role players involved with the identification, monitoring and

tracking of livestock
Your local agribusiness e.g. Terratek, VKB, AFGRI etc
ARC-Irene Tel: 012 672 9393 ben@arc.agric.za
AXXON supplies electronic animal scales and ID systems that integrate
with most local software programmes. Call 011 837 7177/6/0 or write
to axxon@global.co.za.
CelMax Tel: 028 212 3346 www.celmax.co.za
Dalton Southern Africa Tel: 021 883 9042 www.thetags4u.com/za
Farm Elect Tel: 011 472 3422 www.farmelect.com
GMP Tags Tel: 011 954 4971 www.gmptags.co.za
Holscher + Leuschner c.schoo@hl-agrar.de www.hl-agrar.de
HOTSURE Tel: 0861 468 7873 www.hotsure.co.za
Identipet Tel: 011 957 3455/6 www.identipet.com
RAU Easy Farming Tel: 082 3714 390 www.raueasy.com
RuDDScales Tel: 071 968 0754 www.rudd.co.za
SA Vet Tel: 082 451 1934 www.savet.co.za
Consumer Goods Council of South Africa (CGCSA)
Tel: 0861 242 000
www.cgcsa.co.za
The CGCSA was the South African representative for the BrightAnimal
project, a two year EU-funded co-ordination and support action project
on Precision Livestock Farming (PLF). The project addressed the
potential of PLF to contribute to a more efficient and profitable livestock
industry, the optimum use of resources, improved animal health and
welfare and to sustainability in agriculture.
BrightAnimal drew together representatives from the USA, Brazil, South
Africa, Australia, China, Malaysia, Thailand, and European countries (UK,
Denmark, Norway, Spain and Estonia). They examined PLF in the light
of consumer interests and on-farm production processes, with particular
emphasis on the needs of small and medium enterprises.
BrightAnimal produced a book on PLF, Acceptable and Practical Precision
Livestock Farming, as well as best PLF practices booklets in four areas:
aquaculture, dairy cattle, pigs and laying hens. The book (ISBN 978-09553707-2-4) can be downloaded at http://ec.europa.eu.
425
and technologies
Also see the Biotechnology and plant breeding chapter
1. Overview
Agriculture, being a primary industry, supports many other industries,
roughly to the ratio of 1:1,6 regarding job opportunities. Apart from
being a catalyst for economic growth generally, agriculture provides food,
clothing, employment, tourism, contributes to the alleviation of poverty,
and promotes international competitiveness.
The aim in identifying new and emerging technologies in the South African
context is not only to increase global competitiveness, but also to ensure
household food security and to assist the developing farmers in entering the
mainstream.
Agricultural Research is the fourth of the four pillars of the Comprehensive
Africa Agriculture Development Plan (CAADP). Visit www.caapd.net.
Source: National Agricultural Research and Development Strategy 2008, which can
be found on the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries website, www.daff.
gov.za

AARINENA Association of Agricultural Research Institutions in the
Near East and North Africa www.aarinena.org
AATF African Agricultural Technology Foundation www.aatf-africa.
org
ACIAR Australian Centre for Industrial and Agricultural Research
www.aciar.gov.au
AGORA Access to Global Online Research in Agriculture www.
aginternetwork.org
AHI African Highlands Initiative find their web pages at www.cgiarilac.org
ARDA Agrarian Research and Development Agency www.arda.
or.th
ARS Agricultural Research Service (USA) www.ars.usda.gov
ASARECA The Association for Strengthening Agricultural Research in
Eastern and Central Africa www.asareca.org
ASTI Agricultural Science and Technology Indicators www.asti.cgiar.
org
ATPS African Technology Policy Studies Network www.atpsnet.org
CAADP Comprehensive Africa Agricultural Development Programme
www.caadp.net
CABI Commonwealth Agricultural Bureau International www.cabi.
org
CGIAR The Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research
www.cgiar.org. The website is an excellent orientation to groupings
and research publications worldwide.
CIAT International Centre for Tropical Agriculture www.ciat.cgiar.
org
CIMMYT Centro Internacional de Mejoramiento de Maz y Trigo
(International Maize and Wheat Improvement Centre) www.cimmyt.
org
CIP International Potato Centre www.cipotato.org
CIRAD Agricultural Research for Developing Countries (French)
www.cirad.fr
COPAC Academic and National Library Catalogue: free access to
the merged online catalogues of 24 of the largest university research
libraries in the UK and Ireland www.copac.ac.uk
CORAF/WECARD West and Central African Council for Agricultural
and Research Foundation www.coraf.org
CTA Technical Centre for Agriculture and Rural Co-operation www.
cta.int
EIARD European Initiative for Agricultural Research and Development
www.eiard.org
ELDIS a service for searching resources on African agricultural

research www.eldis.org
EMBAPA Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation www.
embrapa.br
ESASTAP European South African Science and Technology
Advancement Programme www.esastap.org.za
EC European Commission http://ec.europa.eu/research/fp6/ssp/
eurocrop_en.htm
FAPRI Food and Agricultural Policy Research Institute (FAPRI) www.
fapri.org
FARA Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa www.fara-africa.
org
FELASA Federation of European Laboratory Animal Science
Associations www.felasa.eu
ICARDA International Centre for Agricultural Research in Dry Areas
www.icarda.org
ICART Implementation & Coordination of Agricultural Research &
Training in the SADC Region find the link at www.sadc.int/fanr/index.
php
ICRAF The World Agroforestry Centre www.worldagroforestry.
org
ICRISAT International Crop Research Institute for the Semi-Arid
Tropics www.icrisat.org
IDRC Canadas International Development Research Centre www.
idrc.ca
IFDC International Centre for Soil Fertility and Agricultural
Development www.ifdc.org
IFPRI International Food Policy Research Institute www.ifpri.org
IITA International Institute for Tropical Agriculture www.iita.org
ILAC Institutional Learning and Change Initiative www.cgiar-ilac.org
ILRI International Livestock Research Institute www.ilri.org
INTA The Instituto Nacional de Tecnologa Agropecuaria from
Argentina www.inta.gov.ar
IPPC International Plant Protection Convention www.ippc.int
IRRI International Rice Research Institute www.irri.org
ISNAR International Service for National Agricultural Research www.
isnar.cgiar.org
New Zealand Institute for Plant and Food Research www.
plantandfood.co.nz
PROLINNOVA Promoting Local Innovation (in ecologicallyorientated agriculture and natural resource management) www.
prolinnova.net
RIU Research Into Use www.researchintouse.com This programme
aims to improve access to knowledge and technology for poor people
whose livelihoods depend on natural resources. It also helps secure
funds for teams who are doing promising research.
RUFORUM Regional Universities Forum for Capacity Building in
Agriculture www.ruforum.org
SANPAD South Africa-Netherlands Research Programme on
Alternatives in Development www.sanpad.org.za
Scientoons (scientific concepts explained with cartoons) www.
scientoon.com
UIS UNESCO Institute for Statistics www.uis.unesco.org
Several United Nations agencies are role players in the area of Science
and Research, and also have a presence in South Africa. Visit www.
un.org.za/agencies. These include UNESCO (United Nations
Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization), UNIDO (United
Nations Industrial Development Organization), and UNIC (United
Nations Information Centre).
WARDA Africa Rice Centre www.africarice.org
WorldFish Centre www.worldfishcenter.org

The National Agricultural Research Forum (NARF) called for the
establishment of a National Agricultural Research System that fully
encompasses all stakeholders and role players in agricultural research
in South Africa, and developed the National Agricultural Research and
Development Strategy (NARDS). NARDS sets out the following key areas
of technological development national priorities along with a brief
overview of each:
sustainable natural resource management
maintaining and strengthening competitiveness of the agricultural
sector through biotechnology,
information and communications technology
earth observation technologies
426
geographic information systems, spatial modelling and scenario

planning
product differentiation for global competitiveness
global competitiveness and macro-economics
post-harvest technology development for value adding,
bio-energy and bio-fuels
precision agriculture
animal and plant health
indigenous food crops
production (crop and livestock) efficiency under extreme climate
conditions
NARDS was adopted by the then Department of Agriculture, but has not
been implemented. In January 2012, DAFF hosted a NARF workshop on
Research and Development policy. The Innovation Hub facilitated the
workshop (find the summary on the Agricultural Business Chamber website,
www.agbiz.co.za).
Source: National Agricultural Research and Development Strategy 2008, which can
be found on the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries website, www.daff.
gov.za
4. Science Councils of South Africa

Agricultural Research Council
(ARC) see heading 6
Tel: 012 427 9700
www.arc.agric.za

Council (HSRC)
Tel: 012 302 2000
www.hsrc.ac.za
The ARC promotes agriculture and

related sectors through research,
technology development and
technology transfer.
The HSRC facilitates problem

solving and enhances decision
making through research excellence
in the human sciences.
Council for Geoscience (CGS)

Tel: 012 841 1911
Medical Research Council

(MRC)
Tel: 021 938 0911
www.mrc.ac.za
Geological,
geophysical
and
palaeontological research supplying The MRC improves the nations
geological information to the health status and quality of life
Government and the public
through relevant and excellent
health research aimed at promoting
equity and development.
Council for Industrial and
Scientific Research (CSIR)
Tel: 012 841 2911
www.csir.co.za
(NRF)
Tel: 012 481 4000
The CSIR in South Africa performs www.nrf.ac.za
multidisciplinary research and
technological innovation with the The NRF is South Africas premier
aim of contributing to industrial agent for investing in knowledge
development and the quality of life and innovation across all disciplines
of the natural sciences and
of people of this country.
engineering, as well as social
Council for Mineral Technology sciences and humanities
(Mintek)
Tel: 011 709 4111
www.mintek.co.za
Standards (SABS)
Tel: 012 428 7911
Mintek enables the minerals www.sabs.co.za
industry to operate more effectively,
by developing and making available Responsible for the development
the most appropriate and cost- and publication of standards for
effective technology
products and services

Find the document South Africas National Research and Development Strategy
on www.gov.za.
Directorate: Research & Technology
Development
Mr Ramagwai Joseph Sebola
Tel: 012 319 6078
DRTD@daff.gov.za

Technology
Tel: 012 843 6300
www.dst.gov.za
The Department of Science
and Technology strives towards
introducing measures that put
science and technology to work
to make an impact on growth
and development in a sustainable
manner, in areas that matter to all
the people of South Africa.
This Directorate develops and

monitors the implementation of
suitable policies and strategies
for research and development,
technology development and
transfer in the agricultural sector.
Find the National Agricultural Partners
in
the
National
Research & Development Strategy at Agricultural Research Forum
www.daff.gov.za.
(NARF) include national and
provincial government, universities
Most directorates are involved and universities of technology,
in agricultural research in their private research organisations and
areas of responsibility (e.g. Animal the private sector. The Secretariat
Production, Genetic Resources is based at DAFF.
etc).
6. The Agricultural Research Council (ARC)

The ARC is accountable to the Department of Science and Technology
in terms of the regulatory framework affecting institutions with research
and development as a primary mandate, but reports to the Department of
Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries in terms of objectives and budget. It is
one of eight research councils in South Africa and was established in 1992
in terms of the Agricultural Research Act of 1990 (Act No. 86 of 1990) as
amended in 1993 and 1995.
The ARCs Research Institutes are listed below. For more detailed
information, visit www.arc.agric.za or contact ARC head office at 012 427
9700.
Livestock and Animal Health

ARC-Onderstepoort
Veterinary Institute (ARC-OVI)
Tel: 012 529 9111
Institute (ARC-API)
Tel: 012 672 9111
Research
activity:
livestock Research activity: vaccines, animal
improvement, animal nutrition & diseases / infectious diseases,
parasitology, toxicology
farming systems
SMME
development,
food
products / feed stuffs, animal feeds,
improve meat and dairy products,
production of beef & dairy cattle,
sheep, pigs, goats, poultry, poultry
nutrition, dairy cattle nutrition, red
meat production, pig nutrition
Horticulture
ARC-Institute for Tropical and tomatoes, sweet potatoes, cassava,
Subtropical Crops (ARC-ITSC) cowpeas
Tel: 013 753 7000
Research activity: citrus, pineapple, Tel: 021 809 3100
banana, avocado, mango, guava,
litchi, papaya, granadilla, tea, coffee, Research activity: fruit production,
spices, pecan and macadamia nuts, viticulture / oenology, deciduous
fruit, grapes table, raisin, white
indigenous fruit, essential oils
grapes, wine & brandy industry,
apples, peaches, plums, pears,
ARC-Roodeplaat Vegetables
and Ornamental Plant Institute berry fruits, tree nut crops, rooibos
tea, dates, olives, kiwi fruit, hops
(ARC-VOPI)
Tel: 012 841 9611
Research activity: vegetables,
potatoes, flowers (bulbs), onions,
428
Field Crops
(ARC-SGI)
Tel: 058 307 3400

(ARC-GCI)
Tel: 018 299 6100
Research activity: wheat, barley, oats, Research activity: grain crops

rye
maize, sorghum and millet,
sunflower, groundnut, soya beans,
ARC- Institute for Industrial
dry beans, cow peas, sweet white
Crops (ARC-IIC)
lupine, bambara
Tel: 012 427 9999
Tel: 014 536 3150 / 2
Research activity: tobacco, cotton,
hemp, flax, sisal, kenaf., cassava
Natural Resources and Engineering

ARC Institute for Soil, Climate ARC-Plant Protection
and Water (ISCW)
Tel: 012 808 8000
Tel: 012 310 2500
Research activity: soil science, Research activity: biosystematics
agrometeorology, water utilisation, of insects, arachnida, fungi and
nematodes; crop pest and disease
GIS and remote sensing
management, biocontrol of invader
weeds, pesticide management,
conservation agriculture, rural
Tel: 012 842 4000 / 17
development training
Research activity: aquaculture,
irrigation systems, mechanisation,
product processing, energy
The ARC is accountable to the Department of Science and Technology in
terms of the regulatory framework affecting institutions with research and
development as a primary mandate, but reports to the Department of
Agriculture in terms of objectives and budget. It is one of eight research
councils in South Africa and was established in 1992 in terms of the
Agricultural Research Act of 1990 (Act No. 86 of 1990) as amended in 1993
and 1995.

Academy of Science of South
Africa (ASSAf)
Tel: 012 349 6600
www.assaf.org.za
liberalisation on the agricultural

economy of the region.
Bureau for Food and

Africa Institute of South Africa www.bfap.co.za
(AISA)
Tel: 012 304 9700
BFAP is an independent research
www.ai.org.za
unit involving the University of
Pretoria, Stellenbosch University,
AISA is an independent research the Department of Agriculture:
organisation
and
think-tank, Western Cape and the Food
focussing on Africa in its research, and Agricultural Policy Research
publications and resource library.
Institute (FAPRI) and associate
organisations.
Aginfo (AMT)
Tel: 012 361 2748/ 348 8344
Centre for Science, Technology
www.agrimark.co.za
and Innovation Indicators
(CeSTII)
Research is aimed at developing an Based at the Human Sciences
analytical framework that would Research Council (HSRC).
assist role players, in agriculture in
quantifying the effects of various Citrus Research International
agro-economic variables such as (CRI)
agricultural policy, technology, Tel: 013 759 8000
development strategies, regional www.citrusres.com
demand, product distribution,
competitive advantages and trade
Companies involved in agriculture

conduct their own research e.g.
the seed companies, fertiliser
companies etc. The Revenue Laws
Amendment Act allows companies
to deduct 150% of Research and
Development (R & D) expenditure,
an attempt to encourage company
expenditure on R & D and to make
South Africa an attractive place to
foreign-sourced R & D activity. Find
details of Companies Involved in
the relevant chapters.
Science in Africa, Africas first

on-line Science Magazine, can be
read at www.scienceinafrica.co.za.
Soil Science Society of South
Africa (SSSSA)
Tel: 012 310 2504
www.soils.org.za
South African Agency for
Science and Technology
Advancement (SAASTA)
Tel: 012 392 9300
www.saasta.ac.za
Fruitgro Science
Tel: 021 882 8470
www.dfptresearch.co.za
South African Sugarcane

Research Institute (SASRI)
Tel: 031 508 7400
Grassland Society of Southern www.sugar.org.za
Africa (GSSA)
Tel: 049 842 4335 / 083 256 7202 Sugar Milling Research Institute
(SMRI)
Tel: 031 273 1300
Institute for Commercial
www.smri.org
Forestry Research (ICFR)
Tel: 033 386 2314
South African Society of Animal
www.icfr.ukzn.ac.za
Science (SASAS)
Tel: 012 420 6017
Protein Research Foundation
www.sasas.co.za
Tel: 011 803 2579
www.proteinresearch.net
South African Society of Crop
Production (SASCP)
Provincial Departments of Tel: 018 299 6298
Agriculture conduct research in www.sascp.org.za
their provinces. By way of example,
find details of the Western Cape Southern African Society for
Department of Agriculture research Horticultural Sciences
stations at www.elsenburg.com/ www.sashs.co.za
trd/resfarms.html. These include
the Outeniqua Research Farm and South African Soil Survey
the Oudtshoorn Experiment Farm. Organisation (SASSO)
johan@terrasoil.co.za
(chairperson)
Research Stations:
Armoedsvlakte Agricultural
Research Station 053 927 Southern Education and
Research Alliance (SERA)
3801
Dundee Agricultural Research Tel: 082 878 5669 / 082 955 6205
www.seralliance.com
Station 034 212 2479
Fort Hare Research Farm
Technology Innovation Agency
040 602 2428
Honeydale Research Farm (TIA)
Tel: 012 472 2700
040 602 2426
Kokstad Agricultural Research www.tia.org.za
Station 039 727 2105
Karakul Agricultural Research The TIA was formed in 2010 to
support the commercialisation of
Station 054 332 1931
Nooitgedacht
Agricultural local research and development
Research Station 017 819 (R&D).
2781
Others:
Messina
Agricultural (WRC)
Research
Station,
Outeniqua Tel: 012 330 0340
Experimental
Farm, www.wrc.org.za
Koopmansfontein
Agricultural
Research
Station,
Quelea The WRC operates in terms of
Research Unit (QRU), Rietrivier the Water Research Act (Act 34 of
Agricultural Research Station, 1971) and its mandate is to support
Sandvet Agricultural Research water research and development as
Station, Toowomba Agricultural well as the building of a sustainable
Research Station and the Vaalharts water research capacity in South
Agricultural Research Station. Africa.
Contact details for these can be
found on www.arc.agric.za.
Find details of Universities and Agricultural Colleges in the Agricultural
429
agronomy & horticulture

Bamboo
1. Overview
If you were asked to list a hundred things you could do with bamboo, your
first thought might be that bamboo poles can be tied together to make
a fence, a bridge, a shack or some kind of settlement. Bamboos uses do
indeed include construction (the costs of bamboo dwellings compare very
favourably with conventional materials).
You would think that it can replace the need for trees as a source of wood
(isnt that great!) All types of furniture can be made, as well as fittings such
as window blinds, fencing and flooring. It might come to you that charcoal
can be produced, cutting-boards and various arts and crafts.
But would you think textiles? Bamboo towels and socks? Bamboo soap?
Bamboo toilet paper?
Bamboo does not have a hundred uses: studies done by the IDC and other
role players show over a thousand! Clearly there is a lot more to bamboo
products and bamboo processing than would immediately occur to the
reader.
Not only does bamboo have many uses, it is a non-invasive crop that can
help develop agriculture and contribute towards lifting human beings out
of poverty by creating jobs in rural areas. According to the World Bamboo
Association, the bamboo industry is worth an estimated US $7 billion
annually, and one of the most exciting emerging crops in Africa.
2. Benefits of Bamboo
combats soil erosion
reforests areas denuded of vegetation caused by demand for cooking
fuel
removes heavy metals and other pollutants from polluted water
responds to climate change through carbon sequestration
provides shade and creates windbreaks for food crops Can be grown
as a living fence to keep animals in or out
provides food for humans in the form of shoots and animal fodder in
the form of leaves
assists in capturing water allowing it to percolate instead of flowing
away
can be planted as noise barriers and windbreaks
develops greener more aesthetically pleasing settlements and a better
living environment
provides a habitat for wildlife and improved biodiversity
contributes to economic development and creation of jobs at a local
level
increases environmental awareness through communities locally and
from publicity nationally
creates opportunities for communities to enter the New Green
Economy and so creates rural wealth instead of the standard poverty
relief programmes
Source: www.trees.co.za. Find the above list and many other notes by selecting the
Bamboo for Africa programme.
3. Role players
Contact one of the role players for news of the planned National Bamboo
Association of South Africa. It will be affiliated to the International
Network of Bamboo and Rattan (Inbar) see www.inbar.int.
Bamboo Industries
Tel: 011 782 3951 / 082 301 0513
www.bambooindustries.co.za
Plastrip
Tel: 021 851 5455
www.plastrip.com
Bright Fields Natural Trading

Company
Tel: 021 448 8548
www.brightfields.co.za

Tel: 021 981 5629 / 083 226 0967
www.res-bio.com
Bamboo is ideal for the job creation

Find the Bamboo farming option plans of South Africas Industrial
on the website
Policy Action Plans (IPAPs) and will
be a focus area in the near future,
according to Willem Malherbe of
Corporation (ECDC)
Renewable Energy Solutions.
Phakamisa George, Ken Bern
Tel: 043 704 5600
SA Bamboo
www.ecdc.co.za
Tel: 021 409 7834
http://sabamboo.com
Food & Trees for Africa Bamboo
for Africa
SA Bamboo was commissioned
Tel: 011 656 9802/3
by the ECDC to manage two of
Info@trees.org.za
three bamboo pilot projects in the
www.trees.co.za
Eastern Cape.
Find details of Bamboo for
Africa, internationally accredited
through the Verified Carbon
Standard as a Verified Emission
Reduction programme, under the
Programmes option at www.
trees.co.za. Bamboo for Africa
encourages
capacity
building
in low income communities. It
also provides for a sustainable
relationship where the community
may become a supplier of goods to
the donor in the form of materials
or fuel.
Friends of Chintsa
Tel: 043 738 5523
www.friendsofchintsa.org
Corporation (IDC)
Tel: 011 269 3000
www.idc.co.za
Southern African Bamboo

Corporation
Tel: 082 655 4850 / 082 326 1886
www.sabamboocorp.co.za
A management option, ideal for
plantation owners, is offered by this
father and son team. In addition to
their website, find their blogspot
on the internet (see heading 4).
The Biomass Corporation
Tel: 021 876 3100 / 074 102 1394
andreas@biomasscorp.com
www.biomasscorp.com
Top Carpets and Floors
Tel: 087 150 0999
www.topcarpets.co.za
World of Bamboo
Russel Webb 076 823 2467
Panda Bamboo
Tel: 086 111 4971
www.pandabamboo.co.za

The websites of companies involved provide useful information.
International Network for Bamboo and Rattan (INBAR), www.inbar.
int
The World Bamboo Organization, http://worldbamboo.net
Find many international role players at the World Bamboo Day website,
http://worldbambooday.org
Several excellent presentations have been loaded onto www.youtube.
com, including ECDC Bamboo Symposium 2011, Bamboo for
Africa and RES BIO ENERGY - DGB Bamboo Plantation
Find the extensive grower notes by the Southern African Bamboo
Corporation at http://sabamboofarmers.blogspot.com
www.tradeandinvestcacadu.co.za find the article Bamboo boost in
the August 2011 newsletter
430

Barley
1. Overview
Barley is a winter cereal crop that is mainly produced in the South
Western Cape under dry land conditions. Two-thirds of our barley is
produced in the areas around Caledon, Riviersonderend, Bredasdorp,
Napier, Swellendam and Heidelberg. The remainder of the production
is in the Northern Cape under irrigation (Vaalharts, Douglas, Barkley
West, Rietrivier and Hopetown area). Barley is also grown by some
small-scale farmers at Taung in the North West Province. After wheat,
it is the most important small grain in South Africa.
Barley is mainly used for the production of malt (used for brewing
beer), animal feed and pearl barley. The South African barley is
primarily grown for malting purposes, but a variable portion annually
is not suitable for malt production and is then down graded to animal
feed.
Barley is different from most, if not all, other agricultural commodities,
as there is only one major barley buyer in South Africa, namely the
South African Breweries Maltings (Pty) Ltd (SABM) which supplies SA
Breweries Ltd with malted barley. Barley producers have a guaranteed
market for 220 000 ton malting quality barley per year, and a choice
of a fixed price forward contract or a formula price linked to the Safex
wheat price.
Statistics (e.g. crop estimates, export/import etc) may be found on the
Department of Agricultures website take the Publications menu
option at www.daff.gov.za and on the South African Grain Information
Service website www.sagis.org.za.
The local consumption requirements for malting barley are around 270
000 ton per year.
The barley marketing season in South Africa commences on 1 October
and ends on 30 September the following year.

See the tables in the Production Guidelines, issued by the ARC-SGI, referred
to under heading 7.
A soil sample will tell you how much phosphorus to apply. If there is more
than 30mg of citric acid soluble phosphorus in a kg of soil, then you can
apply 12 to 15kg to every ha. 6kg per ha can be applied where the sample
shows your soil to be below 20mg per kg. 4kg phosphorus per ha can be
applied for each 1 mg/kg where the analysis is below 30mg/ha.
According to most research, top dressing of nitrogen (nitrogen fertilisation
applied after emergence of the crop) benefits the crop, especially where
overhead irrigation is being used, and where the soil is lighter and sandier.
For the best yield, a total nitrogen fertilisation of 130kg to 150kg per hectare
should be given.
The first nitrogen is applied just before or during planting. Two thirds of
the total nitrogen that you will give the crop should be then while the rest
is applied from 6 weeks after emergence till as late as the flag leaf stage,
depending on the clay percentage of the soil.
For a more detailed exploration of fertilisation, see the Guideline for the
production of small grains in the Summer Rainfall Regions mentioned under
Websites and publications.
Weeds
Barley is very sensitive to the competition of weeds. Sort out those weeds
as soon as they germinate! Hoelon and Grasp are the only herbicides to use
for controlling grass weeds. Never use Topic and Puma on barley. In fact,
make sure you read the label because only herbicides registered specifically
for barley should be used. Barley is also very particular about the dosage. If
you apply too much herbicide, your barley can be damaged. If you apply too
little, you stand the risk that the particular weeds can build up resistance to
the specific herbicide.
Pests
The Russian wheat aphid and some other plant aphids are natural enemies
of barley. If they appear there early, apply an insecticide too when you are
using the herbicide. Bollworm can also be a problem and will lead to your
crop being down-graded. If 3-4 bollworms are present in a meter row,
apply a chemical treatment.
Fungal Control
It is important to harvest the crop as soon as it is ready (13% moisture
content) so that the grain is not exposed to rain during harvesting. Fungal
contamination (and with it, toxic substances which are not good for human
or livestock consumption) can occur when the crop is exposed to rain
during harvesting.
The following notes are summarised from the SGIs Guideline for the Production
of Small Grains in the Summer Rainfall Region, written by GJ Kotz.
Irrigation
Soil Preparation
Skillful irrigation can give you an optimum crop yield and quality. It is
important not to stop irrigating too early (the last irrigation should be given
when the whole plant is nearly discoloured).
It must be emphasised that a fine and even seedbed be prepared. An uneven

seedbed will cause uneven development of the crop and in the end, uneven
ripening and quality.
The barley cultivars Puma and Cocktail are currently the cultivars for
commercial production of malting barley under irrigation. The seed is
treated with a fungicide as well as an insecticide. This will protect it for
some time against insects during storage before planting and against fungal
diseases for the first couple of weeks after it is planted.
Planting Practices
It is important that barley is not planted deeper than 3cm. The deeper
you plant it the more energy is being used for germination and tillering is
therefore restricted.
Depending on the status of the seedbed, you should plant between 60kg to
100kg for every ha. The average recommended density is 80 kg to the ha.
Fertilisation
The crops minimum acidity requirement must be met. For barley, the soil
acidity requirement is a pH of 5,5 (KCI medium). Lime application should
then be to create a pH of 5,5 to 6,0. Too high a pH could lead to zinc and
manganese deficiencies, and barley is very sensitive to this.
Harvesting
Excessively fast drum speeds and excessively tight concave settings should
be avoided when harvesting. It is essential that the grain is not skinned.
The barley must be harvested in bulk and delivered at the depot as stipulated
on the contract or as communicated during the growing season. Here it is
sampled, classified and graded. The producer then gets paid according to
quality (there is a sliding scale system) and quantity.
Source: Willem Otto, ARC-SGI, and the SGIs Guideline for the Production of Small
Grains in the Summer Rainfall Region.

Barley is grown in about 100 countries worldwide. The top ten barley
producers are Russia, Canada, Germany, France, Ukraine, Turkey, Australia,
United Kingdom, United States and Spain.
Export/import figures can be found on www.sagis.org.za. The Monthly Bulletin
contains updated information.
431

Being able to buy barley locally supports the local economy, is more efficient
(less travel and packaging), ensures quicker delivery and secures a good
quality of the end product.
SA Breweries utilises approximately 275 000 tons of barley malt per annum
for the production of beer. This is equivalent to 330 000 tons of barley.
The current capacity of SAB Maltings, SA Breweries malting division, is
220 000 tons of malt. For this 270 000 tons of barley is needed. SABM is
committed to use locally grown barley to the largest extent possible. The
size of the annual barley crop is one determining factor with regards to how
much locally grown barley is used. Another factor is to what extent certain
varieties, required for malting and brewing, can be produced under South
African conditions.
Normally between 70 and 90% of barley produced in the Southern Cape is
suited for malting purposes. This figure is directly dependant on the climatic
conditions in the Southern Cape during the growing season. During the
1995 season, for example, a record crop of 300 000 tons was harvested,
but during the next six seasons the barley industry came under severe
pressure due to very bad climatic conditions (As low as 67 000 tons
was produced during the 2001 season in this area). The aim to stabilize
the fluctuation caused by total production in only one geographical area,
and one with such a highly variable climatic environment, was one of the
most important drivers for SAB Maltings to start investigating malting barley
production under irrigation.
A statutory levy in terms of the Marketing of Agricultural Products Act is
applicable (R14.00/t barley) to finance research and information.
5. Emerging farmer news

SABs 16 year-old Taung Barley Farmers project was recognised as the
African Agricultural Commodities Initiative of the Year during the inaugural
Africa Investor Agribusiness Investment Awards during 2010.
The Agribusiness Investment Awards, run by leading international
investment research and communications group Africa Investor, are the
first to recognise Africas global agribusiness community. SABs Taung Small
Holder Farming project, which was launched in the Northern Cape in 1994
as a means of encouraging enterprise development, was rated ahead of
similar schemes across the continent.
The project is managed by the SAB Maltings Irrigation Agricultural Services
team in partnership with the North West Department of Agriculture,
Conservation, Environment and Rural Development and the local tribal
authority. It spans approximately 1 500 hectares of land and helps around
150 Emerging Farmers generate an income from barley and maize in the
area.
SAB provides the finance to the farmers to grow the crops, agricultural
extension services to ensure yields and quality and guarantees a market for
the product.
Through a partnership with Grain SA, a voluntary association of grain
farmers, the project is able to provide skills that empower farmers to work
independently on a sustainable basis.
6. Role players
Associations and Section 21 companies
Barley Evaluation Committee
Tel: 028 214 3100
The Barley Technical Committee,
linked to the Winter Cereals Trust,
can also be contacted at the above
number.
Grain SA
Winter Cereal Producers
Organisation
Tel: 0860 047 246
www.grainsa.co.za
South African Grain

Information Service (SAGIS)
Tel: 012 523 1400
www.sagis.org.za
Winter Cereal Trust
Tel: 012 663 1660
www.wintercerealtrust.co.za

(ARC-SGI)
Tel: 058 307 3507
www.arc.agric.za
The Taung Small Holder Barley

Farmers project was named the
African Agricultural Commodities
Initiative of the Year in 2010.
The ARC-SGI has a scheduled

training course, usually in October,
specifically for students and
extension officers working with
emerging farmers.
South African Barley Breeding

Institute (SABBI)
Tel: 028 212 2943 / 082 921 7996
www.sabbi.co.za
Its research work covers plant

breeding, the evaluation of cultivars,
grain quality, plant physiology, tillage
weed science, plant pathology,
entomology and yield potential.
Bureau for Food and
www.bfap.co.za
At Grain SA (see Associations
and Section 21 companies heading
above), training is done on barley
production under irrigation. Read
more about Grain SA training in
the Developing farmer support
chapter.
Institute of Brewing and
Distilling
Tel: 082 921 7971
www.ibdafrica.co.za
Situated on the Farm Dunghye

Park near Caledon, SABBI is
managed by SABM. It is a section
21 Company which receives grants
from the Winter Cereal Trust.
Find the Research option on the
website. SABBI is responsible for
the development of new varieties
for the industry.
Tel: 021 8084803
www.sun.ac.za/agron
Department of Food Science
Tel: 021 808 3578
www.sun.ac.za/foodsci
Tel: 051 401 2818
Tel: 012 420 3770
plant.science@up.ac.za
The SAB Maltings Agricultural www.up.ac.za
Advisor, Johannes Kokome, does
informal training, coaching and
mentoring with the farmers at
Taung and occasionally acts as guest
lecturer at the Taung Agricultural
College.
SAB Maltings (SABM)
Tel: 028 214 3100
432
Companies
For a comprehensive list go to www.sagis.org.za take the List of Co-workers and
then Barley menu options.
AFGRI Animal Feeds

Tel: 011 063 23474
www.afgri.co.za
The Beer Keg
www.thebeerkeg.co.za
The Nottingham Road Brewing

Company
Tel: 033 266 6728
www.nottsbrewery.co.za
Find the links to micro breweries

in South Africa
Overberg Agri Bedrywe

Tel: 028 214 3800
Boston Breweries
Tel: 021 511 4179
www.bostongroup.co.za
SA Breweries Ltd
Tel: 011 407 1740
www.sabmiller.com
Buhler
Tel: 011 801 3500
bjhb.cresta@buhlergroup.com
www.buhlergroup.com
SAB Maltings (Pty) Ltd

Tel: 028 214 3100
Dannhauser Malt (Pty) Ltd

Tel: 034 621 2661
De Heus Riversdal (Pty) Ltd
Tel: 031 785 1575
www.deheus.co.za
GWK Ltd
Tel: 053 298 8200
www.gwk.co.za
Senwes Ltd
Tel: 018 464 7800
www.senwes.co.za
Sentraal-Suid Co-operative
(SSK Ltd)
Tel: 028 514 8600
www.ssk.co.za
Trinity Procurement GmbH
Johannesburg Office
Tel: 011 676 9811
Kaap Agri Ltd

Tel: 022 482 8048
www.kaapagri.co.za

Included in the guides and reports that may be downloaded from www.
sabbi.co.za, website of the South African Barley Breeding Institute, are:
Guide to Sabbi Southern Cape (Dry Land) Barley Varieties 2012
Effects of Fungicide on Barley
SABBI Dry Land Barley Varieties 2011
Production practices for the variety Cocktail
Production of Malting Barley under Irrigation
Production of Malting Barley: Southern Cape (Dry Land)
The Guidelines for the Production of Small Grains in the Summer Rainfall Region
and The Guideline for the Production of Small Grains in the Winter Rainfall
Region are highly comprehensive and essential publications. Topics include
management of barley production (e.g. reaching target yields), soil tillage
guidelines, cultivar choice guidelines, fertilisation guidelines, and weed and
insect control. Contact the ARC SGI at 058 307 3400, or visit their pages
at www.arc.agric.za.
www.sagis.org.za SAGISs website: National stocks, producer deliveries,
import, exports, consumption, weekly parity prices, etc. Historical
information regarding this crop can also be found.
Some grower notes can also be found on www.daff.gov.za (under the
Publications and Brochures options.
www.howtobrew.com, making quality beers at home
Grateful thanks to Burrie Erasmus, Gawie Kotze and PG Strauss for reading the
draft chapter.

Berries
1. Overview
Berry farming is labour intensive.
As berries are sold as fresh produce, the post harvest process from the field
to the customer plays a vital role.
As it is largely an export crop, other challenges include the cost of freight
and competition from South America.
There are two reasons why South Africa is well-placed to tap into the
Northern Hemisphere markets:
We have a range of climates suitable for berry-growing.
We have a strategic advantage in the fact that we are out of season.
Berries are consumed as fruit, and also used as products for juice, jam,
yoghurt preserves and liqueur.
Source: Trevor McKenzie and www.southafrica.info

The blueberry industry in South Africa is a relatively new industry and
is still in growing. Blueberries are not native to South Africa, are not well
known and therefore the market for fresh blueberries is still very small
but is growing every year. The bulk of the fruit is exported as fresh fruit
to markets in Europe and in the UK.
The prices on the overseas markets have stabilised but due to the
seasonal difference there are still opportunities for us to market during
the Northern hemisphere Winter. The supply of fruit from South America
poses a serious threat to market stability in the future.
Raspberries
The seasonal difference between the northern and southern
hemisphere can enable the farmers to get the benefit of the higher
prices these fruit are sold for. Because raspberries are able to
be manipulated, they can be produced 12 months of the year in
moderate climates e.g. in Spain.
The exchange rate between the Rand and the US Dollar can be an
advantage in terms of export income. The air freight rate is set in
Dollars, though, so the cost of getting the product to the market
also increases as the rand devalues, which dilutes the effect of a
weak currency.
Raspberries can be grown successfully on a wide range of soil types
from sandy loam to clay, provided that the subsoil is well drained.
Raspberries are very labour and management intensive. Do not start
with a big enterprise without experience in the berry industry.
Source: Nick Prinsloo at the Nooitgedacht Research Station
The Perishable Products Export Control Board (PPECB) is the official

certification agency that ensures quality in the supply chain. The services
they offer are inspection services, logistical services, food safety auditing
and certification and information services which are updated annually in
their directory.
Both the local and export marketing of fruit are free from government
intervention. The exporting of fruit is subject to compliance with certain
quality requirements and obtaining a PPECB (Perishable Products Export
Control Board) export certificate.
433
Handling requirements for berries differ and there is no way one set of
handling requirements can be given. Suffice it to say that they are very
delicate fruits and must be handled with the utmost care.
Companies and growers
Prompt cooling after picking is important.
Amathole Berries (Pty) Ltd

Tel: 043 782 0610
www.amatholeberries.co.za
The cold chain must be strictly applied, because any temperature variation
will result in condensation of moisture on the fruit with subsequent increase
in decay.
Berrynice Berry Company

Tel: 087 550 1184
www.berrynice.co.za
Strawberries cannot be stored for more than 5 days as shrivelling, loss of

bright colour and waste development will occur. For this reason strawberries
can only be air freighted out of South Africa.
Almost all berry exports go to the United Kingdom and Europe.
Find information about berry exports in the PPECBs latest Export
Directory. Also, the Department of Agricultures Abstract of Agricultural
Statistics has a category strawberries and other berries; statistics relating
to production, gross value, sales on markets and purchases for processing
will be found here. Find the Publications menu option on www.daff.gov.
za.

www.daff.gov.za
Tel: 012 319 6072
DPH@daff.gov.za

Quality Assurance
Tel: 012 319 7306
4. Role players
Associations and statutory bodies
Tel: 021 930 1134
www.ppecb.com
South African Berry Producers
Association
Tel: 021 870 2936
michelle@hortgro.co.za
www.hortgro.co.za

Standards (SABS)
Tel: 012 428 7911
www.sabs.co.za
Food Safety Certification
programmes: GLOBALG.A.P.,
BRC, HACCP, ISO 22000
Pesticide residue testing for
quality control and R&D
purposes
Constituent or nutrient analysis
of food and water

ARC-Infruitec/Nietvoorbij
Tel: 021 809 3100
www.arc.agric.za
Charnie Craemer, an acarologist
(mite specialist)
CraemerC@arc.agric.za
Research on and identification of
plant feeding mite pests. Several
species of the Eriophyoidea (e.g.
bud mites) are important pests of
several currants and berries worldwide.
Nooitgedacht Research Station

(at Ermelo)
Nick Prinsloo
Tel: 017 819 2781
Department of Horticultural
Science
Tel: 021 808 4900
Climate Sciences
Tel: 051 401 2212
Polkadraai Strawberry Farm

Tel: 021 881 3303
Red Berry Farm
Tel: 044 870 7123/ 083 277 7421
www.redberryfarm.co.za
Outside George in the Western

Cape, Red Berry Farm produces
up to 220 tons of six varieties of
strawberries per year since 2001.
The farm attracts up to 30 000
BMB was the first Fair Trade people annually.
accredited blueberry grower
in the world. (Fair Trade is a South Cape Fruit
global movement that aims Tel: 044 881 0197 / 0028
to improve production and southcapefruit@hilbert.co.za
trading conditions to benefit
smallholders, farm workers Steyn, Dirk (a berry grower)
and disadvantaged employees Tel: 028 514 2523
and artisans).
Shade nets provides bird- The Jungle Berry Company
and
wind
control,
let Tel: 021 874 1020
rainwater through and reduce www.jungleberry.co.za
evaporation
Water is efficiently managed TopFruit
and scheduled by using Tel: 021 874 1033
drip irrigation and moisture www.topfruit.co.za
probes.
Valstar (Holland)
BSC Botanicals
www.valstar.nl
norac@bscbotanicals.com
VERTI-GRO
Dreammaker Fruits
Tel: 031 767 2096 / 083 400 0033
Tel: 022 931 8500
jeankotze@dreammaker.co.za
www.winterwood.co.uk
Find the Verti-gro option at www.
daisyfresh.co.za. Find out more
Growers
of
blueberries, about the Verti-gro system which
raspberries, blackberries
keeps the berry off the ground and
are more suitable for this area.
Eurafruit SA (Pty) Limited
Well-Pict Berries
Trevor McKenzie: Director
Tel: 044 870 7135 / 082 880 1351
Tel: 021 808 6641
Trevor@eurafruit.com
Wildebraam Berry Estate
A solid base of South African Tel: 028 514 3132
growers has been built up for www.wildebraam.co.za
export to the UK, with Eurafruit
providing the necessary technical Winterwood Farms Ltd
back up as well as the marketing of www.winterwood.co.uk
all fruit and co-ordinating the sales
logistics. Eurafruit holds the license A major company in the Berries
sector importing and exporting
for the production and marketing
of some of the major international Wynland Boerdery
blueberry breeding programmes.
Tel: 021 881 3222
www.zetler.co.za
Haygrove Heaven
Sean Tager 083 301 8747
One of the leading strawberry
producers in the Western Cape
Mooiberge
Tel: 021 881 3222
Blue Mountain Berries
Tel: 044 876 0131
bmb@hilbert.co.za
Mountain Breeze
Tel: 021 880 1700
434

The PPECB Export Directory is the official guide to South African perishable
export products and export service providers. The purpose of the abovementioned directory is to provide a comprehensive resource and reference
work of a broad spectrum of industry role-players and relevant information
to both national and international stakeholders involved in the export of
perishable products from South Africa. It is issued by the Perishable Products
Export Control Board (PPECB). Tel: 021 930 1134. www.ppecb.com (find
berries under the Exotic Fruit section).
The Abstract of Agricultural Statistics on www.daff.gov.za includes information
on Strawberries and other berries: Production, gross value, sales on
markets and purchases for processing. Find also the annual statistics on
fresh produce markets, which gives an exposition of the mass, value and
unit value of the sales of fruit at each of the national fresh produce markets,
month by month. These reports are also available from the Resource Centre
at the Department of Agriculture. Call 012 319 7141. Also find some notes
for growers under the Brochures option under Publications.

Black Tea
1. Overview
The tea plant survives best in a sub-tropical climate where changes in
temperature are slight. Tzaneen, Barberton, Vryheid and areas in KwaZuluNatal and the Eastern Cape are the areas where tea has been grown.
The Eastern Cape is generally regarded as the best tea production area in
South Africa because of the longer growing season as well as good rainfall
throughout the growing season.

Tea estates were established in areas of high unemployment in the1970 and

1980s. This was to give people who would otherwise have migrated to the
cities a reason to stay.
Processing of Berries, Volume 1 (Blackberries; Blackcurrent; Blueberries;

Cape Gooseberries; Cherries)
Processing of Berries, Volume 2 (Gooseberries; Raspberries; Redcurrants;
Strawberries)
Despite serving the domestic high quality tea demand and exporting of the
remainder of their output, South African black tea producers have since
2003 experienced great difficulty in ensuring a sustainable profit.
SA Groente en Vrugte a magazine, 6 issues a year. Contact 018 293 0622

for more information.
Visit the websites of companies involved e.g. www.amatholeberries.co.za.
Occasionally there are articles on berry farming in agricultural publications and
their related websites. Find A youngberry vintage at www.farmersweekly.
co.za, for example, where it is said that 90% of the worlds youngberries
are grown on only 70ha near Swellendam in the Western Cape.
www.driscolls.com Only the finest berries
www.urbanprocessing.com for information relating to cranberries
www.asktheberryman.com Supplying the world with berry
knowledge and resources
www.pickyourown.org where you can find a pick-your-own farm
near you (USA website)
www.raspberries.us an extensive source of information on
raspberries
The website of Allanhill Farming Co (UK) includes information on
strawberries www.allanhill.co.uk
Our thanks to Trevor McKenzie (Eurafruit), Jen Kotz (Dreammaker Fruits)
and Nick Prinsloo (Nooitgedacht Research Station) for input and valuable
feedback. Another source was the article Exporting berries to the UK has
its own unique challenges at www.howwemadeitinafrica.com.
South Africa is a net importer of tea.

A great deal of skill is required to complement the qualities of one tea
against another so as to ensure consistent quality and flavour. The tea
blender has the task of maintaining the unique taste of a blend. There is
no exact recipe he can rely on; he can only find the right combination of
teas by taste.
Crops vary in quality from day to day and country to country. Even the
time of picking can affect the flavour. Soil, altitude and climate all influence
the final flavour, and so does the process it undergoes.
The blending of the major tea brands in South Africa usually requires a
mix of South African tea with various quantities of tea from the other
countries.
How it is done:
The plucked leaves are first spread on racks and dried by circulating
hot air.
The withered leaves are crushed by rolling or cutting, tearing and
curling. This releases the natural juices.
The crushed leaves are then left in a cool moist atmosphere to
ferment.
The fermenting process causes the leaves to become a bright
coppery colour.
After this the fermented tea is dried by hot air, to become the
familiar black tea.
The dry black tea is sorted into grades by sifting machines, which
vibrate the leaves through different sizes of mesh.
Included in the Industrial Products: Black Tea Market Value Chain Profile: 20102011 at www.daff.gov.za are notes on all the phases involved in processing.

The Industrial Products: Black Tea Market Value Chain Profile: 2010-2011 at
www.daff.gov.za analyses the black tea import and export figures over the past
decade.
Within the ambit of promoting South African trade with Africa, it is

noteworthy that here are more than three African countries in the top
ten list of suppliers of tea to South Africa. (see Table 1). In 2010, the top
ten were led by Malawi, followed by Tanzania and Zimbabwe, accounting
respectively for a 54.4 %, 12.9 % and 10.9 % share of South Africas total
value of imports.
435
South African Imports

Malawi
Tanzania
Zimbabwe
Sri Lanka
Kenya
China
UAE
UK
India
Argentina
South African exports
Challenges to farm profitably with black tea include:
% share 2010
54.4 -8.0
44.4
10.9
9.7
5.0
2.5
0.9
0.7
0.7
0.7
% share 2010
Mozambique
Zambia
UK
Zimbabwe
China
Netherlands
Pakistan
United States
Germany
Egypt
34.1
12.1
10.2
7.1
6.8
4.9
3.2
2.4
2.3
1.7
Source: NAMC Trade Profile July 2011. Find it on www.namc.co.za.
Known as the birthplace of tea, for hundreds of years China produced

the only teas known to the western world. Although consuming much
of her own production, China still accounts for over 18% of world
exports.
In 1972, the island then known as Ceylon reverted to the traditional
name of Sri Lanka, but retained the name of Ceylon for the marketing
of teas. Because of the geographical location, tea can be plucked in Sri
Lanka all year round: the west and east of the island are divided by central
mountains so that as each regions season ends, the other begins. Sri
Lanka accounts for over 21% of world exports.
India is also one of the main tea growers, exporting more than 14% of
the worlds tea and with over 400,000 hectares under cultivation.
As the most recent of the tea producing countries, African countries
have been able to build on the experience of other producers. About
25% of world exports amounting to some 250 000 tonnes are produced
in Africa. The major growers are Kenya, Malawi, Uganda, Tanzania and
Zimbabwe.
In Australia, the industry has been forced to mechanise because tea
production, especially tea plucking (harvesting), is extremely labour
intensive. In most tea-producing countries, the labour-intensive method of
picking, drying, crushing and fermenting tea has been used for centuries.
low world market prices for black tea and the fact that black tea is a
US dollar traded commodity;
the difference between the producer prices and retail prices for black
tea is alarmingly higher than most other agricultural commodities;
production costs (which include minimum wages) are higher than
in neighbouring SADC countries. South Africas costs are R16/kg
compared to R8/kg and R10/kg in countries like Malawi, Kenya and
Sri Lanka);
there is no protection against tea imports from SADC countries, nor is
there any financial incentive for tea packers to pack local tea;
the dominance of tea packers; two major tea packaging companies
dominate more than 80% of the Southern African black tea market;
black tea producers in South Africa have no mechanism to negotiate
better prices with tea packers; they are price takers as the packers
determine the prices.
Source: The Industrial Products: Black Tea Market Value Chain Profile: 2010-2011
at www.daff.gov.za
For more information, consult the Industrial Products: Black Tea Market
Value Chain Profile: 2010-2011 at www.daff.gov.za (take Publications and
Agricultural Marketing options).
Tea estates in the country are capable of employing more than 14 thousand
human beings when in full production. More than 6 thousand people lost
employment when Grenshoek, Middelkop, Ngome, Richmond, Paddock
and Senteeko went out of production.
A number of private sector and government partnerships have led to
the revitalisation of the black tea industry and currently five estates are
in operation: Tshivhase and Mukumbani (Limpopo), Ntingwe (KwaZuluNatal), Magwa (Eastern Cape), and Gradely (Mpumalanga).
Marketing strategies have included working with Rooibos growers in the
Northern Cape, producing very healthy low caffeine green tea (LCGT) in
addition to black tea, and working with tea blenders from other African
countries.
The Ntingwe estate is a success story: pure Ntingwe tea is currently sold
under the estates name in tea bags marked Zulu Tea, while Yorkshire
Gold, a blend of Ntingwe tea and other varieties, is a second retail blend
sold in overseas markets. Since 2004 the tea has also been sold locally at
Woolworths under the Ntingwe Estate brand name.
5. Role players
Packers, procurers, processors and distributors
AVI Limited
Tel: 011 502 1300
www.avi.co.za
Bevco Tea and Coffee

Tel: 012 661 8883
www.bevco.co.za
South Africas black tea export market is worth about R20 million a year,
while the country imports about 16 million kilograms of tea a year for
domestic use.
Back to Basics (Pty) Ltd

Tel: 011 472 1922
Fax: 011 472 2008
Butlers
Tel: 021 551 5815
www.agl-unl.co.za
With annual consumption at around 20 000 tons per annum and domestic
production (excluding Magwa) at approximately 10 000 tons, South Africa is
a net importer of black tea. Black Tea is imported from Malawi, Zimbabwe,
Kenya and Sri Lanka and Mozambique.
Barnes Tea & Coffee Merchants

Tel: 011 793 7037
3.
Local business environment
436
Ciro Beverage Solutions (part

of AVI Ltd)
Tel: 011 287 6700
Tel: 021 447 6110
Tel: 031 792 0900
www.ciro.co.za
Clipper Coffee & Tea cc
Tel: 021 448 9181
Colombo Tea & Coffee
Company
Tel: 031 205 3283
www.colombo.co.za
Overberg Coffee and Tea

Company
sales@overbergcoffeeco.co.za
www.overbergcoffeeco.co.za
Peacock Gourmet Coffee &
Exotic Teas
Tel: 021 762 5067
www.peacockteaandcoffee.co.za
Details of distributors countrywide
are on the website
Royal Tea Packers
Tel: 033 397 9264
http://royaltea.co.za
Joekels Tea Packers

Tel: 031 709 1409
www.joekels.co.za
Sara Lee Coffee & Tea SA

Tel: + 31 30 2979111
www.douwe-egberts.com
Kings Tea & Coffee

Tel: 0861 474 474
http://kingsteacoffee.co.za
Southalls (Pty) Limited see

Joekels Tea Packers
LC Packaging
Tel: 041 456 3003
http://lcpackaging.co.za
Tea & Coffee Distributors

Tel: 041 374 0033
http://tea-coffee.co.za
Mastertons Tea & Coffee

Tel: 041 585 4044
www.mastertonscoffee.co.za
Mzansi Organic Teas
Tel: 079 871 5069
mzansi.organicteas@gmail.com
www.jardinsdegaia.com
Tea and Coffee Emporium

Tel: 011 615 7147
www.teaandcoffee.co.za
Tea Blenders Company Ltd
Tel: 031 573 1028
National Brands Ltd Tea see

AVI
Teabox
Tel: 084 455 6693
www.teabox.co.za
New Look Packers

Tel: 011 763 5696
http://newlookpackers.co.za
W M Cahn
Tel: 011 807 2180
www.wmcahn.co.za
Origin Coffee Roasting

Tel: 021 421 1000
www.originroasting.co.za
Equipment
I & M Smith
Tel: 011 781 6150
www.iandmsmith.com

Find the Industrial Products: Black Tea Market Value Chain Profile:
2010-2011 at www.daff.gov.za (take Publications and Agricultural
Marketing options).
Find the story A cup of tea for food security on www.fao.org.
Consumers in tea-producing countries drink just a tenth of the
amount of tea than those in mature import markets, representing a
major opportunity for tea-growers if the right marketing strategies are
employed.
www.teacouncil.co.uk and www.tea.co.uk The Tea Council is the
independent body dedicated to promoting tea and its unique story
for the benefit of those who produce, sell and enjoy tea the world
over. For further information on the international tea picture, find the
Tea Directory here. Tea producing countries are listed, a short history
given, and a breakdown of their teas is given.
www.teaadvisorypanel.com an important resource for health
professionals with the latest tea-related health research
Canola
1. Overview
Canola is an oilseed crop that is mainly grown in the Western Cape, but
farmers to the north of here are also starting to plant canola. Higher
yields and higher oil percentages are possible in the northern provinces
owing to deeper and better soils with more water holding capacities.
Canola can be used as a dual purpose crop (for grazing and the harvest
of seeds) in summer rainfall areas such as the Eastern Cape, Free State
and KwaZulu-Natal. For dual purpose cropping, it should be planted
January to March. For dry land harvesting only it is planted April/May,
while under irrigation before wheat.
For grazing, canola has better quality than oats, while long growing
varieties have 1,5 to double the dry matter production than oats.
Canola is an excellent rotation crop, and should be used to increase
profits of crops such as maize and wheat. Advantages include, for
example, the lowering of root knot nematodes and Phytophtera.
The growing of Canola needs good management. Special care should
be taken with harvesting of the small pips. Road and rail trucks need to
be sealed tightly in order to prevent losses in transit.
In South Africa, Canola is primarily used for the manufacturing of canola
oil and oil cake. The protein rich oil cake is used in feeds for dog food
and livestock rations.
Canola oil is healthier and cheaper than olive oil. In effect it is olive oil
+ omega 3, thus assisting with lower cholesterol, against heart and
coronary diseases, and lowering the chances of certain cancers.
When canola oil is mixed in even ratios with butter, you get a healthier
spread, with better taste. In Canada and Australia, many restaurants
and quick food suppliers (industrial deep-frying) have transferred to
canola for deep frying.
Statistics (e.g. crop estimates, export/import etc) may be found at
www.daff.gov.za take the Publications menu option and www.
sagis.org.za.
The local consumption requirement for canola is around 24 500 tons
per year.
According to Petrus Fouch of the PhytoEnergy Group, from 2014
canola will be used to produce bio diesel, and eventually 1.1 million ton
of canola seed will be needed for this purpose. It therefore is a crop
with enormous economic potential.
Canola based biodiesel
Diesel based on other feedstock freezes as low as -5 to -8C. Canola
based biodiesel is safe as far down as -22C and meets the strict EU
quality specifications.
In contrast to food or bio fuel, with canola it is food and bio fuel, as
60 % of the crop is used for feed, while the crop rotation increases
both maize and wheat yields for up to 4 years, thus increasing
food production on less hectares. The added dual purpose pasture
opportunity further increases food production.
In summer rainfall areas canola can be grown as a dry land crop on
stored summer rain, or irrigated.
The oil content is higher than other feedstock used in South Africa
i.e. 36-42% vs. soya 20% and sunflower 30%.
The by-product of about 60 % (oilcake) can be used for:
- high protein animal feed that is currently imported thereby resulting in
cheaper dairy products; cheaper beef (input costs will be reduced)
- glycerin (cosmetics, pharmaceutical, textile & other uses) reducing
importation.
437
2.
The production of canola in South Africa is usually lower than the

demand and favourable prices are achieved.
The biggest sales point for canola in the Western Cape is the industrial
market because of its good emulsifying characteristics.
The market for bottled canola oil has room for growth because it is not
well known among consumers. It is also fairly unknown in the industrial
deep-frying market.
Canola is a good source of protein in animal feed and large quantities
of protein for animal feeds have to be imported every year.
The canola marketing season in South Africa commences on 1 October
and ends on 30 September the following year.
See the Monthly Bulletin on the SAGIS website for updated
information.
Find the Canola grading regulations under the Documents and
brochures option at www.graansilo.co.za, website of the Grain Silo
Industry.
The domestic demand for plant oils is estimated at 720 000 tons per
year.
Approximately 300 000 to 350 000 tons of plant oils are produced in
South Africa and the balance is imported, primarily as sunflower oil
and soy oil.
Canola competes with other plant oils, mainly sunflower oil and soy
oil, on the local market. South Africa is a net importer of plant oils.
3.
International business environment
Oilseed information is also available on the Oil World website www.

oilworld.biz at a fee.
www.canola-council.org Canola Council of Canada
www.canolainfo.org a Canadian website for everyone who wants to
know more about the worlds healthiest oil.

ARC-PPRI
Tel: 021 887 4690
tribeg@arc.agric.za
Tel. 021 808 4803
www.sun.ac.za/agron
Research in exotic slugs and other

problems causing losses to canola University of the Free State
plantings in conservation farming.
Climate Sciences
Tel: 051 401 2212
www.ufs.ac.za
Tel: 011 803 2579/ 1894
5.
Websites and publications

Find the canola grower notes under the Publications and Brochures
options at www.daff.gov.za.
Canolafokus is a newsletter that publishes contemporary research results.
These can be downloaded from the Protein Research Foundations website
www.proteinresearch.net.
www.sagis.org.za the SAGIS website for statistics (national stocks,
producer deliveries, imports, exports, consumption, weekly parity prices,
historical information, etc).
Find the Pest Monitor Canola programme at www.elsenburg.com/trd/
pests/canola.html.
Canola is covered frequently by the agricultural weeklies, Landbouweekblad
and Farmers Weekly. Find archived articles at www.landbou.com and www.
farmersweekly.co.za. According to the former, canolas time has come (find
Belowendste kanola-oes in 18 jaar story (23 Aug 2011).
4. Role players
Companies
BKB Grainco (Pty) Ltd
Tel: 021 807 8900
www.grainco.co.za
Phyto Energy Group

Tel: 011 881 5562
www.phytoenergy.org
Epic Foods
Tel: 011 248 000
www.epic.co.za
Sentraal-Suid Kop
Tel: 028 514 8600
www.ssk.co.za
Epol Worcester
Tel: 023 346 6401
www.epol.co.za
South African Grain Information

Service (SAGIS)
Tel: 012 523 1400
www.sagis.org.za
Moorreesburgse Koringboere
(MKB)
Tel: 022 433 8300
www.mkb.co.za
Overberg Agri Bedrywe
(Eiendoms) Beperk
Tel: 028 214 3800/15
Southern Oil
Tel: 028 514 3441
www.soill.co.za
Tuinroete Agri Ltd
Tel: 044 601 1200
www.tagri.co.za
Associations and section 21 companies

Grain SA
Tel: 0860 047 246
www.grainsa.co.za
Oilseeds Advisory Committee

Tel: 011 234 3400
www.opot.co.za
Oil and Protein Seeds

Development Trust
Tel: 011 234 3400
www.opot.co.za
South African Oil Processors

Association (SAOPA)
Tel: 082 533 0692
Fax: 086 627 7603
bakerjc@telkomsa.net
Our thanks to SAGIS and Petrus Fouch of the PhytoEnergy Group for input to the
draft chapter.

Cassava
1. Overview
Find the Production Guidelines: Cassava document under the Publications
and Brochures options at www.daff.gov.za.
Cassava (Manihot esculenta CCrantz), also commonly known as manioc,
mandioca and tapioca, was first cultivated more than 4 000 years ago,
probably in Brazil or Mexico. It was introduced into Africa only in
the 17th century yet today about 40 percent of global output comes
from Africa (the rest being produced almost equally by Asia and Latin
America).
Nigeria is the biggest producer of cassava, whilst Thailand is the
foremost exporter.
Cassava is the developing worlds fourth most important crop. It is the
staple food of nearly a billion people in 105 countries where the root
provides as much as a third of daily calories.
It has huge potential at present, average cassava yields are barely
20% of those obtained under optimum conditions.
Cassava is the cheapest known source of starch, and used in more than
300 industrial products including the manufacture of tyres, adhesives,
ethanol, Pharmaceuticals, livestock feeds, biofuels and alcohol. Its many
industrial uses identify it as potentially a great export crop for Africa.
438
2.
Role players
ARC- Institute for Industrial

Crops (ARC-IIC)
Dr Tom Vorster
Tel: 014 536 3150
TomV@arc.agric.za
www.arc.agric.za
Find the technical report Results
obtained from a baseline study on
cassava in South Africa and other
notes on cassava (its importance in
the world, its potential etc) under
the Institute for Industrial Crops
pages on the website.
Corporation (IDC)
Tel: 011 269 3000
www.idc.co.za
Chicory
iNEMBE BABY FOOD

Tel: 013 752 8307
SABMiller
Cervejas de Mocambique
Tel: +258 21 352 300
www.sabmiller.com

Tel: 051 401 2514
ARCRoodeplaat Vegetable
and Ornamental Plant Institute www.ufs.ac.za
(ARC-VOPI)
Tel: 012 841 9611
Improvement
Tel: 033 260 5524 / 6288
Corporation (ECDC)
www.acci.org.za
Tel: 043 704 5600
www.ecdc.co.za
University of the
Trials with cassava have been run Witwatersrand
in the Eastern Cape near Port St School of Molecular and Cell
Biology
Johns, Bizana, and in Ncera Village
Tel: 011 717 6310/26
near East London.
www.wits.ac.za/mcb

African research institutes and bodies like NEPAD (find details in the
Science and Research chapter) are major role players. Cassava is promoted
as a Powerful Poverty Fighter in Africa. The cassava vision is: Increased
contribution of cassava as a food security crop and a major source of
industrial raw material for income generation in Africa by 2015.
International Centre for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT) www.ciat.cgiar.
org
International Institute for Tropical Agriculture (IITA) www.iita.org
4. Cassava and South Africa

While cassava has had a long history in the rest of Africa, cassava is not
a well-known crop in South Africa and its agricultural potential in South
Africa needs to be fully exploited.
Whereas it is grown as a primary staple food in Africa, in South Africa it
is grown as a secondary crop by smallholders in Mpumalanga, Limpopo
and KwaZulu-Natal.
It is sold within South Africa or to traders from Swaziland and
Mozambique.
Currently in South Africa 20 000 tonnes of cassava starch is produced
commercially.
At present, most glucose is produced from maize starch. If cassava
could be introduced successfully in South Africa, it could become the
preferred source for raw material as a result of its higher yield per unit
area.
Sources:
1. Correspondence with, and notes by, Dr Tom Vorster at the ARC-Institute

for Industrial Crops
2. The article Cassava Research Project: Improvement of cassava for social
and economic benefits by Professor Chrissie Rey on http://saspp.org,
website of the Southern Africa Society for Plant Pathology.
3. Rooting out hunger in Africa, and making Darwin proud, a report in the
Mail & Guardian in 2010. Find it at www.mg.co.za.
1. Overview
Chicory (Cichorium intybus), a member of the sunflower family, produces
a large tapered root which has been used for many years for its beneficial
effect on the human digestive system (read about the health benefits of
chicory on www.chicory.co.za).
Roots of chicory are dried, ground and used as a coffee substitute or
supplement. Chicory is also widely used in beverages as a blend with coffee
and as an ingredient in pet food and breakfast cereals.
Chicory was first introduced into South Africa for commercial use in 1895 in
the Alexandria area in the Eastern Cape. The bulk of South Africas chicory
is still grown here, and the chicory industry is a major employer.
South Africa produces 25 000 tons of chicory a year. Chicory SA in
Alexandria buys harvested chicory root from farmers, dries, roasts and sells
it to companies such as Nestl International in KwaZulu-Natal and National
Brands in Johannesburg for the production of blended coffee and chicory
beverages.

Chicory is grown under contract to Chicory SA.
Chicory is traditionally a rainfed crop with the best yields coming from
along the coast. After the changing weather patterns of the past years,
chicory is grown under irrigation in some areas now.
The production of chicory is labour-intensive (manual weed control
and harvesting), and labour costs account for a large part of the input
costs.
There is no restriction on chicory being imported. Particularly when
the rand is strong, imports are a threat to the industry.
Despite the numbers of producers decreasing over the past ten years,
improved technology and management kept the volume of chicory
produced in South Africa at the same level. Increasing imports though
is forcing the volume down.
A different chicory is cultivated and produced in the Western Cape,
different to the chicory which is added to coffee or drunk on its own. A
member of the Asteraceae (chicory) family, it is also known as witloof or
Belgian endive. The nutritious, yellow-white leaves make fabulous salads,
soups and other dishes.
It is cultivated hydroponically in Cape Town, and is sold by Woolworths,
Pick n Pay and Freshmark as a fresh vegetable. Not restricted to a
particular season, it will always be available, whether for summer salads
or winter soups. Not a single morsel gets wasted, as the whole chicon
is edible.
For more information, visit the website www.endivia.co.za.
3.
National strategy and government contact
Find Food Safety and Quality Assurance under the Divisions menu option
at www.daff.gov.za, website of the Department of Agriculture, Forestry
and Fisheries
439
4. Role players
in terms of variability in quality of the same cultivar produced in different

areas.
Chicory SA Limited is based in the Eastern Cape, its products are marketed
to manufacturers and consumers in South Africa and internationally. Products
sold by Chicory SA include dried chicory, roasted chicory and liquid chicory
extract as well as its own pure, caffeine-free chicory for the local market.
Chicory SA also provides vital ingredients to manufacturers of a variety
of top selling brand name products, commercially available in major chain
stores. Visit www.chicory.co.za or call 046 653 0048. The South African
Chicory Producers Organisation can be reached at the same number
046 653 0048.

Two publications are available from the ARC:
Chicory, a leaflet which can be ordered from the ARC in Roodeplaat.
Contact 012 841 9611 of fax 012 808 0844.
Processing of Industrial Crops (chicory, coffee, sugar cane, tea) is available
from the ARC in Silverton. Call 012 842 4017 or email iaeinfo@arc.
agric.za.
Notes on chicory can be found at www.chicory.co.za, the website of
Chicory SA.
Visit http://chicoryusa.com
Sources: www.chicory.co.za; www.endivia.co.za and Farmers Weekly, 10 December
2010, the articleRevitalising local chicory.
Our thanks to Paul Griffiths of Chicory SA for feedback on the draft chapter.

Citrus fruit
Refer also to the Fruit chapter
1. Overview
Citrus comprises of the following broad categories: oranges, soft citrus,
grapefruit, and lemons and limes. These can be consumed as fresh fruit or
processed for juice making, juice concentrates and dried fruit production.
Citrus fruit can also be processed as essential oils obtained from fruit peels.
These are used by the flavour houses to add flavour to drinks and food, by
pharmaceutical companies, in aromatherapy and by the cosmetics industry.
Regions under citrus are climatically diverse. Examples are:
the semi-tropical areas of the low-lying eastern seaboard (Zimbabwe,
Moambique, and Limpopo, Mpumalanga and KwaZulu-Natal provinces
of South Africa);
the higher lying subtropical areas (Nelspruit, Letaba, Zimbabwe
middleveld);
the cool coastal areas of the Eastern and Western Cape.
The northern and eastern areas of Southern Africa are all summer rainfall
areas, whereas the Western and Southern Cape enjoy a Mediterranean-type
climate with winter rainfall. In the Eastern Cape a bimodal rainfall pattern
exists with rains mostly occurring in spring and the fall. This broad climatic
range from semi-tropical to Mediterranean-type climates has numerous,
distinct advantages resulting in a wide range of cultivars being successfully
produced from late February/early March through to late September/mid
October.
Any natural and/or phytosanitary disaster can also not equally affect all
regions, and the supply of fruit from Southern Africa as a whole is thus
fairly stable from year to year. However, this diversity also has disadvantages
Citrus production is primarily focused on export and is therefore highly

exposed to competition. Maintaining a good (cost competitive) position,
high fruit quality (which includes compliance to phytosanitary standards)
and keeping abreast with changes in world market trends are of the utmost
importance.
2. Growers points of interest

Citrus Improvement Programme and nursery practices
Most citrus nurseries in Southern Africa participate in the Citrus
Improvement Programme (CIP). The CIP serves the citrus Industry via
a centralised budwood supply farm (Citrus Foundation Block, CFB) near
Uitenhage, close to Port Elizabeth. Currently the CFB supplies all certified
propagation material to accredited citrus nurseries. A nuclear block of
virus-free material of all cultivars is maintained at the Agricultural Research
Council-Institute for Tropical and Subtropical Crops in Nelspruit.
Rootstocks
During the 1980s and more so in the 1990s, Troyer and Carrizo citranges,
and Swingle citrumelo, gradually became the rootstocks of choice. This
aspect is important for the future competitiveness of the Southern African
citrus industry to produce fruit of high eating quality to compete with
citrus production regions such as Argentina, Uruguay and Australia where
trifoliate orange rootstock is preferentially used due to the cold tolerance
it imparts on the scion.
Planting time and procedure

Since most nurseries are producing trees in containers, time of orchard
establishment is not critical. However, in the colder, windy areas the
preferred planting time is early spring (September/October). Nursery trees
are commonly topped at 60 to 70cm height to allow scaffold development
to occur at a height of 40 to 60cm. Recently, there is commercial interest
in planting trellised, untopped trees for earlier production in slow-growing
regions such as the Western Cape.
Spacing trends
Citrus tended to be ranched in certain areas, especially the hot climatic
regions. Due to increased establishment costs and the need for earlier
economic break-even, and the need to have sunlight-, spray- and pickerfriendly trees, there has been a move towards increasingly higher planting
densities. Also, the new wave of technology development in tree size
maintenance, particularly pruning, provide citrus producers with more
confidence to plant at higher densities.
In the hotter regions, where Valencia oranges and grapefruit are produced,
spacings of 7x3 meters or 6x3 meters are commonly used, whereas in
the cooler regions, where Navel oranges, and Clementine and Satsuma
mandarins are produced, spacings as wide as 6x3 meters and as close as 4.5
or 5x2 meters are used.
Preplant soil preparation

The high potential soils of the northern areas (with little or no need for pH
correction) is usually only ripped and land preparation costs are thus quite
low. In the Western Cape region a lot of money is spent on proper ripping
and ploughing. Soil pH correction and other ameliorants (phosphorus,
sometimes micro-elements) are added in a double ploughing action.
Expensive subsoil drainage systems are often required. In addition, in many
cases ridging is considered to provide for added drainage or where the soil
is high in clay content.
Windbreaks
Virtually all citrus orchards in Southern Africa have windbreaks. Many
windbreak types have been tested or are commonly used. The most
well-adapted windbreak tree throughout Southern Africa is beefwood
or Casuarina (Casuarina cunninghamiana Miq.). Pinus radiata D. Don and
silky oak (Grevillea robusta A. Cunn) are sometimes used. Deciduous type
windbreaks are often used as secondary windbreaks in conjunction with
440
beefwood in the Western Cape, e.g. Dutch alder (Alnus cordata) and
Chinese poplar (Populus simonii [syn. P. obtusa]).
Row orientation
Whereas it is not so critical to plant in north-south row directions in the
northern regions (lower latitude, dry winters) it is still commonly done.
In the more southern latitudes with the more extreme angle of the sun
and where rain or dew can keep the tree wet for extended periods during
harvest, it is essential to plant in a north-south row direction.
Irrigation and fertigation

Under-tree microsprinkler irrigation systems are most commonly used,
while some orchards still use overhead sprinkler irrigation. More recently,
however, drip irrigation systems have become increasingly common, with
an increased use of drip fertigation where pH and electrical conductivity
are controlled in a balanced nutrient solution is provided daily to restrict
root system development in a bid to control tree phenology. To attain
good eating quality, pre-harvest water stress (limited or deficit irrigation) is
becoming an accepted practice, for example with Satsuma mandarin.
Fertilisation
Fertilisation of bearing trees is exclusively based on annual leaf analysis data
from leaves from fruiting terminals and the previous history of the orchard
with respect to yield, fruit size, quality and previous fertilisation record.
Phosphorus and potassium are applied as soil applications, whereas
magnesium and the micro-elements (copper, boron, zinc, manganese and
molybdenum) are applied as foliar applications, when required. Soil pH
correction is achieved by the addition of calcitic or dolomitic lime, and
water penetration or salinity problems are addressed by the application of
gypsum.
Pruning
In some production regions there is a shift towards selective pruning by hand
or with pneumatic pruning equipment. Most large orchards are, however,
hedged and topped mechanically.
Source: CRI, G H Barry and Etienne Rabe
Export
Sixty-one percent of the South African crop is exported; the rest is sold
locally as fresh produce or channelled to the processing industry.
The Middle East (25%), Far East (23%), UK and EU (19%) are our
dominant export markets for oranges. Grapefruit, our next largest
citrus crop, goes to the Far East (63%) and the EU (30%).
At 68%, the EU is our largest market for lemons, followed by the
Middle East (24%).
The Citrus Growers Association website www.cga.co.za has information
on packed and shipped volumes which is updated weekly during the citrus
season. All growers of export citrus who pay the levy, and exporters who
are registered with FPEF (Fresh Produce Exporters Forum) have access
to this information, as do members of the CMF (Citrus Marketing Forum).
Passwords are available by contacting gloria@cga.co.za.
Find Recommended Usage Restrictions For Plant Protection Products MRLs On
Southern African Export Citrus on the Citrus Growers Association website
www.cga.co.za. This document was compiled by Vaughan Hattingh (Citrus
Research International) and Paul Hardman (Citrus Growers Association of
Southern Africa) and is updated twice a year.
The Perishable Products Export Control Board (PPECB) does the auditing
of South African fresh produce businesses for the Food Safety requirements
which came into effect on 1 January 2004.
Source: SOUTH AFRICAN FRUIT TRADE FLOW September 2011, which
can be found on www.namc.co.za.

The Citrus Market Value Chain Profile: 2010-2011 at www.daff.gov.za provides an
analysis of the citrus value chain.
Citrus produce in South Africa is sold through different marketing channels

such as national fresh produce markets, informal markets (street hawkers),
directly to processors for juice making and dried fruit production. The fruits
are also sold directly to wholesalers and retailers through signed contracts.
The larger portion is exported to foreign countries through export agents.
IDC Rehabilitates Eastern Cape Citrus Farming
Find From the Desk of the CEO and Global Citrus Scan on the CGA
website www.cga.co.za. These are updated weekly and keep growers
informed on local and international matters affecting the citrus industry.
CLAM consists of the following member countries that produce citrus
France, Spain, Morocco, Italy, Israel, Cyprus, Greece, Turkey, Egypt and
Tunisia. South Africa and the USA are Associated Members. Visit www.
clamcitrus.org.
Applying a model that can potentially reconfigure South African rural

farming, the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) has rehabilitated
a historically disadvantaged Eastern Cape citrus farming community and
created 362 new jobs in an environment riddled with unemployment.
Upon full production in 2011, the farms will generate R61,5m in annual
foreign exchange earnings. Initially targeting nine emerging citrus farmers,
the IDC is currently working with another six farmers to further expand
the scheme.
South Africa and Argentina are the two Southern Hemisphere countries
that produce significant quantities of all citrus products (i.e. orange, lemon,
grapefruit and soft citrus). Other Southern Hemisphere countries, such as
Brazil, only produce large quantities of oranges.
Geoffrey Qhena, CEO of IDC, says the financing will fund the farmers land
acquisitions from the Department of Land Affairs, replant and rehabilitate
300ha of citrus orchards and provide working capital facilities.
Southern Hemisphere Association of Fresh Fruit Exporters (SHAFFE)

represents, as the name suggests, southern hemisphere fresh fruit exporters:
Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Chile, New Zealand, South Africa, Swaziland,
Uruguay and Zimbabwe. See www.shaffe.net.
Established citrus farming, packaging and marketing company Riverside

Enterprises will administer the loans and provide marketing, extension and
administrative services to train the farmers into becoming commercially
viable entities in their own right.
Source: IDC Press release September 2011
441
5. Projects and new farmer information

The Info Pak Cultivation of Citrus (see Websites and publications heading)
is a practical introduction to growing citrus.
Citrus Growers Association (CGA)
Transformation
Tel: 010 003 0206
The Transformation portfolio of the CGA has been re-structured to
include a Transformation Manager, stationed at the CGA offices in KZN,
and two Extension officers, one in the north and one in the south. It is
their responsibility to ensure the meaningful inclusion of the previously
disadvantaged in all walks of the citrus industry.
Back in 2005, the CGA brought out a publication Our Citrus Transforms,
which showed some of the many already existing transformation and
mentorship activities within the citrus industry. In 2008, Women in Citrus
was published and distributed to growers and interested parties bringing
to light just a few of the women of all race groups who are contributing
to the successes of the citrus industry in southern Africa. A publication
investigating the numerous cases of Youth in Citrus was distributed in 2009,
planned for release in early 2010. All three books are available from the
CGA offices. Call 031 765 2514 or e-mail Gloria@cga.co.za.
The latest publication is entitled Fruits of Success. This is follow up to Our
Citrus Transforms and the transformation taking place within the citrus
industry. All four books are available from the CGA offices. Call 031 765
2514 or e-mail Gloria@cga.co.za.
Citrus Academy
Tel: Tel: 013 313 3364
www.citrusacademy.org.za
The Citrus Academy was established at the beginning of 2005 as a division
of the Citrus Growers Association, with the purpose of creating an enabling
environment for skills development within the South African citrus industry.
Since April 2007, the Academy has been a separate section 21 company.
The activities of the Academy are funded by CGA levies, with additional
project funding sources from a variety of donors.
The Citrus Academy has been tasked with addressing five major challenges,
being general low skills levels in the industry, employment equity, ownership
transformation, scarce and critical skills and quality skills development
delivery.
The Academy manages a bursary fund that supports students at every
level from secondary education upwards, and at a wide range of academic
institutions. The Citrus Academy also develops written and visual learning
material and learning programmes, assists growers with determining
their skills development needs, and represents citrus growers in matters
pertaining to skills development.
The website of the Citrus Academy has been designed as a functional tool
where visitors can apply for bursaries, find a training service provider or
register as one, find a candidate or register a vacancy, find a job or register
as a job seeker, download learning material and learning programmes, and
find information about the latest developments on the skills development
front.
6. Role players
Associations and statutory bodies
The general fruit chapter has contact details for the Fresh Produce Exporters
Forum and other relevant bodies.
Citrus Growers Association of Southern Africa (CGA)
Justin Chadwick: Chief Executive Officer
Tel: 031 765 2514
info@cga.co.za
www.cga.co.za
The CGA is mandated to maximise the long-term profitability of its

members. A statutory levy of 47 cents per 15 kg carton allows them to fund
a number of programmes mainly research and research-related (disease
management, integrated pest management and fruit quality enhancement).
This levy will increase over the next four-year period to 56c/carton in 2016.
Other programmes include citrus improvement, market access, sanitary and
phytosanitary issues, technology transfer and industry transformation. On
the request of growers, marketing information and logistics have now been
included in the range of services offered to citrus growers and exporters.
Perishable Products Export Control Board (PPECB)
Tel: 021 930 1134
www.ppecb.com
PPECB provides internationally preferred food, safety, quality and assurance
services to promote and instils confidence in South African products.
Contact details of all their regional branches are available on their website.
Citrus Marketing Forum (CMF)
Joint chairpersons: Stuart Symington and Justin Chadwick
Secretarial services: Gloria Weare gloria@cga.co.za
The CMF currently meets three times a year, at the beginning of the citrus
season, mid season and end of season. Export agents, growers of export
citrus and other stakeholders have an opportunity to voice their opinions
and discuss the various markets. Estimates for the various commodity types
are also discussed and the meeting is therefore aware of where the fruit is
going and can discuss alternative destinations and advise the export agents
accordingly.
South African Citrus Processors Association
Tel: 015 298 6001

ARC-Institute for Tropical and Subtropical Crops (ARC-ITSC)
Tel: 013 753 7000
www.arc.agric.za
The ITSC in Nelspruit breeds new varieties and houses the citrus quarantine
facility.
Citrus Research International (Pty) Ltd (CRI)
Tel: 013 759 8000
www.citrusres.com
CRI, the research arm of Citrus Growers Association, has been
commissioned to research and develop the technical issues required to
enhance access of southern African citrus to world markets. This includes
requirements for opening new markets, and retaining and improving access
to existing markets. The market access imperative is incorporated into all
components of CRIs business. It is therefore a core objective throughout
CRIs operations rather than a true division of CRI.
Citrus research in southern Africa is divided into programmes. Within
each focused programme are several projects on particular problem
areas identified by the citrus industry. A Project Coordinator oversees
the research conducted within each project and this may be conducted at
various institutions.
Horticulture Programme. Market requirements have changed in the
past years and research to ensure that fruit of the correct quality and
shelf-life is delivered to the market is essential. It is also essential to
provide the citrus cultivars and selections that the market demands.
This requires continuous evaluation of new cultivars and rootstocks in
all of the climatic regions.
Disease Management Programme. Research and services conducted
by the Disease Management programme focus on all economically
important Pre- and Post-harvest diseases of citrus.
Integrated pest management Programme. Strategies to manage both
indigenous and introduced pests using a bio-intensive approach require
continual modification as changes in available plant protection products,
pest status and distribution, and horticultural practices occur.
Citrus improvement division. The citrus industry is heavily reliant on the
Citrus Improvement Scheme (CIS) to provide growers with a pipeline
for disease-free, true-to-type, high quality propagation material. The
CIS consists of a network of co-operating parties and CRI provides the
service of co-ordinating the CIS.
442
Citrus Foundation Block:

Uitenhage
Tel: 041 992 5366
Tel: 021 808 3728
Citrus Foundation Block is www.cons-ent.com
responsible for multiplication
of citrus propagation material. Department of Horticultural
Commercial citrus nurseries buy Science
budwood from the Foundation Tel: 021 808 4900
Block to make trees for the www.sun.ac.za/horticulture
industry.
Tel: 021 808 4799
Pretoria University
Department of Plant Production www.academic.sun.ac.za/plantpath
and Soil Science
Tel: 012 420 3224
www.up.ac.za
Consultants
Citrus & Subtropical
Consultancy Service
Tel: 015 516 4481
Futuregrowth Agri-fund
Tel: 021 659 5300
South African Citrus Consulting

Association (SASSCON)
Tel: 015 795 5182 / 083 629 3806
tom@fromabove.co.za
Granor-Passi (Pty) Ltd

Tel: 015 298 6000
www.granorpassi.co.za
Patensie Citrus Co-operative

Tel: 042 283 0303
www.patensiecitrus.co.za
Houers Koperatief Bpk

Tel: 015 345 8100
River Bioscience
Tel: 041 583 3464
www.riverbioscience.co.za
Katope see Univeg

LG Juices (Pty) Ltd
Tel: 022 921 3544
Riverside Enterprises
Tel: 083 702 3746
www.capefruits.co.za
Letaba Citrus Processing

Tel: 015 304 4000 / 012 804 7023
www.letaba.com
Sunday River Citrus Company

Tel: 042 233 0320
www.srcc.co.za
Lona Trading
Tel: 021 481 8200
www.lona.co.za
Sunpride
Tel: 021 794 7600
www.sunpride.co.za
Magaliesberg Citrus Cooperative Ltd

Tel: 012 256 9000
www.magaliescitrus.co.za
Tomahawk Citrus
(Pty) Ltd (Malelane)
Tel: 013 792 4402 /4590 /4592
Malelane Sitruskoperasie Bpk

Tel: 013 790 0391
Companies
Mouton Citrus (Pty) Ltd

Tel: 022 921 3405
www.moutoncitrus.com
Find the exporter lists on www.fpef.co.za. A members list is also available

on www.cga.co.za.
Onderberg Verwerkings
Koperasie
Tel: 013 790 1146
Advanced Citrus Solutions

Tel: 042 234 0136
Cedarpack
Tel: 022 921 2636 / 082 551 1703
African Realty Trust see Letaba Colors Fruit SA (Pty) Ltd

Citrus Processing
Tel: 021 807 5000
www.colorsfruit.com
ALG Estates
Tel: 022 921 3544
Crookes Brothers Ltd
www.algestates.com
Tel: 039 978 3850
www.cbl.co.za
Alliance Fruit
Tel: 083 642 6806
Dole SA
http://alliancefruit.co.za
Tel: 021 914 0600
http://dolesa.co.za
Ambrosia Citrus Estate see
Alliance Fruit
Du Roi Nursery
Tel: 015 345 1650
Cape Fruit Processors Ltd
www.duroinursery.co.za
Tel: 013 790 3015
www.capefruits.co.za
Goedehoop Citrus Ltd
Tel: 022 921 8100
Capespan (Pty) Ltd
www.ghcitrus.com
Tel: 021 917 2600
www.capespan.co.za
Univeg Export SA
Tel: 021 880 1707
www.univeg.com
Valor Citrus Processors (Pty)
Ltd
Tel: 042 233 0438
www.valor.co.za
Vital Bugs
Tel: 087 751 0279
www.vitalbugs.co.za
7. Publications and websites

Find the Citrus Market Value Chain Profile: 2010-2011 under Publications
and Agricultural Marketing Commodity Profiles at www.daff.gov.za. The
Info Pak (booklet) Cultivation of Citrus may also be viewed and downloaded
from the same website (take the Publications and Info Pak menu
options). This is a practical introduction to growing citrus.
The Citrus Growers Association publishes the Citrus Statistics booklet every
year in May. This publication is free to all growers and members of the
Fresh Produce Exporters Forum (FPEF). Any other interested parties can
purchase the booklet by contacting Gloria@cga.co.za.
The Cultivation of Citrus (2nd edition, 2006) and Citrus Pests in the Republic of
South Africa are two publications published by the ARC-Institute for Tropical
and Subtropical Crops. Tel: 013 753 7000.
Call 012 842 4017 or email iaeinfo@arc.agric.za for the leaflet Processing of
Citrus Fruit (Grapefruit, lemons, oranges).
The websites of role players are an excellent source of information e.g.
www.cga.co.za and www.citrusres.com.
Local and international links are provided by the CRI website.
Our thanks to the CGA for reading our draft chapter, and for their feedback and
suggestions.
IDC banner
443

Coffee
1. Overview
There are two main species of economic importance: Coffea canephora
which produces coffee known commercially as Robusta, and Coffea arabica
which produces Arabica.
Coffee is an ideal pioneer crop for areas with poor infrastructure, as it is
one of the few tropical horticultural crop products that can be stored for
relatively long periods without perishing.
Although coffee will grow well in almost any frost free area with well drained
soil, the best coffee producing areas in South Africa are the coastal areas of
Southern KwaZulu-Natal, the Drakensberg escarpement of Mpumalanga,
and Limpopo.
In terms of value, coffee is one of the worlds most important commodities.
Bearing this in mind, there is a lot of potential for the industry here to
develop and create jobs. Forget the export market we have a population
of 45 million people, many of whom are potential coffee drinkers.
Importing coffee into RSA is currently a potentially lucrative business (we
import almost all our coffee, some 27 000 tons annually). When international
prices increase, local producers benefit significantly. However, the coffee
trade is fraught with risk.
Source: Tim Buckland (Riverbend); Schalk Schoeman (ARC-ITSC) and a project proposal
to the International Coffee Organisation found at http://dev.ico.org/documents/
eb3603r1e.pdf.

Websites mentioned in this chapter provide information on international
producers and on the international coffee trade e.g. find the notes on www.
ico.org.
Of the 7.5 million tons of coffee produced worldwide, only 25% is consumed
by the producing countries themselves. There are three main coffee growing
regions: Africa/Arabia, Indonesia, and Central/South America.
The main destinations for most coffee exports are the North American,
Japanese and European markets.
Coffee is an important factor for the development of Africa since it provides
substantial foreign exchange earnings for the continent and an indispensable
income for farmers. The trade of coffee is Ethiopias largest export, for
example, generating 60% of its total export earnings and employing about
12 million people. Read about the Ethiopian Coffee Network at www.
ethiopiancoffeenetwork.com. For notes on the growing of coffee in Africa,
visit the website of Eastern African Fine Coffees Association (EAFCA)
www.eafca.org.
Growing demand has sparked debate over whether African countries,
which mostly sell raw beans, should not actually process the coffee.
One problem with roasting coffees is that it shortens the shelf life.
Shipping coffee to America takes a month and half. By the time the
roasted coffee is at the port, it would already be stale. One answer
could be to set up coffee houses in the other country, to roast on site
and to sell directly to consumers. This is being done in China.
Instant coffee could work, but high taxes on processed products in
Western countries made this a tough market to break into.
Sources: Mail & Guardian 5 July 2007, www.ikhofi.co.za
Although coffee is the second-most traded commodity after oil, those

who produce it are some of the poorest commodity crop farmers in the
world.
A coffee trade documentary, Black Gold, examines the unfairness in the
price coffee farmers get compared to the price at which a cup of coffee is
sold in developed economies or middle-class emerging markets.
The coffee market is valued at about US$75 billion. Coffee producers get
US$5 billion of this.
The International Coffee Agreement, which to stabilise coffee prices
for exporters, collapsed when the US withdrew its support. Now four
dominant multinationals (Nestle, Procter & Gamble, Kraft and Sara Lee)
control most of the worlds coffee trade and dictate coffee prices.
Source: The problem with coffee in Farmers Weekly, 1 July 2011

EAFCA (see heading 5) presents a coffee symposium and trade exhibition during
February/March each year.
South Africa imports almost all of its coffee. We do not produce more than
100 tonnes per annum (i.e. 0.4% of what we drink in South Africa).
Farming coffee and exporting the raw bean is still not a viable option in
this country for the individual farmer because it is a labour-intensive crop.
Impending land claims is cited as a further impediment.
There are a small number of farmers who do plant the crop though, yet
coffee looks set to remain a smallish cottage industry that will rely on
tourism, direct marketing and value adding to fill the necessary gaps.
A SWOT analysis:
Strengths
The Agricultural Research Councils Institute for Tropical and
Subtropical Crops at Nelspruit still has significant capacity to carry
out research for the region.
The Institute says coffee production creates more jobs than any
other subtropical horticultural crop.
Coffee retail prices in RSA are relatively high. By value adding and
marketing the product locally, the crop can still make money even at
times when international prices are low due to an oversupply.
Weaknesses
The raw bean industry is highly labour intensive.
The low selling price of raw beans and high production costs make
it difficult to compete with some third world countries especially in
terms of minimum wages.
Opportunities:
South Africa is one of the few countries where coffee can be grown
organically. Other coffee producing countries have an array of pests
and diseases to cope with, while we are relatively fortunate in that
regard.
Most of RSAs population of 45 million are traditional tea drinkers;
active promotion of coffee drinking could potentially be lucrative for
many coffee traders, retailers and producers.
Threats
The costs of production have increased significantly.
Many skills regarding practical coffee production have been lost due
to the closure of government farms.
The white coffee stemborer (a pest) requires day to day vigilance.
For more information, contact Schalk Schoeman at the ARC-Institute for
Tropical and Subtropical Crops, 013 753 7000 or schalk@arc.agric.za
444
4. For the newcomer (advice from two experts)
Because of the high level of technical skills required for this crop, a well coordinated larger scale co-operative type of operation above that of smallscale farming is recommended. The chances of this project succeeding
would be heightened if it added value by roasting, marketing and distributing
the end project.
African Coffee Research

Network (ACRN)C/o Schalk
Schoeman
Tel: 013 753 7000
schalk@arc.agric.za
Source: Tim Buckland (adapted from an email to the publishers)

Schalk Schoeman
Tel: 013 753 7000
schalk@arc.agric.za
Schalk Schoemans advice to New Farmers:

1. Start small and develop a niche market.
2. Plant rust resistant dwarf or semi dwarf coffee varieties in the right
area to cut production costs significantly.
3. Consider organic coffee.
4. Plant spacing between the rows should be about 3-3,5m; within the
row use single plants 1m apart.
5. Use micro sprayers instead of drip irrigation.
6. Coffee does well with organic manure (compost and/or kraal
manure) from time to time, if this is feasible and available (see #3).
7. Mulch your coffee from the onset, it will help to conserve water and
will increase organic content of soil.
8. Budget for a tree replacement programme after year 8. Although
pruning proves to be very effective, it is time consuming and could
be more expensive than replanting.
9. Start with a stemborer control programme at plant. This insect will
give problems and most growers will only notice it after significant
damage has already been done.
10.0Value adding of the product on the farm is essential.
11.0For marketing purposes, it is recommended that the coffee to
has a story this could be printed in briefly on the back of the
container.
12.0Current success stories.
Assagay Coffee - 25 hectares, market development, export.
Beaver Creek - 20 hectare well managed family business,
tourism and various forms of value adding despite the obvious
roasted ground product.
Thornton Coffee was developed by two sisters-in-law in Oribi
flats, Heidi and Debbie Neethling. They buy green Arabica beans
from SA producers and produce four roasts, a light, full-bodied,
fine Oribi blend of medium and full roast and a dark roast.
Thornton processes 4 to 5 tons of coffee a year and delivers its
product personally.
Contact Schalk Schoeman at 013 753 7000 or email schalk@arc.agric.za.
5. Role players
Associations
Speciality Coffee Association of Southern Africa
Tel: 083 445 5606 (chairperson)
www.scasa.co.za
The Eastern African Fine Coffees Association (EAFCA) currently
oversees activities of this crop in Burundi, the DRC, Ethiopia, Kenya,
Malawi, Rwanda, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
Full contact details for each member country can be found on www.eafca.
org. Contact the South African representative, Sarah Alison Schach, at 011
807 2180 or write to sarah@wmcahn.co.za.
International Coffee Organisation (ICO) www.ico.org. The website
is a wealth of information.
Other international associations include the Inter African Coffee
Organisation (IACO), the Association of Coffee Producing Countries
(ACPC), and the Speciality Coffee Association of America (SCAA).
Links to these and other coffee industry bodies may be found at http://
www.coffeeresearch.org/links/organizations.htm.
Apart from maintaining a rather

diverse coffee gene bank for
prospective producers at the
Burgershall experimental station
of the ARC-ITSC near Hazyview,
no research regarding this crop is
currently being conducted in RSA.
Training takes place from time to
time as and when the need arises.
Ciro Coffee Academy

Tel: 011 287 6700
Tel: 021 447 6110
Tel: 031 792 0900
Read about the Barista Upliftment
Programme on www.ciro.co.za.
Lowveld College of Agriculture
Mr Werner Schroder
Tel: 013 753 3064
This College took over the
processing equipment from the
Zoeknog Estate when it closed
down, and is looking into value
adding.
Coffee producers
Assagay Coffee
Rick James
Tel: 031 765 2941/083 640 2223
assagay@ionet.co.za
Sabie Valley Coffee

Tim Buckland
Tel: 013 737 8169
www.sabievalleycoffee.com
Find them on www.facebook.com. Verster Coffee closed operations

in 2011
Beaver Creek Coffee
Dylan Cumming
Tel: 039 311 2347
www.beavercreak.co.za
Companies involved
NOTE: Some of the role players listed below fit into more than one category.
Beaver Creek Farm grows coffee, for example, but they are also involved in
the value chain, importing, roasting and selling coffee.
Coffee machines & equipment
Aquaspresso
Tel: 0861 278 292
www.aquaspresso.co.za
I & M Smith
Tel: 011 781 6150
www.iandmsmith.com
Coffee Solutions
Tel: 021 559 6453
www.coffeesolutions.co.za
KOLD SERVE
Tel: 011 791 1932
www.koldserve.co.za
Espresso Concepts
Tel: 011 300 9900/1/2
www.espressoconcepts.co.za
Smart Coffee
Tel: 083 457 2281
http://smartcoffee.co.za
Frontier Coffee
Tel: 086 110 5949
www.frontiercoffee.co.za
Roasters, packers, distributors
A J Products & CO
Tel: 021 699 1030
www.ajproducts.co.za
Back to Basics (Pty) Ltd

Tel: 011 472 1922
Fax: 011 472 2008
Arabusta Coffee
Tel: 012 348 0221
www.arabustacoffee.co.za
Barnes Tea & Coffee Merchants

Tel: 011 793 7037
445
Bean in Love
Tel: 021 872 0987
http://beaninlove.co.za
Origin Coffee Roasting

Tel: 021 421 1000
www.originroasting.co.za
Been There Coffee Company

Tel: 087 310 3100 (Gauteng)
Tel: 087 943 2228 (Western Cape)
www.beanthere.co.za
Overberg Coffee and Tea

Company
sales@overbergcoffeeco.co.za
www.overbergcoffeeco.co.za
Bevco Tea and Coffee

Tel: 012 661 8883
www.bevco.co.za
Peacock Gourmet Coffee &

Exotic Teas
Tel: 021 762 5067
www.peacockteaandcoffee.co.za
Caturra Coffee Company

Tel: 021 593 1199
www.caturra.co.za
Find details of distributors

countrywide on the website
Find contact details of their agents Pierre Lotti

countrywide on the website
Tel: 012 804 1397
www.pierrelotti.co.za
Ciro Beverage Solutions
Quaffee
Tel: 011 287 6700
Tel: 021 794 2988
Tel: 021 447 6110
www.quaffee.co.za
Tel: 031 792 0900
www.ciro.co.za
Roast Master
Tel: 041 367 1236
Clipper Coffee & Tea cc
www.roastmaster.co.za
Tel: 021 448 9181
Coffee Unplugged
Tel: 011 440 4810 / 011 440 5460
www.coffeeunplugged.co.za
Roast n Grind
Tel: 011 708 6990
www.rngcoffee.co.za
Colombo Tea & Coffee

Company
Tel: 031 205 3283
www.colombo.co.za
Sara Lee Coffee & Tea SA

Tel: + 31 30 2979111
www.douwe-egberts.com
Echo Valley Coffee

Tel: 082 445 0163 / 083 677 4362
www.echocoffee.co.za
Entyce Beverages
Tel: 011 707 7100
www.avi.co.za
House of Coffees
Tel: 011 783 4756
http://houseofcoffees.co.za
iKhofi
Tel: 011 678 8638
www.ikhofi.co.za
Italian Lifestyle
Tel: 021 425 6169
www.italianlifestyle.co.za
Mastertons Tea & Coffee
Tel: 041 585 4044
www.mastertonscoffee.co.za
Miko Africa
Tel: 012 543 0067
Tel: 021 557 5814
www.mikoafrica.co.za
New Look Packers
Tel: 011 763 5696
http://newlookpackers.co.za
Stil Coffee
Tel: 011 462 2443 / 082 443 7249
www.stilcoffee.com
Strictly Coffee
Tel: 023 626 6691
www.strictlycoffee.co.za
Sumatran Premium Coffee
Tel: 041 364 3797
http://sumatran.co.za
Tea & Coffee Distributors
Tel: 041 374 0033
http://tea-coffee.co.za
Tea and Coffee Emporium
Tel: 011 615 7147
www.teaandcoffee.co.za
The Coffee Merchant
Tel: 031 569 1412
www.coffeemerchant.co.za
The Coffee Roasting Company
Tel: 021 847 0536
www.coffeecompany.co.za
The Green Bean
Tel: 011 957 2987
www.greenbeancoffee.co.za
TriBeCa
Tel: 012 661 9303
www.tribeca.co.za
Valley Harvest
Tel: 041 581 3486
www.valleyharvest.co.za
Speciality Coffee Association of Southern Africa members

Other members include Sevenoaks Trading, Beans About Coffee, Urban Express,
The Pink Fig, Delistreet Caf, In Food Bakery & Deli Restaurant, Handmade
Coffees, Caf Fresco, Toper, BM Supreme Coffee Experience, Bravilor Bonamat,
Wimpy, The Little Italian Coffee Shop, Southern Sun Elangeni, Gloria Jeans
Coffees, Woolworths, pure sub-urban delicacy, Haloa Coffee, Manna,
Salvation Caf and Ultimate Water.

Coffee: an exporters guide, 2002. ISBN 92-9137-242-2. This guide provides
an overview of the world coffee trade, and includes essential information
on prices, niche markets, marketing and quality control, marketing systems,
coffee producers country profiles. Find this and related publications on
www.google.com/books.
The Cultivation of Coffee. ARC-Institute for Tropical and Subtropical Crops.
This publication has also been available from the Resource Centre at
the DAFF. The contact number is 012 319 7141. Basic grower notes can
be found in the Cultivating coffee Info Pak at www.daff.gov.za (take the
Publications menu option).
The following Publications are also available from the ARC-ITSC:
Coffee Handbook 1987, Zimbabwe Coffee Growers Association ISBN
0-7974-0784-7
Simply Coffee a practical guide to coffee farming by Richard Clowes
(Chipinge, Zimbabwe). ISBN 0-7974-2187-4
For the above publications, contact Schalk Schoeman at 013 753 7000/7024,
or email schalk@arc.agric.za.
www.coffeeandhealth.org is a science-based resource developed for
healthcare and professional audiences.
The website www.coffeeresearch.org (take the Agriculture menu option)
sets out the growth stages of the coffee plant. Harvesting, Processing,
Diseases and fertilisation are also discussed. This website is dedicated to
advancing coffee quality through education and science. Advanced topics
include information about the coffee market, consumption statistics, the
coffee sciences, coffee agriculture, and the social issues related to coffee.
fas.usda.gov/currwmt.asp the Foreign Agricultural Service arm of the US
Find out about the Ethiopian
ethiopiancoffeenetwork.com.
Coffee
Network
at
www.
Also visit the websites of role players mentioned elsewhere in this chapter
e.g. www.ikhofi.co.za where numerous links are given.
Our thanks to Schalk Schoeman (ARC) and Klaus Becker (Caturra Coffee) for
feedback on the draft chapter.
446
The full duty of R1.60/kg on cotton lint is still applicable to imports from
outside SADC, in respect of imports that do not qualify under the WTO
minimum market access provision. Provision has however been made for
a rebate of the full duty on cotton lint, at such times and subject to such
conditions as allowed by specific permit.
Cotton
Woolworths has become the worlds third largest consumer of organic

cotton, behind American giants Wal-Mart and Nike, according to Organic
Exchange, an international organisation dedicated to expanding global
supplies of organic cotton.
1. Overview
Source: Cotton SA, Bizcommunity
Cotton remains one of the most versatile crops grown by humanity, noted
for its appearance, comfort and the many useful products it provides.
From the seed: flour and feed, refined oil (salad and cooking), margarine,
soap and cosmetics, writing materials, rayon industrial fabrics, yarns, plastics,
lamp and candle wicks, twine, rugs, mops, furniture upholstery etc.
From the lint: clothes, underwear, linings for canvas, tents, medical bandages,
sheets, towels, curtains etc.
Historical cotton production areas include Limopo Province (Springbok
flats from Bela-Bela to Mokopane), North West Province (Taung, Stella,
Delareyville, Maratsane), KwaZulu-Natal (Makhathini Flats), Mpumalanga
and Northern Cape (lower Orange River, Vaalharts, Douglas and Prieska).
Hectares planted and yields for the Republic of South Africa (Swaziland
excluded) are on the graph that follows:
Marketing
Year
Hectares
Irrigation
Hectares
Dryland
Total
Hectares
Yield
Irrigation
Yield
Dryland
Average
Yield
2001/02
18 539
38 153
56 692
3 455
593
1 529
2002/03
9 791
28 897
38 688
3 538
515
1 280
2003/04
10 322
12 252
22 574
3 482
475
1 850
2004/05
18 269
17 450
35 719
3 455
492
2 007
2005/06
12897
8 866
21763
3 791
521
2 459
2006/07
9 720
8 394
18 114
3 633
485
2 174
2007/08
7 700
2 863
10 563
3 674
541
2 825
2008/09
5 979
3 242
9 221
4 067
825
2 927
2009/10
5 269
1 965
7234
4 303
757
3 340
2010/2011
4 151
960
5 111
4 865
712
4 085
2011/2012
11 640
1 505
13 145
3 897
715
3 533
2011/2012 figures are an estimate. Yield figures are Kg seed cotton per
hectare
Source: Cotton SA

Visit www.cottonsa.org.za for the latest cotton market reports.
There is no restriction on the importation of cotton, however a duty on

imported cotton lint of R1.60/kg has been in force since 1992. This duty
is however in terms of a free trade agreement not applicable to cotton
lint imports from countries within the Southern African Development
Community (SADC), with effect from 1 January 2004, the duty having been
phased out since 2000.

Visit www.cottonsa.org.za for the latest cotton market reports.
Cotton in South Africa is currently marketed on free-market principles, i.e.
there is no intervention or restriction on the buying and selling of cotton and
prices are determined by the market.
Farmers producing cotton in South Africa, market their cotton in one of
the following ways:
The seed cotton is sold by the grower to a ginner who gins the
cotton and sells the cotton lint for his own account to spinners (and
seed to processors), either directly or by making use of agents.
The grower does not sell his seed cotton to the ginner but contracts
the ginner to gin it on his behalf on payment of a ginning fee (some
growers also own their own gins). The cotton lint and seed remain
the property of the producer who then either markets it himself or
contracts the gin or someone else to market the cotton lint (or seed)
on his behalf.
All five ginners currently operating in South Africa are farmer-owned.
Challenges to our cotton producers are:
competition from other SADC countries
cheap textile imports from the East
low international prices due to subsidies in the developed world

Find the Small-scale cotton farmer development option at www.cottonsa.org.za.
Two of the main objectives of the National Cotton Strategy Plan, developed
by Cotton SA and other role players, is to broaden participation enabling
small producers to contribute on average 35% of the crop by 2014 and to
raise productivity by the training of small-scale cotton growers. Cotton SAs
contribution in achieving this objective is amongst others by way of The
Small Scale Cotton Farmers Forum (a standing committee of Cotton SA).
The main function of the Forum is to co-ordinate and monitor progress
with regard to the set objectives and to provide an environment where
positive interaction between role players could lead to increased market
access for the small cotton farmer.
This formal skills development program (which involves a certain number
of unit standards at NQF level 1) is organised in four 5 day modules, each of
which are synchronised with the normal production cycle of the crop and
presented over a 12 month period. The subjects covered in the 4 modules
are:
447
introduction, soil preparation and planting

plant protection, pests, diseases and weeds
pre-harvest crop preparation, harvesting and grading
financial management
The courses are theoretical as well as practical, the latter making up about
60% of course content. Experts in each field are drawn from various cotton
role-players to impart their expertise to the groups in training. Up to now
almost 933 small-scale farmers have attended these courses (359 from
KwaZulu-Natal, 213 from the Limpopo Province, 293 from Mpumalanga,
37 from the Eastern Cape and 31 from the North West Province).
Cotton SA also has a Mentorship Programme for small-scale cotton farmers.
The project is aimed to provide an initial number of mentors who can
support and impart knowledge and practical skills to small-scale farmers.
These mentors report to the manager of the Mentorship Programme.
Cotton SA annually also disseminates market and other relevant information
to small-scale cotton farmers specifically, in the following manner:
by way of monthly market reports
by convening farmer information days in small-scale farmer production
areas
by way of the quarterly Cotton SA Katoen magazine, which features a
regular section aimed at small-scale farmers specifically (the magazine
is mailed quarterly to more than 500 small-scale cotton farmers)
by way of articles in small grower agricultural publications
by way of an illustrated Training Manual for small-scale cotton growers,
in Zulu and English
Research projects are identified by cotton growers (including small-scale
farmers) and other role-players on a continuous basis and are undertaken by
the ARCs Institute for Industrial Crops. Most of the research projects are
of benefit to both commercial as well as to small-scale farmers whilst some
are specifically aimed at the small grower. Research results are published on
a regular basis in the Cotton SA Katoen magazine.
Small Scale Cotton Farmers Forum
Chairman: Mr Phenias Gumede
KwaZulu-Natal Green Revolution. Green Revolution is a project
undertaken by the KwaZulu-Natal department of Agriculture and the private
sector to quadruple output in the province by the year 2020. Some R100
million has already been earmarked for the development of the Makhatini
Flats into a viable cotton-growing area. Hundreds of emerging small-scale
farmers stand to benefit. Several other schemes have been mooted which
will see the provinces agricultural sector intensifying production of several
crops.
Publications
Cotton Guide/Katoengids/Iseluleko ngokotini/Keletso ka ga katune. This
guide for the small scale farmer was compiled by the ARC-Institute
for Industrial Crops bearing the needs of the small-scale farmer in
mind. The publication (which is fully illustrated in colour with captions
in English and isiZulu) covers the full spectrum of cotton farming and
contains chapters on cultivation guidelines, insect and disease control
and the harvesting of cotton. It is available from Cotton SA.
Ukukhiqizwa kukakotini/Production of Cotton. This publication is available
from the Resource Centre at the National Department of Agriculture.
Contact them at 012 319 7141 or view it at www.daff.gov.za.

Find information on DAFF directorates at www.daff.gov.za, website of the
Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries.
Tel: 012 319 6079
dpp@daff.gov.za
A National Strategy for the SA Cotton Industry was formulated a few years
ago with the participation of all role players, to fit in with the National
Strategic Plan for SA Agriculture.
Some of the core strategies of the Cotton Sector Plan are to grow farm
output to 150 000 lint bales by 2015, to broaden participation to enable
emerging farmers to produce an average of 37 500 lint bales by 2015
and have proper support for research, extension services and technology
transfer.
6. Role players
Associations
Cotton SA
Tel: 012 804 1462
www.cottonsa.org.za
transferred in 1997 to the Cotton

SA Trust to be used for the benefit
of the whole cotton sector. A
major responsibility of the Cotton
Cotton SA is a cotton industry SA Trust is to assist in facilitating
service company providing the market access for emerging cotton
following functions:
farmers.
the rendering of information
services
the stimulation of the
production and the usage of
cotton
the co-ordination of research
the establishment of quality
standards and norms as well
as training in this regard
SA Cotton Ginners Association

(SACGA) is the representative
body of cotton ginners. Find
information on SACGA at www.
cotton.org.za.
SA Cotton Textile Manufacturers

Association (SACTMA) is the
representative body of cotton
spinners.
Find the information
SA
Cotton
Producers about SACTMA at www.texfed.
Organisation (SACPO) is a co.za.
representative national organisation
for cotton farmers with the aim of South African Textile Industry
creating wealth for its members Export Council (SATIEC)
through the provision of markets, Tel: 021 702 4140
skills, partnerships and alliances.
www.satiec.co.za
Cotton SA Trust
Tel: 012 804 1462
South African Clothing and

Textile Workers Union
(SACTWU)
All surplus funds and assets from Tel: 031 301 1351
the former Cotton Board were www.sactwu.org.za

ARC-Institute for Industrial Crops (ARC-IIC)
Tel: 014 536 3150
www.arc.agric.za
Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR)
Fibres and Textiles Industrial Support
Tel: 041 508 3200 / 23 / 89
www.csir.co.za
448
The Research and Technology Committee of Cotton SA meet on a regular

basis with one of the main aims to evaluate research projects identified and
prioritised by roleplayers. Research results are obtainable from the Institute
and also published on a regular basis in the Cotton SA Katoen magazine.
These Agricultural Colleges have been sanctioned by the industry to run
the accredited cotton course developed by Cotton SA:

Lowveld College of Agriculture (Nelspruit)

Tel: 013 753 3064
Tompi Seleka College of Agriculture (Limpopo Province)

Tel: 013 268 9300/1
Owen Sithole College of Agriculture (KZN)

Tel: 035 195 1345
www.kzndae.gov.za
Ginning companies
Loskop Cotton
Tel: 013 261 1498
Weipe Cotton Gin

Tel: 015 533 3016/7/8
Noord-Kaap Katoenpluismeule
Tel: 082 948 2569 / 72
Vaalharts Cotton
Tel: 082 658 0567
GWK Cotton Gin

Tel: 053 298 8458
Other role players

Nedan (Pty) Ltd
Tel: 015 491 2801
www.afgri.co.za
SA Cotton Waste
Tel: 011 873 0466
sacotton@global.co.za
www.sacotton.co.za
The South African Cotton Waste

Manufacturing Co. (Pty) Ltd was
established in 1933 to supply
Cotton Waste (an inexpensive
cleaning product) to South African
Mines and Industry. They are also
major suppliers of String, Twine and
Rope, both natural and synthetic.

Find the Technical information and publications option at www.cottonsa.
org.za.
Environmental Needs Of The Cotton Plant by Dr CG Theron. This and other
related articles may be downloaded from the Cotton SA website.
Cotton SA Educational Brochure. An educational brochure with needs of
scholars and students in mind is obtainable free of charge. The brochure
contains among others, sections on the history, production, processing and
uses of cotton.
The following may be ordered electronically from the Cotton SA website
www.cottonsa.org.za:
The Cotton SA Katoen magazine. This is produced every three months.
Its main focus is on the producer but carries information on the whole
industry. Cotton SA distributes the magazine free to subscribers in
South Africa.
Management Guide. This comprehensive bilingual guide was compiled
by the ARC-Institute for Industrial Crops and is aimed at the commercial
farmer with the aim to broaden his/her knowledge. The publication
covers the full spectrum of cotton farming and contains chapters on
cultivation guidelines, insect and disease control and the harvesting of

cotton.
Small Farmer Guide
Company Brochure
Core Statistics
Refer to the Cotton SA portal for the following links:
Cotlook Indices
New York Cotton Futures
cottonafrica.com The African Cotton & Textiles Trade Link
Find the Cotton Market Value Chain Profile 2010-2011 on the Department of
Agriculture, Forestry & Fisheries website, www.daff.gov.za. Simple grower
notes (Info Pak) on the production of cotton are also available here.
The Textile Federation: www.texfed.co.za. Find the database of members
and role players e.g. dyers and finishers, knitted fabrics, yarns etc.
International Cotton Advisory Committee (ICAC) www.icac.org. The
ICAC is an association of governments of cotton producing, consuming and
trading countries.
Find the reference book Cotton Exporters Guide at www.cottonguide.org.
Find the cotton notes on the website of the National Cleaner Production
Centre www.ncpc.co.za (take the clothing and textile sector menu
option).
Cotton & Textiles Trade Directory available at www.cottonafrica.com/related.
asp, a website which is also a useful portal to these other websites:
African Coalition for Trade (ACT)
African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA)
Bremen Cotton Exchange (Bremer Baumwollbrse)
Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA)
Cotton Egypt
Cotton International (about the people, companies, and trends shaping
the international cotton market)
Cotton Outlook
Export Institute Israel link
International Cotton Advisory Committee (ICAC)
International Forum for Cotton Promotion (IFCP)
International Textile Manufacturers Federation (ITMF)
International Trade Forum
Kenya Association of Manufacturers (KAM)
Liverpool Cotton Association (LCA)
New York Cotton Exchange (NYCE)
Textile Federation of South Africa (TEXFED)
USDA Cotton Program
World Trade Organization (WTO) Quota Elimination
Our gratitude to Mr Koot Louw of Cotton SA for his support and for, as always,
providing input so willingly.
449

Cut-flowers
1. Overview
South Africa has a diverse and highly suitable natural environment for
the production of flowers. Indoor and outdoor production occurs
across differing climactic regions of South Africa.
Most commonly produced products include Roses, Carnations,
Chrysanthemum, Proteas, Foliage, Gypsophila, Limonium and a wide
range of seed grown flowers e.g. Lisianthus, Delphinium, Helianthus,
Limonium, Grasses, Craspedia, Carthamus, Larkspur.
South Africas indigenous flowers such as gladioli, nerine, freesias and
gerberas, have undergone many years of extensive research in Europe,
and have become major crops worldwide.
Flower bulbs are also produced in great numbers in a wide variety of
species.
Production is both for the local market as well as various export
markets.
South African proteas and so-called Cape greens (fynbos) are
concentrated mainly in the Western Cape. South Africa is the leading
exporter of protea cut-flowers.
Export markets include Europe, the Middle East, Asia, Australia and
the USA.
Sources: Jac Duif and the SA Yearbook 2010-11 which can be found at www.gcis.gov.
za.

The Multiflora flower auction is by far the most important and convenient
marketing channel for local marketing. The auction, situated at City Deep,
has daily auctions from Mondays to Saturdays from 07:00 where major
agents and wholesalers buy flowers. The auction is market driven and prices
for products are determined by supply and demand. For newcomers to
the industry a visit to Multiflora is absolutely essential to see the heartbeat
of sales in the floricultural industry in South Africa. Contact 011 613
4011, email info@multiflora.co.za or visit www.multiflora.co.za for more
information.
There is also a strong network of flower wholesalers, distributors and
exporters. Bunches For Africa buy flowers from farmers, for example. See
www.bunchesforafrica.com. Another example is Flora Town who used to do
flower auctions, whose focus now is on import/export and wholesale/retail.
Contact them at 011 548 0700. www.multiflora.co.za gives contact details
for flower shops, agents and flower wholesalers in Greater Johannesburg
area.
3. For the newcomer

So you want to be a Flower Farmer? Potential growers and investors have
to reflect on a few vitally important facts beforehand.
The flower industry is complex and requires specialist knowledge
and input. It requires:
1. massive capital expenditure (mostly millions)
2. extensive technical knowledge more than often a grower learns from
a family business
3. intensive, sustained daily management

4. and most importantly, a market. Over-supply of crops on the domestic
market occurs regularly, resulting in a downward trend in prices. The
export market is new and still expanding, but requires careful market
planning.
According to the World Bank Technical Paper, the following preconditions are laid down for the SA Flower Trade:
1. Basic market opportunity
One has to have sold the product prior to starting the venture, or you have
to know where a market for that product exists before planting. Access to
Europe is difficult and expensive. Often there is an over-supply, and farmers
are the ones to suffer.
2. Availability of sustainable human capital
Human capital in the form of learned and committed people who are
prepared to take a risk is required. South African labour, compared to the
rest of Africa, is no longer cheap.
3. Minimal level of infrastructure
This pertains to availability of airfreight, cooling facilities, roads,
telecommunications etc. Also of importance is an internal infrastructure
relating to hothouses, fertigation, pesticide systems, heating-and-cooling,
storing facilities.
4. Financing arrangements
High capital investment is a pre-requisite.
Before starting a new farm, you will need a detailed business plan.
Issues such as weather, soil types, water quality, fertilising and spraying
programmes, harvesting, packaging and marketing should be addressed.
Consultants might work through a checklist that will help you identify
opportunities or weaknesses of your proposed venture.
1. Johannes Maree 082 564 1211 (technical advisor general)
2. Leon Hefer 011 416 6069 / 082 789 0499 [Alstroemeria (Inka lilies)]
3. Jac Duif 082 443 1755 (flowers from seeds)
4. Hentie Boshoff 018 290 6019 (market information and planning)
5. Louise de Klerk 013 752 4247 (technical adviser: Gerberas)
6. Arend Doorduin 082 577 6507 arend.doorduin@gmail.com (grower
advice, technical advice, feasibility studies)

Find information and contact details of the different directorates under
the Divisions option at www.daff.gov.za, website of the Department of
Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (DAFF).
Tel: 021 930 1134
www.ppecb.com
South African Flower Growers
Association (SAFGA)
Tel: 082 852 7258
www.saflower.co.za
South African Flower Export

Council (SAFEC)
Tel: 021 870 2900
www.saflower.co.za
450
both
the
South
Contact the KwaZulu-Natal Cut Contact
Flowers Association through African
Protea
Producers
SAFGA.
and
Exporters
(SAPPEX)
and the Protea Producers of
SERVICES
HORTGRO
South Africa (PPSA) through
Tel: 021 870 2905
HORTGROSERVICES.
www.hortgro.co.za

Agri Skills Transfer Network Tel: 012 460 9585 / 083 271 6378 www.
agriskills.net
The Agricultural Research Councils Institute for Tropical and
Subtropical Crops (ARC-ITSC) provides training courses which covers
management, general nursery practice and propagation procedures
necessary for running the nursery effectively as well as cultivation. Tel: 013
753 7000.
Hortiserv (Prof Hentie Boshof) is involved with providing administrative
and financial training programs for new farmers. Contact 018 290 6019.
Read about BC Landscape Training and Consultancy at www.
bclandscape.co.za.
Nkeles Florist offers a training course in flower arranging. The number is
082 780 7443.
Contact Sandy Floral Academy at 083 461 6306 or by email, flowers.
annette@gmail.com.
SAFEC, in co-operation with DAFF and the Gauteng Department of
Agriculture, runs an ongoing training programme aimed at BEE, SME and
Agri Charter related Training and development. SAFEC is committed to
assist new farmers in the cut flower sector and Jac Duif is the co-ordinator
in these new projects. Contact him at 082 443 1755.
Call the School of African Flower Design at 021 689 5266 for foundation
flower classes.
Find details of relevant universities in the Floriculture and nursery crops
chapter.
www.multiflora.co.za gives contact details for flower shops, agents and
flower wholesalers in Greater Johannesburg area.
The SAFGA membership list covers role player categories like flower
growers; consultants; suppliers of greenhouses, fertilisers and growing
mediums; freight forwarders and export agents etc. Find SAFGAs details
under heading 5.
For the various inputs consult the other chapters in this handbook e.g.
Hydroponics and undercover growing, Fertiliser etc.
Freight forwarders and export agents

Agriver SA 011 394 6225 www.agriversa.co.za
Bergflora 021 385 0160 www.bergflora.co.za
Elro J Braak 012 803 1017 www.braaks.com
Cape Mountain Flora 021 885 2420 www.capeflora.co.za
Flora Exports (Dutch Flower Group) www.dfg.nl
Kairali Flora 011 483 3362
Living Gold 018 788 8500 www.livinggold.co.za
Lonrho Logistics 011 571 0800 http://lonrhologistics.co.za
Notren Trading 021 689 4907 www.notrentrading.com
Oz Flora (Dutch Flower Group) www.dfg.nl
Plantwise 011 953 4540 www.plantwise.co.za
Sky Services 011 390 2371 www.skyservices.co.za
Uniflo Marketing 013 752 4530 www.unifloroses.com
Suppliers of plant material

Anro Floral Farm 076 488 9626 www.anroflowermarket.co.za
Ball Straathof 011 794 2316 www.ballstraathof.co.za
De Beers Boedery 012 258 0396 www.debeersflowers.co.za
Dekker Chrysanten SA 083 824 9355 www.dekkersa.co.za
Emerald Green Horticulture 012 734 2687 www.emerald-green.
co.za
Hadeco Flowers www.hadecoflowers.com
Living Gold 018 788 8500 www.livinggold.co.za
Ludwigs Rose Farm 012 544 0144/5 www.ludwigsroses.co.za
Roeloffs Nurseries 014 576 2362 www.roeloffs.co.za
SAKATA Seeds 011 548 2800 www.sakata.co.za
SAFROPA 012 258 8000 www.fides.nl
Van Zanten SA www.royalvanzanten.com
Read about AMABLOM, the brand name under which all floral produce is
sold that has been produced by a collective of flower grower apprentices
at the Timbali Technology Incubator and independent/graduate flower
growers. AMABLOM produces over 5.5 million flowers a year which are
sold all over the world. Visit www.amablom.co.za.

View role player websites, starting at www.saflower.co.za and www.sappex.
org.za.
Undercover Farming is distributed to members free of charge. It keeps
members up to date on latest developments in the industry, and is distributed
to institutions in Africa and abroad. Visit www.undercoverfarming.co.za.
Find details of Cut Flowers of the World: A Complete Reference for Growers and
Florists by Ben-Erik Van Wyk and Johannes Maree at www.allbookstores.
com.
www.lifeisagarden.co.za a marketing website for gardening
Find the International Protea Register on www.daff.gov.za.
http://finebushpeople.co.za everything you need to grow proteas
Information supplied by Johannes Maree and the South African Flower Export
Council
451

Deciduous fruit
Also refer to the Grapes and Fruit chapters
1. Overview
Various deciduous fruits and their value chains are covered comprehensively
in the Agricultural Marketing Commodity Profiles at www.daff.gov.za (take
the Publications option). These include apples, apricots, peaches, pears
and table grapes.

For information and statistics please visit the HORTGROSERVICES website at
www.hortgro.co.za.
Apples, apricots, peaches, pears and table grapes all feature in the Agricultural
Marketing Commodity Profiles at www.daff.gov.za (take the Publications
option). The value chains are covered comprehensively in this series.
The reader will also find information in the latest South African Fruit Trade
Flow, a publication put out by the Marketing and Economic Research Centre
(MERC), a division of the National Agricultural Marketing Council (NAMC).
The various fruit sectors are also periodically covered in TradeProbe, also
published by the NAMC. Find these documents on www.namc.co.za.
3. Transformation
Find the Transformation option at www.hortgro.co.za.
The Deciduous Fruit Development Chamber (DFDC) is a representative

body of emerging farmers which create mechanisms within the deciduous
fruit industry to:
strategically expedite their integration into the mainstream economy
and formal industry structures (i.e., prevent duplication and creation of
new structures);
bridge the knowledge gap between commercial and emerging
farmers;
promote fair practices;
promote better communication with and by emerging farmers; and
enhance utilisation of resources/services by emerging farmers with
the support from the existing industry service capacity, resources and
expertise.
4. Role players
HORTGROSERVICES is the mouthpiece of the deciduous fruit Industry,
communicating with government authorities and other interest groups on
behalf of several groupings in protecting producers interests.
A Board, representing the producer associations and other stakeholders,

guides and oversees the activities of HORTGROSERVICES to ensure maximum
stakeholder input, co-operation and cost effective industry services and
functions. The key factor in the industry is the grower, and HORTGROSERVICES
and its substructures, together with other role players, execute the Industry
Plan that will manage and influence the decisions and directives as identified
by the respective producer associations.
The industry operates in a free market environment with no government
subsidisation.
Deciduous fruit role players in HORTGRO SERVICES are:
SA Apple & Pear Producers Association (SAAPPA)
SA Stone Fruit Producers Association (SASPA)
Dried Fruit Technical Services (DFTS)
SA Cherry Growers Association (SACGA)
The main functions of HORTGROSERVICES are:
to protect and expand market share based on effective
communication
the building of long term relationships
lobbying with relevant authorities
positioning horticultural products amongst relevant target audiences
the lowering of input costs and the enhancement of efficiencies in the
export value chain
to enhance the long-term economic viability and sustainability of the
industry thereby increasing the bargaining position of the producers
HORTGRO SERVICES encompasses a world of new opportunities and options
with a range of new stakeholders participating in the production and
marketing of horticulture products. These stakeholders are:
Fruitgro Science including technical transfer
Fresh Produce Exporters Forum
Deciduous Fruit Industry Development Trust (housing all ex-statutory
assets and reserves) focussing on training and development
SAPO Trust (plant improvement), DPA (plant certification)
Government Departments and Institutions
HORTGRO SERVICES facilitates the following activities:
trade & market access / phytosanitary protection for the industry
transformation: education, social & economic development
land reform
industry information & statistics
research, technical transfer, plant improvement and certification
effective communication with all target audiences
Culdevco (Pty) Ltd
Tel: 021 870 2900
www.culdevco.co.za
ExperiCo
Tel: 021 887 1134
www.experico.co.za
Futuregrowth Agri-Fund
Tel: 021 659 5300
HORTGRO SERVICES
Tel: 021 870 2900
www.hortgro.co.za
Joint Marketing Forums

SAAPPA & SASPA (JMF)
Tel: 021 870 2900
www.hortgro.co.za
Council (NAMC)
Tel: 012 341 1115
www.namc.co.za
SIT Africa
Tel: 021 870 2900
info@sitafrica.co.za
www.sitafrica.co.za
452

Short course training is one of the offerings at Agricultural Colleges. Pruning
and manipulation of deciduous fruit, parts and functioning of the deciduous
fruit tree etc are covered at Elsenburg, for example. Find details of the
Colleges in the Agricultural education and training chapter.
Tel: 021 809 3100
www.arc.agric.za
Fruitgro Science
Tel: 021 882 8470
The chief goal is to manage research
in such a way that long-term as well
as short-term needs are addressed.
HORTGROSERVICES strives to coordinate this process, and to gain
access to funds for research in
order to ensure the availability of
a satisfactory research capacity.
Crucial too, is that research findings
and other technical information is
passed through to the producer in
an effective manner technology
transfer.
Koue Bokkeveld
Opleidingsentrum
Tel: 023 317 0983
joy@xpoint.co.za
Philani Training & Development

Solutions NPC
Tel: 021 883 2490
www.philani.co.za
Praktika
Tel: 022 913 2933
SA Agri Academy
Tel: 021 880 1277
South African Plant
Trust (SAPO Trust)
Tel: 021 887 6823
www.saplant.co.za
Tel 021 808 3728
www.cons-ent.com
Science
Tel 021 808 4900
Find the details of other training provders in the Agricultural education and
training chapter.
For information on the HORTGRO

Bursary and Career Scheme
or application forms to apply for a bursary, contact Retha Louw at
retha@hortgro.co.za or call 021 870 2900.
SERVICES

Various deciduous fruits are covered in the Agricultural Marketing
Commodity Profiles at www.daff.gov.za (take the Publications option).
These include apples, apricots, peaches, pears and table grapes. A number
of grower publications can also be found on the DAFF website. Find the
brochures and production guidelines under the Publications option for
apricots, cherries and plums.
Various brochures about Deciduous fruit are available from HORTGROSERVICES,
as well as a Deciduous statistics publication. Visit www.hortgro.co.za for
more information, or contact them at 021 870 2900.
The SA Fruit Journal looks at research, news on technical matters, exports.
Visit www.safj.co.za; call 021 870 2900 or email christa@safj.co.za.
A series of pamphlets covering pome- and stone fruit diseases, pests and
other related topics are available from Fruitgro Science at Tel 021 882
8470 or email erin@fruitgro.co.za. The ARC-Infruitec/Nietvoorbij also has
publications relating to deciduous fruit. Email booksalescape@arc.agric.za
or call 021 809 3305.
The Transformation publications, New Leaves and New Blossoms and now
New Trees, as well as brochures on the social responsibility programmes are
available from HORTGROSERVICES. Call Retha Louw at 021 870 2900 or email
retha@hortgro.co.za.
Our thanks to HORTGRO SERVICES for feedback on the draft chapter.

Dry beans
1. Overview
The dry bean production areas in South Africa as follows:
Province
Area
Free State
Bethlehem (including the Aberfeldy/Afrikaskop

area), Fouriesburg, Ficksburg, Clocolan,
Harrismith, Kroonstad, Henneman
KwaZulu-Natal
Kokstad, Vryheid, Bergville/Winterton,

Greytown, Weenen, Mooi River
Limpopo
Brits, Thabazimbi, Koedoeskop, Marble Hall,

Tuinplaas, Vaalwater, Ohrigstad, Lydenburg,
Burgersfort
Mpumulanga/Gauteng
Middelburg, Nigel (including the Bloekomspruit/

Grootvlei area), Delmas (including the Sundra,
Eloff, Waaikraal, Kendal area), Ermelo (including
the Chrissiesmeer/Lothair area).
North West
Lichtenburg, Koster, Rysmierbult
Northern Cape
Kimberley, Douglas, Modderrivier
Dry beans are an ideal rotation crop and research has also shown that dry
beans ensure higher yields in a crop rotation system. Improved cultivars
also produce higher yields, provided that the correct soil is used and the
commodity is cultivated correctly.
From an economic point of view it makes a great deal of sense to plant as
many dry beans as possible in a crop rotation system with maize on suitable
soils. The recommendation is one year of dry beans out of three to four
years in a crop rotation system. In a dry bean crop rotation system the longterm yield of maize has been increased by as much as 1 ton/ha. On highyield soils the introduction of a dry bean/maize crop rotation system could
drastically improve the profitability of both the dry bean and maize crops.

The domestic consumption absorbs all of the local production. It is normally
necessary to supplement the shortfall by means of imports. Imports are
mainly from China, but also from the USA and Canada. The landed costs of
imported beans, determined largely by the then current exchange rate of
the Rand in relation to the US Dollar, have a definite influence on the local
price structure. The prices obtained for locally produced beans are also
influenced by the quality of the beans on offer (locally produced versus the
imported product). A strengthening of the Rand in relation to the US Dollar
also encourages higher volumes of imports.
Depending on a world shortage on beans, South Africa has been able
to export beans to a number of different countries, mainly in Africa and
Europe.

South Africa has a dry bean deficit and relies on imports. This suggests an
opportunity for the whole of Southern Africa to increase production.
You are invited to contact the DPO should you require more information in
connection with price movements for the present marketing season, landed
costs of imported dry beans, import quantities, the tariff payable in respect
of imported dry beans and the present supply and demand situation.
Source: DPO; Field Crops: Dry Bean Market Value Chain Profile: 2010-2011
453
From the producer to the consumer: the value chain
Producer
Dry beans play an important role in the production systems of many

small-scale farmers in South Africa. The crop is mainly cultivated in the
Free State, Mpumalanga, Limpopo, Gauteng, North West, KwaZuluNatal, and the Eastern Cape in combination with maize. The soil and
the climatic conditions in these areas are favourable to the successful
production of dry beans. The short growing period and reduced nitrogen
fertiliser needs are added advantages.
The major part of beans produced by small-scale farmers is used for
home consumption and/or traded at local markets. Despite limitations
hampering the production of dry beans in this sector, the indications
are that this sector can make a substantial contribution to dry bean
production in South Africa.
Agribusinesses
Co-operatives
Brokers
Online Trading
Wholesalers
Importers
This much-needed support to small-scale producers is currently provided

by the ARC-Grain Crops Institute (ARC-GCI), and its main partner, the
Dry bean Producers Organisation (DPO).

Training
The Dry Bean Producers Organisation (DPO see heading 5) offers
the following courses:
One-day courses on the production of dry beans in conjunction with
the ARC-Grain Crops Institute (ARC-GCI).
A dry bean grading course on the basis of their comprehensive Dry
Bean Production and Disease Manual.
Pre-Packers/
Processors
Unbranded
INFORMAL MARKET
Hawkers
Spaza shops
Shops in rural
areas
Shops in the
townships
Pension day
hawkers
Pre-Packers/
Processors
Branded
Processors
Export
Agencies
FORMAL MARKET EXPORT MARKET

Formal (e.g. Europe)
Pick n Pay
Africa
Spar
Food aid schemes
Hyperama
Checkers/Shoprite/ Niche markets
Woolworths
Makro
Trade Centre
Dry beans are available to the consumer either as packed dry beans or as
processed dry beans. Red speckled, Large White Kidney and Small White
beans are canned in a saline solution and can also be canned in tomato sauce
(baked beans). The difference between beans canned in tomato sauce and
those canned in a saline solution (brine) is that the latter can be used for any
recipe, including puddings, cake, etc.
Bean producers have the choice to sell directly to the trade or supply
their product to the first point of sale in the bean marketing chain such as
wholesalers and co-operatives. Beans can be sold to packers or processors
and if they are unbranded they are sold in the informal market through
spaza shops and hawkers. If they are branded they get to the formal market
through the chain stores e.g. Pick n Pay, Hyperama, Woolworths and
Checkers/Shoprite. Split beans can also be exported to niche markets in the
form of flour, and the bread and pasta industry make use of it.
Research
The major research partner of the DPO (and the bean industry) is the ARCGCI at Potchefstroom. Their contact telephone number is 018 299 6100.
Read about them at www.arc.agric.za.
The industrys research plan ensures that attention be focused on the
following aspects of bean production:
cultivar development, evaluation and improvement
agronomy
plant protection
Although specific research projects are tackled with regard to the control
of various bean diseases, the research plan mainly focuses on the breeding
of suitable dry bean cultivars which are well-adapted to South African
production conditions. The following research projects are undertaken by
the ARC-GCI:
the transfer of dry bean technology to commercial dry bean
producers
dry bean cultivar evaluation
the production of disease-free seed
development of bean cultivars resistant to fungal diseases
combating of bacterial diseases of dry beans
dry bean breeding
application of molecular marker technology to dry bean breeding
The following cultivars were released from the breeding programme
conducted by the ARC-GCI:
454
Red Speckled
- OPS RSI
- Kranskop HR1
- Jenny
- OPS-RS2
- DBS 310
- Kranskop
- OPS-RS4
- DBS 360
- OPS RS5
- Sederberg
5. Role players
Associations
Dry Bean Producers Organisation (DPO)
Tel: 012 819 8100 / 082 448 3839
Bean seed 082 388 0510
Laboratories 082 313 1699
Admin 072 383 7152
www.drybean.org
Small White Canning

- Teebus
- Teebus RR1
- OPS KW1
- Teebus
- RCR 2
Carioca
Painted Lady
-
Maskam
The DPO provides industry-related services (like supplying production and

marketing information) to the bean producer. It manages the research done,
and is responsible for product and market development.
Companies involved
Large White Kidney
The Field Crops: Dry Bean Market Value Chain Profile: 2010-2011
includes a list of all dry bean traders and dry bean packers.

(Graphics used courtesy of the Dry Beans Producers Organisation)
Dry bean cultivar recommendations

A study of the characteristics of the different dry bean cultivars is available.
The purpose of this study is to help the producers to select the correct
cultivars for their purposes and the area in which they are located.
Available from the DPO:

SA Drobone Drybeans magazine (read it online at www.drybean.org)
a number of free information brochures in connection with the health
benefits of dry beans as well as a recipe book entitled Bean Renaissance
the intelligent food choice
Root Diseases of Dry Beans
In South Africa mainly three types of bean are produced: Red Speckled
beans, Small White Canning beans and Large White Kidney beans - in that
order of importance.
Dry Bean Production and Disease Manual. This comprehensive publication

is available from the Dry Bean Producers Organisation and the ARC-GCI
(contact details under headings 4 and 5)
Red Speckled beans have the biggest market and are mainly sold in retail
quantities in shops for preparation at home. The market discriminates
against cultivars of which the seeds are too small (smaller than 100 seeds
per 40g) or those of which the background colour rapidly becomes
darker.
Two publications are available from the Department of Agriculture, Forestry

and Fisheries (DAFF). Take the Publications option at www.daff.gov.za:
Small White Canning beans are, as the name suggests, mainly used
for canning purposes and, in view of the ever increasing need of the
consumer for convenience foods, there is a growing market for these
beans. Canners have very specific quality requirements though and only
buy certain cultivars.
Large White Kidney beans are mainly used for retail packaging and to
a lesser extent for canning purposes. The market for these beans is,
however, relatively limited and an over-supply can easily occur in a good
season.
Other locally produced types such as Carioca and Painted Lady have a
very limited market.
Under the Agriculture marketing option find Field Crops: Dry Bean
Market Value Chain Profile: 2010-2011.
The excellent Dry Bean Production (information supplied by the ARCGCI) is available under the Info Pak option. There is also information
about dry beans under the Brochures menu option.
With regard to quality control an important document is the Regulations
related to the Grading, Packaging and Marking of Dry Beans destined for sale in
the Republic of South Africa as published in Government Gazette No. 23571
on 5 July 2002.
455

Floriculture and nursery crops
See the separate Cut-flowers chapter
1. Overview
Floriculture, or flower farming, is a discipline of horticulture concerned
with the cultivation of flowering and ornamental plants for gardens and for
floristry, comprising the floral industry. The development plant breeding of
new varieties is a major occupation of floriculturists.
Floriculture crops include bedding plants, flowering plants, foliage plants or
houseplants, cut cultivated greens, and cut flowers. As distinguished from
nursery crops, floriculture crops are generally herbaceous. Bedding and
garden plants consist of young flowering plants (annuals and perennials) and
vegetable plants. They are grown in cell packs (in flats or trays), in pots, or in
hanging baskets, usually inside a controlled environment, and sold largely for
gardens and landscaping. Geraniums, impatiens, and petunias are the bestselling bedding plants. Chrysanthemums are the major perennial garden
plant in the United States.
Flowering plants are largely sold in pots for indoor use. Foliage plants are
also sold in pots and hanging baskets for indoor and patio use, including
larger specimens for office, hotel and restaurant interiors.
Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Floriculture
2. Role players
Associations
South African Nursery Association (SANA)
Tel: 072 994 5371
www.sana.co.za
SANA represents the nursery industry as a whole, and also represents
individual associations such as:
Allied, Bulb & Seed Trade Association
Bedding Plant Growers Association
Garden Centre Association (GCA)
Indigenous Plant Growers Association
Ornamental Growers Association
Rose Growers Association
Botanical Society of South Africa
Tel: 021 797 2090
www.botanicalsociety.org.za
The Botanical Society Head Office is situated at Kirstenbosch Botanical
Gardens. It has sixteen branches: Grahamstown, Port Elizabeth (Algoa),
Roodepoort, Bredasdorp, Cedarberg, Pietermaritzburg, Durban,
Bloemfontein, Garden Route, Kirstenbosch, Kogelberg, Polokwane,
Nelspruit, Pretoria, the West Coast and the Winelands.
Other associations:
Aloe Council of South Africa www.aloesa.co.za
Cycad Society of South Africa www.cycadsociety.org
Fern Society of South Africa www.fernsoc.co.za
Herb and Indigenous Plant Guild Tel: 011 393 3427
Indigenous Bulb Association of South Africa www.safricanbulbs.
org.za
Interior Plantscapers Association of South Africa www.ipsa.
za.com
Landscape Irrigation Association of South Africa www.liasa.
co.za
Lawnmower Association of South Africa www.lmasa.co.za

South African Green Industry Council (SAGIC) www.ansup.
co.za/sagic.html
South African Landscapers Institute www.sali.co.za
South African Orchid Council www.saoc.co.za
South African Palm Society www.sapalm.co.za
Succulent Society of South Africa www.succulentsociety.co.za
Find details of the South African Cut Flower Growers Association
(SAFGA), South African Cut Flower Export Council (SAFEC),
the South African Protea Producers and Exporters Association
(SAPPEX) in the Cut-flowers chapter.

Cape Peninsular University of University of the Free State
Technology (CPUT)
Department Landscape
Prof J Spies 051 401 2595
Technology
Mr Maleka 051 401 3976
Tel: 021 460 3153
www.ufs.ac.za
www.cput.ac.za
Durban University of Technology Department of Botany and Plant
(DUT)
Biotechnology
Department of Horticulture and
Tel: 011 559 2436
Landscape Technology
www.uj.ac.za
Tel: 031 373 2716
www.dut.ac.za
UNISA (Florida Campus)
Department of Horticulture and
Landscaping
Tel: 011 471 3138
Science
www.unisa.ac.za
Tel: 021 808 4900
and Soil Science
Technology
Tel: 012 420 3809 / 223
Department of Horticulture
www.up.ac.za
Tel: 012 382 5911
www.tut.ac.za
Some nurseries and garden centres

Brandmullers Garden Pavilion (Vereeniging) Tel: 016 428 3351
Cape Garden Centre (Joostenbergvlakte) Tel: 021 988 4137 www.
capegardencentre.co.za
Colourful Splendour (Craighall Park) Tel: 011 447 5817 www.
colourfulgroup.co.za
Colourful Corner (Honeydew) Tel: 011 794 5733 www.colourfulgroup.
co.za
Cycads for Africa Tel: 044 386 0035 http://cycadsforafrica.com
Cyckos Tel: 083 235 9818 www.cyckos.co.za
De Fynne Kwekery Tel: 021 808 2922 jacky@defynne.co.za
Dunrobin (Bothas Hill) Tel: 031 777 1855
Ferndale Nurseries (Constantia) Tel: 021 794 5175/44 www.
constantiavalley.com
Floradale Nursery Tel: 043 748 2420 www.floradale.co.za
Floradale Nursery Tel: 041 368 5169 www.floradale.co.za
FloraFarm Tel: 011 894 2377 www.florafarm.co.za
Gamtoos Nursery (Indigenous plants) Tel: 042 283 0682 www.
indigenousflora.co.za
Garden Centre Piggly Wiggly (Lions River) Tel: 079 709 3586
Garden Pavilion find details of their centres at www.gardenpavilion.
co.za
GardenShop (Bryanston) Tel: 011 463 5773 www.gardenshop.co.za
GardenShop (Fourways) Tel: 011 465 4216
GardenShop (Menlopark) Tel: 012 460 5137
GardenShop (Parktown North) Tel: 011 447 2368
GardenShop (Constantia) Tel: 021 794 5015
Garden World (Muldersdrift) Tel: 011 957 2046 www.gardenworld.
co.za
Greenman Nursery Tel: 083 303 5949
Grow Wild Tel: 011 465 8857 www.growwild.co.za
Heavens Garden Nursery Tel: 079 604 4180 http://heavensgarden.
co.za
Illovo Nursery (Illovo Beach) Tel: 031 916 2491 www.illovonursery.
co.za
456
La Hacinenda Nursery Tel: 013 733 4229

Leeways Garden Centre (Johannesburg South) Tel: 011 683 2358
www.leewaysnursery.co.za
Leitch Landscapes Tel: 031 502 6862 www.leitchlandscapes.co.za
Lifestyle Home Garden Tel: 011 792 5616 www.lifestyle.co.za
Malanseuns Tel: 012 562 0527/8 www.malanseuns.co.za
Malmesbury Kwekery (Moorreesburg) Tel: 022 433 3232
Malmesbury Kwekery (Malmesbury) Tel: 022 482 2612
McDonalds Garden Shop Tel: 033 342 2191
Midlands Garden Centre (Nottingham Road) Tel: 082 447 7821 /
082 413 4032
Mikibu Bonsai Nursery Tel: 083 698 9069 www.bonsaisa.co.za
Montrose Nursery (Morningside) Tel: 011 783 1252
Plantae Tel: 084 752 6823 www.plantae.co.za
Plantforum Tel: 012 819 1240 www.plantforum.co.za
Plantland (Crowthorne) Tel: 011 702 2188 www.plantland.co.za
Plantland (Lombardy) Tel: 012 809 2120
Plantland (Akasia) Tel: 012 549 4945
Plantland (Zambesi) Tel: 012 808 1544
Plantland (Wonderboom) Tel: 012 543 1065
Plantland (Cornwall Hill) Tel: 012 667 6330
Plantland (Menlyn) Tel: 012 348 7121
Plantland (The Wilds) Tel: 012 991 3061
Random Harvest Nursery Tel: 082 553 0598 www.
randomharvestnursery.co.za
Sherwood Garden Centre Tel: 041 398 4400 www.
sherwoodgardencentre.co.za
Sheilam Cactus and Succulent Nursery Tel: 023 626 4133 www.
sheilamnursery.com
Super Plants (Parklands) Tel: 021 556 8664 www.superplants.co.za
Super Plants (Bothasig) Tel: 021 558 0190/4 www.superplants.co.za
Super Plants (Tokai) Tel: 021 715 4666
Super Plants (Hermanus) Tel: 028 316 4006
Top Crop Nursery Tel: 033 569 1333 www.superlawn.co.za
Twinstreams Indigenous Nursery Tel: 035 340 7017 www.
twinstreams.co.za
Vesco-Eko Tel: 016 889 9045 www.vesco-eko.co.za
Voor- Groenberg Nurseries Tel: 021 864 1018 www.vgnurseries.
co.za
Find contact details for nurseries on the Seedling Growers Association of
South Africa website www.seedlinggrowers.co.za
Find New Plant nurseries (indigenous plants) at www.newplant.co.za
Also find the list of garden centres at www.lifeisagarden.co.za, www.
sana.co.za/Other/garden-centre-association-retail-members.html and
www.keithkirsten.com/gca-retail-member-list.html
Other
African Aloe Tel: 044 752 1588 www.africanaloe.co.za
Biological Crop Health Tel: 083 631 9952 www.gardencare.co.za
Garden Goods Tel: 011 042 0000 www.gardengoods.co.za
The House of Aloes Tel: 086 010 2563 www.aloe.co.za
Incotec South Africa provides a comprehensive range of seed
treatments, technologies and services. Read more at www.incotec.
com or call 033 326 1500 / 071 352 1493
Organic Aloe Tel: 028 735 1557 www.organicaloe.co.za
Find contact details for all SAKATA Seed Southern Africa trade
branches on their website, www.sakata.co.za, or phone them at 011
548 2800.
SIlverhill Seeds Tel: 021 762 4245 www.silverhillseeds.co.za
Find the other seed companies in the Seeds and seedlings chapter.

The Royal Horticultural Societys Propagating Plants, published by Dorling
Kindersley.
Find the following on www.amazon.com:
Cut Flowers of the World: A Complete Reference for Growers and Florists
by Ben-Erik Van Wyk, Johannes Maree.
The Garden Succulents Primer by Ben-Erik Van Wyk, Gideon F. Smith
Guide to the Aloes of South Africa by Gideon Smith, Ben-Erik Van Wyk
The Garden Guardians guide to environmentally-responsible garden care,
published by Aardvark Press. Find details of content at www.gardencare.
co.za. The publication is available from www.aardvarkpress.co.za or www.
kalahari.net.
www.gardeningeden.co.za also a source of much information for
gardeners. Also find the publications on this website which include:
Ferns of Southern Africa: A Comprehensive Guide by Neil Crouch, Ronell
Klopper, John Burrows and Sandra Burrows.
The Southern African: What Flower is That? (ook in Afrikaans) by Gideon
F Smith and Kristo Pienaar.
Gardening with Keith Kirsten
Protea cultivation: From Concept to Carton by Dr Gerhard Malan. Order it at
fynflor@iafrica.com.
Find the South African Floriculture Cluster Study on the NEDLAC website
www.nedlac.org.za.
The Wild Flower Guides to the indigenous flora of South Africa are available
from the Botanical Society Bookshop Visitors Centre at Kirstenbosch. Call
021 762 1621 or visit www.botanicalsociety.org.za.
The Gardener, a magazine for everyone who loves gardening. Visit www.
thegardener.co.za.
Find details of the latest Indigenous Gardening Handbook at www.
indigenousplantfair.org.za.
See the Ballstraathof website for seasonal charts and other useful information:
www.ballstraathof.co.za.
www.ipps.org the International Plant Propagators Society (IPPS)
The website of African Nursery Supplies www.ansup.co.za is a hive of
information and has many useful links and contacts.
The online shop http://cycadsforafrica.com for cycads
www.prota.co.ke/en/home - Plant Resources for Tropical Africa
What is the most irrigated crop in the USA? Turf grass! Find the article TheEnvironmental-Cost-of-US-Lawns at http://ezinearticles.com.
457
Crop residues are an important source of winter forage.
In the drier central and western areas of the country, farmers commonly
have small areas of drought tolerant fodder crops to provide a fodder
reserve for droughts.
The establishment and management of cultivated pastures is a highly
specialised industry. Choice of species or cultivar, preparing the correct
seedbed, the time to sow, seeding depth and density as well as fertilisation,
are examples of aspects that should be taken into consideration. Grasses
are often mixed with other grass species or with legumes like Lucerne.
Forage and pastures

1. Overview
Cultivated pastures (on dry land) can produce up to four times more than
natural veld and play an important role in the future.
Fodder refers to food given to animals rather than that which they forage
for themselves. This includes hay, straw, silage, compressed and pelleted
feeds, oils and mixed rations, grains and legumes.
The graph below is from Frits van Oudtshoorns Guide to Grasses of

South Africa. To find out more about the book, or to see what training and
consulting is offered, visit www.alut.co.za or call him at 014 717 3819 / 078
228 0008.
Forage traditionally meant plant material eaten by grazing livestock pasture, crop residue, immature cereal crops but is used more loosely
these days to include what was previously indicated by fodder.
Species Name
Common Name
Soil
Rainfall/Year
Use
Acroceras macrum
Nile grass
Damp
625-1500mm
Grazing
Andropogon gayanas
Blue grass
Sand loam
400-1400mm
Grazing
Anthephora pubescens
Wool grass
Sandy
300-650 mm
Grazing
Brachiaria brizantha
Common signal grass
Most soils
500mm+
Grazing, sometimes hay and

silage
Cenchrus ciliaris
Foxtail buffalo grass
Most soils
375-750mm
Grazing, sometimes hay
Chloris gayana
Rhodes grass
Most soils
600-750mm
Cynodon dactylon
Couch grass
Most soils
625-1750 mm
Cynodon nlemfuensis
Star grass
Most soils
650mm +
Grazing
Dactylis glomerata
Cocksfoot
Most soils
900mm +
Grazing and hay
Dactyloctenium giganteum
Giant crowfoot
Sandy soil
450mm +
Grazing and hay
Dichanthium annulatum
Vlei finger grass
Clay soil
500-900mm
Grazing and hay
Digitaria enantha
Common finger grass
Mostly sandy
500mm +
Grazing, sometimes silage
Eragrostis curvula
Weeping love grass
Mostly sand loam
600-1000mm
Grazing and hay
Eragrostis lehmanniana
Lehmanns love grass
Sand loam
250-500mm
Grazing and hay
Eragrostis tef
Tef
Mostly sand loam
500mm +
Hay and grazing
Festuca elatior
Tall fescue
Mostly damp soil
750mm +
Winter grazing, silage, hay
Hemarthria altissima
Swamp cough
Wet soil
500mm +
Mostly grazing
Lolium multiflorum
Annual rye grass
Most soils
900mm +
Winter grazing
Lolium perenne
Perennial rye grass
Most soils
Only irrigation
Winter grazing
Panicum coloratum
Small buffalo grass
Clay soil
500-1000mm
Panicum maximum
Guinea grass
Fertile loam
550-600mm
Grazing, hay and silage
Panicum repens
Couch panicum
Wet sandy
500mm +
Grazing
Paspalum dilatatum
Dallis grass
Wet clay soil
750-1250mm
Mostly grazing
Paspalum notatum
Bahia grass
Moist sandy
750-1000mm
Grazing
Paspalum scrobiculatum
Veld-paspalum
Moist soils
900mm +
Grazing, hay and silage
Pennisetum glaucum
Pearl millet
Sandy loam
125-700mm
Grazing and silage
Pennisetum clandestinum
Kikuyu
Fertile soil
700-1600mm
Grazing
Pennisetum purpureum
Elephant grass
Fertile soil
600-1500mm
Grazing and silage
Phalaris aquatica
Canary grass
Moist soils
400mm +
Grazing (winter)
Setaria sphacelata
Golden bristle grass
Fertile sand loam
700-1700mm
Grazing and silage
Sorghum bicolor &

S.halepense
Wild sorghum
Most soils
400-750mm
Grazing and silage
Urochloa mosambicensis
Bushveld signal grass
Sand loam
600-1200mm
Grazing and hay
Urochloa oligotricha
Perennial signal grass
Sand loam
700-1500mm
Grazing and hay
458
2. For the newcomer

When it comes to choosing the best forage crop to plant, it is important to
consider the following factors:
which current research is presented to a mixed audience of scientists,

practitioners and consultants. The Congress includes field trips to practical
demonstrations of grassland science in practice, as well as special farmer
information days and courses.
Is the forage crop suited to the soil and climatic conditions?

What sort of animal production will the forage crop be used for? For
example, will it be used for milk production, fattening of weaners or
the maintenance of dry cows, and so on?
What are the advantages and disadvantages of a particular forage crop,
and how do these characteristics fit in with current stock farming
practices?
How versatile is a forage crop and can it be used for more than one
purpose?
Ensure that sufficient forage is planted to supply the required stock
needs. It is preferable to work on a conservative forage yield and to
make provision for a surplus.
Where intensive forage crops are planted under irrigation, be sure
to plant crops which provide good yields and have a high feed value.
Irrigation is expensive and one must look at obtaining optimal forage
yields and optimal usage.
Before establishment, ensure that you know the fertiliser requirements
for forage crops, the correct application times and how to correct any
soil nutrient deficiencies.
Where possible plant more than one forage crop, especially perennial
grasses, in order to spread risk and to create a better fodder flow
programme. Well-matched grass or legume mixtures can play an
important role in this regard.
Plant forage crops to complement sources of natural grazing and field
crop remains and to gain the best advantage from all these sources of
animal feed.
Use of intensive pastures, particularly those under irrigation, can result
in internal parasite and fungal disease problems in stock. An effective
dosing programme should be followed and, in the case of sheep and
dairy cows, preventative measures must be taken for foot rot.
The GSSA publishes the internationally recognised African Journal of Range

and Forage Science, and the popular publication, Grassroots. The website
of the Society hosts all back issues of Grassroots as well as a searchable
database of literature relevant to all aspects of grassland science.
Source: Forage Crop Production Guide by Pannar Seed (Pty) Ltd. This highly useful
document can be found on www.pannar.com.
Agricol Tel: 021 981 1126 www.agricol.co.za

Agricon Tel: 071 877 3324 www.agricon-pelleting.co.za [Lucerne
(Alfalfa) pellet mills, made with the small producer in mind]
Cango Engineering Tel: 044 272 3590 www.hammermills.co.za (The
feedplant specialist)
GENTAG Tel: 018 431 1287 www.gentag.co.za (forage harvesters,
silage wagons)
Hoogland Animal Feed Tel: 054 331 1835 www.alfalfa.co.za
Hygrotech SA Tel: 012 545 8000 www.hygrotech.co.za
INCOTEC South Africa Tel: 033 386 1560 / 071 352 1493 www.
proteios.nl (seed and coating technology)
Kaap Agri Tel: 022 482 8000 / 49 www.kaapagri.co.za
Klein Karoo Seed Marketing Tel: 044 203 5180 www.seedmarketing.
co.za, www.pastureseed.co.za
MBF International Tel: 082 738 0080 / 072 796 3793 www.mbfi.co.za
(seed treatment packages for Lucerne, clover and pastures)
Multi Feeds Tel: 053 474 1848/9 best@multifeds.co.za (They supply
roughage and protein for livestock e.g. Lucerne, wheat straw, soy
oilcake, fish-meal. They also research Lucerne cultivars).
Pannar Tel: 033 413 9500 www.pannar.com
Resource Consulting Services (SA) Tel: 058 622 1499 www.rcssa.com
Richard Keenan SA (Pty) Ltd Tel: 033 330 3135
Sensako Tel: 058 303 4690 www.sensako.co.za
Stimuplant Tel: 012 802 0940 www.stimuplant.co.za
Tree Lucern www.treelucerne.co.za (technical notes on this living
haystack and contact details for agents countrywide can be found on
the website)
Voer-Boer Tel: 082 890 9476 / 072 735 7000 www.voerboer.co.za
(Voer-Boer has developed a simple yet cost effective growing system
for sprouting cereal grains as feed for livestock)
W & P Dienste Tel: 051 853 1161 www.haybuster.com
Sericea Lespedeza, commonly known as poor mans Lucerne, is a

summer-growing legume that can effectively replace Eragrostis curvula.
Like eragrostis, sericea grows well on old low-fertile and humus-depleted
lands. But sericea outperforms eragrostis on shallow soils. Abandoned
lands that couldnt produce satisfactory yields of eragrostis can now be
converted into productive sericea pasture.
The reason is simple. Eragrostis needs nitrogen, and to fertilise a grass
pasture on shallow soils is a poor investment that carries high risk if it
doesnt rain, your nitrogen is wasted. Being a legume, sericea doesnt
require any nitrogen. Its also highly drought-tolerant and will produce a
good forage yield on relatively infertile soil with no fertiliser at all.
Source: The article Why its time to change to sericea by John Fair in Farmers
Weekly, Find it at www.farmersweekly.co.za.
3. Role players
Grassland Society of Southern Africa (GSSA)
Tel: 049 842 4335 / 083 256 7202
The GSSA advances rangeland ecology and pasture management in Africa
through a dynamic and professional Congress held in July each year, during
Grassland science encompasses applied fields such as livestock production,

wildlife management, nature conservation, water catchment management
and range and mine-dump rehabilitation. The disciplines that it encompasses
include, amongst others, ecology, botany, zoology, range and pasture
science, animal science, soil science and genetics. The GSSA intermittently
produces information days in collaboration with other organisations on a
range of subjects, and has recently unveiled a mentorship programme to
provide support to young scientists.
The GSSA hosts a members expertise database for the public who seek
expert advice in different areas.
National Lucerne Organisation
Tel: 044 272 8991
www.lusern.org
Find details of SANSOR in the Seed and seedlings chapter.
Input suppliers and other businesses

For a full list of seed companies and agribusinesses, refer to the Seeds and seedlings
and Agribusiness chapters.
459

(ALUT)
Tel: 014 717 3819 / 078 228 0008
info@alut.co.za
www.alut.co.za

Tel: 012 808 8000
www.arc.agric.za
The PPRI researches weed

Training courses facilitated by ALUT management techniques.
include how to choose, establish
Eastern Cape Department
and use cultivated pastures.
of Rural Development and
Agrarian Reform
ARCAnimal Production
Cradock Experimental Station
Institute (ARC-API)
Tel: 048 881 4513
Rangeland and Nutrition Unit
Tel: 012 672 9111 / 073
Dhne Agricultural Development
www.arc.agric.za
Institute
The Animal Production Institute Tel: 043 683 1240
employs scientists and technicians
with a wide range of skills including Grootfontein Agricultural
plant breeding, forage production, Development Institute (GADI)
conservation
agriculture
and Tel: 049 842 1113
conservation of plant genetic
resources. The focus of their North West Department
work is research and development of Agriculture and Rural
of new technologies in the area Development
planted pastures in order to Yvette Brits
improve forage production for ybrits@nwpg.gov.za
supplementing forage from natural www.nwpg.gov.za/Agriculture
veld. They have a team dedicated
to breeding and development of North-West University
new forage cultivars to improve (Potchefstroom campus)
Research Unit for Environmental
forage production.
Sciences and Management
They work in partnership with Tel: 018 299 2510
various seed companies in the sales www.nwu.ac.za
and distribution of new varieties of
forage species. They manage a Plant The Provincial Departments of
Genetic Resources Genebank, a Agriculture, working closely with
national asset the focus of which is the Agricultural Colleges, present
to ensure that our valuable forage courses on cultivated pastures,
species are conserved. They also hay and silage making, and conduct
conduct research on improving research on pasture production,
the efficiency of producing forage weed control, and animal nutrition.
for livestock under various climatic Scientists and extension officers
regions. All these efforts contribute can provide advice on fodder flow
to their support of a thriving management. The Soil laboratory
at Cedara can conduct detailed
livestock production industry.
soil analyses and provide advice

on optimal fertiliser regimes for a
wide range of crops. Find contact
details in the agricultural education
SA Biofarm Institute
Tel: 058 622 2372
www.sabiofarm.co.za
Tel: 021 808 4803
www.sun.ac.za/agron
Technology
Mike Panagos
PanagosMD@tut.ac.za
www.tut.ac.za
Department of Livestock and
Pasture Science
Tel: 040 602 2059
Economics, Extension and Rural
Development
Nomakhaya Monde
nmonde@ufh.ac.za
www.ufh.ac.za
Animal, Wildlife and Grassland
Sciences
Prof JPC Greyling
Tel: 051 401 2211
Prof Hennie Snyman
Tel: 051 401 2221
Find the full staff component at
www.ufs.ac.za. Prof Hentie van der
Merwe and Dr Gerrie Scholtz are
two names often associated with
Lucerne research.
Tel: 033 260 5505
Prof K Kirkman
kirkmank@ukzn.ac.za
Tel: 015 268 2202 / 2784
www.ul.ac.za
and Soil Science
Tel: 012 420 3809 / 3223
www.up.ac.za
University of Venda
Dr Joseph Baloyi
Tel: 015 962 8200
www.univen.ac.za
Agriculture
Institute for Plant Production
Tel: 021 808 5320
Outeniqua Research Farm
Tel: 044 803 3718
www.elsenburg.com
Training courses in pastures are
offered.
460
The following brochures on pasture plants are available as the compilation

Cultivated Pastures for South Africa from the ARC.
Contact the GSSA for the African Journal of Range & Forage Science, or view
it at www.tandfonline.com.
Scientific Name
General Name
Language
Acroceras macrum
Nile grass, Nylgras
English
Anthephora pubescens
Borseltjiegras
Afrikaans
Atriplex nummularia
Oumansoutbos
Afrikaans
Cenchrus ciliaris
Bloubuffelsgras
Afrikaans
Chloris gayana
Rhodesgras, Rhodes grass,

Nyankomo (Zulu)
Afrikaans
Visit www.kejafa.co.za or call 011 025 4388 for the following publications,
available from Kejafa Knowledge Works:
Cynodon species
Star grass, couch grass
English
Dactylis glomerata
Cocksfoot, Orchard grass
English
Diereproduksie vanaf aangeplante weiding in die somersaaigebied L

Scheepers
Guide to Grasses of South Africa Frits van Oudtshoorn (also available in
Afrikaaans)
Management Intensive Grazing J Gerrish
Pasture Profits with Stock Cattle A Nation
Quality Pasture A Nation
Pasture Handbook (also available in Afrikaans)
Desmodium intortum
Desmodium uncinatum
Groenblaar Desmdium
Silwerblaar Desmodium
Afrikaans
Digitaria eriantha
Smutsvinger
Afrikaans
10
Eragrostis curvula
Oulandsgras, Weeping love

grass
Afrikaans
11
Eragrostis tef
Teff, Tef, Tef
English
12
Festuca arundinacea
Tall fescue
English
13
Leucaena leucocephala
Leucaena, koa haole, ipilipil, wild tamarind, jumbie

bean
English
Gids tot die Volhoubare Produksie van Weiding Prof Hennie Snyman. Order it
at 021 406 4962 or lbw@media24.com.
14
Lolium multiflorum
Italian & Westerwolds

ryegrass
brought out by the National Wool Growers Association (NWGA) covers
alternative fodder crops in along with the other information. Find the
document on www.nwga.co.za or contact 041 365 5030.
15
Lolium perenne
Lolium boucheanum x L.
perenne
Perennial ryegrass
Hybrid ryegrass
English
16
Medicago sativa
Lusern, Alfalfa
Afrikaans
Guide to Profitable Pastures John Fair, M&J Publications, Harrismith, SA.

Some of his literature is available on www.sabiofarm.co.za.
17
Pennisetum
clandestinum
Kikoejoe
Afrikaans
Die Kynoch weidingshandleiding. EB Dickinson, GFS Hyam, WAS Beytenbach,

Keyser Versfeld. ISBN 0 620 14918 3
18
Pennisetum sp
19
Setaria sphacelata
Tropical grasses PJ Skerman, F Riveros. FAO. ISBN 92 5 101128 1
20
Sorghum sp
21
Trifolium pratense
Red clover
English
22
Trifolium vesiculosum
Arrowleaf clover
English
23
Vicia sp
Vetch
English
24
Vigna unguiculata
Cowpea
English

Small-scale hay farming in South Africa (also available in Afrikaans)
Artificial drying of Lucerne (also available in Afrikaans)
Production of green lucern with a dehydrator system
The operation and application of mounted mowers
The operation and application of hay rakes and hay tedders
The Pannar Seed (Pty) Ltd website is worth a visit www.pannar.com.

Various cultivars of grain and fodder crops are described, with details of
different cultivars and their advantages.
Die bestuur van aangeplante weiding in somerrenvaldele Chris Dannhauser.

The Distributor, Warmbaths, SA. ISBN 0 620 16389 5
Available from the ARC-Animal Production Institute is the Lusern/Lucerne
CD. It is a comprehensive guide to the production and management of
Lucerne in South Africa. Contact 012 841 9873 / 28.
English
Mannagras
Afrikaans
Afrikaans
461

Forestry
1. Overview
The Industry Information menu option on www.forestry.co.za provides a
wealth of information. Find also the latest SA Forestry Industry Abstracts
on this website.
About half of the more than 1 700 indigenous tree and shrub species found
in South Africa grow along the south and east coasts and on the southern
and south-eastern slopes of inland mountains. The other half is spread over
the interior plateaux. Indigenous forests are indispensable to the countrys
heritage, beauty, wildlife and environment, while commercial forests provide
jobs and economic opportunities for many people, especially in rural areas.
Plantations cover about 1,3 million ha of South Africa. Over 80% of these are
found in Mpumalanga, KwaZulu-Natal and the Eastern Cape. Plantations can
be classified into two main categories: hardwood and softwood. Eucalyptus
(mainly Eucalyptus grandis and its hybrids) and wattle (Acacia mearnsii) are
the main hardwood species grown in South Africa. Pine (of which Pinus
patula is the most common species) accounts for all South African softwood
plantations.
As a tree poor country (where indigenous forests are protected), South
Africa has had to rely almost exclusively on the development of exotic forest
plantations to meet its demand for wood.
Corporate companies are responsible for around 70% of timber production.
Around 23% is in the hands of farmers commercial and emerging and
7% in the hands of the state.
The forestry industry is one of the strategic economic sectors in South Africa
with a significant contribution towards economic growth and job creation.
The forestry sector (forestry and forest products) contributes about 1% to
GDP, generating R30 billion a year and employing around 170 000 people.
Forestry is placed to create additional, sustainable jobs. Planting the planned
new areas reflected in the Industrial Policy Action Plans (IPAPs) and the
BBBEE Foresty Charter will create up to 20 000 jobs in the Eastern Cape
just in timber growing. Many opportunities downstream in processing
and manufacturing make the potential contribution to job creation in the
country enormous.
Forestry and wood based products are categorised according to the
harmonised system (HS), an international method for classifying products
for trade purposes. Categories are as follows: plantation forestry, wood
chip, sawmilling, wood charcoal, timber board, mining timber, paper
(Newsprint), paper (kraftliner), poles and treated poles.
Sources: Farmers Weekly 29 April 2011 p 8 and 9; 6 May, 2011 p25; 27 May 2011 p 78.
SA Yearbook 2010/11 available on www.gcis.gov.za; the Industrial Products: Forestry
and Wood Products Market Value Chain Profile 2010-2011 on www.daff.gov.za

Find the International News section at www.forestry.co.za.
Forests provide a wide range of goods and services that meet both essential
and everyday needs. They serve as habitats for two-thirds of terrestrial
animal and plant species; prevent soil erosion and water run-off; maintain
the chemical balance of soil, air and water; recycle nutrients; break down
pollutants; clean the air and water; are vital to watershed protection and soil
formation; and play a major role in regulating our climate.
The main threats to the worlds forests are conversion to agriculture, illegal
logging, population growth, poverty and urbanisation. Deforestation and
degradation of natural forests pose a threat to biodiversity and are therefore
significant global and individual concerns. The main global concerns related
to the management of forests are deforestation through illegal logging; the
logging of protected or high conservation value (HCV) areas; and timber
supply from controversial sources.
The sustainable development challenge lies in balancing growing demand
for raw materials produced by forests, which are converted into goods and
services with enhanced ecological, landscape and social values, and building
stakeholder confidence in the sustainable forest products industry.
Source: www.mondigroup.com
The Centre for International Forestry researchs (CIFOR) publications

pages include titles on forest management, forest research, forest
degradation, and many more resourceful tools for scientists and those
concerned about the future of the worlds forests. Visit www.cifor.cgiar.
org/publications
www.communityforestryinternational.org Community Forestry
International
www.fao.org/forestry/wfc/en website of the World Forestry
Congress. The next congress, to take place in 2015, will be held in
Durban (congratulations, South Africa!)
www.un.org/esa/forests/index.html the United Nations Forum on
Forests (UNFF), the successor to the Intergovernmental Panel on
Forests (IPF)
www.foresters.org Global Association of Online Foresters.

Find updates on www.forestry.co.za.
Challenges
1. The countrys afforested area has declined over the past years owing
to issues like pest damage, disease and fire.
2. An environmental impact assessment is required before you are
granted a water use licence, and this legislative environment is not
straight-forward. Few new water licences have been issued for new
afforestation and many private growers have left the industry.
3. A strong South African Rand translates into a decrease of export timber
volumes and value and less money for the sector.
4. Questions around land reform lead to uncertainty and a lowering of
investment by timber growers.
Find the BBBEE Forestry Charter under the Industry Info menu option at www.
forestry.co.za.
It is estimated that upwards of 50% to 60% of the current afforested

area of commercial forestry plantations is subject to land claims. Given
the importance of the industry in terms of its contribution to the South
African economy and to the uplifting of rural communities, it is essential
that these benefits are not undermined through unsustainable landreform initiatives.
Various models enabling a win-win situation both for land owners and
new beneficiaries have been punted.
A huge shift from private landownership to new beneficiaries is envisaged.
All new afforestation will be community-based, and the way forward
for forestry companies to secure their fibre needs will be through
partnerships with beneficiaries.
Source: Farmers Weekly 27 May 2011 p 78; SA Yearbook 2010/11 available on
www.gcis.gov.za
462
Opportunities in forestry and forestry products include the following:

Building Joinery: Black owned saw-millers can diversify into doors,
frames, flooring, planks, mostly in pine. There is export potential
here.
Charcoal: Small wattle plantations can be used to produce high
quality charcoal. Link this to the Working for Water campaign?
Community Forestry: Transfer small plantations to community
trusts to form Community Public Private Partnerships (CPPPs) with
sawmills and other wood processing companies.
Improved Wood Quality: Train saw millers in wood processing,
especially pine.
Increase Forestry Area: Eastern Cape is the only province that can
increase its forestry area. An estimated 120,000 ha can be planted,
mostly in Transkei.
Indigenous Plantations: Small plantations of indigenous hardwood
(Yellowwood, Blackwood) can be harvested to a limited extent.
New Hardwood Plantations: Need for increased availability of
eucalypts (saligna) and wattle.
Paper And Pulp Mill
Treated Poles
Wood Chipping Plant: East London IDZ can host an export wood
chipping plant, railing timber from Mthatha.
Source: www.ecdc.co.za (adapted)
4. Forestry certification
Find the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) website at www.fsc.org. To find out more
about forestry certification, contact SGS South Africa at 021 506 3280 or the South
African Bureau of Standards (SABS) at 012 428 7911.
The certification of forests and forest products emerged during the previous
decade as an environmental initiative to halt the destruction of the worlds
natural forests.
Certification encompasses an independent and ongoing assessment / audit
of an organisations forest management practices, to measure compliance
against a range of nationally and internationally recognised social, economic
and environmental standards.
South Africa favours the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certification.
It is the global benchmark, has rigorous performance-based criteria and
is increasingly being demanded by environmentalists and consumers alike.
South Africa has the highest percentage of certified forests worldwide.
Source: www.forestry.co.za

On evidence, communities that have taken the initiative to exploit potential
land related economic spin offs are indeed reaping rewards. And forestry
is fast proving to be one of the many agro business opportunities that
rural-based communities are venturing into. According to Lizeka Zwane,
head for Wood and Forestry business unit at the Industrial Development
Corporation (IDC), if properly harnessed this sector has potential to add an
extra 50 000 jobs in the country. Zwane points to huge capital outlay and
a worrying technical skills deficit in this specialised sector as some of the
barriers to entry.
Themba Radebe based in Mabandla, rural KwaZulu-Natal is one of the
beneficiaries of the various funding initiatives in the IDCs portfolio aimed
at boosting the untapped potential of the forestry industry. Buoyed by a 20year experience in forestry work, initially with Sappi and later with paper
group Mondi, Radebe in partnership with community members in Mabandla
bought a 1300 hectare estate. Today Mabandla estate is home to some of

the most fine gum and pine species in South Africa and in addition the estate
is looking to add a further 100 hectares of the much sought after Eucalyptus
species. Mabandla estate currently harvests about 150 tonnes of timber/
day and has about 70 permanent employees on its books, spread among
stackers and chain saw operators. The number of employees sometimes
swells to over 100 especially during the peak harvest period. Although
Radebe wouldnt discuss the Mabandla estates turnover, its a significant
achievement for a company that has such humble historic roots. The
beneficiation chain in this sector is massive. The multi-billion pulp and paper
sector and the furniture industry are just some of the key pointers to the
lucrative nature of the industry, says Radebe.
To further hone his management skills Radebe partnered industry veteran
Peter Nixon and together they co-found the Rural Forest Management
(RFM)-a company that provides training, marketing, administrative and
financial management support to forestry projects in southern KwaZuluNatal and the Eastern Cape. Through RFM, the Mabandla project is now
linked with three well-established forestry projects in the Umzimkulu
district, and several more projects are in the pipeline. To its credit, Mabandla
is certified by the international Forestry Stewardship Council, which means
it is sustainably managed, and conforms to strict environmental codes of
practice.
Zwane is complimentary of Radebe and the Mabandla communitys
achievement adding that the IDC is committed towards bridging the resource
gap for entrepreneurs aspiring to venture into the forestry sector.
Source: excerpts from an IDC press release, 15 November 2011
Employees of South African paper manufacturer Sappi are set to benefit

substantially from a broad-based black economic- empowerment (BBBEE)
transaction between Sappi and black-owned investment company
Lereko Property Consortium. The Lereko Property Consortium, headed
by Lereko Investments and including other beneficiaries such as the
Malibongwe Women Development Trust and financial services company
AMB Capital, received 12.5% of the deal. The Sappi Foundation
Trust received 10%. The beneficiaries of this trust include the local
communities and the grower organisations situated around Sappis mills
and plantations.
Sappi is involved in various community projects, such as the ongoing Project
Grow programme, which assists community members in rural areas
with aspects of the forestry business, such as financial aid and technical
assistance. Sappi provides various financial assistance programmes,
which enables farmers to plant and maintain new trees. Besides financial
assistance, farmers also receive site-suitable free seedlings as well as free
technical assistance.
Source: adapted from the article BBBEE deal benefits employees and communities
on www.polity.org.za

Directorate: Forestry Policy & Strategy
Tel: 012 336 7500
Find the Forestry menu option at www.daff.gov.za. The Contacts option gives
contact details for the National Forestry Officers.
DAFF has initiated the development of the Forestry 2030 Roadmap, meant
to assist the sector in realising its potential contribution to job and wealth
creation as well as the conservation of biological diversity. It also reflects all
contemporary trends of global forestry.
463
Others
The instruments of policy relevant to the forestry sector are:

The National Forests Act, 1998 (Act No. 84 of 1998) concerned
with the sustainable management of forests and the protection of
forests and trees as well as community participation
The National Veld and Forest Fires Act, 1998 (Act No. 101 of 1998)
concerned with the combating of veld and forest fires
The Wattle Bark Industry Act, 1960 (Act No. 23 of 1960) which
provides for the control of the wattle bark industry
The Forest Sector Transformation Charter
Planting trees in a fairly regulated process. A water licence and an
environmental impact assessment (EIA) are required.
Certain trees are protected by law and should anyone wish to cut or utilise
these trees they need to apply for a licence from their local DAFF office.
In terms of Section 15(1) of the National Forests Act, no person may
cut, disturb, damage or destroy any protected tree or possess, collect,
remove, transport, export, purchase, sell or donate any protected tree
or any forest product derived form such a tree without a license. Find the
list at www.plantzafrica.com/miscell/protecttree.pdf.
Dendrological Society and Foundation Tel: 012 567 4009 www.

dendro.co.za
0 Institute for Timber Construction South Africa Tel: 011 974
1061 www.itc-sa.org
Institute of Timber Frame Builders Tel: 021 845 4435 www.itfb.
co.za
South African Utility Pole Association Tel: 083 627 6897
The Technical Association of the Pulp and Paper Industry of
South Africa (TAPPSA) Tel: 031 764 2494 www.tappsa.co.za

Find the Research and development option on the Forestry pages
at www.daff.gov.za.
Find the Skills Development and notes on research (under Industry
Info) on the Forestry SA website www.saforestry.co.za.
Visit www.irfe.info for information about the International Partnership
for Forestry Education (IPFE).
Contact the Forestry Industry Museum and Information Centre at 013
764 1058.
General role players
Forestry South Africa

Tel: 011 803 3403/4 Head Office
Tel: 033 346 0344 Pietermaritzburg Regional Office
www.forestry.co.za
Forest Industries Training Providers Association (FITPA)

Tel: 033 394 7207
safcaadmin@lantic.net
www.safca.co.za
Forestry South Africa (FSA) represents the interests of 11 corporate

forestry companies, about 1 300 commercial and some 20 000 emergent
small-scale timber growers in the country. In total its membership owns or
controls well over 90% of the Industrys plantations. It is thus regarded by
all stakeholders, both private and public as being the representative body of
the South African Forestry Industry.
FP&M SETA
(Fibre Processing and Manufacturing Education and Training Authority)
Tel: 011 234 2311
www.fpmseta.org.za
Paper Manufacturers Association of South Africa (PAMSA)

Tel: 011 803 5063
www.pamsa.co.za
Numerous companies provide short courses and other training. The reader
is referred to FITPA or FP&M SETA for a list of these.
Sawmilling South Africa (SSA)

Previously the South African Lumber Millers Association (SALMA)
Tel: 044 343 1720
southeys@iafrica.com
South African Forestry Contractors Association (SAFCA)
Tel: 011 392 4870 or 011 392 4643
Steenkamp, Jaap (Dr) (George Campus)
jaapst@iafrica.com or annvi@icon.co.za
www.safca.co.za
SAFCA is an association of forestry contractors with the objective of
furthering forestry contracting, assisting contractors with technical
information and representing them on national forums and bodies.
South African Wood Preservers Association
Tel: 011 974 1061
www.sawpa.org.za
The Wood Foundation (TWF)
Tel: 011 974 1061
www.thewoodfoundation.co.za
The Wood Foundation is an organisation which represents the entire forest
sector value chain from the growing trees to building timber frame homes.
The objectives of the Foundation are to promote the benefits of growing
trees and the use of wood as a preferred material in the construction of
homes and the manufacture of all manner of products.
The SETA responsible for training in the forestry sector
Tertiary and research

Council for Scientific &
Environment
Tel: 012 841 2911
www.csir.co.za
Fort Cox College of Agriculture

and Forestry
Tel: 040 653 8033/4/6
www.fortcox.ac.za
Institute for Commercial

Forestry Research (ICFR)
Find published research highlights Tel: 033 386 2314
and information about the CSIRs www.icfr.ukzn.ac.za
involvement in forestry on the
website.
A research institute funded by the
private sector timber industry
Durban University of
Technology
Pulp and Paper Department
University
Tel: 031 373 2123
www.dut.ac.za
Management
Tel: 044 801 5019 / 111
Josua.louw@nmmu.ac.za
Forestry and Forest Products
Research Centre
Tel: 031 242 2300 / 31
http://ffp.csir.co.za
National Diploma, BTech, MTech
and DTech in forestry. Accredited
A joint venture between the CSIR short courses are also offered.
and the University of KwaZuluNatal
464

Forestry
Tel: 012 348 1745
www.saif.org.za
Department of Forest and Wood
Science
Tel: 021 808 3323
http://academic.sun.ac.za/forestry/
Forestry and Agricultural
Biotechnology Institute (FABI)
Tel: 012 420 3938/9
A world-class Institute working
in the field of combating pests
and diseases in the forestry and
agricultural sectors
Offers all levels of degrees in University of Venda

forestry and wood science
Department of Forestry
Tel: 015 962 8310
www.univen.ac.za
(Pietermaritzburg)
Forestry Science, Community
Rhodes
University,
the
Forestry Science
University of the Witwatersrand
Tel: 033 260 5808
and the University of Cape
www.ukzn.ac.za
Town offer some training relevant
to the forestry chapter e.g.
Woodland Ecology, Forest Ecology,
Ecophysiology of trees Nutrition,
Water & Carbon.
The reader is referred to the excellent Forestry and Sawmilling Directory,
the most comprehensive directory for all involved in this industry. Refer
to www.timbersa.com or call 011 726 3081.
Find the extensive Business Directory on www.forestry.co.za. There
are 40 different categories e.g. agrochemicals, anti-split plates for pole
manufacturers, automation and information technology, chain saws
etc.
A similar Business Directory can be found at www.safca.co.za.
Find the links to SABS permit holders, SATAS certified suppliers, and
inspectors and supplemental treaters on the website of the South
African Wood Preservers Association www.sawpa.org.za.

Visit the websites of role players listed earlier in the chapter.
The Forestry Handbook, published by the Southern African Institute of
Forestry (SAIF). Visit www.saif.org.za for details (look for the Forestry
Handbook menu option), or contact 082 523 8733. Find the other
publications here too, like the Southern African Forestry Journal (SAFJ)
and the Fire Managers Handbook on Veld and Forest Fires (by William C
Teie, edited by Tian Pool).
Forestry and Sawmilling Directory and Wood SA and Timber Times are very
useful to anyone involved in this industry. Visit www.malnormags.co.za
or call 011 726 3081.
Find the Industrial Products: Forestry and Wood Products Market Value
Chain Profile 2010-2011 on www.daff.gov.za, website of the Department
of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (take the Publications and
Agriculture marketing options). Also visit the Forestry pages at this
website. The Resource Centre option, for example, provides quick
links to a number of past documents.
Southern Forests: a Journal of Forest Science, published by the Southern
African Institute of Forestry.
Making the Most of Indigenous Trees Fanie and Julye-Ann Venter. Briza
Publications. Contact: info@briza.co.za or visit www.briza.co.za.
Remarkable Trees of South Africa Neels Esterhuyse, Jutta von Breitenback,
Hermien Sohnge. Briza Publications. Contact: info@briza.co.za or visit
www.briza.co.za.
Tree Farming Guidelines for Sappi Outgrowers is a practical guide to timber
forestry. The manual is available on CD-Rom (contact 033 347 6629
or write to Sandra.holder@sappi.com). Chapters can be downloaded
from www.sappi.com.
Field Guide to Trees of Southern Africa (Struik Publishers) features more
than a thousand species. Visit www.struikpublishers.co.za
The A1-size poster Pests & diseases in South African Forestry can be
ordered from SA Forestry magazine. Call 031 303 6466 or write to
gaylene@artworks.co.za.
Find the article Afforestation in South Africa: Managing forestry
resources using assessment plans on www.polity.org.za.
www.paperpickup.co.za Mpact recycling website
Call 012 842 4017 or email aeinfo@arc.agric.za for the leaflet Charcoal
production in kilns. It is also available in Afrikaans.
Agroforestry the incorporation of trees into farming systems
has enormous potential to mitigate the effects of drought, prevent
desertification and restore degraded soils. Agroforestry can also help
to boost food production (for humans as well as animals) and provide
alternative sources of nutrition or income when crop yields are low. With
climate change expected to lead to unpredictable seasons in the future,
placing even greater pressure on agricultural systems, food production
and food prices, agroforestry is a viable option to help buffer farmers
against the impacts.
Find the article Surviving drought through agroforestry on the World
Agroforestry Center website, www.worldagroforestrycentre.org. Also
refer to the many other publications here.
Our thanks to Roger Godsmark (Forestry South Africa) for looking over the
draft chapter and for providing thorough commentary and feedback.
465

Fruit
To be read along with the other fruit chapters in this directory e.g. Citrus
fruit, Deciduous fruit, Subtropical fruit
1. Overview
Technical information and overviews are available on role player websites
listed in this chapter. Visit www.fpef.co.za and www.safruitfarms.com, for
example. The reader should also refer to publications under Economic
analyses and Statistical information at www.daff.gov.za.
Citrus is mainly produced in the irrigation areas of the Limpopo province,
Mpumalanga, the Eastern and Western Cape and KwaZulu-Natal. (Find
updates and news at www.cga.co.za).
Deciduous fruit is grown mainly in the Western Cape, as well as in the
Langkloof Valley in the Eastern Cape. Significant table and dried grapes
production areas are also along the Orange River and in the Free State,
Mpumalanga and Gauteng. (Find the fruit regions map at www.hortgro.
co.za).
Subtropical crops such as avocados, mangoes, bananas, litchis, guavas,
pawpaws, and granadillas are produced mainly in Mpumalanga and Limpopo,
as well as in the subtropical coastal areas of KwaZulu-Natal and the Eastern
Cape. Pineapples are grown in the Eastern Cape and northern KwaZuluNatal. (Find statistics at www.subtrop.net).
Citrus
Oranges, grapefruit, lemons, easy peelers and limes
Deciduous
Apples, apricots, pears, grapes (fresh and dreid),

plums, nectarines, peaches, quinces, cherries,
Persimmons, pomegranates and figs
Subtropical
Avocados, bananas, mangoes, litchis, papayas,

papinos, granadillas, pineapples, guavas, loquats,
melons and kiwi fruit
Other
Sweet and water melons, sour figs, prickly pears,

custard apples, jack fruit and medlars
Note: Opinion is not unanimous regarding the category is which the

occasional fruit is placed.

Find details on the PPECB Export Directory under the last heading. Also visit
the association websites for updated information and news.
The Perishable Products Export Control Board (PPECB) is the official
certification agency that ensures quality in the supply chain. The services
they offer are inspection services, logistical services, food safety auditing and
certification, and information services (updated annually in their directory).
Both the local and export marketing of fruit are free from government
intervention. The exporting of fruit is subject to compliance with certain
quality requirements and obtaining a PPECB (Perishable Products Export
Control Board) export certificate.
When the industry was deregulated in the late nineties, the single marketing
channel for export was abolished. At present there are a few hundred
exporters selling South African fruit abroad. As a result, South African
products thus compete against international role players, and in some

cases against each other. The various industries, i.e. citrus, grapes etc. have
however organised themselves by establishing industry representative
bodies which look after the interest of producers and exporters, in order to
optimise and co-ordinate export volumes to specific markets.

Read about the SAPIP 2 programme run by the PPECB in the
Developing farmer support and Food safety and traceability
chapters.
Take the Transformation option at www.hortgro.co.za for information
on the Deciduous Fruit Development Chamber (DFDC).
Refer to the New Farmer Information heading in the Citrus fruit
chapter.
Exporting fruit from the Western Cape Province of South Africa to
markets in Europe, North America and Asia contributes significantly to
the provinces Gross Domestic Product. Few emerging farmers have
entered this market. This is due to:
The historical political inequalities faced by the predominantly
coloured and black emerging farmers, in particular the lack of access
to agricultural resources and inputs, because legislation used to
exclude them from mainstream commercial farming.
The subsequent inability of emerging farmers to produce the
volumes and, at times, the quality required for export.
The significant influence of economies of scale, making it almost
impossible for emerging farmers to achieve a significant profit. Input
pricing and transport cost eventually impact on the final price of the
products grown.
Commercial farming is a highly technical operation, and but it in
fact also a financial and managerial exercise. Most emerging farmers
need to be brought up to speed on all three these skills.
The few smallholders who manage to export their fruit do so through
collective or individual arrangements with large-scale commercial
operations. In the paper Across The Divide: The Impact of Farmer-to-Farmer
Linkages in the Absence of Extension Services, Tim Hart and Roberta Burgess
look at how one such farmer, in the absence of agricultural extension
and research services, but through linkage with a large-scale producer,
started exporting apples in the 1970s. During the ensuing decades, this
producer developed his own knowledge and innovations in both fruit
production and socio-economic arrangements and could thus continue
to export most of his annual apple crop.
This case provides three clear conclusions that must be noted by those
involved in agricultural development:
Farmers linkages are vital for their success and survival; providing
them with access to various inputs and markets that are typically
unattainable.
Such linkages can also provide the necessary catalyst and opportunity
for farmers to innovate, thereby maximising the potential of
these linkages and subsequently optimising production within the
constraints of their circumstances.
In light of this, effective agricultural extension and research requires officials
and agents to not only work with farmers but to go beyond individuals
and village groupings to look at the significance of broader linkages and
the role these play in agricultural production and development. Where
appropriate they should seriously consider strengthening farmers
networks and innovations, rather than ignoring or replacing these.
Contact Tim Hart at thart@hsrc.ac.za
Skills For Africa is a focused skills training company dedicated to
the upliftment of previously disadvantaged rural communities and
the improvement of task level productivity in chosen industries. Find
their details and also those of other providers under Training and
Research (heading 6).
Find out about the Top of the Class (TOC) programme from Bronwyn
Palmer 082 802 5301 or bronwyn@agri-iq.com. TOC is an opportunity
for previously disadvantaged students to be exposed to the entire fresh
fruit value chain.
466

Find information and further contact details on the different directorates under
the Divisions menu option at www.daff.gov.za, website of the Department of
Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (DAFF).
Directorate: Food Safety and Quality Assurance

Tel: 012 319 7000
Tel: 012 319 6529
Agricultural Produce Agents Council (APAC)

Tel: 011 894 3680
www.apacweb.org.za
Department of Science and Technology (DST)
www.dst.gov.za
The DST has been involved in the post-harvest innovation programme,
addressing technology gaps across the chain from harvest to home.
www.ppecb.com
Contact details for the PPECB regional offices can be found on the
website.
Fresh Produce Exporters

Forum (FPEF)
Tel: 021 526 0474
www.fpef.co.za
Fruit SA is an alliance of the
various fruit exporting sectors
consisting of citrus, deciduous and
subtropical fruit.
HORTGROSERVICES
Tel: 021 870 2900
www.hortgro.co.za
Hortgro represents industry bodies
like the South African Apple and
Pear Producers Association,
the South African Stone Fruit
Producers Association, and the
South African Cherry Growers
Association. Find the complete
list on the website.
Refer to the citrus, deciduous and subtropical fruit chapters for details of role
players not listed here.
The ARCs Horticultural Business Division consists of the following:

ARC-Institute of Tropical and Subtropical Crops Tel: 013 753 7000
ARC-Infruitec-Nietvoorbij Tel: 021 809 3100 / 3366
The ARC Institutes also do training. Visit www.arc.agric.za for information.
Successful fruit exports depend on compliance with the requirements of

target markets, and compliance begins in the orchard. Find the relevant
export protocols under the Plant Health pages on www.daff.gov.za.
Citrus Growers Association

(CGA)
Tel: 031 765 2514
www.cga.co.za
SA Table Grapes (SATI)

Tel: 021 872 1438
www.satgi.co.za
SA Subtropical Growers
Association (Subtrop)
Tel: 015 307 3676 / 7
www.subtrop.net
This
association
represents
the SA Avocado Growers
Association
(www.avocado.
co.za), the SA Mango Growers
Association (www.mango.co.za),
the SA Macadamia Growers
Association
(www.samac.org.
za) and the SA Litchi Growers
Association.
South African Pomegranate
Producers Association
Tel: 082 346 2577
elrita@alternafruit.co.za
Tomato
Producers
Organisation (TPO) refer to
the vegetables chapter
Find details of other associations in the citrus, deciduous and subtropical fruit
chapters.
Cape Womens Forum see Philani Training and

Philani Training and Development Development Solutions
Solutions
Tel: 021 883 2490
www.philani.co.za
Citrus Academy
Tel: 031 313 3364
Praktika
www.citrusacademy.co.za
Tel: 022 913 2933
College of Sustainable
Agriculture (Pty) Ltd
Farmer and farm development
Tel: 0861 384 427
www.csa.edu.za
Tel: 021 848 9413
www.elginlearning.org.za
SA AgriAcademy
Tel: 021 880 1276/7
SAPO Trust
Tel: 021 887 6823
www.saplant.co.za
Skills for Africa

Tel: 012 379 4920
Ethical & Leadership Institute www.skillsafrica.co.za
(ELI) see College of Sustainable
Agriculture
Contacts in all provinces can be
Koue Bokkeveld
Opleidingsentrum
Tel: 023 317 0983
AgriSETA accredited groups do training in fruit e.g. Skills for All include
bananas, citrus, vines and more in their training programme.
Fruit production is involved in the diplomas training at the Agricultural
Colleges. Various short courses are also offered e.g. Cedara runs peach
processing, vegetable and fruit drying, and jam manufacturing short courses,
whilst Elsenburg conducts management and horticultural diploma courses
over a 2-3 year period.
Find details of AgriSETA accredited companies, Agricultural Colleges, universities
and other training providers in the Agricultural education and training chapter.
Also see companies under the different fruit chapters e.g.Subtropical fruit.
African Fruit Co
Tel: 011 660 5007
Agribusiness Systems
International (ABSI)
Tel: 021 917 2719
www.absi.co.za
Alternafruit SA (Pty) Ltd

Tel: 0860 111 592
http://alternafruit.co.za
Bethlehem Farmers Trust
Tel: 058 303 0560
467
Citrogold
Tel: 021 882 8277
www.citrogold.co.za
Ligthelm Kwekery
Tel: 078 802 1578
www.ligthelm.co.za
Culdevco
Tel: 021 870 2900
www.culdevco.co.za
Neltropica Fruit
Tel: 012 323 9300
www.neltropica.co.za
The following companies are fruit exporters:

Company
A joint venture between the ARC Professional services in drying and

and the deciduous fruit industry
processing of agricultural products.
Information and training available.
Tel: 021 904 1154
Paltrack
Tel: 021 970 2777
www.agrihub.co.za
Recent years have seen the
agricultural
market
change PricewaterhouseCoopers Agri
drastically. From water acts, labour Industry Group
relations to getting your produce National Leader and Southern
accepted overseas, file upon file Region 021 815 3000
of information needs to be kept KwaZulu-Natal 031 271 2000
and hours spent in keeping it up to Central Region 051 503 4100
date. For many it has become a full Northern Region 013 754 3300
time occupation. Software exists to Eastern Region 041 391 4400
make this task easier and less time Gauteng Region - 012 429 0573
consuming. Also consult the ICT
chapter for other role players.
As trusted business advisor the
Agri Industry Group focuses on
Fruit and Veg City
providing specialist services e.g.
tax, accounting, entrepreneurial
Tel: 021 532 5400
advice, internal audits etc.
www.fruitandvegcity.co.za
GPB Consulting
Tel: 021 852 7811
Serina Kaolin
Tel: 021 785 2081
www.kaolin.co.za
Goldpack (Pty) Ltd

Tel: 031 569 4199
www.goldpack.co.za
Sunburn protection for fruit and

vegetables

Multihead portion weighers for Standards (SABS)
potatoes, onions, carrots and Tel: 012 428 7911
various types of fruit; bagging, www.sabs.co.za
labeling solutions and more.
programmes: GLOBALG.A.P.,
Hortec
Tel: 023 316 1530 / 021 859 4242
Pesticide residue testing for
www.hortec.co.za
purposes
Fruit Quality testing laboratory.
Constituent
or
nutrient
Find details of their other services
analysis of food and water
on their website.
Corporation (IDC)
Food, Beverage and AgroIndustries SBU
Tel: 011 269 3000
www.idc.co.za
Specialised EHS Systems

(SEHS)
Tel: 011 664 8936 / 70
www.specialised.co.za
Fruit handling
equipment
As a business unit their role is

to focus on investments biased Two-a-Day Group
towards job creation, SME Tel: 021 859 7500
development, export generation www.tad.co.za
and regional development.
systems
and
Contact details and website
Afrifresh Export
021 763 7600 www.afrifresh.co.za
Agrilink
011 390 2366 www.agrilink.co.za
Alliance Fruit
083 642 6806 www.alliancefruit.co.za
AMC Fruit South Africa 021 851 1234 www.amcgrupo.eu

Cape Citrus
083 270 4726 www.capecitrus.com
Cape Five Export
021 850 4640
Capespan
021 917 2600 www.capespan.co.za
Colors Fruit SA
021 807 5000 www.colorsfruit.com
Delecta Fruit
021 930 1181 www.delecta.co.za
Dole SA
021 914 0600 http://dolesa.co.za
Du Toit
023 312 1071 www.dutoit.com
EXSA
021 914 8280 www.exsa-exp.co.za
Franschhoek
Marketing
021 876 3140/1/2 www.freshnessfirst.co.za
Freshworld
021 808 7100
Fruit Strategies
International
013 745 7303 / 021 762 7187

www.fruit-strategy.com
Fruits
021 860 1800 www.fruits.co.za
Fruitways
021 851 9742 www.fruitways.com
In Season Marketing
021 943 5960 www.inseason.co.za
Le Roux Group
021 864 1967 www.lerouxgroup.co.za
LGS Exports
021 880 0394
Lona Trading
021 481 8200 www.lona.co.za
Louterwater Landgoed
042 272 1724
Mouton Citrus
022 921 3405 www.moutoncitrus.co.za
Patensie Citrus
042 283 0303 www.patensiecitrus.co.za
SAFE
021 657 4000 www.safe.co.za
SAFPRO
041 581 0886 / 7 www.safpro.net
Saratoga Fruit Estate
023 615 1315
Sunday River Citrus
042 233 0320 www.srcc.co.za
Tru-Cape
021 850 1800 www.cape.co.za
Unichoice Produce
Direct
021 914 5838 www.unichoice.co.za
Unifrutti SA
021 852 8494 www.unifrutti.com
Univeg
021 880 1707 www.univeg.com
WP Fresh Distributors
021 851 3788 www.wpfresh.co.za
Zest Fruit
021 888 9100 www.zestfruit.co.za
Find comprehensive lists on the Fresh Produce Exporters Forum website

(look for Exporters lists on www.fpef.co.za), as well as the websites of
Subtrop and other industry organisations.
468

The PPECB Export Directory is the official guide to South African perishable
export products and export service providers. It is issued by the Perishable
Products Export Control Board (PPECB).
The purpose of the above-mentioned directory is to provide a
comprehensive resource and reference work of a broad spectrum
of industry role-players and relevant information to both national and
international stakeholders involved in the export of perishable products
from South Africa.
Call 021 930 1134 or visit www.ppecb.com.
The SA Fruit Journal magazine consists of dedicated sections for the three
fruit sectors citrus, deciduous and subtropical as well as market,
industry and research news. To keep a balance, a section for woman and
some general news are included. Regular features on specific topics such
as logistics, packaging, and education are covered. Visit www.safj.co.za for
more information, or contact 021 870 2900.

Grains and oilseeds
See also the separate grain and oilseeds chapters e.g. maize, sunflower etc.
1. Overview
Grains, cereal grains or cereals are grasses cultivated mostly for the edible
components of their fruit seed the endocarp, germ and bran. Cereal grains
are grown in greater quantities and provide more food energy worldwide
than any other type of crop; they are therefore staple crops.
In some developing nations, grain in the form of rice, wheat or maize (in
American terminology, corn) constitutes a majority of daily sustenance. In
developed nations, cereal consumption is more moderate and varied but
still substantial.
The website of the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries,

www.daff.gov.za, has a number of publications of relevance to this chapter:
The word cereal derives from Ceres, the name of the Roman goddess of
harvest and agriculture.
Several market chain profiles include ones for apples, apricots,

avocados, bananas, citrus, litchis, peaches, pears, pineapples, plums
and table grapes. Find the profiles under the Agriculture marketing
option.
If there is a fruit grown in the country, you will find grower notes under
the InfoPak and Brochure options!
Statistics on fresh produce markets. Annually this gives an exposition
of the mass, value and unit value of the sales of fruit at each of the
15 national fresh produce markets, month by month. Each product is
dealt with separately.
Also find the Trends, Economic Analysis and Statistical Information
reports. The latter gives detailed statistics on production, sales on
markets, exports and purchases for processing.
The three main oilseeds produced in the world are soybeans, canola
(rapeseed) and sunflower. Crushing these oilseeds results in the production
of soya oil, rape oil (canola), and sunflower oil. Also soy meal, rape meal
(canola), and sunflower cake are produced. Oilmeal is typically used as an
ingredient in animal feedstuffs, and the vegetable oil for food and non-food
uses e.g. an ingredient in processed foods, cooking oil and biofuels.
Find the latest South African Fruit Trade Flow on www.namc.co.za, website
of the National Agricultural Marketing Council.
Read about the Fruit SA Ethical Trade Programme at www.fruitsa-ethical.
org.za.
Information Guide of Deciduous Fruit of South Africa. Contact Retha Louw at
021 870 2900 or retha@hortgro.co.za
Call 012 842 4000 or email iaeinfo@arc.agric.za for the following leaflets,
available from the ARC-IAE in Silverton:
Processing of Citrus Fruit (Grapefruit, lemons, oranges)
Processing of Deciduous fruit (Apples, apricots, grapes, pears, plums,
peaches)
Processing of Olives and Legumes (green peas)
Processing of Field crops (Chilli, bell peppers, tomatoes)
Processing of Subtropical Fruit (Avocado, bananas, figs, guava, kiwifruit,
litchi, papaya, passion fruit, pineapple).
SA Groente en Vrugte. A magazine, 6 issues a year. Contact 018 293 0622 for
more information.
Find the easy to understand Infotoons on fruit crops on the AGIS website,
www.agis.agric.za/efarmer.

Compared to some other countries, South Africa is a small producer and thus
a price taker.
Local prices for grain and oilseed crops are somewhere between import
and export parity. Import parity is the price a buyer will pay to buy the
product on a world market. This price will include all the costs incurred to
get the product delivered at the buyers destination. An export parity price
is what a local seller could get by selling his product on the world market,
excluding the export costs. The price which the seller gets is based on the
condition that he delivers the product to the nearest export point (usually
an harbour) at his own expense. World prices for grains and oilseeds are
usually quoted in US dollars.
Import and export parity prices are published by the South African Grain
Information Service (SAGIS) to help producers in their marketing planning.
Source: Field Crop Marketing, one of several manuals in the Agricultural Marketing
Extension on the Department of Agriculture, Forestry & Fisheries website, www.daff.
gov.za
Find the current world production, market and trade reports at

www.fas.usda.gov/currwmt.asp the Foreign Agricultural Service
arm of the US Department of Agriculture.
Visit www.nass.usda.gov (National Agricultural Statistics
Service NASS) for grower estimates in the USA. These reports
can be accessed at no charge.
www.usda.gov/oce/commodity the World Agricultural Outlook
Board (WAOB) serves as a focal point for economic intelligence
and the outlook for world agriculture.
www.cmegroup.com Chicago Board of Trade
World price information, production, trade, stocks and consumption
information for wheat, barley, oats, maize (corn), sorghum, soybeans,
groundnuts (peanuts), sunflower seed and rapeseed is available on
SAGIS website under the menu option Historic prices.
Southern Africa information on maize, wheat and sorghum are
available on the SAGIS website www.sagis.org.za. It can also be
accessed on www.sadc.int.
469
For import/export data visit the SAGIS website: www.sagis.org.za select the Weekly Imports/Exports menu option. This is updated
every second working day of the week for Maize and Wheat. For
Grains/Oilseeds other than Wheat and Maize select the Monthly
Bulletin menu option.
Grains and grain milling products qualify for duty free access under
the AGOA Act to the USA. See www.agoa.gov.
China National Grain and Oils Information Centre www.
chinagrain.gov.cn
www.oilseed.org The USAs National Institute of Oilseed
Products (find the links here to other organizations). Oilseed
information is also available on the Oil World website, www.
oilworld.biz at a cost.
Visit the website of the Consultative Group on International
Agricultural Research, www.cgiar.org. Also find an extensive
collection of titles covering maize and wheat technologies and
research around the globe on the website of the International
Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT) www.
cimmyt.org. English and Spanish titles are available.
Other international websites include the International Grains
Council visit www.igc.org.uk and www.hgca.com.
3. The grain market

The grain market is the place where buyer and seller meet to agree upon a
market price. It is not a physical market like, for instance, Tshwanes Fresh
Produce Market where all products are sold at a central point. In the case of
grain the market is where the farmer sits in his office on the farm and from
where he phones his grain dealer to find out out what price hell get for his
maize in, say, Gelukspan. The grain market can therefore be in any place.
To function, the grain market needs the following participants:
1. Local Wholesalers
These can be someone like Pico feeds at Zeerust (in South Africas North
West Province) who only sells grain in the immediate vicinity. As Pico buys
and sells grain for its own account, it acts as principal. A speculator (see
point 6 below) is the opposite of a principal.
2. International Grain Dealers
They buy large quantities at a time as they sell shiploads on foreign markets.
They are well-provided with capital. Cargill is an example of an international
grain trader.
3. Millers
Tiger Milling is an example of a miller having silos on its own premises. They
carry large stocks in case the mills come to an unexpected standstill. It also
works out cheaper to store as much grain as possible on their own premises.
Millers also buy ahead to provide for future needs. They want a constant
flow of quality grain. Their contracts carry no force majeur, which means
that they wont protect you if you cant deliver grain as you undertook to in
your contract with them.
4. Animal Feed Producers
Epol, Meadow, Voermol and Molatek are examples of animal feed producers.
They also have storage facilities on their own premises, as they cant risk
running out of grain.
They usually buy yellow maize, but if the price of white maize falls to below
that of yellow maize, they will also consider buying the white variety. Theyre
the people who usually buy second or third grade and will also consider
buying yellow maize on overseas markets; which explains why they always
express local prices in terms of yellow maize imports, particularly in coastal
cities Cape Town and Durban.
5. Grain Storers
These are the agricultural companies who own silos for the storage of grain
at a fee to the producer. They also buy and sell grain for their own account.
Their core business should be the handling of grain.
6. The Speculator
The speculator makes the market work. He buys and sells grain without
ever taking ownership (the opposite of a principal) and plays a very active
role in the marketplace. The more speculators on SAFEX, the more
transparent the market.
7. The Producer
The farmers most important aim is to produce grain without having to
store it. It is assumed that the producer will sell his grain and that the buyer
will carry the storage fee.
8. The Banks
Their main purpose is to finance and protect the farmer (by means of
hedging agreement). Some banks also speculate on SAFEX for their own
accounts.
Source: Farming SA, April 2008, an extract from the Lucrative Grain Marketing series
by Phiri Bosigo.

Find the Agricultural Marketing Commodity Profiles series under
Publications at www.daff.gov.za. The value chains for all the grain and
oilseed crops are discussed.
The relevant whole grain/oilseeds are marketed according to free
market principles, normally by traders, producers (own grain and
oilseeds) and storers (previous Co-ops).
Oilseeds have an indirect impact on industries in which balanced feeds
constitute a major input cost. The animal feed chain tends to link
oilseeds with the costs of dairy products, beef, mutton, pork, broiler
chickens and eggs.
Note the function of SAGIS (see heading 6). Detailed information,
updated regularly, is available from them. The Industry Info menu
option on the above website gives you access to economic indicators
and various market movements.
Agrimark Trends (AMT) also provides a useful Product Synopsis report
for maize, wheat and other agri outputs. Visit www.agrimark.co.za.
A comprehensive risk management approach can be used by producers
to address production and price risk. Farmers hedge their grain on the
JSE to secure a desirable future months price, and so protect themselves
against a possible drop in prices at harvest time.
Millers and grain traders, an important market for the farmers grain, also
dont want to be caught out by unexpected prices. When it is time for
them to purchase their stock, they will also have protected themselves
by having hedged a price beforehand.
This is thought to be an effective way for all parties to manage price risk
and not be caught unexpectedly by volatile grain prices.
Farmers who are not sure how it works should consult their bank,
agribusiness/co-op or broker.
470

Find information on the various directorates under the Divisions menu option
at www.daff.gov.za, website of the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and
Fisheries.
Directorate: Statistical &

Economical Analysis
Tel: 012 319 8454
Crop Estimates Committee (CEC)
Tel: 012 319 8032 / 6507

Tel: 021 930 1134 Head office
www.ppecb.com
Department of Energy (DME)
www.energy.gov.za
Through the CEC, the Directorate

Agricultural Statistics provides
information on all major grain crops
in South Africa for the benefit of
all role players in the agricultural
sector. Information is available at
www.sagis.org.za.
South Africa has excluded maize in

the initial stages of the countrys
biofuels policy in an attempt to keep
a lid on high food prices. Maize is a
staple food source for the majority
of the poor in the country.

Council (NAMC)
Tel: 012 341 1115
www.namc.co.za

Standards (SABS)
Tel: 012 428 7911
www.sabs.co.za
The Crop Estimates Liaison

Committee (CELC) is an official
committee that functions under
the auspices of the NAMC. CELC
is amongst others, to monitor the
performance of the Crop Estimates
Committee (CEC) and make
recommendations for the further
improvement of crop estimates on
an ongoing basis.
pesticide residue testing for

purposes
constituent or nutrient analysis
of food and water
Grain SA (GSA)
Tel: 0860 047 246
www.grainsa.co.za
GSA was founded in 1999 by grain farmers for grain farmers to have one
powerful organisation representing their interests. Grain SA was formed
out of NAMPO (maize), NOPO (soybeans, sunflower and groundnuts), the
WPO (wheat, barley and oats) and the SPO (grain sorghum).
The GSA website is current and helpful, providing updates on fuel and
World Trade issues, various report-backs on their working groups, as well
as a classifieds section.
Read about the NAMPO Harvest Day, an annual agricultural show held over
four days at the NAMPO Park near Bothaville, in the Agricultural shows
and events chapter.
South African Grain Information Service (SAGIS)
Tel: 012 523 1400
www.sagis.org.za
The main objective of SAGIS is the collation, processing, analysing and
timeous distribution of reliable and useful market information related
to grain and oilseeds to all role players. Macro-economic information
is available, both locally and internationally, to enable role-players in the
grain and oilseed industries (commercial and emerging sectors) to continue
making meaningful decisions.
SAGIS information is distributed through various channels i.e. magazines,
faxes, representative organisations and www.sagis.org.za. The information
is detailed and regular. The website has links to various external sites such
as the Kansas City and Chicago Boards of Trade.
Trust Administrators
Maize Trust
Tel: 012 807 3958
www.maizetrust.co.za
Winter Cereal Trust

Tel: 012 663 1660
Oil & Protein Seeds

Development Trust
Tel: 011 234 3400
www.opot.co.za
Sorghum Trust
Tel: 012 807 3958
Associations and Committees

Tel: 011 234 3400
www.opot.co.za
Sorghum Processors
Association
Tel: 018 297 7181 / 082 561 5742
SA Cereals & Oilseeds Trade

Association (SACOTA)
c/o AFMA at 012 663 9097
SA Oil Processors Association

(SAOPA)
Tel: 082 533 0692
Fax: 086 627 7603
SA Groundnut Processors &

Traders Association
Tel: 056 343 2892
Forums
Maize Forum
Tel: 012 807 3958
Sunflower and Soybean Forum

Tel: 011 234 3400
Wheat Forum
Tel: 012 807 3958
Sorghum Forum
Tel: 012 807 3958
Groundnut Forum
Tel: 011 234 3400
Other
The National Chamber of
Milling
Tel: 012 663 1660
www.grainmilling.org.za
Animal Feed Manufacturers

Association (AFMA)
Tel: 012 663 9097 / 361
www.afma.co.za
SA Chamber of Baking
Tel: 012 663 1600
www.sacb.co.za
SA Bioenergy Association
Tel: 011 655 7332
www.saba.za.org
Southern African Grain

Arbitration Service Association
(SAGAS)
Tel: 012 807 3958 / 3002
www.graansilo.co.za
The Grain Value Chain Network

(GVCN) is an informal group of
businesses and others who wish to
make a difference at ground level
in agriculture. Input companies
(e.g. Pannar, Monsanto and
Omnia), agribusinesses (e.g. VKB)
and associations (e.g. Agricultural
Business Chamber, Grain SA and
the National Chamber of Milling)
attend meetings.
Grain Handling Organisation of

Southern Africa (GOSA)
Tel: 011 237 6100
annatjie@unitrade826.co.za
Grain Silo Industry (GSI)
Tel: 012 807 3002
www.graansilo.co.za
Detail of representative bodies and the different forums can also be found on the
SAGIS website: www.sagis.org.za. Take the List of Associations or the List of
Forumsmenu options.

Research is financed by the various trusts and is done by the Agricultural Research
(ARC), the Council for Industrial and Scientific Research (CSIR) and other research
organisations. The different trust administrators may also be contacted with regard
to training (contact details under heading 6).
471
The Agricultural Colleges offer diploma courses. Provincial

Departments of Agriculture, working closely with these colleges, offer
short courses on crop production. Find contact details in the Agricultural
AgriSETA accredited trainers (see the Agricultural education and
training chapter or visit www.agriseta.co.za).
(ARC-GCI)
Tel: 018 299 6100
www.arc.agric.za
Included in Grain SAs Farmer

Development Programme are
week-long
introductions
to
producing maize, wheat, sunflowers
and other grain crops. Find details
of these and other training in the
emerging farmer support chapter.
The reader is also referred to the
Developing Agriculture menu
option on www.grainsa.co.za.
The mandate crops of the ARCGCI include the following staple and
high protein food and feeds: maize,
sunflower, dry beans, sorghum,
groundnut, soybeans, canola and
crops of lesser importance such as
cowpeas, millets and bambara.
Tel: 012 546 9240
Courses for small farmers and www.gtinstitute.co.za
extension officers are given: include
grain production in general; maize Protein Research Foundation
production; groundnut production; Tel: 011 803 2579/1894
dry bean production; and sorghum www.proteinresearch.net
production. A course for maize
production in the Eastern and Southern African Grain
Western areas can also be given.
Laboratory (SAGL)
Tel: 012 807 4019
www.sagl.co.za
(ARC-SGI)
Tel: 058 307 3400
The SAGL is an association
www.arc.agric.za
incorporated under Section 21
(Association not for gain).
The Small Grain Institute focuses
on
the
improvement
and SAGL is a quality analyses
cultivation of small grain crops laboratory and has ISO/IEC 17025
such as wheat, barley, oats, triticale accreditation. National information
and rye. Its research work covers is published on www.sagl.co.za.
plant breeding, the evaluation
of cultivars, grain quality, plant They provide ring tests and
physiology, tillage, weed science,
give laboratory training and are
plant pathology, entomology and
recognised as the grain analyses
yield potential.
reference laboratory in Southern
ARC-Plant Protection Research Africa.
The universities (see Agricultural
Tel: 012 808 8000
education and training chapter)
offer degrees in which Crop Science
CSIR Biosciences
is included. Examples include:
Dr Joe Molete
Tel: 012 841 4220/2000
jmolete@csir.co.za
www.csir.co.za
Tel: 021 808 4803
The Grain Farmer Development
www.sun.ac.za/agron
Association (GFADA) is a body
to support new entrants into the
grain industry and to help them
Tel: 021 808 3578
become independent grain farmers.
The GFDA was launched by the
Agricultural Business Chamber, the
Maize Trust, the Sorghum Trust,
Grain SA, Omnia fertiliser, Pannar,
Tel: 051 401 2514
Seed, L&L Agricultural Services,
Syngenta SA, Tongaat Hulett Starch
the National Chamber of Milling, Some universities offer short
the SA Chamber of Baking and the courses for Commercial as well
as Emerging Farmers. In addition
Winter Cereal Trust.
to emerging farmer courses,
Grain SA runs courses on grain for example, the University of
production as well as on SAFEX the Free State also runs a two(see Commodity Trading in the day Risk Management of Cash
Marketing & finance section of Crops course which enables the
this book). Study Groups are run farmer to master risk-hedging
on all levels. Call 051 401 2535.
for emerging farmers.
See companies listed under the individual grain and oilseed chapters, as well as
the grain storage and handling, milling, seeds and seedlings, animal feeds and
commodity trading chapters. Extensive lists are also available on www.sagis.org.za.

Find international websites under heading 2
GSA runs a monthly publication SA Graan/Grain devoted to grain

matters for its members, but also distributed to identified role players
such as business and political leaders, ministers, education and training
institutions, schools and other industries, etc. There are also weekly
radio programmes (refer to the ICT and agricultural media chapter).
The Grain SA newsletter Perspektief/perspective gives overviews of
different grain crops.
Find relevant options on the Grain SA website www.grainsa.co.za.
These include statistics and reports on production, markets and inputs.
Find contact details for members on the different working groups (take
the Corporate Info, Organisational Structure options) and much
more.
www.sagis.org.za SAGIS website: national stocks, producer deliveries,
imports, exports, consumption, weekly parity prices, historical
information, etc.
Several publications on the Department of Agriculture, Forestry &
Fisheries website, www.daff.gov.za (take the publications) are
relevant to this chapter.
- Find the analyses of the various value chains (take the Agriculture
marketing option).
- Find the excellent Agricultural Marketing Extension (look under the
General publications option). The Field Crop Marketing document
covers the marketing of grains and oilseeds.
- A number of grower notes can be found under the InfoPak and
Brochures options. Included here is a brochure on safflower, a lesser
known annual oilseed crop, which is well adapted to drier areas. These
booklets and brochures can also be obtained by calling the Resource
Centre at 012 319 7141.
Contact 012 842 4017 or write to iaeinfo@arc.agric.za for the following
leaflets, available from the ARC-IAE in Silverton:
- Processing of Cereal Crops Vol. 1 (Maize, oats, rice)
- Processing of Cereal Crops Vol. 2 (Sorghum, wheat)
- Processing of Cereal Crops Vol. 3 (Barley, sesame, poppy seed, rye)
- Processing of Oil Seeds (Soy beans, sunflower)
Included among the many publications available from Kejafa Knowledge
Works are Handtering en berging van graan op die plaas and How to grow
top quality corn by Dr H Willis. Visit www.kejafa.co.za or phone 011
025 4388.
Our thanks to SAGIS for feedback on the draft chapter.
472
market forces of demand and supply.

Grapes
See also the Wine and Deciduous fruit chapters
1. Overview
A grape is the fruit that grows on the deciduous woody vines of the genus
Vitis. Grapes can be eaten fresh or used for making jam, juice, jelly, vinegar,
wine, grape seed extracts, raisins and grape seed oil. In South Africa grapes
are grown either to be pressed, dried or for ready consumption from the
table.
Table grapes are grapes intended for consumption while they are fresh,
as opposed to grapes grown for wine production, juice production, or for
drying into raisins. Table varieties usually have lower sugar content than
wine grapes and are more flavourful when eaten. Their flavours, however,
do not survive fermentation and their low sugar content means that any
wine produced from them is weak, bland-tasting and easy to deteriorate.
The main wine grape producing areas are Worcester, Paarl, Stellenbosch,
Malmesbury, Robertson, the Olifants River, the Orange River and the Little
Karoo.
The Lower Orange River; the valleys of the Hex, Berg and Olifants Rivers;
Namaqualand and Limpopo province are the main producers of table grapes
(find the map on www.satgi.co.za).
This chapter concentrates on table grapes. The reader is referred to the
Dried fruit and Wine chapters for information on grapes used for those
sectors.
Viticulture (from the Latin word for vine) is the science, production
and study of grapes which deals with the series of events that occur in
the vineyard. When the grapes are used for winemaking, it is also known
as viniculture. It is one branch of the science of horticulture. Oenology
(Enology American English) is the science of wine and winemaking
i.e. after vine-growing and grape harvesting. See the separate chapter
Wine.
According to the South African Table Grapes Industry (SATI Industry Census)
the table grape industry is a major player in the South African economy,
providing 46 433 part-time or seasonal jobs and 20 652 permanent jobs
in 2009. More than 220 000 people depend directly or indirectly on the
industry for their livelihoods.
3. Transformation
The Power of the Grape tells the story of empowerment projects and new
partnerships in the North West Province, Mpumalanga, the Orange River,
the Olifants River, the Berg River Valley and South Africas oldest grape
region, the Hex River Valley. Find this document on the South African Table
Grape Industry website www.satgi.co.za. Also find the BEE menu option
on the website.
Contact the BEE Advisory Service at VINPRO by calling Johan Giliomee at
021 807 3304. Information can also be found on www.vinpro.co.za take
the Division menu option.
4. Role players
Associations and industry organisations
HORTEC Services
Tel: 023 316 1530
www.hortec.co.za
SA Society for Enology and
Viticulture (SASEV)
Tel: 021 889 6311
Fax: 021 889 6335
sasev@sasev.org
www.sasev.org
The aim of SASEV is to serve as a
forum for making the latest relevant
scientific knowledge available to
all South African wine and grape
producers See more on the
website.
Source: wikipedia.org (adapted); www.satgi.co.za; Horticultural Crops Market Value

Chain Profiles on www.daff.gov.za
South African Table Grape

Industry (SATI)
Tel: 021 872 1438
www.satgi.co.za
Amongst the information on the
SATI website, find the following:
details about SATI (mission,
company structure etc)
technical (viticultural research,
markets etc)
(geographic
producers
information on table grape
growing areas)
industry info (statistics, data
etc)
news includes international
stories

BEE information on
transformation in the sector.
2. Table grapes
The reader is encouraged to visit www.satgi.co.za, and to consult the Fruits: Table
Grape Market Value Chain Profile: 2010-2011at www.daff.gov.za.
Table and dry grapes are one of the most important deciduous fruit grown
in South Africa, taking into consideration their foreign exchange earnings,
employment creation and linkage with support institutions.
Table grapes sold in the export markets generate a greater unit price than
that achieved on the local market. For this reason, management orientation
and understanding of the rules of the export markets are critical factors in
the pathway to success in table grape production.
Up to 90% of the total production is exported, mostly to Europe
where South Africa enjoys preferential market access through the Trade
Development and Cooperation Agreement (TDCA) between South Africa
and the EU. Estimated turnover for the sector is forecast to be over R1.5
billion per annum.
The bulk of sales to the consumer are by means of contractual agreements
via preferred category suppliers to the large supermarket chains.
Furthermore, various export companies or agents conduct work on the
basis of consignment sales on behalf of the growers or packers. The industry
operates in a deregulated environment where prices are determined by the
Tel: 021 809 3100
www.arc.agric.za
Fruitgro Science
Tel: 021 882 8470

Technology
Tel: 021 460 3217 / 959 6236
www.cput.ac.za
Lowveld College of Agriculture

Tel: 013 753 3064
Short courses in table grape
production are given
National Diplomas in agriculture

and agricultural management, South African Agri Academy
as well as BTech and MTech Tel: 021 880 1276
degrees focusing on viticulture and www.agriacademy.co.za
oenology
Elsenburg Agricultural Training Department of Horticultural
Institute
Science
Tel: 021 808 5111
Tel: 021 808 4900
www.elsenburg.com
http://academic.sun.ac.za/
horticulture/
Courses include vineyard crop
protection, installation of trellis Department of Viticulture and
systems in vineyards, canopy Oenology
management of vines, maintenance Tel: 021 808 4782
and pruning of vines etc.
www.sun.ac.za/viti_oenol/
474
Companies
Carel van Niekerk Engineering
Tel: 022 913 2435
www.piket.co.za
New Holland Agriculture

Tel: 082 461 3780
www.nhsa.co.za
ExperiCo
Tel: 021 887 1134
www.experico.co.za
More than 10 500 vine growers

worldwide trust in New Holland
Braud. Models adapt for vineyards
of 0.95m to larger than 3m row
widths.
Felco Tools Africa Pty Ltd

Tel: 021 949 2286
www.felco.co.za
Frudata
Tel: 021 975 6241 / 072 222 6846
www.frudata.co.za
I & M Smith
Tel: 011 781 6150
www.iandmsmith.com
Kaap Agri
Tel: 022 482 8000
www.kaapagri.co.za
Southern Oil Ltd

Tel: 028 514 3441
www.soill.co.za
Find the Grapeseed oil menu
Vinpro
Tel: 021 807 3322
www.vinpro.co.za

Find Fruits: Table Grape Market Value Chain Profile: 2010-2011 and Industrial
Products: Wine Market Value Chain Profile 2010-2011 at www.daff.gov.za
(take the Publications and Agriculture Marketing options). The Abstract
of Agricultural Statistics (under Statistical Information) includes statistics
on grapes production, sales on markets, exports, purchases for processing
etc.
www.satgi.co.za, website of the South African Table Grape Industry,
contains a wealth of information. Find the technical, producers, industry
info etc menu options.
A series of full colour pamphlets from the ARC-Infruitec-Nietvoorbij
discusses how to identify, control and prevent various diseases and pests
in the vineyard. Contact 021 809 3305 or write to booksalescape@arc.
agric.za.
Find out about the dvds available from Vinpro for farm worker training on
vineyards. Contact 021 807 3322 or visit www.vinpro.co.za.
Visit www.wjkruger.co.za, website of a table grape producer.
Vititec
Tel: 021 807 3017
vititec@vititec.com
For vine farming machinery, contact www.vititec.com
their mechanisation division.
Setting new global standards for
vine plant improvement
CPUT HP
475

Groundnuts
Also see the Grains and oilseeds chapter
1. Overview
Groundnuts are mainly produced in the north-western regions of South
Africa, namely the western and north-western Free State, Northern
Cape and the North West Province. Groundnuts are also produced in
Limpopo, Mpumalanga and KwaZulu-Natal but production is lower in these
provinces.
In South Africa groundnuts are traded for three main functions: for peanut
butter and direct market, for oil and oilcake, and for seed.
The local consumption requirements for groundnuts are around 59 700
ton per year.
South Africa is usually self-sufficient in terms of groundnut production.
South African Grain Information Service website www.sagis.org.za.
Groundnuts are a high value crop that can be marketed with little
processing but are extremely versatile and can be used in a wide range
of products.
The oil made from them can be used for cooking and they can be used
to make peanut butter. Oil extracted from the groundnut can also be
used as raw material for manufacturing of soap; massage oil for polio
patients; body, shaving and hair creams; and fluid diet which is used to
physically strengthen patients and to sharpen their appetites before and
after operations.
The oil cake which is by-product of oil extraction process is used to make
glue for wood; animal feed; fertilisers and antibiotics.
Sources: Field Crops: Groundnut Market Value Chain Profile 2010-2011 at www.
daff.gov.za; SAGIS and AM Cronje

The domestic price is more or less on a par with the international price and
is not influenced much by the size of the local crop.
Producers are able to take advantage of the free market. No statutory

levies are applicable and the marketing of oilseeds is free from government
intervention.
Oilseeds have an indirect impact on industries in which balanced feeds
constitute a major input cost. The animal feed chain tends to link oilseeds
with the costs of dairy products, beef, mutton, pork, broiler chickens and
eggs.
In South Africa, production of groundnuts is usually higher than
consumption.
The South African Grain Information Service (SAGIS), a section 21 Company
funded by, amongst others, the oilseeds industry, performs the information
function. Notices regarding Registration and Records and Returns were
promulgated in the Government Gazette to be administered by SAGIS.

Aspects of Critical Importance concerning Groundnut Production
Groundnuts may not be planted more than once in three years on the
same land.
Soil moisture is critical. Do not plant in dry soil. Ground which has built
up soil moisture will diminish risks.
Weed control is important: weeds hamper the cultivation process and
use up valuable soil moisture.
Quality seed is a priority. After treating the seed, plant slowly and
shallowly (30mm 50mm).
Avoid planting in cold soil.
Remember that most cultivars require 150 days to yield a respectable
crop: do not plant too late.
18kg Nitrogen (N) per hectare for dryland growing and 50kg N/ha for
irrigation are recommended if your soil needs nitrogen.
Calcium is important for the formation of the pods. Areas where
the calcium content is lower than 300 mg/kg, must be fertilised with
calcium.
When fertilising, do not place fertiliser in the pod zone. Administer
fertiliser widely or place it under the kernel.
Given the high value of groundnut hay and the potential drop in kernel
quality and yield, leaf spot must be thoroughly treated. Under irrigation
conditions, attention must be paid regularly to this.
When groundnuts are planted in soil where no groundnuts had been
planted for more than eight years, the seed must be inoculated with
the correct Rhizobium bacteria. The seed must then be further treated
with Thiulin or TMTD against fungal diseases. Groundnuts that are not
inoculated can be treated with Ifax.
Beware of Atrasine damage resulting from previous administrations.
Be prepared for windy conditions.
Source: www.suidwes.co.za and Dr Jan Dreyer
Some 26% of the South African crop is exported to countries like Japan
and the Netherlands. Even though this is a relatively small proportion of
the total crop, it is important for the profitability of the producers and
primary processors. Phytosanitary requirements and quality standards must
be adhered to and a Perishable Products Export Control Board (PPECB)
certificate must also be obtained for groundnuts to be exported.
5. For the newcomer
We import mainly from China, but also from countries like Malawi, Malaysia
and India. The import tariff for groundnuts is 10% of the fob price.
Groundnuts are more drought-resistant than maize and can be grown for
home consumption or as a cash crop. They work well as a rotational crop
and should be planted on the same soil once every four years.
The relative prices of other grain products, the exchange rate, availability of
seed, availability and landed cost of imported crude oil, as well as plantings
of other field crops mainly determine market prospects for the oilseed
industry.
You can market groundnuts in shelled or unshelled form, either on formal or

informal markets. Formal markets need larger quantities.
The groundnut marketing season in South Africa commences on 1 March

and ends on 28 February the following year.
See the monthly bulletin on the SAGIS website for updated information.
Groundnuts are rich in protein and can be eaten raw, cooked or roasted.
Some types are cultivated under drier conditions, while others are
irrigated.
Find the grower notes mentioned under the Websites and publications
heading in this chapter. If you do not have access to the internet, contact the
ARCGrain Crops Institute (ARC-GCI) at 018 299 6100, or the Department
of Agriculture in Potchefstroom at 018 299 6504.
476
6. Role players
For a complete list of members of the SA Groundnut Forum, contact Mr G
Keun at telephone number 011 234 3400/1. A list of role players is also
available on the SAGIS website: go to www.sagis.org.za.
Associations
Grain SA
Tel: 0860 047 246
www.grainsa.co.za

Tel: 011 234 3400
www.opot.co.za
Find the notes on Grain SA in the South

African
Groundnut
general Grain & oilseeds chapter. Forum
Tel: 011 234 3400
Service (SAGIS)
South
African
Groundnut
Tel: 012 523 1400
Processors
and
Traders
www.sagis.org.za
Association
Tel: 056 343 2892
See the notes about SAGIS in the corrie.lourens@re.co.za
general Grain & oilseeds chapter.

The Agricultural Colleges do short course training on groundnut
production and groundnut processing. Madzivhandila College, for example,
offers a course in peanut butter making. Find contact details in the

(ARC-GCI)
Tel: 018 299 6100
Dreyerj@arc.agric.za
www.arc.agric.za

Development Trust
Tel: 011 234 3400
www.opot.co.za
The Oil and Protein Seed

A short course on groundnut Development
Trust
provides
production can be given on funding for research on sunflowers,
demand.
soybeans and groundnuts that
is in the interest of producers,
Grain SA also offers new farmers processors and consumers.
a week long introduction training
course on producing groundnuts. Protein Research Foundation
Find details in the Developing Tel: 011 803 2579
farmer support chapter.
Companies
Advance Seed
Tel: 011 762 5261
www.advanceseed.co.za
MBF International
Tel: 082 738 0080
www.mbfi.co.za
Capstone Seeds
Tel: 033 330 4474
www.capstoneseeds.com
NWK Ltd
Tel: 018 633 1000
www.nwk.co.za
EJAVis Aanleg BK
Tel: 053 474 1910
Olam SA
Tel: 053 456 1539
GWK Ltd
Tel: 053 298 8200
www.gwk.co.za
P-Farm Group
Tel: 053 474 2199
www.pfarm.co.za
Lemacor
Tel: 053 474 0110
Pannar Seeds
Tel: 033 413 9500
www.pannar.com
477
Peu Seed Processors (Pty) Ltd

Tel: 015 491 2918
Qualita Seed
Tel: 053 444 1594
RE Groundnuts
Subsidiary of the Rhys Evans
Group
Tel: 056 343 2892
www.re.co.za
SA Groundnut Marketing (Pty)

Ltd
Tel: 053 444 1407
www.southafricanpeanuts.co.za
Suidwes
Tel: 018 581 1000
www.suidwes.co.za
Techmach Technology
Tel: 011 762 1091
www.techmach.co.za
RE Groundnuts offers customers The New Nut Company

the following advantages:
Tel: 018 330 0006
www.newnut.co.za
modern
factory,

with
experienced management and Vaalhartz Groundnuts
personnel
Tel: 053 474 1121
reliable
quality
which http://groundnuts.co.za

measures up to the highest
standards demanded on the Zesto Grondbone
world market
Tel: 053 444 1540 / 55
excellent reputation amongst
the
farming
community,
ensuring continuity of supplies
from all the important irrigation
and dryland production areas
at competitive prices

Find the Groundnut Supply Chain and South African Groundnut Industry
February 2012 reports at www.bfap.co.za.
Groundnuts always tops. Dr CJ Swanevelder. This publication is available at
the ARC-Grain Crops Institute. Tel: 018 299 6100.
Diseases in groundnuts can be classified as leaf, stem and pod diseases as
well as particular viral diseases. Insects, such as termites, could also plague
the groundnut farmer. All these diseases can be identified with the aid of a
publication Groundnut diseases and pests of the ARC-Grain Crops Institute.
Find the Field Crops: Groundnut Market Value Chain Profile 2010-2011 at
www.daff.gov.za (take the Publications and Agriculture marketing
options. There are also grower notes under the options Infopak see
Field crops: Cultivation of groundnuts and Brochures, the Production
guidelines: Groundnuts.
Food Safety Requirements for the local and international marketing of groundnuts
is obtainable from the SA Groundnut Forum. Call 011 234 3400/1.
www.sagis.org.za, the SAGIS website, gives information on national stocks,
producer deliveries, imports, exports, consumption, weekly parity prices,
historical information, etc. Also find information on groundnuts at www.
opot.co.za and www.grainsa.co.za.
The leaflet The manufacturing of peanut butter is available from the ARC in
Silverton. Call 012 842 4017 or email iaeinfo@arc.agric.za.
Herbs and spices

See also the Essential and vegetable oils and the Indigenous medicinal
plants chapters
1. Overview
Herbs and spices are used for enriching what we eat and for delighting the
tongue. It is the seasoning and flavouring of food brings out all the variety
and tapestry of regions, nations, continents.
The increasing demand in developed countries for natural flavour offers
tremendous potential for spice crops as sources of natural flavours. Spices
include pepper, ginger, cinnamon, clove, paprika and nutmeg to name only
a few.
Herbs and spices are used fresh, dry and in blends in preparation of food
and beverages. Because of the variety that exists, a farmer needs to do good
market research to decide which crop to grow.
Herbs are also used to treat illnesses. They are used by phytotherapists (a
person who practices herbal medicine) and homoeopaths, to treat a wide
range of health problems.
The processing end of herbs and many spices is essential oils (see separate
chapter). In addition to flavouring and pharmaceutical uses, essential oils
also play a role in personal care items (cosmetics, toothpaste, perfume) and
industrial purposes (washing powder, polish, paints). New applications in
agriculture include being used as organic pesticides and in veterinary use for
insect repellents and safer dips for fleas and ticks.
Sources: Southern African Essential Oil Producers Association (SAEOPA) and www.
naturalnutrition.co.za

Africas low per capita incomes, especially among rural populations, are
directly linked to the problems of poverty and hunger. Thus, agriculture is
or could be a critical engine of economic growth. However, small-scale
producers in mainstream agriculture face multiple barriers: declining prices
for traditional crops, lack of access to capital, transport, market access, and
the market dominance of large commercial enterprises, among others.
Alternative crops, in the form of natural plants, are far better suited to the
creation of viable agribusinesses in rural communities. First, indigenous
African plants occur naturally and so are relatively easy to cultivate
commercially. Second, natural plant production is labour intensive rather
than capital intensive, and so minimises capital investment while at the same
time maximising job-creation potential. Third, African communities have
extensive knowledge of indigenous plants, creating a natural competitive
advantage in this sector.
Favourable market conditions in the natural plant products sector also
support the involvement of small-scale suppliers. The global nutraceutical
market alone is estimated to be worth $60 billion annually in sales of dietary
and meal supplements, as well as specialty products. There is also increasing
demand for organic and natural products such as herbal teas, essential oils,
herbs and spices, phytomedicines and phytocosmetics. This growth has
been supported by a global swing away from synthetic products to those
that are natural, healthy, sustainably produced and fairly traded.
Africa has only just started to tap the virtually unlimited economic potential
of its natural botanical heritage. To reap the full benefit, much more has to
be done to commercialise crops, to increase value-addition on African soil,
and to capitalise on new market development opportunities. To introduce
these crops into the main market stream will be a major challenge, but can
be done with support, training and funding.
478
International trade organisations

International Chamber of Commerce www.iccwbo.org
Food and Drink Association www.fdf.org.uk
Finnish Food Industry Federation www.etl.fi
FEDALIM, a cluster of federation and unions in the food industry
www.fedalim.com
Fachverband der Gewrzindustrie eV www.gewuerzindustrie.
de
AIIPA (Associazione Italiana Industrie Prodotti Alimentari) www.
aiipa.it
International Trade Centre UNCTAD/WTO (ITC) www.
intracen.org
GIZ Deutsche Gesellschaft fr Internationale Zusammenarbeit
(GIZ) GmbH www.giz.de
ICE Italian National Institute for Foreign Trade www.ice.it
CBI (Centre for Promotion of Imports from developing countries)
www.cbi.nl
Norad (Norwegian Agency for Development Co-operation)
www.norad.no
SIDA (Swedish International Development Co-operation Agency
Department for Infrastructure & Economic Co-operation)
www.sida.se
SIPPO (Swiss Import Promotion Programme) www.sippo.ch
OTA (Organic Trade Association) North America www.ota.com
Source: ASNAPP and SAEOPA
3. For the newcomer

As many herbs and spices are especially suited to small-scale cultivation
(many are short-term crops), they could be of major significance to smaller
producers and also to limited-resource farmers in rural areas countrywide.
Countries like China and India are good examples of success in essential oil
production by small farmers.
Herbs and spices are ideal for rural areas especially if they are dried locally.
This reduces the volume to be transported, and the dried product can be
stored under cool, dry conditions for a length of time.
The advantages of essential oils as a crop are unlimited. The reason for it not
being a popular crop is because of lack of basic agricultural and marketing
information, and the exploitation and the ignorance of farmers when it
comes to alternative crops.
Most essential oil crops are relatively pest and disease free, drought tolerant,
low risk, low input cost, no theft value and can be done collectively on small
scale farms.
A constant effort is made to recruit new emerging farmers in the industry.
Projects overlap into the fields of agriculture, chemistry, economics, botany,
consumer science, tourism health, indigenous knowledge systems and social
studies. More people from all these disciplines and faculties could become
involved to the advantage of the industry, the agriculture community and
our country.
4. Role players
Associations
Homoeopathic Association of
South Africa
info@hsa.org.za
www.hsa.org.za
Health Product Association of
Southern Africa (HPA)
Tel: 011 789 4464
www.hpasa.co.za
Southern African Essential

Oil Producers Association
(SAEOPA)
Karen Swanepoel 082 785 8700
saeopa@gmail.com
Find the group on www.linkedin.
com.
South African Association of

The HPA represents the majority Herbal Practitioners
of manufacturers and distributors Tel: 021 976 5200
of Complementary and Traditional www.herbalpractitionerssa.co.za
Medicines in Southern Africa.
South African National Halaal
Authority
North West Chilli Growers
Tel: 031 207 5768
Association
www.sanha.org.za
Tel: 014 544 2713

Various companies involved offer workshops and training. The newsletters
available (see last heading) often carry news of these, as do the agricultural
weeklies e.g. Farmers Weekly. Also refer to this sub-heading in the
Essential and vegetable oils chapter.
(ASNAPP)
Tel: 021 808 2965 / 18
www.asnapp.org
ARC-Institute for Tropical &
Tel: 013 753 7000
infoitsc@arc.agric.za
www.arc.agric.za
South African College of Herbal

Medicine and Health
Tel: 011 463 2363
Tel: 033 266 6484
Tel: 021 433 2858
sachm@icon.co.za
www.herbalcollege.co.za
Courses in Herbalism and Nutrition;
Aromatherapy; Medicinal Herb
Growing.
Dept of Agriculture and

Environmental Affairs
(KwaZulu- Natal)
Tel: 033 355 9156
Maria.Figueiredo@kzndae.gov.za
South African Herb Academy

(SAHA)
Tel: 012 819 1049
www.herbclass.com
KARWILConsultancy
Willie Alberts 072 929 7080
karwil888@gmail.com
Distance Learning Herbology Study

Programmes. Contact them for
details of all courses and modules.
Research and training on essential

oil, medicinal plant and industrial
crops and agricultural advice for
SAEOPA.
Science
Tel: 021 808 4900
Pico-Gro
Tel: 011 314 1029
www.pico-gro.co.za

Tel: 021 808 3578
Pico-Gro trains extension officers

for government and emerging
farmers for the CSIR. They also
provide training for companies and
individuals in their private capacity.

School of Natural Medicine
Tel: 021 959 3064
mapetersen@uwc.ac.za
www.uwc.ac.za
479
Companies involved
Find the nurseries in Gauteng at www.healthyliving-herbs.co.za.
Abba Moosa Wholesalers

Tel: 031 209 1125
www.orientaldelight.co.za
Africa Spice
Tel: 011 623 1322
www.africaspice.co.za
Afriplex
Tel: 021 872 4976
riaan@afriplex.co.za
www.afriplex.co.za
(ASNAPP) Africa
Tel: 021 808 2918
www.asnapp.org
Development Bank of Southern

Africa (DBSA)
Tel: 011 313 3911
www.dbsa.org
The DBSA has supported paprika
farming in Keiskammahoek in the
Eastern Cape.
Entreshar Enterprises
Tel: 011 791 3591
Gillian@entreshar.co.za
Essential Herbs
Tel: 084 459 0072 / 083 409 8309
info@essentialherbs.co.za
www.essentialherbs.co.za
Gauteng Economic
Agribusiness
development, Development Agency (GEDA)
marketing, support, research, Mudunwazi Baloyi
training
Tel: 011 833 8750
www.geda.co.za
Alpha Seeds
Tel: 016 366 0616
GEDA has the Agricultural Hub
alphaseed@lantic.net
initiative (cut flowers, mushrooms,
essential oils), and works with
Ballstraathof
partners to facilitate funding for
Tel: 011 794 2316
previously disadvantaged individuals
www.ballstraathof.co.za
identified for participation.
Barefoot Herbs
Tel: 082 415 3743
www.barefootherbs.co.za
Golden Spices
Tel: 011 833 1005/6
www.goldenspices.co.za
Cacadu District Municipality

Tel: 041 508 7111 / 339
www.cdm.org.za
Golden Spices
Tel: 011 833 1005/6
www.goldenspices.co.za
Find the notes on essential oils at Gout Care South Africa

www.tradeandinvestcacadu.co.za/ Tel: 076 816 3069
agro/oils
www.goutcare.co.za
Cape EOS (Essential Oils
Services)
Fanie Pienaar 082 338 8292
www.cape-eos.co.za
Grassroots Group
Tel: 023 232 0506
www.grassrootsgroup.co.za
The Cape Herb and Spice

Company
Tel: 021 701 5140
Fax: 021 701 5148
www.capeherb.com
Great Chilli Farm

info01@chillifarm.com
www.chillifarm.com
Chilli Africa
Tel: 082 820 8986
www.chilliafrica.co.za
CP Rookie Mas
Tel: 031 401 8595
www.cprookiespices.co.za
Crown National
Tel: 011 201 9000
www.crownnational.co.za
Deli Spices
Tel: 021 505 2000
www.delispices.co.za
Green Energy Herbals

Tel: 021 572 3717
www.greenenergyherbals.co.za
Here herbs are grown for use in the
preparation of herbal medications.
Herbs-a-plenty
Tel: 082 562 2343 / 082 338 5550
www.herbs-aplenty.com
Herbal Africa
Tel: 011 673 1692
www.herbalafrica.co.za
Hotazel (Pty) Ltd
Tel: 044 272 8349 / 082 454 1035
hottrade@telkomsa.net
Icy Herbs
Tel: 051 943 0317
www.icyherbs.co.za
KPM Spice Enterprise

Tel: 011 838 1605
www.kpmspices.co.za
iLembe District Municipaity

Tel: 032 437 9512 / 9300
Mike.Newton@ilembe.gov.za
Laughing Pumpkin Farming

Tel: 083 625 3695
dlawry@nashuaisp.co.za
Jacklin Organics cc
Tel: 017 844 1589
info@jacklinorganic.co.za
The company sources farmers with

irrigated land to grow capsicum
products under contract for it.
Deals exclusively with dehydrated
capsicum products: Cayenne,
Certified organic dried chilli, dried jalapeno & birds eye chilli, Paprika
basil etc
and Bell pepper.
Julmir Organics
Tel: 082 343 1707
www.bulbaloe.co.za
KARWILConsultancy
karwil888@gmail.com
Malanseuns
Tel: 012 549 2128
www.malanseuns.co.za
Margaret Roberts Herbal

Centre
Tel: 012 504 2121 / 071 161 6441
(mornings only)
Develops business plans for the www.margaretroberts.co.za
industry.
480
Meadow Sweet
Tel: 028 384 2383
www.meadowsweet.co.za
SAKATA Seeds
Tel: 011 548 2800
www.sakata.co.za
Natpro Spicenet
Tel: 031 705 4118
www.paprika-sa.com
Salamander Concepts (Pty) Ltd

Tel: 012 361 2112
www.ageless.co.za
Natura Laboratory
Tel: 012 813 9400
www.natura.co.za
SeedCor
Tel: 012 349 2816 / 3
www.seedcor.co.za
Natural Herbs and Spices

Tel: 021 510 4740
www.nproducts.co.za
Spice and all things nice

Tel: 021 448 2601
www.spice.co.za
Natural Kids
Tel: 021 797 0193
www.naturalkids.co.za
The Lavender Company

Tel: 033 234 4741 / 082 825 9243
Neltropica Fruit
Tel: 012 323 9300
www.neltropica.co.za
Growers and supplier of plants /

seedlings
The Spice Factory

Tel: 011 918 7247
Professional services in drying and www.spicefactory.co.za
processing of agricultural products.
Information and training available. Total Health
Tel: 031 701 6827 / 082 378 3351
Norgrow International
www.totalhealth.co.za
www.norgrow.com
Unilever
PaprieX
www.unilever.co.za
Tel: 012 250 2676
www.papriex.com
Find contact details on the website
Peppadew International
Tel: 011 516 4200
www.peppadew.com
Peters Gate
Tel: 033 234 4451
www.petersgate.co.za
VERTI-GRO
John Sandison
Tel: 031 767 2096 / 083 400 0033
Find the Verti-gro option at www.

daisyfresh.co.za.
VERT-GRO
systems (vertical semi-interlocking
Growers and supplier of plants/ pots) enable more plants per
seedlings
square metre than conventional
methods
Pico-Gro
Tel: 011 314 1029
info@pico-gro.co.za
www.pico-gro.co.za
Suppliers of aromatic oil plants

ARC Publications:
ARC-ITSC publications:
Herbs Grow your own First Aid Kit
Herbs for the Garden/Kruie vir die Tuin
The Cultivation of Ginger in SA
Contact them at Tel: 013 753 7000 or email infoitsc@arc.agric.za.
The ARCRoodeplaat Vegetable and Ornamental Plant Institute (ARCVOPI) provides publications relevant to the herbs and spices category
e.g. The cultivation of parsley, The cultivation of culinary herbs in South Africa,
Production of coriander in South Africa etc. Contact them at 012 841 9611.
Processing of Herbs and Spices (cinnamon, paprika, jojoba, parsley)
Processing of Field crops (chilli, bell peppers, tomatoes)
Oil processing in South Africa
Oil seed processing using the ram press
The extraction of essential oils from herbaceous materials by steam
distillation

publications:
A number of publications are available at www.daff.gov.za (take the
Publications option). Under Agriculture marketing find the highly useful
Industrial Products: Essential Oils Market Value Chain Profile: 2010-2011.
There are many notes for growers. Under InfoPak find Cultivating pepper.
Most of the grower notes will be found under Brochures though. These
include:
Brochure: Basil
Brochure: Chamomile
Brochure: Chillie
Brochure: Cleome 2009
Brochure: Cleome 2010
Brochure: Devils Claw
Brochure: Essential oil
crops: Lavender
Brochure: Essential oil crops:
Lemongrass production
Brochure: Essential oil
crops: Thyme production
Brochure: General guidelines
for the production of
essential oil crops
Brochure: Lavender
Brochure: Lemon balm
Brochure: Lemongrass
Brochure: Peppermint
Brochure: Rose geranium
Brochure: Rosemary
Brochure: Thyme
Brochure: Wild ginger
Brochure: Wormwood
Production guidelines:
African wormwood
Production guidelines: Cleome
Production guidelines:
Rosemary
Other publications:
Companies involved e.g. SAKATA Seeds have grower guides. Contact
SAKATA at 011 548 2800.
Handbook of Herbs and Spices (three different volumes) by KV Peter.
Publisher: Woodhead-CRC. Vital for those involved in the study, cultivation,
trade and use of spices and herbs. Contact Academic Marketing: Tel: 011
447 7441.
The South African Journal of Natural Medicine is dedicated to providing
information to the general public and practitioners interested in all aspects
of natural medicine. Visit www.naturalmedicine.co.za.
Find the publications by Margaret Roberts at www.margaretroberts.co.za.
Back to Eden. Jethro Klosse. Lotus Press. An essential handbook for those
interested in herbalism and traditional remedies. Order it on www.amazon.
com.
Get these newsletters:
A number of role players send out electronic newsletters e.g. Herb e-news
(from herb@herbherbert.com) and Di-Dis Herbs Newsletter register at
www.herb.co.za.
On the web:
On www.agis.agric.za find notes on the following: comfrey, coriander,
ginger, pepper, peppermint and spearmint, turmeric, sweet basil.
Find the herbal encyclopaedia on www.ageless.co.za.
Some international websites:
www.ifeat.org International Federation of Essential Oils and Aroma
Trades (IFEAT)
www.botanical.com the electronic version of A Modern Herbal by
Maud Grieve
www.indianspices.com Spices Board of India. A directory of Indian
Spices exporting companies is available from them.
Find notes on the different spices at www.gnatrading.com.
www.thespicehouse.com Merchants of exquisite spices, herbs and
seasonings (American)
www.spiceadvice.com A spice encyclopedia
www.herbnet.com for everything herbal, a US-based site
www.herbs.org Herb Research Foundation (USA)
www.herbherbert.com Australian website. Notes for gardeners,
retailers and growers.
http://abc.herbalgram.org Your source for reliable herb information,
presented by the American Botanical Council.
481
2. Role players

Honeybush
1. Overview
Associations
South African Honeybush Tea Association (SAHTA) c/o Hortgro
Theunis Jordaan (co-ordinator)
Michelle Swarts (admin)
Tel: 021 870 2900
theunisj@hortgro.co.za
www.sahoneybush.co.za
Role players not directly involved
Find the extensive honeybush information under the Infruitec-Nietvoorbij research

institute at the website www.arc.agric.za.
The Honeybush plant was used in

past decades over a wide area and by
the indigenous people based in the
Western and Eastern Cape.
Honeybush tea grows naturally in the
wetter Eastern Cape mountains and
spreads down along the Langeberg
and Swartberg mountains into the
Western Cape towards the western
coast as far as Piketberg. The wild
harvested and commercially grown
species occurring naturally in the
Eastern and Western Cape are
Cyclopia intermedia and Cyclopia
subternata. Cyclopia genistoides can be
found along the coastal regions of the
Western Cape.
Some species are re-sprouters, whilst others are re-seeders; this determines
the frequency of sustainable harvesting practices, and research is ongoing
on this aspect.
Berg tea (Cyclopia intermedia) is harvested in the wild and processed at
processing facilities in the area. Commercial plantings have been established
since 1998, but the major source for current production is still from natural
populations. C. subternata and C. genistoides are harvested from plantations,
comprising about 35% of the annual production. At present the tea is
produced on a limited commercial basis. In excess of 250 tons per year is
produced and the demand already exceeds the supply.
Honeybush Tea has a pleasant aroma and taste, and on a blind tasting
compares favourably with other herbal teas.
As a stand-alone product its key differentiating features are as follows:
uplifting bouquet and light herbal taste with a relatively low tannin
content and caffeine-free as well as good anti-hepatoxic, anti-oxidant
and diuretic properties
mainly wild-harvested with organic certification (very labour intensive
and often found in inaccessible areas)
the principles of cultivation are predominantly organic: high certification
prices mean that not as many producers take advantage of this as is
possible
the potential exists for good participation of Historically Disadvantaged
People in seedling production, cultivation and packing
identified as a New Crop by the Department of Agriculture
good progress in agricultural- and health benefit research
benefits from value-adding technology developments in the Rooibos
industry
Sophisticated extraction methodologies for pharmaceutical extracts are
currently being researched.
Look for honeybush research programme on www.arc.agric.za. Photograph
above used courtesy of the ARC-Infruitec-Nietvoorbij and SAHTA
The Governments IPAPs (Industrial Policy Action Plan) includes

honeybush as an area in which jobs can be created in the country. As such, it
is included as a priority in AgriSETA planning (see AgriSETA Strategic Plan
for Period 2012-2016)
AgriSETA
Tel: 012 301 5600
www.agriseta.co.za
Cape Nature Western Cape
Deon Hignett
Tel: 021 483 0118
dhignett@capenature.co.za
Affairs, Environment and
Tourism Eastern Cape
Gerrie Ferreira
Tel: 042 292 0339
gerrie.ferreira@deaet.ecape.gov.
za
Development and Tourism:
Western Cape
Mr Goodwell Dingaan
Tel: 021 483 9315
Industry
Tshifhiwa Madima
Tel: 012 394 1149

Council
Mr Happy Mohane
Tel: 012 341 1115
www.namc.co.za
Plant Quality Control: Annemarie
Bourquin, Tel: 012 319 6059
Plant Production: Mr Thabo
Ramashala, Tel: 012 319 6079
Agriculture
Tel: 021 808 5111
Dr Dirk Troskie 021 808 5190
Dr Jacques van Zyl 021 808 5302
www.elsenburg.com
Coega Development
Corporation (CDC)
Dr Siyabonga Simayi
Tel: 041 403 0486
Siyabonga.simayi@coega.co.za
www.coega.com
Producers: some communities involved in honeybush production

Depending on species, plants are harvested once a year, after which they
take another 12 months to re-grow. The full aroma of the plant is built up in
the last three to four months of this cycle.
Ericaville Community Project

Tel: 044 385 0354 / 078 517 6186
ericavilleft@webmail.co.za
Haarlem Community Project
Tel: 083 716 0086
Mooi Uitsig Trust (community
project)
Tel: 042 275 1652
groendal@langkloof.net
Genadendal Project
Chris Wessels
Tel: 028 251 8941
chrisnabwessels@telkomsa.net
Eve Brand Plase (BEE farm)
Piet Kiewiet 082 807 8462
evebrand@net4all.co.za
Producers: some farmers involved in honeybush production

Alexander Behr
Cell: 084 359 0791
abehr@mweb.co.za
Fritz Joubert
Tel: 028 482 1613
lisel@kingsley.co.za
482
Johan Kritzinger
Tel: 042 275 1652
Quinten Nortjie
Tel: 042 288 0203 / 512
melmont@lantic.net
www.melmont.co.za
Marius van Dyk

Tel: 044 697 7070
Van Zyl Joubert
marius@capehoneybushtea.co.za Tel: 028 424 2160
vanzyljoubert@whalemail.co.za
Nico Janse van Rensburg
Tel: 028 572 1906
nico@r62mail.co.za
Wild harvested honeybush tea
The mountainous area in which Honeybush in endemic, is approximately 30
000 hectare ranging from the Groot Winterhoek Mountains in the Eastern
Cape through to the Piketberg area in the Western Cape. The pickers
negotiate a price with wild source owners and use contract transporters to
deliver the fresh plant material to processing facilities.
Haarlem Pickers
Tel: 082 802 4822
Melmont Tea
Tel: 042 288 0203 / 512
www.melmont.co.za
Processors
There are 5 Honeybush processors who shred and oxidise the green tea
to brown tea. The process can be divided into three main steps: shredding,
fermentation (oxidation), drying and sifting.
Marketers
Processed tea is then subjected to steam pasteurisation, sieving and dedusting. The tea is first exposed to hot steam for a prerequisite time,
followed by hot air drying. The tea dust is separated from the tea, followed
by grading into various cut sizes / grades e.g. coarse, fine and super-fine.
Cape Natural Tea Products
Tel: 021 982 5030
dawie@rooibostea.co.za
www.rooibostea.co.za
Cape Honey Bush Tea
Company
Tel: 044 697 7070
www.capehoneybushtea.co.za
Coetzee & Coetzee
Tel: 021 905 1318
info@coetzeeltd.co.za
www.coetzeeltd.co.za
Indaba Teas of Africa see Cape

Natural Tea Products
Khoisan Tea
Tel: 021 421 3111
info@khoisantea.com
www.khoisantea.com
Melmonth Tea
Tel: 042 288 0203
melmonth@lantic.net
www.melmont.co.za
Tertiary Level Processors

Tertiary processors consist of honeybush extract producers, instant tea
producers and cool method green tea-processors.
Afriplex
Tel: 021 872 4976
info@afriplex.co.za
www.afriplex.co.za
Shredding
Most on-farm processors utilise tobacco-cutters to shred the tea. Advances
in the industry includes a speed-controlled conveyor belt that feeds a threebladed rotating cutter, which cuts the tea into fine particles without breaking
the structure of the plant.
Fermentation and drying
The plant material is fermented for approximately 24 hours at a
temperature of 85C, or for 60 hours at 70C, depending on the species.
Stainless steel rotating drum fermenters are used, which in some cases also
served as driers. Alternatively the tea is dried in the sun. Final moisture
content after drying is less than 10%.
Note: The fermenting process is an individual process each company has
its own methodology.
Cape Honey Bush Tea

Company
Tel: 044 697 7070
www.capehoneybushtea.co.za
Erika Kritzinger
Tel: 042 275 1601
Groendal Plase
Johan Kritzinger
Tel: 042 275 1652
Heights
Towen and George Ferreira
Tel: 042 273 2052
honeybush@tiscali.co.za
Helgaard Ackermann
Tel: 042 295 1513
bossiestee@gmail.com
Melmont Tea
Tel: 042 288 0203
melmonth@lantic.net
www.melmont.co.za
Toekomst Plase
Van Zyl Joubert 072 185 9500
vanzyljoubert@whalemail.com

The ARC-Infruitec-Nietvoorbij is involved in production, training and
product development.
Marlise Joubert
Tel: 021 809 3331/100
joubertm@arc.agric.za
Soil
preparation,
fertilisation,
soil preparation and orchard
management aspects, as well as
on-farm training.
Dr Cecilia Bester
Tel: 021 809 3450
besterc@arc.agric.za
Breeding and evaluation
Dr Elizabeth Joubert
Tel: 021 809 3444
joubertl@arc.agric.za
Product development, quality

standards, composition and health
properties

Programme on Myotoxins and
Experimental Carcinogenesis
Dr Wentzel Gelderblom
Tel: 021 938 0286
wentzel.gelderblom@mrc.ac.za
www.mrc.ac.za
Department of Biochemistry
Dr Ann Louw
Tel: 021 808 5873
al@sun.ac.za
www.sun.ac.za
Sensory Laboratory
Ms Nina Muller
Tel: 021 808 2939
Mm7@sun.ac.za
Sources: Marlise Joubert and Elizabeth Joubert of the ARC-InfruitecNietvoorbij. Thank you always for your willingness to update the chapter.
483
Possible strategies:

Horticulture
Consult the many horticultural chapters in this section of the book e.g.
Berries, Citrus fruit, Cut-flowers etc.
1. Overview
sell to neighbours
sell to local markets
supply to processors (see the roleplayers heading in the different
horticultural chapters, as well as in the agro-processing section)
supply to visiting hawkers or bakkie traders
supply to national fresh produce markets
supply government contract
grow products for fresh produce export (see the various chapters
dealing with exporting and food safety)
contract farming
Product
Horticulture covers a range of crops including vegetables, certain trees

(e.g. fruit, nut, tropical), floral crops, herbs and spices, medicinal crops
and natural products.
The areas of study include arboriculture (trees), floriculture (floral
crops), olericulture (vegetables), pomology (fruits) and viticulture
(grapes).
Horticultural crops, particularly vegetables are produced throughout
South Africa. The south-western and southern regions of the
Western Cape are mainly suitable for deciduous fruit, grapes, wine
and vegetables; the low-lying, subtropical areas of Mpumalanga and
Limpopo for subtropical crops, citrus and vegetables; the lower
reaches of river valleys of the Eastern Cape for citrus and vegetables
and the Upington area for grapes and wine.
The vegetable industry is the largest within the horticultural group both
in terms of production and value. South Africa is self-sufficient with
regard to vegetable production and exports both fresh and processed
vegetables.
Horticulture dominates our export trade in agriculture.
Labour is the single most important production component of fruit and
vegetables, accounting for up to 55% of total production costs.
Increased production of horticultural products has a ripple effect on
many other related industries such as paper and packaging production,
transport services, fertiliser supplies, harbour services and small
business vendors in the cities.
2. A model for horticultural production

Despite its growth potential, the horticultural industry also has its fair share
of challenges, one of which is the great length of time it takes for farmers
to become established in this sector, especially when dealing with tree
crops and orchards. With a four to five year waiting period before a decent
return on investment can be expected, farmers often have to rely on mixedfarming practices to generate a steady income stream.
This model by Johannes Maree is meant to highlight the main factors and
process necessary in setting up a successful horticultural project. The idea of
the model is to assist in formulating initial planning. That is, it is a strategicbased model, which is meant to help give direction and focus when planning
a project.
Market
Central to any horticultural project is the market, or markets. Without a
market (demand) there is no point in growing a product to sell (supply).
The market(s) targeted can be any of the following:
personal consumption
feeding, supplying the immediate (local) community.
local market (Immediate vicinity of project)
local provincial market
national
export (neighbouring countries road transport; overseas air or sea
freight)
When looking at the different potential markets, first classify them in terms
of distance from where the source of the horticultural produce will be.
Markets can be general or niche markets. It is important to first determine
what markets are available and what their needs and demands are. Aim
to meet the markets requirements. Give the market what they want, not
what you think they want.
Initially look at a few potential products (the product is what you are going
to produce). These should be as a direct result of market research and
determining what are the needs and demands.
Site
The site is where you are going to produce the identified product. Selecting a
production site is very important and must be thoroughly investigated prior
to starting the actual project. Processes that need to be worked through
when identify a potential site are product requirements, site selection,
climatic conditions, site preparation and water.
Product requirements. Determine what are the climatic requirements for
each of the identified crops. For example, some prefer high humidity, while
others dont. Some crops prefer sandy soils, while others prefer loamy soils.
Different crops have different water requirements as well.
Site selection. The closer to the market the better. Try to stay within a
radius of 200km from the identified market. If exporting this point would
be the airport.
Investigate climatic conditions. Look at the macro- and micro-climate
of the area in which the production site is situated. How close are they to
the required conditions of the identified crops? Look at frost, hail, humidity,
wind, temperature. When is the first and last date of frost? Is the site in a hail
belt? Is there a prevailing wind and which direction does the wind normally
come from? What are the average maximum and minimum temperatures
throughout the year?
Site preparation. Do a soil profile to determine how deep the soils are
and how good the drainage is. You need 1-1,2m deep soil. Do a soil texture
test to determine clay content, etc. Do a complete soil analysis. Top soil
profile 0-30cm Sub-soil profile 40-60cm.
Water is the most important aspect to take into account when assessing a
potential site. You need to buy water and not land. Without water you dont
have a horticultural project.
The most important factors to look at initially are quantity and quality of
available water. The amount of water needed depends on the following
factors: plant cultivar; water holding capacity of soil; climate; irrigation
system; evaporation factor; wind. In the growing season a person will
obviously need more water than in dormant season. Average water
needed is 4-6 litres per square metre per day. Primary water source
(e.g. boreholes) should give at least 3 times that of average. An exception
would be in the case of a hydroponic setup with a closed system. That
is when the run-off water from irrigation is caught up and reused.
Winter usage can drop to 2 litres per square metre per day. Summer
usage can go up to 8 litres per square metre per day. As a guideline,
good quality water is water with the following characteristics:
-
pH = 5,5 to 7,0
-
EC as low as possible. Less than 0,3mS/cm
-
No organic matter
-
Free of any pathogens
The best source of water is borehole. Be careful of river water. Often
it is contaminated. It is in most cases not a good idea to use municipal
water as a source for a horticultural project, because it contains a lot of
chlorine and is expensive.
Be aware of the legal aspects regarding permission to use water
and register as a water user, etc.
484
Knowledge
Certain potential crops have been identified from the market research.
However, without the technical knowledge of how to grow these crops
the project will not be successful. One needs to determine whether this
knowledge is available and at what cost.
General knowledge, skills and abilities of those working on the project,
be they labourers, supervisors or managers is important to the overall
success of any horticultural project. Do the identified employees have the
knowledge and practical skills? What are the costs involved in obtaining
these skills and knowledge?
Economics
Requirements and needs should be determined for each of the crops
identified by the market research. For example, certain crops grow best
under shadecloth, while other do best in greeenhouses or tunnels. Money
needed to start up a project needs to be carefully calculated. The cultivation
of each horticultural crop has different cost implications.
Certain crops might be labour intensive or require the use of expensive
machinery. The initial capital input costs need to be calculated and if a
person does not have enough the following decision needs to be made:
Do I go look for additional capital and what does it cost?
Do I consider growing another crop that requires less input capital?
Do I consider looking for a less expensive production site, keeping in
mind the advantages and disadvantages of such?
Do I look at growing a crop where knowledge is more available and
cheaper?
The economics of the project also include return of investment, production
costs, etc. Meeting the exact requirements of the market also comes at a
cost and a person has to consider if it is worthwhile the expense.

Adapted from an article by Johannes Maree. Contact him at
johannesmaree@absamail.co.za or call 082 564 1211.
3. Notes on irrigation
DRIP vs OVERHEAD WHICH IS BEST?
Johannes Maree highlights some aspects to consider before making your final
decision on an irrigation system.
When setting up, expanding or upgrading a horticultural operation a person
needs to decide which irrigation system will be best drip or overhead?
By overhead we mean micro-irrigation systems that are setup overhead or
high above the plants, realising that micro-irrigation systems that run along
the ground or are just above the ground are also available.
Firstly, we need to tackle some other questions. Keep in mind that I am
not looking at the different drip or overhead systems, per se, but simply
comparing the two irrigation methods as a whole.
What is your water situation?
Generally speaking, a drip system uses water more efficiently than an
overhead system. An overhead system waters the pathways, which
normally constitutes 20-30% of the surface area, while a drip system only
puts water down on the plantbeds. If your water supply is not strong, then
drip irrigation is usually a better option.
What are you going to grow?
Certain crops prefer certain systems, while others dont mind. For instance,
it is better to grow lizianthus or roses using a drip system, because the
plants are sensitive to getting their flowers and leaves wet. On the other
hand, I tend to recommend overhead systems for greens and foliage crops,
as they like to have water on their leaves on occasion and can benefit from
the heightened humidity created by overhead irrigation.
Which system is cheaper?

A cheaper system is not necessary a more cost-effective one, but initial
startup capital can be a limiting factor. Depending on the overhead system
used, the nozzles, with the anti-drip component, can be fairly expensive.
However, drip line is not very cheap either and one has to use much more
lengths of drip line than of overhead lines and nozzles. Generally speaking,
there is no significant difference in comparative costs between a drip system
and an overhead system.
A basic drip or overhead system could cost around R25 000 per ha. This
includes pumps, main lines, filters, micro-jets, dripper lines and basic
fertigation system (not computerised).
Which system lasts longer and gives the least hassles?
There is more ware and tare associated with the nozzles of micro-sprayers
used in overhead irrigation, especially those that swivel. These nozzles have
to be replaced periodically. The advantage of drip lines is that there are no
moving parts. However, a problem with drip irrigation is that often a lot of
damage is caused to the tape during weeding and working of beds. Great
care has to be taken when stakes are inserted into the beds to support and
raise support nets. Depending on what type of plants you grow, there is
also the hassle factor of having to lift the drip lines after every cycle, to clean
and prepare beds, then re-lay the lines prior to planting. An advantage of
overhead irrigation is that the system is permanently out of the way.
Drip lines, if they become blocked, are a bigger problem to sort out
than overhead micro-sprayers, which one can simply remove and clean
individually. This is not possible with the typical tape drip lines that are
generally used in the industry. It is actually important to install a good filter
system, regardless of the irrigation system used.
Advantages and disadvantages of the different irrigation systems
DRIP SYSTEM
OVERHEAD SYSTEM
Advantages
Advantages
1. More efficient use of water
1. Generally give a better surface

coverage
2. Can harvest flowers while

irrigating
2. More efficient on young plants

or seedlings
3. Less moving parts therefore

less wear & tear
3. Easier to clear blockages that

might occur
4. Cheaper to replace a damaged

line
4. Out of the way less damage

or hassle
5. Structures and paths remain

dryer
5. Cleans dust off leaves and

plants
6. Less overall dampness less

fungal disease
6. Preferred to drip by certain

crops
7. Preferred by certain crops

Disadvantages
Disadvantages
1. Less efficient on young plants

& seedlings
1. Less efficient use of water
2. Easier to damage if on surface

of beds
2. Less efficient use of fertiliser
3. Greater hassle factor with soil

preparation
3. Cant harvest, etc. while

irrigating
4. Wets leaves can lead to more
diseases
5.
Cant use at
flowering stage
advanced
Adapted from an article by Johannes Maree. Contact him at 082 564 1211 or
write to johannesmaree@absamail.co.za.

Find details of the various directorates under the Divisions option at www.daff.
gov.za, website of the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries
(DAFF).
Agricultural Product Inspection

Services
Tel: 012 319 6100
Tel: 012 319 7306
Plant Health
Tel: 012 319 6505/39
Plant Production
Tel: 012 319 6079
5. Role players
See the various horticultural chapters. A number of other chapters, too, are
relevant e.g. Seeds & Seedlings, Packaging, Fresh Produce Markets etc.
Southern African Society for Horticultural Sciences (SASHS)
www.sashs.co.za
A national Southern African Society for Horticultural Sciences congress is
held every 18 months to provide researchers and students an opportunity
to present their research to a broader audience. It also serves as a meeting
place for the departments and institutions involved in horticultural research
to discuss and coordinate common concerns. Details of the next congress
can be found on the website.
Industries represented by the society include deciduous fruit, tropical and
subtropical fruit, ornamental horticulture and the flower industry.

Indigenous food crops
1. Overview
Indigenous food crops refer to crops that have their origin in South Africa.
Added to these crops are those that were introduced into the country
and are now recognised as naturalised or traditional crops. These crops
are produced and found growing in the country under various weather
conditions with many found in the wild. They are divided into three
categories; namely grains, vegetables and fruit.
Uses of indigenous food crops
Leaves, corms and shoots are eaten as boiled, dried, sometimes
roasted vegetables. These are also used as relish and in soups.
Immature pods are dried or boiled while immature seeds are ground
to make flour.
Tubers are used as food substitutes for starch-enriched food such as
rice and maize meal.
Fruit types are eaten in ripened or dried form or nuts and can be
processed into jam, jelly and juice.
Advantages of growing indigenous crops
low input requirements
highly nutritious
resistant to drought, pests and diseases
better adapted to marginal areas than exotic crop
Source: The Indigenous food crops brochure at www.daff.gov.za (take the Publications
and Brochures options)
Find this heading in the different horticultural chapters.
2. Indigenous grain crops

A number of publications are available on the Department of Agriculture,
Forestry and Fisheries (DAFF) website, www.daff.gov.za (take the
Publications option). Included here are the following:
There are numerous grower publications (take the InfoPak and
Brochures options).
For statistics find the most recent Abstract of Agricultural Statistics
under Statistical Information.
Find the excellent Agricultural Marketing Extension manuals under
General Publications. One of these is Horticulture Marketing
Extension.
Several value chain analyses can be found under Agriculture
marketing.
Included in the Bureau for Food and Agricultural Policy (BFAP)
baseline publication are analyses of the horticulture sector. The baseline is
a benchmark of what could happen under a particular set of assumptions.
Scenarios and risk analyses, not included in the baseline, are prepared as
confidential reports for individual clients. Visit www.bfap.co.za.
Read about the Global Horticulture Initiative at www.globalhort.org.
See also the Other crops and Sorghum chapters.
Indigenous grain crops can be defined as any crop yielding starch and
protein-enriched seeds suitable for food. These crops are further subdivided
into cereals (e.g. millet) and pulses (e.g. Bambara groundnut).
3. Indigenous fruit crops

Indigenous fruit crops are fruit types that are found diversely in the wild
in South Africa. They are the seed-associated structures of certain plants
that are sweet and edible in the raw state. Examples of fruit are marula, wild
apricot, wild plum, raisin bush, sour plum.
4. Indigenous vegetable crops

Indigenous vegetable crops are defined as crops from which the tender
leaves, stems and petioles are harvested and used in the preparation of
vegetables. These crops are subdivided into roots/tubers (e.g. cassava,
amadumbe, marama bean, living potato) and leafy (e.g. cleome, cowpea,
amaranth, blackjack, Jews mallow).
Table 1 (over the page) provides the common and scientific names of a
number of African vegetables found in South Africa along with the parts of
the plants that can be consumed.
486
Common name
Scientific name
Edible parts
Bambara groundnut
Vigna subterranea
Dried nuts/seeds
Groundnuts / peanuts
Arachis hypogaea
Nuts/seeds
Cowpea
Vigna unguiculata
Leaves and seeds
Mung Bean
Vigna radiata
Seeds
Pigeon Peas
Cajanus cajan
Leaves and seeds
Taro / cocoyam
Colocasia esculenta
Tubers and leaves
Cassava
Manihot esculenta
Leaves and root
Marama bean
Tylosema esculentum
Tubers and seeds
Livingstone potato
Plectranthus esculentus Tubers
Zulu round potato/

Hausa potato
Solenostemon
rotundifolius
Tubers
Sweet potato
Ipomoea batatas
Leaves and tubers
Pigweed / Amaranth
Amaranthus hybridus
Leaves
Cats whiskers /
Spiderflower
Cleome gynandra
Leaves
Common labsquater
Chenopodium album
Leaves
Ethiopian Mustard /
Ethiopian kale
Brassica juncea
Brassica carinata
Young leaves
Black jack
Bidens pilosa
Leaves
Ethiopian / black
nightshade
Solanum nigrum
Leaves
Jute / Jews Mallow
Corchorus tridens
Leaves
Pumpkin
Cucurbita maxima
Young leaves, young

fruit, old fruit and
flowers
Gem squash
Cucurbita pepo
Young leaves and ripe

fruit
Table 1: Common African vegetables found on South Africa
African vegetables and food security

The indigenous knowledge associated with African vegetables and their
importance for the food security of many rural South Africans warrants
further discussion. This is especially in light of food security activities
emphasising food production and improved access to food in a country and
region which is faced with two primary problems: water scarcity and the
HIV/AIDS pandemic.
Concerns
Firstly, indigenous knowledge is eroding, because of its limited transfer
between generations due to changing social systems, despite the significance
of these plants to food security and livelihoods.
Secondly, changes in population pressure on natural resources and a
breakdown in the in-situ conservation strategies is starting to result in
the deterioration of natural resources, including African vegetables and
consequently the indigenous knowledge associated with them. This is
despite the significant contribution to food security made by these plants
and their associated knowledge, and the fact that existing exotic vegetable
cultivars cannot make such a contribution in marginal areas as they need
high inputs and optimal agroecological conditions.
More attention needs to be paid to these plants and other indigenous

food crops in order to increase their contribution to food security and the
variety of ways in which this can be done from household consumption
to commercialisation and value-adding. However, this process needs to be
done with care and socio-cultural aspects need to be considered.
Source: Tim Hart (HSRC)

The indigenous food crop sector is faced with a number of challenges which
hinder productivity and profitability:
Shortage of seed and other propagating material. There is no
formal seed supply system for many indigenous crops.
Increased decline in consumption and production. There is a shift
among younger generations towards less nutritious foodstuffs due to
lifestyle changes and assumptions about desirable eating habits.
Lack of value-adding technologies. As a result indigenous crops
are largely consumed unprocessed. The popular value addition is
drying or processing into flour through pounding. Lack of processing
technologies makes it difficult for the sector to cater for changing
needs of consumers.
Marketing problems. Both local and export markets are flooded
by exotic crops making it difficult for the introduction of indigenous
crops. As a result, indigenous crops remain largely crops of the small
producers, consumed largely in areas where they are produced.
Threatened species. Since a lot of the vegetables and fruit occur
under natural vegetation, they face over-exploitation. Edible seeds
and fruits of these crops are gathered from the wild and with current
growing human populations, and increased numbers of range animals
(which eat the foliage as well as seed) populations of these plants are at
risk of over-exploitation. This may result in elimination of the species
from the areas and this is mostly aggravated by the fact that no or little
effort is done to cultivate these species.
Source: Tim Hart (HSRC)
It is not an issue of increased agricultural production, but rather of allowing

people who suffer from hunger to be in a better position to get, in whole or
in part, their own food (Former Italian Minister of Agriculture and Forestry
Giani Allemanno).
Based on our experience, I firmly believe traditional African vegetables
could be an important factor in strategies to alleviate food-shortages
in rural and peri-urban settings and have useful applications following
an ecohealth approach (which takes into account human as well as
ecosytem health).
According to the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD),
household food-security comprises not only food adequacy, but should
also comply with nutrient and safety requirements as well as cultural
preferences.
In my view, reliable strategies to reduce food-insecurity in rural settings
should acknowledge Africas indigenous food culture which is based on
the utilisation of naturally-occurring food-plants and subsistence cropping
of traditional vegetables.
Source: Dr Retha van der Walt, Morogo Research Programme at North-West
University.
487
7. Role players
Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (Agra) www.agra-alliance.org

- has supported programmes which train breeders of crops indigenous to
Africa. Higher output of foods such as cassava, sorghum and yams could
help reduce imports of rice, wheat and maize. A negative is that it could lead
to the commercialisation of food security at the household level.

Improvement (ACCI)
Tel: 033 260 5524 / 6288
acciadmin@ukzn.ac.za
www.acci.org.za
Visit www.cropsforthefuture.org, website of Crops for the Future (CFF),

which encourages wider use of underutilised plant species globally.
ARC-Roodeplaat Vegetable and

Ornamental Plants Institute
(VOPI)
Breeding and Genetic Resources:
Mr Willem Jansen van Rensburg
Agronomy: Dr Yacob Beletese
Tel: 012 841 9611
wjvrensburg@arc.agric.za
BeletseY@arc.agric.za
United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO)

www.unesco.org. Find references to safeguarding Intangible Cultural
Heritage (ICH).
One of the suggested measures to combat world hunger is to renew
efforts to enhance the production and use of culturally appropriate,
traditional and underutilised food crops.
Modern agricultural research has concentrated on increasing the
productivity of a few crops and breeds. As a result, a few crops have
come to replace other, locally grown crops and there has been an
enormous simplification of our agricultural systems. It has meant that
our food security today depends on a very few species, which are
traded globally and are available at very low prices.
For small-scale farmers in marginal areas this has not been a positive
development. Traditionally dependent on many different plant species
for exchange and subsistence, many farmers have been drawn into
agricultural economies based on cash cropping commodity crops with
little regard for the complexities and multifunctionalities of existing
agricultural systems that have developed over time and in close
contact with local ecosystems. In many cases, rural communities have
abandoned the cultivation of food crops and are now dependent on
cash for their everyday needs. The tendency of world commodity
prices to fluctuate violently over time makes this a very risky
strategy. Over the past few years, for example, the prices of many
commodities have fallen so low that they do not even compensate
production costs. Farmers are unable to fill this income gap from their
present agricultural system, and there is a growing realisation that
diversification of production is an urgent necessity.
For other farmers, especially those living in areas unsuitable for the
cultivation of improved varieties or commodity crops, agrobiodiversity
is basic to survival. The more diversified their farming systems the
greater the chance of self-sustainability and self-reliance. In such areas
so-called underutilised species are particularly useful. They have been
selected over time to withstand such stresses as drought and floods,
and they can be produced in a sustainable way using available, lowcost, input practices. In many cases these species are also valuable
sources of the micro-nutrients and vitamins needed to overcome the
problem of hidden hunger the lack of essential nutrients in diets
consisting mainly of carbohydrate staples which often affect the
young and the elderly.
Although useful and often nutritious, very little is known about these
underutilised crops. Cultivation requirements, yield improvement
potential and other properties are seldom investigated and rarely
documented. Usually these crops have not been commercialised and
little has been done to develop markets for them. It is difficult to find
information on them and the traditional knowledge that used to be
integrated into rural culture and handed down from generation to
generation within local communities is disappearing rapidly with the
modernisation of agricultural practices and the outward migration
of young people.
The displacement of local biodiversity is a major challenge not only
for local food security but for the long-term sustainability of our global
food system and the ecosystems that support it.
Source: Adapted from the editorial Valuing crop diversity on www.leisa.info
The ARC has been involved in the

research of indigenous vegetable
for the past 10 years. The research
focus included gathering baseline
information on the utilisation and
production of indigenous leafy
vegetables, the development and
optimising cultivation practices and
the collection, maintenance and
selection of germplasm. The ARC
is also involved in collaborative
projects that investigated the
nutrient content of selected
cooked indigenous vegetables and
their links to community health.
Subtropical Crops
Tel: 013 753 7000
RoseduP@arc.agric.za
Commercial Products from the

Wild (CP Wild)
info@cpwild.co.za
www.cpwild.co.za
Contact them for a brief overview
of fresh fruit trading, household fruit
processing and commercialisation
of indigenous fruit products.
Tel: 012 841 2649
mmoroka@csir.co.za
www.csir.co.za
The Directorate: Plant Production
Mr Thabo Ramashala
Tel: 012 319 6079
Indigenous food crops is included
in the category Key Areas of
Technology Development of
DAFFs
National
Agricultural
Research and Development Strategy.
Council (HSRC)
Economic Performance and
Development (EPD)
Tel: 012 302 2721 / 082 897 2003
thart@hsrc.ac.za
www.hsrc.ac.za/CPEG.phtml
The EPD at the HSRC conducts

social science research on the
use of Indigenous Knowledge
as a resource in agricultural
Chris Hansmann has been involved development activities and food
in the processing of indigenous security.
fruit.
Indigenous Plant Use Forum
(IPUF) see National Research
Natural African Plant Products Foundation
(ASNAPP)
Invest North West
Tel: 021 808 2918
Tel: 014 594 2570
www.asnapp.org
www.inw.org.za
Cedara College of Agriculture
Training Resources Development Projects include the processing of
(TRD)
indigenous herbs
Tel: 021 809 3100
Relevant short courses are

also offered i.e. sweet potato
processing. A number of training
Poster Modules are available in
English and Zulu. The figure in
brackets indicates how many
posters are in the module:

Sweet Potato Production
(18)
Traditional Foods Promotion
(1)
For further information, contact
Noreen
Mhlongo
at
033
355 9304, or email Noreen.
Mhlongo@kzndae.gov.za.
Clive
Viljoen is a second contact at the
same number, or email Clive.
Viljoen@kzndae.gov.za.
Marula Natural Products

Tel: 011 403 0277
mnp@lantic.net
www.marula.org.za
This is an eco-friendly, low-tech
enterprise designed to uplift
women in rural communities and
provide a sustainable income for
families in the tribal lands of the
Limpopo valley. Marula products
are fairly traded and directly benefit
rural villages while encouraging the
protection of the Marula trees in
their natural environment.
488

Dr Mieke Faber
mieke.faber@mrc.ac.za
Research includes looking into
the use and nutritional value of
African leafy vegetables among
rural households: what nutritional
deficiencies could be addressed
through these plants?
Molemole Food Processing Cooperative (MFPPC)
Dr Lekau Mphasha 072 192
1392
A project was initiated in Jan

Kempdorp and Hartswater in
collaboration with the Eden Tuinbou
Klub, of which most members are
farmers wives. In view of their
enthusiastic involvement she is
positive that commercial farmers
will in near future catch up with
this trend. The project involves a
farm school garden, a community
garden and three home gardens.
In Hartswater a farmer made
land available where seed will
be produced in order to extend
the project in the next growing
season.

(MRP) see North-West University Dr van der Walt also provides seed
for morogo and other vegetables
in two gardens in Ikageng in
National Research Foundation Potchefstroom.
Tel: 012 481 4000 / 4001
David Manamela
The PELUM Association is a
www.nrf.ac.za
regional network of over 200

civil society organisations in east,
The NRF funds the Indigenous central and southern Africa, which
Plant Use Forum (IPUF) which was is working towards sustainable
started to promote the cultural, agriculture,
food
security,
socio-economic and scientific and
sustainable
community
benefits to be derived from the development in the region. Its
sustainable use of southern African focus on food sovereignty includes
flora
traditional and indigenous crops
and breeds. Visit www.pelumrd.
org.
(Mafikeng Campus)
Faculty of Human and Social
Prolinnova find under University
Sciences
The Centre of Excellence (CoE) in of KwaZulu-Natal
Indigenous Knowledge
South African Netherlands
Tel: 018 389 2294
Research Programme on
Kaya.kayah@nwu.ac.za
Alternatives in Development
www.nmw.ac.za
(SANPAD)
The NWU has an accredited IKS Tel: 031 279 3900
www.sanpad.org.za
teaching programme at both underand postgraduate level.
School of Environmental Sciences
Tel 021 808 3728
and Development
www.cons-ent.com
(MRP)
Tel: 018 299 2319
Tel. 021 808 4803
Retha.VanDerWalt@nwu.ac za
Research is conducted on health Tshwane University of
and nutrition aspects of some Technology
Prof Wim van Averbeke
African vegetables.
vanaverbekew@tut.ac.za
Dr Retha van der Walt reports Dr Retha Slabbert
that there is great enthusiasm for slabbertmm@tut.ac.za
www.tut.ac.za
community projects focused on
home/school/community gardens
in which traditional morogo
vegetables are main components.
Umthathi Training Project

Tel: 046 637 0012
www.umthathi.co.za
www.africulture.co.za
has a focus is on recognising the

dynamics of indigenous knowledge
(IK), and learning how to strengthen
the capacities of farmers to adjust
to changing conditions in order
Vegetable and indigenous plant to gain food security, sustain their
cultivation training at community, livelihoods and safeguard the
school and household level environment.
establishes productive gardens that
supply food and healing plants.
Centre for Nutrition
Prof Andre Oelofse
Strategic Academic Cluster:
Andre.Oelofse@up.ac.za
Technologies for sustainable crop
Dr Friede Wenhold
industries in semi-arid regions
Friede.Wenhold@up.ac.za
Tel: 051 401 2383
www.up.ac.za
SwartWJ@ufs.ac.za
University of the
Witswatersrand
Tel: 051 401 2818
School of Animal, Plant &
Tel: 011 717 6403
kevin.balkwill@wits.ac.za
Prof JJ Spies
www.wits.ac.za/apes
Tel: 051 401 2261
Conduct research on the use of
indigenous plants and animals
Department of Crop Science
by rural households in order to
Prof Albert Modi
examine the impact of this on the
http://cropsc.ukzn.ac.za
environment.
Prof Modi has done a lot of work Walter Sisulu University
on African leafy vegetables and School of Applied and Environmental
traditional crops.
Sciences
Tel: 047 502 2311 / 2186
Prolinnova
www.wsu.ac.za
c/o Institute of Natural Resources
lettyb@ukzn.ac.za
Find details of SANBI and the
www.prolinnova.net
in the Indigenous medicinal plants
The PROLINNOVA programme chapter.
(PROmoting Local INNOVAtion)

A number of grower notes are available at www.daff.gov.za, website of the
Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries. Under the Publications
and Brochures options find the following:
Brochure: Amadumbe 2010
Brochure: Amaranthus 2009
Brochure: Bambara groundnut
Brochure: Cowpea
Brochure: Cultivated Indigenous and Naturalised Food Crops
Brochure: Devils claw
Brochure: Indigenous food Crops 2010
Brochure: Musk melons
Brochure: Watermelon
Production guidelines: Bambara groundnuts
Production guidelines: Bambara groundnuts 2011
Production guidelines: Cassava
Production guidelines: Marula
Production guidelines: Pumpkins
The following Info Paks can be obtained from the Resource Centre at the
Department of Agriculture, or be viewed (and downloaded) from www.
daff.gov.za take the Publications and InfoPaks menu option:
489
Amarath, also known as Morogo

Field crops: growing chickpeas
Field crops: cultivating cowpeas
Vegetables: sweet potato
Guide to Sweet Potato Production in South Africa. A guide to weevil control
is available from ARC-Roodeplaat (012 841 9611) and also includes all
other aspects of sweet potato production e.g. diseases, cultivation, cultivar
choice.
Included amongst the hundreds of leaflets available from the ARC-VOPI are
several categories of relevance to this chapter: Indigenous leaf crops (e.g.
marog), Indigenous root crops (e.g. The cultivation of Cassava, Wild potato,
Amadumbi) and Indigenous seed crops (e.g. bambara groundnut, pigeon peas,
cowpeas). Contact the Public Relations Officer at 012 841 9611.
Find Best Practices on Indigenous Knowledge, joint publication of the
Management of Social Transformation Programme (MOST) of UNSECO,
and Centre for International Research and Advisory Networks (CIRAN) on
www.unesco.org.
Relevant publications
National Policy on Plant Production in South Africa. Department of
Agriculture.
FARA-SADC Regional Dialogue The Winning papers and Abstracts
include articles on IK by Mwakalila, S (Tanzania), Mrema, ME (Tanzania),
and Masarirambi, MT and Gundidza, M (Swaziland).
Adult Mortality and Household Dietary Use of the Local Environment:
Qualitative Evidence from the Agincourt Field Site in Rural South Africa.
Hunter, LM & Twine, W 2005. Institute of Behavioral Science Working
Paper EB2005-0001. Boulder: Research Program on Environment and
Behavior, University of Colarado at Boulder.
The effect of (re-) creating awareness of traditional leafy vegetables on

communities. Vorster, HJ; Jansen van Rensburg, WS; Mashele, XB &
Ndlela, E 2003. Proceedings of the Indigenous Plant Use Forum
Conference, 5-8 July 2003, Clanwilliam, South Africa.
Germplasm Management of African Leafy Vegetables for the Nutritional
and Food Security Needs of Vulnerable Groups in South Africa. Vorster, HJ,
Jansen van Rensburg, WS, Van Zijl, JJB, Van den Heever, E & Esterhuize,
J 2002. Progress Report from ARC-Vegetable and Ornamental Plant
Institute, South Africa for the International Plant Genetic Resources
Institute, June 2002.
The Importance of Traditional Leafy Vegetables in South Africa. Vorster,
HJ; Jansen van Rensburg, WS; Venter, SL & Van Zijl, JJB 2005. Paper
presented at a Regional Workshop on African Leafy Vegetables for
Improved Nutrition, 5-9 December, Nairobi, Kenya.
The Southern African Trade Directory of Indigenous Natural Products.
Commercial Products from the Wild Group. Free copies are available
contact Tel: 021 808 3303
Indigenous Knowledge Systems in African Agriculture. Hart, TGB &
Vorster, HJ 2007. Department of Science. Obtainable from the NIKSO
of DST or downloadable from their website
Indigenous Knowledge on the South African Landscape: Potentials for
Agricultural Development. Hart, T & Vorster, HJ. 2006. Human Sciences
Research Council. Obtainable from HSRC Press and downloadable at
www.hsrc.ac.za.
Our thanks to Tim Hart of the HSRC for material and feedback on the original
draft.
490
3. Farming medicinal plants

Indigenous medicinal plants
1. Overview
The article Economics of the Traditional Medicine Trade in South Africa by
Futureworks! provides statistics and trade figures for this sector. Find details under the
Websites and publications heading.
The use and trade of medicinal plants in South Africa has become an area
of significant interest for a range of groups, from environmentalists, to
economists, social scientists, rural development specialists and law makers.
The main reason for this is that African medicinal plants play a major role in
the lives of most South Africans: about 80% of our population uses medicinal
plants, and about 25% of all prescription drugs contain some ingredient
sourced from plants. The livelihoods of many medicinal plant harvesters and
traders depend on this trade.
The trade in traditional medicines in South Africa is estimated to be worth
R2.9 billion per year, representing 5.6% of the National Health budget. With
27 million consumers, the trade is vibrant and widespread. There are at
least 133 000 people employed in the trade, with a large percentage of rural
women. The plant trade is a key rural industry and business incubator.
The supply of plant material and medicines is not sustainable at present.
All plants are harvested from the wild, with popular species becoming locally
extinct and being traded at very high prices. Much of the current research
and development effort focuses on novel drugs research, with little effort
being directed at improving the current harvesting, production, processing,
storage and treatment technology. The future of the traditional medicines
trade and its benefits are uncertain.
There is a dire and urgent need to develop new technologies for medicinal
plant harvesting, farming, processing, stabilisation, packaging, dispensing
and treatment; as well as a need for assistance and support to be provided
to current role players in the industry to address the challenges and
opportunities that they face.
Source: Nicci Diederichs. Contact nicci@futureworks.co.za
The first African Herbal Pharmacopoeia was completed in 2011 with

collaborators from all over Africa and Europe. Find out more at www.aamps.
org.

Visit www.aamps.net, website of the Association of African Medicinal Plants
Standards (AAMPS).
Human beings have been utilising plants for basic preventive and curative
health care since time began and it is estimated that over 9 000 plants have
known medicinal applications in a variety of cultures and countries.
The demand for medicinal plant-based raw material is growing at between
15% and 25% per annum and the World Health Organisation (WHO)
forecasts that the demand for medicinal plants is likely to increase from
around $14-billion in 2004 to $5-trillion dollars in 2050, which indicates that
the outlook for the industry is good.
Source: the article Invest in pharmaceutical manufacturing opportunities in Limpopos
Capricorn DM at www.tradeinvestsa.co.za. Contact Jabu Masondo at 015 294 1000
or write to masondoj@cdm.org.za.
Increases in market prices for certain medicinal plants have been linked
to localised species extinctions and declining supplies of these plants. The
declining supplies are directly attributed to over-harvesting of certain
popular target species for medicinal use. This has resulted in researchers
calling for the cultivation of indigenous medicinal plants as an intervention
to address biodiversity and market sustainability issues. There is, however,
much debate around the pros and cons of medicinal plant cultivation.
Concerns are largely focused on:
the potential loss of cultural and indigenous values associated with wild
harvesting of medicinal plants;
potentially reduced production of secondary metabolites (the active
ingredients in most medicinal plants) in farmed plants compared to
wild stocks; and
genetic contamination of local species populations through cultivation
with plants from alternative genetic stocks.
Cultivation trials and pilot projects conducted to date have shown that
medicinal plant cultivation has good economic potential for supplying
commercial-scale volumes of medicinal plants. Fast-growing species can
be supplied in sufficient quantities to meet market demand within a few
years. However, slow-growing trees, particularly forest trees, are unlikely
to supply the quantities of medicinal bark demanded in the short-term; nor
does the production of bark from these trees present an economically viable
production system. The production of alternative tree-based products (such
as tree leaves) has thus been investigated.
However, little is known about the effects of farming (cultivation) on the
medicinal properties of plants. Cultivation aims to increase plant yields
by improving growing conditions through addition of agro-chemicals and
controlling the growing climate. Many Traditional Healers believe that
cultivated plants treated with agro-chemicals (including fertilisers, pesticides
and insecticides) do not have the same medicinal strength as wild plants. The
active medicinal compounds that make medicinal plants so useful are mostly
secondary metabolites that are produced by the plant to protect it from
attack by pathogens, insects and browsers or grazers. These secondary
metabolites may also play a role in protecting the plant from extreme
climatic conditions (e.g. frost). Plants that are stressed by these attacks
or extreme climatic conditions tend to produce greater concentrations of
secondary metabolites as a survival mechanism. Plants cultivated using agrochemicals under controlled climatic conditions experience minimal stress
and consequently produce less secondary metabolites. Chemical testing of
cultivated plants has shown that the beliefs of many Traditional Healers with
regards to cultivated plants having less medicinal strength than wild plants
may, in fact, be true for many species. This has created the challenge of
finding cultivation techniques that increase plant growth rates, but do not
decrease the medicinal properties of the plants.
In a survey undertaken in South Africa in which farmed stocks of raw and
stabilised (freeze-dried) rare / scarce medicinal plants were introduced into
a medicinal market through traders and Traditional Healers, there was a
general acceptance of the farmed plant materials by most Traditional Healers
and their clients. Where the strength of medicinal compounds had been
reduced through the farming techniques or processing technologies used
to stabilise the products, the Traditional Healers simply prescribed higher
dosages of the plants and plant products. This acceptance of farmed plant
material is most likely attributable to the growing scarcity and associated
cost of certain popular medicinal plants.
There is simply no other way to meet market demand for certain remedies
that use scarce plants than to accept the farmed plant material in these
cases. For species where availability or scarcity is less of an issue, Traditional
Healers would probably be less accepting of farmed plant material.
However, for commercial-scale production and supply of medicinal plants
and products, farming is a necessity to sustainably achieve the volumes of
plant material required.
Therefore, it is likely that medicinal plant farms are the reality for the future
provision of both scarce and commercially sought-after medicinal plant
species in southern Africa.
Source: Myles Mander, Nicci Diederichs & Warren Spring
491

The Department of Science and Technology established the National
Indigenous Knowledge Systems Office (NIKSO) as one of its Programmes.
The aim of NIKSO is to protect and promote African indigenous knowledge
systems (IKS). NIKSO is also viewed as the growth engine for IKS knowledge
development and knowledge management.
Investment in the harvesting of IK through documentation from oral sources,
systematisation and development hold the potential of contributing to the
scientific and technological solutions for the future challenges of poverty and
diseases in South Africa. IKS will also preserve and affirm local communities
by incorporating these communities into the knowledge economy. Visit
www.dst.gov.za.
The Department of Environmental Affairs is the South African government
authority responsible for the environment. Visit www.environment.gov.za.
Projects implemented over the past months have included a R20 million
medicinal plant conservation project in Limpopo, using the Extended Public
Works Programme principles of alleviating poverty and transferring of skills.
Access to South Africas biodiversity is legally controlled by the Biodiversity
Act (No. 10 of 2004). The Government Gazette No. 8831 of 8 February
2008 also applies, carrying the Commencement of Bio-Prospecting, Access
and Benefit-Sharing Regulations, 2008.
In line with the National Health Act, government has also developed
Regulations governing the implementation of the Traditional Health
Practitioners Act, 2007 (Act No 22 of 2007). Read more about the Act at
www.traditionalhealth.org.za (find the Traditional healing & law option).
The Department of Healths support for African traditional medicines
research has included a R6 million grant channelled through the Medical
Research Council for research into the safety, efficacy and quality of
traditional medicines used as immune boosters by people living with HIV
and AIDS. The department had also developed a legislative framework to
encourage the development of natural products for human health through
the Medicines and Related Substances Act. The Act seeks to regulate the
use of complementary, alternative, African Traditional and other categories
of medicines in South Africa to ensure quality, safety and efficacy.
Tel: 012 319 6079
DPP@daff.gov.za
Tel: 012 319 6072
DPH@daff.gov.za
The Directorate Plant Health is responsible for export regulations and
standards as well as a special protocol for export to the USA. Inspection
for export is done by the Perishable Product Export Control Board
(PPECB), appointed by the Department of Agriculture. Tel: 021 930 1134.
www.ppecb.com.
Find the Forestry option at www.daff.gov.za. Issues like sustainable bark
harvesting are in the province of Forestry.
5. Role players
Africa Land-use Training
Tel: 014 717 3819
www.alut.co.za
(ASNAPP)
Tel: 021 808 2918
Amongst the many courses info@asnapp.org
provided, training has also been www.asnapp.org
given in medicinal plants.
The Agricultural
Research
Council conducts research on
various agricultural aspects of
medicinal plants, especially those
plants that are scarce and endangered or has commercial
potential.
The
research
involves the investigation of
propagation,
cultivation,
bioactivity, plant pest and diseases,
community development, nursery
establishment,
sustainable
production and quality control.
Contact Riana Kleynhans at 012 841
9611 or write to rkleynhans@arc.
agric.za.
Association for African
Medicinal Plants Standards
www.aamps.org/en
Biomox Pharmaceuticals
Tel: 012 804 8068
www.biomox.com
Biowatch South Africa
Tel: 031 206 2954
www.biowatch.org.za
Capricorn District Municipality
Tel: 015 294 1000
www.cdm.org.za
eThekwinis Silverglen
Medicinal Plants Nursery
Tel: 031 404 5628
Silverglen Medicinal Plants Nursery
partners with the community to
revitalise stocks of threatened
plants. A primary focus is to share
knowledge with medicinal plant
harvesters, traders, and Inyangas
and advise them that they can
produce their own stocks of
medicinal plants through growing
their own seedlings and farming.
FutureWorks!
Tel: 031 764 6449
www.futureworks.co.za
FutureWorks! has previously done
market research into the trade of
indigenous medicines.
Grassroots Group
Tel: 023 232 0506
www.grassrootsgroup.co.za
Indigenous Plant Use Forum
(IPUF)
www.uj.ac.za/ipuf
See National Research Foundation
Growing indigenous medicinal Institute of Natural Resources

plants is one area of investment Tel: 033 346 0796
that Jabu Masondo is heading up at
Invest North West
the CDM.
Tel: 014 594 2570
Commercial Products from the Elijah@inw.org.za
www.inw.org.za
Wild (CP Wild)
www.cpwild.co.za
Projects include the processing of
Devils Claw and other indigenous
medicinal herbs
Tel: 012 841 2911
www.csir.co.za
KARWIL Consultancy
Contact Dr Vinesh Maharaj,
Matshidiso Moroka or Marthinus KwaZulu-Natal Department of
Horak for more information.
Affairs (DAEA)
Edakeni Muthi Futhi Trust
www.kzndae.gov.za
Tel: 031 267 1667
www.muthifuthi.co.za
A number of training Poster
Modules are available in English and
Emingeni Herbals
Zulu from the Training Resources
Tel: 011 673 1692
Development (TRD). The figure
www.herbalafrica.co.za
in brackets indicates how many
posters are in the module:
eThekwini Municipality
Tel: 031 311 4228
Medicinal Plants Siphonochilus
(11)
In terms of market size, Durban is
Medicinal plants - Eucomis
one of the largest regional markets
(16)
for medicinal plants in South Africa.
About 400 or more of the 700 For further information, contact
medicinal plant species traded Noreen
Mhlongo
at
033
in South Africa can be found at 355 9304, or email Noreen.
Durbans medicinal plant markets. Mhlongo@kzndae.gov.za.
492
Clive Viljoen is a second contact at Pico-Gro

the same number, or email Clive. Tel: 011 314 1029
Viljoen@kzndae.gov.za.
info@pico-gro.co.za
www.pico-gro.co.za
Lowveld Botanical Gardens
Tel: 013 752 5531
Supplying herbs and medicinal
www.sanbi.org/lowveld
plants
The Lowveld Botanical Gardens ResourceAfrica
is collecting the seeds of 120 Tel: 011 805 8007
plants most sought-after for muthi www.resourceafrica.org
purposes.
CSIR and ResourceAfrica formed a
partnership to jointly link traditional
(MRC)
and modern conservation methods.
Tel: 021 938 0911
One out of every four prescription
www.mrc.ac.za
drugs have derived from plants,
hence the need to conserve them.
The MRC established the IKS
Lead (Health) Programme to Rhodes University
promote, develop and protect IK
(indigenous knowledge), and IKS Selmar Schonland Herbarium
and its innovative systems of health Tel: 046 622 2312
through education, research and t.dold@ru.ac.za
development.
Institute for Social and Economic
Muthi Futhi, a Gijima KZN Research (ISER)
project, is an innovative agricultural Tel: 046 603 8555
co-operative in the Uthungulu m.cocks@ru.ac.za
district which focuses on the
cultivation, processing, packaging Silverglen
Medicinal
Plant
and marketing of medicinal plants. Project see the earlier reference
Contact the project at 031 267
to eThekwinis Silverglen Medicinal
1667 or visit www.gijimakzn.org.za.
Plants Nursery
Skimmelberg
(NRF)
Tel: 021 482 1771
Tel: 012 481 4000/1
www.skimmelberg.co.za
www.nrf.ac.za
The NRF funds the Indigenous
Plant Use Forum (IPUF) which was
started to promote the cultural,
socio-economic and scientific
benefits to be derived from the
sustainable use of southern African
flora.
Parceval Pharmaceuticals
Tel: 021 873 3895
info@parceval.co.za
www.parceval.co.za
Phyto Nova
Tel: 021 673 2401
www.phyto-nova.co.za
PhytoTrade Africa: The
Southern African Natural
Products Trade Association
www.phytotradeafrica.com

Tel: 012 843 5000
www.sanbi.org
SANBI is a public institution that
aims to promote the utilisation and
conservation of, and knowledge
and services in connection with,
the southern African flora; and to
promote the economic use and
potential of indigenous plants.
SANBI is involved both as a player
and partner in bioprospecting. It also
represents government in several
policy forums. The organisation is
involved in a number of Access and
Benefit Sharing related initiatives.
Included on the website are notes Ecology and Entomology
on various medicinal plants e.g. Tel 021 808 3728
Devils Claw, Baobab Tree, Mobola samways@sun.ac.za
Plaum etc.
www.cons-ent.com
Swanpack Buchu
Tel: 021 874 1020
www.grapenet.co.za
Tlholego Kitchen & Herb
Garden Workshop
Tel: 072 118 7357
stephne-fain@iafrica.com
Technology
Prof Alvaro Viljoen
Tel: 012 382 6360
www.alvaroviljoen.com
Traditional Healers
Organisation
Tel: 011 337 6177
www.traditionalhealth.org.za
Umthathi Training Project
Tel: 046 637 0012
www.umthathi.co.za
www.africulture.co.za
Botany and Institute for Plant
Conservation
Tel: 021 650 2440
www.pcu.uct.ac.za
Research deals with conservation
issues pertaining to the Cape Flora
(Flora Capensis one of the 6 floral
kingdoms of the world, and the
smallest, but with high endemism
of 8600 different plant species).
Nelson R Mandela School of

Medicine
Tel: 031 260 4377
http://medschool.ukzn.ac.za
Phytomedicine Programme
Tel: 012 529 8244
Kobus.eloff@up.ac.za
www.up.ac.za/phyto
This group focuses on the use of
plants to enhance animal health and
productivity.
School of Natural Medicine
Tel: 021 959 3064
South African Herbal Science and
Medicine Institute (SAHSMI)
Tel: 021 959 3397
Department of Medical BioScience
Tel: 021 959 2433
Department of Biodiversity and
Conservation Biology
Tel: 021 959 2342 / 2743 / 2301
gmaneveldt@uwc.ac.za
www.botany.uwc.ac.za
Department of Chemistry
Tel: 021 959 3056
Indigenous plants that are used

in various medicinal remedies
are also grown and sold at the
The University of the Free Environmental Education and
States Centre for Development Resources Unit (EERU) nursery.
and Arid Areas Programme Visit www.botany.uwc.ac.za/eeru.
has looked into the possibilities of
farming with medicinal plants. Write West Coast District
to Dr Sue Taylor at rhtaylor@icon. Municipality
co.za.
Tel: 022 433 8400
www.westcoastdm.co.za
Department of Botany and Plant
Find out what opportunities exist
Biotechnology
in growing indigenous medicinal
Tel: 011 559 2412
plants.
www.uj.ac.za
Zanemvula
Tel: 082 555 4162
(Pietermaritzburg)
www.zanemvula.co.za
Research Centre for Plant Growth
and Development
A traditional healer
Tel: 033 260 5130
Tel: 031 260 7773 / 079 106 0704
rcpgd@ukzn.ac.za
Department of Chemistry
Tel: 033 260 5243 / 082 572 1718
drewes@ukzn.ac.za
493

Find details of publications like African Herbal pharmacopoeia and Green Gold
and Plants, People and Nature at www.aamps.net, website of the Association
of African Medicinal Plants Standards (AAMPS).
Visit www.africanethnomedicines.net, website of African Networks on

Ethnomedicines.
Understanding Medicinal Plants by BA Hanson, published by Routledge-Taylor
and Francis Group, takes a look at what is in medicinal plants and how they
work. The book can be ordered at www.routledge.com.
Kejafa Knowledge Works has stocked books on medicinal plants, including
Medicinal Plants of South Africa (Ben-Erik Van Wyk, Bosch Van Oudtshoorn,
Nigel Gericke) and Medicinal Plants of the World (Michael Wink, Ben-Erik
Van Wyk). Contact them at 011 025 4388 or write to kejafa@mweb.co.za.
Older titles like Zulu medicinal plants: an inventory (Ann Hutchings), Handbook
of African medicinal plants (Maurice M. Iwu) and The Phytomedicines Industry
in Southern Africa (Myles Mander) can be sourced at http://books.google.
co.za.
Economics of the Traditional Medicine Trade in South Africa. Mander, M, Ntuli,
L, Diederichs, N and Mavundla, K Chapter 13, National Health Review,
2008
Sesotho Plants & Animals and Plants Used by the Basotho Moffet, Rodney (Sun
Press) 2010
Market Research on the organic and natural products and fynbos industry with
an emphasis on how to facilitate entry is compiled by Marianna Smith and can
be found on the website of the Surplus People Project, www.spp.org.za.
Crops like Buchu, Devils Claw and Ghaap are included in the discussion.
Find the numerous papers on the Human Sciences Research Council
website www.hsrc.ac.za.
Included in the publications from Commercial Products from the Wild are
Commercialising Medicinal Plants (A Southern African Guide) and Southern
African Trade Directory of Indigenous Natural Products. The latter provides
information, technologies, ideas and inspiration to individuals and institutions
wanting to understand the medicinal plants industry in southern Africa and
contribute towards its sensitive and appropriate development. Visit www.
cpwild.co.za.
Commercialising Medicinal Plants, A Southern African Guide, 2006. Diederichs,
N (ed). African Sun Media. Mander, M. 2004
Find From witchcraft to proven cure on the archived articles at www.
farmersweekly.co.za in which Roelof Bezuidenhout discusses whether
South Africas indigenous medicinal plants could be the farming crops of
the future.
Marketing of Indigenous Medicinal Plants in South Africa a Case Study in
KwaZulu-Natal. Myles Mander. Food and Agricultural Organisation of the
United Nations, Rome. This dated but thorough work can be found at
www.fao.org/docrep/W9195E/W9195E00.htm
Convention on Biological Diversity www.cbd.int. Included here are the
Bonn Guidelines on Access to Genetic Resources and Fair and Equitable Sharing
of the Benefits Arising out of their Utilisation.
SA Health Info, Health knowledge network of southern Africa www.
sahealthinfo.org. Find the Traditional medicines option.
www.fairwild.org FairWild Foundations Standard for the trading of
medicinal plants
Included on www.scidev.net are issues relating to traditional medicines.
This is the website of Science and Development Network which features
news, views and information about science, technology and the developing
world.
Wong, JLG (ed). In press. Handbook for Sustainable Bark Harvesting. FRPDFID R8305 Bark Project. African Sun Media.
Maize
See also related chapters e.g. Grain and oilseeds chapter, Milling, Grain
storage and handling etc.
1. Overview
Maize is the most important grain crop in South Africa, being both the staple
food for the majority of the South African population and the major feed
grain.
About 60% of maize produced in South Africa is white and the other 40%
is yellow maize. White maize is primarily for human consumption. Yellow
maize is the most important ingredient in feed rations for dairy, beef, poultry
and egg production.
The maize industry is important to the economy both as an employer and
earner of foreign currency because of its multiplier effects. This is because
maize also serves as a raw material for manufactured products such as
paper, paint, textiles, medicine and food.
Maize is produced throughout South Africa with Free State, Mpumalanga
and North West provinces being the largest producers, accounting for
approximately 84% of total production. Maize is produced mostly on dry
land although there is less than 10% that is produced under irrigation.
Maize is planted mainly between mid-October and mid-December.
The rainfall pattern and other weather conditions of a particular season
determine the planting period as well as the length of the growing season.
The local consumption requirements for maize are usually around or just
under 7 million tons per year.
Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries website (take the
Publications menu option at www.daff.gov.za) and on the South African
Grain Information Service website, www.sagis.org.za.
494

The Maize Market Value Chain Profile: 2010-2011 (see Websites and
publications heading) includes an analysis of South African imports and export.
With food prices racing higher around the world, and strong demand for
maize from food companies, livestock producers and ethanol makers,
American maize (corn) production is considered a critical component. Visit
the CBOT and National Corn Growers Association websites www.ncga.
com.
produced is for human consumption (50%) and the animal feed industry
(40%), while 10% goes to seed and industrial uses.
The South African maize market has matured considerably since deregulation
of agricultural marketing. Producers, traders and other intermediaries
interact freely in the marketing of maize. The maize marketing season
in South Africa commences on 1 May and ends on 30 April the following
year.
The maize market value chain can be broken down into the following
levels:
Sector
Role players
The maize price is determined by the prices of the Chicago Board of Trade
(CBOT) www.cmegroup.com (refer also to the Commodity Trading
chapter).
Primary
Visit the SAGIS website every second working day of the week after 12h00
for updated import/export information. The Monthly Bulletin is also a vital
source of information.
input suppliers
producers
silo owners
Secondary
millers
animal feed manufacturers
Tertiary
traders (hedgers, arbitrageurs and speculators)

retailers
transporters (used throughout the chain)
Understanding the economics of the maize industry

Since 1996 the maize market is an open and deregulated market. What
you get for your crop is very much what the market prices at the time
are. A number of factors influence what this price is.
The international price of maize. People want to save money. If they
can buy maize from somewhere else at a price lower than yours,
they will do so.
The current exchange rate. The balance between the South African
rand and the American dollar might make it a bad idea for a miller
to buy your maize when he could be getting it cheaper somewhere
else. This is the reason why the exchange rate is watched with great
interest.
Local production (influenced by weather conditions and hectares
planted to maize). If there is not a lot of maize around, you will have
many people wishing to buy your maize and so the price you get
will be higher.
Local consumption of maize (usually fairly constant around 7 million
tonnes per annum). If the demand for maize were to drop, then
not that many people would be wanting to buy your maize and you
would have to settle for a lower price.
Production levels in the SADC region (South Africa is usually the
main source of white maize for these countries in times of shortage).
If a lot of maize has been produced, then the people who buy it
will be able to buy from elsewhere if you are wanting too much for
yours.
Stock levels (both domestically and internationally). How much
maize is available?
In times of surplus, the price of maize is closer to export parity, whilst
in times of shortages the price of maize will be closer to import parity.
It should be emphasised that information on outlook and trends of the
fundamental factors influence market perceptions of traders which
eventually affect the price levels. Credible and timely information,
especially on crop estimates, stock levels, imports and exports, is
therefore critical for the proper functioning of the market.

Find the Maize Market Value Chain Profile: 2010-2011 under the Publications
and Agricultural Marketing Commodity Profiles options at www.daff.gov.za.
The information below is drawn from there.
Most of the maize produced in South Africa is consumed locally; as a result,
the domestic market is very important to the industry. Most of the maize
Some of the strengths of the maize production sector in South Africa are
the following:
It is one of the top two agricultural sectors (poultry is the other).
It ensures self-sufficiency in the major basic food product.
It ensures food security in SA and the SADC region.
It is an earner of foreign exchange through exports. Although exports
have historically been to African countries, new markets in the 2011
season have included Mexico, South Korea and Taiwan.
The existing production infrastructure is well developed.
There is enormous intellectual capital and experience that is available
in the maize sector.
Some of the weaknesses inherent in the maize processing sector are the
following:
slow adoption of hedging mechanisms to reduce price risk
inadequate protection against unfair regional and international
competition and food aid
relatively low export orientation
deteriorating research infrastructure and capacity may limit new
technology development in the future
research results not user friendly especially to the emerging sector
lack of innovation for new products
relatively high input and capital costs because a large proportion of
production inputs are imported
high maintenance and delivery costs
Take the Documents and brochures option at www.graansilo.co.za for
the following:
regulations relating to the grading, packing and marking of maize
intended for sale in the Republic of South Africa
an amendment to the above (2010)
Find the standard contract format for trading grain and oilseeds in
Southern Africa at www.grainmilling.org.za.
496

Choosing a cultivar:
The correct choice of maize cultivar can significantly reduce risk.
Never completely replace a reliable cultivar with a new or unknown
one in a single season.
Always plant a cultivar package cultivar variability divides the risk
factor. Use a series of cultivars that differ in time period of growing
season and other characteristics. If you plant early, plant a combination
of cultivars with a 20% fast or short growth timespan, 30% medium
growth timespan and 50% long growth timespan. If you plant late plant a mixture that comprises 50% fast or short growth timespan,
30% medium growth and 20% longer growing season.
Cultivars must be adapted to a specific yield potential, but should be
able to utilise increased-potential conditions. They should also deliver
an accepted yield at reduced yield potential. Cultivars with a wide
adaptability can play a role under these conditions.
Cultivar choice should be revised annually.
Yield-reliability values are a valuable aid in cultivar planning. For more
information, contact the ARC-GCI.
Source: www.suidwes.co.za and Choosing your maize cultivar, an article at www.
farmersweekly.co.za.
Options for when there is a maize surplus and prices are low
There are still a lot of unexplored opportunities in the secondary maize
industries e.g. ethanol production and protein extraction. If we invest in the
downstream maize industries, we can retain our competitiveness in the grain
sectors, believes Andrew Makenete.
So. The Competition Commission rejected an application by Grain South
Africa (Grain SA) to form a temporary export pool for surplus maize.
What are the other options of using your harvested maize profitably?
Store the grain until the prices are better (see the Grain storage
and handling chapter).
Clean the grain, bag it and market it to small maize buyers. Giving
them exactly what they want can earn you a premium price. This
can include neighbouring livestock farmers, informal traders or
those wanting it for household use.
Use it for your own livestock.
Diversify into a small, on-farm milling operation of your own.
Long term solutions
Hedge your prices.
Plant 50% less maize.
Buy (and store) maize instead of planting it!
Plant other crops like groundnuts, soybeans or cowpeas. The latter,
as a legume, fixes nitrogen in the soil benefiting follow-up crops.
Cowpea can be grazed, baled or turned into silage.
Diversify into livestock production.
Keep maize in the biofuel debate.
Find the Legal analysis of Competition Commission ruling on Maize
Industry report on www.agbiz.co.za, website of the Agricultural Business
Chamber.
5. The Maize Trust and assistance to emerging

maize farmers
The Maize Trust, in 2007, launched a pilot project to assist developing maize
farmers financially. The main aims of the project are to assist these farmers
with the cost of initial soil correction and to minimise their production risk.
The assistance therefore improves the production ability of the farmers and
aids them in obtaining crop input finance for the production of maize.
The Trust makes use of the Agribusinesses to act as mentors to the farmers,
so that the project can be successfully managed and the farmers can get the
maximum benefit from the Trusts assistance.
The Trusts financial assistance to the developing farmers is done by paying
for the cost of lime, which includes the cost of soil analysis; and all or a
portion of their crop insurance premiums. The Trust is also prepared to pay
a portion of the cost of extension officers, or a mentor, to assist the specific
farmers.
Bi-annual reporting is done by the Agribusinesses to the Trust and this,
together with auditing systems that are applied, determine the further
participation of the specific Agribusiness and the farmers involved. Physical
visits by the Trust to the farmers are done before the next maize production
season.
The pilot project has since been transferred to the Grain Farmer
Development Association (GFADA) to manage assistance to developing
maize farmers within the guidelines that applied to the pilot project of
the Trust. GFADA is a voluntary association of most role players in the
South African grain industries. It was formed to specifically manage the
funding granted by the Maize, Winter Cereal and Sorghum Trusts for such
projects.
In addition to the projects funded through GFADA, the Maize Trust also
annually funds the Farmer Development Programme of Grain SA, as well as
projects of other beneficiaries that are rendering assistance to developing
maize farmers. Training of the farmers is only one of the aspects that are
done in terms of these projects.
Source: Maize Trust. Interested parties are invited to contact the administrators of
the Trust, L & L Agricultural Services. Call 012 807 3958 or e-mail at l-lagric@mweb.
co.za.
6. Role players
The details of many other role players can be found in related chapters of
this publication e.g. Grain and oilseeds, Grain handling and storage,
Animal feeds, Milling and Small and micro milling. An extensive list of
role players can also be found on the SAGIS website, www.sagis.org.za take
the List of Co-workers and then Maize menu options.
Associations
Animal Feeds Manufacturing
Association (AFMA)
Tel: 012 663 9097
www.afma.co.za
Grain SA (GSA)
Tel: 0860 047 246
www.grainsa.co.za
Maize Trust
Tel: 012 807 3958
www.maizetrust.co.za
the Maize Trust is utilised for

the benefit of the whole maize
industry. Directly affected groups
in the marketing of maize and
maize products are represented by
the Technical Advisory Forum or
the Maize Forum, as it is commonly
known.
Maize Forum
Tel: 012 807 3958
The National Association of

The Board of Trustees ensures that Maize Millers
the income derived from assets of Tel: 012 663 1660
499
Government
Grain storage and marketing
Find information and contact details of the various directorates of the

Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (DAFF) under the
Divisions menu option at www.daff.gov.za. Details of the Agro-processing
unit at the Department of Trade and Industry appear in the Agro-processing
chapter of this publication.
Refer to relevant chapters in this directory like Grain storage and handling,
Agribusinesses and Commodity trading.

(ARC-GCI)
Tel: 018 299 6100
www.arc.agric.za

Tel: 012 546 9240
In addition to research, the ARCGCI provides short courses

to farmers which cover soil
preparation; fertiliser requirements;
weed, pest, disease management;
production practices of maize.

Service (SAGIS)
Tel: 012 523 1400
www.sagis.org.za

Laboratory (SAGL)
Tel: 012 807 4019
AgriSETA accredited providers www.sagl.co.za
offer training on maize production.
Universities offering agricultural
Examples include:
degrees do research and training in
Agriskills Transfer Tel: 012 460 maize production. Find their details
9585 www.agriskills.net
Buhle Farmers Academy Tel: training chapter.
079 409 2187 www.buhle.
org.za
Skills for Africa Tel: 012 379
4920 www.skillsafrica.co.za
Inputs
Refer to the many relevant chapters in this directory e.g. Fertilisers, Speciality
fertilisers, Crop protection, Seeds and seedlings etc.
ABC Africa Group

Tel: 012 804 2033
Kaap Agri Ltd

Tel: 022 482 8000
www.kaapagri.co.za
AFGRI
Tel: 011 063 2347
www.afgri.co.za
NWK Ltd
Tel: 018 633 1000
www.nwk.co.za
AVIMA
Tel: 011 769 1300
www.avima.co.za
OVK Ltd
Tel: 051 923 4500
www.ovk.co.za
Bessemer
Tel: 011 762 5341/2
www.bessemer.co.za
Prodsure
Tel: 012 252 4179
www.prodsure.co.za
Buhler
Tel: 011 801 3660
www.buhlergroup.com
Senwes Ltd
Tel: 018 464 7800
www.senwes.co.za
The GSI Group Africa (Pty) Ltd Stargate Scientific

Tel: 011 794 4455
Tel: 011 675 7433
www.gsiafrica.co.za
GWK Ltd
Tel: 053 298 8200
www.gwk.co.za
Suidwes Grain
Tel: 018 581 1000
www.suidwes.co.za
Johannesburg Stock Exchange

Tel: 011 520 7535
VKB Ltd
Tel: 058 863 8111
www.vkb.co.za

See also the Grain and Oilseed chapter.
BASF Agriculture
Tel: 011 203 2400
www.basf.co.za
Omnia Fertiliser
Tel: 011 709 8778 / 8916
www.omnia.co.za
Capstone Seeds
Tel: 033 330 4474
www.capstoneseeds.com
Pannar Seed (Pty) Ltd

Tel: 033 413 9500 / 9583
Fax: 033 413 1261
www.pannar.com
Carel van Niekerk Engineering

Tel: 022 913 2435
www.piket.co.za
Eco-Fert
Tel: 086 100 5051
www.eco-fert.co.za
Kelp Products
Tel: 021 786 2090
www.kelpak.com
Kynoch Fertilizer
Tel: 011 317 2000
www.kynoch.co.za
www.farmsecure.co.za
SA Lime & Gypsum

Tel: 0860 103 515
www.sakg.co.za
Sasol Nitro
Tel: 011 344 2400
www.sasol.com
Stimuplant
Tel: 012 802 0940
Tel: 011 396 2233
www.villacrop.co.za
MBFi
Tel: 082 921 8428
www.mbfi.co.za
Wenkem
Tel: 0861 936 536
www.wenkem.co.za
Metson
Tel: 011 792 8968
www.metson.co.za
Zinchem
Tel: 011 746 5000 / 58
www.agriculturefertilizer.co.za
www.zinchem.co.za
Monsanto
Tel: 011 790 8200
www.monsanto.co.za
Several publications and documents relating to maize can be found on

the website of the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries
(DAFF), www.daff.gov.za. These include the Maize Market Value Chain
Profile: 2010-2011 (take the Agricultural Marketing option) and
grower notes under the InfoPaks and Brochures options. Copies
of publications can also be obtained from the Resource Centre at the
National Department of Agriculture. Contact them at 012 319 7141.
The CD Production of maize, diseases and pests and the Maize Information
Guide (MIG) are two comprehensive information sources, available
from the ARC-GCI. Find the contact details under the TRaining and
research subheading.
Easy to understand Infotoons are available on the subject: The
Cultivation of Maize. Visit www.agis.agric.za/efarmer.
www.sagis.org.za for historical information and statistics (national
stocks, producer deliveries, imports, exports, consumption. Weekly
parity prices, etc.) Also visit the websites of other associations e.g.
www.grainsa.co.za.
Links to the different associations and relevant industry bodies in
respect of South African grains and oilseeds are available on www.
sagrains-oilseeds.co.za.
Find the Technical articles option at www.pannar.com. Know the
maize plant is a comprehensive booklet that guides one from the time
of planting through to harvesting.
The results of maize research projects that were funded by the
Maize Trust are available from the Administrators of the trust at llagric@mweb.co.za or on the Trusts website at www.maizetrust.
co.za.
www.aatf-africa.org/wema the Water Efficient Maize for Africa
(WEMA) project
www.sagl.co.za Find information on the National Crop quality and
other national projects.
Thanks to the Maize Trust and SAGIS for feedback on the draft chapter
500

Mushrooms and truffles
1. Overview
Visit www.mushroominfo.co.za, website of the South African Mushroom Farmers
Association (SAMFA).
Fungiculture is the process of producing food, medicine and other products

by the cultivation of mushrooms and other fungi (like truffles). Unlike plants
which depend on the sun, mushrooms rely on their growing medium for
food and energy. Examples of this food-and-energy source are compost,
mulched hay, sawdust and wood chips.
Four important mushroom species are grown commercially. These are the
common cultivated mushroom, Agaricus bisporus, the Shiitake mushroom,
Lentinula edodes, the oyster mushroom, Pleurotus ostreatus and the paddystraw mushroom, Volvariella volvaceae. The common cultivated mushroom is
the most important species with the greatest estimated global production.
Most mushrooms found in supermarkets have been commercially grown
on mushroom farms i.e. in controlled, sterilised environments. Separating
edible from poisonous species requires meticulous attention to detail, since
there is no single trait by which all toxic mushrooms can be identified, nor
one by which all edible mushrooms can be identified. The term gourmet
mushroom generally refers to any mushroom except the white and brown
button mushroom commonly found in supermarkets.
Approximately 300 mushroom species have known medicinal properties,
and another 1800 with potential medicinal properties have been identified.
Extracts of medicinal mushrooms are used to increase disease resistance
and to normalise body functions.
Mushrooms can also be used for dyeing wool and other natural fibres.
2. Role players
African Gourmet Mushrooms
Tel: 021 874 1020
www.jungleberry.co.za
Mushroom Research Centre
Dr W A Smit 082 749 8553
Through
the
ARC-Plant
Protection Research Institute
(ARC-PPRI)
Mushroom
programme,
significant
contributions have been made
to poverty relief. Communities
are trained and production
infrastructure
established
to
produce oyster mushrooms for their
own and local markets. Contact Dr
Susan Koch at KochS@arc.agric.za
or speak to her at 012 808 8000.
Bonbello Mushrooms
Tel: 083 755 3034
Chantarelle Mushrooms
Tel: 031 777 1755
touzel@iafrica.com
Country Mushrooms
Tel: 011 974 4043 / 447 6743
www.countryfoods.co.za/
mushrooms.htm
Denny Mushrooms
Tel: 0861 188 183
www.denny.co.za
Forest Fresh Mushrooms
Tel: 044 533 9161
Gauteng Economic
Development Agency (GEDA)
Agricultural Hub initiative
Mudunwazi Baloyi
Tel: 011 833 8750
Boland Mushrooms
Tel: 023 344 3662
bolandmushrooms@compnet.
co.za
Mushrooms have been an area of
focus.
Bol Forest Fruits
Tel: 082 900 0706
Gourmet Mushrooms see
www.wildmushrooms.co.za
Northern Cape Mushrooms
Highveld Mushrooms
Tel: 011 317 5300
www.highveldmushrooms.co.za
International Society for
Mushroom Science visit www.
isms.biz
South African Gourmet

Mushroom Academy
Tel: 021 881 3586 / 082 749 8553
www.mushroomacademy.com
Find the link to the Edible Fungi
Association on this website.
Isikhowe Mushroom Research South African Mushroom

Farmers Association
& Training Centre (Cedara)
Tel: 012 665 2210
Tel: 033 343 8164
www.mushroominfo.co.za
This Centre is part of the campaign
to help alleviate poverty and food The South African National
insecurity in rural KZN.
Collection of Fungi, which
houses approximately 60 000
Medallion Mushrooms
specimens, is known nationally and
Tel: 021 880 1135
internationally under the acronym
tim@medallion.co.za
PREM. The name PREM is derived
from the city in which the collection
Northern Cape Mushrooms
is situated, Pretoria (PRE), and
Tel: 053 871 1170
the M defines the collection as
ncmushrooms@telkomsa.net
being mycological. The ARC-PPRI
is currently the custodian of the
Nouvelle Mushrooms
collection. For further information
www.nouvelle.za.net
contact Dr Elna van der Linde at
Contact details in Gauteng and the VDLindeE@arc.agric.za or at 012
Western Cape can be found on the 808 8000.
website.
Sylvan Africa
Tel: 012 665 2210
Ocean Mushrooms
marlizen@sylvaninc.com
Tel: 028 284 9278
www.sylvaninc.com
oceanmushrooms@telkomsa.net
Rhodes University
Tel: 046 603 8443
j.dames@ru.ac.za
jo@mycoroot.com
SEED Gourmet Mushrooms
Project
buymushrooms@seed.org.za
www.seed.org.za
Porcini Mushrooms
Tel: 021 874 1020
www.grapenet.co.za
Tropical Mushrooms
Tel: 014 577 2680 / 0071
www.tropical.co.za
Truffles of Africa
Tel: 072 538 1707
Shrooms, based in Newcastle www.trufflesofafrica.co.za
(KZN) sells a mushroom production
and business starter pack. They Tshwane University of
advise clients of different marketing Technology
techniques available, and hold Dr T Regnier
seminars on mushroom growing. regniert@tut.ac.za
The starter pack includes an
instruction manual. A newsletter Wild Mushroom
is also available. Contact details Tel: 021 881 3586
are 082 939 1616 or email www.wildmushroom.co.za
Phyllis@ecoafro.com
Find the Mycotourism option on
the website

Find the Production Guidelines: Mushrooms document under the
Publications and Brochures options at www.daff.gov.za.
Step by Step Guide on growing mushrooms ISBN 978-0-620-42224-6.
There is also a three part DVD set. Order at www.ecoafro.com or
contact Shrooms at 082 939 1616.
Pocket Guide: Mushrooms of South Africa by Marieka Gryzenhout. Read
more about by www.gardeningeden.co.za.
Commercial mushroom production in South Africa. Bulletin 418. A Eicker.
Department of Botany. University of Pretoria
Growing Gourmet and Medicinal Mushrooms, third edition (2000). Paul
Stamets ISBN 1-58008-175-4 Ten Speed Press. Available via www.
amazon.com and www.kalahari.com. It can also be downloaded at
www.ebook3000.com, free of charge.
501
Companies

Olives
1. Overview
The climate in the Western Cape is ideal for growing olives, especially
around towns like Paarl, Robertson and Montagu. Olives can also be
produced in certain summer rainfall areas, under irrigation, as happens
in Hartswater in the Northern Cape.
Harvesting can be done mechanically or by hand. The latter yields a
better product but is more labour intensive.
The olive industry in South Africa produces less than a fifth of the oil
consumed in the country. It is a small role player in global terms and has
the potential to create more than 10 000 permanent jobs and 30 000
seasonal jobs.
Imported olive oil is subsidised and cheaper, one of the impediments to
creating further employment in this sector. Producers accept that they
cant be subsidised, but would like to see an import levy equal to the
ones applicable to exports to Europe.
Olive farming is a long-term investment, with a return on investment
only showing four to five years after planting.
Source: the articles The SA olive industry in FOOD & BEVERAGE REPORTER
March 2011, Local olive industry bursting with potential in Farmers Weekly, 6 May
2011, and Olive farmers combat EU subsidies Farmers Weekly 27 July 2012.
Caterix
Tel: 021 946 4737
www.caterix.com
Olives SA
Tel: 053 474 0061
www.olivessouthafrica.com
De Hut Olive Farm & Nursery

Tel: 023 340 4775
www.dehutolivetrees.co.za
Olyfberg
Tel: 023 342 5096
www.olyfberg.com
Foxenburg Estate
Tel: 021 873 5617
www.foxenburg.co.za
Rio Largo Olive Estate

Tel: 082 688 0578
www.riolargo.co.za
Greenleaf Olive Co
Tel: 021 556 3238
www.greenleafoliveco.co.za
Rosanna Olive Estate

Tel: 021 987 8539
www.rosannaolives.co.za
Morgenster Wine and Olive

Estate
Tel: 021 852 1738
www.morgenster.co.za
Vesuvio Olive Estates

Tel: 021 869 8571
www.vesuvioestates.co.za
Olives Go Wild
Tel: 021 886 8408 / 083 300 4703
www.olivesgowild.co.za
Willow Creek
Tel: 023 342 5793
www.willowcreek.co.za

www.saolive.co.za is your first stop for information about olives and the
South African olive industry. Amongst the information are notes for growing
olives and standards for nurseries.
Find the website of the International Olive Council at www.
internationaloliveoil.org.
2. Role players
Find grower notes and other information at www.oliveoilsource.com.

Find the comprehensive olive directory at www.olivedirectory.co.za.
Associations
For
information
on
the
Commitment to Compliance
(CTC) seal, call 021 886 8408 or
write to sandra@olivesgowild.
co.za.
HORTGRO SERVICES
Tel: 021 870 2900
www.hortgro.co.za
SA Olive
Tel: 021 870 2900
www.saolive.co.za

Carlo Costa
Tel: 021 809 3100
www.arc.agric.za
OlivesInFact
Tel: 083 300 4703
www.olivesinfact.com

Department of Microbial,
Biochemical and Food
Biotechnology
Division of Food Science
Prof Arno Hugo
Tel: 051 401 2396
HugoA@ufs.ac.za
Find the comprehensive olive directory of role players at www.olivedirectory.

co.za.
Visit the website of the Swartland Wine and Olive Route at www.
swartlandwineroute.co.za or call them at 022 487 1133.
Olive Production in South Africa: A Handbook for Olive Growers by C Costa.
Available from ARC-Infruitec-Nietvoorbij, Private Bag X5013 Stellenbosch
7599, Tel: 021 809 3100 Fax: 021 809 3400
Olives & Oils in South Africa by Wendy Flanagan & Reni Hildenbrand, Mbira
Press, Private Bag X4, Hout Bay, 7872 or from Blue Weaver Marketing. Call
021 701 4477.
Table Olive Processing Made Easy (E-Book) contact OlivesInFact at 083 300
4703 or write to linda@olivesinfact.com.
502

Other crops
This chapter deals with crops not mentioned elsewhere in this publication
Hops
The only area of South Africa in which hops is grown is near George in
the Western Cape. More than half the hops required by the countrys
beer brewers comes from here. Find information under the Hops
farming option at www.overthemountain.co.za, website of the Over The
Mountain guest farm. Read about South African micro breweries at http://
microbreweries.co.za.
Outside Asia, the potential to increase rice production exists primarily in

South America and Africa. Currently, South America is more or less selfsufficient in rice and has the land mass to expand rice production if the
underlying economics make sense. Africa, on the other hand, probably has
more potential than even South America because of its underused land and
water resources. But, Africa requires a stable political environment and the
necessary investment for infrastructure and market development to boost
its rice production.
The bottom line is that the rice supply needs to increase to improve future
food security, and new international suppliers of rice could play an important
role in providing new sources of rice to importers.
Source: Adapted from the article Global rice trade: what does it mean for future food
security?, Rice Today, April-June 2009. Mbendi newsletter, 31 July 2009
Rye
Visit www.lupins.org, an information resource portal with extensive notes

on this crop.
Rye (Secale cereale) is a grass grown extensively as a grain and as a forage

crop. It is a member of the wheat tribe (Triticeae) and is closely related to
barley and wheat. Rye grain is used for flour, rye bread, rye beer, some
whiskies, some vodkas, and animal fodder. It can also be eaten whole, either
as boiled rye berries, or by being rolled, similar to rolled oats.
Millet
Rye is a cereal grain and should not be confused with ryegrass which is used
for lawns, pasture, and hay for livestock.
Lupins
The different millets include Common millet, Foxtail millet, African finger
millet and Bulrush millet. Pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum) accounts for
55% of global millet production and is the worlds sixth most important
cereal grain. It is grown in over 40 countries, mostly in Africa and Asia.
Known as mahangu here, it is the staple grain crop in Northern Namibia,
the Okavango region of Botswana, and southern Angola. Of all the major
cereals, millet is the one most able to tolerate extremes of heat and drought,
and with global warming, might play a more important role in the future.
Source: Breeding of millet cultivars and varieties from the ARC-GCI pages at www.
arc.agric.za; ARC PPRI Newsletter January March 2009, p 8
Monola
This is a new speciality canola variety launched towards the end of 2010.
It produces seeds with high-stability oil and is grown in the same way as
canola.
Oats
Oats have numerous uses in food; most commonly, they are rolled or
crushed into oatmeal, or ground into fine oat flour. Oatmeal is chiefly
eaten as porridge, but may also be used in a variety of baked goods, such
as oatcakes, oatmeal cookies, and oat bread. Oats are also an ingredient
in many cold cereals, in particular muesli and granola. Oats may also be
consumed raw, and cookies with raw oats are becoming popular. While
oats are suitable for human consumption, one of the most common uses is
as livestock feed.
Find the Field crops: Oats Market Value Chain Profile 2010-2011 on www.
daff.gov.za (take the Publications and Agriculture marketing options).
An extensive list of role players is available on www.sagis.org.za (select the
List of Co-workers and then the Oats/Hawer menu options).
Rice
Find the overview of South African rice production, consumption and trade in the
March 2012 edition of TradeProbe, which can be found on the National Agricultural
Marketing Councils website www.namc.co.za.
Rice is different from other major field crops such as wheat, maize, and
soybeans because of its high geographical concentration in production
and consumption (around 90% in Asia), literally making it an Asian crop.
Historically, a very small proportion, around 57%, of total rice production
has been traded compared with 20% for wheat, 13% for maize, and 30%
for soybeans. More importantly, four of the top five exporters, with a 70%
share of total global rice trade, are from Asia, for which domestic food
security comes first and trade is a distant second.
Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rye
Triticale
Triticale is a hybrid of wheat (Triticum) and rye (Secale). Depending on the
cultivar, it can more or less resemble either of its parents. It is grown mostly
for forage or fodder although some triticale-based foods can be purchased
at health food stores or are to be found in some breakfast cereals.
Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Triticale (adapted)
Read about Medics and other legume cover crops at www.sare.org (take
the Learning Centre option).
For information on other grains and oilseeds, visit the Biodiversity
Explorer www.biodiversityexplorer.org/encounter/food/grains.htm for
a breakdown of grains. Role players in the Grain & oilseeds general
chapter can also be contacted.
Some role players

African Centre for Crop Improvement Tel: 033 260 5524 www.
acci.org.za
Find contact details, the step-by-step video on growing rice, as well as
various notes, articles and news at www.AfricaRice.org, website of the
Africa Rice Center (AfricaRice).
Agricol Tel: 021 981 1126 www.agricol.co.za
ARC-Grain Crops Institute Tel: 018 299 6100 www.arc.agric.za
Contact Emil von Maltitz VmaltitzE@arc.agric.za / 012 808 8000 or
Phanuel Malebane MalebaneP@arc.agric.za / 012 356 9800 - at the
ARC-Plant Protection Research Institute.
Capstone Seeds Tel: 033 330 4474 www.capstoneseeds.com
Citrusdal Rollermeule Tel: 022 921 2434
Forestry and Agricultural Biotechnology Institute (FABI) Tel:
012 420 3938 / 9 www.fabinet.up.ac.za
The International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) is the largest
non-profit agricultural research centre in Asia, with headquarters in
the Philippines and offices in 14 nations. Visit www.irri.org.
MGK Operating Company Tel: 012 381 2800 www.mgk.co.za
Moorreesburgse Koringboere Tel: 022 433 8300 www.mkb.co.za
Pannar Seed Tel: 033 413 9500 www.pannar.com
SAB Hops Farm Tel: 044 802 8400 www.sablimited.co.za
Stellenbosch Universitys Department of Genetics Tel: 021 808 5839
/ 4860 www0.sun.ac.za/genetics
Tiger Brands Tel: 011 840 4000 www.tigeroats.co.za
503
Foods
Beer, breads, burgers, cheese, chips, chocolate bars,

coffees, cookies, defatted hempseed meal, dehulled
hempseeds, dry mixes - cake, cookie, pancake and
pizza dough, energy bars, flour, hummus, ice cream,
lollipops, nut bars, nut-butter, oil, pasta, pastilles, pat,
pretzels, roasted seeds, salad dressings, soda drinks,
spiced hemp seeds, tea, toasted shelled hempseed,
wine, wraps
Housewares
Aprons, blankets, curtains, couch covers, furniture,

hammocks, potholders, pillows, placemats, napkins,
tablecloths, towels
Paper
Art papers, bond, bookmarks, books, cigarette papers,

corrugated board, envelopes, invitations, journals,
magazines, postcards, posters, stationery, writing pads,
books, magazines, newsletters, research papers
Raw Hemp
Bast fiber: batting (tow) long fiber (line or sliver) for

industry and craft use, hurds (core) , seed stock andf
seed grain
Sports
Equipment
Frisbees, hackie sacks, skateboards, snowboards,

surfboards
Spun Hemp
Twine, rope, yarn, webbing and embroidery thread
Textiles
Hand woven and mill loomed fabrics - blended silks to

canvas, various weights and textures, colors, patterns,
stripes and plaids; knits; finishing services; non-woven
matting (replaces fiberglass), carpets, rugs
Other
Dolls, candles, coffee filters, drums, picture frames,

teddy bears, toys

Other fibre crops
1. Overview
Major fibre crops covered in this chapter are flax, hemp, kenaf and
sisal. Other fibre plants include abaca, coir (extracted from the outer
shell of coconuts), jute and ramie.
Fibre plants are present in diverse plant families, from legumes to
wood species and grasses.
Fibre plants grow in most ecosystems of South Africa the subtropical
low lying coastal plains, the warm bushveld and arid half desert areas,
while unique species are adapted to the wetlands and poorly drained
areas.
To develop the potential of indigenous plants for fibre production,
a close working and financial relationship between the new farmer,
the fibre industry and agricultural scientist must be developed. The
establishment of an agro-fibre-industry that can independently manage
its affairs and solves its own problems will be the ideal.
As early as 2800 BC, Chinese farmers were cultivating hemp for making
cloth, one of the oldest recorded uses of plant fibre for fabric production.
And, until relatively recently, production of clothes, cloths, carpets,
cordage, paper and ships sails, was entirely based on natural fibres. With
the development of synthetic fibres derived from petroleum, the use of
natural fibres began to decline.
Worldwide, some 30 million tonnes of natural fibres are produced
annually. For many developing countries natural fibres are of major
economic importance, including cotton in parts of West Africa, jute in
Bangladesh and sisal in Tanzania.
Across the developing world, producers and processors of natural fibres
face the challenge of developing and maintaining markets in which they
can compete effectively with synthetics.
3. Flax
Flax, Linum usitatissimum L., is one of the oldest fibre crops. Its fibre is used
to make linen and its seeds yield linseed oil.
Growth and development
European legislation is encouraging the use of natural fibres in industrial

applications through tax incentives. There is increased environmental
awareness and concern in business, fuelled by regulatory pressures such as
the adoption of ISO 14000 (environmental management standards).
Fibre flax is tough and durable and its cultivation presents no major
difficulties. In favourable conditions, the yield per hectare can be 6 to 7
tonnes. Morphological differences between flax varieties are quite marked,
depending upon whether the varieties are grown for seed or for fibre.
Fibre flax is an annual self-pollinating plant that grows rapidly and reaches a
height of 1.2 metre, depending on the variety, plant density, soil fertility and
available moisture. Fibre varieties are placed close together to encourage
taller stalks and minimal branching. The life cycle of the flax plant consists
of a 60 to 80 day vegetative period, a 25 to 40 day flowering period and a
maturation period of 40 to 60 days. Water stress, high temperature and
disease can shorten any of these growth periods. Fibre flax grows best in
a cool climate. In hot and dry climates, irrigation is necessary. It grows in
slightly acidic to neutral soils or even those that are a little alkaline. Flax
usually does well on types on land suitable for wheat.
The following products are manufactured from hemp in the USA:
Harvesting and retting
Oil prices and concerns over the environmental cost of synthetic fibre
production have created a renewed interest in crop (and animal) fibres.
Sources: www.new-ag.info/09/03/focuson.php and www.arc.agric.za
Accessories
Back packs, bags, beanies, belts, briefcases, caps,

checkbook covers, gloves, guitar straps, hair ties, hats
(knit, crocheted, fabric), hip packs, jewelry, luggage,
purses, scarves, shawls, shoe laces, shoes, socks, ties,
travel kits, wallets, watchbands
Animal Care
Beds, bedding, feed, leashes and collars, treats
Apparel
Baby clothes, bathrobes, dresses, jackets, jeans, lingerie,

overalls, pants, shirts, shorts, skirts, suits, sweaters, Tshirts
The main object in cultivating textile flax is the production of fibre which is
separated out (scutched) after the flax stalks have been prepared (retted).
When the plant turns yellow, fibre flax is harvested either by hand or pulled
by machine, the seeds are removed and the stalks bundled and left to dry
on the field. Before flax fibre can be utilised, the fibre must be separated
from the rest of the stalk in a process called retting. After retting, the straw
is scraped away from the fibre by pulling the stems through hackles that
comb the straw out of the fibre a process called scutching. Flax fibre is
spun on equipment similar to that used for cotton. Flax produces a strong
thread used for sewing and for manufacturing netting, twine and towelling,
as well as for weaving linen.
Cosmetics
Aromatherapy mists, hair conditioners, lip balms,

lotions, massage oils, perfume, salves, shampoos,
soaps
Source: www.arc.agric.za and M Jacobsz at the ARC-Institute for Industrial Crops

(ARC-IIC)
Find the Production Guidelines: Flax document under the Publications

and Brochures options at www.daff.gov.za.
504
4. Hemp
There seems to be never-ending list of benefits of the hemp plant with
products ranging from clothing and textile to cosmetics and insulating
boards (see heading 2). However, its perceived relationship with Marijuana
causes problems. Both come from the plant family Cannabis sativa L., but
from different varieties.
The commercial cultivation of hemp in South Africa is prohibited by the
following legislation:
The Drugs and Drug Trafficking Act, 1992 (Act No 140 of 1992) which
describes hemp as dagga.
Medicines and Related Substances Act, 1965 (Act No 101 of 1965)
The Environmental Conservation Act, 1989 (Act No 73 of 1989)
Despite this, hemp products are amazingly in high demand, and perhaps for
this reason our country does not charge any tariff for hemp imports.
The South African government and the private sector have been engaged in
a process of trying to sort out the hemp legislation to create an environment
in which this product can be commercialised. The product is currently
grown in South Africa mainly for the experimental or research purposes.
Hemps deep roots aerate the soil. After the harvest, its roots and
discarded leaves replenish the soil with nutrients. Its early growth and
thick canopy choke off weeds, and it breaks disease cycles that reduce
the yields of other crops. It can also be grown largely without pesticides
and herbicides.
It works well as a rotational crop and soil rehabilitator, soil erosion
preventor, cash generator, and organic crop enhancer. The hemp crop is
labour intensive, low input, high-yielding, a beneficial companion crop to
pineapple and chicory.
The commercial production of this crop has great potential for job
creation in rural areas. The development of traditional agriculture based
crops such as hemp would help encourage the rural regeneration and
small-scale rural industries. Raw materials would be provided to various
sectors such as paper, textiles, composites, industrial oils, animal bedding,
fibreboards etc.
Sources: Dr Yoseph Beyene, ARC-Institute for Industrial Crops (ARC-IIC); CSIR,
Diverse International Holdings
Find the Industrial Products: Hemp Market Value Chain Profile: 20102011 at www.daff.gov.za (take the Publications and Agriculture Marketing
options). The paragraphs above are excerpts from this report.
5. Kenaf
A member of the hibiscus family (Hibiscus cannabinus L), Kenaf is related to
okra and cotton. This source of natural fibre has roots in ancient Africa and
Asia where, 4000 years ago, it was cultivated for cordage.
Although Kenaf originated in Africa, the modern cultivation is new to
Southern Africa. It has been cultivated in the United States and parts of Asia
for decades.
Today it is increasingly being viewed world-wide as a sustainable, ecofriendly alternative to petroleum-reliant, synthetic raw materials.
Kenaf is a light-weight, cost-effective natural fibre that is sustainable,

economically viable and ecologically friendly.
Because of its low-maintenance and drought-tolerant nature, and
because of its short 3 to 4 month growing season, Kenaf is suitable as
an interim crop.
Kenaf is an excellent rotation crop for maize, groundnuts, etc. It
enriches the land in which it grows.
Kenaf versatility is unmatched. The range of value added products
Kenaf can be used for is massive. These are products of the future.
Many of the end products utilising Kenaf can be recycled or are
biodegradable, complying with European legislation pertaining to
automobile end-of-life.
Kenaf has the highest CO2 absorption capacity (one ton of Kenaf
absorbs 1.5 tons of atmospheric CO2), thereby helping to prevent
global warming.
Find the above and other notes at www.kenaf.co.za.
6. Sisal
The main production areas have been in the Limpopo Province and
KwaZulu-Natal, with annual yields of up to 5000 tons of fibre. The majority
of this fibre was processed locally but any surplus was successfully exported
to many overseas countries where it was well received because of the high
quality of South African grown fibre.
In recent times the production of fibre has almost ceased in South Africa
because of initial labour problems. At present all fibre used in South Africa
is imported at a cost of over R20 million, representing a serious drain on
our foreign reserves.
Apart from providing excellent job opportunities, the crop:
grows throughout the year
can be harvested throughout the year
has an unlimited local market (for the fibre)
has no appeal to thieves
receives a good final price
The fibre is used in the production of twines and ropes, buffs and carpets,
and numerous other minor uses such as the manufacture of dartboards,
mattress pads, and crafts.
The sisal bowl is most popular for bird nesting purposes, and the attractive
sisal poles are widely used in game parks for bomas and hides.
Any further information on the Sisal Industry can be obtained from Clive
Henderson of the National Sisal Marketing Committee. Call him at 033 345
2508 or 082 458 4335, or write to him at clive@clivehenderson.co.za or
PO Box 1096 Pietermaritzburg 3200.

Department of Agriculture, Department of Health
Tel: 012 312 0000
www.doh.gov.za
Tel: 012 319 6079
Hemp is not legalised and is still
declared a weed. You need to obtain
Tel: 012 319 6072
a permit from the Department of
Health to grow hemp.
Responsible for export regulations
and standards as well as a special
protocol for export to the USA.
505
8. Role players
ARC-Institute for Industrial
Crops (ARC-IIC)
Tel: 012 427 9999
Tel: 014 536 3150-3
www.arc.agric.za
The institute is responsible for all
fundamental and applied research
of interest to the tobacco and fibre
industries in all the production areas
of South Africa. Training courses
for the production on flax, hemp
and sisal are compiled according to
requests.
Bright Fields Natural Trading
Company
Tel: 021 448 8548
www.brightfields.co.za
Brits Nonwoven
Tel: 0860 103627
www.isotherm.co.za
Coir Institute
Tel: 011 262 4262
www.coirinstitute.com
Other Research Units and Parastatals which have been involved:

Corporation (IDC)
Food, Beverage and Agro
Industries
Tel: 0860 693 888
www.idc.co.za
Inina Craft Agency
Tel: 035 474 1466
www.inina.co.za
The Inina Craft Agency is a cooperative owned entirely by rural
Zulu women craft producers. In
addition to the woven wetland fibre
products it also markets handmade
paper products, beadwork and
other craft items.
National Hemp Foundation
Trust (NHDT) / National
Fibre Centre
C/o Sunshine Blouw
sblouw@csir.co.za
National Sisal Marketing
Committee (NSMC)
Tel: 033 345 2508
clive@clivehenderson.co.za
Cortex
Tel: 0861 264 7839 / 083 366 5545
The functions of the NSMC
www.coirtex.co.za
include the co-ordination of supply
and demand, developing new
markets for sisal, and monitoring
Fibres and Textiles Industrial
the deliveries to spinners and the
Support
payments to growers.
Tel: 041 508 3223 / 89 / 20
www.csir.co.za
Rebtex South Africa
Tel: 086 111 44 61
With a focus on rural job creation http://rebtex.co.za
the CSIR assists communities with
specialised design and product Sustainable Fibre Solutions
development services.
Tel: 036 488 1430
www.kenaf.co.za
Biocomposites Centre of
Competence
Nouwens Carpets
fdenner@csir.co.za
Tel: 058 622 1101
www.csir.co.za
www.nouwens.co.za
Hemporium
Tel: 021 702 4988
www.hemporium.com
House of Hemp
Tel: 016 362 1022
www.houseofhemp.co.za
The House of Hemp offers a variety
of hemp products ranging from
apparel to stationery to building
materials. All made from hemp
they are produced by small-scale
entrepreneurs from previously
disadvantage communities with
the assistance and support of the
CSIR.
Details of offices in Gauteng,

Durban and Cape Town can be
found on the website
Tel: 051 401 2818
and Soil Science
Dr Diana Marais
Tel: 012 420 3218
diana.marais@up.ac.za
Dhne Agricultural Development Institute (DADI) research

directorate of ECDA
Eastern Cape Tertiary Institutions (Fort Cox Agricultural College)
Eastern Cape Development Corporation (ECDC)
East London Industrial Development Zone (ELIDZ)

Find notes on fibre and other industrial crops at the Institute for Industrial
Crops pages on www.arc.agric.za. Included is a note on Indigenous fibre
crops. At least 30 of these plant species are known to be high in fibre
content.
Find the Industrial Products: Hemp Market Value Chain Profile: 2010-2011
at www.daff.gov.za (take the Publications and Agriculture Marketing
options).
Find the notes on www.hemporium.com.
Call 012 842 4017 or email iaeinfo@arc.agric.za for the following publication:
Processing of Textile Crops (Cotton, flax, hemp, sisal).
www.naturalfibres2009.org 2009 was the International Year of Natural
Fibres. At the beginning of 2013 this website was still functioning.
www.new-ag.info/09/03/focuson.php pages from the New Agriculturist
with a focus on natural fibres
www.flaxcouncil.ca the Flax Council of Canada
A number of documents on fibre crops can be found on the CSIR website
www.csir.co.za.
Numerous publications exist e.g. Hemp, Lifeline to the Future Author:
Chris Conrad (ISBN: 0963975412) and The Great Book of Hemp Author:
Rowan Robinson (ISBN: 0892815418)
506

Potatoes
1. Overview
The potato (solanum tuberosum) is recognised as an important foodstuff
worldwide and is seen as a key component in the worldwide fight against
hunger and malnutrition and the creation of food security. Potatoes are
packed with vitamin B3, B5, B6, C and fibre. They are ranked after rice,
wheat and maize as the worlds fourth largest food crop.
In addition to being eaten as a vegetable by humans, potatoes can be used as
feed for livestock. The domestic processing sector uses potatoes for three
processed products i.e. crisps, frozen and fresh French fries. Potato starch is
used in the food industry as a thickener and binder of soups and sauces, and
elsewhere as an adhesive and for the manufacturing of papers and boards. It
also holds potential as a base for biodegradable packaging. Potatoes can also
be used to brew alcoholic beverages like vodka.
Some 18.5 million hectares of potatoes are planted worldwide every year.
The total production averages 327 million tons.
In Africa the average hectares planted annually are 1.9 million delivering an
average of 17.9 million ton. As far as yield per hectare is concerned South
Africa produces 33 tons per hectare follow by Egypt and Rwanda with 28
and 10 tons respectively.
Source: Potatoes South Africa (adapted) and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Potato

Find the Industry info menu option on www.potatoes.co.za
As a result of the countrys unique climatic conditions potatoes are cultivated

all year round by about 690 producers in 16 production regions ensuring a
permanent supply of fresh potatoes. Approximately 50 000 hectares are
planted under potatoes producing an average of 2 million tons of potatoes.
The South African growth season for potatoes ranges between 90 to 120
days depending on the cultivar. In South Africa the leading cultivars based
on hectares planted are Mondial with 43%, BP1 with 12% and Up-To-Date
with 9%. Primarily ten cultivars are used for commercial potato production,
representing 90% of all plantings.
Potatoes account for nearly 50% of South Africas vegetable production. The
bulk of potatoes are grown in the Free State, Limpopo and the Sandveld. In
2010 50 771 hectares were planted with potatoes yielding the equivalent
of 209 million 10 kg bags. In terms of hectares the Limpopo is the largest
production area with 9 197 hectares. The most potatoes are also produced
in Limpopo because it is primarily produced under irrigation. 65% of all
potato plantings are with certified seed potatoes.
The distribution of the potato crop for 2011 is as follows:
seed 8%
export 7%
processing 17% (McCain Foods, Simba, etc)
informal market 30% (informal traders who buy 10kg pockets and
repackage them for sale in smaller quantities)
formal market 38% (Fruit & Veg City, Pick n Pay etc)
3. Transformation
Find Transformation under the notes on the PSA core business (see heading 4)
and at www.potatoes.co.za.
Potatoes South Africa (PSA)

Tel: 012 349 1906
Fax: 012 349 2647
www.potatoes.co.za
PSA is the representative industry organisation and plays a leadership role
in sustainable potato production in South Africa. PSA could be regarded as
the engine room of the industry and through its five core businesses PSA
involves the full spectrum of activities and role players in the potato industry
on its committees and forums.
The core businesses are:
Industry Information Service the collection and distribution of
production and market-related information to all role players in the
potato supply chain. The emphasis is on providing information that is
usable and timely to enable users to make informed decisions on the
production and marketing of potatoes. Use is made of the services of
the University of Pretoria and the University of the Free State in
the development of information related programmes.
Market Development and Product Promotion the development of
local and foreign markets through integrated promotional campaigns
in co-operation with industry partners in the potato marketing chain.
Other aspects also dealt with under this core business are grading
regulations, packaging and social responsibilities. PSA regularly
commissions the University of Pretoria to assist in marketing related
campaigns.
Research and Development the facilitation and management of
research programs to the benefit of the industry role players such
as potato producers, consumers and processors. PSA commissions
partners such as the Agricultural Research Council, the University
of Pretoria, Stellenbosch University, Provincial Departments
of Agriculture, etc. It is also responsible for the management of the
regional potato workgroups that conduct on-farm potato trials and
establishing the research requirements of the potato producers at
ground level.
Transformation the programmes are constantly evolving and
have the following as focus areas enterprise development, equity
partnerships, BEE compliance, skills development and socio-economic
development. The overarching goal for transformation is to achieve
sustainable economic development and change for potato production
enterprises.
Industry Services the five regional offices are strategically placed to
render a service to the potato producers in the 16 production regions.
It also renders a support service to the other core businesses regarding
the identification of research needs, the establishment of communication
networks, assistance to small scale farmers and arranging information
sessions and conducting regional crop estimates.
Detailed information on these core businesses can be obtained from the PSA
website.
Potato Certification Service

(PCS)
Tel: 012 349 1910
Fax: 012 349 1909
PCS is responsible for the
certification of seed potatoes
with a phyto-sanitary status in
respect of diseases and pests that
falls within the predetermined
norms and which are true to type.
The Certification Scheme which
functions in accordance with the
Plant Improvement Act, 1976 (Act
No. 53 of 1976), requires that each
generation of seed potatoes must
comply with quality standards. To
ensure the sustainability of seed
production in South Africa, the
Scheme is based on disease-free
material as base material (zero
tolerance).
Product Control for

Agriculture (Prokon)
Tel: 012 325 4579
Fax: 012 325 2461
http://prokonsa.co.za
Prokon has been authorised by
the Department of Agriculture,
Forestry and Fisheries (DAFF),
to apply the official requirements
applicable to the grading, marking
and packing of potatoes. PSA
has contracted Prokon to render
comprehensive and cost effective
quality
assurance,
product
management and grading services
to the potato industry, including
the establishment and maintenance
of efficient information systems,
grading information programs and
problem solving networks.
507
It also provides pack house training Seed Potato Traders Forum

on farms to ensure better quality Tel: 013 243 0544
produce being delivered to the Fax: 013 243 0546
fresh produce and markets and
The Seed Potato Traders Forum
other outlets.
comprises of companies trading
in seed potatoes and complies
Potato Laboratory Services
with the code of conduct of the
Tel: 012 808 1660
Forum. The goal of the Forum is
Fax: 012 808 1662
to formally organise seed potato
Five strategically situated national traders in order to render a
laboratories
are
registered professional marketing service to
with DAFF in terms of the Plant potato producers.
Improvement Act, 1976 (Act No.
53 of 1976) for the determination Packaging Forum
of disease status and variety true Tel: 012 349 1906
to type of seed potatoes presented Fax: 012 349 2647
for certification. The Coen
Bezuidenhout Seed Test Centre The Packaging Forum comprises
at Zeekoegat, Pretoria acts as the of companies that import and
manufacture paper for the
controlling laboratory.
production of potato bags and
the potato bag manufacturers.
South African Exporters
The purpose of the Forum is to
Forum
consider and attend to requests
Tel: 022 913 1508
such as alternative packing sizes,
Fax: 022 913 1408
alternative paper and printing
The South African Exporters Forum specifications.
comprises of companies that also
export potatoes and comply with
the code of conduct of the Forum.

In addition to the training provided to developing potato producers,
PSA also manages the Potato Industry Development Trust Bursary
Scheme which makes bursaries available to deserving students for diploma,
undergraduate and post graduate studies related to the potato industry.
Research is addressed under the core businesses. For more information go
to www.potatoes.co.za (find the research menu option).
Provincial Departments of Agriculture, working with the Agricultural
Colleges, provide courses in vegetable production. Potato production is
included, or can be a separate course all on its own. At Cedara in KwaZuluNatal, Poster Training Modules are also available. Contact Clive Viljoen or
Noreen Mhlongo at Training Resources Development. Tel: 033 355 9304 or
email clive.viljoen@kzndae.gov.za or Noreen.mhlongo@kzndae.gov.za.

www.daff.gov.za
Directorate: Plant Health Tel: 012 319 6072 DPH@daff.gov.za
Directorate: Plant Production Tel: 012 319 6079 DPP@daff.gov.za
Directorate: Food Safety and Quality Assurance Tel: 012 319 7306
DFSQA@daff.gov.za
Council (NAMC)
Tel: 012 341 1115
www.namc.co.za

Control Board
Tel: 021 930 1134
www.ppecb.com
508
Other
The names of various role players can be found at www.potatoes.co.za.

In some cases, contact details are supplied e.g. the list of contacts under
Exports. The reader is also encouraged to refer to relevant chapters
in this directory e.g. Crop protection and Fresh produce markets.
A list of processors can be found in the publication Horticultural
Crops Market Value Chain Profiles, available from the Department of
Machinery and implements

Dormas
Tel: 011 496 2800
www.dormas.co.za
Turnerland Manufacturing
Tel: 022 723 1413 / 083 258 5083
www.turnerland.co.za
Oos Kaap Trekkers

Tel: 042 284 0301
oktrek@lantic.net
Uniekum Agricultural
Machinery
Tel: 021 981 3516
www.uniekum.co.za
Implements for commercial and

emerging agriculture
and Ornamental Plants
Institute (VOPI)
Tel: 012 841 9861
ajoubert@arc.agric.za
www.arc.agric.za
First Potato Dynamics Group
Tel: 021 914 4441
www.fpd.co.za
GWK Ltd
Tel: 053 298 8200
www.gwk.co.za
Wes-Vrystaat
Aartappelmoerkwekers (Pty)
Ltd
053 4412241
www.wvmoere.com
Western Cape Seed Potatoes
083 400 1828
www.spudsa.co.za
Rascal Seed Research
Laboratories (Pty) Ltd
Tel: 053 441 3408
www.minitubers.co.za

www.potatoes.co.za is definitely a first stop! It has background, business
and network information.
Chips is a magazine targeted specifically at the potato industry. Contact 012
349 1906/7 or email ggeyer@potatoes.co.za for more information.
Potatoman
Tel: 082 553 3262
potatoman@lantic.net
The Potato Industry Report is published annually and provides an overview on

the activities of Potatoes South Africa, Potato Certification Service, Prokon
and Potato Laboratory Services.
Potato equipment new and

second-hand
Bag manufacturers
Taurus Paper Products
Tel: 032 459 2245
Sack Force
Tel: 036 354 7008
Crown Bag
Tel: 058 635 1166
Nampak Sacks
Tel: 031 450 8500
The Potato Production Quick Reference Guide was published to serve as a

handy guide for small scale potato producers. It is available in English, Zulu
and Sotho from Potatoes South Africa free of charge.
The Guide to Potato Production in South Africa constitutes 173 pages of useful
information for farmers, students and field officers. The manual is available
from Potatoes South Africa at R 300.00 (VAT included as well as postage
in South Africa).
Visit www.potatonation.co.za, a campaign by Potatoes South Africa.
Find the notes on potatoes at www.aboutpotatoes.co.za and www.agis.
agric.za/efarmer.
Find the Info Paks and brochures on potato production under Publications
at www.daff.gov.za.
The ARC Institute for Agricultural Engineering (ARC-IAE) has a publication
Processing of Root Crops (Asparagus, beetroot, carrots, garlic, onions, potatoes,
sweet potato). Call 012 842 4017 or email iaeinfo@arc.agric.za for a copy.
www.cgiar.org find the publications menu option, as well as the link to the
International Potato Centre (CIP).
www.cipotato.org website of the International Potato Center (CIP). CIP
Publications include a wide range of literature on potatoes, sweet potatoes,
andean roots and tubers, potato diseases, true potato seed, and much more.
English and Spanish titles available.
Read about an initiative by potato farmers in the Sandveld to use Best
Practice, to farm in such a way that the biodiversity in that area is preserved.
Find out more about the Greater Cederberg Biodiversity Corridor at www.
cederbergcorridor.org.za.
Our thanks to Gawie Geyer (Potatoes South Africa) for feedback on the draft
chapter.
509
2. Local and international business environment

Rooibos
1. Overview
Find the many sources for information on Rooibos under Websites and
publications heading.
Herbal teas such as rooibos and honeybush teas (see separate chapter)
with health properties are valued in beverages, food flavourants, functional
foods, nutraceuticals and cosmetics. Exports could be further developed
through new value-added products, while agro-tourism also represents a
development opportunity.
Rooibos, Aspalathus linearis, grows over a large area in the Cape fynbos
biome. The commercial type (Aspalathus linearis subsp. linearis or Nortier
type) is cultivated mainly in the Cedarberg region north west of Cape Town.
The plant thrives on coarse sandy soil and winter rainfall. Commonly known
as rooibos (red bush) or red bush tea because of its colour when dried, it
has a refreshing flavour and sweetish aroma, is caffeine-free and lower in
tannin than black and green tea prepared from Camellia sinensis, and has
anti-allergy, antioxidant and antimutagenic properties.
Centuries ago, the nomadic Khoi and San people almost certainly harvested
the rooibos bush, crushing the leaves with their primitive tools and leaving
them in heaps to ferment before drying them in the sun. Since then the
process has become more sophisticated.
Planting. Seeds of the rooibos plant are sown from February to
March. The seedlings are transplanted between June and August,
and the first crops reach maturity some 18 months later. The plants
height at maturity varies from one to 1,5 metres in its natural state,
while the height of harvested plants varies from 0,5 to 1,5 metres,
depending on the age of the plant, or the climate and soil conditions in
the area of production. Although the plant requires a production area
with winter rainfall, its active growth only starts in spring, increasing
towards midsummer after which growth declines. The plant is usually
covered with small, yellow, pea-shaped flowers during October. The
flowers each produce a small legume containing a single, very small,
light yellow, hard-shelled seed.
Harvesting. During harvesting, each bush is cut to 35cm above the
ground. The harvested shoots are bound into sheaves and transported
to the processing yard, where they are cut to a standard length of
less than 4 mm, bruised between rollers. The shredded plant material
are gathered into low heaps,which are moistened to start the
fermentation process and aerated to ensure uniform oxidation. The
oxidative process, initiated by the reaction between the polyphenols
and enzymes in the rooibos, changes the plant material from green
to its characteristic amber colour and develops its distinctive, sweet
aroma.
Drying. The fermented rooibos is then spread out over large drying
yards to dry in the sun. The dried tea is gathered up by special vacuum
machines for delivery to the factory.
Plantations have to be re-established after 3 to 5 harvests.
Rooibos seed is by nature very hard-shelled. The seed is scrubbed
with mechanical scourers to increase the germination potential from
approximately 25 30% to 85 95%.
Rooibos seed is a precious article, simply because each legume bears only
one seed which pops open and shoots out as soon as it is ripe. For this
reason the seed was extremely expensive before it was discovered that
ants were its main harvesters. Today some farmers still collect seed from
anthills, but more commonly by sifting the sand around the plants. One
kilogram of seed yields approximately eight hectares of rooibos.
Source: http://gw.capetown.gov.za; Astrid Robinson
The Governments IPAPs (Industrial Policy Action Plans) include rooibos as an

area in which jobs can be created.
Traditionally rooibos tea industry has employed 5000 people both in the
farms and processing plants. The rooibos tea industry is a valuable employer
of people from the rural provinces of South Africa, providing both permanent
and seasonal employment opportunities in the industry.
South Africa is the only exporter of rooibos tea in Africa and exports
approximately 7000 tons per year. The country does not import rooibos
tea from the world. The current dominant export markets for rooibos tea
are Germany, Netherlands, United Kingdom, Japan and the United States
of America.
The SWOT analysis in the Industrial Products: Rooibos Tea Market Value Chain
Profile 2010-11 lists the following opportunities:
Certification of finished products as natural and organic: natural and
organic rooibos raw material, intermediate and finished products.
Trends towards natural ingredients in cosmetic manufacturers have
seen a strong rise in interest from multinational cosmetic companies
looking for joint ventures and cquisitions of niche, natural cosmetic
companies.
Significant scope to increase domestic and international market
awareness and presence of rooibos.
Increased export volumes of rooibos tea and other products into new
and emerging markets such as Australia, Malaysia, China, Canada,
South Korea and Russia.
There is a greater linkage between rooibos tea production and tourism
e.g. the rooibos route in the Western Cape.
Source: Industrial Products: Rooibos Tea Market Value Chain Profile 2010-11 on www.
daff.gov.za. Take the Publications and Agricultural Marketing options.

Find the research option under Health at www.sarooibos.co.za.
Training is mostly done on-farm. National Certificates for Rooibos
Production and Processing, developed by Rooibos Ltd and endorsed by the
SAQA (SA Qualifications Authority) and AgriSETA have been introduced at
Clanwilliam since 2006.
AgriSETA
Tel: 012 301 5600
www.agriseta.co.za

Institute
Tel: 021 808 5111
www.elsenburg.com
Rooibos is included as a priority

area in AgriSETA planning (see Medical Research Council
AgriSETA Strategic Plan for Period PROMEC Unit
Dr Wentzel Gelderblom
2012-2016).
Tel: 021 938 0286 / 0911
Dr Elizabeth Joubert
Tel: 021 809 3444
Research Institute (ARC-PPRI) Tel 021 808 3728
www.cons-ent.com
Dr Sandra Lamprecht
Tel: 021 887 4690
Tel: 021 808 3578
Dr Justin Hatting
Tel: 058 307 3400
Technology
Antioxidant Unit
Dr Jeanine Marnewick
Tel: 021 953 8416

Economics
Tel: 051 401 2824
510

Companies and growers
African Rooibos Tea Company www.fresh-rooibos.co.za
Afriplex Tel: 021 872 4976 www.afriplex.co.za
The high school Augsburg Landbougimnasium also cultivates
rooibos. Call 027 482 2120 or visit www.augsburggim.co.za.
Big Five Rooibos Tea Tel: 021 982 8555 www.africandawn.com
Cape Natural Tea Products Tel: 021 982 5030 www.rooibostea.
co.za
Cape Honey Bush Tea Company Tel: 044 697 7070 www.
capehoneybushtea.co.za
Carmin Tea Tel: 022 921 3405 www.carmientea.co.za
Coetzee & Coetzee niell@coetzeeltd.co.za www.coetzeeltd.co.za
Heiveld Rooibos Tea Co-operative Tel: 027 218 1318 www.heiveld.
co.za
I & M Smith Tel: 011 781 6150 www.iandmsmith.com
Intaba Teas of Africa Tel: 021 982 5030 www.intabateas.com
KhoiSan Tea Tel: 021 511 4991 www.khoisantea.co.za
Kings Products Tel: 027 422 1726 / 1388 www.kingsproducts.co.za
Red Espresso Tel: 021 461 6965 www.redespresso.com
Rooibos Limited Tel: 027 482 2155 www.rooibosltd.co.za
The Red T Company Tel: 027 482 2862 www.redtcompany.com
SA Rooibos Tea Supplies Tel: 021 856 2249 www.rooibos-teasupplies.co.za
Skimmelberg Tel: 027 482 1771 www.skimmelberg.co.za
Tea Box Tel: 072 442 5839 www.teabox.co.za
Wupperthal Rooibos Tea Co-operative www.wupperthal.co.za
CapeNature
Tel: 021 483 0000
Sorghum
Refer also to the general Grain and oilseeds chapter
1. Overview
Sorghum is mainly cultivated on low potential, shallow soils with a high
percentage clay content, not suitable for maize cultivation. It is planted
mainly between mid-October and mid-December. The rainfall pattern
and other weather conditions of a particular season mainly determine the
planting period as well as the length of the growing season.
During the last few years, sorghum production shifted from the drier
western to the wetter eastern production areas. Sorghum for commercial
purposes is mainly produced in the Free State, Mpumalanga and Limpopo
provinces. The area planted per year varies between 75 250 and 160 600 ha
with an average annual commercial production of about 255 000 tons.
Ecocert Southern Africa

Tel: 021 461 1558
www.ecocert.com
The sorghum industry is linked to the industrial and commercial production

of malt, meal and rice as well as the pet foods and stockfeed industry.
Sorghum is mainly used for human consumption (e.g. malt, sorghum
meal and sorghum rice). It is the traditional food of a large section of the
population of Southern Africa. Sorghum meal (Mabele) competes directly
with maize meal and is served as a breakfast cereal. Sorghum rice (or corn
rice) is whole ground sorghum and is served instead of rice. The malt is
used for manufacturing beer. The animal feed market is the most important
outlet channel for surpluses in sorghum production, since it is competitive
with other grain crops in terms of price and nutritive value.
Environmental Monitoring
Group EMG
Tel: 021 448 2881
www.emg.org.za

National Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries website (take
the Publications menu option at www.daff.gov.za), and on the South
African Grain Information Service website, www.sagis.org.za.
Service providers and associations

A-SNAPP
Tel: 021 808 2918
www.asnapp.org
South African Rooibos Council

The SA Rooibos Council partners Tel: 021 552 8845
with CapeNature on biodiversity www.sarooibos.co.za
initiatives.
UTZ Certified
www.utzcertified.org

Find the Publications option on www.sarooibos.co.za.
Find the Industrial Products: Rooibos Tea Market Value Chain Profile
2010-11 on www.daff.gov.za. Take the Publications and Agricultural
Marketing options).
Visit the websites of role players listed earlier in this chapter.
Handbook for Implementing Rooibos Sustainability Standards, compiled by
the World Wildlife Funds GreenChoice Alliance and the South African
Rooibos Council. The book is available in English and Afrikaans from
both organisations.
Find details of Rooibos Insekte Veldgids, a guide by Dr Justin Hatting for the
biological control of pests and diseases on rooibos, on www.sarooibos.
co.za. To order, contact 027 482 2155 or write to elrika@rooibosltd.
co.za.
Market research on the organic and natural products and fynbos industry
with an emphasis on how to facilitate entry includes a study of rooibos.
Visit www.spp.org.za.
Sources: Marlise Joubert and Elizabeth Joubert of the ARC-InfruitecNietvoorbij. Thank you always for your willingness to update the chapter.

See the monthly bulletin on the SAGIS website for updated export/import
information. Find the website of the National Sorghum Producers (USA) at www.
sorghumgrowers.com.
Nigeria is the leading producer and dominates the global sorghum grain
trade.
Over half the African production takes place in West Africa. SADC
sorghum producing countries are Botswana, Tanzania, Zimbabwe, Angola,
Mozambique, Malawi, Namibia, RSA, Zambia and Lesotho.
The most important countries from which South Africa imported grain
sorghum recently have been the USA and China. We export to Botswana
and Zimbabwe.
Although the marketing of sorghum is free from intervention, Phytosanitary
requirements and quality standards should be adhered to. A Perishable
Products Export Control Board (PPECB) certificate is needed for exports.
The import tariff for Sorghum is 3% of the fob price.
511

Find the Regulations relating the grading, packing and marketing of sorghum
intended for sale in the Republic of South Africa on www.graansilo.co.za.
Temperatures below freezing are detrimental to sorghum and may kill

the plant. At an age of 1 to 3 weeks, plants may recover if exposed to a
temperature of 5C below freezing point, but at 7C below freezing, plants
are killed. Plants older than 3 weeks are less tolerant to low temperatures
and may die off at 0C.
Day length
In Africa, companies like SABMIller are increasing the use of locally grown
crops like sorghum and cassava to produce affordable brands.
A statutory levy in terms of the Marketing of Agricultural Products Act
is applicable (R16.00/t sorghum). The payment is shared between the
producers and first buyers on a 50/50 basis. The purpose of this statutory
levy is to provide financial support for sorghum research and information
functions.
The sorghum marketing season in South Africa commences on 1 April and
ends on 31 March the following year.
4. For the newcomer
Sorghum is a short-day plant, which means that the plant requires short
days (long nights) before proceeding to the reproductive stage. The
optimum photo period, which will induce flower formation, is between 10
and 11 hours. Photoperiods longer than 11 to 12 hours stimulate vegetative
growth. The tropical varieties are usually more sensitive to photoperiod
than the quick, short-season varieties. Sorghum plants are most sensitive to
photoperiod during flower initiation.
Water requirements
Sorghum is produced in South Africa on a wide range of soils, and under
fluctuating rainfall conditions of approximately 400 mm in the drier western
parts to about 800mm in the wetter eastern parts
Drought tolerance
Consult heading 6 for publications where more extensive grower notes can be
found.
The optimum growth requirements of sorghum plants, in order to exploit

its inherit yield potential, are a deep well-drained fertile soil, a medium to
good and fairly stable rainfall pattern during the growing season, temperate
to warm weather (20 30C) and a frost-free period of approximately 120
to 140 days.
Soil requirements
Sorghum is mainly grown on low potential, shallow soils with high clay
content, which usually are not suitable for the production of maize.
Sorghum usually grows poorly on sandy soils, except where a heavy
textured subsoil is present. Sorghum is more tolerant of alkaline salts than
other grain crops and can therefore be successfully cultivated on soils with
a pH (KCl) between 5,5 and 8,5. Sorghum can better tolerate short periods
of waterlogging compared to maize. Soils with a clay percentage of between
10 and 30% are optimal for sorghum production.
Climatic requirements
The climatic requirements for the production of sorghum are divided into
temperature, day length and water needs.
Temperature
Sorghum is a warm-weather crop, which requires high temperatures for
good germination and growth. The minimum temperature for germination
varies from 7 to 10C. At a temperature of 15C, 80 % of seed germinate
within 10 to 12 days. The best time to plant is when there is sufficient water
in the soil and the soil temperature is 15C or higher at a depth of 10cm.
Temperature plays an important role in growth and development after
germination. A temperature of 27 to 30C is required for optimum growth
and development. The temperature can, however, be as low as 21C,
without a dramatic effect on growth and yield.
Exceptionally high temperatures cause a decrease in yield. Flower initiation
and the development of flower primordia are delayed with increased day and
night temperatures. Plants with four to six mature leaves that are exposed
to a cold treatment (temperatures less than 18C) will form lateral shoots.
However, in plants in or beyond the eight-leaf stage, apical dominance will
prevent the formation of lateral shoots.
Sorghum is able to tolerate drought better than most other grain crops.
This can be attributed to:
an exceptionally well-developed and finely branched root system,
which is very efficient in the absorption of water;
a small leaf area per plant, which limits transpiration;
the leaves which fold up more efficiently during warm, dry conditions
than do those of maize;
an effective transpiration ratio of 1:310, as the plant uses only 310 parts
of water to produce one part of dry matter, compared to a ratio of
1:400 for maize;
the epidermis of the leaf being corky and covered with a waxy layer,
which protects the plant form desiccation;
the stomata which close rapidly to limit water loss. During dry periods,
sorghum has the ability to remain in a virtually dormant stage and
resume growth as soon as conditions become favourable. Even though
the main stem can die, side shoots can develop and form seed when
the water supply improves.
Production potential
It is essential for the sorghum producer to make a realistic yield estimate.
Production practices such as planting density, fertilisation and cultivar choice
depends on the planned yield. Various methods, each having limitations, can
be used to determine yield potential. The most reliable method is to use
long-term yield data from each producer. This reflects the inherent yield of
the specific environment, as well as the effect of agronomic practices such
as fertilisation, soil cultivation, plant density, weed control and pest control
as well as the managerial skills of the producer.
Source: An excerpt from the Sorghum production publication which can be found at
www.daff.gov.za (take the Publications and Info pak options)
5. Role players
Read the general grain and oilseeds chapter for details of the associations
like SAGIS, Grain SA, SA Bioenergys Association (SABA), the
Grain Silo Industry etc. Sorghum roleplayers will also be found in the
Grain handling and storage and Animal feeds chapters.
An extensive list of role players can be found on the SAGIS website,
www.sagis.org.za take the List of Co-workers and then Sorghum
menu options.
512

(ARC-GCI)
Tel: 018 299 6100
www.arc.agric.za
Sorghum Trust
Tel: 012 807 3958
l-lagric@mweb.co.za
www.sorghumsa.co.za
Training is done which includes a Sorghum Processors

course to provide basic skills and Association
knowledge on production and Tel: 018 297 7181/ 082 561 5742
disease management.
United National Breweries
Johannesburg Stock Exchange Tel: 011 315 7337
www.unbreweries.co.za
Tel: 011 520 7535
Chris Sturgess Chriss@jse.co.za University of Pretoria
Department of Food Sciences
Tel: 012 420 4296
www.up.ac.za
Sorghum Forum
Tel: 012 807 3958
For news of research into
l-lagric@mweb.co.za
byproducts from this grain, contact
The Sorghum Forum, consisting Prof John Taylor.
of all the participating parties in
the sorghum industry (producers,
traders, silo-owners, processors,
labour, consumers and the ARC)
meets regularly to discuss various
issues relevant to the sorghum
industry.

The website of the Sorghum Trust, www.sorghumsa.co.za, is a first stop. It
has notes on the history of sorghum, the uses of sorghum, the cultivation of
sorghum, and more.
Another very useful document is Grain Sorghum Market Value Chain Profile:
2010-2011 which can be found under Publications and Agricultural
Marketing Commodity Profiles at www.daff.gov.za. Grower notes can also
be found under the Publications and Brochures options.
Publications available from the ARC include Sorghum Diseases in South Africa
and the Sorghum Production Guide. Order it on www.arc.agric.za or contact
012 427 9700.
Find Pannars Grain Sorghum Production and Forage Sorghum Production Guide
at www.pannar.com.
www.sagis.org.za the SAGIS website: historical information and statistics
(national stocks, producer deliveries, import, exports, consumption, weekly
parity prices, etc.
Find the Sorghum Cultivar Classification and Regulations relating the
grading, packing and marking of Sorghum intended for sale in the Republic
of South Africa under the Documents & brochures option at www.
graansilo.co.za.
www.sadc.int SADC is South Africas primary sorghum export market.
There is also the easy-to-understand Infotoons, which has a section How
To Grow Sorghum. This can be viewed at www.agis.agric.za/efarmer.
The National Sorghum Producers (USA) at www.sorghumgrowers.com.
Our thanks to the Sorghum Trust and SAGIS for reading and commenting on the
draft chapter.

Soybeans
1. Overview
This is the fourth largest crop in the world after maize, wheat and rice.
It is an excellent rotation crop with clearly discernible benefits to crops
following.
Soybeans are mainly cultivated under dryland conditions, and grown
primarily in Mpumalanga, KwaZulu-Natal, the Free State and North West
Province. (Find the map on www.sppcom.com showing where soy is
cultivated in South Africa).
Depending upon local conditions, soybeans are typically planted in
November through December. The plants react to day/night length ratios
which stimulate the reproduction process. Planting in January will result in
a shorter plant with lower harvest potential, as the days shorten during
growth. On ripening, the leaves turn yellow and the moisture content of
the seeds drops from about 65% to 14% within 14 days given that the
weather is dry and hot.
South Africa is a net importer of 600 000 ton soymeal, 800 000 ton
vegetable oil, and 50 000 ton food ingredients of soy.
South African Grain Information Service website www.sagis.org.za.
Soybeans are an important source of vegetable oil and protein worldwide
and there is growing interest in soy products amongst people who want
to be healthy. Soy contains significant amounts of all the essential amino
acids for humans.
Soybean seeds can be eaten as a vegetable. When processed they give soy
milk. Soy sauce can be made from mature fermented beans, while roasted
seeds can be used as a coffee substitute. Soy flour, another possibility, is
used as additives and extenders to cereal flour, meat products and in
health foods.
Soybean meal is a very rich protein feedstuff for livestock while the
vegetative portions of the plant can be used as silage, hay, pasture or may
be ploughed in as green manure.
The oil is used in the manufacturing of paints, linoleum, oilcloth, printing
inks, soaps, insecticides and disinfectants. The lecithin phospholipids
that are obtained as a by-product of the oil industry are used as wetting
and stabilising agents in food, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, leather, paint,
plastic, soaps and detergent industries. Soybean meal and soybean protein
are used in the manufacture of synthetic fibre, adhesives, textile sizing,
waterproofing and fire-fighting foam. The straw can be used to make
paper that is stiffer than that made from wheat straw.
For information on the use of soybeans for biofuel contact Rainbow
Nations Renewable Fuel or visit www.rnrf.co.za.
513

See the Monthly Bulletin on the SAGIS website for updated export/import
information.
The soybean provides good quality vegetable protein for millions of people
and animals, and ingredients for numerous chemical products. In the late
20th Century and into the present, soybeans have played an important part
in helping to alleviate world hunger. The main producers of soybeans are
the United States, Brazil, Argentina, China and India.
The import tariff for soybeans is 8% of the fob price (South Africa is a net
importer).
The domestic price (SAFEX) normally follows the import derived price
(based on soymeal and oil).
With regard to exports, phytosanitary requirements and quality standards
must be adhered to and a PPECB certificate must be obtained.
Source: SAGIS

The American Soybean Association (ASA) www.soygrowers.
com
Ohio Soybean Council and Ohio Soybean Association www.
soyohio.org
World Initiative for Soy in Human Health (WISHH) www.
wishh.org
www.ussec.org US Soybean Export Council
www.soyconnection.com an information website run by the
United Soybean Board (USA)
www.unitedsoybean.org United Soybean Board (USA)
www.cmegroup.com Chicago Board of Trade (part of the CME
Group)
www.ift.org Institute of Food Technologists (US).

Find the Regulations relating the grading, packing and marketing of soya beans
intended for sale in the Republic of South Africa on www.graansilo.co.za.
The South African soybean industry has a negative trade balance: we

do not grow enough soybeans for ourselves.
No statutory levies are applicable and the marketing of oilseeds is free,
the South African Futures Market determining domestic prices on a
daily basis. The relative prices of other grain products, the exchange
rate, availability of seed, availability and landed cost of imported crude
oil, as well as plantings of other field crops mainly determine market
prospects for soybeans.
The Soybean marketing season in South Africa commences on 1
January and ends on 31 December of the calendar year.

Reasons to grow soybeans:
diversification away from maize
the growing animal feed demand
growing production of soyfood
biodiesel plant from soybeans
soybeans is one of a few crops that can be planted in rotation with
wheat to ensure two crops per annum
crop rotation benefits include increased yields for both crops, and
simplified weed and pest control.
since South Africa has to import soy, marketing is not a problem
increased local production will save the country millions in foreign
exchange
Source: Grow Soybeans with confidence, a brochure put out by the then Protein
Research Trust, now the Protein Research Foundation. Visit www.proteinresearch.net.
Grain SA (GSA)
Tel: 0860 047 246
www.grainsa.co.za
Oilseed Advisory Committee
Tel: 011 234 3400
www.opot.co.za
c/o AFMA at 012 663 9097
Tel: 011 234 3400

Service (SAGIS)
Tel: 012 523 1400
www.sagis.org.za
Soy Southern Africa
Tel: 036 448 1605 / 082 802 1635
www.ssa.org.za
(SAOPA)
Tel: 082 533 0692
Fax: 086 627 7603

See also this heading in the Grain and oilseeds chapter.
The Oil and Protein Seed Development Trust provides funding for
research on sunflowers, soybeans and groundnuts that is in the interest
of producers, processors and consumers.
(ARC-GCI)
Tel: 018 299 6100
www.arc.agric.za

Department of Plant Science
Tel: 051 401 2514
A short course on Soybean

production is offered on demand.
The Department of Plant
Pathology
Professor Mark Laing
Tel: 033 260 5524
www.ukzn.ac.za

Development Trust
Tel: 011 234 3400
www.opot.co.za
Tel: 011 803 2579 / 1894
Specialised Protein Products
Tel: 011 803 2579 / 1894
SPP has a scientific panel from,
amongst others, the Medical
Research Council, North-West
University and Wits which looks
into matters concerning soyfood.
and Soil Science
Tel: 012 420 3809 / 223
www.up.ac.za
514
For an extensive list go to www.sagis.org.za take the List of Co-workers and

then Soya Beans menu options.
World Soybean Research Conference, Durban 2013 www.wsrc2013.

co.za
A J Products & CO Tel: 021 699 1030 www.ajproducts.co.za

Agriocare Tel: 034 315 2741
Alpro Soya Tel: 011 226 8800 www.alprosoya.co.za
Ayos Foods Tel: 015 491 5834 www.ayos.co.za
Diva Nutritional Products Tel: 021 783 4111 www.diva.co.za
Eden Manufacturing Tel: 036 448 1605 www.edenman.co.za
Grainco Tel: 021 807 8900 www.grainco.co.za
Capstone Seeds Tel: 033 330 4474 www.capstoneseeds.com
Good Hope International Beverages Tel: 021 529 3980 www.ghib.
com
Impilo Products Tel: 012 940 8665 / 562 0726 www.impiloproducts.
co.za
Kanhym Landgoed Tel: 013 249 7964 www.kanhym.co.za
MBFi Tel: 082 921 8428 www.mbfi.co.za
Metson Tel: 011 792 8968 www.metson.co.za
Nutritional Foods Tel: 018 464 2113 www.nfoods.co.za
NWK Beperk Tel: 018 633 1000 www.nwk.co.za
Pannar Seed Tel: 033 413 9500 www.pannar.com
Prodsure Tel: 012 252 3778 www.prodsure.co.za
Phyto Nutraceuticals Tel: 021 783 5738 www.phyto.co.za
Rainbow Nation Renewable Fuels Tel: 041 402 4000 www.rnrf.
co.za
Soya-Food South Africa Tel: 082 490 8000 www.soya-food.com
SoyLites Tel: 076 632 1973 www.soycandles.co.za
Specialised Protein Products (Pty) Ltd Tel: 018 293 9900 www.
sppcom.com
Taste of Asia Tel: 021 706 7690 www.tasteofasia.co.za
Find Soyabean Market Value Chain Profile: 2010-2011 under the Publications
and Agricultural Marketing Commodity Profiles at www.daff.gov.za.
A Soy Development Trust, being established, will assist companies that are
Small, Medium and Micro Enterprises (SMME) with producing and processing
soy. The focus will be on short course training utilising appropriate technology,
product development and technical consultancy services, specifically aimed
at SMMEs. Contact Soy Southern Africa for more information.
The National Agricultural Marketing Council did a report The South African
Soybean Value Chain in 2011. Find it at www.namc.co.za.
Production guidelines: growing soya beans 2010 can be read under the
Publications and Brochures options on www.daff.gov.za.
Your Guide to Successful Soybean Production a publication by the ARC Grain
Crop Institute. Call 018 299 6100 or write to jamesm@arc.agric.za.
Call 012 842 4017 or email iaeinfo@arc.agric.za for the leaflet entitled
Processing of Oil Seeds (Soy beans, sunflower).
Find Pannars Soybean Production guide at www.pannar.com.
www.sagis.org.za the SAGIS website. Here you will find statistics (national
stocks, producer deliveries, imports, exports, consumption; weekly parity
prices, historical information, etc.).
www.ssa.org.za, the Soy Southern African website, provides links to a
host of relevant sites processors, soybean research laboratories, soy
organisations, biotechnology, consumers, soybean uses, pricing information
and more.
Find the notes on soybeans at www.agis.agric.za.
The Specialised Protein Products website, www.sppcom.com, contains a
list of 63 publications, research papers etc.
Read about the opportunities of non-GM soy at www.sppcom.com.
www.ayos.co.za. Amongst other information, find statistics about Soy and
nutrition here.
515
3. Bananas

Subtropical fruit
1. Overview
Refer to Statistical information under Publications on www.daff.gov.za for
statistics on the various subtropical fruit. These figures include production, sales
on markets, exports, purchases for processing, prices realised, gross value and total
value of production.
Included in the category Subtropical fruits are avocados, bananas,

mangoes, litchis, papayas, granadillas, pineapples and guavas.
The particular climatic requirements of some types of subtropical fruit
make the cultivation thereof possible in only certain specific areas of the
country. In general, subtropical fruit types require warmer conditions and
are sensitive to large fluctuations in temperature and to frost.
The main production areas of subtropical fruit in South Africa are parts of
the Limpopo, Mpumalanga and KwaZulu-Natal. Fruit like granadillas and
guavas are also grown in the Western Cape, while pineapples are grown in
the Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal.
2. Avocados
A starting point for anything you wish to know about avocados is the website www.
avocado.co.za . This is run by the SA Avocado Growers Association (SAAGA).
Avocados are grown in the sub-tropical regions of Mpumalanga and Limpopo

Provinces, and in parts of KwaZulu-Natal. The area planted to avocados in
South Africa has expanded steadily over the past 30 years, from 2000 ha
in 1970 to 12 400 ha today.
South Africa produces 110 000t of avocado annually, and is ranked fifth in
world commercial avocado production (after Mexico, Columbia, Chile and
the US).
The South African Avocado season extends from mid-March to September/
October. Due to climatic variability between growing regions, most of the
major cultivars are available over an extended period during the season.
For example, Fuerte is harvested from mid-March to May in the northern
regions, and in July and August in KwaZulu-Natal. The major cultivars are
Fuerte and Hass. Owing to the European Markets preference for Hass,
less Fuerte has been planted than Hass in the last eight years. Hass
accounts for 70% of the new plantings in the last eight years. Other
cultivars include Edranol, Ryan and Pinkerton, Lamb Hass and Maluma Hass.
Find photographs and notes on the different cultivars at www.avocado.
co.za (take the Consumer Info option).
South Africa is the largest supplier of avocados to Britain. Avocados are also
exported to Europe by Israel, Spain, Kenya, Chile, Peru and Mexico.
Approximately 45% to 50% of the crop is exported; 40% sold locally; 15%
is processed (oil and guacamole).
South African commercial banana production occurs in six distinct

subtropical regions of the country viz. the Onderberg around Malelane and
Komatipoort, Kiepersol, KwaZulu-Natal south coast, Levubu, Letaba and
KwaZulu-Natal north coast. The Onderberg region is the highest banana
producing region with some 35 percent of the total land under banana
cultivation, whilst the south coast of KwaZulu-Natal has the greatest
concentration of producers.
South African bananas are primarily sold on the domestic markets.
These bananas are of the Cavendish sub-group of dessert bananas. This
is especially so where intensive farming happens (e.g. in the Onderberg).
Developments in tissue culture technology have been instrumental in a huge
lift in production per hectare in the past decade. However, this has been
mirrored by a slight decrease in production areas over the past few years.
4. Guavas
Although guavas are found throughout the country, the key growing
regions for processed guavas are the Western Cape and Mpumalanga.
The Fan Retief cultivar, created in the Western Cape, currently accounts
for 90% of commercial plantings.
Approximately 41 000 tonnes of guavas are harvested per annum for
fresh sales and processing in the Western Cape. This excludes a large
volume of guavas sold by informal traders. The bulk of the guavas (25
000 tonnes) are processed into juice products, while 24% (10 000
tonnes) are sold in the formal fresh market.
Guavas are eaten as fresh fruit, dried fruit, are canned, or processed
into pulp and concentrate, or juiced.
Source: www.guavaproducers.co.za
5. Litchis
The South African Litchi Growers Association has a Litchi Management
Programme CD which covers all areas of growing this crop.
Find the latest litchi production figures and other material at www.
subtrop.net and www.litchisa.co.za.
The most important production areas for litchis are Malelane, Nelspruit,
Trichardsdal, Tzaneen, Louis Trichardt, Levubu and the South Coast of
KwaZulu-Natal.
Production over the past decade ranges from 3455.9 (2005/06) to 8584.9
tons (2007/08). In 2011/12, just over 4000 tons were produced: 54% was
juiced and 46% found its way to the municipal market.
The litchi season is from December to February. Major cultivars are
Mauritius and McLeans Red (Madras). The lack of early and late cultivars
has been identified as something that hampers this industrys growth.
The main form of processing is juice.
This sector is export orientated, the European Union being the most
important market (the United Kingdom and France account for most of the
sales). The major competitor is Madagascar.
Source: www.subtrop.net
516
6. Mangoes
The website www.mango.co.za, run by the SA Mango Growers Association,
contains technical and consumer information. It is a useful source, no matter what
your state of expertise is an old-hand or a beginner.
Mangoes are tropical, but they do well in the drier subtropical areas under
irrigation. Mangoes grown in higher rainfall areas are extremely prone to
post harvest rots. They are in season from December to April.
The mango production regions are situated mainly in the North Eastern
part of South Africa. The elevation of the mango growing areas varies from
300 to 950 metres above sea level. The average annual rainfall in the major
growing areas varies from 300 to 1000mm. Summer daytime temperature
varies from 28C to 40C, whereas in winter it varies from 18C to 30C.
Night temperature varies from 15C to 25C in summer, and 5C to 15C
in winter.
Flowering during winter (June to August) is normally intense, which indicates
that winter conditions are adequately inductive for flowering. Differences in
average temperature between the major mango growing regions gives rise
to differences in harvest date. Fruit produced in the higher lying areas are
harvested later than fruit produced in the lower lying areas. The difference
in the time of harvest for a specific cultivar may be as long as 3 to 4 weeks.
Mangoes are dried, juiced or used for achar.
Source: Pierre Lubbe; South African Fruit Trade Flow Sept 2011 (National Agricultural
Marketing Council (NAMC).
7. Pineapples
Of all the countries where pineapples are produced, South Africa is the
furthest south in the world.
Pineapples are grown worldwide mainly in the region between the two
tropics of Cancer and Capricorn and temperature is the most important
factor influencing growth, varying between 10 and 35C. Optimum is
+- 24C (fluctuating between 20 - 28C). Most pineapples are produced
on low altitudes (near sea level, below 500m). Relative humidity is very
important and that is why the most pineapple producing areas are close to
huge water bodies ( = high humidity/ dew factor).
Pineapple production in South Africa is located in mainly two regions,
namely the Eastern Cape (77%) and Northern KwaZulu-Natal (Hluhluwe
district). Some new plantings were recently established in the Lowveld of
Mpumalanga and Limpopo (Levubu).
Average minimum temperature is 8 (Eastern Cape) 13 (Hluhluwe) C and
maximum 31C. Below 15C growth is inhibited, therefore little growth
occurs in winter months. Pineapples cannot tolerate frost. Rainfall average
650mm/year which is far below the average required rainfall (1250 mm), but
pineapples can adapt to negative circumstances and a crop can be produced
at rainfall as low as 500mm/year, as long as the highest rainfall occurs in the
warm months and sophisticated farming practices such as mulching (plastic/
organic) are applied.
Varieties produced are the Smooth Cayenne (Eastern Cape) for export juice
concentrate and the Queen (mainly Hluhluwe) for the local and export fresh
fruit market. The fairly new MD2 variety is planted in smaller quantities
and will be produced for the fresh fruit market as well as for ready-to-eat
products for export. Ninety percent of the fresh pineapples sold in South
Africa are of the Queen variety.
The Cayenne plant is the larger of the two varieties and the leaves are
smooth, while the leaves of the Queen have thorns. The Cayenne fruit can
reach a mass of 4 kg, is very juicy and has softer tissue with a pale yellow
colour. The Queen fruit is smaller (up to 1,5kg) but has a crisp and bright
yellow flesh and is less acid than the Cayenne. The MD2 has a cylindrical
fruit with an attractive yellow skin, the flesh is firm and it has a higher sugar
and Vitamin C content than the Cayenne variety.
Soil must have good drainage. The optimum pH is 4,5 5,5. Pineapples can
be produced on variety of soils - light sandy to heavy clay. Highly erodible
soils are not suitable for pineapple cultivation - these soils have a slope
limitation of 12%.
Pineapple cultivation is very labour intensive planting, harvesting and
packing are all done manually. In the Cayenne industry planting and harvesting
machines are sometimes used. The success of pineapple production lies in
effective management for fresh fruit production the aim is to be on the
market every week.
Pineapples can be eaten as fresh fruit. Other uses include canning, pineapple
concentrate, juicing, jam, wine, dried fruit, and pineapple fibre (downstream
activities of weaving and designing). Other uses are explored in the www.
tradeandinvestcacadu.co.za/agri/pine.
Source: Elmarie Rabie. Call 083 294 3345 or email erabie@mtuba.co.za.
8. Other subtropical fruit

Cactus Pears
Find the website of the South African Cactus Pear Growers Association at www.
cactuspear.co.za. The notes below are from here.
The season for cactus pears stretches from approximately mid December,
when fruit from the Lowveld starts ripening, until the middle of March. Fruit
from the Highveld area is available until late April. In the southern parts of
the country fruit ripens much later than in the northern regions, which is
from February until April. Limited quantities of fruit are available during the
winter months. Cactus pears can be kept in the peel at room temperature
for up to two weeks. If refrigerated, and unpeeled it can be kept for long
periods without losing any flavour. It is advisable to peel the fruit before
eating.
The cactus pear is extremely versatile and it can be used as:
a source of food for man and animals
security (impermeable fences)
the shallow root system prevents soil erosion
the production of by-products, e.g. jams, syrup, soap and mampoer
the young pads can be used as a green vegetable
the biggest enemy of the plant, the cochineal insect, is used in the
manufacture of a natural food and textile dye
It is also has medical (drugs against diabetes and high blood pressure) and
cosmetic industry (shampoos and soaps) value.
Granadillas
The granadilla is a tropical plant that prefers temperate temperatures
throughout the year. It is not frost resistant, but the purple granadilla can
withstand light frost. Cultivation areas are Limpopo Province, Mpumalanga,
the coastal areas of KwaZulu-Natal, and isolated areas in the Eastern and
Western Cape.
Three popular cultivars seem to do well in the South African climate - the
Purple granadilla, the Yellow granadilla, and the Ester (a crossbreed between
the first two). A large fruit, a high percentage of juice and high soluble solids,
and good sugar content are the qualities that juice processors look for.
Granadilla juice is extremely popular and demand seems to outstrip supply.
One of the main expenses with granadillas is the cost of trellising. Costs
relating to the erecting of trellises can be softened if farmers prepare their
own support poles and droppers from local material. The short life span of
the plant (three to five years) in relation to its high establishment costs, is
an issue.
There are very few insects that pose as problems to papayas but fungal
diseases in hot and moist areas cause problems. Preventative treatment,
therefore, is required.
Other subtropical fruit include loquats, melons and papayas (paw-paws).

South African Avocado Growers Association (SAAGA) and Southern
African Macadamia Growers Association (SAMAC) are busy with
projects in Venda to assist small growers through study groups in the area.
For more details, contact them (find details under heading 11).
The ARC-Institute for Tropical and Subtropical Crops (ARC-ITSC)
has initiated a community-based subtropical fruit project aimed at increasing
the production of high-quality fruit and developing technological and
business skills. One of its core objectives is to facilitate black farmers entry
and participation in the fruit industry. Contact them at 013 753 7000 or visit
www.arc.agric.za.
Various publications, geared for the small-scale farmer, are available from
the ARC-ITSC. Call the number above or email infoitsc@arc.agric.za.

Find information about the relevant directorates under Divisions at www.
daff.gov.za, website of the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and
Fisheries (DAFF).
Subtrops four member associations all have voluntary membership and

their activities are funded by levies on members production. Activities of
the associations may include:
technical support and advisory services to growers
co-ordination of technical research according to industry needs
funding of appropriate technical and market research
supply of market information
local export and local market development through generic
promotion
liaison with government and other bodies, both locally and
internationally
Other associations and statutory bodies are

The Banana Growers
(BGASA)
Tel: 083 310 4747
bgasa@iafrica.com
There is also a Papaya Exporters
Association (SAPEA). At present
they are very happy with the South
African market, so much so that
not much exporting is being done.
Mr Aart Louw can be contacted at
083 628 0205.
Guava Producers Association
Tel: 021 872 1501
www.guavaproducers.co.za
Subtropical Growers Association (Subtrop)

Tel: 015 307 3676 / 7
info@subtrop.co.za
www.subtrop.net
Hluhluwe Pineapple Marketing

Association
Tel: 035 562 0731
www.pineapples.co.za
Tel: 021 930 1134
www.ppecb.com
Pineapple Growers Association
(PGA)
Tel: 046 625 0515 / 083 655 6932
Cactus Pear Growers
Association
Tel: 017 843 2859
www.cactuspear.co.za
This is an umbrella association that manages the affairs of the avocado, litchi,
macadamia and mango growers associations
Subtrop field officers:
Find the Training material option at www.subtrop.net.
Mpumalanga (Kiepersol,
Schagen)
Wouter Retief
079 876 8857
Mpumalanga (Nelspruit,
Barberton)
Barry Christie
073 084 1772
Limpopo (Southern Letaba, Wilna Stones

Hoedspruit)
015 306 6245
KwaZulu-Natal, Eastern Cape
Andrew Sheard
083 784 3627
Emerging farmers
Tshifhiwa Radzilani
015 306 6246
All institutions offering agricultural degrees or diplomas do training e.g.

Lowveld, Madzivhandila and Cedara Agricultural Colleges, Universities of
KwaZulu-Natal and Pretoria, the Tshwane University of Technology. Some
AgriSETA accredited providers offer training (Skills for All, for example, do
training in the cultivation of bananas, mangoes and avocados). Find details in
the Agricultural education and training chapter.
Some other role players are listed below:
Subtrop member associations

South African Avocado
Growers Association (SAAGA)
Tel: 015 307 3676
www.avocado.co.za
South African Litchi Growers

Association (SALGA)
Tel: 015 307 3676
www.litchisa.co.za
South African Mango Growers

Association (SAMGA)
Tel: 015 307 3576
www.mango.co.za
Southern African Macadamia

Growers Association (SAMAC)
Tel: 015 307 3676
www.samac.org.za
ARC-Institute for Tropical and Du Roi Laboratory

Subtropical Crops (ARC-ITSC) Tel: 015 345 1217
Tel: 013 753 7000
www.duroilab.co.za
www.arc.agric.za
QMS Agri Science
The ITSC also runs training courses Tel: 015 345 1227
www.agriscience.co.za
on demand.
Support
Tel: 041 508 3223 / 89
www.csir.co.za
Westfalia Technological
Services
Tel: 015 309 0000 / 29
www.westfalia.co.za
518

Consultants
Southern African Subtropical and Citrus Consultants (SASCCON)
Tel: 015 795 5182 / 083 629 3806
tom@fromabove.co.za
Export agents
Find a complete list on www.avocado.co.za and under Trader info at
www.litchisa.co.za. Exporters are also listed in the general Fruit chapter.
Input suppliers
Refer to the separate chapters e.g. Irrigation, Fertiliser, Packaging
etc.
Market agents
Boland Market Agency Tel: 021 531 2060
Botha Roodt Johannesburg Tel: 011 613 6981
Cape Market Agency Tel: 021 531 2018
CL De Villiers Tel: 011 613 3601 / 083 276 3981
Dapper Tel: 011 613 4021
Delta Market Agents Tel: 031 451 9100 / 082 445 6606
Du Plessis & Wolmarans Tel: 012 328 5246
Exec-U-Fruit Tel: 011 613 6101
Farmers Trust Tel: 012 323 2000
Fine Bros Tel: 021 531 6431 www.finebros.co.za
Fox & Brink Tel: 021 531 2097
GW Poole Tel: 033 386 1261 / 082 555 7597
Marco Tel: 011 613 6981
MF Direct Tel: 021 592 0637 / 082 414 3333
Protea Market Agents Tel: 012 326 8820
RSA Market Agents Tel: 012 326 2461 / 011 613 4391
Webb & Pretorius Tel: 012 326 2461
Processors
Big Six Tel: 015 964 3895 www.bigsix.co.za
Boland Pulp Tel: 021 873 3165 www.bolandpulp.co.za
Breede Valley Fruit Processors Tel: 021 706 6135 www.bvfp.co.za
Bronpro Tel: 013 753 2318 http://bronpro.co.za
Cape Fruit Processors Tel: 013 790 3015 www.capefruits.co.za
Ceres Fruit Processors Tel: 023 316 8000 www.cfp.co.za
Dagama Oils Tel: 013 764 2181 www.dagamaoils.co.za
Granor Passi Tel: 031 569 3774 www.granorpassi.co.za
HM Fruit Processing Tel: 015 305 3208
Langeberg and Ashton Foods (Tiger Brands) Tel: 021 870 5000
Levubu Inmaak Tel: 015 583 0039 / 082 788 4438
Limpopo Value Adding Tel: 015 533 0144
Ndlambe Natural Industrial Product Pty Ltd (NNIP) Tel: 046 625
0515
Novapine Tel: 035 562 0024
Onderberg Vervwerkers Tel: 013 790 1146
Rhodes Food Group Tel: 021 870 4000 www.rhodesfoodgroup.com
Summerpride Foods Tel: 043 731 1770 www.summerpride.co.za
Valley Farms Fruit Procesing Tel: 015 583 0472 www.valley-farms.
com
Wellington Fruit Processors Tel: 021 873 0606
Westfalia Fruits Tel: 015 309 0000 www.westfalia.co.za

The monthly South African Fruit Trade Flow and TradeProbes report frequently
deals with subtropical fruit. Find these at www.namc.co.za.
Various Info Paks and brochures are available from the ARC and DAFF:
Cultivating Subtropical Crops
Cultivating Pineapple
The Cultivation of Litchis
The Cultivation of Litchis New Edition 2002
The Cultivation of Granadillas
The Cultivation of Guavas
Die Verbouing van Koejawels
Mango Pests and Diseases
in South Africa
The Cultivation of Mangoes

The Cultivation of Papaya
The Cultivation of Avocados
Avocado Pests
Banana Pests and Diseases in
South Africa
Pests and Beneficial Arthropods
of Tropical and Non- citrus
Crops in South Africa
These can be viewed at www.daff.gov.za take the Publications option.

Other ARC publications include:
Identification Manual for Avocado Pests
Handbook of Banana Growing in South Africa by Dr JC Robinson. His book
Bananas and Plantains, published by CAB International, Cambridge
University Press, is also available.
The AGIS website www.agis.agric.za contains notes on the various
subtropical fruit including the lesser-known types. Information includes
production information, pests and diseases. Also find the colourful Infotoons
at www.agis.agric.za/efarmer. Mangos, bananas, papayas and controlling
fruit flies in subtropical crops are all covered.
Read the agricultural weeklies, Landbouweekblad and Farmers Weekly, or
visit the websites www.landbou.com and www.farmersweekly.co.za for
archived articles.
Avocado, banana and mango are covered in the DAFF publication
Horticultural Crops Market Value Chain Profiles. Find this on www.daff.gov.za
or contact the Resource Centre at 012 319 7141.
Publications available from Cactus Pear Growers Association:
An information brochure for prospective producers is obtainable from
the association.
A recipe book with original and proven recipes is available.
Find the Pineapples option at www.bathurst.co.za. Information on
pineapples can also be found at www.goldenpines.co.za (website of
producer Golden Pines) and www.pineapples.co.za (Hluhluwe Pineapple
Marketing Association).
Other Websites
International Tropical Fruit Network www.itfnet.org
www.cbea.org Caibbean Banana Exporters Association. Other
banana sites include www.banana.com, www.bananalink.org.uk, www.
bananasite.com and http://bananas.bioversityinternational.org
The Presidential Initiative for Banana Industrial Development (Uganda)
www.pibid.org
Our thanks to Derek Donkin (Subtrop) and Elmarie Rabie for feedback on the draft
chapter.
519

Sugarcane
1. Overview
Sugarcane is the second largest South African field crop by gross value,
surpassed only by maize.
The South African sugar industry makes an important contribution to
the national economy, given its agricultural and industrial investments,
foreign exchange earnings, its high employment, and its linkages with
major suppliers, support industries and customers.
The approximately 27 036 registered sugarcane growers annually
produce on average 19,9 million tons of sugarcane from supply areas
extending from Northern Pondoland in the Eastern Cape to the
Mpumalanga Lowveld. More than 25 200 are small-scale growers, of
whom 13 044 delivered cane in the 2011/12 season, producing 9,31%
of the total crop. With the growth of economic development and
empowerment of previously disadvantaged people, the participation
of black farmers in sugarcane production is constantly increasing.
There are approximately 1 730 large-scale growers (inclusive of 323
black emerging farmers) who produce 83,2% of total sugarcane
production. Milling companies with their own sugar estates produce
7,48% of the crop.
The South African sugar industry has the potential to make a significant
contribution to governments objectives in the area of green and
renewable energy such as the generation of renewable electricity and
bio-ethanol.
Leading internationally competitive sugarcane industries such as Brazil
and India have already developed markets for renewable energy for their
sugarcane-based value-chains. Revenue from sugar production, electricity
generation and fuel ethanol production are key to the full value extraction
of sugarcane, and is core to secure a sustainable future for sugar cane
and the rural economic regions in which the sugar industry operates in
South Africa.
South African Sugar Association
Sezela 039 975 3666
(SASA)
Umhlali 032 947 0176
Tel: 031 508 7000
www.sasa.org.za
South African Sugar
Technologists Association
South African Cane Growers (SASTA)
Association (CANEGROWERS) Tel: 031 508 7543
Tel: 031 508 7200
www.sasta.co.za
www.sacanegrowers.co.za
South African Sugar Industry
CANEGROWERS Regional offices: Agronomists Association
Tel: 031 508 7459
Empangeni 035 772 3110
National Bargaining Council
Eston 031 781 2000
for the Sugar Manufacturing
Gingindlovu 035 337 1135
and Refining Industry
Komati 013 723 4179
Tel: 031 508 7331/2
Malelane 013 790 0230
Mtubatuba 035 550 0237
Sugar Manufacturing and
Noodsberg 033 503 1820
Port Shepstone 039 682 5122 Refining Employers Association
Tel: 031 508 7300
South African Sugarcane

Research Institute (SASRI)
Tel: 031 508 7400
www.sasa.org.za
Sugar Milling Research Institute

(SMRI)
Tel: 031 273 1300
www.smri.org
Shukela Training Centre (STC)

Tel: 031 508 7700
www.sasa.org.za

Climate Sciences
Tel: 051 401 2212
Details of mills, agricultural operations, refineries etc can be found in the South
African Sugar Industry Directory at www.sasa.org.za
Millers
Gledhow
Tel: 032 437 4400
Tsb Sugar RSA Limited

Tel: 013 791 1000
www.tsbsugar.co.za
Illovo Sugar Limited

Tel: 032 439 4000
www.tongaat.co.za
Tongaat Hulett Sugar Limited
Tel: 032 439 4000
www.tongaat.co.za
UCL Company Limited

Tel: 033 501 1600
http://uclweb.co.za
Umfolozi Sugar Mill (Pty) Ltd
Tel: 035 550 7700
Other
Cane Testing Services (CTS)
Tel: 031 508 7141
Regional Managers:
North: 031 508 7148
South: 031 508 7142
contract to individual Mill Group

Boards to determine the quality of
individual grower cane deliveries to
the mill for cane payment purposes.
See www.sasa.org.za for details of
the branches.
Grocane Fire Insurance Co-op

The Cane Testing Service (CTS) 1998 Limited
provides a specialist service under Tel: 031 508 7161

The South African Sugar Industry Directory is an invaluable source of
information, statistics and for contacts within this sector; find it at www.
sasa.org.za. SASA has other publications available which describe in full the
diverse aspects of the sugar industry. Contact the External Affairs Division
at 031 508 7026 or email externalaffairs@sasa.org.za.
The Industrial Products: Sugar Market Value Chain Profile 2010-2011 on www.
daff.gov.za (take the Publications and Agricultural Marketing options)
analyses the sugar chain.
520
6. SASRI extension service

SASRIs extension service provides the essential link between SASRI
researchers and farmers through consultation and feedback (see
contact list below).
The South African Cane Growers Association provides technical skills
training for new and emerging cane growers, accounts and financial
management workshops, regional economic advisors, a grower support
service officer and access to a special VAT and diesel dispensation for
small-scale growers.
The milling companies also provide extensive service in support of
the cane-growing operations of small- medium- and large-scale black
farmers.
SASRI Mount Edgecombe
Extension Resource Manager
031 508 7492 / 082 654 0056

geoff.maher@sugar.org.za
Extension Technology
Resource Specialist
031 508 7491 082 654 3547

bongi.bengu@sugar.org.za
South Coast Region
Regional extension manager
039 975 1377 / 083 655 5012

dirk.mcelligott@sugar.org.za
Regional Extension Specialist: South 039 682 1822 / 082 653 3151
Coast
justin.bowley@sugar.org.za
Extension specialist: Midlands
South
031 781 2001 / 082 654 3546

otto.dehaas@sugar.org.za
Extension Specialist: Small-scale 039 975 1349 / 082 655 0387

Growers
joe.nkala@sugar.org.za
Growers
william.gillespie@sugar.org.za
North Coast Region
Extension Specialist: Durban North 032 947 1410 / 082 653 3144
adrean.naude@sugar.org.za
Extension Specialist: Durban North 032 947 1410 / 082 654 3536
Coast
nathi.hlongwa@sugar.org.za
Extension
North
Specialist:
Midlands 033 503 1818 / 082 654 3549

david.wilkinson@sugar.org.za
Extension Specialist: small-scale 031 302 2885 / 082 655 0358

growers
bongani.phewa@sugar.org.za
Zululand Region
Regional Extension Manager
Extension Specialist:
Central and South
035 772 5871 / 082 653 3150

tom.fortmann@sugar.org.za
Zululand 035 337 1593 / 082 653 3147

gary.lagerwall@sugar.org.za
Extension Specialist: Umfolozi
035 550 0097 / 083 320 9099

alex.searle@sugar.org.za
Extension Specialist: Pongola
034 413 2120 / 083 655 5011

marius.adendorff@sugar.org.za

Growers (North/Pongola)
john.neen@sugar.org.za
Extension Specialist: New Freehold 035 772 5871 / 082 653 3148
Growers (Zululand)
thulani.masondo@sugar.org.za
Northern Irrigated Region
Extension Specialist: small-scale 031 790 0230
Growers (Komatipoort / Malelane)
Sources: The South African Sugar Industry Directory which can be found on www.sasa.
org.za. Our thanks to CANEGROWERS and SASA for feedback on the draft chapter

Sunflowers
Also refer to the Grains and oilseeds chapter
1. Overview
In the grain/oilseed category, sunflower is the third largest crop produced in
South Africa after maize and wheat. The North West Province, Free State
and Mpumalanga are the largest producers. Grain farmers switch from
sunflower to maize easily and most plant both as a way of diversifying their
farming operations.
Sunflower seed is primarily used for manufacturing sunflower oil and oilcake.
After the hull is removed the seed can be consumed or used for different oil
production. Most of the seed produced is marketed locally to expressers,
animal feed and for seed.
The greatest importance of sunflower production is the extraction of oil
from the seed.
Sunflower oil is used on a daily basis in households, restaurants and various
food industries. Sunflower is the basic raw material for the preparation of
margarine and spreads, used daily by millions of people.
Sunflower oil can also be converted to diesel for use in diesel engines as
biofuel.
The sunflower seed also produces oil cake, which is widely used for animal
feeds (as sunflower oilcake meal) because of its high protein content.
Sunflower whole seed (fruit) is sold as a snack food, after roasting in
ovens, with or without salt added. Sunflowers can be used to make a peanut
butter alternative, sunbutter. It can also be mixed with rye flour to make
bread (in Germany this is called Sonnenblumenkernbrot literally: sunflower
whole seed bread). It is also sold as food for birds and can be used directly
in cooking and salads.
Sunflowers also produce latex and are the subject of experiments to improve
their suitability as an alternative crop for producing hypoallergenic rubber.
The sunflower marketing season in South Africa commences on 1 January
and ends on 31 December.
National Department of Agricultures website take the Publications
menu option at www.daff.gov.za and on the South African Grain
Information Service website www.sagis.org.za.
Source: Sunflower Seed Market Value Chain Profile 2010-2011 (Department of
Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries); http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sunflower

See the monthly bulletin on the SAGIS website for updated information. See also
the Sunflower Seed Market Value Chain Profile 2010-2011 (Department of
Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries) which analyses South African imports and
exports.
South Africa is not a significant role player in the production and trade of
oilseeds in the international market since it contributes only some 3% to
the sunflower seed produced in the world.
Major exporters of sunflower seed to South Africa are the Russian
Federation, Romania, and Argentina.
521
With regard to exports, phytosanitary requirements and quality standards

must be adhered to and a PPECB certificate must be obtained.
The import tariff for sunflower seed is 9.4% of the fob price.
It also makes sense to import from SADC countries like Malawi because
of the SADC Free Trade Agreement which facilitates flow of commodities
among SADC countries at no tariff charges.
Source: Sunflower Seed Market Value Chain Profile 2010-2011 (Department
of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries)

Find Regulations relating to the Grading, Packing and Marking of Sunflower Seed
intended for sale in the Republic of South Africa on www.graansilo.co.za (take the
Documents & Brochures option).
Over the past ten years sales of sunflower seed have been in the domestic
market with very little quantities destined for the export market. This can
be due to the fact that our processing capacity in the country is big enough
to accommodate most of sunflower seed produced locally. In actual fact
South Africa remains a net importer of sunflower seed.
There are many agricultural commodity traders (see commodity trading
chapter) and producers are able to take advantage of the free market. The
price of sunflower seed is determined at import parity.
No statutory levies are applicable and the marketing of oilseeds is free from
government intervention.
There are five main levels that can be identified in the sunflower seed-tosunflower oil value chain:
sunflower seed producers
crushers/expressers of seed (includes animal feed manufacturer)
refineries of crude oil (includes imported crude oil)
wholesalers and retailers
consumers
Source: Sunflower Seed Market Value Chain Profile 2010-2011 (Department of
Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries)
4. For the newcomer

In what soil can I plant?
Sunflowers adapt relatively well to a wide variety of soil types. Traditionally,
sunflower cultivation has been limited to soils where the clay percentage
varies between 15 and 55%. In other words, sandy loam to clay soil types.
Light-textured soils are susceptible to wind erosion. Sunflowers are very
sensitive to wind damage in the seedling stage and for this reason, these
soils should be avoided unless wind erosion is being combated successfully.
When do I plant?
Sunflowers can be planted from the beginning of November to the end
of December in the eastern parts of the country, and up to the middle of
January in the western parts.
The crop is particularly sensitive to high soil temperatures during emergence
and it is especially in the sandy soil of the Western Free State and the North
West Province where this problem often leads to poor or erratic plant
density. In areas where the soil temperatures are high in December, planting
should be done before mid-November or when a period of two to three
days cooler weather is expected.
sunflower is a crop which, compared to other crops, performs well under

drought conditions, especially in deeper soils or in soils with a watertable
(see Table below); this is probably the main reason for the crops popularity
in the marginal areas of South Africa.
TABLE 1. Yield potential in relation to soil depth and rainfall for loam
soils (kg/ha)
Soil depth (cm)
Rainfall (mm)
500
550
650+
40-60
1 000
1 200
1 500
60-80
1 300
1 500
1 900
80+
1 300
1 600
2 200
Are there other advantages?

The input-costs are relatively low.
The growth season of the crop is short (see chart over the page). Add to
this its drought resistance, and you have an ideal alternative crop on lowpotential land when it becomes too late to plant maize.
Compared to grain crops, sunflowers utilise soil nutrients exceptionally well.
The main reason for this is the finely branched and extensive root system.
The roots come into contact with nutrients which cannot be utilised by
other crops.
Tell me more about the fertilisation required.
Obviously, it is best first to have a soil analysis done. You will be able to
proceed with the most accurate fertilisation programme (see Soils,
Fertiliser and Speciality fertiliser chapters in this book) and will limit
unnecessary fertiliser costs.
If the leaves turn pale green and the lower leaves die off, there is a shortage
of nitrogen. A lack of Phosphorus retards the growth.
If no soil analysis is available 50 to 100 kg/ha of a 3:2:1 (25) fertiliser mixture
applied at planting is adequate for a yield potential of 1 000 to 1 500 kg/ha.
Are there any other negatives which you have not covered?
The crop is very susceptible to bird damage and for this reason, it cannot be
cultivated at all in some areas.
How deeply should the seed be planted?
Sunflowers seeds are planted at relatively shallow depths. In soil with high
clay content, seeds are planted at a depth of 25mm. In sandy soils, seeds can
be planted at a depth of up to 50mm.
For the planting process, the importance of a good planter cannot be
overemphasised. To plant sunflowers, a planter should be able to space
seeds evenly, it should have a good depth control mechanism and should
be equipped with press wheels. Good contact between the seed and the
soil is essential. For this purpose, the use of press wheels is necessary.
During germination, however, sunflowers plants are particularly sensitive to
compacted soil, which means that press wheels should only exercise light
pressure on the soil to avoid compaction.
The short growth season of the crop, which has the consequence that it
can be planted over a period of at least three months, renders it extremely
suitable for producers who make use of adaptable crop rotation and/or
fallow systems. In any case, sunflowers are a crop which only belongs in a
crop rotation system.
How far apart should the rows be?
The influence of row width on Sunflowers yield is quite small. Row widths
of 0.9 to 1.0 metre are mostly used, but wider rows can also be used.
Is this crop drought resistant?
What about crop rotation?
The sunflower plant has a deep and finely branched tap-root system which
can utilise water from deep soil layers, even deeper than 2m. Because of this,
Sunflowers should be grown in rotation with other crops because:
522
the risk of diseases and weeds increase with monocropping (planting

the same crop on the same soil)
a yield and quality advantage is often measured in a follow-up maize or
sorghum crop
weed and pest problems lessen with crop rotation
However, take note that some herbicides do have a long residual period
and may damage the follow-up crop in a rotation system. It is therefore
important to strictly follow instructions on herbicide labels.
Anything else?
Efficient weed control is a prerequisite for high sunflower yields. It is
achieved by a combination of mechanical and chemical practices.
Young plants are very sensitive to strong weed competition and cannot
develop fast enough to form a full shade covering which can suppress weed
seedlings. Therefore, the first six weeks after planting are a critical period
for the crop. Yield can be increased significantly by keeping fields free of
weeds during this time.
When do I harvest?
Harvesting should commence as soon as 80% of the sunflowers heads are
brown in order to minimise losses caused by birds, lodging and shattering.
Aspects of critical importance concerning sunflower production

In sandy soil sunflowers are very sensitive to wind damage.
Sunflowers should preferably be planted in heavier soil.
Sunflowers are very sensitive to soil densification. Ensure that the
soil where sunflowers are to be planted has not densified by digging
a hole to investigate.
Good seedbed preparation is of utmost importance to ensure
success. Sunflowers are a cool-weather crop germination is poor
at high temperatures.
Sunflowers need plenty of moisture. Ensure that there is sufficient
moisture in the soil before planting. Also consider subsequent crops
as sunflowers deplete the ground water, especially in the event of
late plantings.
Serious losses could be incurred should sunflowers be harvested too
late.
Do not plant sunflowers where the herbicide atrasine had been
administered the previous year.
Source: www.suidwes.co.za
Find the Grain SA and SAGIS notes in the general Grain and oilseeds chapter
Development stages
The development stages and associated crop management inputs of
Sunflowers are shown in Fig 1 below.
Grain SA
Tel: 0860 047 246
www.grainsa.co.za
Development Trust
Tel: 011 234 3400
www.opot.co.za
Oilseed Advisory Committee
Tel: 011 234 3400
www.opot.co.za
c/o AFMA at 012 663 9097

Service (SAGIS)
Tel: 012 523 1400
www.sagis.org.za
(SAOPA)
Tel: 082 533 0692
Tel: 011 234 3400
This is a forum where all parties
with a direct interest in Sunflower
production, storage, processing as
well as the marketing of Sunflower
products can discuss matters of
interest.

See this heading in the Grain and oilseeds chapter.
The Oil and Protein Seeds Development Trust provides funding
for research on sunflowers, soybeans and groundnuts that is in the
interest of producers, processors and consumers.
ARCGrain Crops Institute
(ARC-GCI)
Tel: 018 299 6100
www.arc.agric.za
All information here is adapted from a publication Sunflower Production a
concise guide, which can be found under the Publications at www.daff.gov.za. A
more comprehensive manual can be obtained from the ARC-GCI. Write to Private
Bag x 1251, Potchefstroom 2520 or phone 018 299 6100.
The ARC-GCI presents courses

on all aspects of Sunflower
production. These courses vary
from one to four days depending
on the requirements specified by
the client.
Grain SA
Tel: 0860 047 246
www.grainsa.co.za
Grain SA has a Farmer Development
Programme that is funded by the
different grain trusts. Read more
in the developing farmer support
chapter.
523

Development Trust
Tel: 011 234 3400
www.opot.co.za

Tel: 051 401 2818

Tel: 011 803 2579 / 1894
Find an extensive list on www.sagis.org.za take the List of Co-workers and then
Sunflowers menu options.

Capital Oil Mills Tel: 033 387 9786
Darsotoil Tel: 011 948 9949/50
Elangeni Oil & Soaps (Pty) Ltd Tel: 031 203 5000 www.elangenioil.
co.za
Epic Foods Tel: 011 248 0000 www.epic.co.za
Epko Oil Seed Crushing (Pty) Ltd Tel: 018 632 1614
Louis Dreyfus Africa (Pty) Ltd Tel: 011 217 5300 www.louisdreyfus.
co.za
MBF International Tel: 082 738 0080 / 072 796 3793 www.mbfi.
co.za
Nedan (Pty) Ltd Tel: 015 491 5810
Nola Industries Tel: 011 411 5874 www.foodcorp.co.za
Pannar Seed (Pty) Ltd Tel: 033 413 9500 / 9583 www.pannar.com
Sealake Industries (Pty) Ltd Tel: 033 845 0786 www.sealake.co.za
Senwes Ltd Tel: 018 464 7800 www.senwes.co.za
Suidwes Landbou (Edms) Bpk Tel: 018 581 1000 www.suidwes.

co.za
Sun Oil Refineries Tel: 031 912 1000 www.africasunoil.com
Sunola Oil Mills Tel: 039 682 4507 www.goldenglo.co.za
Willowton Oil & Cake Mills Tel: 033 355 7800 www.willowtongroup.
com
Wilmar Continental Edible Oils (Previously Continental Oil Mills)
Tel: 011 278 0300 www.contioil.co.za

Find the Sunflower Seed Market Value Chain Profile: 2010-2011 publication
under the Publications and Agricultural Marketing Commodity Profiles
option at www.daff.gov.za. A second publication of relevance to this chapter
is Field Crops: Sunflowers, a concise guide to the production of sunflower. Find
it under Publications and Brochures.
Useful information regarding Sunflowers is available on the ARC website
www.arc.agric.za. Printed guidelines on Sunflowers production, and other
printed information is available at the ARC-GCI.
www.sagis.org.za the SAGIS website for historical information and statistics
(national stocks, producer deliveries, imports, exports, consumption,
weekly parity prices, etc).
Find the sunflower notes on www.agis.agric.za.
Find the Pannar Sunflower Production Guide at www.pannar.com.
www.sunflowernsa.com, website of the National Sunflower Association
(USA)
Thanks to SAGIS for feedback on the draft chapter.
524
The Annual Report on www.tobaccosa.co.za provides vital updates including

Free Trade Agreements, export markets and more.
The International Tobacco Growers Association (ITGA) www.tobaccoleaf.
org presents the cause of millions of tobacco farmers. Member countries
are: Argentina, Brazil, Bulgaria, China, Croatia, the Dominican Republic,
India, Italy, Kenya, Malawi, Malaysia, Mexico, Pakistan, Portugal, South
Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, the U.S.A., Zambia and Zimbabwe.
Tobacco
1. Overview
The tobacco industry
in South Africa can be
split into two industries:
primary and secondary
industry.
The primary industry
relates to all grower
aspects. This means
the
actual
growing,
harvesting,
curing,
grading and delivery of
unprocessed
tobacco
leaves to a processing
plant.
Apart from farmer co-operatives and companies, tobacco merchants or leaf
dealers are also part of the primary industry. These companies are known
as intermediary buyers. They buy processed tobacco from processing
plants according to specifications of their clients, who are manufacturers of
tobacco products. In South Africa the leaf dealers mostly buy tobacco from
grower co-operatives or companies, although some air cured tobacco is
bought directly from contracted growers.
Two types of tobacco are produced in South Africa: Flue cured tobacco,
which is used mainly for cigarettes; and Air cured tobacco, which is mainly
used as pipe tobacco, snuff and RYO (roll your own cigarettes).
Flue cured production is currently about 8 to 10 million kg per annum, of
which almost the entire crop is used for local consumption.
Air cured production is around 2 to 3 million kg per annum, of which 70%
to 80% is used for local consumption.
The aim is to increase the crop size in the short to medium term to meet
export demand.
The secondary or manufacturing industry relates to the actual
manufacturing and marketing of the end product to the consumer. These
are tobacco products like cigarettes, pipe tobacco and snuff.
This industry is also responsible for the importing and exporting of
finished tobacco products. Tobacco products are distributed through 364
wholesalers, 55 000 retailers and approximately 60 000 small players in the
informal market (street vendors, spaza shops, etc).
In South Africa there are cigarette factories as well as factories which
manufacture pipe tobacco products and snuff. These factories are
technologically highly advanced and are increasingly manufacturing higher
volumes for the export market.
Source: www.tobaccosa.co.za/sati.asp. Photograph is used courtesy of the Tobacco
Institute of Southern Africa (TISA)
Find the latest Abstract of Agricultural Statistics on www.daff.gov.za. Tobacco

is included in this report on agricultural production, imports and exports.
Find the Development Delivery International (DDI) report on tobacco
growing at http://ddinternational.org.uk.
Recent research has shown how tobacco may be used in ways that do
not involve consumption in the traditional way:
In the Philippines tobacco pulp is going to be used for making paper.
In Canada researchers are studying tobacco as a possible source of
biofuel that could potentially replace petroleum-based fuels.
In Australia scientists are engaging in molecular farming to extract
vitronectin from tobacco plants. This protein is known to promote
cell growth, and has the potential to be used in cancer therapy and
wound healing. Indeed, in the extraction of proteins, tobacco has
proven to be safer than animals, which can harbour viruses that can
infect humans. Further, tobacco is said to be the easiest plant to
genetically modify and ideal for this type of research as it yields a
million seeds per plant and grows quickly.
In the US a group of scientists have genetically engineered tobacco
plants to produce a vaccine against the virus that causes severe acute
respiratory syndrome (SARS), while another team of researchers
has developed a vaccine that protects monkeys against the Ebola
and Marburg viruses. Yet another team of scientists has managed
to produce immunising proteins from tobacco for a plague vaccine.
Although all three vaccines are not yet available for human use, the
research raises the possibility of producing economical vaccines for
diseases for which there is no known cure. Still in the US, researchers
at a biotechnology firm are working to genetically alter the tobacco
leaf to clone a protein found in two strains of HIV.
Source: www.tobaccoleaf.org. Find the ITGAs presentation on alternative crops.

The Annual Report on www.tobaccosa.co.za provides vital updates about
the state of the industry.
Tobacco production and manufacturing is one of the most labour-intensive
crops in South Africa. It provides employment to more than 8 000 farm
workers and 2 500 factory workers, who in turn support more than 40 000
people, mostly in deep rural areas.
Challenges to the industry include:
over-regulation by government
growth in the illicit trade
increasing excise duties
declining local market
global onslaught on tobacco industry
sustainability of the primary industry
525
4. For the newcomer

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, it provides a higher income than any
other smallholder crop. As a crop, it fits well into environmentally friendly
rotations: growing it will benefit the next crop, (like maize) to be grown in
that soil.
A typical farmer with, for example, two to three hectares of land can earn a
good income from only a small part of that land being planted with tobacco.
The nearest co-operative can help the farmer by providing seeds and
fertiliser and by giving advice on planting, growing, harvesting and curing
tobacco and other crops.
There are some 13 000 seeds in a gram looking rather like powdery
instant coffee. The seeds are so small that they must be nurtured in specially
prepared and protected seedbeds for 60 - 90 days before being planted in
the field. After a couple of weeks, soil is banked up around the seedlings
to protect them and to allow them to develop a good root system. Two
months later, the plants flowers and some of the upper leaves are topped
to concentrate growth in the remaining leaves (in the same way that
tomatoes are pinched out).
All the time, the farmer needs to provide the appropriate nutrition for the
plant. It would be inadvisable to give general guidelines as each region has
very specific factors to take into consideration e.g. the type of soil, nitrogen
levels, rainfall levels etc. Watch out for pests as the crop grows towards the
harvesting stage.
There are several stages to producing tobacco: growing, harvesting, curing,
grading and selling (all done by the farmer). Thereafter, processing and
packing are done by the processor. Manufacturing of tobacco products and
the marketing thereof are done by the manufacturer.

Find the Legislation option at www.tobaccosa.co.za.
Find information on the different directorates of the Department of

Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (DAFF) under the Divisions
option at www.daff.gov.za.
Tel: 012 312 3165
www.doh.gov.za
South Africa became party to the Framework Convention on Tobacco
Control (FCTC) in 2005, a legal instrument governing all aspects related
to tobacco, from growing to the end user. This means that South Africa is
legally bound to implement the provisions contained in the treaty.
Find more information on the FCTC at www.who.int/fctc/en.

ARC-Institute for Industrial Crops (ARC-IIC)
Tel: 014 536 3150
www.arc.agric.za
Training courses on tobacco are compiled according to requests.
The infrastructure for research is well established and falls under the
following disciplines:
Cultivar Development
Plant Protection (Pathology, Nematology & Entomology)
Crop & Soil Science
Curing is a carefully controlled process to achieve the texture, colour

and overall quality of a specific tobacco type. During the cure, leaf starch
is converted into sugar, the green colour vanishes and the tobacco goes
through colour changes from lemon to yellow to orange to brown like
tree leaves in autumn. There are two main curing methods used in South
Africa.
The main campus at Rustenburg is situated on an experimental farm of

238ha. This institute is the only supplier of air-cured tobacco seed and
produces eighty percent of the flue-cured tobacco seed planted in South
Africa.
Air-curing. Air cured tobacco, for example Burley, is hung in unheated,

ventilated barns to dry naturally until the leaf reaches a light to medium
brown colour. At this point, there are virtually no sugars left in the
leaf.
Flue-curing. Heat is introduced into a barn via pipes from an exterior
furnace like radiators connected to the central heating system. This
controlled heat allows the leaves to turn yellow/orange at which point
they are fixed. These leaves now contain a high amount of sugar.
Virginia tobacco is flue-cured.
Two other methods (not practised in South Africa) are Sun-Curing
and Fire-Curing (you can read about this on www.batsa.co.za).
Soil testing laboratory analyses of all plant nutrients, including special

tests such as inorganic nitrogen
Analytical laboratory for testing of quality of irrigation water.
Analytical laboratory for plant analyses including nicotine and sugar
After curing, the farmer grades the leaves into different leaf positions,
qualities and colours and packs his grades into what is known as a farmer
bale of 30 50kg. He then takes his bales to a buying centre or auction for
sale. In South Africa the processing facilities belong to tobacco farmers in
the form of companies or co-operatives. Farmers are paid for their tobacco
at the point of delivery according to a valuation being placed on every bale
of tobacco. After this, the tobacco is processed and packed according to
specifications of manufacturers and/or leaf dealers.
The Tobacco Institute of Southern Africa (TISA)
Tel: 021 421 0011
www.tobaccosa.co.za
TISA is a voluntary trade association representing the interests of
manufacturers, importers and exporters of tobacco products, leaf dealers
and tobacco growers.
Their support services include the following:
The laboratories are members of the Agri-Laboratory Association of

Southern Africa (AgriLASA) and satisfy the full need for research and
fertiliser recommendations of the tobacco industry.
diagnostic services for all tobacco diseases
nematode laboratory for identification and quantification
entomological identifications
The Lowveld Agricultural College in Nelspruit has a course on tobacco.
Tel: 013 753 3064
Lowveld Agri Research & Support Services (LARSS)
Tel: 071 681 0851
In-house training is provided at co-operatives and manufacturers of
tobacco products.
Producer organisations
Afgri Tobacco
Tel: 014 596 5090
www.afgri.co.za
526
Cigarette manufacturers, importers and distributors

Absolute Cigarettes Tel: 011 314 9809 www.absolutecigarettes.
com
British American Tobacco South Africa (Pty) Ltd Tel: 021 888
3500 www.batsa.co.za
Delta Tobacco South Africa Tel: 011 833 0929
Gold Leaf Tobacco Company Tel: 011 608 2525 www.gltc.co.za
JT International South Africa Tel: 011 540 7700 www.jti.com
Philip Morris South Africa Tel: 021 527 4840 www.pmi.com
Savanna Tobacco Company SA (Pty) Ltd Tel: 011 807 1511 www.
savannatobacco.com
United African Trading Network Tel: 011 312 3958 www.uatn.
co.za
Leaf merchants
Alliance One International (Dimon SA) Tel: 011 447 2467 www.
aointl.com
Tobacco Traders Tel: 021 701 0025
Universal Leaf South Africa (Pty) Ltd ULSA Tel: 014 596 5202
www.universalcorp.com
Universal plays a dual role as producer as well as trader. ULSA has 87
contracted growers mainly in the Limpopo Province and Gamtoos
Valley who grow Dark air-cured tobacco for them.
Universal Leaf Africa ULA Tel: 011 361 2600 www.universalcorp.
com
Tribac Zimbabwe Tel: 0026 34 708 391
Pipe and snuff tobacco manufacturers

AJ Padia Tobacco Merchants PO Box 2030, Durban, 4000
MLP Distributors Tel: 011 661 5777
Brasant Tel 021 905 1363
OTP Distributors Tel: 021 905 4905
Van Erkoms Tabakke (Edms) Bpk Tel: 015 491 3204

Company websites e.g. British American Tobacco South Africa www.
batsa.co.za; Japan Tobacco International SA www.jti.com; Philip
Morris International www.pmi.com
Industry and grower websites e.g. www.tobaccosa.co.za (The Tobacco
Institute of SA) and www.tobaccoleaf.org (the International Tobacco
Growers Association)
There is Sunlight in my Leaf Tobacco Five Centuries. This book may be
obtained by calling 021 421 0011.
The Field Guide For Tobacco Diseases In SA is out of print; find out if
it is available in electronic format. These can be ordered from their
website www.arc.agric.za or by phoning the ARC-IIC at 014 536
3150. The ARC-IIC also has a library where much literature concerning
tobacco, with all its disciplines, is available.
Remedies for tobacco pests and diseases constantly change. In addition
to the publications mentioned in the previous paragraph, refer to
Department of Agriculture publications, regularly updated e.g. A Guide
to the Control of Plant Diseases, A Guide to the Control of Plant Pests
etc.
The ARC has the following publications, which are currently being
updated for sale:
1. Guide to the production of tobacco
2. Produksieriglyne vir tabak
3. A Photo Guide For The Identification Of Bacterial Wilt Of Tobacco
The website of the Framework Convention Alliance for Tobacco
Control is www.fctc.org.
Find the Info Pak Tobacco (air-cured) under the publications menu
option on www.daff.gov.za.
Our thanks to the Tobacco Institute of Southern Africa (TISA) once again
for immediate and thorough feedback on the draft chapter.

Tree nuts
1. Overview
South Africa has the climate and the ecology to become a recognised
producer and value added processor of most nuts. The harvest time in the
southern hemisphere is ideally suited just before the main global market
demand at Christmas.
The predominant tree nut crops grown in South Africa are macadamias
and pecans. The IDC, keen on establishing high-value, new horticultural
industries, has walnut and pistachio projects as well.
2. Macadamia nuts
For information on macadamias, including notes for growers, visit www.
samac.org.za.
Macadamias are native to subtropical eastern Australia, Indonesia and
New Caledonia. They are now grown in other parts of the world
including Central America and South Africa.
Macadamia trees have similar soil and climatic requirements to avocado
trees and have been grown successfully in areas where avocados have
been killed by soil fungus disease.
The fat content of macadamia nuts is high, amounting to about
70%, although the greatest component of this fat is the healthy
monounsaturated fats. Raw macadamias have been awarded the
South African heart mark as an approved part of the Heart and Stroke
Foundation healthy eating plan. Macadamias are also rich in vitamins
and minerals. They can be eaten raw or roasted.
The industry is export based and has tremendous growth and
development potential.
South African production is increasing as new plantings are taking place
and young orchards come into full production. [Find production figures
at www.samac.org.za.]
The South African Industry is proud of its strong private enterprise
base and the structures in place for its governance, created, funded
and controlled by the growers, processors and marketers who are
committed to its successful future.
SAMAC has initiated contact with other African macadamia producing
countries: Kenya, Malawi and Zimbabwe, in order to seek co-operation
where necessary.
SAMAC is a member of the International Tree Nut Council [INC].
SAMAC is a member of the INCs macadamia committee which
facilitates a common vision of increasing worldwide macadamia
consumption.
3. Pecan nuts
Find a wealth of grower information on pecan nuts at www.sappa.za.org.
The pecan nut originated in the USA and is related to the well-known
walnut which is cultivated in temperate regions. Pecan trees also
flourish in South Africa. They are grown in the Vaalharts area, Tzaneen,
Magoebaskloof, Louis Trichardt, Levubu, White River, Nelspruit and on
the banks of the Orange River near Kimberley. Producers can also be
found scattered throughout Northern KwaZulu-Natal.
Pecan nuts are nutritious, and rich in protein, zinc, vitamins and
carbohydrates. They also have cholesterol-lowering properties, and
the trees produce strong timber for furniture and flooring.
Pecan-nut trees grow very fast and become very tall unless growth is
controlled. They thrive in valleys and along rivers where winters are
cold and frost occurs. They are alternate bearing, meaning that a
large crop is produced the one year, followed by a less impressive one
the next.
527
The average yield is 1,5 tons a ha. The optimum yield in the Orange
River area is about 3 tons a ha.
Commercial cultivars are Ukulinga, Barton, Moore (Bester), Choctaw,
Wichita. The latter two cultivars are not recommended for areas with
high rainfall and humidity, as scab could be a problem.
The export market for pecans is growing, with most pecans going to
the US and China, with countries like India importing ever-increasing
amounts.
The industry is expanding by almost 2 000 ha/year, with South African
production expected to be 45 000 t/year by 2020.
For a farm with a reliable source of water and a favourable climate,
pecans are a good irrigation crop to consider.
Pecan nuts can be an excellent way to spread farming risk, particularly
in view of the export potential. A cautionary note is that planning
financial planning in particular is essential: in the switch to pecan nuts,
there will be no income until the trees begin to produce nuts.
Sources: South African Pecan Producers Association (SAPPA); Pecans & profits,
Farmers Weekly 14 January 2011; SA pecan industry set for a boom, Farmers
Weekly 21 January 2011
4. Cashew nuts
Cashew trees are indigenous to the coastal dunes of northeastern
Brazil.
A plant can grow from seed to seed producer within three years.
Advantageous properties of cashew trees:
They produce cashew nuts.
The cashew apple juice can be turned to wine and the wine distilled for
brandy.
They make good shade trees because of having evergreen leaves and a
wide-spreading canopy.
Sap with insecticidal properties can be tapped from the trunks. It can
also be used as a varnish.
They can be cut down for firewood and charcoal.
Value-added opportunities:
In addition to the cashew kernel, which constitutes only 20% of the nut,
various other opportunities exist:
Cashew butter.
A juice rich in vitamin C can also be extracted from the cashew apple,
a false fruit produced about the nut.
The Brazilian airline, Varig, serves cashew apple juice on its flights, and
the estate has looked into the possibility of launching a similar product
in South Africa.
Even the poisonous cashew nut shell liquid can be converted into
useful products, including epoxies, ship varnishes and friction dust for
the car brake linings, meaning the potential for downstream products
is extensive.
Source: Info Pak on cashews at www.daff.gov.za.
5. Pistachios
Pistachios are deciduous trees averaging about 3 metres in height and 5
metres in width. Pistachios need short, cold winters, and long, hot summers.
The Pistachio is not a fussy tree and can grow in poor soil. However, better
soil ensures better quality and a higher quantity of nut production and makes
the trees easier to manage. They should start producing nuts during their
sixth year. Fertiliser plays a very important role and accounts for the bulk
of production costs. Nitrogen, zinc and boron are amongst of the elements
needed.
Once trees are large enough, the Orchards require minimal management,
as opposed to the highly intensive management required during the first five
years of their lives. A tree should produce 10 kg. saleable nuts at its peak,
which will be reached after 10 to 15 years.
Approximately 100 to 150 tons of Pistachios are imported into South Africa
annually, mainly from Iran and Turkey, for packaging under local brand
names.
Green Valley Nuts (find contact details later in the chapter), previously listed
as Pistachio growers, have switched to Pecans as the more profitable crop.
6. Walnuts
These are very large long lived trees which when fully mature can grow to
16m with a spread of 35 metres. They have similar climatic requirements
to apples so need cold winters and dry summers. Walnuts have long tap
roots so need fertile soils to perform well and good drainage is absolutely
essential. Plant walnuts in winter into well prepared soil. The roots of the
walnut exude a toxic substance which limits the planting near each tree.
Climatic prerequisites for walnut production include approximately 800
mm of irrigation water or rainfall per year, enough cold units, fertile soil
with good drainage and temperatures not exceeding 34oC.
Walnuts are partially self fertile but for reliable pollination and cropping two
compatible varieties are needed. The male flowers are arranged in long
catkins on the previous years wood while the female flowers develop
on new shoots. The flowers are wind borne and in some seasons pollen
production and female flower opening may not coincide.
Walnuts are enclosed in a fleshy green husk which splits when nuts mature.
Mechanical harvesting equipment is very expensive, and a requirement for
extensive farming. However, harvesting can be even more cost-effective
if done by hand on a smaller scale. Shake the tree to dislodge the nuts.
Wash them to remove the tannins which can stain then dry them in the sun
for a few days turning often. The nuts are dry when the kernels become
brittle. Walnuts are not a fresh product that has to be exported by plane
immediately after harvesting. Nuts in the shell will keep in a dry place for a
year or more, kernels must be refrigerated.
The main pest problems are birds whilst disease problems apart from root
rot caused by waterlogged soils are the dreaded walnut blight which can
cause black areas on leaves, shoots and young nuts, this may even shrivel
the kernel and dieback may occur. Prevention is through spraying with a
copper spray such as Kocide when the tree is dormant.
A limitation in South Africa has been the non-availability of plant material.
Rotondo Walnuts (an IDC project)
The IDC intends for Rotondo Walnuts, its irrigation enterprise on the
banks of the Gariep River at Aliwal North to kick-start a new agricultural
industry. The vision is to have 500ha of Walnut trees in full production by
2014. (Walnut trees usually take five years to come into production and
up to 10 years more to reach full production).
The IDC is of the opinion that there is still ample place on the international
market for South African produced walnuts, because they will be
produced six months out of the phase with the other major production
regions, of which California, USA, is the biggest.
528
7. Coconuts
The coconut is grown in almost all tropical countries, on a large or small
scale, and is put to many uses, as every part of the plant is useful. The fruit is
eaten, but its chief use is in the production of copra, which is the dried white
kernel. This is either treated locally or exported for the extraction of oil,
the resulting presscake being fed to cattle. Coconut oil is used for making
cooking oil and margarine. The poorer quality is used for soap, candles, etc.
The fibre of the husks, known as coir, is used to make rope, brushes, sacks,
matting and bedding. The husks are used for fuel where wood is scare.
Green coconuts are often sold as a fresh and cooling drink. Coconut milk
is a sterile food for babies. Huts can be built using the leaves and trunks.
Coconut palms can be incorporated into the activities of small-scale farmers,
and can be grown around homesteads in the subtropical and coastal areas of
South Africa. Bearing palms at Burgershall Research Station and in Northern
KwaZulu-Natal are evidence that selected clones will bear fruit in areas
where Bananas grow.
Find the details of the Coir Institute under heading 9.
8. Hazelnuts, almonds and chestnuts

Full information on hazelnuts is available on www.hazelnuts.org.au,
website of the Hazelnut Growers Association (Australian). Hazelnuts are
deciduous, requiring a cool winter to provide a sufficient chill to break the
dormancy of the flowering and vegetative buds. This crop is best suited to
the cooler, southern parts of Australia and the ranges, where summers are
not excessively hot. An average annual rainfall of over 900mm is desirable,
with supplementary irrigation to overcome moisture deficits in the years of
below average rainfall. Hazelnuts already have an existing $40 million retail
market in Australia alone.
Hazelnuts are covered in the March 2012 edition of TradeProbe, which can be
found on the National Agricultural Marketing Councils website www.namc.
co.za.
www.almondboard.com, the website of the Almond Board of California,

is a wealth of information regarding almonds. Central California produces
82% of the worlds almonds and exports to more than 80 countries.
In a Landbouweekblad article entitled Vooruit met amandels, Lucille Botha
writes about the Le Roux family, farming near Montagu in the Western
Cape. It required perseverance and some experimenting (e.g. spacing
between trees, soil preparation, building a marketing network), but they
have established the largest almond farming operation in South Africa.
The European or Spanish Chestnut grows into a large stately tree which
when mature can carry hundreds of kilograms of nuts. They can grow about
12m x 12m and are best suited to a cool climate. They thrive in deep loamy
soils and as they flower later in spring, frosts are generally not a problem.
A well composted, well drained soil is ideal. Chestnuts, unlike hazelnuts,
are partially self fertile but will be more productive if pollinated by another
variety. Wind pollination is the main cross pollination method. Their separate
male and female flowers open in November. The male flowers are on long
yellow catkins the insignificant female flowers form at the base.
Find information on Chestnuts and other nuts at www.stonemans.com.au.
Source: www.hazelnuts.org.au, www.landbou.com, www.stonemans.com.au
9. Role players
ARC-Institute of Tropical and
Tel: 013 753 7000
infoitsc@arc.agric.za
www.arc.agric.za
BOKOMO
Tel: 021 970 7300
www.bokomo.co.za
SAMAC is one of the subtropical

grower associations which together
make up the SA Subtropical
Growers Association (Subtrop).
Subtrop field officers offer
technical expertise to growers of
macadamias. Find details in the
Subtropical fruit chapter.
South African Pecan Producers
Association (SAPPA)
Tel: 012 329 9868
www.sappa.za.org
HORTGRO SERVICES
Tel: 021 870 2900
www.hortgro.co.za
I & M Smith
Tel: 011 781 6150
www.iandmsmith.com
Science
Tel: 021 808 4900
http://academic.sun.ac.za/
horticulture/
Corporation (IDC)
Food, Beverages and Agro
Industries SBU
Tel: 011 269 3000
Tel: 021 930 1134
www.ppecb.com
TechnoServe
Tel: 011 482 6005
www.technoserve.org.za
Tel: 051 401 2818
The South African Macadamia

Association (SAMAC)
Tel: 015 307 3676
Entomology
www.subtrop.net
Tel: 051 401 2427
Nut-specific role players

Macadamias
Find the list of SAMAC affiliated nurseries and the nursery checklist on
www.samac.org.za.
Eastern Produce SA Tel: 015 307 3120 http://easternproducesa.
co.za
Emvest Nuts Tel: 012 003 0220
Golden Macadamias Tel: 013 733 5034 www.goldenmacadamias.
co.za
Green Farms Nut Company Tel: 013 751 1686 www.gfnc.co.za
Ivory Macadamias Tel: 082 967 6757
Lowveld Nuts Tel: 013 751 2326
Maclands Estate Tel: 015 556 7700
Mayo Macs Macadamias Tel: 013 733 4600
Pioneer Foods Tel: 021 970 7300 www.pioneerfoods.co.za
Royal Macadamias Tel: 015 583 0394 www.royalmacadamia.co.za
Sage Foods Tel: 082 227 4674
Tzamac Tel: 083 626 9564
Pecans
Ambassador Foods Tel: 013 750 1192 www.ambassadorfoods.co.za
Elandsdraai Pecan Growers Tel: 083 302 2413
Ghaapseberg Foods Tel: 082 300 9821 www.pecansouthafrica.com
Green Valley Nuts (GVN) Tel: 053 353 3308/9
HL Hall and Sons Tel: 013 753 5700 www.halls.co.za
Karoo Pecans Tel: 082 460 8167 www.karoopekans.co.za
Klein Doornrivier Tel: 044 272 2405
Roux Pecans Tel: 053 204 0001 www.rouxpecans.com
529
Other tree nuts

Ace Nut Traders
Tel: 011 791 7467
www.acenuts.co.za
Coir Institute
Tel: 011 262 4262
www.coirinstitute.com
Rotondo Walnuts
Tel: 051 634 1145 / 082 372 6842
Senwes Agricultural Services

Tel: 053 474 9600/18
Jaco Vermeulen 082 948 2557
www.senwes.co.za
Vegetables
Terratek
Tel: 018 581 1016
www.suidwes.co.za
1. Overview
Find the references to websites earlier in this chapter e.g. www.samac.org.

za and www.sappa.za.org
Vegetables offer a unique market for the South African producer since
they are a basic requirement of every person. Vegetables play a central
role in addressing food security and providing nutritional supplements and
requirements to people.
Confronting Climate Change visit www.climatefruitandwine.co.za.

Climate change will have a direct impact on rainfall patterns, temperature
ranges, pest and disease distribution etc.
The vegetable industry is the largest within the horticultural group both in
terms of production and value.
International Tree Nut Council (Nutrition Research and Education

Foundation) www.nuthealth.org
South Africa is self-sufficient with regard to vegetable production and

exports both fresh and processed vegetables.
International Nut and Dried Fruit Council Foundation (INC) www.

nutfruit.org
A significant proportion of the total workforce in the vegetable supply chain

is composed of human beings who are low skilled and/or minimum wage
labourers. These range from farm labourers or subsistence growers to
the multipliers in the value chain i.e. transporting vegetables; working in
processing plants, packaging factories, supermarkets or fast food outlets; or
working as informal traders. If, as a country, we are looking to create job
opportunities, this is perhaps the most important agricultural sector.
www.macadamias.org.uk, the International Macadamia Advice Centre

website launched by SAMAC in 2011.
www.macadamias.org the website of the Australian Macadamia Society.
The Hawaiian Macadamia Nut Association www.hawaiimacnut.org
The information given under the different vegetable headings are excerpts from the
Sakata Seed Southern Africa (Pty) Ltd Grower Guides or the Department of Agricultures
Agricultural Marketing Value Profiles series. Please contact Sakata Seed Southern Africa
(Pty) Ltd or visit www.daff.gov.za for the complete material.
The SA Pecan Journal is a quarterly newsletter which SAPPA members

receive.
2. Beets
The Northern Nut Growers Association (North American) website is www.

northernnutgrowers.org.
View the following Info Paks under the Publications option at www.daff.
gov.za:
Nuts: Cultivating cashew nuts
Nuts: Cultivating macadamias
Fruit: Cultivating pecan nuts
Our thanks to Derek Donkin (Subtrop) for feedback on the draft chapter.
Find the Beetroot Value Chain Profile: 2010-2011 document under the
Publications and Agricultural Marketing Commodity Profiles options at www.
daff.gov.za. The document includes an import and export analysis.
The cultivated form of the plant Beta vulgaris of the goosefoot family
(Chenopodiaceae) is one of the most important vegetables. It is a biennial
plant with four distinct types that are cultivated for different purposes:
Garden beet, beetroot or table beet, as a garden vegetable;
Sugar beet, a major source of sugar;
Mangel-wurzel or mangold, a succulent feed for livestock; and
Leaf beet or Swiss chard for its leaves, which may be eaten or used as
a seasoning.
Beets are very common crop in Southern Africa and are popular among
most ethnic groups and cultures. Pests and diseases are not major concerns
and it is relatively easy to grow. Beetroot is sown throughout the year to
supply market demand. Beets take longer to mature when growing into the
winter cool season and should be given ample time to mature.
South Africa has a significant fresh market for beet where both bulb and top
are consumed. Two niche markets in the fresh market beet arena are:
baby round beets for both the local and export markets. The
requirement is for these varieties to produce uniformly round beets
that are harvested at diameters between 20-30mm
baby beet leaves of various colours to be used in fresh salad packs
Historical fresh-market grower prices indicate that the highest prices are
received in April due to difficulty in establishing beet in the warm season and
then in July and August due to cool winter conditions.
Source: Sakata Seed Southern Africa (Pty) Ltd. Contact them at 011 548 2800 or visit
www.sakata.co.za.
530
The roots can be boiled and eaten as a cooked vegetable, or used in

salads. Beet roots are frequently canned, either whole or cut up, and
often pickled, spiced, or served in a sweet-and-sour sauce. Beetroot
can be used in food colouring to give colour without imparting flavour.
It is used in this way in ice cream, frozen dessert, yoghurt and other
commodities.
Source: SAKATA Seeds and the Beetroot Value Chain Profile: 2010-2011 document
at www.daff.gov.za
3. Cabbages and kind

Find the Cabbage Value Chain Profile: 2010-2011 document under the
The production of cabbage is always an attractive option. As with most

vegetable crops, cabbages are mostly produced for and marketed through
the national fresh produce markets, the informal market and chain stores.
Like most vegetables, a market for quality and diversity has been developed
that creates lucrative opportunities of which the producer can take note.
Cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower and brussel sprouts are crops that grow best
under cool conditions. Varieties have been developed, however, that grow
well under very warm conditions.
Temperatures a few degrees below freezing generally will not adversely
affect the crop. Broccoli is the most sensitive of these crops to frost, and
heads may be damaged if temperatures fall below 2C. During very high
temperatures these crops may suffer. Matching the proper variety to the
season is essential in summer; however, cultivars to be grown should be
heat tolerant and have good tolerance to Black rot.
www.sakata.co.za.
Cabbage is used raw in salads (such as coleslaw), as a cooked

vegetable, (added to soups or stews) or preserved in pickles or
sauerkraut.
Cabbage is also dehydrated (dried, flaked or power) for use as a
flavouring agent in soups and as an ingredient in other dehydrated
foods.
Cabbage leaves are used to treat acute inflammation. A paste of raw
cabbage may be placed in a cabbage leaf and wrapped around the
affected area to reduce discomfort.
Cabbage can also be canned, prickled, frozen and cabbage juice can
be extracted to make ink.
Source: The Cabbage Value Chain Profile: 2010-2011 document which can be found
at www.daff.gov.za
4. Carrots
Find the Carrot Value Chain Profile: 2010-2011 document under the Publications
and Agricultural Marketing Commodity Profiles options at www.daff.gov.za. The
document includes an import and export analysis.
Carrots are one of the major vegetables consumed in South Africa.

Historical fresh market grower prices indicate that the highest prices are
received in March, April and less so in May due to difficulty in establishing
carrots in summer. Heat, rain and leaf blights are major causes of crop
failures and or yield and quality reduction.
Several hundred varieties exist, but carrots are sold more by shape and
type than by variety. Carrot types have developed for specific markets e.g.
cut n peel Imperators for the mini stick packs that are very popular in the
USA; larger Danver, Flakkee and Becilium types for processing; Kuroda,
Chantenay and Nantes for bunching; Nantes for pre-packs, etc. There are
five main types of carrots:
Nantes. Medium length (15-20cm), uniform diameter, blunt tip, used

for bunching, slicing, juicing, pre-packing and mini carrots. They have
very good eating quality and are especially suited for local sales. They
normally mature earlier than Imperator types. In South Africa, Nantes
types are used for local and export markets. Nantes types are on the
increase regarding market share mainly due to their superior eating
quality.
Danvers. Large, medium long (18-22cm), processing type, used for
dicing and slicing. They require a long season (120 days) to develop
tonnage and high sugar content. There is a limited market for these
types in our markets.
Chantenay. Large shoulders, short (12-15cm), usually with a large,
distinctly coloured core, used for dicing. These are older cultivars and
usually not of the quality required by processors. Primarily small local
producers and home gardeners now use them.
Kuroda. Large shoulders, medium short (15-18cm), usually with a
conical shape, large, core, blunt tip, used for bunching, slicing, juicing,
and dicing. They normally mature before Imperator types. Kuroda
types are widely used for fresh market production.
Imperator. Long (22-25cm), small shoulders, tapered tip, used primarily
for fresh pack in markets like the USA and Australia. There is a new
trend where this type is used for cuts (mini fresh processed carrots)
for fresh market and export. As they are more economical and more
aesthetically appealing, this trend is taking off in other parts of the
world. The market for the traditional fresh pack Imperator is on the
decrease.
www.sakata.co.za.
Carrots can be eaten raw, whole, chopped, grated or added to

salads for colour or texture.
They are also often chopped and boiled, fried or steamed, and
cooked in soups and stews, as well as fine baby foods and select
pet foods grated carrots are used in carrot cakes, as well as carrot
pudding. The greens are edible as a leaf vegetable, but are rarely
eaten by humans.
Baby carrots have been a popular ready to eat snack food available
in supermarkets.
Carrot processing includes canning, freezing and dehydration.
Carrot juice is also widely marketed, especially as a health drink,
either stand-alone or blended with other fruits and vegetables.
Carrots seed oil is an essential oil extract of the seed from the carrot
plant. Carrot seed oil is used as massage oil, in creams and
lotions.
Source: The Carrot Value Chain Profile: 2010-2011 document which can be found
at www.daff.gov.za
5. Chillies
See the Herbs and spices chapter.
6. Cucumbers
Find the Cucumber Value Chain Profile: 2010-2011 document under the
Cucumbers originated in India. Technically this is a fruit, but can be classified

as both a fruit and a vegetable. Certainly it is usually perceived and eaten
as a vegetable.
Cucumber can be cooked, but they are most often eaten raw in salads, in
cold soups and cucumber based sauces. Cucumbers are also the vegetable
of choice for pickles. Pickles are made by placing cucumber in a seasoned
brine or vinegar solution. Cucumber juice is in great demand in various
forms as a cooling and beautifying agent for the skin. Cucumber juice is
also used in the preparation of cosmetics like soap, glycerine, creams and
perfumes.
Source: The Carrot Value Chain Profile: 2010-2011 document which can be found
at www.daff.gov.za
532
7. Garlic
Find the Garlic Value Chain Profile: 2010-2011 document under the Publications
Garlic is a close relative of onion, leeks and chives. It has nutritional,

medicinal and culinary value, being widely used for flavouring and
seasoning dishes, pickles and sauces.
Most commercial garlic production is grown under contract between
grower and buyer. Imports from the East, where production costs are
lower, make up over half of local market.
It is also exported to other countries through exports agents and
marketing companies. There are grading, packing and marking quality
standards for garlic. Complying with these encourage sconfidence in
locally produced garlic.
Garlic is a high value crop that can be marketed being fresh, dehydrated
or as certified seeds. The majority of garlic is dehydrated and used in
a variety of processed foods. Garlic bulb can be peeled, sliced, flaked
and dried. This can be packaged or processed further as food spice,
vegetable mixtures and sprays. India also produces odourless oil and
oleoresin from garlic. Garlic can be used externally for skin problems
and fungal infections. It is also uses as insect repellent. Garlic is also
alleged to help regulate blood sugar levels.
Source: The Garlic Value Chain Profile: 2010-2011 document which can be found at
www.daff.gov.za
8. Lettuce
Find the Lettuce Value Chain Profile: 2010-2011 document under the
Lettuce is a cool-weather annual crop which is not badly damaged by winter

cold and light frosts, although differences in tolerance to cold (or heat) may
vary appreciably among cultivars. Heavy frosts will, however, severely
scorch the leaves. Lettuce production is concentrated in the Western Cape,
KwaZulu-Natal, Mpumalanga, Gauteng, Eastern Cape, Limpopo and North
West provinces.
South Africa is self sufficient in terms of lettuce production, and 99% of
lettuce produced in South Africa is for domestic consumption. South African
average lettuce consumption is approximately 31 958 tons per annum.
Source: The Lettuce Value Chain Profile: 2010-2011 document at www.daff.gov.za
9. Onions
Find the Onion Value Chain Profile: 2010-2011 document under the Publications
There are two distinctive types of dry onions sold in our markets, the
fresh onion and the storage onion.
The fresh, or winter and early spring onions, are available in late May
or early June and can be purchased until end November. These onions
have a higher water and sugar and lower pyruvate content than the
Cape storage type onion. As a consumer, we can recognise these
onions by their lighter colour and thinner skin. They are becoming well
known for their mild flavour and especially in markets in the USA, Far
East and Europe.
The second type of dry onion is known as a storage onion and is
available in the market in November, just as the fresh onions are
coming to an end. This type of onion has a darker skin that is much
thicker than that of a fresh onion. Storage onions are firm, compact
onions and are much less susceptible to bruising and shipping damage.
This onion remains available through the summer months until May.
Nature has endowed this onion with an excellent flavour and texture
which is perfectly suited for the hearty cooked dishes enjoyed during
cooler weather.
Both of these types of dry onions are commercially available in three
colours; red, yellow and white, and provide todays consumers with just the
right onion for the desired cooking effect. Cooked yellow onions produce a
darker French onion soup. Fried white onions are used for their light golden
colour. Red onions are the perfect choice for salads and slightly cooked
dished where their colour is a welcome addition. New colours like pink will
become available in the near future.
www.sakata.co.za.
Onions are considered to be the third most important vegetable crop in

South Africa after potatoes and tomatoes.
South Africa consumes approximately 346 953 tons of onion per annum.
Processing of onions consists of canning, oil extraction, freezing and
dehydration. They are most often used to enhance flavour in a wide
range of recipes such as casseroles, pizzas, soups, and stews. As a garnish,
onions are used on sandwiches and salads. In addition, onions are used
as a cooking ingredient in countless recipes, and are frequently used as
a condiment on sandwich, side dish and appetizer. Over the years there
has been an increase in onion dehydration and freezing activities.
Source: The Onion Value Chain Profile: 2010-2011 document at www.daff.gov.za
533
10. Potatoes
See the Potatoes chapter
11. Tomatoes
Find the Tomato Value Chain Profile: 2010-2011 document under the
The tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) is the second most important and

popular vegetable crop after potatoes in South Africa.
Tomato is consumed in diverse ways including raw, as an ingredient in many
dishes and sauces and also in drinks. In South Africa tomatoes are used in
stews to complement the staple diet of maize meal. As a result, it is also
one of the main vegetables used for hawking by small-scale entrepreneurs
in the informal sector.
Limpopo is the major production area, followed by Mpumalanga, the Eastern
Cape and KwaZulu-Natal. Production is very limited in winter months and
tomatoes can only be produced in frost-free area during winter, or under
protection like tunnels.
Processing of tomatoes consists of canning, freezing, dehydration and juice
production. Tomatoes are processed into whole pealed, tomato and onion
braises, pasta, shredded, puree and pasta concentrate.
The tomato is a fruit, botanically speaking. Nutritionally, like the cucumber
and squash, it is categorised as a vegetable, and so is included in this
chapter.
Source: The Tomato Value Chain Profile: 2010-2011 document at www.daff.gov.za
The vegetable market is unregulated and technically open to all producers.

The fluid and uncertain nature of the market has led retailers to enter
contracts with large growers at the beginning of the season so as to
ensure a specific range of vegetables in accordance with predetermined
schedules. These arrangements have seen a declining role for municipal
markets and make it difficult for small, new producers to gain access to
the major supermarkets.
In spite of these arrangements, opportunities for the supply of small
quantities of produce to a range of outlets do exist. SPAR, Lombardi
Foods, the traders at municipal markets, restaurants, corner shops and
hawkers all procure some of their goods opportunistically on an informal
spot-market basis from small scale producers. The key in accessing these
opportunities is to win the trust of purchasers by demonstrating the
ability to produce quality vegetables consistently and to deliver them on
time.
Emerging producers are also well placed to supply the burgeoning
informal settlement food market, where onions, cabbages, potatoes and
squash are a staple and real incomes are increasing.
Organic certification provides a means by which emerging producers can
distinguish themselves from the mainstream and reduce the competition
for their produce.
The preferential access to water afforded to new producers under the
National Water Resource Strategy (2003), National Water Act (1998)
provides emerging farmers that have representation on the Catchment
Management Agencies with a powerful bargaining chip in collaborations
with existing commercial vegetable farmers seeking additional water
resources.
Source: South Africas Agricultural Commodity Markets by Nomonde Qeqe and
Anton Cartwright. Find the document on the Surplus Peoples Project website
www.spp.org.za.
Producing vegetables is a farming activity which needs to be planned well.

It is a business in that it involves finances such as buying, selling and the
management of funds.
Find information on the different directorates of the Department of Agriculture,

Forestry and Fisheries (DAFF) under the Divisions menu option at www.daff.gov.za.
You must plan in order to decide which crops to plant and to know which
actions to perform at specific times, e.g. fertilising, planting, irrigating,
weeding, trellising, harvesting and distributing.
Directorate: Food Safety and Quality Assurance Tel: 012 319 7306
DFSQA@daff.gov.za
Directorate: Plant production Tel: 012 319 6079 DPP@daff.gov.za
Directorate: Plant Health Tel: 012 319 6072 DPH@daff.gov.za
It is important to plan twice a year as different crops require planting in

different seasons.
Read about the Perishable Products Export Control Board (PPECB)

at www.ppecb.com or call 021 930 1134.
How to plan:
Use a year planner and a calendar to organise your actions.
Obtain knowledge and decide on implements, workers, pest and
disease control and market prices
Find out when the market prices will be at their best
Remember to rotate your crops and never to plant the same or closely
related crops on the same soil during the next planting season. Crop rotation
prevents poor soil and it prevents pests and diseases.
A well-planned vegetable production results in better profits, higher yields,
healthy vegetables and happy families.
Source: Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries booklet Vegetable
production
534
14. Role players

Associations
Fresh Produce Importers
Association
Tel: 012 331 5341
www.fpia.co.za
South African Garlic Growers

Association (SAGGA)
Tel: 015 296 0043 / 082 465 0514
http://saknoffel.co.za
Noord Kaap Uieprodusent

Organisasie
Tel: 053 861 1145
Over 400 growers, mostly smallscale farmers, belong to the

SAGGA.
Noordelike Uiekomitee
Tel: 083 628 0353
Tomato Producers Association

Tel: 015 395 8212
Companies involved
A Ford & Co
Tel: 021 850 0011
Hall Fennell
Tel: 042 287 0712
www.fennell.co.za
AC Seed
Tel: 042 291 0849
Sakata Seed Southern Africa

franchisee servicing the Eastern
Cape
Alpha Seed
Tel: 016 366 0616
Haygrove
Bill Kerr has a weekly column in the Tel: 021 859 1026
Farmers Weekly providing advice www.haygrove.co.za
for growing vegetable crops.
Cost effective greenhouse tunnels
Biogrow
Tel: 028 313 2054
Hishtil SA
www.biogrow.co.za
Tel: 015 395 4045
www.hishtilsa.com
Organic solutions
Vegetable seedlings are produced,
including tomatoes, cucumber,
Charlew Farming
squash,
cabbage,
cauliflower,
Tel: 039 312 0135
broccoli and lettuce
Between 450 000 and 500 000
cucumbers are produced annually Hygrotech SA (Pty) Ltd
Tel: 012 545 8000
www.hygrotech.co.za
Dormas
Tel: 011 496 2800
INCOTEC South Africa
www.dormas.co.za
Tel: 033 386 1560 / 071 352 1493
www.proteios.nl
Vegetable handling equipment
EarthBox
Tel: 011 794 1471
www.earthbox.co.za
A
portable,
maintenance-free,
gardening system
Seed and coating technology for

vegetable seeds
International Bag Buyers
re-usable, Tel: 012 250 0120
container www.internationalgroup.co.za
East London Tomato Packers

Tel: 043 737 4471
Garlic Growers
Tel: 011 952 1575
www.garlic.org.za
GP Asparagus
Tel: 051 933 4973 / 073 248 3723
Knitted vegetable pockets, woven

vegetable pockets, (WPP) woven
bags, cardboard and paper, fomo
packs, soft plastics etc.
Livingseeds Heirloom Seeds
Tel: 071 911 5159
www.livingseeds.co.za
MBFi
Tel: 082 738 0080 / 072 796 3793
Large-scale
producer
of www.mbfi.co.za
asparagus,
potatoes, baby
marrows, gems and cabbage. McDonalds Seed
Tel: 033 346 0121
Goldpack (Pty) Ltd
www.mcdonaldseeds.co.za
Tel: 031 569 4199
www.goldpack.co.za
NviroTek Labs
Tel: 082 885 8699
Multihead portion weighers for www.nviroteklabs.co.za
potatoes, onions, carrots and
various types of fruit; bagging, Independent laboratory services
labelling solutions and more
535
Piket Implements
Tel: 022 913 2435
www.piket.co.za
Vegetable planters
Reapers Agricultural Supplies
Tel: 033 394 6301
www.reapers.co.za
Included in the Reapers list of
products is the Monosem Special
Mini-seed Drill for vegetable
growers and Matabi Knapsacks (find
the brochures on the website).
Red Baron Tomatoes
Tel: 043 737 4000
www.redbaron.co.za
Red n Jucy
Tel: 031 767 2096
www.vertigro.com
www.daisyfresh.co.za
Read about produces FERTILIS

earthworm castings (fertiliser
made from feeding dairy cow
manure to earthworms Eisenia
foetida) at www.fertilis.co.za. It is
used as a fertiliser for ALL soils and
plants, vegetables etc. This product
is supplied by Talborne Organics.
Contact them at 011 954 5763
Swanpack Sundried Tomatoes
Tel: 021 874 1020
www.grapenet.co.za
Wensleydale Farms
Tel: 082 779 7843
www.wensleydale.co.za
The largest organic vegetable
producer in South Africa
Wildeklawer
Tel: 053 531 0700
www.wildeklawer.com
VERT-GRO systems (vertical semi- A major producer of onions and

interlocking pots) enable more potatoes in South Africa
plants per square metre than
conventional methods.
Wizzard Worms
Tel: 033 413 1837
Visit www.sakata.co.za for details www.wizzardworms.co.za
of franchisees of SAKATA Seed
Southern Africa (Pty) Ltd in Find the Vegetable Production
Southern Africa. Alternatively, menu option on the website.
phone 011 548 2800.
ZZ2
Seedplan
Tel: 015 395 2040
Tel: 043 732 1307
www.zz2.biz
Stimuplant
Tel: 012 802 0940
A major producer of tomatoes and

onions

See the Agricultural education and training chapter.
Agri Iphepeng trains people top establish their own vegetable gardens at
home and produce their own basic food at home. Contact Cois Harman at
083 265 6210 or coishar@gds.co.za.
AgriSETA accredited providers offer training on vegetable production.
Examples include:
Africa Land Use Training Tel: 014 717 3819 www.alut.co.za
Dicla Training Tel: 071 692 2229 www.diclatraining.com
Earth Innovations Tel: 043 726 9900 www.earthinnovations.co.za
Reach Out Vegetable Cultivation Tel: 072 624 9498 (W Cape)
Sikhula Agri Training Tel: 021 852 2643 www.sikhulatrust.co.za
ARC-Plant Protection Research Institute Tel: 012 808 8000. For the
Plant Pathology and Microbiology Division, contact 012 356 9800.
Training courses on vegetable production for resource poor farmers were
developed by the ARC-Roodeplaat Vegetable and Ornamental Plant
Institute (VOPI). These range from basic courses, dealing with the basic
principles of vegetable production, to more advanced courses. Contact

012 841 9611. Production courses are also given on growing organic
vegetables.
The National Agricultural Marketing Council (NAMC) does research
on vegetable production in South Africa. Find their reports at www.namc.
co.za, or contact them at 012 341 1115.
NGOs are involved in training food insecure communities to grow
vegetables. Consult the Food security chapter.
Provincial Departments of Agriculture, working with the Agricultural
Colleges, provide courses in vegetable production, and in vegetable and
fruit drying. Madzivhandila College presents training in vegetable achaar
processing. At Cedara in KwaZulu-Natal, Poster Training Modules are also
available, covering aspects like production planning, cabbage and potato
production etc. For further information, contact Noreen Mhlongo at 033
355 9304, or email Noreen.Mhlongo@kzndae.gov.za. Clive Viljoen is a
second contact at the same number, or email Clive.Viljoen@kzndae.gov.za.
For training courses, call 033 355 9444. Details of Agricultural Colleges can
be found in the Agricultural education and training chapter.
Universities offering agricultural degrees do research and training in
vegetable production.

Find the Agricultural Marketing Commodity Profiles at www.daff.gov.
za. These look at the value chain of various agricultural commodities,
including several vegetable crops.
A number of Vegetable grower notes are also available at www.daff.
gov.za. Find these under the Publications and Brochures and/or
Info Paks menu options. The Resource Centre, which has many of
these as booklets, can be contacted at 012 319 7141.
Find the vegetable Infotoons on www.agis.agric.za/efarmer.
The ARC at Roodeplaat has over 100 grower guide leaflets on
vegetables. These cover general vegetable topics (e.g. crop rotation
in vegetables), as well as the individual vegetable crops. Contact the
Public Relations Officer at 012 841 9611.
publications, available from the ARC-Institute for Agricultural
Engineering:
- Processing of Brassicas (Broccoli, sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower)
- Processing of Cucurbits (Butternut, cucumber, pumpkin, sweet melon,
watermelon, baby marrow)
- Processing of Olives and Legumes (green peas)
- Processing of Root Crops (Asparagus, beetroot, carrots, garlic, onions,
potatoes, sweet potato)
- Processing of Legumes (Cowpeas, beans, green beans, lentils, green
peas)
Food Garden Management Training Video. This is available from the
Center of Agricultural Management at the University of the Free State.
Tel: 051 401 2557 / 3551 or visit www.ufs.ac.za/agriman.
Growing Vegetables: A comprehensive guide on how to establish, maintain
and manage a vegetable garden. WT Nell, GM Engelbrecht, DM du
Plessis.
Guide to Growing Vegetables, a handy A6 booklet. Order from 021 406
4962, or fax 021 405 1031.
The Peoples Guide to Farming. Growing Plants Handbook The
Environmental and Development Agency Trust and Juta Education
Companies Involved often have grower guides for different
vegetables.
Find the Asparagus Info menu option on www.cherryfestival.co.za.
Background information as well as technical grower information is
offered.
Visit www.giantpumpkins.co.za.
Find the notes on sweet potatoes at www.zoetebataten.nl.
536
Wheat is also produced under irrigation as a popular alternative winter

crop for double cropping purposes. About 12% of the total area planted
to wheat is irrigated.
Although wheat is produced in all of the provinces, the Western Cape and
Free State together contribute two-thirds of the wheat crop.
Wheat
1. Overview
After maize, wheat is the second most produced crop worldwide (rice
is third).
Wheat is mainly used for human consumption. The grain is a staple food
from which bread, biscuits, cake, cereal, pasta, noodles and couscous
can be made. It is used for fermentation to make beer, alcohol and
vodka (its alcohol can also be used for biofuel).
The grains are used in the production of absorbing agents for disposable
diapers, adhesives and it has industrial uses as starch on coatings.
The straw can be used as fodder for livestock or as a construction
material for roofing thatch. To a limited extent, wheat is planted as a
forage crop.
Wheat is the second most important field crop produced in South
Africa.
National Department of Agricultures website take the Publications
menu option at www.daff.gov.za and on the South African Grain
Information Service website www.sagis.org.za.
The Wheat Market Value Chain: 2010-2011 document under
Publications and Agricultural Marketing Commodity Profiles at
www.daff.gov.za is a thorough investigation into the wheat value chain
in South Africa.

Visit the SAGIS website every second working day of the week after 12h00 for
updated import/export information. The Monthly Bulletin on the SAGIS website
also provides relevant information.
The worlds top ten producers, as listed by the UN Food and Agriculture
Organisation (FAO), are China, India, United States, Russia, France, Canada,
Australia, Germany, Pakistan and Turkey. South Africas most important
trading partners for imported wheat are Argentina, the USA, Australia,
Germany and Canada. Imported wheat is used for baking purposes.
Surplus wheat stocks are exported after provision has been made for local
use. Exports have been to the SADC region. The exports of value-added
wheat products to these countries have shown an increase over the years.
Most exports of wheat products are destined for Mozambique, Malawi and
Zimbabwe.

South Africa could, but does not, produce enough wheat for itself. The
industry operates in a free-market environment where demand-and-supply
is the key determinant of price.
The wheat marketing season in South Africa commences on 1 October and
ends on 30 September the following year. The only government intervention
in the market is the tariff on wheat imports.
A statutory levy in terms of the marketing of Agricultural Products Act is
applicable (R15.00/t for 1/10/2011 30/9/2012 and R16.00/t for 1/10/2012
30/9/2013 for wheat) to finance research and information.
Wheat is planted mainly between mid-April and mid-June in the winter
rainfall area (Western Cape) and between mid-May and the end of July in
the summer rainfall area (eastern Free State).
The National Chamber of Milling annually publishes a list of preferred

cultivars. These are divided into three categories: cultivars for dryland
(non-irrigation) production in the north, cultivars for the southern
production area, and the irrigation cultivars. The list is available on www.
grainmilling.org.za. Should you have enquiries, contact 012 663 1660 or at
info@grainmilling.org.za.
Producers and other role players have argued that government needs to
adopt a strategy that results in a sustainable wheat farming sector. These
people point out that farmers here are not asking to be subsidised, but
for protection against farmers in other countries who are subsidised. The
current tariff is 2%, but could be raised as high as 70% under World
Trade Organisation rules.

Find the technical information on the ARC website www.arc.agric.za.
As a regular wheat importing country, South Africa and its wheat industry is
fully integrated into the global wheat market which has become increasingly
concentrated and sophisticated, and many variables need to be taken
into consideration. Exchange rate fluctuations, for example, make it a
challenge for even the most sophisticated farmers to plan effectively and
to be profitable. SAFEX is a good tool to help hedge against exchange rate
risk, but the minimum quantities required to trade on SAFEX make it less
applicable for small emerging farmers.
While transformation of the industry is important for its long-term
sustainability in South Africa, this transformation must be achieved in an
economically viable way. The nature of wheat production and its value chain
make it unviable to produce on a small scale. It is almost certainly better to
help the larger, more sophisticated emerging commercial farmers to enter
the industry in a viable manner. It is not appropriate to encourage primarily
subsistence level farmers to invest their scarce resources into a declining
industry.
Source: adapted from a report commissioned by the Wheat Forum investigating the
potential entry and successful participation of emerging black farmers into wheat
production. Contact the Wheat Forum (details under heading 6)
The ARC-SGI has a very active Farmer Support Programme, and they
have many projects running with the emerging farmer in mind. The coordinator is Dr Eric Morojele at 058 307 3427 or 076 378 0382.
The ARC-SGI has a scheduled training course, usually in October,
specifically for farmers and extension officers.
See publications available under Websites and publications, dealt with
later in this chapter.

Refer to this heading in the Grains and oilseeds chapter.
International Trade Administration Commission of SA

Tel: 012 394 3590 / 0861 843 384
www.itac.org.za

Council (NAMC)
Tel: 012 341 1115
www.namc.co.za
537
Industry Strategic Plan

The South African wheat industrys mission
is to become long term preferred suppliers
of wheat, wheat flour and wheat based
products on the local market and in selected
international markets which necessitates the
industry becoming driven by the needs and
characters of its target markets.
After extensive analysis and ongoing
discussions between all role players, a
number of objectives as set out below were
identified:
Co-operate with government and
government agencies to obtain their
active support to achieve short and
long term industry goals
- trade and tariffs
- quality and standards
- information
- research
- infrastructure
- general government issues
Assist the entire value chain to put in
place methods of best practice and
set standards against which they can
constantly be measured
- Training develop appropriate skills
in all sectors.
- Technology use of world class
technology.
Identify international marketing

opportunities and monitor and analyse
the trade agreements, all to the benefit
of the industry
- formation of export council/Joint
Action Groups
- involvement in NEPAD initiative
- involvement with government in trade
agreements
- access to international data base
- skills to deal with export import
issues
- economic research on tariff policies
Assist in the development and

participation of Small, Medium and
Micro Enterprises (SMMEs), Black
Economic Empowerment (BEEs) and
Women Owned Enterprises (WE)
within the industry
outsourcing some opportunities to
SMMEs, BEEs & WE
provide technical and management
assistance
co-operate with government to assist
financially and technically
training
assist with procurement of inputs
assist in logistic and marketing of
their products
Source: The Wheat Industry Plan
Find details of Grain SA, SAGIS, the National Chamber of Milling and the Grain Silo Industry in the
Grains and oilseeds chapter.
The Wheat Forum
Tel: 012 807 3958
Winter Cereal Trust

Tel: 012 663 1600
The Wheat Forum is representative of major

sectors involved in the wheat and wheat products The South African Chamber of Baking
industry, namely wheat producers, millers, Tel: 012 663 1600
bakers, trade unions, consumers and government www.sacb.co.za
that deal with policy issues of mutual concern.
538

See this heading in the Grain and oilseeds chapter.
The Winter Cereal Trust is responsible for the allocation of funding and
appraisal of relevant research projects in the winter grain industry. Since
1998, statutory levies on sales of winter cereal have been imposed to finance
the Winter Cereal Trust. Mostly it is the Agricultural Research Councils
Small Grain Institute in Bethlehem, conducts the research on wheat and
other winter grains.
(ARC-SGI)
Tel: 058 307 3507 / 3400

Tel: 012 546 9240
Training is done on demand: should

somebody be interested, the ARCSGI puts together a programme. In
addition to training, the SGI carries
out a number of other services e.g.
plant analysis, they run a wheat
quality laboratory etc. Find details
on www.arc.agric.za.

Laboratory (SAGL)
Tel: 012 807 4019
www.sagl.co.za
Grain SA
Tel: 0860 047 246
www.grainsa.co.za
Tel: 021 808 4803
www.sun.ac.za/agron
Tel: 021 808 3578
Included in its Farmer Development

Programme is a week long intro- Department of Plant Sciences
duction to producing wheat.
Tel: 051 401 2818
For an extensive list go to www.sagis.org.za take the List of Co-workers and
then Wheat menu options.
Albany (Tiger Brands) Tel: 011 840 4000 www.tigerbrands.co.za

Blue Ribbon (Premier Foods) Tel: 011 565 4300 www.blueribbon.
co.za
Buhler Tel: 011 801 3500 www.buhlergroup.com
Carel van Niekerk Engineering supplies no-till planters used by
wheat farmers. Call 022 913 2435 or visit www.piket.co.za.
Grain Training Institute Tel: 012 546 9240 www.gtinstitute.co.za
Grainco (Pty) Ltd Tel: 021 807 8900 www.graincosa.co.za

JSE Limited, Commodity Derivatives Tel: 011 520 7535 www.jse.
co.za/commodities
MBFi Tel: 082 921 8428 www.mbfi.co.za
Metson Tel: 011 792 8968 www.metson.co.za
Moorreesburgse Koringboere (Edms) Bpk Tel: 022 433 8300
www.mkb.co.za
OVK Ltd Tel: 051 923 4500 www.ovk.co.za
Pannar Seeds Tel: 033 413 9500 www.pannar.com
Sasko (Pioneer Foods) Tel: 022 482 7272 www.sasko.co.za
Sensako Tel: 011 790 8200 www.sensako.co.za. Find contact details
(e.g. for the Bethlehem and Napier research farms) on the website.
Southern African Grain Laboratory (SAGL) Tel: 012 807 4019
www.sagl.co.za
Suidwes Tel: 018 581 1000 www.suidwes.co.za
Sunbake (Foodcorp) Tel: 012 327 0933 www.sunbake.co.za

Find the Wheat Cultivar Classification List as approved by the Executive
Officer of the Agricultural Product Standards under the Documents &
brochures option at www.graansilo.co.za.
The ARC-SGI has the following publications:
-
-
-
-
Wheat Diseases in South Africa

Field guide for the identification of wheat insects in South Africa
Guidelines for the production of small grains in the summer rainfall region
Guidelines for the production of small grains in the winter rainfall region
The Guidelines for the production of small grains in the summer rainfall
region and Guideline for the production of small grains in the winter rainfall
region are highly comprehensive and essential publications. Topics include
management of wheat production (e.g. reaching target yields), soil tillage
guidelines, cultivar choice guidelines, fertilisation guidelines, and weed and
insect control. For the above publications, visit www.arc.agric.za or phone
058 307 3507.
Visit the SAGIS website, www.sagis.org.za, for statistics (national stocks,
producer deliveries, import, exports, consumption, weekly parity prices,
historical information, etc).
Find the Wheat Market Value Chain: 2010-2011 document under
Publications and Agricultural Marketing Commodity Profiles at www.
daff.gov.za. Also available on this website are the Technical Manual: Karnal
Bunt of Wheat. and wheat grower notes.
www.sagl.co.za read about the national wheat crop quality as well as
quality of imported wheat
A Wheat Museum one of the only three of its kind in the world where
the history of wheat is depicted can be visited in Morreesburg (Western
Cape). Call 022 433 1093 or email kormuseum@moorreesburg.net.
Sources for the chapter: SAGIS, Leon du Plessis of L & L Agricultural Services, the
Department of Agriculture, the National Chamber of Milling, www.grainmilling.
org.za.
Thanks to the Winter Cereal Trust and SAGIS for feedback on the draft chapter.
539
2. Stock theft
livestock
Animal husbandry
In addition to the other chapters in the Livestock section, the reader is also
referred to ones elsewhere in this handbook like Animal health, Precision
livestock farming and General farm equipment.
1. Overview
Statistics for herd composition, slaughterings etc can be found on www.daff.gov.za
take the Publications and Statistical Information menu options. Also find the
latest quarterly economic overview.
The livestock sector accounts for more than 40% of the total value of
agriculture.
From a food and income security point of view, animal agriculture is the
primary income generator in the majority of rural areas domestically
and in the developing world.
Animal food products are a major contributor to a balanced diet
because of the high biological value of their protein and significant
quantities of high bioavailable minerals and vitamins.
Animal fibre products quantitatively contribute significantly to the
clothing, leather, housing and decorative industries.
Livestock earnings amount to about 10% of agricultural exports and
through import plays a significant role in stabilising the economies of
SADC countries.
The natural resources of South Africa are far more suited to livestock
farming than to growing crops (only some 11% of our soils are suitable
for crops).
The bulk of increased production and rural development will come
from livestock farming.
Source: Challenges for the animal science industries and profession a strategic
perspective, a paper by Dr Heinz Meissner
We might adapt the philosophers quote to read, I FEEL therefore I

am, to increase an awareness of livestock or living stock. Animals are
sentient beings i.e. they are conscious and can feel.
Writing in the April 2012 SAPPO newsletter, Dr Peter Evans (SAPPO
veterinary liaison officer) says: Environmental and welfare regulations
are necessary and producers should view these as part of normal
production practices and not as something that is being forced on them.
The stipulations in SAPPOs welfare code will for instance not negatively
influence animals performance and certainly in some cases it will be
better. Producers could therefore get a return on their investment if they
adhere to these.
The producer should not have any problem with the five freedoms
espoused by the NSPCAs Farm Animal Unit:
freedom from thirst, hunger and malnutrition
freedom from discomfort
freedom from pain, injury or disease
freedom to express normal behaviour
freedom from fear and distress
How far the science of animal husbandry has evolved has everything to
do with how well we blend profitable livestock farming with those listed
freedoms.
Relevant legislation here is the Stock Theft Act 1959 (Act no. 57 of 1959)
Stock-theft hampers the profitability of the stock farmer. It also interferes

with the Governments land reforming process and the empowering of
the emerging farmers. For each stock-theft incident at a commercial farm,
three similar incidents take place amongst emerging farmers. What makes it
worse is that many emerging farmers suffer a total loss of stock kraals are
literally emptied. These farmers have to resort to other means to care for
their families and to make a living.
Stock theft has become a business and there are clear indications of syndicate
involvement. The days when a sizable portion of stock theft was ascribed to
pot slaughtering are long gone.
Although South Africa has always been a net importer of red meat, stock
theft has a detrimental effect on the industry and on agriculture in general.
Solving the problem will make a huge contribution to the countrys selfsufficiency.
A comprehensive document, Hints for the Prevention of Stock Theft, is
available from the National Stock Theft Unit. It will help livestock owners
to minimise their vulnerability, and to successfully lay charges against stock
thieves.
Role players
Several of livestock industry bodies like the Red Meat Producers Organisation
(RPO) founded the National Stock-theft Forum. For more information,
contact Gerhard Schutte at 012 348 1933 or by email rpo@lantic.net. Find
contact details for the various livestock industry bodies in the relevant
chapters.
The Stock-Theft Unit at the South African Police Service is a role player.
Contact the national office at 012 393 1196/7, fax them at 012 393 1548 or
write an email to stu.scientific.aids@saps.gov.za.
Farmer unions like Free State Agriculture and Kwanalu (consult the
Organised agriculture chapter).
Find the notes on www.agriwiki.co.za and www.rpo.co.za.
3. Predators and the stock farmer

Refer to the Wildlife on farms chapter.
4. Animal identification
The Animal Identification Act (Act No. 6 of 2002) replaced the old Livestock
Brands Act (Act No. 87 of 1962).
It is compulsory to mark all cattle, sheep, goats and pigs.
A permanent legal mark is the first line of defence against stock theft.
The legislation in South Africa provides for an effective animal
identification system
A booklet Animal Identification in terms of Animal Identification Act (Act
No. 6 of 2002) sets out information like how to register an identification
mark, what is not included as an identification mark, alternative method of
identification, parts on which animals must be identified etc. This is done in
a clear, attractive, colourful and easy-to-understand way. For a copy, contact
the Resource Centre at the Department of Agriculture 012 319 7141.
There are also other publications available on the Department website,
www.daff.gov.za, which include the Info Paks Identification of animals and
Legal identification marks (available in English, Xhosa, Zulu and Sepedi).
The Registrar of Animal Identification
Tel: 012 319 7432/3
Tel: 012 319 7611
Tel: 012 319 7499
zeldaw@daff.gov.za
540
The LIDCAT LIVESTOCK IDENTIFICATION is an irrefutable

identification system for animals. A biological sample is collected from
individual animals and stored under ideal conditions. In the case of theft
or a dispute over parentage, the system can be used to identify the animal
beyond doubt. The contact person is Prof Norman Maiwashe at the ARC
in Irene. Contact him at 012 672 9028.
The reader is also referred to radio frequency identity tags (RFID) and
the other methods employed. See the Precision farming livestock
chapter for contact details of other role players involved with animal
identification.
5. Livestock codes of conduct

South African Bureau of Standards
Tel: 012 428 6666 / 6883
www.sabs.co.za
8. Transporting animals
The better you handle your animals, the more money theyll earn for you.
Move your animals safely and you will prevent injuries and deaths. Minimise
stress on them to prevent loss in production and reproduction.
Before you leave (or when you get to the other side), dont let animals stand
in wet, muddy kraals they can get all sorts of diseases there, including
foot rot.
Learn how to handle individual animals so that you dont hurt them or break
their legs or horns. Dont chase them, hit them or crowd them into small
places. When loading them and there isnt a ramp, pick them up carefully
(for small stock). If you work well with your animals, theyll become tame
and manageable.
Dont load too many animals onto a vehicle (see the Trailers chapter).
This is against the law, and you may hurt your animals breaking bones and
bruising their meat. Also, dont put different sized animals into the same
compartment.
The following Codes of Practice have been drawn up:

1. South African Poultry Association Code of Practice
2. Code for Feedlots
3. Code of Practice for the Handling of Livestock at Saleyards and Vending
sites
4. Duties and Functions of Abattoir Managers
5. A Guideline for the use of Prodders and Stunning Devices in Abattoirs
6. Code of Practice for the Transport and Handling of Animals
7. Trade Code: Ostrich Feathers
8. Code of Practice for the Transport, Handling and Slaughter of Ostriches
9. South African Code for the Welfare of Pigs
Animals must be able to stand up and breathe without trouble during

transport. Place non-slip material on the load area to stop animals from
sliding around during the trip.
Drive carefully, especially around corners or on hills. Never brake suddenly
as the animals will move forward and squash one another. Stop every few
kilometres to check if the load is still okay.
The best time to transport stock is early morning or late afternoon. This is
especially so in summer. If you have to park somewhere for awhile, do so in
the shade as animals get heat-stressed quite easily.
A new kid on the block is SANS 898 Good manufacturing practice for the
self-mixing of feed in the livestock industry. This covers the self-mixing of
compound feed and supplements into livestock feed.
When herding animals on foot or on horseback, dont move too fast,

especially if there are lambs, calves or pregnant animals in the flock. If you
have to move them over a long distance, start early in the day so that you
can rest them. Give them water along the way.
These Codes are the minimum requirements for the relevant sectors e.g.
the poultry, feedlot etc sectors. Interested parties can purchase copies of
these codes and other pending codes from SABS. Some of them can be read
on the NSPCA website, www.nspca.co.za.
Source: The article Handle your animals gently by Roelof Bezuidenhout on www.
farmersweekly.co.za
6. Estimating the water required for livestock

To estimate the quantity of water required daily per animal, allow:
6,5 litres per day per head of sheep
45 litres per day per head of cattle or horses
90 litres per day per head of dairy cattle.
9 litres per pig
18 litres per hundred birds (poultry)
Source: Southern Cross Industries (visit www.southx.co.za)
7. Female reproductive data of our main farm

animals
Duration
of oestrus
cycle
Duration of Timing of
heat
ovulation
Duration of
gestation
Cattle
18 24 days 6 24
hours
6 14 hours
after oestrus
278 290
days
Sheep and
goats
16 18 days 24 48
hours
12 24
hours before
end of oestrus
144 152
days
Pigs
19 22 days 18 48
hours
at end of
oestrus
114 120
days
Horses
18 24 days 4 9 days
36 48 hours
before end of
oestrus
320 370
days
Source: Dr Reinette Snyman, Cape Penisular University of Technology
9. General livestock associations

Each of the livestock chapters gives details of relevant associations, companies and
other role players. Associations with an involvement across the livestock spectrum
include the ones listed below.
Livestock Animal Welfare Association Tel: 012 460 9216

Livestock Health and Production Group Tel: 012 346 1590 www.
lhpg.co.za
Livestock Welfare Co-ordinating Committee (LWCC) Tel: 012
807 1367 www.redmeatsa.co.za
National Council of SPCAs (NSPCA) Tel: 011 907 3590 www.
nspca.co.za
The South African Council for Natural Scientific Professions
(SACNASP) is sometimes drawn into debates on matters related to
livestock. Visit www.sacnasp.org.za.
South African Society for Animal Science (SASAS) Tel: 012 420
6017 www.sasas.co.za
Some notes on the Farm Animal Unit at the NSPCA

Established in 1970 this unit has grown not only in its knowledge of livestock
but also in its duties. Initially formed to ensure the welfare of food animals
at the abattoirs throughout South Africa, the unit now inspects, researches,
educates, and promotes the welfare of all animals that are farmed.
The unit performs many functions:
Inspections. Law enforcement educate and then prosecute.
Education. Carried out in indigent communities at arranged outreach
programmes throughout the country.
Assisting. Practical solutions to assist farmers and at the same time
uplifting the welfare of animals.
541
Legislation. To promote, research, initiate amendments, or new

legislation to enhance animal welfare.
Training. The unit undertakes external workshops to
- Agricultural Departments within the Correctional Services throughout
South Africa.
- Lectures at the Stock Theft Course on current legislation.
- Hands on training presented to our inspectors at local societies
throughout South Africa.
Reactive. Reacts and deals with accidents involving livestock, or
disaster situations.
Small Scale Farmers
An increasing number of Government and internationally sponsored small
scale individual and co-operative farming projects as well as large commercial
projects for previously disadvantaged people are being established in
commercial farming areas. The NSPCA has worked reactively and proactively on such projects, trying to establish where they are and visiting to
make contact, give guidance and monitor. Poor administration or ignorance
can lead to considerable suffering of animals and deaths.
Veterinary Services Back-Up
State Veterinary Services do not exist in certain (usually remote and
impoverished) areas and in other areas, they are inadequate to cope. The
NSPCA has taken on the role of outreach to provide a veterinary service
back-up. Specific outreach programmes and projects are undertaken, in
addition to any reactive or response work that may be required.
The Farm Animal Unit of the National Council of SPCAs performs various
workshops and lectures to relevant state departments to remind and
enlighten teaching, research or production facilities on current animal
welfare trends, legislation, moral and social responsibilities.
Some of the areas where current workshops / lectures are performed are
Correctional Services, Agriculture Departments throughout the country,
stock theft detective course and 3rd year veterinary students. We hope to
expand these workshops to include Animal Health Technicians, Agricultural
Colleges and local South African Police Services.
If other organisations, departments, educational facilities wish to carry out
similar workshops, please contact the NSPCA via email on nspca@nspca.
co.za.
10.
National strategy and government contact
Find contact details and information on all directorates of the Department of

Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries under the Divisions option at www.daff.
gov.za.
The National Livestock Development Strategy (NLDS) aims to enhance

the sustainability of animal agriculture in South Africa across the entire
production, processing and supply chain. Implementation includes
establishing sector working groups, mobilising rural stock owners and
keepers towards economic production, and supporting systems for the
conservation of veld and livestock resources through sustainable use.
The publication Livestock Development Strategy for South Africa, compiled by
the Animal and Aquaculture Production Directorate at the Department of
Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries is compulsory reading for anyone wishing
for an introduction to the livestock sector, or to understand the issues and
potential involved. Find it on www.daff.gov.za (take the Publications and
General publications options).
Directorate: Animal Health Tel: 012 319 7456 sandraDAC@daff.gov.
za
Directorate: Animal Production Tel: 012 319 7493 / 7662 DAAPS@daff.
gov.za
Remember, the Animal Identification Act, 2002 (Act no.6 of 2002) makes
it compulsory for all livestock owners to apply for a registered identification
mark from the registrar of Animal identification. See heading 4.
542
livestock
See the Agricultural education and training chapter, as well as the individual livestock
chapters.
Animal husbandry training is included in the diplomas as well as in

short courses offered by Agricultural Colleges. Examples of some
short courses presented at Cedara in KwaZulu-Natal are: poultry
production, dairy production (basic); small-scale dairying; beekeeping
(also presented in Zulu); goat production; pig production; and dairy
processing. Find details of all agricultural colleges in the Agricultural
Find out about Agrimark Trends at www.agrimark.co.za.
AgriSETA-accredited training providers do courses in livestock
production. An example is Skills for Africa whose courses have included
broiler, cattle and small stock production. Find details of this provider
and of all other providers, in the Agricultural education and training
chapter.
Call the ARC-Animal Production Institute (ARC-API) at 012 672
9153 for information on training courses. These include: beef cattle
management, meat cuts and processing, small stock management,
pig artificial insemination, poultry production and pig production.
Information can also be found at www.arc.agric.za.
Read about the Bureau for Food and Agricultural Policy (BFAP)
at www.bfap.co.za.
The Red Meat Research and Development Trust (RMRDT)
was instituted to fund specific research and development projects
concerned with red meat production processes and products deriving
from red meat producing livestock. Read more at www.redmeatsa.
co.za.
South African Society for Animal Science (SASAS) www.sasas.
co.za This is an association of animal scientists who have the following
common objective: to practice and report on animal agriculture based
on science. The website contains scientific papers and much more.
Animal Husbandry training is included in training offered by Universities
and Universities of Technology. For the complete list, consult the

See this heading under the different livestock chapters. Refer also to the websites of
the various livestock role players e.g. the Red Meat Producers Organisation, www.
rpo.co.za; the South African Pork Producers Organisation, www.sapork.com etc.
Find the numerous livestock publications on www.daff.gov.za. The

Directorate Animal and Aquaculture Production has compiled many
helpful publications and policy documents including the Livestock
Development Strategy for South Africa. Find the Info Paks, too, which
include many producer notes.
The role of livestock in developing communities: enhancing multifunctionality
by Prof Frans Swanepoel and Prof Aldo Stroebel of the UFS. Visit www.
ufs.ac.za/censard.
The South African Journal of Animal Science is the official journal of the
South African Society for Animal Science. Find out more at www.sasas.
co.za.
Plaas Publishing puts out livestock related magazines like VEEPLAAS and
STOCKFARM. Visit www.veeplaas.co.za for more information.
Find the Livestock option at www.agriwiki.co.za. Find notes on the
different breeds, animal health and more.
A number of livestock publications are available from Kejafa Knowledge
Works. Visit www.kejafa.co.za or phone 011 025 4388.
World Association for Animal Production (WAAP) www.waap.it.
The International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) publications site
offers detailed bibliographic data of their latest publications. Topics
included are crop-livestock systems, ruminant genetics, health and feed
resources, and strengthening collaboration with national agricultural
research systems. Visit www.ilri.cgiar.org.
Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna
and Flora (CITES) is an international agreement between governments
designed to ensure that international trade in specimens of wild animals
and plants does not threaten their survival. Visit www.cites.org.
Find out about the global campaign to end unnecessary long distance
transport of live animals at www.handlewithcare.tv (transport meat
on the hook, not on the hoof).
Animal Improvement and breeders

1. Overview
The registration of animals maintains the interest in specific breeds, and
also leads to a pursuit of excellence i.e. to get top performance from
the animal. There is a vast difference between performances of the
two groups within most breeds where registered animals outperform
non-registered animals. There is also a vast price difference between
them. The breed is thus promoted, and the breeder obtains maximum
return on his investment.
The first objective of the registration of animals is a guarantee to
the buyer that the particular animal is authentic in terms of breed,
breeding, breeder, performance, breeding values etc. Other objectives
include breed improvement and limiting of inbreeding. The farmer who
breeds with unregistered animals of a particular breed is not regarded
as a bona fide breeder but as a commercial one.
The Breeders Societies are a vital part of Organised Agriculture.
Registered animals around the world are also known as Seedstock,Stud-, Pedigree- and Pure-bred animals. With the infrastructure breed
societies have, it is easy and straightforward to register animals.
SOME CONCEPTS:
Artificial insemination (AI) is the placement of sperm into a female
reproductive tract by other than natural means. The use of AI is a very
cost effective way to speed up genetic improvement because it allows the
use of superior male animals to be propagated very easily and quickly.
Embryo transfer is the process of removing embryos from a superior
cow and placing them in a surrogate cow where they develop into a calf.
Like AI, embryo transfer is a very cost effective way to speed up genetic
improvement. In this instance the genetics of a superior female animal
can be propagated.
Cloning uses specialised DNA technology to produce multiple, exact
copies of a single animal. The first calf was cloned in South Africa in 2003.
It is envisaged that cloning will become a cost effective way to speed
up genetic improvement as exact replicas of superior animals can be
produced.
2. Breeds and breeder societies

A breeders society may be formed if members of a particular breed wish
to form such a society. The application forms can be obtained from the
registrar at the National Department of Agriculture. Breed societies exist
for most breeds of animals. The objectives of most societies are to:
promote and develop their breed
offer various services to their members
improve the national herd in the country
The Animal Improvement Act of 1998 allows societies to issue their
own registration certificates if they so wish. These societies act as their
own registering authorities. The SA Stud Book is a registration authority
providing registration and secretarial services on behalf of many different
breed societies. BREEDPLAN fulfils a similar function.
Registration certificates certify that an animal is a stud animal and is issued
on behalf of the Breeders Society. These certificates are intended to be a
guarantee that the animal has met certain requirements as laid down by the
society and registering authority.
A list of registered breed societies with their contact details is given under
relevant headings later in this chapter. Lists may also be found at the following
websites: www.studbook.co.za, www.agribsa.co.za, www.taurus.co.za.
543
544
Performance recording
Performance recording entails the measuring of traits that affects the
profitability of the animal and ultimately the breed. Different breeds
measure different attributes based on what is considered important to that
breed. Members of cattle breed societies usually measure attributes such
as reproduction, growth, carcass and functional efficiency. Merino breeders
would for example measure additional traits such as fibre diameter and
fleece weight.
Performance recording occurs at different levels. There are a number of
privately run schemes whereby producers form groups to promote the
interests of the group and measure certain traits that are of interest to the
group. In general, breeders in a district will form a club. Superior animals
are then selected from within a grouping of animals that are usually run
under similar environmental conditions.
3. For the newcomer

When deciding on a breed, the following points are important:
Preference and love of the breed is imperative.
Suitability of the farm for stud breeding, i.e.:
- situation of property;
- quality of grazing;
- supplementary feed production potential and/or availability source of
supply;
- sufficient, well watered camps;
- good handling, kraaling and, if necessary, shedding facilities.
Provision for fairly large financial commitments, especially at the outset
in order to finance the purchase of good breeding material.
Stud breeding is a long-term investment with no instant formula for
quick results.
A stud breeder must be prepared to continually broaden his knowledge
and keep abreast of modern developments and tendencies.
The breeder must aim for a breeding programme that recognises
the most economic characteristics of the breed avoid a haphazard
breeding policy.
Use all the modern selection aids to facilitate a stud-breeding venture
e.g. keeping of records with one of the Registering Authorities and
Performance Testing.
Prospective stud breeders must have certain managerial qualities, as
stud breeding requires sound decision-making, planning and care of the
animals.
Good public relations are essential. Easy communication with people
and honesty with yourself and with others play an important role.
The chosen breed should suit your production system.
Registering Authorities:
Knowing about the relationship between individual animals (i.e. who the
father is/was), AND performance measurements are vital for the genetic
improvement of farm livestock. Classical pedigrees (which reflect only the
name/number of an animal and its ancestor) have a limited value when it

comes to livestock improvement. Modern pedigrees are:
based on scientifically founded recording methods and systems
linked to performance
These are indispensable for optimal genetic progress. A record is kept on
these results.

The Directorate Animal and Aqua Production at the Department of
Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries is responsible for the evaluation
of new breeds and the regulation of the activities of breed societies and
registration authorities. Application forms to register for the above can be
found at www.daff.gov.za.
Regulations pertaining to Animal Improvement are published in the Animal
Improvement Act, 1998 (Act 62 of 1998).
Directorate: Animal Production Tel: 012 319 7493
The Registrar Tel: 012 319 7424 / 33
Animal Genetics Traders
Association (AGTA)
Tel: 012 807 1433
Contact Prof Schalk Cloete for

information about the Association
for the Advancement of Animal
Breeding and Genetics at 021
808 5230.
societies administer and issue

the registrations for their own
breeds of cattle and are known
as
Independent
Registering
Authorities (IRA). The principal
business and purpose of the
Livestock Registering Federation
is to unite, promote and protect
its members acting as Independent
Registration Authorities (Animal
Improvement Act 62 of 1998), into
an affiliated federation.
Livestock Registering
Federation (LRF)
Tel: 012 667 5258
www.lrf.co.za
SA Semen and Embryo Group

(SAVSEG)
C/o Dr R Treadwell
Tel: 012 250 2359
The
Livestock
Registering
Federation is an association of
Breeders Societies and includes
several of the larger breed Societies
in South Africa and the Namibian
Stud Breeders Association in their
membership. In South Africa these
SAVSEG members are involved in

the collection and sale of semen
and embryos.
AGTA members are involved in

the importation and exportation of
farm animal genetic material.
South African Society

Animal Science (SASAS)
www.sasas.co.za
for
545
SA Stud Book Animal

Tel: 051 410 0900
www.studbook.co.za
www.logix.org.za
SA Stud Book is an association of
breeders societies (various breeds
and species). The objectives of SA
Stud Book are to:
act as a mouthpiece for the

stud breeding industry
promote the export of animals
with credible pedigrees,
registered or recorded with
the association of semen
or embryos begotten from
animals thus registered or
recorded
render technical and advisory
services to breeders societies
and their members
act as a breeders society in
respect of breeds of animals
for which no breeders society
exists
assist these breeder societies

to achieve their respective
objectives
safeguard and advance the
collective interests of stud
breeders and their breeders
Stud Game Breeders
societies
www.studgamebreeders.co.za
For details of Breeder Societies, see the Cattle, Sheep etc headings later in
this chapter.
Software Programmes
Many on-farm software programmes applicable to animal breeding are
available for producers. Many combine the functionality of herd management
with on-farm recording. Some of the programmes listed have selection
decision aids.
For beef:
Agribeef Tel: 012 365 2683 www.softwarefarm.co.za
Beefpro Tel: 012 672 9145 / 082 801 2026 www.beefpro.net
HerdMASTER Tel: 086 111 5005 www.agribsa.co.za
Logix Beef Tel: 051 410 0900 www.logix.org.za, www.studbook.co.za
Plan.a.head Beef Tel: 033 342 7888 www.planahead.co.za
Studmaster Tel: 0861 101 525 www.studmaster.com
TriobeesTel: 012 376 4180 www.saboer.co.za
For dairy:
Agrimelk Tel: 012 365 2683 www.softwarefarm.co.za
Devisa Tel: 084 519 8691 www.devisa.co.za
DIMSSA Tel: 082 770 6371 www.dimssa.co.za
Logix Milk Tel: 051 410 0900 www.logix.org.za, www.studbook.co.za
Milkfriend Cell: 082 784 6376 www.milkfriend.co.za
Plan.a.head Dairy Tel: 033 342 7888 www.planahead.co.za
Triomelk Tel: 012 376 4180 www.saboer.co.za
For small stock:
HerdMASTER Tel: 012 667 5258 www.agribsa.co.za
Logix Pigs and Logix SmallStock Tel: 051 410 0900 www.logix.org.za
Pig Pro Cell: 082 900 5915
Plan.a.head Pig Tel: 033 342 7888 www.planahead.co.za
Shepherd Tel: 049 842 1113 http://Gadi.agric.za
Studmaster Tel: 0861-101-525 www.studmaster.com
For horses:
Equimaster Tel: 012 667 5258 www.agribsa.co.za
Artificial Insemination/Embryos
ABS South Africa Tel: 021 976 0052 www.absglobal.com
ARC Beef Cattle Improvement Programme Tel: 012 672 9087/53
www.beefpro.net, www.genepro.co.za, www.arc.agric.za
Brakfontein Embryo Centre Tel: 046 685 0519 www.dohnemerino.
org/brakfontein
BREEDPLAN SA Tel: 012 667 5258 www.agribsa.co.za
CRV XSeed see XSeed Genetics
546
Den Vet Tel: 033 345 1093 www.denvet.co.za

Embryo Plus Tel: 012 250 2359 www.embryoplus.com
Genimex Tel: 012 667 1012 www.newzealandgenetics.com
Genestar Tel: 021 938 9213/4
Inqaba Biotec Tel: 012 343 5829 www.inqababiotec.co.za
INTERGIS Tel: 012 672 9064 Ephraim@arc.agric.za
Kanhym Estates Tel: 013 249 7964 www.kanhym.co.za
Ramsem Tel: 051 412 6327 / 082 900 3903 www.ramsem.com
Semex Southern Africa Tel: 021 905 0225 www.semex.com
Taurus Tel: 012 667 1122 www.taurus.co.za
VRIESIT Veterninary Andrology Laboratories Tel: 012 547 0446
www.vriesit.com
W Pringle Export Holdings Tel: 021 557 0606 Fax: 021 557 6522
Walloon Animal Genetics Tel: 031 303 2840 belcondbn@icon.co.za
World Wide Sires South Africa Tel: 021 557 0606 www.wwsires.
co.za
Xseed Genetics Tel: 051 444 3350 www.xseed.co.za
Zais International (Pty) Ltd Tel: 011 768 4264 Fax: 011 768 4265
Exporting/Importing
There are procedures and protocols applicable here. For further information
contact the Registrar of Animal Improvement / Directorate Animal Health.
Some examples of companies which operate as export/import agents:
Buiatrica Farming SA Tel/fax: 012 667 2548
Veterinary Import-Export Authority cc Tel: 012 361 3116
Find earlier details for Embryo Plus and Semex Southern Africa
7. Cattle
Beef breeds:
Afrigus Club (c/o the Angus Cattle Breeders Society of SA)
Afrikaner Cattle Breeders Society of SA Tel: 051 447 7405 www.
afrikanerbees.com
Afrism Lynton Vermaak: 083 519 2515
Angus Cattle Breeders Society of SA Tel: 051 447 9849 www.
angus.org.za
Beefmaster Cattle Breeders Society of SA Tel: 086 111 31 44
www.beefmastersa.co.za
Bonsmara Cattle Breeders Society of SA Tel: 051 448 6084/5
www.bonsmara.co.za
Boran Cattle Breeders Society of SA Tel: 051 410 0951 www.
boran.org.za
Brahman Cattle Breeders Society of SA Tel: 051 448 0603 www.
brahman.co.za
Brangus Cattle Breeders Society of SA Tel: 051 451 2496 www.
brangus.org.za
Braunvieh SA Tel: 051 410 0950 www.braunviehsa.co.za
Charolais Cattle Breeders Society of SA Tel: 051 410 0953 www.
charolais.co.za
Dexter Cattle Breeders Society of SA Tel: 011 675 0460 / 082 878
9723
Drakensberger Cattle Breeders Society Tel: 017 735 5056/8 www.
drakensbergers.co.za
Hereford SA Tel: 051 410 0958 www.hereford.co.za
Hugenoot SA Tel: 014 721 0919 www.hugenootsa.co.za
Limousin Cattle Breeders Society of SA Tel: 051 444 5082 www.
limousinsa.co.za
Nguni Cattle Breeders Society Tel: 051 448 7302/3 www.
ngunicattle.info
Pinz2yl Tel: 051 410 0955 / 083 627 6899 paul@zz2.biz
Pinzgauer Cattle Breeders Society of SA Tel: 051 410 0955 www.
sa-pinzgauer.co.za
Red Poll Cattle Breeders Society of SA Tel: 082 857 3980 www.
redpollsa.co.za
Romagnola Cattle Breeders Society of SA Tel: 051 410 0953 www.
romagnola.co.za
SA Braford Breeders Society Tel: 051 448 0603 www.braford.org.
za
SA Gelbvieh Association Tel: 051 410 0955 www.gelbvieh.co.za
Sanganers Tel: 051 447 7405
Santa Gertrudis SA Tel: 051 448 0318 www.santagertrudis.co.za
Senepol Cattle Breeders Society of SA Tel: 071 364 0076 www.
senepolsa.co.za
Shorthorn Society of SA Tel: 041 581 4623 Fax: 086 622 1305
Simbra Cattle Breeders Society of SA Tel: 051 446 0580/2 www.
simbra.org
Simmentaler Cattle Breeders Society of SA Tel: 051 446 0580 / 2
www.simmentaler.org
South Devon Cattle Breeders Society of SA Tel: 051 410 0950/2
www.southdevon.co.za
Boon Boran / Permatag
547
Sussex Cattle Breeders Society of SA Tel: 051 410 0967 www.

sussex.co.za
Tuli Cattle Breeders Society of SA Tel: 051 410 0958 www.tulicattle.
co.za
Dairy Breeds
Ayrshire Cattle Breeders Society of SA Tel: 051 430 5430
olene@ayrshire.co.za
Jersey SA Tel: 051 444 6249 www.jersey.co.za
SA Dairy Swiss Tel: 051 410 0953 www.dairyswiss.co.za
SA Guernsey Cattle Breeders Society of SA Tel: 028 542 1426
www.saguernsey.co.za
SA Holstein Tel: 051 447 9123 www.saholstein.co.za
8. Sheep
If no website for the sheep society is given, find breeder web pages at www.
studbook.co.za.
Afrino Breeders Society of SA Tel: 051 821 1856 www.afrino.
co.za
Bapedi Sheep Breeders Society of SA Tel: 012 310 2218 / 072 219
2188 www.bapedisheep.co.za
Damara Sheep Breeders Society of SA Tel: 051 821 1488 www.
damarasheep.co.za
Dohne Merino Breed Society of SA Tel: 043 683 1330 www.
dohnemerino.org
Dormer Sheep Breeders Society of SA Tel: 051 410 0958
Dorper Sheep Breeders Society of SA Tel: 049 842 2241 www.
dorpersa.co.za
Ile de France Sheep Breeders Society of SA Tel: 051 410 0953
www.iledefrance.co.za
Karakoel Club Tel: 054 337 6237
Letelle Sheep Breeders Association Tel: 056 212 6531 www.letelle.
co.za
Meatmaster Sheep Breeders Society Tel: 051 410 0955 www.
meatmastersa.co.za
Merino Breeders Society of SA Tel: 049 892 4148 www.merinosa.
co.za
Merino Landsheep Society of SA Tel/fax: 056 817 7859
SA Mutton Merino Breeders Society Tel: 051 522 6827/8
Suffolk Sheep Breeders Society of SA Tel: 051 410 0955 www.
suffolk.co.za
Van Rooy Sheep Breeders Society Tel: 053 712 2112
Vandor Sheep Breeders Society of SA Tel: 053 664 0173
9. Horses
Appaloosa Horse Breeders Society of SA Tel/fax: 021 855 5469
Arab Horse Society of SA Tel: 051 410 0957 www.arabhorse.co.za
Friesian Horse Breeders Society of SA Tel: 051 410 0954

Kaapse Boerperd Breeders Society of SA Tel: 042 247 2138 www.
capeboerperd.co.za
Nooitgedacht Horse Breeders Society Tel: 012 654 3119 / 082
806 8922 www.nooitgedachter.co.za
Percheron Horse Breeders Society of SA Tel: 051 410 0950 www.
percheronsa.co.za
SA Boerperd Breeders Society Tel: 051 410 0952 www.saboerperd.
com
SA Hackney Horse Breeders Society Tel: 051 410 0950/5
SA Hackney Pony Breeders Society Tel: 021 396 1245 / 072 396
9099
South African Lipizzaners Tel: 011 702 2103 www.lipizzaners.co.za
SA Miniature Horse Breeders Society Tell: 051 410 0955 www.
saminiaturehorse.co.za
SA Paint and Pinto Club Tel: 039 832 0026 www.paintpinto.co.za
SA Quarter Horse Association Tel: 071 471 3684 www.saqha.
co.za
SA Sport Horse Federation Tel: 051 448 9347 / 072 854 1641
SA Vlaamperd Breeders Society Tel/fax: 022 481 3614
SA Warmblood Horse Society Tel: 011 702 2220 / 083 260 6495
www.sawarmbloodhorses.com
Saddle Horse Breeders Society of SA Tel: 051 410 0956
Standardbred Breeders Association of SA Tel: 031 314 1680
Thoroughbred Breeders Association of SA Tel: 011 323 5700
www.tba.co.za
Trotteurs Francais Breeders Association of SA Tel: 031 314 1680
Welsh Pony Society of SA Tel: 083 788 2503 www.wpcs.co.za
548
10. Goats
Angora Goats Tel: 049 836 0140

Kalahari Red Club Tel: 051 553 0895 www.kalaharired.net
Boer Goat Breeders Society Tel: 051 553 0895 www.boerboksa.
co.za
SA Milch Goat Breeders Society Tel: 051 410 0954 www.milkgoats.
co.za
Savanna Goat Breeders Society of SA Tel: 051 553 0895
11. Pigs
Breeds include Chester White, Duroc, Large Black, Large White, Hampshire,
Hamline, Pietran, Robuster, SA Landrace, Welsh.
Contact the Pig Breeders Society of South Africa at 051 410 0958. A
list of their members amongst other information can be found on their
webpages at www.studbook.co.za/Pigs/pigbreed.htm.
Advertorial: Bonsmara, the Benchmark breed!
12. Other breeds

Consult the Specialised fibre production (Alpacas) and Ostrich chapters.
The Africanis Society of Southern Africa Tel: 033 343 2699
gallant@iafrica.com (see the Indigenous breeds chapter).
Federation of Boxer Clubs Tel: 012 664 2156 www.fbcsa.net
South African Sheep Dog Association (SASDA) www.sasda.
za.net
United Greyhound Society of SA Tel: 057 899 2464
Find other dog and cat breeds at www.sa-breeders.co.za.
The Bonsmara is the only beef breed in the world created through a
well documented crossbreeding programme with the aid of objectively
recorded performance data. Visual evaluation according to norms for
functional efficiency are also strictly applied.
Strict selection for economic traits such as fertility, milk production,
growth and adaptability are still practiced. This has contributed to the
reality that Bonsmara proudly succeeded in becoming the strongest and
most professionally administered beef breed in South Africa. Bonsmara,
the most prominent of beef breeds in South Africa, currently have more
than 120 000 registered Bonsmara cattle.
The role of Bonsmara

AI courses are offered by the ARC-Animal Production Institute. Visit
www.arc.agric.za or call 012 672 9111.
Find details of the Universities, the Universities of Technology and the
Agricultural Colleges in the Agricultural Education and Training chapter.
Animal breeding is covered in degrees and diplomas. Some short courses
are also offered. The School of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences at
the Central University of Technology (Bloemfontein), for example, offers
the following short courses:
Santa Gertrudis Judging Course
Dorper Judging Course
Artificial Insemination (Cattle)
Many breeders societies in South Africa publish an annual journal.

Contact the respective societies for further information.
Visit the websites listed earlier in this chapter e.g. www.studbook.co.za
and www.breedplan.co.za. There are extensive lists of animal breeds
at www.sasas.co.za/about-animal-science.
The Pig Breeders Society released a CD on the pig breeds of South
Africa in 2011. The CD contains relevant and updated information
on the origin of the pig breeds, their history in South Africa and their
breed standards. Modern and classical photographs/artwork depicts
each breed, whilst functional efficiency is also discussed. The CD can
be ordered from the Pig Breeders Society in Bloemfontein. Call 051
410 0900 or write to pigs@studbook.co.za.
www.agriwiki.co.za has information on the different animal breeds.
The International Committee for Animal Recording (ICAR) website is
www.icar.org.
Find The A-Z of recognised cattle breeds at www.squidoo.com/
cattlebreeds.
Simbra Judging Course

Dohne Merino Course
The University of the Free State runs the post graduate school of animal
breeding. This is a body that represents the tuition of post graduate studies
in Animal Breeding in South Africa. Visit www.ufs.ac.za/animal, website of
the universitys Department of Animal, Wildlife and Grassland Sciences. SA
Stud Book also works closely with the University of Pretoria.
Most universities which offer agricultural degrees do research in animal
breeding. National and Provincial Departments of Agriculture also
have an involvement in this regard.
Some of the companies involved offer some training as part of
their packages e.g. herd management and performance recording by
BREEDPLAN, AI courses by Kanhym and Taurus.
Amongst the training courses offered by Rothman Livestock Training
Services are AI (cattle and sheep), pregnancy awareness, and embryo
transfer. Visit www.rltsafrica.com or call 82 770 0480 or 082 772 1208.
The LRF-BREEDPLAN Stockmans School is held annually at Aldam
resort during the month of October. Leading national and international
speakers discuss the latest production techniques, market trends,
management systems and the latest research. Visit www.stockmanschool.
co.za.
The development and implementation of the Bonsmara System over

many years, has scientifically molded the breed to become the benchmark
in breeding. Today the breed plays an important role in:
Stud breeding. Bonsmara is ideally suited to South African conditions.
The purpose of stud breeding as seen by the Bonsmara Cattle
Breeders Society, is to satisfy the needs of the commercial breeders.
Bonsmara is also setting the pace by breeding cattle to perform in all
environments by using scientific selection procedures.
Crossbreeding. Bonsmara bulls cross extremely well with a variety
of breeds and types. Commercial breeders who continue to use
Bonsmara Bulls will not forfeit productivity after the first cross. In
fact, Bonsmara is a synthetic breed that performs extremely well in
cross breeding programs.
Feedlot Performance. Bonsmara has proved to be a popular breed
for the feedlot market. Bonsmaras feedlot performance is highly
economical, their temperament is suited for the feedlot and tender
meat of high quality is produced. Carcasses grade well from veld
or feedlot, with high dressing percentages, even fat deposition,
marbling and excellent muscle to bone ratio.
The Bonsmara System
The Bonsmara system is unique and the strict implementation thereof
with a competent staff component contributes largely to the position of
the breed in the beef industry.
The System relies on four factors:
genetic material a large gene pool;
efficient machinery to select the best genetic material;
competent marketing for efficient marketing strategy;
dedicated manpower coordinating all aspects of breeding.
Source: Bonsmara
549
livestock
Aquaculture
1. Overview
South Africa is still in the developing phase of aquaculture, which is an underutilised market with great potential for job creation and food security.
The reduction in ornamental Koi carp (C. carpio) production in 2004

was caused by a severe global and local outbreak of Koi herpes virus
that has adversely affected local production and global trade. The sector
has recovered from this setback, with the majority of high value koi
being imported and the lower grades being obtained from imports and
local production. Significant opportunities exist in this sector for further
producers, both for local and export markets.
Not much development has been recorded with regard to other
ornamental fish species, particularly since the closure of large-scale
operations in KwaZulu-Natal in 2003. The sector revolves mainly around
small-scale production systems, hobbyists and informal trading, although
huge potential exists within this sector for investment and employment
to produce local product to replace imported product. It was estimated
that 250 boxes of ornamental fish were imported into South Africa weekly
during 2006, representing at least 2/3 of the fish sold within the country.
Aquaculture in this country consists mainly of freshwater species such as

trout, crocodiles, ornamental fish, marron, catfish and tilapia; and marine
species such as abalone, fish, prawns, oysters and mussels. Candidate
species such as white steenbras, crayfish, grunter, turbot and seaweed are
being investigated.
Little development is currently taking place with regard to bass (Micropterus

salmoides), carp (Cyprinus carpio) and mullet (Mugulidae) species, although
there is scope for all three.
Freshwater species are generally farmed in recirculating systems, earth

ponds, cages or raceways whereas marine fish are farmed in onshore
recirculating systems or cages in sheltered bays. The marine molluscs are
farmed on rafts or longlines, and abalone are produced in tanks through
which marine water is pumped continuously. The technology and services
are well establish for species such as ornamental fish, tilapia, trout,
crocodiles, catfish, abalone, prawns, oysters and mussels, and are being
refined for species such as kob, yellowtail and seaweed.
About a hundred species of abalone occur world wide, with some species
popular in the Far East where they form an important part of traditional
menus. The South African species, Haliotis midae, or perlemoen, enjoys
high acceptability in these markets because of its excellent taste and the
white colour and texture of its meat.
The most important areas for the production of warm water species
(including catfish, tilapia, carp and ornamental fish) are the Limpopo Province,
Mpumalanga Lowveld and northern KwaZulu-Natal. Trout are farmed along
the high mountains in Lydenburg area, Kwazulu-Natal Drakensberg and the
Western Cape. Marine prawns were farmed on two facilities in Zululand,
but the strong Rand and cheap imports resulted in the closure of these
facilities in 2003. Subsequently, a super-intensive prawn production project
was rolled out near Port Elizabeth but this too collapsed, it is understood
due to dodgy financial dealings.
Abalone is the big success story of South African aquaculture. It has grown
from a total production of farmed abalone of less that 100kg in 1996, to
more than 1 000 tons produced per annum since 2008, with an export value
of US$32-million (R256-million). This species is a highly prized and priced
cuisine in south eastern Asia, but the international wild population has been
radically reduced through poaching.
The global trend towards the farming of marine fish species has also
become a major new focus in South African aquaculture. Thus far only
two companies are operational, but a number of other marine fish farming
ventures are being planned at present or are in the early stages of roll out.
Aquaculture the cultivation of aquatic organisms for human
consumption, ornamental or pharmaceutical use
Mariculture the cultivation of marine organisms
Aquaponics the combination of aquaculture and hydroponics
within a single system whereby the plants utilise the fish waste as a
source of nutrients
2. A closer look
Water hawthorne (Aponegeton distachyos). The sector is fragmented and
informal in nature which complicates the dissemination of data. The water
hawthorne sector seems to be stimulated by the increase in tourism in the
Western Cape, and products are becoming available at specialised shops
and retail counters.
Goldfish (Carrasius auratus) has shown a steady growth in local retail sales,
but the vast majority of these fish are being imported from the Far East
and Israel. Currently around 85% of the goldfish sold in South Africa are
imported as local producers struggle to compete with cheap imports in
certain varieties. Other varieties, though, can be produced more cheaply
than the cost of imports.
Abalone
Successful artificial culture of the species Haliotis midae led to the

establishment of some 15 commercial farms in SA since the 1990s, with
more sites under investigation by potential investors. It takes 3 years to
grow an abalone to the market size of 100g or 80mm length. Present total
farmed production in SA is approximately 1 000 tons live mass per annum
with a farm gate value of R256 million. About 70 tons are exported as
canned product and the rest mainly as live abalone. Although profitability
is affected by fluctuations of the Rand exchange rate, the price of farmed
abalone has remained stable around $32/kg live weight and the long term
future of the industry remains attractive.
Services to the sector such as feed and seed supplies, veterinary services,
equipment, processing, etc. are fairly well established and improving.
Although some farms use only kelp for feed, most use both kelp and a
formulated artificial feed. The abalone industry is making an important
contribution towards the socio-economic development of coastal
communities.
Abalone Farmers Association of Southern Africa (AFASA)
Wayne Barnes (President)
Tel: 021 785 1477
barnes@mweb.co.za
Abalone Farmers are represented through the Abalone Farmers
Association of Southern Africa (AFASA). AFASA is a very active producer
association which promotes research to solve common problems
and undertakes various projects to promote the interests of abalone
farmers.
Trout
The four main areas of production are Mpumalanga (500 tons, 14 farms),
Western Cape (450 tons, 14 farms), KwaZulu-Natal (150 tons, 4 farms) and
the Eastern Cape (20 tons, 3 farms).
A variety of production systems such as cages, earth ponds, raceways and
circular ponds are used for production. Fingerlings, feed and production
technology is readily available, with market access being the main factor
regulating the growth of the industry.
There has been a shift in individual producer tonnage as smaller producers
have fallen away and larger producers benefit from increased economy of
scale within their businesses. The industry is expected to grow by 2 to 3%
per year.
The sport fishery and related ecotourism industries have developed into
an important sector of its own and provides an important economic
contribution to the rural areas of KZN, Eastern Cape and Mpumalanga.
550
Trout lends itself to the production of a wide range of value added products.
Approximately 60 to 70% is sold in the food service sector and 30 to 40%
in the retail sector. Direct sales to local markets also play an important role
in terms of marketing. Trout ova are also exported from South Africa on a
regular basis during the winter months.
Services providers such as feed suppliers, hatchery services, equipment
suppliers, veterinary services and processors are well represented in
Mpumalanga and the Western Cape. Production costs are generally higher
than in Europe due to less favourable economies of scale. Fluctuation in the
value of the Rand and cyclical oversupplies on world markets often affect
the local industry in terms of competition from substitute products such as
imported Pacific and Atlantic salmon. The sector does, however, manage
to maintain stability and competitiveness, particularly with regard to value
added products.
Western Cape Trout
Association
Tel: 023 614 3063
Krijn Resoort 072 245 7605
Mpumalanga Trout Producers

Forum
Tel: 013 235 1248
lunsklip@intekom.co.za
Marine fish
Several companies have invested in farming marine fish in South Africa.
Espadon Marine and Pure Ocean are both farming kob and yellowtail, with
several other companies following shortly on their tails. Irvin & Johnson has
erected a marine fish hatchery at Danger Point, Gansbaai, and once their
EIA has been completed, plan to erect cages in Mossel Bay for the rearing
of the same species.
The technology for spawning and rearing marine fish is more complex
than for their freshwater counterparts, and the management need to be
more highly trained. Entry level investment is also enormous at around
R15m. The marine fish farmers are producing fish to supply the existing and
widening gap between the availability of traditional fishing species and the
growing demand. As such, the fish they produce are well recognised and
the demand is huge, and in most instances the price is also high.
Marine Finfish Farmers Association of South Africa (MFFASA)
Andre Bok (chairperson)
andre@pureocean.co.za
Prawns
Conditions in South Africa that are conducive for the culture of prawns are
limited to the north eastern coastal regions of KwaZulu-Natal, and even
there they are sub-optimal. There was only one commercial producer in
South Africa, namely Mtunzini Prawn Farms (Pty) Ltd (trading as Amatikulu
Prawns). Their farms were based on the Umlalazi (Mtinzini) and Amatikulu
river estuaries. Mtunzini Prawn Farms was liquidated in 2003 due to the
strengthening of the Rand making their product non competitive on the
global markets.
A prawn-farming operation at Coega to the east of Port Elizabeth was
based on super-intensive, zero-exchange technology, which is very new
internationally and consequently the operation is run behind closed doors.
The investors were satisfied with the outcome of the pilot phase and were
rolling out a R9.2bn investment when the venture was closed as the mother
company became involved in court actions.
Tilapia
The tilapia industry in South Africa is in an introductory phase with
widespread interest from several sectors of the local economy as well as
from abroad. Tilapia has gained widespread acceptance on global markets
and is currently the second most produced finfish species in the world
behind carp. The main tilapia species (Oreochromis niloticus, O. aureus, O.
mosambicus) are all indigenous to Africa indicating suitable environmental
conditions and natural resources. Africas production focuses mainly on
informal local markets and household food security and is contributing very
little to global markets at this stage, although there is a large project on Lake
Kariba (www.lakeharvest.com). The transfer of the species from Africa
to Asia and Central America has lead to the development of substantial
industrial sectors in those regions for supply of first world markets in Asia,
Europe and North America.
Domestic tilapia production methods vary from extensive to highly intensive

farming systems. There are approximately 15 tilapia producers in South
Africa of which most (10) are operative in the warmer Northern and Eastern
regions of South Africa. The sector also incorporates a substantial informal
sector of which the output is difficult to quantify. Various small scale and pilot
phase operations have been initiated over the past few years. Production in
conventional open water systems is hampered by the cold winter climate
with temperatures below 24oC occurring in large parts of South Africa. The
sector can to some extent rely on the service providers supplying other
sectors, although the geographical distribution and associated logistics are
presenting some problems in this regard.
A large potential exists for future development of tilapia aquaculture in
the region, both in terms of subsistence farming systems and as an export
commodity. The biggest hindrance to the growth of the tilapia industry in
South Africa is the illegal status of all species other than O. mossambicus,
which is too slow growing to justify commercial investment. O. niloticus
grows at roughly double the rate of O. mossambicus, and has been the focus
of international genetic refinement, further improving the suitability of this
species for aquaculture. Until they are legalised for culture in South Africa
the tilapia industry will remain economically marginal. This species makes a
highly suitable species for community projects due to its toughness. Current
changes to the relevant legislation should mean that producers can soon
apply for permits to farm O. niloticus, and this should stimulate the growth
of the industry in areas where such permits are obtained.
South African Tilapia Farmers Association
Tel: 011 659 2533
www.thetilapiasite.co.za
Catfish
Catfish Supreme (see heading 3) operates 5 commercial super-intensive
recirculating units that are distributed over a wide geographical area
including Limpopo, Mpumalanga, and North West provinces. These farms
have a total capacity of 1000 tons per year at a potential value of about R16
million, although little is currently being produced.
Catfish can be produced at a farm gate value of R14/kg in South Africa, but
despite its enormous aquaculture potential this species has not gained a
foothold in South Africa or in Europe, and all local production is very small
scale and supplying localised markets.
Mussels and oysters

The oyster and mussel sectors have been characterised by steady growth
over the past few years. Production of oysters and mussels are currently
limited to the areas of Algoa Bay, Knysna, Saldanha Bay and Alexander
Bay/Port Nolloth. Existing operations are expanding production according
to local demand, whilst the potential of new production ventures are also
being evaluated.
Substantial quantities of mussels are still imported into SA. Although suitable
sites along the coast are limited, this sector is still growing. Problems
associated with a coastal monitoring programme for harmful algal blooms
and other factors influencing food safety issues, are hampering the export
potential of this sector.
Crocodiles
The South African Crocodile
Farmers Association (SACFA)
Tel: 012 807 4100
www.sacfa.co.za
Revenue may be derived from
skins, meat, and hatchling sales but
also from a tourist market. SACFA
usually recommend one or the
other (production for export or
tourism) as your target market will
determine the methodology and
expertise that will be required.
The Farm Animal Unit of the

NSPCA is closely involved with
the Crocodile Farmers Association,
both parties together having
formulated a code of practice
through the SABS. This code
lays down minimum standards
within the industry and will apply
to all parties who keep or breed
crocodiles in captivity, including
tourist parks. Visit www.nspca.
co.za.
551
Company
Contact details
Information
Abagold (Pty) Ltd
Tel: 028 313 0253

www.abagold.com
Advance Africa
Tel: 011 646 1390

www.advanceafrica.co.za
Alnet (Pty) Ltd
Tel: 021 530 2400

www.alnet.co.za
A wide range of products such as trawls, purse-seine, fish farming nets,

together with rope and twines and a wide range of hardware.
Amanzi Biosecure
Tel: 028 313 2411

info@amanzivet.co.za
A veterinary service to the aquaculture industry
Amatola Fly Fishing
Tel: 083 734 0739 / 072 568 7926

www.amatolaflyfishing.co.za
The first community owned and managed recreational fishery in South

Africa. You are invited to share our hospitable culture, dramatic landscapes,
beautiful indigenous fauna, flora and birdlife, whilst staying in comfortable
and relaxing accommodation.
Applied UV cc
Tel: 021 448 6721

www.applieduv.co.za
UV water disinfection (a non-chemical method). It is environmentallyfriendly and does not change the water in any way.
Aquaculture &
Aquafarming Technologies
Tel: 072 747 1500

www.fishfarmingcages.com
Aquaculture Innovations
Tel: 046 622 3690 / 083 4060 208

leslie@aquaafrica.co.za
www.aquaafrica.co.za
Aquaculture Innovations serve as consultants, conducting feasibility

studies, business planning, site selection, system designs, production
audits, training and offering a mentorship programme whereby existing
and new entrants into the industry are supported.
AquaEco
Tel: 012 807 5190

www.aquaeco.co.za
Your aquaculture partner
Aquaponics Africa
info@aquaponicsafrica.co.za
www.aquaponicsafrica.co.za
Aquaponics Africa supplies and installs complete turnkey aquaponic

systems specialising in the commercial size units All necessary items are
supplied including the fish and vegetable seedlings.
Bessemer
Tel: 011 762 5341/2

www.bessemer.co.za
Products for all sorts of fish farming
Biomin Animal Nutrition
Tel: 018 468 1455

www.biomin.net
Catfish Supreme (Pty) Limited
Cell: 083 298 1311
Operate a catfish (Clarias gariepinus) hatchery with a capacity to produce

8 000 000 fingerlings per year.
Closing the Loop
Tel : 073 228 8513

www.closingtheloop.co.za
Aquaponics role player
Croc City Crocodile Farm
Tel: 083 321 1016 / 083 657 7561

www.croccity.co.za
Croc World (Crookes Brothers

Limited)
Tel: 039 976 1103

www.crocworld.co.za
De Rust Grass Carp
Tel: 023 616 2444

http://graskarp.co.za
Dewdale Trout Fishery
Tel: 021 876 2755 / 083 481 3675
Abalone farming
552
Dicla Farm and Seeds
Tel: 071 692 2229

www.dicla.com
Elandskloof Trout Farm
Tel: 013 254 0136

www.elandskloof.co.za
Endangered Wildlife Trust (EWT)
Tel: 011 372 3600 / 082 858 6513

www.ewt.org.za
The EWT runs a Marine and Coastal Programme (EWT-M&CP).
Enviro-fish Africa (Pty) Ltd
Tel: 046 603 8786

www.envirofishafrica.co.za
An independent private consulting company operating under the auspices

of Rhodes University.
Feike Marine Regulatory Law and Tel: 021 788 9131

Environment Management Advisors www.feike.co.za
The Dicla Eco Tilapia System is a turnkey project offered with design,
supply, and installation, and training assistance.
They undertake impact assessments; attend to the legal permutations

associated with obtaining approvals; and manage the start-up phase and
reporting to authorities.
Florida Bass
Tel: 058 913 2924 / 082 494 2882
Fishing hatchery
Gariep Nature Reserve
Tel: 051 754 0026 / 083 236 2924
There is a fishing hatchery for Largemouth and Smallmouth Yellowfish.
Giants Cup Hatchery
Tel: 033 701 1511

www.giantscup.co.za
Giants Cup Hatchery specialises in the production of live angling

trout. The farm hatches out up to a million eggs per year, and supplies
angling fish throughout KwaZulu-Natal and the Eastern Cape Southern
Drakensberg.
Goldmann Engineering cc
Tel: 021 511 3755

www.afrigol.com
For separating, filleting, cut-up lines, skinning, mincing, weighing & grading,
production control, labelling, carton forming and sealing.
Hartbeespoort Fisheries
Tel: 012 259 1231 / 083 315 8707
Fishing hatchery for Largemouth Bass
Highveld Fisheries
Nick Roberts 083 226 1329
Does everything from supplying fish to setting up fish farms
Hydrotek
Tel: 011 974 5715

www.hydrotek.co.za
Manufacture, supply and install water storage tanks and products.
Invest North West
Tel: 014 594 2570/ 5

www.inw.org.za
Involved with the development of catfish production for export to various

Asian countries, including Japan and China
Izintaba
Tel: 082 820 1265

www.izintaba.com
Crocodile farm
Jonkershoek Fish Hatchery
Tel: 072 459 7750
Fishing hatchery in Stellenbosch which supplies Rainbow Trout
Lunsklip Fisheries
Tel: 013 235 1248

www.lunsklip.co.za
Specialises in the production of a wide range of trout products, and also

supplies live rainbow and brown trout
King Koi Farm
Tel: 011 979 3978

www.kingkoi.co.za
Fish offered that are imported from Taiwan and Japan, as well as locally
bred varieties
Nutroscience (Pty) Ltd
Tel: 022 482 4575

www.nutroscience.com
Manufacturing, design, research and development of scientifically

balanced extruded animal feeds for aquaculture, mariculture and pet food
industries
Olgear
Tel: 082 890 7927

www.olgear.com
Olgear supplies complete ozone based solutions for unsurpassed fresh

and marine aquaculture water quality.
Path Plastics Co (Pty) Ltd
Tel: 021 551 9191

www.pathplastics.co.za
Products include a range of fish bins, pallets, insulated bulk bins, containers,
drums, food- & change room lockers.
Pro-Fish Cape cc
Tel: 021 419 6480

profish@iafrica.com
Pro-Fish Cape are manufacturers and suppliers of plastic products for

specific uses in the fishing industry.
Ratho Farms
Tel: 015 575 1425

www.ratho.co.za
Crocodile farm
Repcillin
Tel: 041 366 1011

www.repcillin.com
CITES licensed crocodile oil
Riverbend Crocodile Farm
Tel: 039 316 6204

www.crocodilecrazy.co.za
Crocodile farm
Sannitree International
Tel: 021 761 1266

www.sannitreeinternational.co.za
Bacteria to keep aquaculture ponds and fish tanks clean
Sowerby Engineering (Pty) Ltd
Tel: 011 496 1580 / 021 674 1603

www.sowerby.edx.co.za
A comprehensive range of air blowers, exhausters, vacuum pumps,

diffusers and fine bubble diffusers, acoustic enclosures
Thaba Kwena Crocodile Farm
Tel: 014 736 5059 / 082 576 9540
Crocodile farm
Three Streams
Tel: 021 876 2485

www.three-streams.co.za
A family operation takes quality Rainbow Trout from the hatchery phase
through to the Smokehouse.
Umgeni / Nagle Fish Hatchery
Tel: 031 782 8085 / 082 664 6324
Waterfall Mountain Trout Lodge
Tel: 076 020 3059

http://mountaintroutlodge.com
Mountain Trouts hatchery specialises in the production of live angling

trout. Trout is also processed trout in a HACCP compliant facility located
on the property.
Zambeze Crocodile Ranch
Tel: 041 581 8310

www.nilecrocodile.co.za
Crocodile farm
553

Find the folders Aquaculture policies, guidelines and legislation,
Aquaculture Authorisations and other folders at www.daff.gov.za (Take the
Fisheries, Areas of work and the Aquaculture menu options).
Aquaculture is identified in the Governments IPAPs (Industrial Policy
Action Plan) as an area in which jobs can be created.
The Strategic Integrated Projects (SIPs) programme of the Presidential
Infrastructure Co-ordination Committee was launched in 2012.
The eleventh of these priority projects (Sip 11) is an agro-logistics and
rural infrastructure one. Aquaculture incubation schemes are included
in Sip 11.
Cabinet approved the small-scale fisheries policy in 2012. The policy
aims to broaden access to communities, promote partnerships and the
joint management of limited marine resources as well as revitalising
traditional fishing communities.
In December 2012, the Departments of Trade and Industry, and
Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries launched the aquaculture
development and enhancement programme.
Most Provincial Departments of Agriculture now have plans and
implementation has started in others. State hatcheries have been
revitalised: Turfloop (Limpopo), Amalinda (Eastern Cape), Makhathini
(KwaZulu-Natal) and Gariep (Free State). A training manual, A Manual
for freshwater aquaculture, has been published for extension officers to
complement their training.
Fisheries Division
Tel: 0861 123 626
www.daff.gov.za
Marine Resource Management

(MCM)
Tel: 021 402 3911

Tel: 0800 200 200
Take the Fisheries, Areas of www.dwa.gov.za
work and the Aquaculture menu
options.
Infosa (Infopeche Regional
Office in SADC Region) is an
Aquaculture and Rural Livelihoods intergovernmental organisation
(ARL)
for marketing information and
Tel: 021 402 3038
co-operation services in Africa.
KhumoM@daff.gov.za
INFOSA is the regional office for
Tel: 012 319 7404
the SADC region. Visit www.
PontshoM@daff.gov.za
infosa.org.na.
Find details of different producer groups under heading 2.
The Aquaculture Association of

South Africa (AASA)
Tel: 012 807 6720
info@aasa-aqua.co.za
www.aasa-aqua.co.za
The website provides a background
to aquaculture, gives details on
new developments well worth
a visit for interested parties.
ASSA has representation from
the various sectors contributing
towards the aquaculture industry
of the region producers as well as
service providers (feed companies,
equipment suppliers etc).
The objectives of the Association

are to contribute towards the
development of aquaculture in
Southern Africa through effective
representation and dissemination
of information.
South African Koi Keepers
Society
Tel: 011 433 2665
www.koisa.co.za
South African Pet Traders
Association
Tel: 083 288 7574
www.sapettraders.co.za

KZN Department of
Affairs (DAEA)
Makhathini Research Station
Because of the emphasis given to Tel: 035 572 5303
aquaculture by the Governments www.kzndae.gov.za
IPAPs (Industrial Policy Action
Plan), it is included as a priority in Oceanographic Research
AgriSETA planning (see AgriSETA Institute Durban
Strategic Plan for Period 2012- Tel: 031 328 8222
www.ori.org.za
2016).
AgriSETA
Tel: 012 301 5600
www.agriseta.co.za
Institute (ARC-API)
Tel: 012 672 9325
www.arc.agric.za
Rhodes University
Department of Ichthyology and
Fisheries Science (DIFS)
Tel: 046 603 8415/6
www.ru.ac.za/ichthyology
An Introduction to Aquaculture
The DIFS works closely with
course is run.
industry and its graduates often
ARCInstitute for Agricultural move into key industry positions.
The South African Institute for
Tel: 012 842 4000 / 17
Aquatic Biodiversity (SAIAB)
Tel: 046 603 5800
www.saiab.ac.za
Tel: 046 622 3690 / 083 406 0208
info@aquaafrica.co.za
Research excellence for the
www.aquaafrica.co.za
sustainability of Africas aquatic
environments. SAIAB is a Research
Aquaculture Innovations is a Service Facility of the National Research
Provider to the Aquaculture Foundation (NRF).
Industry throughout Southern
Africa, providing consulting services The South African Network for
as well as theoretical and practical Coastal and Oceanic Research
training in aquaculture. They are (SANCOR) is a consultative,
currently the only Trainer to have communicative and advisory body
SETA accredited Aquaculture that represents institutions and
Training Courses, and these are for scientists from different provinces
and disciplines. Visit http://sancor.
Catfish and Tilapia farmer training.
nrf.ac.za.
Clients include extension officers Stellenbosch University
throughout SADC, entrepreneurs, Division of Aquaculture
companies and individuals.
Tel: 021 808 9146 / 5839
The theoretical training is offered at
various locations around the region,
whereas the practical training is
either done on the clients site or
at the Aquaculture Academy in
Grahamstown. Distance learning
is made possible through DVDs
sold via their online store at www.
aquaafrica.co.za/store.
In-house training is done by
companies involved e.g. Abagold
(see www.abagold.com).
The CSIR (Council for Scientific
and Industrial Research) has
promoted several aquaculture
projects over the years. Visit www.
csir.co.za.
Since 2001 the university has

presented
an
Aquaculture
Education Programme in Distance
Education format. All lectures are
available on DVD or video cassette.
Call 021 808 9146 or write an
email to lorette@sun.ac.za to find
out more.
Education options are
Short courses and workshops
An Aquaculture Certificate
Course
Aquaculture
Graduate
Programme
Aquaculture Diploma Course
Aquaculture Post Graduate
Programmes
554
Stellenbosch
University
was
involved with a fish farmers
co-operative whereby fish are
cultivated in floating cages made
up of a wooden platform and steel
supports covered with netting.
This device is then anchored in the
deepest part of the dam where the
water is the cleanest.
The University also has a
programme whereby staff on
farms are assisted to establish
cage culture in irrigation dams as a
second source of income. Contact
Danie Brink in this regard: db@sun.
ac.za.
Tel: 015 268 2203 / 188
www.ul.ac.za
An Aquaculture Research Unit and
an Experimental Farm are among
the facilities offered by the School.
Other Universities, which have
project-based involvement in
aquaculture include the Cape
Peninsular University of Technology
(CPUT), University of Cape Town,
Nelson Mandela Cosmopolitan
University and the University of
KwaZulu-Natal. Find contact details
training chapter.
Tompi Seleka Agricultural

College runs a course which Water Research Commission
covers the practical and theoretical Tel: 012 330 0340
methods of aquaculture. Call 013 www.wrc.org.za
268 9300/1/2.
Funding for mariculture research
is available through the National
Department of Zoology &
Research
Foundations
Sea
Entomology
and Coast Programme, the
Prof Jo van As
Department of Trade and Industrys
Tel: 051 401 2427
THRIP (Technology and Human
vanasjg@ufs.ac.za
Resources for Industry) fund, and
the Department of Environmental
Affairs Marine Living Resources
Fund.

An excellent way to stay up-to-date with developments in aquaculture
is to subscribe to the Aquaculture Innovations eNewsletter. Email
leslie@aquaafrica.co.za.

Aquaculture is one of the fastest-growing food production systems in the
world. Yet Africa, with all its resources, makes up less than 1% of global
production, with South Africa contributing only 1% of the continents
production.
Statistics from the Aquaculture Association of Southern Africa show that the
world aquaculture industry contributes 30% to total food fish production
and is worth $52-billion.
Aquaculture globally has been growing at 8% to 9% a year for the past 20
years.
Aquaculture development in a global perspective is driven by:
market forces: supply and demand
diversification of the economic base
sustainable utilisation of resources
a quest for food security
The commercialisation of aquaculture and the development of associated
technologies were initiated mainly by first-world countries in Asia, Europe
and North America and have since spread to include a number of developing
countries in South-East Asia and South America.
The establishment of commercial aquaculture in developing countries is
mainly reliant on the utilisation of natural, human and energy resources of the
developing country. Since first-world countries provide the technology and
capital investment, output is largely directed towards lucrative first-world
markets. This often leads to a situation whereby developing countries obtain
a limited share in the domestic aquaculture development/venture, when
compared to business/technology partners from first-world countries.
Developing countries should strive to acquire the technologies, skills and
finance that will enable them to take the initiative and responsibility for local
aquaculture development, thereby ensuring a more equitable share in the
sustainable utilisation of their natural, human and energy resources, and its
contribution towards economic growth.
Nepad
Various factors are currently stimulating the development of aquaculture

development in South and Southern Africa, including:
availability of resources: water, land, labour, energy, etc.
limited fisheries resources
increasing market price for fish in Europe causing a vacuum in the local
market
marine and agricultural infrastructure
need for diversification and optimisation of resources
access to technologies
international partnerships and collaboration
socio-economic factors
recognition by government of the need to employ people and provide
a replacement for the seafood shortfall
Factors that are currently inhibiting development within the industry
include:
The lack of a national policy with regard to aquaculture development.
In countries where there is active government and regulating authority
support (e.g. Chile), aquaculture develops at a rapid rate.
Our complicated and fragmented statutory procedures (this too is
being improved).
The lack of marketing structures and access to global markets.
Limited access to finance and development capital.
Limited human resource capacity, skills and expertise.
Find the aquaculture notes on the TradeInvestSA website www.tradeinvestsa.
co.za or call 021 657 6200.
African fisheries and aquaculture makes a vital contribution to food and

nutrition security of 200 million Africans and provides income for over 10
million engaged in fish production, processing and trade.
Strategic investments are needed urgently to safeguard the future
contribution of Africas fish sector to poverty alleviation and regional
economic development. In support of this investment, capacity needs to
be strengthened at regional and national level for research, technology
transfer and policy development.
Google Comprehensive African Fisheries Reform Strategy (CAFRS)
and Partnership for African Fisheries (PAF) on the internet.
World Aquaculture Society www.was.org
World Aquatic Veterinary Medical Association www.wavma.org
World Fish Centre www.worldfishcenter.org
Technical Centre for Agricultural and Rural Cooperation (CTA) is
a role player in fighting against illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing
(IUU), and has led workshops on the impacts and challenges of IUU for
African, Caribbean and Pacific countries. Read more at www.cta.int.
International Ocean Institute www.ioinst.org
555
9. Starting an aquaculture business

The free Aquaculture Innovations eNewsletters are essential reading for the
newcomer. Subscribe to them by writing to leslie@aquaafrica.co.za.
Several articles are available to the prospective fish farmer, mainly with
headings like the following:
1.
Market
Do you understand the market you plan to supply?

2.
Species choice, climate & infrastructure
The species selection will in turn drive the choice of infrastructure that is
most appropriate for your climate, market requirements and skill of the
management.
3.
Scale of operation & expansion rate
The market information you obtained will guide you in terms of an

appropriate scale on which to start the business and according to which
expansion should occur. Essentially there are two options:
start big and bring in skilled management
start small, learn from mistakes and grow with successes
(The second option is strongly recommended for newcomers to the
industry).
4.
Technical skills
Knowing the species and infrastructure types you will be using will guide
you towards the skill sets you require.
5.
Feed supplier
Feed makes up more than 50% of operating costs. Dont skimp on costs
quality is important!
6.
Site selection
Consider not only the water supply, climate and other onsite considerations,
but also the related matters such as selective advantages offered by
different sites in terms of labour source, buildings available, gravity-fed
vs pumped water supply, road quality and distances, electrical supply and
telecommunications.
7.
Capital requirement
Having completed all the steps above you will have a clear idea of how much
capital you require for construction, for cash flow through the lowest point
in the budget and a healthy reserve for just in case. Insufficient capital can
quickly starve the life out of a business, even a very profitable business!
8.
Legislation
The final step in the planning, or the first in the execution, is to appoint an
Environmental Consultant to obtain the permits for you. A good service
will be expensive but an essential step in the process.
Going through the steps above carefully and with attention to detail will give
you the best possible chance of succeeding in the very exciting Industry.
Other articles include: Farming with fish which can be found under Agric
publications, Technical notes on www.kzndae.gov.za. Also find the Aqua
Startup option at www.aasa-aqua.co.za.

Leslie Ter Morshuizen of Aquaculture Innovations compiles an
Aquaculture electronic eNewsletter. Contact leslie@aquaafrica.
co.za. Also available are Aquaculture manuals, which serve as a first
introduction to the topics they cover, to assist newcomers in determining
which branch of aquaculture interests them and how to proceed
and aquaculture textbooks covering a wide range of topics including
Tilapia Farming, Earth Pond Management, Disease Management and
Cage Aquaculture. More recently Aquaculture Innovations recorded
a Distance Learning Training Programme onto DVD which is available
from www.aquaafrica.co.za/store.
A training manual, A Manual for freshwater aquaculture, was compiled
by the Rural Fisheries Programme, Department of Ichthyology and
Fisheries Science, Rhodes University; the Water Research Commission
(WRC) and the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries.
Contact the three role players for a copy. It can also be downloaded
on www.dbsa.org.
The Northern Cape government is developing an aquaculture project
harvesting catfish. It will not only create jobs and expand the sector,
but provide a good return on investment. Contact Bernard Mabele at
053 833 1503, or find the story on www.tradeinvestsa.co.za.
Visit www.fishingdirectory.co.za is a one stop source for Bass fishing,
Carp fishing, Extreme fishing, Fly Fishing, Fishing Recipes, Fishing Knots,
Fishing Clubs, Fishing Destinations, Fishing Tours and Charters, Fishing
Events and much more
Find the multilingual Glossary of Aquaculture published by the Food
and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO). One of
the primary objectives of the glossary is for it to serve as a reference
to fish farmers, consultants and all those involved or interested in
aquaculture. The online glossary of aquaculture is available in the five
official languages of FAO (Arabic, Chinese, English, French and Spanish)
at the following address: www.fao.org/fi/glossary/aquaculture.
Find the report Blue Frontiers: Managing the environmental costs of
aquaculture, released in June 2011, on www.polity.org.za. The central
ideas in the report are that the demand for aquaculture products
will continue to grow over the next two decades as a key source of
animal protein for growing urban populations, and that the industry
needs to meet this demand with improved efficiencies and reduced
environmental impacts.
The State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture, by the Food and
Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations reviews the latest
available global statistics and trends in fisheries and aquaculture. It
explores the important, yet often underestimated, role of inland
fisheries, particularly in many small communities where they make a
vital contribution to poverty alleviation and livelihood security. Find the
report on www.fao.org.
Find the Fisheries option at http://agritrade.cta.int.
http://livestock-fish.wikispaces.com the CGIAR Livestock and Fish
Research Programme.
Integrated Farming Methods - farm ponds for water, fish and livelihoods is
a publication by J Miller, produced by the FAO and available online at
www.eldis.org.
A number of CD-Roms, videos and publications are available at the
On-line store menu option at www.was.org, website of the World
Aquaculture Society. The World Aquaculture Magazine is available
from them.
Find information on Koi at the KoiNet Connection www.koinet.
co.za.
Fishing Industry Handbook. Contact George Warman Publications at 021
510 6164 or visit www.gwarmanpublications.co.za.
Fishing News International (United Kingdom), the website of which is
www.intrafish.no/fn
Maritime Southern Africa is a bi-monthly aimed at the maritime industry.
If you make your living from the sea, or are simply interested in
mariculture, visit http://maritimesa.co.za.
leaflets, available from the ARC-IAE in Silverton:
- Processing of Marine Foods (Fish products)
- Faktore wat die terreinkeuse van n akwakultuuronderneming benvloed
- Factors that influence the choice of a site for an aquaculture enterprise
- The publication Manure handling in intensive animal production units,
written by HT Breedt and edited and revised by F Cilliers (Copyright
2009), covers the topic of utilising animal manure in aquaculture.
Our thanks, once again, to Leslie Ter Morshuizen for thorough feedback on
the draft chapter.
556
Useful sources for international information on cattle:
livestock
Beef
See also the Abattoirs and Animal Improvement & breeders chapters
1. Overview
Three major groups of beef cattle farmers co-exist in South Africa:
The commercial beef producer where production is relatively high
and comparable to developed countries. Their production is generally
based on synthetic breeds and/or crossbreeding, using Indicus/Sanga
types and their crosses as dams.
The emerging black beef cattle farmer, whose cattle generally consist
of indigenous crossbred or exotic type of animals.
The communal beef cattle farmer who farm on communal grazing land.
Their cattle are mostly of indigenous types.
60% of the 14.1 million cattle available in South Africa are owned by
commercial farmers and 40% by emerging and communal farmers.
There are approximately 70 feedlots in South Africa and 495 abattoirs. The
beef industry is a major employer with 500 000 people employed and 2 125
000 dependent on the livestock industry for their livelihood.
Beef is produced throughout South Africa. The amount of beef produced
depends on the infrastructure such as feedlots and abattoirs, not necessarily
by the number of cattle available in those areas. South Africa has highly
developed transport infrastructure that allows movement of cattle and
calves from one area to another, even from other countries such as
Namibia. For these reasons, Mpumalanga commands the greatest share of
beef production in South Africa followed by Free State and Gauteng.
South Africa does not produce enough beef for the domestic market even
though the number of cattle slaughtered has increased considerably over
the past decade.
Source: The Beef Market Value Chain Profile: 2010-2011, which can be found under
the Publications and Agricultural Marketing Commodity Profiles options at www.
daff.gov.za, website of the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries.

Currently there are about 1,3 billion head of cattle in the world. India has
the most cattle, with more than 280 million. Next is Brazil with 187 million
(19%), China with 140 million (14%), and the US with 97 million (10%).
South Africa (1,4%) has about 14 million head of cattle. Africa is home to
about 20 million cattle.
South Africa exports beef mainly to African countries, mostly SADC ones
like Mozambique, Angola, the DRC and Zimbabwe; and to other countries
like Nigeria, Gabon, Ghana and the Congo. Some exports go to Europe
and Asia. The Beef Market Value Chain Profile publication (see Websites and
publications heading) gives a provincial breakdown of where the exports
come from.
Over the past decade, the main suppliers of beef to South Africa have been
South American countries (like Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay and Paraguay)
and Australia.
Source: Beef Market Value Chain Profile: 2010-2011 and the KwaZulu-Natal
Department of Agriculture and Environmental Affairs, as published in Farmers
Weekly 17 September 2010.
Order the latest Beef Report at www.agribenchmark.org.

www.cattlenetwork.com Americas beef business source
www.BEEFmagazine.com US magazine (and website)
www.nbcec.org the US National Beef Cattle Evaluation Consortium
website
www.meattradenewsdaily.co.uk a comprehensive source of global
meat industry news (find the Select news by country option)
For information on the red meat industry in Australia, visit www.
australian-meat.com or the website of Meat and Livestock Australia,
www.mla.com.au.

Statistics and reports can be found at www.daff.gov.za, www.redmeatsa.co.za and
other websites linked to the Red Meat Industry Forum i.e. www.samic.co.za, www.
rpo.co.za, www.nerpo.co.za and www.safeedlot.co.za.
The beef supply chain has become increasingly vertically integrated. This
integration is mainly fuelled by the feedlot industry where most of the large
feedlots own their own abattoirs, or at least have some business interest in
certain abattoirs. In addition, some feedlots have integrated further down
the value chain and sell directly to consumers through their own retail
outlets. Some abattoirs have also started to integrate vertically towards the
wholesale level.
Many wholesalers source live slaughter animals (not weaners) directly from
farmers or feedlots on a bid and offer basis, i.e. they take ownership of the
animal before the animal is slaughtered. The animal is then slaughtered at an
abattoir of the wholesalers choice, where after the carcass is distributed to
retailers. In some instances, the public can also buy carcasses directly from
wholesaler.
Source: The Beef Market Value Chain Profile: 2010-2011 Department of Agriculture,
Forestry abd Fisheries (DAFF)
4. The importance of information for adequate

livestock marketing
Livestock producers are regularly faced with the decision whether animals
should be sold, slaughtered, or kept in the hope for better prices. Agricultural
product prices, and especially livestock and meat prices, are influenced by
a large number of variables like feed prices, seasonality, rainfall and product
demand; to name just a few. This creates a lot of uncertainty as to when
producers should market their animals as well as for making production
decisions for upcoming seasons. Hence, these decisions should be based
on timely, accurate and transparent market information as they are critical
for ensuring long-term profitability. Unfortunately, this type of information,
such as slaughtering numbers and meat prices, is often not readily available
to South African livestock producers. This forces the producer to base his
marketing and production decisions on inadequate information; which can
have significant negative effects on his profitability.
The importance of the availability of information is not limited to the
producer level. For the meat value chain to function effectively, there has
to be timely and accurate information, including product flow and prices to
all the segments of the value chain. It is important to know how costs and
profits are distributed along the value chain to ensure the effectiveness of
the system; given the very dynamic nature of the industry this is a major
challenge.
There are a number of ways in which role players in this sector can minimise
production risk. A good starting point is consulting industry experts that are
knowledgeable and informed with regards to seasonal trends and current
market conditions.
Source: North-West University. The Agricultural Economists at the School for
Environmental Sciences and Development at the North-West University provide this
service, offering a wide range of expertise in the various sub-sectors of the South
African meat industry. Contact Dr DC Spies at 018 299 2373. Role players with similar
offerings are listed under heading 12.
557
5. For the newcomer
There is a relatively short period of 32 days after this in which the cow can
fall pregnant again. On average, a cow comes on heat every six to 18 hours
every 21 days, which means she has perhaps two chances to conceive again
during the 32-day period.
Early weaning:
This practice should only be considered during times of severe drought
or feed shortages.
Calves weaned at a relatively young age (less than 5 months) experience
severe setbacks.
If the condition of the cow deteriorates considerably before the planned
weaning time, the producer must decide whether to
- wean early and supply concentrate feeding to the calf
- provide a roughage supplement to the cows that are still suckling their
calves.
This decision will depend on the availability and cost of feed. Generally,
the feed (mainly concentrates) costs to rear early weaned calves are
relatively high. Therefore, feeding concentrates to calves should only
be considered during adverse conditions.
Good record-keeping is essential for a strict breeding management

programme. Trying to speed up the process by giving the cow less time to
recover is a definite no-no!
Methods of weaning:
Circumstances on the farm determine the method of weaning.
following methods can be used:
A heifer is a young female that has not calved and is under three years old.
Calves are born after about nine months of pregnancy (this is known as the
gestation period).
After calving, a cow shouldnt be brought to the bull again before 50 days
have gone by, to allow her to rest after giving birth.
Source: KwaZulu-Natal Department of Agriculture and Environmental Affairs, as

published in Farmers Weekly 17 September 2010.
A successful cattleman manages his herd to produce and wean as

many calves as possible every season. After all the calves have been
weaned, the best heifers are kept to replace old cows and cows that
dont calve. These are sold for slaughter.
Weaned heifers not selected for breeding are also sold, either to
other farmers who need breeding heifers, or for slaughter (depends
on the market and prices).
Weaned bull calves are sent to the market for slaughter, unless you
keep top-quality animals and your bulls are in demand for breeding.
You will then sell the best bulls for this purpose, but dont use your
own bulls for breeding unless you know what you are doing. Most
young bulls are castrated.
Your most important goal is to get as many calves weaned as possible
every year (achieve the highest possible weaning rate). Keep the
best females (those that wean a good calf every year), cull those that
dont, and replace culled cows with better heifers.
Use good quality bulls.
Dont exceed the velds carrying capacity.
To measure is to know, so keep accurate records in a record book.
Mark all calves with ear tags, or by ear clippings or tattooing. Brand
them when they are older. Record birth dates, parentage and
matings which cows to which bulls if you use more than one bull.
Your record book will tell you which animals to keep and which to
replace.
Source: Farmers Weekly 1 January 2010, the article Introduction to cattle
farming
Beef cattle: weaning of calves

It is important to decide when and by what means to wean beef calves, because
it influences the weaning mass of calves as well as the condition of the cows, and
indirectly their conception rates.
Timing:
The major priority in beef production is to produce as many calves as
possible. The main objective of weaning is therefore to enable a cow
to calve every year by allowing her to regain condition after weaning.
Calves are ideally weaned when they are 7 to 8 months old.
The right time to wean a calf depends on the condition of the cow and
not the age of the calf.
Calves should be weaned before the condition score of the cow falls
below 2,5 if adequate winter feed is available and the cows maintain
their condition. The calves should preferably be weaned before the
cows condition score falls below 3,0.
During years of drought and poor feed supply, calves should be weaned
early (about 6 months), to allow the cow to recover before the onset
of winter.
It is important that the cow should recover and that the secretory
tissue be restored before the next calf is born.
In the eastern parts of the country calves born during spring can be
weaned early in May at the age of about 7 to 8 months.
In the more western parts calves can be weaned late in May or early
June at the age of about 7 to 8 months as the breeding season tends to
be later in these areas.
The
Keep the calves in a kraal or well-fenced camp and remove the cows to
a distant camp, preferably out of earshot of the calves.
Remove the cows temporarily from a camp and in their absence move
the calves to another distant camp. Cows tend to look for their calves
in the camp in which they were last seen and this method should
prevent the cows from breaking out of the camp.
Exchange calves from two different herds. The calves will then have the
company of cows. Some cross suckling is, however, likely to occur.
Separate the cows and calves by a strong, close-strand wire fence. This
method can reduce weaning stress.
Nose plates, commercially available or homemade, can be fitted to
calves for 7 to 14 days. These prevent suckling, even if cows and
calves remain together throughout the weaning period. When the
nose plates are removed the cows and calves are separated, but with
relatively little stress.
General:
Perform castration, dehorning and branding when calves are 2 to 3
months old, not immediately before weaning. This will ensure that
the stress associated with these operations does not add to that of
weaning.
A few dry cows can be kept with the weaners to calm them.
Provide sufficient good-quality roughage, water and shade in the
weaning camps.
To prevent excessive walking and trampling the camps should not be
too large.
The weaning process could last 7 to 14 days, depending on the age at
which the calves are weaned as well as the breed of the cow.
The NoseRing is an agricultural product used for stress-free weaning of
livestock without having to separate the young animal from its mother.
This results in weight gains during weaning for both mother and young.
This means healthier, more robust livestock, no damage to fencing and
kraals, higher conception rates and happier farmers!
If traceability becomes a requirement, buyers of weaners, whether for
feedlotting or grazing, would do well to insist that producers wean with
NoseRings as a method that is animal friendly, and that can significantly
increase production and the potential for profit. Feedlotters too benefit
from purchasing weaners that were weaned using low-stress weaning
methods.
For more information visit www.nosering.co.za.

Contact details for and information on all directorates of the Department of
Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries can be found at www.daff.gov.za.
The Animal and Veld Management Programme announced in 2012 aims to

improve agricultural infrastructure, particularly for livestock development
in the country, and is attached to the Recapitalisation and Development
Programme that so far has assisted maize and vegetable farmers with
equipment. Among the services offered to farmers in the programme is the
establishment of feedlots, which are especially relevant for beef producers.
558
Province
Contact details
Red Meat Industry Forum

Tel: 012 667 1189
admin@rmif.co.za
www.redmeatsa.co.za
Eastern Cape
041 365 5030
Free State
051 451 2314
Gauteng
012 348 1933
The Red Meat Industry Forum of South Africa represents all the nationally
representative role player organisations in the Red Meat industry. Its website
is comprehensive, and is for consumers and the industry alike. The website
enables the public to access information on news, events and promotions.
Also find information on red meat research projects, industry objectives
and statistics.
KwaZulu-Natal
034 212 3648
Limpopo
015 297 3749
Mpumalanga
082 493 8428
North West Province
018 632 0130

www.nwrpo.co.za
Included in its structure are:
Northern Cape
053 832 9595
Western Cape
021 860 3800
The Meat Industry Trust (MIT) Tel: 012 348 7572

Red Meat Research Development Trust (RMRDT) Tel: 012 361
2333 www.rmrdsa.co.za
South African Meat Industry Company (SAMIC) Tel: 012 361
4545 www.samic.co.za
Meat Statutory Measure Services (MSMS) Tel: 012 348 7572
Red Meat Levy Admin (RMLA) Tel: 012 348 7572 www.levyadmin.
co.za
Livestock Welfare Co-ordinating Committee (LWCC) Tel: 012
807 1367
Member organisations included in the Red Meat Industry Forum are the
RPO, NERPO and SAFAS (see below).
RPO Red Meat Producers Organisation
Tel: 012 348 1933
www.rpo.co.za
The RPO is recognised as the mouthpiece organisation for commercial red
meat producers and represents the highest authority within the red meat
industry in terms of commercial producers interests in South Africa.
NERPO National Emergent Red Meat

Producers Organisation
Tel: 012 361 9127 / 012 472 0005
www.nerpo.org.za
The principal objectives of NERPO is to influence policy and legislation in
favour of the emerging farmers; facilitate sound decision making; facilitate
access to technical support, finance, and markets; facilitate participation
of youth and women in the industry; and facilitate black economic
empowerment within the supply chain of the industry.
SAFAS South African Feedlot Association
Tel: 012 667 1189
www.safeedlot.co.za
The SA Feedlot Association is an umbrella organisation that addresses
collective interests of the South African Feedlot industry which collectively
markets some 75% of the total beef produced in South Africa.
559
The Federation of Red Meat Producers is the combination of the RPO

and NERPO, relevant on some occasions. Visit the Abattoirs chapter for
contact details of associations like The Association of Meat Importers
and Exporters of SA (AMIE), National Federation of Meat Traders
(NFMT), Red Meat Abattoir Association (RMAA), South African
Federation of Livestock Agents (SAFLA), South African Meat
Processors Association (SAMPA) and South African National
Consumers Union. Other member organisations are SHALC (see
the leather chapter); SAFLA (see livestock auctions chapter); SAPPO
(see pork chapter) and the Gauteng Meat traders Employees Union
(GMETU).
All beef breeder societies are listed in the Animal Improvement & breeders
chapter.

Visit the Red Meat Research and Development South Africas (RMRD SA) website
at www.rmrdsa.co.za.
There are two formal structures in the red meat industry from which funds
are made available for research and development, namely the Red Meat
Industry Forum (RMIF) and the Red Meat Research and Development Trust
(RMRDT). Read about them at www.redmeatsa.co.za.
The universities offer degree courses on animal production. Diploma
courses are offered through universities of technology and agricultural
colleges. The Provincial Departments of Agriculture work closely
with the Agricultural Colleges to offer short courses on animal production.
Details of all training providers can be found in the Agricultural education
and training chapter. Also to be found in that chapter are details of
AgriSeta-accredited training providers.
Institute (ARC-API)
Tel: 012 672 9111
www.arc.agric.za
Rothman Livestock Training

Services
Tel: 082 770 0480
www.rltsafrica.com
Short courses offered include:
Sustainable Ranching
www.sustainableranching.co.za
Cattle management or Small

stock management Annetjie
Loubser 012 672 9153
Beef Production Leslie Bergh
Tel: 012 672 9145
Beef Schemes Ben Greyling
Tel: 012 672 9052
Beef Cattle Breeding Helena
Theron Tel: 012 672 9070
Department of Animal Sciences
Tel: 021 808 4916
www.sun.ac.za/animal
Technology
Tel: 012 382 5332
The ARCAPI feedlot at Irene www.tut.ac.za
offers facilities for research to
all stakeholders in the feedlot University of the Free State
industry. At the feedlot individual Department of Animal, Wildlife and
and group feed intake and weight Grassland Sciences
gain can be recorded for research Tel: 051 401 2211
purposes. The feedlot also provides www.ufs.ac.za/animal
opportunities for hands-on training
in all aspects of feedlotting.
Tel: 051 401 3765
Read about the Aldam Stockman www.ufs.ac.za/censard
School at www.stockmanschool.
co.za.
Tel: 083 453 9364
Carnavon Estate, one of Nerpos
benchmark farms, is used to train University of Limpopo
farmers in commercial livestock Department of Agricultural
production. Find the Nerpo contact Economics and Animal Production
details under heading 7.
Tel: 015 268 2186 / 2203
560
Centre for Rural Empowerment

Tel: 015 268 2171
www.ul.ac.za
feldt is leading a research project

into consumer education regarding
red meat. This follows the
registering of the Natural GrainUniversity of Pretoria
Fed Beef and, more recently,
Department of Animal and Wildlife Natural Grass-Fed Beef brands.
Sciences
Tel: 012 420 4018
University of Pretoria: Faculty
www.up.ac.za
of Veterinary Science
As manager for Red Meat Studies
Research and Development Tel: 012 529 8448 / 013
South Africa, Prof Hettie Schn- www.veterinary.up.ac.za
See this heading in the Abattoirs chapter
Adam Agri Tel: 051 753 1301

Austin Evans Feedlot Tel: 042 243 2076
B Hurwitz Farming Tel: 017 629 3392 www.bhfarming.co.za
Beefcor Tel: 013 932 7000 www.beefcor.co.za
Beef Master Tel: 053 441 9100 www.beefmaster.co.za
Braams Voerkrale Bk Tel: 021 976 3053 www.braams.co.za
Chalmar Beef Tel: 011 964 1049 / 021 951 3169 www.gastrofoods.
com
DC Louw Feedlot Tel: 046 684 0700
The Eastern Cape Red Meat Project project was started in 2005 to
facilitate the participation of small-scale farmers in the formal red meat
market. Find information at www.namc.co.za.
Edlouis Voerkraal (Pty) Ltd Tel: 016 972 8032 www.lhcgroup.co.za
Fortress Bonsmaras Tel: 058 813 4900 www.fortresscattle.co.za
GD Cilliers Feedlot Tel: 082 316 4361
Glen Voerkraal Tel: 083 627 1355
Greenlands Meat & Abattoir Tel: 039 630 8868 www.
greenlandsmeats.co.za
HENTIQ 2324 Pty Ltd Tel: 023 616 2317
Kanhym Estates Tel: 013 246 6211 www.kanhym.co.za
Karan Beef Tel: 016 342 1214 www.karanbeef.co.za
Kellerman Boerdery Tel: 083 300 8134
Komga Beef Tel: 087 732 4045 www.komgabeef.co.za
Koodoolake Tel: 083 441 5909
Korem Farm Tel: 012 549 2840
Liebenbergstroom Voerkraal Tel: 082 417 7206
Manjoh Ranch Tel: 011 819 2882
Morgan Beef Tel: 017 688 9300 www.morganbeef.co.za
MADIKOR Tel: 015 516 1441
MLEKI`S BEEF Tel: 011 974 0309
Mushlendow Tel: 014 543 2388
MVB Feeders Tel: 082 466 6266
Rhys Evans Group Tel: 056 343 3311 www.re.co.za
Sardinia Feedlot Tel: 051 853 1492
SIS Farming Tel: 013 291 5600
SKS Boerdery Tel: 013 243 8154
Sparta Beef Tel: 051 991 9200 www.sparta.co.za
Taaiboschbult Pty Ltd Tel: 018 291 1035
Theron Boerdery Tel: 011 206 8933
Vercuiel Tel: 082 866 4433
Vergezight Feedlot Tel: 083 226 3408

Find the Beef Market Value Chain Profile: 2010-2011 under the Publications
and Agricultural Marketing Commodity Profiles options at www.daff.gov.
za, website of the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries.
Contact 012 672 9111, the ARC-Animal Production Institute at Irene, for
the following publications:
Feedlot Management CD
Beef Management CD
Beef Breeding in South Africa
Beef Cattle (complete set of Bulletins, available in Afrikaans or English)
The ARC at Silverton can be reached at 012 842 4017. The following
publications are relevant to this chapter:
Handleiding oor vleisbeesfasiliteite and Beef cattle facilities manual
Breedt, edited and revised by F Cilliers. Copyright. 2009.
Kejafa Knowledge Works stock a number of livestock publications. Call 011
025 4388 or visit www.kejafa.co.za for more about the following:
Essential Guide to Calving by Heather Smith Thomas
The ABC of Beef Production by Schalk J Viljoen
No risk ranching G Judy
Essential Guide to Calving: Giving Your Beef or Dairy Herd a Healthy Start
Heather Smith Thomas
Herd Bull Vertility James E Drayson
Getting Started with Beef & Dairy Cattle Heather Smith Thomas
Grass-fed cattle by Julius Ruechel
Natural Cattle Care Pat Coleby
Reproduction and Animal Health C Walters and G Fry
Knowledge Rich Ranching Allan Nation
Raising Beef Cattle Heather Smith Thomas
Vleisbees Produksie
The Afrikaans publication Vra die veearts Wat beesboere moet weet,
compiled by Dr Faffa Malan, is available from Landbouweekblad. The chapters
go beyond veterinary issues to herd management and feed. Call 0860 103
577 or write to landbou@media24.com.
Find the following Info Paks (booklets) at www.daff.gov.za (take the
publications menu option):
Beef Cattle: dehorning
How to estimate the age of cattle
Beef Cattle: Castration
Beef Cattle: weaning of calves
Cattle: Condition scoring of cattle
On the same website, find the excellent Agricultural Marketing Extension
papers. Paper no. 7 covers Red Meat Marketing.
Find the many notes to do with beef farming at www.kzndae.gov.za (take
the Agric publications option).
Find the emerging farmer notes on the AGIS website, www.agis.agric.za/
efarmer.
Find the Meat Buyers Guide on www.karanbeef.co.za.
The Savory Institute, www.savoryinstitute.com, found that grazing animals
play a crucial role in combating one of the major causes of climate change
desertification.
The agricultural weeklies, Landbouweekblad and Farmers Weekly frequently
run stories on beef production. Find archived stories on www.landbou.com
and www.farmersweekly.co.za. In the latter, find Great tasting premiums
from grass-fed beef, What stands in the way of profitable beef farming
etc.
Visit the websites of the associations and of companies involved.
561
Some international websites
livestock
Beekeeping
1. Overview
Find international apitherapy links at http://apitherapy.co.za/links.

Visit the International Bee Research Association pages at www.ibra.
org.uk.
The British Beekeepers Association www.bbka.org.uk
www.friendsofthebees.org bee conservation and natural
beekeeping
www.beesabroad.org.uk - Bees Abroad is a UK-registered charity
which support beekeeping projects in developing countries. Read
about one such project at www.berudep.org, the Belo Rural
Development Project in Cameroon.
www.dave-cushman.net, website of David Cushman, beekeeper in
the UK Midlands
The American Apitherapy Society, www.apitherapy.org
www.honeyrunapiaries.com, website of Honey Run Apiaries (USA)
Bees for Development, www.beesfordevelopment.org

Commercial pollination of apples
Development projects using

honeybees
Honeybee products include honey, bee-collected pollen, royal jelly,

wax, and health supplements.
Honey and wax go beyond the food market and are used in large
quantities in the manufacture of beauty products, candles, lipstick,
medicine, herbal tea and chewing gum.
Honey is a natural anti-oxidant and can, for example, be used to extend
the shelf life of meat.
Other products that can be exploited are pollen, an extremely pure
form of protein, propolis (a natural antiseptic), royal jelly (a health and
cosmetic product) and bee venom (used medically in the desensitising
of allergic people).
Many beekeepers sell their products in bulk to honey packers, or they
market their products themselves. Smaller operators often sell from
the home, in roadside stalls or to local cafs.
The large bee farmers only farm with bees. The smaller ones usually
diversify.
Beekeeping does not always work on economies of scale (dont
think that a beekeeping operation will only be profitable if you have
numerous hives).
Bees are the most important pollinators of agricultural crops, being
responsible for about one in every three mouthfuls of food we eat each
day.
Source: Mike Allsopp, Dr Connal Eardley (ARC-PPRI)

There is a worldwide demand for honey and wax. The major exporters of
honey are: China, Argentina, Australasia, and Mexico. The major importers
are Europe, the USA and the Middle East.
Most countries have strict regulations regarding the importation of honeybee
products and these should be obtained from the local trade commissions.
Europe, the USA and Canada require further tests against residues of
pesticides in honey.
The supply and demand, foreign exchange rates, and quality of the product
all play important roles in determining the world trade prices of all honeybee
products.
There are strict regulations regarding importation of beeswax and honey in

order to keep infectious diseases out of the country. All imported honey and
bee products need to be irradiated for disease control purposes, and are
required to display the radurised sign on these products.
Importers can often bring honey in more cheaply even with the transport
costs, and local production is decreasing.
American Foulbrood (AFB) was devastating for some beekeepers when it
first reached our shores in 2009, but it has not resulted in an epidemic,
and largely seems to have now dissipated. It no longer appears to be as
dire a problem here as it was with the European and Caucasian races of
honeybees. Nonetheless, it did show up a lack of capacity in government
and the beekeeping industry in the face of infectious honeybee diseases,
and the need to monitor and control the movement of honeybees and bee
products into the country.
The reduction of bee forage sources in the country is starting to be a
problem. This is caused by, among other things, urban development and
overpopulation.
The following are measures recommended for beekeepers in the case of
an AFB outbreak or in the case of any honeybee disease outbreak.
Beekeepers should endeavour to keep all apiaries isolated from
each other; that is, do not move honeybee colonies from apiary to
apiary.
Beekeepers should not place their colonies in the near proximity of
colonies belonging to other beekeepers.
Do not move equipment (brood boxes, supers, frames) from apiary
to apiary, or from colony to colony.
Sterilise all beekeeping equipment (hive tools, gloves) with alcohol
or boiling water after use, so as not to spread the infection from
apiary to apiary or from colony to colony.
Do not put out wet supers for bees to feed from.
Do not feed colonies with anything containing honey or pollen.
Keep robbing to an absolute minimum, and hence, keep beekeeping
management to a minimum.
Contact: Mike Allsopp at AllsoppM@arc.agric.za
562
4. For the newcomer
All beekeeping legislation has been reviewed, with a new version expected
to be promulgated by 2013.
Apiculture (bee-farming) is ideal for women, young people and the disabled,
people who also have other responsibilities such as housework, school
or are physically challenged. When husbands migrate to cities to seek
employment, women stay behind with all the responsibilities. Beekeeping
offers an opportunity to earn an income while tending to the rest of
her agricultural and household responsibilities. It is light labour and not
mechanised. It is not suitable for the lazy though.
When honeybees have been established in beehives, the bees will produce
the honey and other hive products. The farmers job is to pay attention to
their bees and manage their hives effectively. Bees are a free workforce
that will work for the farmers as long as there are nectar-producing plants
in the area.
Honeybees are found all over South Africa and are a free and accessible
resource. People do not have to own land but only need permission to
place their hives in a safe place. If there are adequate bee plants in an area
to allow bees to produce surplus nectar a beekeeping operation could be
started.
The success of these sort of programmes depend on the South African
honey consumer market knowing about them, and on the beekeepers
abilities to exploit the spin-offs from hive products.
Tips for Newcomers to the Beekeeping Industry
Bee colonies have to be protected from the wind. If no natural
windbreak is available, erect a temporary wind shelter.
Colonies should be placed in sunny locations and preferably where
the sun shines on the entrances.
Hives should be kept off the ground with old tyres or concrete blocks
as dampness and the lack of ventilation could stress the bees.
Ensure uncontaminated water is close to the hive.
Source: Brett Falconer, Highveld Honey Farms
Honeybees are also of value in South Africa as vehicles of Empowerment

and Rural Development. Small-scale beekeeping has great potential as
a means of entrepreneurial development and economic empowerment,
particularly among rural communities and especially for women.
Find information and contact details of the different directorates of the

Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (DAFF) at www.
daff.gov.za.
South African Bee-Industry Organisation (SABIO)
Tel: 021 870 2900
www.sabio.org.za
The South African Bee Industry Organisation (SABIO) represents all aspects
of the honeybee industry in South Africa, its role also catering for the
interests of bottlers and packers of honey and bee products as well as to
the manufacturers of bee equipment.
It is involved with training of future beekeepers and the implementation of
guidelines for food safety and correct packaging of honey.
SABIO also ensures that a quarterly bee journal is published, and organises
the annual Bee Congress.
Some 300 registered beekeepers are members of SABIO.
Regional/Provincial Associations:
Eastern Highveld Beekeepers Association (Eastern Gauteng) Tel: 011
896 1944
Free State Beekeepers Association Tel: 051 433 4663
KwaZulu-Natal Beekeepers Association Tel: 033 239 5292 / 079 436
0686
Mpumalanga Beekeepers Association Tel: 013 750 0723/ 082 608
2008
Northern Cape Bee Group Tel: 053 441 2341
Northerns Beekeepers Association (Pretoria) Tel: 083 259 4466
Southerns Beekeeping Association (Gauteng Province and country
districts) Tel: 011 678 2996 www.beekeepers.co.za
Southern Cape Bee Industries Association Tel: 044 871 1935
Western Cape Bee Industry Association Tel: 021 884 4424
Collaboration and partnerships between companies like SAPPI and

MONDI, government and local communities result in economic
development for a large number of communities and individuals in South
Africa.
Find out about badger-friendly honey farming. Contact Janet Edwards of the
Endangered Wildlife Trust (EWT) at janete@ewt.org.za or on 072 952
2552. The website is www.ewt.org.za.
Read about the Beekeeping for Poverty Relief Programme (BPRP) on the
ARC website, www.arc.agric.za.
See also www.saafederation.co.za, website of the South African

Apiculture Federation.
Find the Agricultural Pests Act (Act No.36 of 1983) and the Requirements for
the importation of honey at www.sabio.org.za.
The Agricultural Colleges, working with Provincial Departments of

Agriculture run courses in beekeeping. See the Agricultural education and
training chapter.
Legislation divides South Africa into a Cape beekeeping region and a

Scutellata (African Honeybee) beekeeping region, along the Siegfried Line,
an estimate of the traditional boundary between the races. Honeybees are
not allowed to be moved across the line in either direction except under
permit issued by DAFF.
The Siegfried Line
Black Cape bees and yellow

African bees.
Other training is done by:

ARC-Plant Protection Research Institute (ARC-PPRI) Tel: 021
887 4690 / 012 356 9809 www.arc.agric.za
Honeywood Farm Tel: 028 722 1823 www.honeywoodfarm.co.za
Joe Hugill at Saronda Valley Tel: 011 953 4883
Robert Post Tel: 021 971 1022 crpost@telkomsa.net
SABIO Tel: 021 870 2900
SM McGladdery Tel/fax: 033 342 4990
Bee Ware Tel: 082 359 8787 or visit www.beeware.co.za
Find notes on beekeeping, pollination and other research at www.arc.agric.
za. Look for the Research & Development menu option.
563
Contacts at the ARC:

allsoppm@arc.agric.za South Africas foremost honeybee researcher
GoszczynskaT@arc.agric.za bacteriologist doing laboratory analyses
eardleyc@arc.agric.za bee identifications (taxonomist). Dr Eardley is
also vice-chair of the International Commission on Plant Bee Relations
(ICPBR).
LundallME@arc.agric.za honeybee development projects
Bees are the most important group of pollinators (other pollinators
include flies, beetles, butterflies, moths, lacewings, birds, rodents and
bats, or by wind or water). Within the scope of present research the links
between bee systematics and the ecological role of bees as pollinators,
their importance in agriculture, and the presence of other pollinators, are
recognised. Therefore participation in ecological, pollination, conservation
and international policy development projects are important activities.
The bee collection of the SA National Collection of Insects comprises
over 15 000 database records.
Bees, in general, are very sensitive to disturbance of their habitat, and
some land use changes lead directly to their local extinctions. Thus bee
biodiversity conservation has become a global concern. Taxonomy is
essential for proper bee conservation and management.
Contact: Dr Connal Eardley. E-mail: eardleyc@arc.agric.za
Rhodes University
Entomology
Tel: 046 603 8525
www.ru.ac.za
Research and programmes

option at www.sanbi.org.
Entomology
South
African
National Social Insect Research Group
Biodiversity Institute (SANBI) Tel: 012 420 3233
Applied Biodiversity Research
Division
Find the research notes of Prof R
Tel: 021 799 8870 / 8652
Crewe, Dr Christian Pirk and Dr H
Dr Ruan Veldtman
Human at www.up.ac.za/zoology.
r.veldtman@sanbi.org.za
Carol Poole
C.Poole@sanbi.org.za
Dr Jonathan Colville
Entomology
J.Colville@sanbi.org.za
Tel: 051 401 2566
vdlindet@ufs.ac.za
SANBI research projects on the
ecosystem services supporting University of the
beekeeping, and pollination as Witwatersrand
an ecosystem service in crop Pharmacy and Pharmacology
agriculture. Find the Honeybee Tel: 011 717 2175/57
Forage Project under the Sandy.vanvuuren@wits.ac.za
Visit the International Bee Research Association pages at www.ibra.org.uk.
Beekeeping equipment
ARC-IAE Tel: 012 842 4000 (a solar wax extractor for small-scale
beekeeping entrepreneurs)
Accelerate Design 012 666 9733 www.accelerate.co.za
Bee Ware Tel: 082 359 8787 www.beeware.co.za
Beequipment SA Tel: 011 476 5626 www.beequip.co.za
BioAfrica Tel: 082 534 4807 www.bioafrica.co.za
Honey Badger Tel: 084 663 9233 www.honeybadger.co.za
Honeybee Foundation & Products Tel: 021 511 4567

honeybee@global.co.za www.beekeeping.com/honeybee-africa
SM McGladdery Tel/fax: 033 342 4990 www.satweb.co.za/bees
Honey and honey products

Aalcapri Apiaries Tel: 011 825 4764 / 083 267 1133
Apitherapy Tel: 053 833 1834 www.apitherapy.co.za
Stephs Honey Tel: 082 534 4807 www.bioafrica.co.za
Clover Apiaries Tel: 012 343 6344
Douglas Bee Farms Tel: 053 298 1101
Even-Run Apiary Products Tel: 033 345 1016 Fax: 033 394 7542
Glendarob Tel: 021 914 1109 www.glendarob.co.za
Fleures Honey Products Tel: 012 804 7887 Fax: 021 804 7888
Hans Steenpoorte Tel: 083 647 6232
Hasslers Honey Farm Tel: 011 849 1990 Fax: 011 425 3221
Highveld Honey Farms Tel: 011 849 1990 / 083 229 4467
Honeybee Foundation & Products Tel: 021 511 4567 www.
beekeeping.com/honeybee-africa
Honeysuckle Tel: 083 629 5769 www.honeysucklehoney.com
Honeywood Farm Tel/fax: 028 722 1823 www.honeywoodfarm.
co.za
Jourdan Honey Farms Tel: 011 976 2247 www.jourdanhoneyfarms.
za.net
Makana Meadery Tel: 046 636 1227 www.iqhilika.co.za
Necta Honey Farm Tel/fax: 011 698 3274
Nu-Life Beekeepers Tel: 039 433 1140 / 082 578 0827
Peels Honey Tel: 033 330 3762
The Propolis People Tel: 053 831 2705 www.thepropolispeople.
co.za
Raw Honey Tel: 083 653 6290 www.rawhoney.biz
Rivendale Apiculture deanlennox@gmail.com www.apiculture.
co.za
Ruperts Honey Tel: 012 650 0064 www.rupertshoney.co.za
Slabber Apiculture Tel: 082 852 4392 www.pollination.co.za
Schnetler Tel: 011 782 8996 / 082 927 9629 cindy@better-deal.
co.za (skin-care products from honey; honey-khaki bush shampoo for
animals)

Visit websites listed elsewhere in this chapter e.g. www.sabio.org.za, www.
beekeepers.co.za etc.
Beekeeping in South Africa (The Blue Book). 3rd edition. Provides
information and instruction, caters for hobbyists, beginners and professionals.
Call 021 887 4690, email allsoppm@arc.agric.za or visit www.arc.agric.za.
A recent publication is The Bee Book A Guide to Top-Bar Beekeeping in
Southern Africa. Authors: David Donald, Dominique Marchand and Jennifer
Marchand-Mayne. 978 0 70217836 8 Published by JUTA and Company
Ltd. This accessibly written and beautifully illustrated practical guide has
four main purposes, to provide:
a text book for adult learning and training in Agriculture in the FET
college and ABET contexts
a practical field guide to top-bar beekeeping for teachers, who are
setting up a beekeeping project involving their learners/students in
schools and colleges
a training and development handbook for agricultural extension
officers
a practical guide and reference for communities starting incomegenerating entrepreneurial ventures
Beekeeping a practical guide for Southern Africa by D Marchand & J
Marchand-Mayne
Allsopp, MH 2005 Commercial pollination of deciduous fruit a
564
pamphlet, obtainable from Fruitgro Science. Call 021 882 8470 or email
info@dfptresearch.co.za.
livestock
The South African Bee Journal (SABJ). Contact SABIO for details.
Bee Ware supplies a DVD, Practical Beginner Beekeeping training. Visit www.
beeware.co.za for details.
Find the two Info Paks on bees at www.daff.gov.za take the Publications
menu option. The first is Basic Beekeeping. The second is entitled Bee:
Capensis bee problem.
Find the Where to buy Beekeeping books option on www.satweb.co.za/
bees.
Kejafa Knowledge Works has publications on beekeeping. Visit www.kejafa.
co.za or call 011 025 4388 for the following:
Byeboerdery in Suid Afrika Anderson, Buys, Johannsmeier ISBN: 978-06204447-7
Storeys Guide to Keeping Honey Bees Sanford, Bonney ISBN: 978-160342-550-6
Find the publications, some available as a free download, at www.biobees.
com. The Barefoot Beekeeper, How to Build a Top Bar Hive and other titles.
Honey D Botha. ISSN: 0014-8482. This publication looks at the practice of
apiculture in South Africa and the cultivation of colonies of honeybees for
honey and beeswax production.
The Hive Bee Wilson John Murray IBSN 0 7195 65987
Find the literature on bees at http://bees.library.cornell.edu.
Dairy
Find also the dairy chapter in the agro-processing section
1. Overview
South Africas dairy industry compares favourably with the worlds top
dairy industries in farming methods and processing of dairy products.
Dairy farming occurs throughout South Africa with the highest
concentration being in the Eastern Free State, the KwaZulu-Natal
Midlands, the Eastern and Western Cape, and the southern parts of
Mpumalanga.
Holstein Friesians and Jerseys are the predominant breeds, followed by
Ayrshires, Guernseys and SA Dairy Swiss.
The number of milk producers in South Africa in 2013 is 2 200.
Processors and distributors of milk and milk products process milk
from the farmers and sell it to consumers nationwide.
Internationally the South African farmer still produces milk at one of the
lowest prices in the world.
Africa is responsible for only 1% of the worlds dairy output, and half of
that comes from South Africa.
Below, courtesy of the MPO, is a map giving the distribution of milk production.
Find Value-added products from beekeeping on the Food and Agriculture

Organisation (FAO) of the United Nations website, www.fao.org. This
volume is intended to improve the possibilities for diversification in
beekeeping activities.
Pollinators and Pollination: A resource book for policy and practice. Editors:
Connal Eardley, Dana Roth, Julie Clarke, Stephen Buchmann and Barbara
Gemmill (2006)
Forage zone overlay for google maps:

http://www.apiculture.co.za/map/map.html
http://www.apiculture.co.za/cgi-bin/map.pl
Use this tool to plot your apiary locations and discovery your honeybees
potential foraging zones.
Honey Bee Rescue & Removal

http://www.apiculture.co.za/honeybee-rescue.html
The URL is advertised in a number of magazines and allows end users
to request a honey bee removal. The removal is automatically entered
into the Apiculture SA honey bee rescue incident system, attended to by
beekeepers within SA.
Our gratitude to Mike Allsopp for valuable feedback on the draft chapter.

Emerging and developing markets are projected to account for more
than 60% of world output in 2020, compared to a 40% contribution by
advanced economies. Africa alone will see significant growth in liquid dairy
products consumption, which will climb from around 15 billion litres in
2010 to almost 25 billion litres in 2020.
The Tetra Pak Dairy Index is an annual report designed to help dairy
producers identify new opportunities for growth while offering all industry
watchers information on the latest facts, figures and trends related to the
global dairy industry. Find the report at www.tetrapak.com.
Source: 10-year African dairy boom, an article on www.bizcommunity.com
Websites which will help you:

Lacto Data provides the latest statistics on the dairy industry, including
breakdowns of imports and exports. Find it on www.mpo.co.za
www.dairyexpo.co.za the showcase of the dairy industry in the
SADC region.
www.fil-idf.org, website of the International Dairy Federation. See
also sister websites like www.idfdairynutrition.org and www.dairysustainability-initiative.org.
565
fas.usda.gov/currwmt.asp the Foreign Agricultural Service arm of the
US Department of Agriculture.

Lacto Data, a publication that can be downloaded at www.mpo.co.za, provides the
latest statistics on the dairy industry.
Low producer prices, at a time when input prices are rising steadily, remain
a cause for concern. Milk buyers show little interest in encouraging a
sustainable dairy farming sector. And while producer prices have decreased
since 2009, input prices increase sharply.
Maize prices increased by 80% and soya prices by 26%, resulting in a
61% increase in concentrate prices.
The milk:feed price ratio (an important indicator of dairy profitability)
has weakened to its lowest level since the beginning of 2010.
Fertiliser prices increased by between 23% and 39% from September
2010 and the diesel price increased by 26%.
Farmers were paying 73% more for electricity and this figure is
climbing!
This combination of lower producer and higher input prices puts serious
pressure on milk producers and limits any chances of higher production.
Source: Dr Koos Coetzee, chief economist at the MPO, comparing stats at the end of
2011/beginning of 2012 with those of 2008.
The dairy industry in South Africa operates under free market principles,
which results in subsidised dairy imports from European countries and the
USA. This too puts enormous pressure on local producers.
Dairy producers have a number of marketing opportunities:
Sell direct to consumers. Producers can build a sound relationship
with local customers.
Sell to a retailer e.g. a small caf or supermarket
Sell to a processor.
Value adding through processing (see the Dairy processing chapter
in the Value Add section of this directory)
Value adding through packaging. Put milk or other product in
attractive and functional packaging.
4. A note on fly control

It is common knowledge that flies can reduce feed intake on dairy farms
where proper fly control is not in place. A drop in milk production up to
35% is possible when flies are not controlled. They also spread diseases
like mastitis from cow to cow. It pays to invest in a yearly fly control
programme!
Avoid the build up of manure and bedding material, and fix water troughs
that leak water. These are ideal breed areas for the flies to multiply in their
millions!
Solutions for flies:
Bio-Fly (Pty) Ltd Cell: 083 601 7221 www.biofly.co.za
Bio-insectaries SA (BISA) Tel: 042 286 0978 www.bioinsectsa.com
Plant Health Products Tel/fax: 033 266 6130 www.plant-health.co.za
5. Milk recording
The benefits of participating in the milk recording scheme
Milk recording is of utmost importance not only to the individual farmer, but
also to the entire dairy industry.
Milk recording provide the farmer with up-to date information on
milk yield and milk composition (fat and protein %, lactose, Urea and
somatic cell counts). This information provides the basis for informed
herd management and profitability.
It increases herd profitability through maximising genetic
improvement.
It helps the farmer maintain low herd somatic cell count by monitoring
individual cow SCC and taking appropriate action in time.
It creates the possibility of corrective pairing.
Producers who join a scheme get an increase in the value of their
animals (buyers are inclined to pay more for animals where additional
information such as performance test results and breeding values is
available.
Joining a scheme
Participation does not require exceptional skills. The farmer only needs to
keep basic records such as the testing date. Since not all farmers can afford
the time and/or manpower to do milk recording, ARC technicians/milk
recorders can do the test for you. The farmer pays for the delivery and
testing of the samples, the control and maintenance of standards and the
processing of the data.
In addition to the ARC, SA Stud Book and Dairy Express (linked to SA Holstein) also
run milk recording schemes.
566
Competition Commission
Tel: 012 394 3200
www.compcom.co.za
Tel: 012 395 8000
www.doh.gov.za
Agriskills Transfer
Tel: 012 460 9585
www.agriskills.net
Animal Production
Tel: 012 319 7493 / 7662
International Trade
Administration Commission
(Itac)
Tel: 012 394 3688
Trade remedies 012 394 3600
Tariff investifations 012 394 3720
www.itac.org.za
Institute (ARC-API)
Annetjie Loubser 012 672 9153
www.arc.agric.za
Agricultural Product Inspection

Services (APIS)
Tel: 012 319 6504
Tel: 012 319 7306
Development Institute
Tel: 049 842 1113
Itacs core business is to create

an enabling environment for
fair trade through customs tariff
investigations, trade remedies and
import and export control.

Council (NAMC)
Find information on the different Tel: 012 341 1115
directorates under the Divisions www.namc.co.za
menu option at www.daff.gov.za.
Milk SA
Tel: 012 460 7312
www.milksa.co.za
The Members of Milk SA comprise
the Milk Producers Organisation
(MPO) and the SA Milk Processors
Organisation (SAMPRO). Find
details of SAMPRO in the Dairy
processing chapter.
Milk Producers Organisation
(MPO)
Tel: 012 843 5600
www.mpo.co.za
The MPO is a voluntary, democratic organisation which act as

the mouthpiece for commercial
and emerging dairy farmers
(approximately 84% of dairy
farmers belong to the MPO).
It is established as a non-profit
company, in terms of section 21 of
the Company Act.
Contact details of management in
the provincial branches, events and
news by province and nationally
can be found at www.mpo.co.za.
MPOSA Holdings was established in 2001 as the holding company for

the MPO and its affiliates. MPOSA has seven independent affiliates that
it supervises. They are:
MPO Milk Producers Organisation.
Agri Inspec The countrys most important forensic monitoring
business in the agricultural sector. Initially it focused on stopping
the illegal import of dairy products, but since 1998 it has benefited
other business commodities including poultry, red meat, plant oils
and sugar with its services. Visit www.agriinspec.co.za.
AgriBonus A benefits programme for South African farmers. See
www.agribonus.co.za.
Agri Connect The MPOs publication and media company. See
www.agriconnect.co.za.
Agri Travel & Tours A travel bureau which specialize in the
agriculture. Agri Travel & Tours can organise agricultural tours to any
possible country in the world and also bring tours to South Africa.
Visit www.agrivia.co.za.
The MPO Institute for Dairy Technology Provides new, relevant
information to the farmer about the latest technology in the dairy
industry. Its services are also available to other livestock industries.
See www.mpo.co.za/institute-for-dairy-technology.html
Cendel The Centre for Producer Development is responsible
for the organising of courses for dairy farmers, as well as the
management of the mentorship programme of the MPO. Visit www.
mpo.co.za/cendel.html.
The dairy unit also offers facilities

for research to all stakeholders in
the dairy industry. Individual feed
intake and milk production can be
recorded for research purposes.
The dairy unit also provides
opportunities for hands on training
in all aspects of dairy farming. A
three-day course which deals with
Dairy Management is run at Irene.
Fort Hare Dairy Trust (FHDT)
Jeff Every 040 653 0972
Leonard Mavhungu 082 795
7455
www.amadlelo.co.za
FHDT is a partnership between
white farmers from the Tsitsikamma
and Underberg areas through
their company Amadlelo Agri and
the University of Fort Hare. It
provides hands-on training to black
farmers from around the country.
Four Lakes
Tel: 021 557 0606
www.fourlakes.co.za
Agriculture and Environment and
Cedara offer a small-scale dairying
course in Zulu, Dairy Production
(basic and advanced) and Dairy
Processing. Find contact details
for all Agricultural Colleges in
training chapter.
Department: Food Science
Tel: 021 808 3578
Tel: 040 602 2232 / 2323
www.ufh.ac.za
Grassland Sciences
Tel: 051 401 2211
Tel: 051 401 3765
Biotechnology
Tel: 051 401 2396
Tel: 051 443 9011
Suppliers of quality animal health

and dairy herd management
products
Tel: 033 260 5808
Milk SA Training and
www.ukzn.ac.za
Development
Tel: 012 460 7312
This group facilitates the entire of Natural and Agricultural
training process, supplies the Sciences
learning material, and assesses the Department of Animal and Wildlife
learners competence takes out Sciences
all the bureaucracy on your behalf. Tel: 012 420 4018
They have a booklet on their
courses which gives a list of their Economics, Extension and Rural
unit standards and learnerships.
Development
Tel: 012 420 3251
MPO Institute for Dairy
Technology and Centre for
Department of Microbiology and
Producer Development
Plant Pathology
(CenDel)
Tel: 012 420 4100
Tel: 012 843 5600
www.mpo.co.za
The aim here is to keep farmers Department of Production Animal
farming, keeping the farmer on Studies
his farm, and putting him in the Tel: 012 529 8448 / 013
position to make money.
The Provincial Departments of
Agriculture work closely with the
Agricultural Colleges to present
short courses on Dairy Production,
often in an African language e.g. the
567
See also the dairy chapter in the Agro-processing section.
Agri Bio Equipment and Solutions Tel: 021 979 3180 www.agribio.
co.za
Akshan Consulting Tel: 011 466 8763/4 www.ashkan.co.za (dairy
hygiene)
Amadlelo Agri is an empowerment company driven by the expertise
of 70 dairy farmers from the Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal. Call
041 379 4800 or visit www.amadlelo.co.za.
AXXON/MILKING Tel: 011 837 7177 / 6 (install and supply large and
small milking parlours plus spares)
BALIMI BONKE supply and refurbish milking parlours. Call 083 736
2638 or write to balimibonke@webmail.co.za.
Cairnbrogie Dairy purifies milk using the SurePure photopurification
technology and sold directly to retailers. Phone 044 533 9163 or visit
www.cairnbrogie.co.za.
Central Milk Tel: 013 246 1094 www.centralmilk.com
Delaval supplies all products required by farmers to run a dairy
operation. Phone 031 792 9800 and see www.delaval.com.
Den Vet supplies various products for the dairy e.g. milk liners,
Kenotest, Denvet Dairy Wipes. Find the Dairy Parlour check list and
notes on mineral deficiency on the website. Visit www.denvet.co.za or
phone 033 345 1093.
Farm Smart are consultants. See www.farmsmart.co.za or call 082
784 6232.
Dairy is one area in which Futuregrowth Agri Fund invests. Visit
www.futuregrowth.co.za.
GEA Farm Technologies Tel: 082 829 4284 www.gea-farmtechnologies.
com
Gerrie du Preez is an independent dairy cattle broker. Visit www.
investindairycattle.co.za or phone 082 302 7883.
For heavy-duty anti-slip matting, contact Global Splicing Technology
at 011 363 1348. Their website is www.globalsplicing.co.za.
Guth SA Tel: 011 477 4923 www.guth.co.za (dairy equipment, pumps,
valves)
Interfab Tel: 011 477 5124 or 041 453 3944 www.interfab.co.za
Kwikelec Tel: 041 365 7394 (installation of dairy farm, processing
included, equipment)
Lactolabs main focus is the analyses of raw milk for milk buyers as well
as for milk recording purposes. See www.lactolab.co.za.
Mbisi is the acronym for the Milk Management Information System
Incorporated and is jointly hosted by the Agricultural Research
Council (ARC), the MPO and the genetics company, Taurus. Call them
at 012 667 1122.
Melkboer Dienste Tel: 011 949 1162 www.melkboerdienste.co.za
Midlands Milk Tel: 039 834 1405 www.midlandsmilk.co.za
Milk-Pro Tel: 011 566 2022 www.milk-pro.com
NIQL is one of the role players in the Milk Recording Scheme. Phone
012 672 9111.
NutriCo SA Tel: 011 392 4072 www.nutrico.co.za
Overberg Melkery Toerusting Tel: 028 514 2402
Packo RSA Tel: 058 852 4907 http://packorsa.co.za (contact details
of dealers across the country and in Namibia can be found on the
website).
Southern African Milk Co-operative Ltd (SAMILCO) Tel: 021 880
0256 www.samelko.co.za
Streamline Milking Services Tel: 022 482 1568 / 083 456 4846
Strydom Melkmasjiene Tel: 051 522 7405 / 082 784 5138
Tammac Consultants Tel: 039 834 1405 www.tammac.co.za
Taurus Tel: 012 667 1122 www.taurus.co.za
Total Pipeline Industries supplies Dairymaster milking systems. Call
028 722 1371 and visit www.dairymaster.com.

The Dairy Mail is a monthly publication for dairy farmers. Call 012 843 5600
or visit www.dairyconnect.co.za. Also find the AgriBooks menu option
on this website. Publications include Vaccines and immunisation of farm
animals (Drs Jan du Preez and Faffa Malan), and Udder health (Dr IngeMari Petzer).
The Dairy Mail team has also launched Dairymail Africa. Visit www.
dairymailafrica.co.za to find out more.
Contact the ARC-API at 012 672 9111 for the following publications:
Dairy cattle feeding and management (complete set of Bulletins, available
in Afrikaans or English)
Dairy herd improvement in South Africa
publications, available from the ARC-IAE in Silverton:
Handleiding oor melkbeesfasiliteite
Dairy cattle facilities manual
Lae-koste melkverkoeling
Small-scale milking shed
Kleinskaalse melkstal
Manure handling in intensive animal production units, written by HT Breedt,
edited and revised by F Cilliers, is also available from the ARC in Silverton. In
its treatment of dairy cattle, this invaluable book looks at the dairy building,
housing facilities and the design of flushing systems for dairy housing.
Kejafa Knowledge Works has numerous livestock publications including
Getting Started with Beef and Dairy Cattle, Dairy Cattle Manual and Natural
Cattle Care. Visit www.kejafa.co.za or call 011 025 4388.
Find the Dairy Market Value Chain Profile: 2010-2011 document under the
Publications and Agricultural Marketing options at www.daff.gov.za.
The excellent Agricultural Marketing Extension publications are under the
General publications option. Training Paper No. 6 covers dairy marketing.
Under the Info Paks option on the same website find Guidelines for
handmilking procedures and Rules for clean handmilking.
If you cant afford to buy more dairy cattle, you can rent them for a monthly
fee. Alternatively, earn a passive income by investing in dairy cattle - www.
investindairycattle.co.za.
The International Dairy Federation (IDF) has produced several publications
aimed at improving environmental performance. Find IDF bulletin 436/2009
Environmental / Ecological Impact of the Dairy Sector at its website, www.filidf.org. South Africa hosted the IDFs 2012 World Dairy Summit.
Sources for the chapter: Milk Producers Organisation; Lacto Data Statistics
November 2011; Agricultural Marketing Extension. Training Paper No. 6 Department
of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (DAFF); correspondence to this project by the
Animal Production directorate at DAFF.
568
livestock
Donkeys
1. Overview
Donkeys can play a vital role in the economy. As a result of the droughts
the number of donkeys used for cultivation and transport has increased
dramatically. In the southern part of Africa donkey use is on the increase and
liable to remain at high levels for the foreseeable future.
Donkeys are utilised throughout the country for a variety of reasons
such as transport on farms, rural villages and everyday water and supplies
collection, and ploughing. Recently their value in guarding sheep and goats
has reduced the need for other forms of predator control 1.
Donkeys are pretty optimal because:
They are cheap to buy and have a long life (~ 50 years).
Kilogram-for-kilogram, they produce more work than oxen.
Kilogram-for-kilogram, they eat and drink much less than oxen, and eat
particularly low quality vegetation.
They are outstandingly easy to train and handle.
They have a fairly low centre of gravity and pull from a point not too
high from the ground.
Their hoofs, being without points, do minimal damage to soils.
Advantages
friendly towards humans
willing to work
can turn in a small space
easy to train
need little supervision in work
can utilise poor food well
need little water
not affected much by external
parasites
less impact on soils than cattle
or machines
can survive well in tsetse areas
can survive droughts better
than cattle
comparatively cheap to buy
strong relative to size
live/work long years in
good care
milk good for humans,
especially babies
useful for calming, training and
guarding other kinds of animal
work better in pairs with a
friend
A responsive donkey will be very watchful and, although allowing a

stranger to come quite close in an open field, will be prompt in backing
away from any strange movement.
An Excitable donkey will run, probably kicking its heels in the air, when
seeing a stranger in an open field.
A donkey is obedient if it knows the commands, responds to them
quickly and does not need to have them repeated.
Moving 1 km under 5 minutes is FAST for a donkey, and it cannot be
expected to go much further than 1 km at this speed.
A donkey that walks more slowly than a human being is TOO SLOW.
A donkey is AGILE if it can turn in a space only a little wider than itself
and climb up and down steps at least 50cm high; if it cannot do these
things, it is CLUMSY.
Some important considerations:
Bearing in mind that donkeys separated from their friends are liable to
suffer and, at the very last, give trouble, it is wise to choose donkeys in
pairs, i.e. pairs of friends.
A female must not be separated from her foal before it is about a
year old and certainly not before she has weaned it herself otherwise
behavioural problems might be caused in both mother and foal.
Not to be forgotten, when a donkey is bought, is its name. If the
previous owner has a name for the donkey, then this indicates that
the donkey has probably received good treatment, and most probably
some good training. As a buyer, you will need to use the donkeys
original name so as to establish a good relationship with it.
What is the difference between a donkey and a mule?
A mule is a donkey-horse hybrid: the mother a horse, the father a donkey.
The disadvantage of size in a donkey can be overcome if mules are bred.
Mules are just about as strong as horses, but have the disease resistance
and willingness to work that donkeys have. The great disadvantage of mules
is that they are not fertile, and only extremely rarely can breed further
mules.
Disadvantages
suffer from being alone
noisy when frustrated or lonely
friends not easily separate
uncastrated males aggressive
towards other donkeys
skin easily wounded
tendency to wander long
distances if not supervised
tendency not to move out of the
way of traffic
need shelter from cold and
damp
produce only enough milk for
own young, no extra
comparatively small in size
mature slowly
breed slowly
manure more fibrous than
nutritious
Although donkey transport has been in place in South Africa for over 400
years, the animal responsible for its success and sustainability has been
ignored and worse. Using sound economic-based research, it can be
shown that one donkey can bring in a profit of more than R3000.00 a
month if it is used for less than 10 days a month, using current income
and cost factors.
As Dr Peta Jones points out under heading 6, the very worst kind of
cart for donkeys is the one most common in South Africa: two wheels,
giving balance problems, and one shaft, giving hitching problems (hitching
is the way the animal is connected to what it operates). It is important for
donkey health and efficiency to overcome these problems.
Carts have been designed so that they are safe for passengers, but
ergonomically efficient so a single human student (who weighs about
half of the 150kg that is the weight of an average donkey) can pull the
single donkey cart with 2 students on board, with ease! Two students can
pull the 4 wheel cart with six students on board with no real effort.
Contact Prof McCrindle for more information (see heading 9 for details).
2. Donkeys, transport and the environment

Source: P Jones
Ways of Judging a Donkeys Temperament

A donkey with its ears pointed forward is interested and willing to
participate.
A donkey with its ears back is frightened, angry or too excited and can
easily behave badly.
A donkey with a calm temperament would, in an open field, allow a
strange human (or donkey) to come quite close before moving away,
and when it moves, it will move slowly.
1. Not all donkeys make good livestock guards because there are significant behavioural
differences between individuals. Also, A donkeys behaviour may be unpredictable
during oestrus, or when ewes are lambing or rams are working, as donkeys are able to
sense behavioural changes in these animals.
The transport of donkeys is problematic because they do not respond

well to being put in lorries often dying in transit and cannot always
cope with the different vegetation in new environments. (See more
under Nutrition and Transport in the heading to follow). The best
place to buy donkeys is locally, and the best way to transport them is
to walk them.
Where soils are concerned, donkeys are light, hoofs small and cause
less compaction than larger animals such as cattle or horses and of
course tractors and trucks. Where vegetation is concerned, donkeys
have relatively low feed requirements compared to cattle and horses
and because they are very selective, will leave many plants and grasses
alone, preferring to journey long distances in search of what they
like rather than to stay in one place and eat everything. Because this
helps them survive droughts so well, they are often the only animal
survivors of droughts. Some people blame them for the bareness of
the landscape whereas in fact they are simply the survivors, existing
where few other animals can.
569
3. Donkeys and nutrition

Daily rations for a working donkey. (Working donkey is a 200300kg donkey carrying 25-70 kg load at 4 km/hr, 6 hrs/day), to be given
in the morning, and then the same amount again in the evening:
- 500g grain (e.g. maize, sorghum) coarsely ground FOLLOWED BY
- 2.5 kg chaff (i.e. waste matter from winnowing sorghum or millet)
or groundnut shells. Some chaff can be replaced with hay or straw
(dry grass).
A general rule of thumb is that a donkey should be provided daily with
straw or hay equalling 5% of its bodyweight, even though it may only
eat about half of this. If a donkey is working and has no opportunity to
graze, specific daily amounts are recommended (see above).
Old donkeys which cannot easily use their teeth should be allowed to
have finely ground grain and chaff, in slightly lesser quantities if they
are not working. Young, pregnant or lactating donkeys may require
another half a kilogram of grain. A resting donkey which cannot graze
and has to be given food needs about 1kg less than a working one.
Although donkeys do not have a rumen, they make very good use of
the cellulose in plants by means of a specialised part of their colon, and
require a high proportion of such roughage. On the other hand, an
excess of proteins can actually be harmful to donkeys, so if supplements
are provided, these must be especially selected for a donkeys own
digestive needs. Cattle supplements will not do, and horse supplements
must be used with caution.
Nosebag for supplementary feeding while

at work or away from
home. A net instead of a
bag, and fitted well over
muzzle, can be used to
prevent a donkey taking
supplementary feed for
itself when working among
crops.
Food industries in some countries produce a supplementary food for

horses in large pellets, known as horse cubes. These can quite safely
be given to donkeys, who like them very much. However, it should
always be borne in mind that donkeys need more fibre and less protein
in their diets than horses do. They are not simply small horses, as they
are quite different in many ways.
Even when well fed, donkeys will often seek out their own supplements
if they have the opportunity. This is because of the different individual
requirements of each donkey. They will search rubbish heaps and
poultry runs for tidbits, but should really be prevented from doing so.
They might take in substances harmful to their digestion, like plastic
and meatmeal. Also, they might over-eat, or eat decaying food with
poisonous bacteria or fungi.
Sometimes it could be minerals that donkeys are looking for. Salt blocks
or licks, as well as calcium and phosphorous in powder form (the
most important ones) can sometimes be obtained from farm suppliers.
A WARNING: Urea is poisonous to donkeys in large enough quantities,
and is sometimes included in cattle licks.
An occasional supplement which provides minerals and can also help
with constipation, is molasses. Because it is sweet and could rot their
teeth, donkeys should not be encouraged to have it too often or in
large quantities. However, it is very good for their health and they
love it. Mixed with their evening tidbit to bring them home, it has a
powerful effect.
Supplementary feed should be provided in clean containers that cannot
easily be knocked over by donkeys and there should be sufficient
containers that the donkeys do not need to fight for priority. If there is
one thing that really interests a donkey above all else, it is food.
One way to ensure that a donkey has enough to eat is to provide at least
the fibre component in the form of hay cut dried grass or the smaller
stalks of grain available in the night enclosure in a hay net. It is one
thing that will draw the donkey home at night, but should not simply be
scattered on the floor. Nets of wide mesh can be made which can be
hung from poles or walls, and the nimble mouths of donkeys can easily
take out what they want.
Crop Residues available as Supplements

Such residues piled in a yard that donkeys occupy can serve as supplementary
feed through the dry season. If mouldy, however, they can harm donkeys. A
haynet holding 6kg straw daily ration for one donkey can easily be made
of rope, to be kept away from damp and raised and lowered as required.
Nutrition and Transport
Donkeys cannot easily be transported in lorries and trucks in the way
that cattle and sheep are, and it is necessary for those selling and buying
donkeys to be aware of this. Too often, donkeys will die a couple of
days after reaching their destination. This could be for a number of
reasons, one of which could be separation from friends, another the
sheer terror of the journey. Both of these contribute to a nervous
reduction in a donkeys blood sugar levels. A period without food will
also contribute to this; it has to be remembered that donkeys digest
food more rapidly than ruminants like cattle, sheep and goats and
must therefore eat more regularly. In normal circumstances a couple
of days without food might not kill a donkey, but a stressed donkey is
a different matter. A donkey suffering from fear or any other nervous
upset is also likely not to want to eat, and the problem can thus be
compounded. The anxiety may also cause diarrhoea and this too will
stress a donkeys digestive system as well as dehydrate it.
Just by itself, the drop in blood sugar level can be fatal, but this can
be prevented if the donkeys are given a glucose injection immediately
before the journey begins. That then leaves other things to be dealt
with: physical damage caused by other donkeys and the vehicle, the
effect on the donkeys behaviour, and also dehydration.
It is far better, and probably cheaper too, to have donkeys driven on
foot across country than to have them taken in a motor vehicle. It may
be slower, but it has a less disastrous effect on donkeys.
4. Donkeys and work

Effective utilisation of donkeys requires a technology that matches the
animals size, shape and abilities. Donkeys in sub-Saharan Africa are
used increasingly for packing, carting and tillage, all of which demand
different technologies. The technology needed for draft applications
is less well established but requires consideration. This is especially
important as donkeys are increasingly being obliged to take on the
role of oxen even to the extent of working with traditional ox-drawn
equipment, which can damage donkeys. Elsewhere they have taken
over from horses, but even so they may often require different
equipment.
To specify what technology and equipment is appropriate for donkeys,
the characteristics of the power unit (i.e. the donkey) must be defined.
Detailed information in the literature is sparse and possibly suspect.
However, a typical African donkey weighs about 140kg. It has a
sustainable draft capacity equal to about 17% of this live weight, or 240280 N draft force (dependent on the specific task being performed).
It walks at about 0.7 metres per second while working and can sustain
this output for 3-4 hours per day. Such a typical sub-Saharan donkey
therefore can develop 170-200 W of sustainable power and perform
1.8-2.8 MJ of work in a day. If implements or carts require more energy
input than this, they will not be appropriate for single donkeys.
Similarly, common donkey carts in southern Africa weigh 250kg. With
a small 100 kg payload, a single donkey could only pull this cart if the
road were flat.
What needs to be avoided is the system in common use, adopted
from horse technology, whereby the front end of the shaft is suspended
from the animals necks by means of straps attached to a horizontal
transverse pole shared by the two animals. Especially in the case of
two-wheeled carts rather than four-wheeled wagons, load imbalance
generally means that much of the cartload is transferred through
the shaft onto the draft animals. If the traces are too short, this load
comes directly onto the donkeys necks rather than their withers, and
donkeys necks are less strong than those of horses and can suffer
damage. If the traces are too long, the load may be on the withers but
the animal ends up exerting pulling force not through the harness but
on the transverse bar which depending on the length of the straps
can hit against its neck or the tops of its legs and can cause damage
through not being designed for the purpose of being pushed to move
the horizontal weight of the cart.
570
5. Donkey First Aid
Copper Sulphate ( Blue Stone) Bath:
Orphaned foals
If a foals mother dies, and there is no other mother available, or one
cannot be persuaded to adopt it (by covering the foal with salt to
encourage mother-licking), then of first importance is to find a suitable
other animal, not necessarily a donkey, to keep it company 24 hours a
day.
It should of course be kept warm and dry, and have plenty of soft places
where it can lie down to sleep.
Foals have teeth and will start tasting plants and gradually eating them
from the time that they are only a few days old. However, they will not
survive without plenty of milk, and they should have this for at least 6
months.
The recommended mixture for donkeys is very close to human formulae
i.e. 375ml cows milk + 125ml water + 1 tablespoon brown sugar.
Feed this, warmed to blood temperature, every 3 hours to a young
donkey out of a suckling bottle.
One advantage of donkeys is that they suffer very little from diseases and
pests. Intestinal helminths and ticks can, however, affect their work and
shorten their lives and so regular treatment or environmental control should
be part of good husbandry.
This method remains one of the most effective control techniques. To 2

litres of water, add 225ml (11 tablespoons or 45 teaspoons) copper sulphate
and 27ml (5-6 teaspoons) vinegar and/or citric acid. This bath should be
used on each affected foot for about 5 minutes every other day. If all else
fails, this should work. A good technique is to use a section of inner tube
to hold the solution in contact with the foot. Slip the tube half its length up
the leg and pour in a cup or so of the solution and fold the rest up around
the pastern. It can be secured with a soft rope or rubber catapult.. The
donkey is then walked around for a while. The walking action forces the
solution up into the affected area. Be sure to keep the pH of your solution
around 4 or a little higher with this method since it will come into constant
agitated contact with the skin. You can adjust the pH upward with baking
soda (sodium bicarbonate).
The advantage of this is that it can be mixed and kept stored indefinitely.
Even if it evaporates, it can be reconstituted with water, but it is better to
keep it from evaporating.
6. The donkey cart

The very worst kind of cart for donkeys is the one most common in South
Africa: two wheels, giving balance problems, and one shaft, giving hitching
problems (hitching is the way the animal is connected to what it operates). It
is important for donkey health and efficiency to overcome these problems.
CHEAP, EASY AND KIND TO DONKEYS: Harnessing to a singleshaft cart

What you will need:
Problems to watch out for are:

hoof and leg problems from neglectful use
harness wounds
snake and other predator attack
respiratory ailments from poor housing in cold and wet conditions
eye irritations which, if not treated, can result in blindness
Item
Item
One shaft, at least 1

2m long from front of
loadbed. Two hitching
points (hooks or rings):
above shaft, at front
end,
pulling point under
shaft just in front of
loadbed.
Wheels
as
large
as
possible.
Tyres
pneumatic as possible.
Springs
if
possible
(Sketch design available
on request)
Donkeys
In good condition,
especially their legs and
feet.
Harnesses
No sharp cutting edges

or wire. Must fit the
donkey wearing it, so
preferably adjustable.
Various materials
possible, but must be:
strong, easy to clean,
preferably absorbent
(Design available on
request)
Swingle and evener sets
Made of light, strong,

rigid material (metal or
wood). Each swingle
connected to evener
by two chain links.
Swingles long enough
so that traces move
clear of donkey body.
Purpose
Initial cleaning of wounds or injection site, also
cleaning of application stick
Cotton wool (in disks Initial cleaning of wounds or injection site, etc.
or balls)
Solution of salt in spray Initial cleaning of wounds, even treating wounds
bottle
or washing of eyes
Solution of bicarbonate Washing of eyes in case of cobra attack
of soda in spray bottle
Purple wound spray
Treatment of septic-looking wounds after

cleaning
Vaseline
For skin complaints, including ticks and wounds

already healing
Stockholm tar
Covering cleaned wounds
Application stick
For covering sites with Stockholm tar
Large nail
For cleaning out hoofs and removing embedded

objects
Small hacksaw
For trimming hoofs
Hoof Wall Disease and some other causes of lameness

When a donkey is lame and the problem is clearly in the hoof, it is sometimes
difficult to know exactly what is wrong. Fungal infections within the hoof
wall can occur, which are very painful for the animal and can be transmitted
to others. There are treatments which can be tried because they are often
effective. The following is considered to be tried and true:
Quantity
Cart
Some First Aid:
Methylated spirits
Description
571
Traces
Preferably chains, 4m. 4

Each 2m maximum
Strong carbon steel (to (as

take force)S-shaped can required)
link traces to swingles, if
not fixed, and eveners
to cart, if not fixed.Cshaped, if not already
fixed to harnesses, to
link harnesses to traces.
Hooks
Fitting it all together, step by step
Step
1
What you do
Hook swingle sets to
front and back hooks on
cart. Fix traces/chains
between swingles,
keeping them straight
and tight.
Put two harnesses

on each donkey, one
for chest and one for
backside.
With end of disselboom/

shaft on the ground, put
donkeys into position
between the traces,
clear of front and back
swingles (when donkeys
are accustomed, they do
this on voice command).
On both sides of each
donkey (easy to lean
over): pull up traces to
hook tight to harnesses.
Front harness hooks to
back. Back harness hooks
to front. (This is a little
easier if someone lifts the
disselboom/shaft). Slack
chain remains between
the hooks.
Stand back and check:
Disselboom/shaft far
enough from ground
at front (if not, then
tighten traces more with
hooks). Donkey front
and back far enough
from swingles so no
contact when moving
(if not, unhook and
reposition donkey, then
re-hook).
READY TO GO! Donkey
comfort and efficiency
assured.
Animal Traction Network for Eastern and Southern Africa

(ATNESA) www.atnesa.org. Various publications and organisations
worldwide (dealing with donkeys) are mentioned. The ATNESA contacts
menu option includes details for contacts in Zimbabwe, Kenya, Malawi,
Namibia, Tanzania, Ethiopia, Zambia, and the UK.
www.kendat.org Kenya Network for the Dissemination of
Agricultural Technologies
www.thedonkeysanctuary.org.uk UK Donkey Sanctuary works
worldwide
www.spana.org Society for the Protection of Animals Abroad
(SPANA)
www.ifrtd.org The International Forum for Rural Transport and
Development
www.thebrooke.org an overseas equine welfare charity based in the
UK.
What it looks like

From top:
(NB These can stay in place

permanently)
2
Strategy varies from province to province, and also involves the Department
of Transport notably in Limpopo and North West and the South
African Bureau of Standards as regards donkey carts.
Find information on, and contact details of, the different Directorates of the
Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (DAFF) at www.daff.gov.
za.
9. Role players
Find details of the Highveld Horse Care Unit, the Eastern Cape Horse Care
Unit and the Cart Horse Protection Association Clinic & Training Centre in the
chapter on horses. These groups are very much involved with donkeys too.
Animals in Distress
Tel: 011 466 0261 / 083 640 8822
animals@animalsindistress.org.za
www.animalsindistress.org.za
Tel: 012 842 4000
SimalengaT@arc.agric.za
stoltzg@arc.agric.za
Institute (ARC-API)
Rain Gerhard
Tel: 012 672 9111 / 9086
nhavenga@arc.agric.za
De Rust Donkey Project
Tel: 044 241 2231
moonbeams@odn.co.za
Eseltjiesrus Donkey Sanctuary

Tel: 023 625 1593
www.donkeysanctuary.co.za
The vision of the sanctuary is to
promote the welfare of all donkeys
and to provide permanent refuge
and care for abused, neglected and
elderly donkeys in the Western
Cape.
Madzivhandila College of
Agriculture
Tel: 015 962 7200
Makana and Ndlambe Donkey
Equine & Livestock Association
Alexis Olds 084 511 3900
alexisolds22@gmail.com
National Council of SPCAs:

Helping local communities with Farm Unit
equipment and donkey care to Tel: 011 907 3590
offer donkey-based tourism
www.nspca.co.za
Donkey Power Facilitation and
Consultancy
Dr Peta Jones
Tel: 083 817 6047 / 083 686 7539
asstute@lantic.net
The NSPCA provides training and

equipment to donkey owners
throughout South Africa. Old,
worn,
inappropriate,
broken
bridles and harnesses are removed
and replaced with correct fitting
Advice on the management of and and appropriate equipment.
making equipment for donkeys, and
participatory training for owners, If warranted, local veterinarians /
handlers and extension workers is
state veterinarians are called upon
provided.
to castrate stallions, often at the
NSPCAs expense. These outreach
programmes are performed in rural
572
areas where resources are either University of the Free State

unobtainable locally or owners do Department of Zoology &
Entomology
not have the funds.
Prof OB Kok
South African Network for Tel: 051 401 2427
Kokob@ufs.ac.za
Dr Bruce Joubert
Tel: 040 602 2125 / 082 200 1234 University of Pretoria
Veterinary Faculty at
AJoubert@ufh.ac.za
Onderstepoort
www.sanat.org.za
Prof C McCrindle
This group organises meetings and Tel: 012 529 8000
keeps a directory of South African www.veterinary.up.ac.za
stakeholders in animal traction,
Research has been conducted on
including donkeys.
the internal parasites of donkeys,
and they are now actively involved
in donkey castration and other
donkey care techniques, and
designing donkey carts, wagons
Dr S Matthee
Tel: 021 808 4777
and harnesses.
smatthee@sun.ac.za
Wheel and Water
Research has been conducted on Tel: 021 422 1699 / 082 925 3892
the internal parasites (worms) and http://wheelandwater.co.za
their control in donkeys.
Harnessing Africas Animal Power
to unlock Africas people power
The Donkey Trail
Tel: 083 628 9394
www.donkeytrail.com
Universal Wellbeing see Wheel
and Water
Department of Industrial Design
Chris Bradnum (Design Group
Leader Animal Drawn Carts)
Tel: 011 559 1387
cbradnum@uj.ac.za

Find the many articles, anecdotes, photographs etc at www.donkeypower.
donkecology.com.
Visit www.sanat.org.za, website of the South African Network for Animal
Traction. Publications are available from here e.g. The donkey in South Africa:
myths and misconceptions by Paul Starkey.
Download the publications in pdf format at www.sanat.org.za.
See the blog at www.donkecology.com.
Donkeys for Development. Jones, PA. ATNESA/ARC/Donkey Power.

ISBN 0-620-22177-1. This small handbook designed for resourcepoor rural donkey owners covers everything from choosing and buying
donkeys, through their life-cycle and nutritional and veterinary needs,
to equipment-making and donkey training in a mere 160 pages with
plenty of photographs and diagrams. An updated version on CD (along
with PowerPoint presentations on donkey use) is also available. These
are obtainable from Donkey Power CC. Contact Peta at 083 817 6047
/ 083 686 7539 or by emailing asstute@lantic.net.
Care and Use of Working Donkeys, an educational booklet, is available
at www.daff.gov.za. Take the Publications and Info Paks menu options.
Find Animal traction: care and use of working donkeys on the listing.
This publication can also be obtained from the Resource Centre
(012 319 7141) or from the National Council of SPCAs (NSPCA) at
011 907 3590. A revised version is also available electronically from
asstute@lantic.net.
There are many documents available on www.atnesa.org (find the
Documents by country and region menu option). South African titles
include Profitability of using animal traction under small holder farming
conditions in Eastern Cape, South Africa (TE Simalenga, A Belete, NA
Mseleni and LL Jongisa), Extension methods for improving the welfare
of traction animals (Cheryl ME McCrindle and Limakatso E Moorosi),
Response to demand: meeting farmers need for donkeys in southern
Africa (Peta A Jones), Animal traction in South Africa: overview of the
key issues (Paul Starkey, Funiwe Jaiyesimi-Njobe and Dirk Hanekom)
etc.
Other works include:
Fielding, D, & P Krause, 1998. Donkeys. London: Macmillan ISBN 033-62750-4
Hutchins, B, P Hutchins & L Patton, 1999. The definitive donkey (2nd
edn). Texas: Hee-Haw Book Service. ISBN 0-9659312-0-X
James, M & Jones, P, 2007. Care and use of working donkeys. Fort Hare:
South African Network for Animal Traction and National Council of
SPCAs. (Available electronically f rom asstute@lantic.net)
Svendsen, ED, J Duncan and D Hadrill (eds), 2008. The professional
handbook of the donkey (4th edn). Yatesbury, UK: Whittet Books. ISBN
13 978-1-873580-68-4
Unless stated otherwise, the information in this chapter is from Dr

Peta Jones. Contact her at asstute@lantic.net.
573
Other role players
livestock
Gamebirds, waterfowl and other
poultry
1. Gamebirds
Not only have gamebirds played a major role in human survival throughout
ancient history, but all domestic turkeys and chickens also originate from
them.
Role player and contact details
Information and/or website
Bester Birds and Animals Zoo

Park
Tel: 012 807 4192 / 012 807 2574
admin@besterbirdsanimals.co.za
As breeders of exotic birds and

animals, the zoo imports and exports
various rare animals.
www.besterbirdsanimals.co.za
Cape Waterfowl
info@capewaterfowl.co.za
Indigenous and exotic waterfowl are

bred.
www.capewaterfowl.co.za
De Denne Duck farm

Organic, free range ducks
Tel: 021 875 5525 / 082 788 4768 www.organicduck.co.za
Ducko Processing
Tel: 014 537 2124
Duck farming: produces duvets,

pillows and sleeping bags
www.ducko.co.za
South Africa offers a wide variety of game birds, some 14 huntable species
of duck, two of geese, 10 partridge (francolin) species, two pheasant-sized
birds (guinea fowl) and quail.
Ember Down
Tel: 082 408 6770
sharon@emberdown.co.za
Goose farm, goose down and other

feather products
www.emberdown.co.za
Gamebirds often reach far higher densities on farms, particularly grain and
mixed farms, than in natural habitats or game farms. Farmers often regard
gamebirds as a pest, yet they constitute an additional source of income.
Glen Oak
One of the largest collections of
Tel: 023 342 1219 / 082 531 3108 waterfowl in South Africa.
Farmers can be helped to develop hospitality services and to market shoots,

so adding considerable value to their gamebirds. The infrastructure required
to establish gamebird utilisation will readily support other forms of ecotourism and recreational land use, such as hiking, birding, mountain-biking
or to simply escape from cities.
Source: Abr J Steyn and Aldo Berruti of AGRED (adapted)
2. Role players
Associations and trusts
African Gamebird Research
Education & Development
Trust (AGRED)
Tel: 083 445 2685
agred@netdial.co.za
www.agred.com
South African Wingshooters

Association
Tel: 011 781 3613
vanessa@wingshooters.co.za
www.wingshooters.co.za
The SA Wingshooters Association

Expert advice on gamebird is involved in sustainable harvesting
management and utilisation
and management of wild fowl
populations as well as maintaining
South African Rare Breeds
sound ecosystems, provide advice
Association
as well as assistance to farmers. It
Tel: 076 166 9123
has a Helpline to assist members,
rarebreeds@live.co.za
for a nominal fee, with the
http://sarbc.multiply.com
relicensing of firearms and the new
licensing of firearms.
South African Show Poultry
Organisation (SASPO)
Waterfowl Association of South
www.saspo.org.za
Africa
Tel: 012 664 4204 (chairperson)
Various contact details are on
Tel: 011 849 6823 (secretary)
the website. SASPO publishes a
quarterly newsletter and an annual
yearbook. Details of affiliated
clubs throughout the country are
Green Goose Organic Farm

Tel: 051 933 5754
www.greengoose.co.za
A producer in the Eastern Free

State
Groenewald, Gawie
Cell: 082 852 1678
Breeder
Lingenfelder, Albert
Tel: 028 841 4936 / 082 461 1967
Montagu Springs
Tel: 023 614 1050
msprings@singergroup.co.za
A resort with a large collection of

waterfowl. Some 264 breeding
pairs in 65 species.
www.montagusprings.co.za
Noorspoort Guest Lodge and A geese farming training course is

Game Farm
run.
Tel: 049 835 3344 / 082 553 3344 www.noorspoort.co.za
Pleysier Incubators
The manufacture and supply of
Tel: 083 707 7765 / 082 687 1414 incubators (setters, hatchers and
brooders) for successful breeding
of chickens, pheasants, parrots,
waterfowl and all exotic avian
species. See www.pleysier.co.za.
Ramsay, Keith
KeithR@daff.gov.za
A member of the Animal Production

Directorate at the Department of
Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries
who did research on turkey
production in South Africa in early
2008.
South African Field Trial Club

Tel: 082 982 1161
Hunting with a difference ...

www.saftc.co.za
Steyn, Abr J
Tel: 083 235 4822
abrejsteyn@gmail.com
An authority whose articles

sometimes appear in publications
like the Farmers Weekly
The Duck Farm

Tel: 021 988 4050
The Duck Lady
Tel: 031 769 1235
shongweniducks@gmail.com
Free range ducks and duck products

from the heartland of KwaZuluNatal. See www.theducklady.co.za.
574
Treehaven Waterfowl Trust

(TWT)
Tel: 082 900 0656
The largest collection of waterfowl

in the world
Van der Kamp, Willem

Tel: 083 204 5654
A breeder of waterfowl who

undertakes many trips to Holland
where trading in waterfowl is big
business.
Dr Viljoen, Slang
Tel: 084 202 0184
Offers expert practical advice on

gamebird management, utilisation
and conservation; develops hunts
and conducts gamebird counts
An ornithologist with the Gauteng

Dr Whittington-Jones, Craig
craig.whittington-jones@gauteng. Nature Conservation
gov.za
Waterfowl South Africa
Tel: 082 875 0124
kobussnyman@absamail.co.za
Breeder and editor of the previous

Waterfowl Bulletin (no longer
published)

Visit the websites of role players listed in this chapter.
Kejafa Knowledge Works supply publications relevant to this chapter.
Visit www.kejafa.co.za or phone 011 025 4388 for Raising Ducks and
Raising Turkeys.
AGREDs Gamebirds of South Africa Field Identification and Management
and The AGRED Guide to Gamebird Management in South Africa (both
also available in Afrikaans) can be purchased from AGRED. Refer to
www.agred.com or phone 083 445 2685 for more information.
Gamebirds of Southern Africa by Rob Little and Tim Crowe (Struik
Nature).
Find the articles, recipes for preparing gamebird dishes, and other
information at www.wingshooters.co.za. The pocket-size Wingshooting
Handbook contains hints and tips from 21 experts and is a must-have
for wingshooters.
Dr Slang Viljoen (see heading 2) has authored several publications on
gamebirds.
Find the archived articles by Abr J Steyn on www.farmersweekly.
co.za.
Treehaven Waterfowl Trust sells the DVD Successful Waterfowl
Management refer to www.treehaven.co.za.
Goose Farming is a book about breeding, feeding, raising, farming, caring,
as well as utilising down for hobbies and feather products. Contact
Mignon Smit at 083 254 1335 or write to mignon@vlooi.co.za.
An Info Pak (booklet) on Muscovy Ducks is available at www.daff.gov.
za. Take the Publications and InfoPak options.
Turkey, duck, geese and guinea fowl are included in the Southern Africa
Poultry Association (SAPA) Quarterly reports. Find these at www.
sapoultry.co.za.
Visit the following overseas-based websites:
Take The Poultry Page at www.feathersite.com for notes on various
species relevant to this chapter.
www.thatquailplace.com all about gamebirds
Find the photographs and notes on ducks at www.mauricefield.net/
chenoa/ducks.shtml.
www.gamebird.com a US website (and magazine) that offers
information, photographs and articles on hundreds of pheasant, quail,
ducks and gamebirds.
www.ducks.org Ducks Unlimited conserves, restores and manages
wetlands and associated habitats for North Americas waterfowl. Their
vision is wetlands sufficient to fill the skies with waterfowl today,
tomorrow and forever.
A website with information on turkeys is www.free-range-turkey.
com.
Thanks to Dr Berruti for feedback on the draft chapter.
livestock
Goats
Also find the separate Goats mohair and Goat and sheep dairy chapters
1. Overview
The Goat Market Value Chain Profile: 2010-2011 provides an excellent overview of
goats in South Africa. Find this document under the Publications and Agricultural
Marketing on www.daff.gov.za.
The unimpressive goat is, in reality, one of natures most useful animals.
It can be used for meat, fibre, milk, skins and manure. Owing to its great
adaptability it can survive almost anywhere in South Africa.
The Eastern Cape and Limpopo are the largest goat producers, with
approximately 58% of the total production.
The goatherd currently stands at approximately 6 313 000 goats, 40% of
which consists of Angora goats, from which mohair is derived. Saanen,
Toggenburg and Alpine goats are mainly kept for milk production. Gorno
Altai goats produce cashmere. The several indigenous breeds are very well
adapted to South African conditions, and seldom get foot rot. Some types
are also resistant to Heartwater.
Goat milk is highly prized for its quality of being less prone to cause allergies
in humans than cows milk.
Mohair is one of the rare noble fibres of the world.
The Boer goats meat contains less fat, fewer calories and higher levels of
protein and iron than meat from beef, pork, lamb and chicken. It is often
called chevon, and from young animals, cabrito.
This chapter looks at the meat aspect and the information that is common
to all goat enterprises, whether they be meat, mohair or milk. See the
separate chapters that are more specific to mohair and goat milk.

The Goat Market Value Chain Profile: 2010-2011 provides information on
the international business environment. Find it under the Publications and
Agricultural Marketing on www.daff.gov.za.
South Africa is a net importer of goats. Most of its goat meat comes from
Oceania (Australia and New Zealand), the worlds top producer of goat
meat.
Australia, France and China are the worlds top exporters of chevon. With
South Africa being invited to join the BRIC economic group, our imports
might shift increasingly to coming from China and India.
Nigeria and Angola are the largest export markets for South Africas goat
meat. Iraq, Oman and Italy are the biggest prospective markets for South
African chevon exports.

The Goat Market Value Chain Profile: 2010-2011 provides information on the
goat value chain. Find it under the Publications and Agricultural Marketing on
www.daff.gov.za.
575
Almost all goats are marketed live. The marketing channels for live goats in
South Africa are
live animal auctions
carcass auctions
out-of-hand sales (buyers buy directly from producers)
transactions by means of Liaison Services (agents who connect people
but do not handle money in the process)
speculators
Goats meat has traditionally been consumed mainly by the Muslim and
rural African sectors of the population.
The Department of Agriculture hopes Boer goat farming and exporting will
attract thousands of black emerging and small-scale farmers. Local herds
and breeding material are still too small to meet overseas demands.
In the Northern Cape, a joint initiative between the Department of
Agriculture, the IDC and the Kalahari Kid Corporation aims to transform
stock herders into active participants of the local and global economies.
The project seeks to expand the current estimated goat population of
over 700 000 by using the available natural resources and marketing
opportunities.
This will help develop the live goat market, increase supply of naturally
reared meat to major retailers, and further allow for the processing of
goat meat for exporting and the use of goat skin for leather.
Find the Marketing, International / Export menu options on www.
kalaharikid.co.za.
4. Goat meat
Meat goats can be raised with very little supplemental grain and with minimal
shelter, and are generally an easy-care animal. The key management issues
for a successful meat goat enterprise are fencing, parasite control, predator
control, and marketing. Attention must also be paid to nutrition and to
breeding stock selection.
While goats are enjoyable to raise and may be profitable, they are not a way
to get rich quick. As with any farming endeavour, knowledge and skills
are essential for success. Prospective producers are well advised not only
to read up on the subject, but to find and spend time with a local meat goat
producer, and ask lots of questions.
Before committing themselves to meat goat production, prospective
producers should investigate market conditions, estimate costs, and work
out a rough budget. In some areas, land and feed costs will be higher,
increasing the cost of production; in some areas, lack of demand for meat
or kids will make marketing more difficult. Economic feasibility will be
enhanced if the meat goat enterprise uses land already owned but not fully
utilised, such as brushy land on a cattle farm. If the financial prospects are
encouraging and the decision is made to proceed, the next step is to install
adequate fencing.
Housing needs for meat goats are very simple, and in moderate climates
may consist of natural cover such as thick trees and brush or rock ledges.
Goats need protection from rain and from cold wind and snow. Keeping
them in a shed near the farmhouse will deter predators. For night shelter,
allow 0.5 square metres per goat.
It will be helpful to have a sturdy catch pen, at least 1,2 metres tall. This
pen is essential when handling the goats for deworming, vaccinations, foot
trimming, and sorting.
A small group of goats will provide many learning experiences in the first
year or two, and may easily be expanded as expertise is gained. Since one
buck (male) can easily service 25 to 50 does (females), that is a logical herd
size to begin with. Of first importance is the health status of the animals,
and it is a good idea to buy all your animals from one reputable breeder,
if possible. Other important features to check out before purchase are
udders, teeth, hooves, and overall body structure. A goat should not be
fat. The hair coat should look healthy and shiny. Hooves, teeth, and udders
should be sound. Teeth are important for grazing and browsing, and are an
indicator of age.
Whatever breed is chosen for the meat goat operation, strict culling will
be necessary to maintain a productive and profitable herd. Emphasis on
reproduction, growth rate, carcass quality, and ability to thrive in the
environment will be rewarded.

Goats feature in various national and provincial government initiatives e.g. the
Accelerated and Shared Growth Initiative for South Africa (AsgiSA - visit www.info.
gov.za/asgisa).
Forestry and Fisheries
Directorate: Animal Production
Tel: 012 319 7493
DAP@daff.gov.za
Goat statistics can be found
on www.daff.gov.za (find the
Statistics menu option under
Publications).
Goat Commercialisation project
Tel: 033 264 2832
tafadzwan@kznded.gov.za
www.kznded.gov.za
6. Role players
Associations
Angora Goats Breeders Society Tel: 049 836 0140
Boer Goat Breeders Society Tel: 051 553 0895 www.boerboksa.
co.za
Kalahari Red Club Tel: 051 553 0895
Savanna Goat Breeders Society of SA Tel: 051 553 0895
South African Goat Breeders Society Tel: 051 553 0895
info@boerboksa.co.za
South African Milch Goat Breeders Society Tel: 051 410 0954
www.milkgoats.co.za

Institute (ARC-API)
Small Ruminant Nutrition Division
Mr T Langa 012 672 9364
Mr D. Nkosi 012 672 9300
The ARCAPI Small Ruminant
Nutrition unit offers technology
transfer services in a form of
training to individuals involved in
goat farming, and research on the
nutrition of goats.
For information on goat production
and products, please contact Mr T
Langa at tlanga@arc.agric.za or
012 672 9364.
Eastcape Midlands College

Tel: 041 995 2000 / 083 611 1803
www.emcol.co.za
Contact Mr Klasie Claasen for
details of agricultural programmes.
Grootfontein
Agricultural
Development Institute (GADI)
Tel: 049 842 1113
Fax: 049 8424352
GADI undertakes research and
provides training in the theory and
practice of small stock production.
The following services are

rendered in support of the mission
For training on small stock and strategic objectives:
management, contact Annetjie
Loubser at 012 672 9153.
Training
Tel: 071 692 2229
Courses are offered in meat goat
management
Dhne Agricultural
Tel: 043 683 1240
Higher
Education
and
Training for studies towards a
qualification in agriculture on
NQF level 5-7 bands.
Further
Education
and
training for studies towards a
NQF level 1 -4 bands.
Skills
development
programmes
which
are
agricultural based and relevant
to a sustainable sector.
576
Research & Technology

Development
research on sustainable natural
resource management and
use
on
livestock
research
production technologies
economic research for the
benefit of the small stock
industry
Extension and Outreach
presentations at Farmers days
and industry congresses
advice to individuals
and
electronic
written
information dissemination
initiatives and partnerships
towards
local
economic
development
Johan Steyn runs the Profitable
Boer Goat Farming Course. Visit
www.boergoats.co.za or call 072
594 4626.
Kalahari Kid Corporation
Tel: 011 807 5623 / 4 (JHB office)
www.kalaharikid.co.za
Scientific Roets
Tel: 039 727 1515
Group
Tel: 045 933 1318
www.umnga.co.za
Dr Voster Muchenje
Tel: 040 602 2059
vmuchenje@ufh.ac.za
www.ufh.ac.za
Grassland Sciences
Prof JPC Greyling
Tel: 051 401 2211
Economics and Animal Production
Tel: 015 268 2373 / 4 / 6
Tel: 015 268 2203 / 4
www.ul.ac.za
Department of Animal and Wildlife
Sciences
Their agricultural officers do Professor EF Donkin
Tel: 012 420 3272
training on two processes:
ned.donkin@up.ac.za
Based on the Kalahari Kid
Contract Growers Manual University of Pretoria: Faculty
Training provided by Kalahari of Veterinary Science
Kid Agricultural Officers on a Department of Production Animal
Studies
continuous basis.
AgriSETA Goat Management Tel: 012 529 8448 / 013
Training Course (NQF 1, www.veterinary.up.ac.za
10-months, provides the
learner with a National University of Venda
Diploma in Agriculture (Goats Department of Animal Sciences
Specialisation).
Tel: 015 962 8000
www.univen.ac.za
Provincial Departments of
Agriculture, working closely University of Zululand
with the Agricultural Colleges, Department of Agriculture
offer courses on goat production. Tel: 035 902 6065 / 3
Examples include Cedara, Fort www.uzulu.ac.za
Cox and Glen College. Find contact
details of all Agricultural Colleges
training chapter.
Other role players

Afribreed Embryo Centre
Tel: 051 753 1306
Ansoria
Tel: 018 484 1427
www.ansoria.co.za
Brakfontein Embryo Centre
Tel: 046 685 0519
www.dohnemerino.org/
brakfontein
eThekwini Municipality
Agri Business Manager: Lungile
Dladla
Tel: 031 311 4227
www.dipa.co.za
Research shows that 6 500 to 7

000 goats are sold in the eThekwini
region each week, a market that is
begging to be developed.
Corporation (IDC)
Food, Beverage and Agro
Industries
Tel: 011 269 3000
callcentre@idc.co.za
www.idc.co.za
The IDC has injected capital into
the Northern Cape goat farming
industry.
Invest North West

Tel: 014 594 2570
Elijah@inw.org.za
www.inw.org.za
Invest
North
West
(INW)
is a Section 21 company
established under the auspices
of the Department of Economic
Development and Tourism in the
North West Province (NWP).
INWs strategic intent is to provide
vision, leadership and direction to
key growth sectors in the provincial
economy, to increase the level of
direct foreign investment flow, and
assist in the development of trade
in the second economy to enhance
its capacity to export to various
markets.
Amongst the planned agroprocessing industries is the
development of a goat industry
with a potentially lucrative export
market to Islamic countries and
to China, where demand for goat
meat is high.
Kalahari Kid Corporation
Tel: 011 807 5624/5 (JHB office)
info@kalaharikid.co.za
www.kalaharikid.co.za
The Kalahari Kid Corporation
is dedicated to producing only
superior quality goat and lamb
products for both the local and
international markets. It is a joint
initiative between the Northern
Cape Provincial Government and
emerging farmers in the Northern
Cape. It has been in operation for
8 years and has 113 co-operatives
with some 600 emerging farmers.
Kalahari Kid Corporation also offers
a training programme for emerging
farmers wishing to specialise
in goat production through the
Kalahari Kid Training Programme,
which is a SETA accredited training
programme in the Northern Cape.
Makana Goat Village Co-op

Tel: 082 584 7015 / 072 215 6412
www.makanagoatvillage.org.za
The Makana Goat Farmers CoOperative and Village is in the
process of the development of the
infrastructure, institutions, the skills
and business acumen required to
provide long term employment
and sustainable development for
the Makana community.
Onderstepoort Biological
Products
Tel: 012 522 1500
www.obpvaccines.co.za
Patriot Boergoat Stud
Previously Thornview Ranch
Tel: 072 594 4626

www.patriotboergoats.co.za
Ramsem
Tel: 051 412 6327
Cell: 082 900 3903/4
www.ramsem.com
Scientific Roets
Tel: 039 727 1515
Scientific Roets has been involved
in a number of projects involving
goats, whether this be drafting
business plans and project
management (e.g. Nkangala Goat
Project, Rooiwal Goat Production
and Processing Business Plan), skills
programmes (e.g. Lady Frere Goat
Skills Programme, Ukhahlamba
Goat Skills Programme, Nkangala
Goat Skills Programme, developing
contract growers and other
agri-business systems for the
Kalahari Kid Corporation) or
building
infrastructure
(e.g.
Umzimvubu Goats Regional Goat
Infrastructure).
Siyazisiza Trust
Tel: 011 781 6752 / 035 550 3076
Nkosinathi Mhlongo 072 196
2786
www.siyazisiza.org.za
Kalahari Kid exports to the Middle

East and Africa and has a satellite South African Bureau of
Kalahari Kid project in Uganda with Standards (SABS)
Tel: 012 428 7911
500 breeding does.
www.sabs.co.za
The Kalahari Kid project will be
rolled out on a national scale in the
near future. A second phase Mala
Mamas will invest in bringing
the food to the people through
empowering women and youth to
participate in distributing goat meat
to homes in informal communities
and rural outlets. Kalahari Kid
Corporation is the vehicle used to
commercialise the goat industry in
South Africa.
Veterinary remedy residue testing

of meat
Sydney Sokhela
Tel: 072 049 4871
An agricultural entrepreneur in
Msinga, KZN, who farms with
crossbred goats
577

Goats General
Visit the websites listed earlier in this chapter e.g. www.boerboksa.co.za
and www.boergoats.co.za.
Prof Donkin, University of Pretoria, is vice-president of the International
Goat Association. Congratulations, sir! Visit the IGA website at www.igagoatworld.com.
Find the notes of the Academic Information Service at the University of
Pretoria (which include listings of publications) at www.ais.up.ac.za/vet/
goat/goatweb.htm.
Find the Goat Market Value Chain Profile: 2010-2011 under the Publications
and Agricultural Marketing on www.daff.gov.za.
Numerous other publications on goats are listed under the Divisions,
Animal production and then Small stock options at www.daff.gov.za.
Some of these titles are interactive.
Call the ARC-Animal Production Institute at Irene 012 672 9111 for the
following publications:
1. Commercialisation of indigenous goat production and products in South
Africa
2. Goat management manual.
The Goatkeepers Animal Health Care Manual (ISBN-13 978-1-86849-3524), edited by AF Vatta, MA Abbott, JF de Villiers, SA Gumede, LJS Harrison,
RC Krecek, BA Letty, N Mapeyi, RA Pearson, is available from the ARC
at Onderstepoort. Find the Goatkeepers Manual option under the OVI
web pages at www.arc.agric.za. Write to ovi-info@arc.agric.za or call
012 529 9111. It is also available from the KwaZulu-Natal Department of
Agriculture, Environmental Affairs and Rural Development.
The ARC and the National Department of Agriculture compiled a series of
very informative Info Paks (booklets) that covers various aspects of sheep/
smallstock:
Boer goats: ewes and rams
Boer goats: mating
Boer goats: kidding
Boer goats: breed standards
Goats
Common & Important diseases of sheep and goats
Skin conditions in goats and sheep
Breeding in sheep and goats
Reproduction management of a sheep and goat farming enterprise
How to estimate the age of goats and sheep
Sheep and goats: Feeding
Sheep and goats: How to estimate the age of a goat and sheep by looking
at their teeth
Most of the Info Paks can be accessed at www.daff.gov.za take the
Publications option. Alternatively, call 012 319 7141.
Available on the AGIS website www.agis.agric.za/efarmer are easyto-understand Infotoons. Included are Why keep goats and The
manufacture of goat meat products.
Visit www.kejafa.co.za or call 011 025 4388 for the publication Natural Goat
Care by Pat Coleby. Goats thrive on fully organic natural care. As natural
browsers, they have higher mineral requirements than other domestic
animals, so diet is a critical element to maintaining optimal livestock health.
Topics include: correct housing and farming methods; choosing the right
livestock; diagnosing health problems; nutritional requirements and
feeding practices; vitamins and herbal, homeopathic and natural remedies;
psychological needs of goats; breeds & breeding techniques.
Scientific Roets (Pty) Ltd has created a searchable on-line Information
Database containing information primarily on goats and development
(including information on toxins, nutrition etc.). Visit www.scientificroets.
com.
www.goats-goats.com a highly useful website of information, setting out
the economic sense of goat farming. It also provides a range of links (take
the Information menu option). See also www.iga-goatworld.org.
Small-scale Livestock Farming a grass-based approach for health sustainability
and profit Carol Ekarius. Storey Publishing.
www.bosveldboerbokklub.co.za is the website of the Bushveld Boer Goat
Club.
Goats Meat
Visit www.kejafa.co.za or call 011 025 4388 for the publication Raising Meat
Goats. This comprehensive manual is the small-farm guide to profitable
meat goat production. Kejafa also supplies a DVD on successful meat goat
production.
A number of resources are available from Boergoats SA, which include:
Farming with Boer Goats A practical guide for Southern African conditions
by Johan Steyn. ISBN 978-0-620-46942-5.
A 30-minute DVD covering the management aspects of boer goat
farming, detailing dipping, tagging, deworming, inoculating and the like
The Boergoat Production Management planner, record cards and
handling facility layout plan
Write to info@boergoats.co.za or call 072 594 4626.
Find the notes on goats at www.boergoats.com, and at https://attra.ncat.
org, website of the NCAT Sustainable Project (USA).
http://users.iafrica.com/m/mw/mwdatru/index.htm the website of Dawie
Du Toit, a South African farmer. Find the research done involving boer and
indigenous goats, Damara and Dorper sheep.
The portal www.goatconnection.com provides info on goat meat analysis,
marketing slaughter goats, and marketing channels for meat goats.
578
livestock
Goats mohair
For information that is common to all goat enterprises, see the Goats
chapter.
1. Overview
Mohair is one of the rare noble fibres of the world. It is especially suitable
for apparel, knitwear, curtaining, upholstery material, socks, shawls
and accessories. Find the range of mohair products listed on www.
mohaircollection.co.za.
The hot, dry summers, cold winters and semi-desert vegetation of the
Karoo suits Angora goats. Angora goats are shorn at least twice a year, and
the year is divided between a summer and winter marketing season.
Eastern Cape farmers produce nearly all of South Africas mohair. Since
South Africas contribution to world mohair production stands at 54%, Port
Elizabeth may rightly be called the mohair capital of the world.

South Africa is the world leader in mohair production both in terms of
quality of product as well as production output, contributing some 54%
(2.9 million kilograms) of the worlds mohair output.
Other mohair producing countries of the world include Lesotho (second
highest producer), the United State of America, Turkey, Argentina, New
Zealand and Australia. Smaller numbers of Angora goat are also found in
Mexico, Iran, Chile, Swaziland, Canada, Spain and the UK.
South African mohair is predominately exported to Asia (China) and the
European Union (Italy).
The mohair market has traditionally been heavily influenced by fashion
demand, or the lack thereof. This is one of the reasons for the volatility in
demand experienced from time to time. Find the latest news in the Mohair
SA Newsletters.
Source: www.tradeandinvestcacadu.co.za/agro/moh

The Mohair South Africa monthly newsletter brings you the latest in the industry.
Find these under the news menu option on www.mohair.co.za. Auction results,
classing standards and more can be found on the same website.
South Africa is the world leader in mohair production and exports over
95% of its total production, mostly in processed form. The South African
mohair industry is highly dependent on the international market; largely
because the domestic market is not large enough to support the industry
(i.e. mohair products are not affordable to the majority of the South African
population).
The volatility in currency/exchange rate can cause difficulties for the South
African Mohair industry.
The decline in mohair production has been a cause of great concern to

the industry. Find the latest news in the Mohair SA newsletters.
The Eastern Cape town of Jansenville located in the geographic heart
of Mohair country has the countrys first mohair museum, thanks to
funding from the Mohair Trust, with Mohair SA as project co-ordinator.
The museum theme is From the veld to the fibre and the future. The
displays follow a logical sequence of the actual processes from shearing to
yarn to end product. Added to which there is a display of historic articles,
coupled with an educational experience of the Mohair story.
Read more at www.mohair.co.za.
4. Farming mohair
Find the Classing Standards on www.mohair.co.za. Take the Growers and Classing
standards menu options.
Historically, the Eastern Cape has been the prime Angora farming area in
South Africa and today, Angora farming is mainly practiced within a 300km
radius of Port Elizabeth. Consequently, the city forms the nucleus of the
South African mohair industry.
Advanced breeding and farming techniques in the country ensure consistent
availability and fibre quality. To this end, meticulous care is taken in the
selection of stock to ensure superior generic breeding material. Because
of the increase in fibre diameter as they get older, a small kid would shear
about 26 micron mohair which could sell for anything up to R250 per
kilogram. At the next sheering, the micron diameters would increase and
the selling price would drop.
An ideal herd of goats would obviously have as many animals that are
producing the best income in the herds. That would be a herd of breeding
ewes, with high fertility that are producing as many kids as possible. To
achieve this, one would need a careful breeding policy that concentrates
on breeding animals that are suited to the areas grazing conditions. A good
selection of the breeding ewes is important and further to breed or buy
good quality rams to use in the breeding herd.
A good breeding programme would be to cull all old animals and poor
breeders. Class the young ewes as replacements for the old and poor
breeders and make sure you purchase or breed good rams. The ewes need
careful attention during kidding time. Once the newborn kids have their
first drink of colostrum, they are normally fine. After six months, theyre
ready to be shorn.
The technique in sheering an angora goat, is just as important as sheering a
wool sheep. Particularly in avoiding double cuts so the length of the fleeces
remains constant. Length is an important factor in the sale of mohair. To this
end, meticulous care is taken in the selection of stock to ensure superior
genetic breeding material.
New Farmer Information

The Mohair Empowerment Trust was launched by the mohair industry in
2011 with the aim of assisting black farmers and entrepreneurs to become
part of the mohair industry. Visit www.mohairempower.co.za.
In order to produce top quality mohair, thorough breeding programmes
are of vital importance. Breeding programmes are difficult to apply in a
communal pastoral system where the veld belongs to the community, as
all types of goats run together. During the mating season, this producer will
have to tend the goats day and night to avoid crossbreeding.
579
Further challenges to entering the primary mohair industry include:

Sufficient and easily accessible sheltering. Angora goats are very
sensitive to drastic weather changes. Usually more than one large
shelter has to be erected on different locations on the farm, and this
can be costly.
Sufficient shearing and mohair sorting equipment is a prerequisite.
Applicable hair sorting and classing knowledge of both farmer and
labourers. Investing in training in shearing and sorting is essential.
In order to fully reap the benefits of a deregulated marketing system, the
producers must have access to an effective and working infrastructure that
includes the free flow and availability of marketing information.
5. Manufacturing and processing mohair

The conversion of mohair fibre into a product, such as a garment or a
household article, is a lengthy process. It can, however, be grouped into
four distinct stages:
fibre is cleaned and combed
fibre is converted into a yarn
fibre is converted into fabric
the final stage involves converting the fabric into an end product
Although mohair is processed in very much the same way as wool, it also
requires particular attention during certain processes, to ensure that it
retains its smooth, lustrous appearance. Since the intricacies and finer details
of the processes are a closely guarded secret, the conversion of mohair into
end products remains more of an art than a science, both in the home craft
industries and in the large industrial mills.
Quality remains the highest priority throughout the process of mohair
production in South Africa. Fixed standards are also in place to ensure that
quality consistency of the raw material can be guaranteed throughout the
world.
It can be expensive for farmers not to use the classing standards. Buyers will
discount bales that are not uniformly classed, and agents can re-sort such
bales for their own profit.
6. Role players
Companies
Find the different category options at www.mohair.co.za, e.g. Buyers, Processors
and Manufacturers.
ABAFAZI Tel: 042 231 1295 www.abafazi.com

Adeles Mohair Tel: 046 675 1090 www.adelesmohair.co.za
Ali-Jeans Fibre Design Studio Tel: 031 765 1602 aldroberts@mweb.
co.za
Annette Oelofse Mohair Products Tel: 049 834 9011 / 082 466 6174
www.mohairblanket.co.za
Blue Crane Wool and Mohair Tel: 042 243 3210
BKB (Pty) Ltd Tel: 041 503 3111 www.bkb.co.za
Border Combing Company A division of Samil (Pty) Ltd Tel: 043 685
2015 (processing) Tel: 041 486 2430 (purchasing)
Camdeboo Mohair Tel: 041 484 5255 www.camdeboo.com
Cape Mohair and Wool (CMW) Part of OVK (Pty) Ltd Tel: 041 406
7500 www.cmw.co.za
Cape Mohair Ltd Tel: 021 534 4134 www.capemohair.co.za
Cape Mohair Spinners (Pty) Ltd Tel: 041 486 2433/4 www.
capemohairspinners.com
Coral Stephens Tel: 011 442 4145 www.coralstephens.com
Dombeya Farm Homespun Yarns Tel: 021 881 3746
Elsa Barnard Mohair Carpets Tel: 046 648 2687 www.mohaircarpets.
co.za
Ikhwezi-Cacadu Angora Goat Project Tel: 049 838 0001 / 083 244
1028
Gubb and Inggs Ltd (Division of Stucken & Company (Pty) Limited)
Tel: 041 994 7500 (processing) Tel: 041 397 4700 (marketing) www.
stucken.co.za
Hinterveld Tel: 041 992 4880 www.hinterveld.com
Jan Paul Barnard Tel: 042 231 1247

Karoo Classics Tel: 021 886 7596 www.karooclassics.co.za
Lanata (Pty) Limited Tel: 041 451 1478 www.lanata.co.za
Linspire Ivan Smith 083 459 2242 ivan@mohairtraders.co.za
LouBear Mohair Tel: 021 868 1837 www.loubear.com
Mohair Spinners SA (Pty) Ltd Tel: 041 995 4700
Mohair Weavers SA see Jan Paul Barnard
Mohair and Wool Traders (MWT) Tel: 083 459 2242
Mohair Yarns Tel: 041 995 4700
Momentos of Africa Tel: 041 507 7270 www.momentos.co.za
Mosenthals Wool & Mohair SA Tel: 041 581 8613
New England Wool SA Tel: 083 759 8589
Peta-Lee Tel: 011 483 0214 www.peta-lee.co.za
PureCape see Hinterveld
Samil Tel: 082 654 9624
Sanmin & Sanhong Textile www.cz-sm.com
Seal South Africa www.silholdings.co.uk
Shuttleworth Weaving Tel: 033 266 6818 www.shuttleworthweaving.
com
Southseas Mohair see Adeles Mohair
Stucken & Company Tel: 041 397 4700
Associations
The different breeder societies are listed in the Animal Improvement and
breeders chapter.
Mohair SA
Tel: 041 487 1386
www.mohair.co.za
Mohair South Africa supports
overseas and local manufacturers
with
market
and
product
development and the promotion of
the use of mohair. Mohair SA funds
research, training and information.
Their website includes auction and
market news, articles, background
information and other useful tools.
Mohair Empowerment Trust
Tel: 041 487 1386 / 072 621 7336
www.mohairempower.co.za
SA Wool and Mohair Buyers

Association
Tel: 041 484 5252
Fax: 041 484 5629
SA Mohair Growers
Association
Tel: 049 836 0140
samga@xsinet.co.za
www.angoras.co.za
South African Textile Industry
Export Council
Tel: 021 702 4140 / 082 455 3263
www.satiec.co.za

Support
Tel: 041 508 3223 / 89
www.csir.co.za

University
Port Elizabeth North Campus
Tel: 041 504 3527
Fax: 041 504 9527
www.nmmu.ac.za/agri

The Mohair Market Value Chain Profile: 2010-2011 provides an excellent
overview of goats in South Africa. Find this document under the Publications
and Agricultural Marketing Commodity Profile on www.daff.gov.za.
Visit the websites of role players. Go to www.mohair.co.za, www.cmw.
co.za and www.bkb.co.za, for example.
Download the latest edition of THE ANGORA Goat & mohair journal at www.
mohair.co.za.
A number of publications are available from the Grootfontein Agricultural
Development Institute (GADI). Find these listed at http://gadi.agric.za.
Sources for the chapter: Frans Loots; Mohair SA; www.agritv.co.za; Farmers
Weekly 3 June 2011 article Thinking hard about mohairs future; the websites
mentioned in this chapter.
580
livestock
Goat and sheep dairy
1. Overview
Sheep and goat milk are a healthy dairy alternative, even if your physical
condition is not compromised. They are rich in fats and minerals, and the
(very favourable) facts regarding the nutrition value of this milk can be found
on websites mentioned in this chapter e.g. www.dairygoat.co.za, www.
indezi.co.za, www.sasheepdairy.co.za and www.sheepdairying.co.uk.
The milk can be processed to make cheese, butter, ice cream and other
dairy products.
This is a niche market.

Find the notes on dairy goat farming on www.dairygoat.co.za. Expert advice
about the regulations governing safe milk production can be obtained from
the Dairy Standard Agency (details under heading 3).
The case for dairy sheep:

Sheep is a triple purpose species, yielding wool, mutton and milk.
You can keep up to four times as many sheep per hectare as cattle,
and they reproduce faster than other species.
Cattle take a long time to produce saleable offspring. Most goat
breeds are seasonal breeders and will kid only once a year. But
sheep can reproduce up to three times in two years. Milk sheep are
prolific breeders.
The SA Milk Sheep has a lactation period of six months (other sheep
three months).
The SA Milk Sheep gives up to four litres a day.
The wool is strong 30 micron.
The ewes are productive: twins and triplets are the norm. Maternal
instincts are excellent.
The carcass quality of slaughter lambs is very good and has a good
spreading of fat. The sheep are relatively big, ewes weighing 70 75
kg.
Source: Elmarie van Aswegen of Ovis Angelica (see under heading 3)
Grootplaas de Rust Cheese Academy Tel: 082 828 1832 http://

cheeseacademy.co.za
Grootfontein Agricultural Development Institute (GADI) Tel:
049 842 1113 http://gadi.agric.za
University of the Free State Centre for Sustainable Agriculture,
Rural Development and Extension Tel: 051 401 3765 www.ufs.ac.za/
censard
University of the Free State Department Animal, Wildlife and
Grassland Sciences Tel: 051 401 2211 www.ufs.ac.za/animal
University of Pretoria Prof Edward Donkin Department of Animal
and Wildlife Sciences Tel: 012 420 3272 ned.donkin@up.ac.za
Producers and other role players

Alpine Goats Cheese Tel: 028 423 3112 www.goats-cheese.co.za
Angel Dew Farms also has notes dairy goat farming on the website,
www.dairygoat.co.za. Call then at 082 779 4899
AXXON is a specialist supplier of goat and sheep milking equipment
and feeder yokes. Call them at 011 837 7177/6/0 or write to
axxon@global.co.za
Belnori Boutique Cheesery Tel: 011 964 3405 / 082 330 4706 www.
belnori.co.za
Boklam Farms Tel: 072 123 0505
Buffeljagsrivier Laerskool Tel: 028 512 3655 http://bjrs.co.za
Fairview Tel: 021 863 1536 http://fairview.co.za
Flavourex Cheese Factory Tel: 011 888 9972 / 083 397 3531 www.
flavourex.com
Fransplaas Sheep Cheese Farm Tel: 023 571 2222
Goatpeters Tel: 072 136 2087 www.goatpeter.com
Greenways Fine Cheese Tel: 011 466 2001 / 082 883 2608 www.
greenwayscheeses.co.za
Geluksfontein Goat Cheese Farm also do guided tours, training and
consulting. Visit www.goatmilk.co.za or call Tel: 083 704 4229
Hillandale Farm Tel: 033 263 2951
Indezi River Cheese Company Tel/fax: 033 234 4795 www.indezi.
co.za
Lattaia Goats Cheese Tel: 083 535 4341
Mooiland Cheesery Tel: 056 777 2253 jhloubser@lantic.net
Nuwehoogte Goatsmilk & Cheese Tel: 023 626 4165 http://
nuwehoogte.weebly.com
Ovis Angelica Tel: 051 713 7091 / 082 412 3787 www.sasheepdairy.
co.za
Packo RSA Tel: 058 852 4907 / 082 835 0796 http://packorsa.co.za
(goat and sheep milking parlours is one of their products).
Tantinki Tel/fax: 044 279 2384 Cell: 083 340 5821
Wilde and Roare Tel: 083 280 0643 www.wildeandroare.co.za

Also refer to the Dairy processing chapter in this publication
3. Role players
Find the complete member list at www.milkgoats.co.za, website of the
Southern African Goat and Sheep Milk Processors Organisation (SAGS).
Some of these are listed below. Also be aware that the Dairy chapter in the
Agro-processing section of this publication includes companies and dairies
which process goat milk.
Associations and standards

Dairy Standard Agency Tel: 012 665 4250 www.dairystandard.
co.za
SA Milch Goat Breeders Society Tel: 051 410 0954 www.milkgoats.
co.za (Find the notes on goats milk on the website)
SA Milk Sheep Breeders Club Tel: 051 713 7091 / 082 412 3787
SA Stud Book and Animal Improvement Association Tel: 051 410
0900 www.studbook.co.za
Southern African Goat and Sheep Milk Processors Organisation
(SAGS) Tel: 082 377 5698 www.milkgoats.co.za
The websites of roleplayers are an excellent place to start.

Find the archived articles on dairy goats at www.farmersweekly.co.za.
DAFF has Info Paks entitled Dairy goats: milk production and Starting a
dairy goat enterprise. Both can be viewed at www.daff.gov.za (take the
Publications option).
Raising Dairy Goats by Jerry Belanger is available from Kejafa Knowledge
Works at www.kejafa.co.za. They can also be contacted at 011 025
4388.
Easy-to-understand Infotoons are available on the subject Preparing
Fresh Goats Milk. Visit the AGIS website www.agis.agric.za/
efarmer.
The British Sheep Dairying Association www.sheepdairying.com
Practical Sheep Dairying by Olivia Mills
Find the general goat publications in the Goats chapter. General
sheep publications can be found in Sheep.
Thanks to Norman and Rina Belcher for valuable input.
581
livestock
Horses the equine industry
1. Overview
Horses in South Africa are used in a wide array of activities. They are very
effectively utilised in poorer communities as draught animals, for general
transport and as an agile means of tracking stock animals in remote and rural
areas where motorised vehicles are inadequate or unavailable. Horses are
also extensively used in sport and leisure and in some cases are considered
champion athletes that can have large commercial values attached to
them.
Source: Otto Koekemoer, ARC-OVI

Kenilworth Quarantine Station
Tel: 021 761 8338
Fax: 086 514 4537
quarantine@telkomsa.net
www.racingsouthafrica.com
State Vet:
Dr Gary Buhrmann
Tel: 021 808 5026 / 083 642 0602
Fax: 021 808 5125
garyb@elsenburg.com
African horse sickness (AHS) is a notifiable disease in SA all suspected

cases have to be reported to a State Vet. Cases have to be confirmed at the
Office International des Epizooties (OIE) reference centre for African horse
sickness at the ARC-OVI. Member countries have to report outbreaks to
the OIE headquarters. Visit www.oie.int and www.africanhorsesickness.
co.za for more information.
The South African export protocol, 97/10/EC, was ratified by the European
Union in 1997. Built on the principle of Regionalisation, South Africa is
only permitted to export from the African horsesickness (AHS) Free Zone
in the Western Cape. Find the pre-export quarantine option at www.
racingsouthafrica.com.
For more on the international business environment:
Click on some of the other options at www.racingsouthafrica.com.
Federation Equestre Internationale (FEI) visit www.horsesport.
org
International Equine Body Worker Association (IEBWA) www.
iebwa.com
3. New Entrants
The Equestrian Development Scheme (EDS)
Tel: 011 702 1657
admin@ghsinfo.co.za
The main aim of the scheme is to identify previously disadvantaged riders,
who have potential, natural talent and empathy with horses, and who have
already started riding, and train them taking them up the grades so that
one day they can compete at the highest level. Their specific needs can be
looked at and sponsorship (in the case of child riders, a benefactor) can
be found.

Tel: 012 319 7679 / 7456

Tel: 012 319 7493
DAP@daff.gov.za
SA Stud Book and Animal Improvement Organisation

Tel: 051 410 0900
www.studbook.co.za
See the Animal Improvement and breeders chapter for contact details of
the following:
Appaloosa Horse Breeders Society of SA
Arab Horse Society of SA
Friesian Horse Breeders Society of SA
Kaapse Boerpers Breeders Society of SA
Nooitgedacht Horse Breeders Society
Percheron Horse Breeders Society of SA
Saddle Horse Breeders Society of SA
SA Boerperd Breeders Society
SA Hackney Horse Breeders Society
SA Hackney Pony Breeders Society
South African Lipizzaners
SA Minature Horse Breeders Society
SA Paint and Pinto Club
SA Quarter Horse Association
SA Sport Horse Federation
SA Vlaamperd Breeders Society
SA Warmblood Horse Society
Standardbred Breeders Association of SA
Thoroughbred Breeders Association of SA
Trotteurs Francais Breeders Association of SA
Welsh Pony and Cob Society of SA
South African National Equestrian Federation (SANEF)
Tel: 011 468 3236/7
www.horsesport.org.za
SANEF is the umbrella body for the following Provincial Bodies:
Eastern Cape Horse Society
Tel: 041 372 2086
www.echs.co.za
KwaZulu-Natal Horse Society

Tel: 031 768 1220
www.kznhs.co.za
Free State and Northern Cape Mpumalanga Horse Society

Horse Society
Tel: 082 553 7426
Tel/fax: 018 468 1353
www.mphs.co.za
www.fsnc.co.za
Western Province Horse
Gauteng Horse Society
Society
Incorporating Limpopo and North Tel: 021 531 7971
West
www.wphs.co.za
Tel: 011 702 1657-9
www.ghsinfo.co.za
SANEF supervise the following disciplines: Dressage, Driving, Equitation,
Eventing, Showing, Show Jumping and Vaulting. It formulates the rules
and codes of practice for competitors and officials in South Africa, and in
turn falls under the Federation Equestre Internationale (FEI visit www.
horsesport.org), which governs the sport internationally
Most of the following are SANEF-affiliated bodies and groups:
The Polocrosse Association of South Africa www.polocrosse.
co.za has useful links on Polocrosse worldwide.
The Racing Association www.racingassociation.co.za
National Horseracing Authority www.horseracingauthority.co.za
South African Farriers Association Tel: 083 268 3961
Soweto Equestrian Centre www.sowetoequestrianfoundation.
co.za
South African Polo Association www.sapolo.org.za
Endurance Ride Association of South Africa www.erasa.co.za
South African Equestrian Tent Pegging Association http://
satentpegging.com
Harness Racing Association of South Africa www.harnessracingsa.
co.za
Eventing South Africa www.eventingsa.co.za
582
South African Equine Veterinary KZN Breeders

Association
www.kznbreeders.co.za
Tel: 087 802 8658
www.saeva.co.za
Horsecare Units
Read more at the National Horse Trust website, www.nationalhorsetrust.org.za
Highveld Horse Care Unit

Tel: 016 360 9900
Emergencies: 082 921 1644
www.horsecare.org.za
This is the largest equine welfare organisation in the southern
hemisphere, addressing all aspects of equine welfare and covering an
area of over 4000 km2 Musina to Kimberly.
They have two inspectors who work full time in the townships educating
owners in how to care for their working horses/donkeys, and assisting
with primary care harnessing, wound treatments, deworming etc.
The Eastern Cape Horse Care Unit in Port Elizabeth has been opened,
which deals mainly with working horses and donkeys in the many townships
in the area. Contact Megan Hope on 041 366 1594, 072 357 2505 or write
to her at mrhope@mweb.co.za.
There are two additional horse care units in KwaZulu-Natal and the Western
Cape. These are based at, and managed by, the NSPCA.
Coastal Horse Care Unit
Tel: 031 782 1434
www.coastalhorsecareunit.org.za
Western Cape Horse Care Unit

Tel: 021 700 4170/3
www.spca-ct.co.za
Rehabilitation of neglected horses

Cart Horse Protection
Association (CHPA)
Tel: 021 535 3435
http://carthorse.org.za
CHPA has successfully improved

the condition and standard of many
cart horses on our roads today.
Free Form
Tel: 011 702 1223 / 082 491 6678
www.horseman.co.za
Plettenberg Equestrian
Academy
Tel: 044 532 7590
www.equestrianacademy.co.za
REC Equestrian Academy
Tel: 072 247 2929
http://academyrec.co.za
Equestrian Schools Association
(SANESA)
http://sanesa.co.za

Equestrian Federation
(SANEF)
Tel: 011 468 3236
www.horsesport.org.za
Find the Education menu option.
The SA Trotting Academy
Tel: 031 314 1680
www.harnessracingsa.co.za
Technology
Tel: 012 382 5332
www.tut.ac.za
Find provincial contact details on University of the Free State

the website
Tel: 083 453 9364
South African Jockey Academy mcvdw@telkomsa.net
Tel: 031 769 1103
www.saja.co.za
Satellite campuses in Cape Town Tel: 012 420 3111
www.up.ac.za
and Port Elizabeth

Find details of companies involved in the equine industry in the following
places:
www.thehorsedirectory.co.za South Africas leading equine business
directory
The Horse Junction website www.horsejunction.co.za is a meeting
place for people interested in horses. There are classifieds, listings, a
place to ask advice etc.
Take a look at a network of equine industry business on the Equine
South Africa website visit www.equinesa.com.
Find the equine directory at www.horsegrapevine.co.za.
National Horse Trust

Tel: 011 683 4388/9
www.nationalhorsetrust.org.za
A programme developed, unique

to South Africa, to reduce potential
neglect and deterioration of
Thoroughbreds after their racing
careers.
Visit www.kejafa.co.za or call 011 025 4388 for the following publications,
available from Kejafa Knowledge Works:
ARC-Onderstepoort Veterinary Damelin Equestrian Academy

Institute (ARC-OVI)
Tel: 011 948 9801 / 082 871 5467
Tel: 012 529 8000 / 9111
www.arc.agric.za
Equine Research Centre (ERC)
Tel: 012 529 8068
As part of national efforts to control alan.guthrie@up.ac.za
of African Horsesickness (AHS) in
South Africa, the OVI fulfils two The ERC was established to provide
important functions research and scientific and veterinary services
disease surveillance.
to the horseracing and breeding
industry. The Centre is situated
Beaulieu College
within the University of Pretorias
Tel: 011 468 2114
Faculty of Veterinary Science at
www.beaulieucollege.co.za
Onderstepoort.
Find the recommended horse books at www.equiworksa.co.za/books.php.

Call Horse Books Unlimited at 011 315 5333 to find out more or to order.
Over the past years, the CHPA

has established regular clinics,
introduced the sale of subsidised
feed, a farrier service and veterinary
care. With 70% of income going
directly to benefit the horses, the
enforcement of relevant provisions
of the Animal Protection Act and
education of cart horse owners,
Cedara College of Agriculture

Tel: 033 355 9304/5
Equine Diploma,
facilities on site
Training
EquiworkSA
Tel: 031 502 4248 / 076 515 1685
www.equiworksa.co.za
and www.equinology.com
Visit the websites of companies and associations mentioned in this chapter.
The Complete Equine Veterinary manual Tony Pavord & Marcy Pavord
Die SA Boerperd (a full colour Afrikaans publication)
Natural Horse Care Pat Coleby
Storeys Guide to Raising horses (breeding, care, facilities) Heather Smith
Thomas
Storeys Guide to training horse (ground work, driving, riding) Heather
Smith Thomas
HQ, South Africas Premier Equestrian Magazine. Visit www.panorama.

co.za or call Panorama Publications (Pty) Ltd at 011 468 2090.
A Guide to Animal Diseases in South Africa Horses, Donkeys and Mules by
Pamela Oberem is available from Briza Publishers. Visit www.briza.co.za or
call 012 329 3896.
Find the archived articles on www.farmersweekly.co.za.
Animals in Translation Temple Grandin and Catherine Johnson. Bloomsbury.
A checklist for keeping your horse healthy (Refer to Horse Riding and care
Handbook) www.horsekeeping.com.
583
livestock
Indigenous breeds
1. Overview
South Africa has a variety of genetically diverse breeds of livestock that
have played a major role in the social, cultural and economic history of
the country. These include breeds of cattle, sheep, goats, pigs, poultry and
equines that have adapted over centuries to a range of natural and socio
cultural environments.
Goats and sheep were introduced around 200 AD and recent evidence
suggests that the Sanga cattle breeds of southern Africa were domesticated
from Bos primiginius, the aurochs, in the area now occupied by the Sahara
desert during a wetter period. Dispersal with nomadic owners brought
the cattle to the southern part of the continent where they arrived on
the northern borders of the South Africa around 700 AD. The origin of
chicken and pig breeds is less clear and could have been influenced by early
introductions from early European settlers.
Over the past 400 years, numbers and types of indigenous breeds in
southern Africa have been declining at an alarming rate largely as a result
of indiscriminate crossbreeding and replacement with introduced exotic
breeds.
2. Breeds of indigenous and locally developed

(Landrace) livestock
Indigenous breeds have maintained their adaptive traits and in their natural
environment can tolerate heat, drought, and an array of parasites and
tickborne diseases. In traditional extensive systems, cattle are used for beef,
milk and hide production, as a form of security, for religious ceremonies
and as fuel and floor covering. Sheep and goats are predominantly used
for their meat (unlike European breeds, indigenous breeds are not used
for wool production as they have hair rather than wool). Sheep and goats
are also used as a form of security. Purebred indigenous pig breeds are
becoming increasingly scarce due to crossbreeding with commercialised
lines; the same is true of chicken breeds. Both species have the potential of
being exploited for commercial production but only very limited research
has taken place and the possibilities remain to be explored.
The following are indigenous and locally developed breeds:
Cattle
Afrikaner, Bonsmara, Drakensberger, Hugenot, Nguni (Venda,

Pedi, Royla Nguni, Tswana and Shangaan ecotypes), Sanganer
and Tuli
Pig
Kolbroek, Windsnyer
Sheep
Afrino, Damara, Dohne Merino, Dormer, Dorper, Izimvu

(Zulu), Namaqua Afrikaner, Pedi, Persian (Blackhead or
Redhead), Ronderrib Afrikaner (gladde- or Blinkhaar),
Ronderrib Afrikaner (steekhaar), South African Mutton
Merino, Speckled Persian (Black or Red), Vandor and Van
Rooy
Goat
Improved Boer Goat, Kalahari Red Goat, Savanna Goat,

Unimproved Veld Goat
Poultry
Boschvelder, Naked Neck, Ovambo, Potchefstroom

Koekoeks, Venda
Horse
Basotho pony, Kaapse Boerperd (Cape Boer Horse), Namib

Horse, Nooitgedachter, South African Boerperd
The value of indigenous livestock

During their protracted journey from the north of the continent, the
livestock adapted to a variety of biomes. Most of the areas had periodic
droughts, seasonal dry periods, nutritional shortages and an array of
parasites and diseases. Adaptation to these conditions made these animals
hardy and well suited to the harsh South African environment where they
can survive without additional feed or medication. This makes them a viable
alternative to imported breeds that have not acquired these adaptive traits.
In addition, parasites and diseases are showing an increasing resistance to
drugs which makes the natural tolerance of indigenous breeds all the more
valuable.
The perception problem

The smaller frame and lack of uniform colour of indigenous livestock
breeds led the colonial settlers of South Africa to believe that indigenous
breeds were inferior when compared to European breeds. Recent scientific
evaluations of indigenous livestock has shown that, far from being inferior,
the animals produce more than exotic breeds under the low maintenance
conditions that are typically found in the marginal areas of the country.
Conservation through sustainable use

Conservation has never been effective where people are hungry. This has
made it difficult to protect small nucleus herds and flocks in order to maintain
purebred indigenous livestock breeds. A recent conservation approach is
one of sustainable use that includes the commercialisation of indigenous
breeds and the marketing of products such as hides and meat in niche
markets. In South Africa, this strategy has proved successful with breeds
such as the Nguni, Afrikaner and Drakensberger cattle, the Dorper sheep
and the Boer goat. The establishment of markets and the development of
products for indigenous livestock has the potential to mushroom in the
future.
Another locally developed breed is the South African Black Ostrich.

Global concern on the loss of diversity of farm animal genetic resources,
along with a growing awareness of the real value of adapted minimum care
breeds for sustainable animal agriculture off natural vegetation, has led
to the emergence of a world market for these breeds. The international
popularity of the South African Boer goat, Dorper sheep and Bonsmara
cattle breeds are typical examples of this trend. Another notable example of
an overlooked indigenous breed that proved to hold its own under modern
production methods is the Nguni breed in South Africa.
A tremendous potential lies in the development of livestock products.
Examples are the hide of the attractively patterned Nguni cattle, the fine
glove leather of the indigenous sheep and goat breeds and branded organic
meat products. Even the lowly Kolbroek pig found in the rural areas has
potential for lard and pork production in a country that is a net importer
of lard.
Innovative marketing and the investigation of niche markets will develop this
potential. Here assistance is required from the government and/or industry.
Products from indigenous breeds would also allow poor communities to
exploit a gap in the market.
The raising of public awareness is of crucial concern in any management
plan for the utilisation of indigenous livestock breeds. The breeds are useful
and constitute a valuable contribution to the biodiversity of the country.
584
The Nguni Cattle Development Project is being judged a success in

the seven provinces in which it is being run. In each of the provinces, the
department of agriculture works with a university which provides
management, handles the administrative work and provides technical
support. To qualify for the project, farmers must have sufficient land to
accommodate cattle numbers at recommended rates, and must adhere
to the projects rules, which include ensuring that livestock is managed in
a controlled environment and supervised daily.
The Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) is the other major
partner in the project.

Tel: 012 319 7662 / 7493
www.daff.gov.za
National Co-ordinator of Farm
Animal Genetic Resources
Tel: 012 319 7448
keithr@daff.gov.za
Registrar
Tel: 012 319 7424/34

Tel: 012 319 6024
The Farm Animal Genetic
Resources (FAnGR) survey in South
Africa is being carried out through
this directorate. FAnGR is part of
the UNs Food and Agricultures
(FAO) Global Strategy for the
Management of Farm Animals
Genetic Resources.
5. Role players
Africanis Society of Southern
Africa
Johan Gallant
Tel: 033 343 2699
www.africanis.co.za/africanissociety.htm
Africanis is an umbrella name
for the aboriginal or native
subequatorial African dogs. The
Africanis Society of Southern Africa
has made it its goal to conserve
the Africanis or native African dog
as a land race.
Land Bank
Tel: 012 686 0500
www.landbank.co.za
A partner, along with the University
of Zululand, of an indigenous sheep
breeding project in KwaZulu-Natal.
PELUM South Africa
Michael Malinga 072 561 9239
www.pelumrd.org
The PELUM Association is a regional

network of over 200 civil society
organisations in east, central and
The Agricultural
Research southern Africa. Its focus on food
Council at Irene has been sovereignty includes traditional and
involved with indigenous and indigenous crops and breeds.
locally developed breeds for many
years. It provides farmers, large Sciowave
and small, with the technologies Jan Grobbelaar 084 567 8975
and information. They provide jan@reveal.co.za
research as well as training courses.
South African Society of Animal
Dr M Scholtz (Nguni Cattle Science (SASAS)
specialist) Tel: 012 672 9119 Developing Areas Animal Interest
Group
gscholtz@arc.agric.za

Leon Kruger (Small stock Tel: 012 529 8463
specialist) Tel: 012 672 9169 heleen.els@up.ac.za
www.sasas.co.za
lkruger@arc.agric.za
The Farm Animal Conservation
Trust (FACT) no longer exists.
Find the South African Society of
Animal Science entry. The contact
person there was involved with
FACT.
Tel: 049 842 1113
SA Stud Book and Animal

Tel: 051 410 0900
www.studbook.co.za
SA Studbook keeps records of
the pedigrees and performance of
registered livestock and has the
mandate of granting membership
to breeders societies. It is through
Studbook that indigenous breeds
such as the Nguni have been
registered and commercialised.
Department of Animal Science
Tel: 021 808 4916
kdzama@sun.ac.za
Dr Voster Muchenje
Tel: 040 602 2059
vmuchenje@ufh.ac.za
www.ufh.ac.za

Entomology
Prof JG van As 051 401 2427
Prof S Louw 051 401 9219
Tel: 035 902 6649
www.uzulu.ac.za
Find details of the following

breeders societies in the Animal
Results of research into Ngunis Improvement
and
breeders
have been published in the worlds chapter.
leading animal production, animal
health and food science journals.
Afrikaner Cattle
Afrino Sheep
Bonsmara SA
www.ufs.ac.za
Damara Sheep
Dohn Sheep
Dormer Sheep
Dorper sheep
Tel: 051 401 3765
Drakensberger Cattle
Kalahari Red
Namaqua Afrikaner
Nguni Cattle
Grassland Sciences
Pedi Club
Prof HO de Waal 051 401 2210
SA Boer Goat
Mr Willie Combrinck 051 401
Savanna Goat
2382
Tuli Cattle
Vandor Sheep
The Van Rooy Sheep
Tel: 051 443 9011

Find the notes on www.indigenousbreeds.co.za.
Landrace breeds: South Africas Indigenous and Locally Developed Farm
Animals. Compiled and edited by: K Ramsay, L Harris & A Kotz.
Published by: Farm Animal Conservation Trust. ISBN 0-620-25493-9.
This publication combines information on the origin of breeds, general
descriptions, outstanding qualities and performance data. Phone 012
529 8463, email heleen.els@up.ac.za.
The Indigenous Sheep and Goat Breeds of South Africa. Quentin Campbell.
Published by Dreyer Printers and Publishers. Available from the ARC
Animal Production Institute.
Commercialisation of indigenous goat production and products in South
Africa. Edited: M Roets. Published by the Advisory Bureau for
Development (Pty) Ltd.
Field Guide of South African Farm Animal Genetic Resources. A field
guide containing a summary of existing indigenous livestock breeds.
Exotic breeds having the most marked influence on landrace breeds
are included to assist in the identification of crossbred animals. Listed
are nine cattle, thirteen sheep, four goat, two pig, five chicken and five
equine breeds and their known varieties and ecotypes. Contact the
ARC (Irene) at 012 672 9030.
The Story of the African Dog University of KwaZulu-Natal Press ISBN
1-86914-024-9.
About 1 000 of the 6 400 recognised breeds of farm animals worldwide
became extinct during the last 100 years, and 300 of these alone during
the last two decades or so! The Food and Agriculture Organisation
warns that another 2000 breeds are at stake if no countermeasures for
their conservation are taken. Find the Data base: Domesticated Animal
Diversity Information System http://dad.fao.org.
Indigenous breeds, local communities. www.mamud.com/indigenous_
breeds.htm
Breeds of Livestock www.ansi.okstate.edu/breeds
RBI (Rare Breeds International) www.rarebreedsinternational.org
Sources for this chapter: Keith Ramsay (DAFF) and Jenny Bester
(previously ARC)
585
livestock
Ostriches
NB: The EU ban on ostrich meat, following the outbreak of the H5N2 bird
flu virus in 2011, led to the culling of some 50 000 birds and losses of close
to R1 billion. There is optimism about prospects in 2013, but this is a sector
that has been on its knees. The reader is referred to the South African Ostrich
Business Chamber and the websites listed in this chapter for updates.
1. Overview
More than seven million years ago ostriches migrated across Africa. These
birds became a source of food for the San people and a popular theme for
their rock paintings. The San were not the only ones who found these birds
fascinating: detailed pictures of ostriches have also been found in ancient
Egyptian tombs, Roman generals and their wives wore their beautiful
plumes during state functions and Arabs hunted the bird for sport.
The largest concentration of ostriches in the world is found in Oudtshoorn
in the Western Cape. South Africa accounts for 70% of the ostriches
slaughtered in the world and has a 70% stake in the worldwide ostrich
population. Globally ostrich meat is regarded as high quality red meat due
to the fact that it is low in cholesterol and fat, versatile and tasty. There
are six EU approved and registered export abattoirs and some 400 export
registered ostrich farms. About 95 percent of the meat slaughtered is being
exported mainly to Europe. An awareness of (and compliance with) the
food safety and animal health regulations of the European Union is thus
necessary.
Today, ostrich meat, leather, feathers, eggs and a great variety of ostrich
curios and gifts are available all over the world. Durable feathers are used
in feather dusters and the more colourful and attractive ones in stage
productions, carnivals, as fashion accessories and for stylish garments.
The Ostrich meat, leather and feathers contribute a staggering R2,1 billion
annually in foreign revenue to the countrys economy. 35% of this comes
from leather, 62% meat and 3% feathers. This contribution per product
has changed over the past two years due to the strengthening of the Euro
against the US Dollar as meat is being paid for in Euros and leather in US
Dollars.

South Africa has been the largest producer, processor and role player in
the ostrich industry, the main competitors being emerging industries in the
East and South America. South Africas climate, experience and expertise
contributed to its sustained success.
Marketing is done through selected agents, internationally and local
representatives, as well as by attending trade shows. Advertising is also used
on a selective basis.
The European Union has been the biggest consumer of South African ostrich
meat. As a result, the industry adheres to the strict EU-requirements;
especially regarding full traceability. The industry is hopeful that the export
ban on ostrich meat will be lifted in 2013.
Value added products and permissable alternatives to raw ostrich meat
exports (heating the meat to 70oC and making ready meals) has kept the
industrys head above water.
This is mainly an export business for South Africa, 90% of all ostrich
products being exported. Before the EU ban on ostrich meat, South
Africa had about 400 export-registered farms producing around 200 000
slaughter birds annually. There were six export-approved abattoirs for
European Union purposes and three tanneries. Meat was also exported
to the East.
Ostrich products are leather, feathers, meat, tourism, arts & crafts. Find the
menu options for each product at www.ostrichsa.co.za.
Activities and practices in the SA ostrich industries are being guided by
a Code for the Commercial Production of Ostriches as well as a Biodiversity Long term strategy for the SA Ostrich industry.
As a result of the international demand for exotic leather products and the
trend towards healthier food (like ostrich meat low in fat and cholestrol),
this industry has mainly been export orientated. The industry is mainly
influenced by the exchange rate, the international economy, market growth
and market stimulation, by supply and demand chain dynamics and animal
disease control. Other cost factors which affect this industry include the
prices of input supplies (fuel, grain etc.) and production processes. The
biggest cost contributor is feed which amounts to 80% of input costs.
The domestic market has great potential, particularly in value-add activities
like ostrich leather products. The local market for ostrich meat is slowly
being developed, but the meat is a nich-market product, aimed at lifestyleand health-conscious consumers.

The commercial ostrich farmer must ensure adherence to EUrequirements with regards to bio-security, traceability and disease
control. Compliance with labour legislation, etc is also becoming
increasingly important.
The Ostrivision report contains information on the entire value chain.
For technical information and advice to farmers, contact Dr Koot van
Schalkwyk at 044 272 6077.
5. Black Economic Empowerment initiatives

Principles:
1. OstriBEE should be aligned to the national AgriBEE-guidelines.
2. Due to the nature of the ostrich industry it is important to distinguish
between producer level and processor level. This distinction also
minimises risk for the new entrants.
3. Increase participation in the entire value-chain:
- General living standards of employees / new entrants can be
improved;
- Access to capital and natural resources (land);
- Number of Black managers and specialists.
4.
The following risks and challenges need to be realised and managed

properly:
- Access to capital: It takes 30 months for a new entrant to receive the
first income.
- Access to land: 22,8 hectares required per ostrich on natural veld.
- Disease control: ostrich chicks are born without an immune system
and thus specialised care for chicks is essential.
5. Increase skills of Black roleplayers by providing:

- Skills and artisan training: Abattoirs, tanneries, etc.
- Mentorships on farm level as well as at processors.
6. Manage affirmative action in employment
- set clear targets for staff development;
- implement development programmes.
Implementation:
The SAOBC commissioned the publication of a booklet in 2007 with
the title The ostrich farm how to get started to assist BEE-entrants. The
booklet is being distributed free of charge.
Members of the SAOBC report at each meeting on programmes and
progress.
586
Projects already implemented:

WESTERN CAPE
Klein-Karoo Agri-Business Centre: Oudtshoorn
Visit www.agricraft.co.za
Funded by Absa, Land Bank, Klein-Karoo International
Aim: Resource and advice centre for business plans, assistance with
funding applications, etc.
Implemented with the assistance of Agri Klein Karoo, the collective
organisation for all farmers in the Klein Karoo region.
Klein-Karoo Feather sorting project: Dysselsdorp (Klein-Karoo)
Employs 100 people in the Dysselsdorp area.
It is an independent project that is being run by the members.
Feathers supplied and bought back by Klein-Karoo Group.
Ten students from the previously financial disadvantaged community are
given study grants by Klein Karoo Group and the Free State University to
enable them to commence with their first year degree studies.
Klein Karoo Leather Goods Project:
The initial purpose was to produce marketable small leather goods
from low value raw material such as leather pieces. However,
through mentorship and training, the project has now evolved to the
manufacturing of high-quality leather goods for the export markets.
The products are being sold by the Klein Karoo Boutique.
Emphasis is on training and productive employment of the people
involved.
Currently employs 15 people from previously disadvantaged groups.
Southern Cape: (SCOT Southern Cape Ostrich Tanning Member
of the Mosstrich Group) : Mossel Bay
Joint venture between SCOT, Transnet, Eskom
Manufacturing of ostrich leather goods
Training to unemployed women
SCOT donates leather
Sells products via SCOTs marketing channels
Mosstrich BEE Trust
Mosstrich is owned by 180 ostrich producers and has implemented a
project whereby 6 000 preferred shares, representing 6.5 % of the
issued share capital, were given to the 250 employees.
The employees share in the company profits and a total amount
of R1,815 million was paid out to the employees in the form of
dividends.
The next step is to extend this programme to farm labourers on some
the farms of the 180 producers.
EASTERN CAPE
Salem Project in Eastern Cape
Focus on community development 70 black farmers are trained per
annum.
The farmers are chick raisers.
7000 ostriches are being raised per annum on a contract basis.
Proper business training is being provided to ensure sustainability.
The focus is on individual ownership.
The Middleton Ostrich Development Project

Creating the opportunity for the upliftment of a whole range of
previously disadvantaged role players and farm employees.
Empowerment and advancement of farm workers who wish to use
the Middleton Ostrich Development Project as a stepping stone into
commercial production.
The project seeks fair and responsible profit that is largely dependent
on participants dedication to the raising of their own ostriches from
day old to the mass of to 50kg.
The properties, consisting of 4 farms totaling approximately 484
ha of which approximately 270 ha is scheduled for irrigation which
is developed into flood irrigated lucerne pastures. The farms are all
situated in the Middleton Area and are highly developed into small
paddocks which enable the farm to maximise its carrying capacity. The
properties are well developed with the entire infrastructure required
for grazing the ostriches, Breeding Bird pens, incubator, workshops
and sufficient housing for all the people involved with the project.
Camexo ( Graaff-Reinet and Port Elizabeth)
400 ostriches are being placed at black producers. The producers
function on their own as independent producers (chick raisers).
NORTHERN CAPE
Kuruman
This is a black owned enterprise with about 30 members who are involved in
ostrich production. The SAOBCs training booklet is being used extensively
by this group.
On farm-level in all ostrich production areas, individual producers:
donate chicks to workers and assist them with raising and obtaining
feed
buy mature slaughter ostriches from workers
provide mentorship on farms
6. Farming with ostriches

A nutritionally well fed and well cared for high pedigree female ostrich
can easily produce 40 offspring per year, but not before the female bird is
three years of age. Coupled with a short gestation period of only 42 days
to hatch an ostrich egg, it is easy to see why this is an industry worthy of
investigation.
In theory, 500 offspring from one high pedigree female bird can bring a long
term and worthwhile farming operation. In reality however, mortalities
are high (50% plus) in chicks. Ostriches breed well in a warm climate.
Heavy rain and thunderstorms will certainly affect the breeding cycle. High
humidity can also be a problem not necessarily for breeding itself, but
for young chicks. High humidity means high bacteria and young chicks are
susceptible to catching all kinds of diseases when they are young.
A good supply of natural feed, including alfalfa (lucerne), maize, soy and
wheat are a definite advantage as these are staple foods for an ostrich. A
mature ostrich consumes 2,5kg of feed per day. An unlimited supply of
fresh, clean water is an absolute necessity. Ostriches drink up to 2 gallons (9
litres) of water every day.
The global focus of farming is now truly pointing towards environmentally
friendly business operations. With the huge amounts of antibiotics being
force fed into chickens, beef, pork and turkeys, together with intensive
farming, steroids, growth hormones and all the other unnatural additives, it
makes a fresh change to find a farming industry which does not require such
587
techniques. Farming ostriches is environmentally friendly; steroid, hormone

and force- feeding free. Ostriches are free roaming livestock and feed off
all natural Ostrich feed. Whilst ostriches are free roaming, the industry also
realises the need to pro-actively manage the natural environment and thus
a Bio-diversity Management Unit was established in 2008 to ensure the
creation of a balance between utilisation and conservation of the natural
environment.
Ostriches require little or no handling once they reach four or five months
of age. However, they need to be vaccinated against Newcastle Disease
three months before slaughter and also need to be treated against ticks and
be kept in a quarantine camp (which is free of any vegetation) fourteen days
prior to slaughter.
Farming ostriches can be financially rewarding. As with all livestock, there
are pitfalls and danger areas to be aware of. Prospective farmers should be
aware of the fact that it takes 30 months from hatching before any income
is received.
The 2 biggest problems by far are:

Capital required due to high feeding costs and the amount of land
needed to keep ostriches (if ostriches are to be kept on natural veldt
the carrying capacity is one ostrich per 22,8 hectares).
High risk due to the fact that ostrich chicks are being borne without
an immune system, leading to high mortalities during the first month.
Advice to new ostrich farmers:

Make sure you can comply with all the international regulations and
requirements.
Investigate the most suitable marketing arrangement(s), i.e. where to
slaughter the birds, methods of payment (entire ostrich or skin and
feathers separate from meat, etc).
Ensure that you do have the financial resources to carry you through
the first 30 months.
SA Ostrich Business Chamber
(SAOBC)
Tel: 044 272 3336
www.ostrichsa.co.za
National Ostrich Processors of

SA (NOPSA)
Tel: 044 272 3336
www.nopsa.com
SA Ostrich Producers
Organisation (SAOO)
Tel: 044 272 3336
Ostrich Breeders Society of

South Africa
anele@elsenburg.com
The SA Ostrich Producers Organisation (SAOO) and the National Ostrich

Processors of SA (NOPSA) are the two main representative bodies and
together they form the SA Ostrich Business Chamber (SAOBC). The
mission of the SAOBC is to promote a sustainable, economically viable
ostrich industry in South Africa through the participation of stake holders.
There are Codes of Practice pertaining to the breeding and rearing
of ostriches. These Codes apply to anyone keeping ostriches for any
reason. Farms and abattoirs are regularly inspected to ensure welfare
and compliance with EU standards is maintained to a high standard.

Research is conducted on all factors influencing commercial farming as
well as the welfare of the animals. A formal agreement regarding research
exists between the SAOBC and the Western Cape Department of
Agriculture. Prof. Tertius Brand and Prof. Schalk Cloete are two specialist
researchers. Call 021 808 5111.
Oudtshoorn Experimental Farm Tel: 044 272 6077
Anel Engelbrecht Principal Researcher
Dr Koot van Schalkwyk Farmer Support & Development
For more information contact: SAOBC (see heading 8).
Role players like Klein Karoo International undertake their own private
research, focusing largely on food safety and animal health.
The Department of Animal, Wildlife and Grassland Sciences at the

University of the Free State is involved with research. Contact Mike Fair
at 051 401 9056.
Find information on all directorates of the Department of Agriculture,

Forestry and Fisheries at www.daff.gov.za.
Directorate: Animal Production 012 319 7662 / 7561 / 7493
Directorate: Animal Health Tel: 012 319 7456
Directorate: Marketing Tel: 012 319 8455 / 6450
The National Agricultural
Schalk Burger
Tel: 012 341 1115
www.namc.co.za
Industry (DTI)
Export Council Secretariat
Tel: 012 394 1433
www.thedti.gov.za
Agriculture (Elsenburg)
Tel: 021 808 5111/ 5002
www.elsenburg.com
Eastern Cape Department of

Agriculture
Dr L Mrwebi
Tel: 040 609 3547 / 8
lubabalo.mrwebi@agr.ecprov.
gov.za
Northern Cape Department of
Agriculture
Dr P Kegakwile
Tel: 053 838 9110 / 2
pkegakilwe@ncpg.gov.za
Researchers at the Animal Sciences department, Stellenbosch University,

are developing artificial insemination technology for ostriches. Visit www.
sun.ac.za/animal or contact Prof Schalk Cloete at 021 808 4916.
There are currently no formal training courses for prospective producers:
all training is done in-house, on-the-job, and the SAOBC commissioned
the publishing of a booklet The ostrich farm: How to get started.
Formal qualifications tend to be the BSc Agric or diplomas in agriculture.
There are training opportunities for processors in this industry (abattoirs
and tanning). Employers make use of accredited trainers to ensure that
training falls in line with the National Qualifications Framework (NQF).
Lectures on ostrich diseases are included in a wildlife Elective taught at
the Veterinary Faculty of the University of Pretoria
588

Ostrich slaughtering and processing plants
livestock
Camdeboo Meat Processors

Ostriswell (Pty) Ltd
Ltd
Tel: 044 203 5250 / 083 4443 411
Tel: 049 891 0622/ 082 377 5063
www.exotan.co.za
Rancho Las Plumas
Tel: 044 203 5800 / 082 492 3445
Gondwana Marketing (Pty) Ltd
This chapter concerns the farming of livestock not covered in the other chapters
Oryx Abattoir Ostrich, Game & South Cape Ostrich Tanning
of this section. Should you be aware of a species not included in this directory,
Crocodile (ZA19)
(SCOT) please let us know.
Tel: 082 305 4107 / 079 871 8231 Tel: 044 606 4500
www.gondwanamarketing.co.za
Butterfly operations in South Africa include Butterflies for Africa
Swartland Volstruise
(Pietermaritzburg) and Butterfly World (Western Cape) visit www.
Klein Karoo International Ltd
Tel: 021 851 2694 / 083 625 5462
butterflies.co.za and www.butterflyworld.co.za respectively. There
Tel: 044 203 5100 / 5234
www.swartlandostrich.co.za
are other projects within the SADC region. The Kipepeo Butterfly
www.kleinkaroo.com
Project in Kenya is one project where butterflies are farmed. See www.
kipepeo.org. In Tanzania, farmers in the Usumbura mountains who had
Mosstrich
been earning a meagre living producing cash crops such as coffee and
Tel: 044 606 4400/ 082 776 3550
bananas did much better when they switched to butterfly farming,
www.mosstrich.co.za
which is part of the Tanzania Participatory Forest Management
Project. The Tanzania Forest Conservation Group and FarmAfrica (a UK-based organisation which supported smallholder farmers
Other
with training and the establishment of butterfly farming groups) were
involved in setting up the operation.
DIVAC supplies ostrich slaughtering and process plants. Call 044 874
2720, email divac@pixie.co.za, and visit www.divac.co.za.
Crickets can be farmed as a high protein feed (for fish, poultry etc) and
freshwater bait. Call 031 767 1992, write to herpetology@iafrica.com
Oasis Tanning Tel: 011 416 2270/ 083 555 5433 www.oasistanning.
or visit www.herpetology.co.za.
co.za
An emu is a ratite, the same category as the ostrich. Emu farming is
Ostrimark SA (Edms) Bpk Tel: 044 203 3709 / Tel: 046 603 5300
a relatively new industry. Emuphoria is a roleplayer, and their website
www.ostrimark.co.za
www.emuphoria.co.za has notes on emu products, farming with
Philippe Genuine Ostrich Products Tel: 046 622 6567/ 082 4934
emus and more. Emuphoria can be contacted at 083 235 0219 / 073
732 philippe@imaginet.co.za
271 7520. The South African Emu Association is housed at the
same telephone number.
Farming with snails is known as heliciculture. Snails are usually kept
in outdoor pens, in buildings with a controlled climate, or in closed
systems such as plastic tunnel houses or greenhouses. But who said
www.ostrichsa.co.za South African Ostrich Business Chamber. Find
you had to produce the snails? They can also be hand-collected off
links to other web pages e.g. SA Ostrich Producers Organisation
farms where they are a pest and either processed or exported. This
is an environmentally friendly pest control solution for the farmer
(SAOO) and NOPSA, to members of the SAOBC, as well as to
and a creator of jobs in the rural areas. A company like Elezane
information about the industry.
Industries (trading as SA Snailcompany) has created hundreds of
Ostrich Newsletter / Volstruisbrief a quarterly publication.
jobs in the Western Cape in this way. Visit www.sa-snailcompany.co.za.
For Research results contact Prof Brand and Prof Cloete at Elsenburg.
Also read about the Community Organisation Resource Centres
Find the Ostrich Market Value Chain Profile: 2010-2011 document at
snail project at www.courc.co.za/snailproject.html. Sheldon Breda
www.daff.gov.za. Take the Publications and Agricultural Marketing
is involved with both enterprises, and he can be reached at 081 305
Commodity Profiles options.
2605. Dave Edmonds is an ex-snail farmer who says that, although
there are many pitfalls, farming with snails is profitable. Contact him
Diseases of ostriches and other ratites. FW Huchzermeyer 1998.
at 082 418 9339. Another contact for snails is Dr WF Sirgel from the
Agricultural Research Council Onderstepoort Veterinary Institute
Department of Zoology at Stellenbosch University 021 808 3064
Ostrich production systems MM Shanawany and John Dingle ISBN 92-5or wfs@sun.ac.za. Although he is retired, he still maintains a profile at
104300-0 Food And Agriculture Organisation.
the university.
Contact Dr Willem Burger, Technical Advisor to the SAOBC, for other
publications. Write to vet@saobc.co.za.
The objective of the website www.food-insects.com is to provide
www.dedenne.com is the website of ostrich farmer Johan Keller
information on the current importance and the future potential of
who diversified into the tourist market. The guesthouses income is
insects as a global food resource.
quite significant compared with that generated from primary farming
Find the article on insect farming at www.scidev.net. Household flies
activities. Farmers Weekly did a write up on this venture entitled
are farmed for the maggots they breed (used as animal feed). See
Agritourism helps ostrich farm fly high. Find it on the archives at
also www.agriprotein.com.
Examples of insect eating are found in many different cultures
throughout the world. In South Africa insect eating is especially
important in the northern provinces such as Limpopo, North-West,
Our thanks to the South African Ostrich Business Chamber for
Mpumalanga and Gauteng. Some of the most important edible insects
editing the draft chapter.
are mopane worms, locusts, bees, termites and edible stinkbugs. The cultural uses of these insects is different, as is the lifecycle
of the insects and the requirements for sustainable harvesting.
Sustainable harvesting of the important insect crops should increase
the harvest and make it more dependable. This would help to
alleviate food shortages and provide a greater and more reliable
income for the people involved in the harvest.
Museums have a special role to play in preserving the traditional uses
of plants and animals as an important part of our heritage. Great
interest in Indigenous Knowledge Systems (IKS) is now being shown
and support for work on ethno-ecology is growing.
Other livestock
Source: adapted from On the trail of missing Mopane Worms, an article which can
be found at www.scienceinafrica.co.za
589
livestock
Pork
1. Overview
SAPPO info, the monthly electronic newsletter of the South African Pork
Producers Organisation (SAPPO), is an excellent way to stay in touch with
what is happening in this industry. Find contact details under heading 9.
of 250km from Pretoria. The cost of transporting maize to outlying areas

is expensive.
In 2011 the average herd size for the South African pig industry was 595
sows per herd. The application of artificial insemination (AI) is growing and
approximately 65% of the commercial sows in South Africa are currently
inseminated. Six reputable AI Stations are operational with a standing
capacity of 378 boars and a potential maximum output of more than 12 000
doses per week.
Approximately 83% of the total pig numbers of the RSA is designated to the
commercial areas and 17% to the developing areas.
Source: Dr D P Visser, Tel: 082 809 7488
The South African pig industry is a very tiny player (only 0.2%) in comparison
to world pig production. With approximately 105 000 sows, the value of
slaughter pigs contribute only 3.29 % of the total value of animal production
and only 1,5% of the total value of primary agricultural production in the
country. Despite this the South African pork industry has evolved into an
into an economic important industry with a gross producer value of about
R2.37 billion and a gross consumer value of R4.74 billion.
The European Union (EU) is the largest exporter of pig meat in the world,
followed by the United States of America. Germany and Denmark are the
leading EU exporters.
Commercial pig producers are distributed across all nine provinces of South
Africa. The largest concentrations are found in the provinces of North West
(17%), Western Cape (16%), KwaZulu-Natal (16%) and Mpumalanga
(11%). Climate (summer rainfall) and the regional concentration (access
to top quality abattoirs and the monetary spending potential of consumers)
play an important role in this regard.
Find international news on www.sapork.com.

www.thepigsite.com online news and technical resource to the
global swine industry
www.pigprogress.net your portal on global pig production.
Pig International is a publication giving an international perspective. Visit
www.pig-international.com
Visit the websites of various national pork organisations e.g. USAs
National Pork Producers Council www.nppc.org and the British Pig
Executive www.bpex.org.uk.
Find out about the 2013 World Meat Congress at www.meat-ims.org.
As elsewhere in the world, pig production in South Africa is also mostly

practiced near the maize, wheat, sunflower and soybean production areas
and also very close to the urban market, normally 100 200km. Currently
(2012) approximately 45% of all pig production is practiced within a radius
South Africa imported 26 256 tons of pork in 2010 (in 2008 the figure was
18 947 tons). Almost 65% of these imports consist of ribs. Europe and
Canada remain the main exporters to South Africa.
590

As up-to-date information is crucial for the successful production of pork,
SAPPO provides its members with the latest market information on a
continuous and regular basis. Visit www.sapork.com for the latest industry
information. A weekly price report is e-mailed to SAPPO members,
providing them with countrywide producer and consumer prices. A monthly
import figures email also goes out to members.
Bureau for Food and Agricultural Policy (BFAP) publishes a regular
feature in Porcus on statistics and trends with regard to the South African
pork industry. Visit www.bfap.co.za.
Agrimark Trends (AMT) provides a market information service (Website
www.agrimark.co.za). You can subscribe for weekly market reports.
Contact Minda at 012 361 2748.
Selling pigs on fixed price contract
Advantages to the pork producer:
a guaranteed income which is higher than his expenses
makes it easier to budget for the contract period
makes it easier to decide on new capital expenditure because of
guaranteed prices
Disadvantages to the pork producer:
Depending on the negotiated profit margin, if the market prices are
in favour of the producer, he will never reap the benefit of the good
times.
If the pork producer has made a mistake in his cost calculation, he
will be at a disadvantage.
If the pork producer increases his efficiency e.g. lower FCR or lower
feed costs, will the processor reap all the benefits?
Advantages to the processor:
Carcasses will be coming in at a set price, which cuts out the huge
fluctuations in the market prices, often driven by sentiment.
The processor can negotiate longer term prices with the retail chain
stores. The chain stores expect to have constant prices of pork
products supplied.
Takes guess work out of budgeting for the processor.
The processors are guaranteed of a supply of carcasses, because
they keep the pork producer on the farm by paying him more than
his production cost.
Disadvantage to the processor:
The processor will not benefit during times of overproduction,
where pork prices usually are below cost of production.
If the processor is signing contracts with less efficient farmers, the
cost of production will tend to be higher.
Source: By Dr Thomas Volker, Penvaan Group

Conditions Causing Trims and Condemnations
1. Chest Adhesions
Chest adhesions are scars in the lining of the chest cavity. They occur
after severe pneumonia or septicemia (infection). The membrane lining
will adhere to the ribs, making lung removal difficult or impossible.
Adhesions can be small spots or can involve the entire chest cavity.
When severe, the ribs must be trimmed and lose their value for sale.
Chest adhesions are reported to be commonly caused by Actinobacillus
pleuropneumonia (APP), pneumonia, and Glassers disease. Mycoplasma
pneumonia, influenza and Actinobacillus suis (A. suis) infection may
also contribute to adhesions. Infection may occur in young pigs, but
when the pig recovers, the adhesions or scars will remain for the life of
the animal. Affected pigs may have difficulty breathing, especially after
exercise, or they may appear normal.
European research has shown that herds with higher rates of adhesions
have higher stocking densities, poorer ventilation rates, mixed
multiple source pigs and did not practice all-in-all-out production.
The prevalence of adhesions is reportedly lower in Mycoplasma
pneumonia-free herds.
Chest adhesions not only affect carcass losses, but overall growth
performance. Herds with high adhesion rates will have slower growth
rates, reduced feed efficiency, increased days to market and increased
medication costs.
2. Arthritis
Arthritis is the inflammation of one or more joints in the body. There
are two types of arthritis: infectious and non-infectious. Erysipelas
is the most common cause of infectious arthritis, while OCD
(osteochondrosis) or degenerative joint disease is the most common
non-infectious cause.
Erysipelas can be controlled through strategic vaccination programs.
The cause of OCD is not completely understood, but stocking density,
genetics, nutrition, growth rate, environment, flooring and exercise
have been reported to be involved.
Since the control measures for erysipelas and OCD are different,
an accurate diagnosis is essential to reducing arthritis trims and
condemnations. It is suspected that the majority of joint trims at
slaughter may be OCD.
3. Abscesses
Abscesses are pus-filled cavities that range from marble size to
grapefruit size and larger. They are the result of an infection, either
from a wound or from a blood borne infection. Bacteria can enter the
blood via a wound or needle stick and spread throughout the body,
producing abscesses far from the site of entry. Tailbiting is a common
cause of abscesses hidden within the body. Internal abscesses may not
be visible, and an affected pig may appear normal.
Common causes of abscesses are tailbiting, wounds, dirty needles,
dirty tail docking equipment, fighting and castration wounds. In units
with high abscess rates, consider cleaning and disinfecting all medical
equipment between uses, changing needles more frequently, reducing
stress to control tailbiting, improving cleanliness of pens and removing
sharp edges that cause injuries.
4. Peritonitis
Peritonitis is an inflammation of the lining of the abdomen, which causes
the internal organs (viscera) to stick together. Peritonitis indicates a
previous or ongoing infection. Common causes include hernias,
umbilical infections, torsion of the intestine, infected castration wounds
and Glassers disease.
5. Nephritis
Nephritis is inflammation of the kidney. Common causes are
leptospirosis and urinary tract infections. Leptospirosis is a waterborne
infection spread by wildlife urine. It can be controlled by vaccination.
Bladder infections can be a result of dirty wet pens and inadequate
water intake. Affected hogs usually appear normal.
Reducing trim and condemnation rates can result in big paybacks. Pigs may appear
healthy on the outside, so closely following trim and condemnation rates is the only
way to catch any problems.
Source: Alberta Government September 2005. Article supplied by Kanhym Estates.
5. The Synchronised Group Management System

(Sygma System)
The ideal in pig farming is to have a strict hygienic control with an all in all
out system. This is achieved by keeping the same age groups, or production
groups in the same houses. This is impossible for the small farmer if he does
not use group farrowing.
Since a synchronised sow group moves all together to the next
accommodation, each housing is totally emptied all-in, all-out. The farms
that use the Sygma system leave the accommodation to stand empty for a
week after cleaning. This is called hygienic emptying. The resulting reduction
in disease level usually leads to an improvement in the fertility of the sows
and in the growth of the piglets.
Farms that use the Sygma system provide a healthier environment by the
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policy of all-in, all-out combined with hygienic emptying. Therefore, they

use less medication and the production cost per piglet is reduced. The
outlay for animal health on the average farm is R120.00 per sow per year. By
using the Sygma system with strict all-in all-out and hygienic emptying, the
same average farm will save R30.00 per sow per year on veterinary costs.
The sows are divided into 7 groups of sows that are at the same stage
of production. This grouping of the sows enables the three main activities
of insemination, farrowing and weaning to be planned into a schedule,
which gives the pig breeder many advantages. They also achieve higher
performance results with their animals. The farmer will only have one
manger task per week e.g. weaning, insemination and Farrowing. In a
conventional weekly farrowing program these tasks are repeated weekly
and occupy the farmer daily.
Small farmers cannot afford to employ a pig manager and normally do these
tasks themselves. This limits the time available for other enterprises on
the farm. With the 3 week farrowing the farmer will wean on a Thursday,
inseminate the following Tuesday and his next group sows will farrow the
following Tuesday.
The advantages for the pig farmer are numerous.
healthy pigs
better health status
larger litter size
more litters per sow per
year and larger litter size
labour savings up
to 25 per cent
increased profits
less work, more income
more time for the animals
sell larger batches of
weaners at better prices
reduced AI costs
Source: Joos Solms, Plantkor. Write to plantkor@plantkor.co.za
6. Emerging farmer information

Qeda Nyoka is responsible for SAPPOs emerging farmer projects. He
is busy with projects countrywide. He reported that 2009 had been a good
year for the Emerging Farmer portfolio Committee. Twenty percent of the
statutory levy is earmarked for emerging producers.
SAPPO trains emerging pig producers at emerging farmer pig units erected
by the government in Limpopo, North West and the Western Cape. These
are suitable to demonstrate how a modern pig unit should function. Weaners
are bought from commercial producers and reared at the units. SAPPO also
assists with the marketing of the pigs.
Nyoka assists in the establishment of pig study groups, drawing up business
plans, evaluating training facilities, the establishment of pig projects etc.
Find contact details for the ARCAnimal Production Institute under
heading 10. Extension work done with emerging farmers on basic
management skills and nutrition.
Todays emerging farmer could be tomorrows commercial farmer.

Develop market awareness make sure you have a market for your
product.
Plan buildings and lay-out of piggery in such a way that it is easy to
double up, and double up again as your herd grows.
Plan to erect a pig unit where feed can be stored and dispensed in
easily available maize form i.e. 65% of ration, so as to save transport
costs.
There are regional advantages to some farmers e.g. in Gauteng
maize is plentiful and there is easy market access.
Pigs must be kept warm in winter and cool in summer.
Well-insulated buildings should be erected, concrete floors are a
must, for health and hygiene.
Effluent disposal must be planned, good drainage is needed.
Contamination of streams or rivers is not allowed.
Pigs are fed a well-balanced diet. Growing pigs must always have
food available to optimise growth. Different diets are used for
different size pigs.
New Farmers should fist visit two or three successful commercial
farmers to obtain advice and join a study group in their area.
Consider starting farming by first buying weaners and growing them
out to baconers (phase 1).
If this is successful, move on to breeding.
In Europe, many farmers are specialist growers. They do no
breeding.
Do not farm with pigs in the swine fever area this has market
limitations and one could lose all your stock.
Ensure that you know which permits you need to have in your
area.
Source: Peter Mockford. Write to him at mockford@cybertrade.co.za
7. For the newcomer

Pigs must always have clean, fresh water to drink. One pig needs at
least 5 to 10 litres of water every day.
When they are feeding young, sows need to drink more water because
they have to produce milk.
Pigs are single-stomach animals and require two or three meals a day.
Divide the food into two portions; feed the pigs half in the morning and
the rest in the evening.
Do not feed your pigs only once a day because once they had their fill
they will only play with the rest of the food, stand in it and soil it. This
food is going to waste and the pigs will be left hungry.
Do not only feed one vegetable (such as cabbage), because pigs need
a varied diet to stay healthy. Even cutting grass (especially green grass)
and feeding this in small quantities will help supplement the pigs diet.
It is important that small or weak pigs should be fed separately from
the bigger ones, because these stronger pigs will eat all the food.
If you have more than four adult pigs, then food should be divided into
two containers, so that every animal can have a share.
592
Many pigs are pink and when kept in the sun their skins turn red and
get sunburn. Pigs do not have much hair on their bodies to protect
them from the cold or insulate them against heat. Pigs suffer if they
get too cold or too hot and should not be kept in too cold or hot
conditions.
Many pigs die from pneumonia if left in the cold, wind or rain. Pigs can
also die from heatstroke after being left in the sun with no shelter or
water. Even if the pigs do not die, they will not be as healthy and strong
as they should be.
Pigs must have a warm, dry sleeping area.
Pigs must be able to lie in the shade out of the sun. Part of the pen must
have a roof to provide enough shade for all the pigs. (Experts advise
that the whole pen be covered).
If the roof is made of metal, it must be covered with grass or branches
to keep it cool.
Many people think pigs like to be in dirty pens with only mud to stand
in. This wrong idea may result in the pigs becoming sick because they
are kept in unhealthy conditions.
Pigs roll in mud to protect themselves against the sun and extreme
temperatures and against parasites such as flies.It is not necessary for
pigs to have mud if they have shelter and their pens are kept clean to
limit the number of flies and other parasites.
It is important that the floor of the pen should slope so that excess
water can run off allowing the pen to stay dry.If water does collect in
the pen, it is important to dig a drainage furrow or ditch, leading out of
the pen.
Pigs always dung in the same place. Make sure that this mess is cleaned
out at least twice a week, to lessen the risk of disease.
Food and water containers must be cleaned thoroughly at least twice a
week.
South African Pork Producers Organisation (SAPPO)
Tel: 012 361 3920
Fax: 012 361 4069
info@sapork.com
www.sapork.com
SAPPO is responsible for communications and promotion of the pork
industry, and for commissioning research, serological and residue tests.
Their electronic newsletter will keep you updated on the latest news in the
pig industry.
KZN Natal Pork Producers Organisation Tel: 033 342
kznppo@futurenet.co.za
Western Cape Pork Producers Association Tel: 021 860
johan@awk.co.za
Free State Pork Producers Organisation c/o Tel: 012 361
info@sapork.com
Premier Pork Producers (Gauteng area) Tel: 012 361
hoffman@sapork.com www.premierpork.co.za
Pig Veterinary Society
Dr Tom Spencer (chair)
Tel: 083 274 5930
Dr Chris Carrington (secretary)
Tel: 083 564 8443
8592
3800
3920
3920
Pig Breeders Society of SA

Tel: 051 410 0958
pigs@studbook.co.za
www.studbook.co.za
Tel: 012 667 1189 / 082 399 8908
www.redmeatsa.co.za
Source: The Pig Care info Pak (booklet) see heading 12.

Find contact details and information about directorates of the Department
of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries under the Divisions option at
www.daff.gov.za.
Tel: 012 341 1115
www.namc.co.za
The current statutory levy of R7 per slaughter pig is expected to generate
R 15 400 000 p.a. for SAPPO. The amount will be spent as follows:
Developing Farmers R3 080 000, promotions R8 310 500, health R1
250 000, research R660 000, communication and liaison R560 000 and
administration R 1 540 000. From November 2013 a new levy of R8.50
per slaughter pig will be applicable.

The pig unit at the ARCAnimal Production Institute (ARC-API) offers
excellent training opportunities to students from tertiary institutions and
those wanting to start pig farming.
Type of
Course
Duration
Contact Person
Telephone
Introduction
Course to Pig
Production
3 days
Annetjie Loubser
012 672 9153

083 285 4532
The ARCAPI pig production unit offers expertise, animals and facilities
for applied and generic research in management, nutrition and production
related health and reproduction to all stakeholders in the pig industry. Pigs
and piglets from a 150 head sow unit and environment controlled houses
are available for this purpose. Contact Dr A Kanengoni at 012 672 9355.
The Provincial Departments of Agriculture work closely with the
Agricultural Colleges to provide training on Pig Production. Basic training
includes:
1. Planning the pig production unit
2. Housing pigs
3. Pig care in various stadia
4. Nutrition
5. Breeding and selection of pigs
Find details of the Agricultural Colleges in the Agricultural education and

training chapter.
Agrimark Trends (AMT)
Tel: 012 361 2748
www.agrimark.co.za
AgriSETA accredited trainers
offer courses on pig production.
Premier Pork Producers (see
heading
2)
are
AgriSETA
accredited. Other examples are
Umnga Farmers Training Centre
(call 045 933 1318 or visit www.
umnga.co.za) and Agriskills Transfer
(call 012 460 9585 or see www.
agriskills.net). Find a complete list

training chapter.
Baynesfield Training Academy
Grant Kobus 076 430 6899
gm.bta@w2k.co.za
Bureau
for
Food
and
publishes a regular feature in Porcus
on statistics and trends with regard
to the South African pork industry.
Visit www.bfap.co.za.
593
Find the courses run by Charles Lengau Agricultural Centre

Street Vet at http://csvet.co.za Tel: 083 453 9364
mcvdw@telkomsa.net
(take the Training option).
Dicla Training
Tel: 071 692 2229 / 083 235 1644
Kanhym
Tel: 013 249 7867 / 082 885 9741
gtc@kanhym.co.za
Biotechnology
Tel: 051 401 2729
Animal and Poultry Science
Kanhym gives Artificial Insemination Prof Rob Gous
Tel: 033 260 6075 / 076 079 5233
courses. Contact Suzette Vos.
Gous@ukzn.ac.za
Prof Rob Gous is SAPPOs research
Services
co-ordinator.
Tel: 082 770 0480
www.rltsafrica.com
Department of Animal and Wildlife
Sciences
Tel: 021 852 2643
Tel: 012 420 4018
edward.webb@up.ac.za
Department of Animal Science
Economics, Extension and Rural
Tel: 021 808 4916
Development
Tel: 012 420 3248 / 51
johann.kirsten@up.ac.za
Tel: 021 808 3578
Food Sciences
Tel: 012 420 3202
South African Society of Animal food.science@up.ac.za
Science (SASAS)
Tel: 012 420 6017
www.sasas.co.za
Visit the website for scientific Studies
papers dealing with pork research. Tel: 012 529 8448 / 013
Grassland Sciences
Tel: 051 401 2677
Knowledge and ideas are shared at the Pig Study Groups (PSG). Feedback
is given on national (i.e.SAPPO) meetings, domestic matters are discussed.
The role of these groups is also to expose members to the latest technology
and developments in the industry. This is usually done by guest speakers
who are invited to address the group.
Limpopo PSG (Potgieterus based), Ian Bennett 015 292 0880
North West PSG (Potchefstroom based), Dr Pieter Grimbeek 018
297 8155 / 4916
Gauteng PSG (Pretoria based) Theo Loubscher 012 460 9385 /
083 275 0805
The Research Committee of SAPPO is responsible for addressing the
pig industrys research needs. Research report summaries are available on
www.sapork.com. For complete reports, contact SAPPO at 012 361 3920.
Training remains focus of emerging farmers
Training continues to be the focus of the portfolio committee for
emerging farmers. Qeda Nyoka is responsible for SAPPOs emerging
farmer projects. Train-the-trainer courses are presented to government
officials in co-operation with provincial departments of agriculture. Small
scale and developing farmers are also trained at workshops, farmer days
and study groups in cooperation with government extension officers and
animal health technicians.

co.za
Alzu Piggery (Pty) Ltd Tel: 082 388 3325 www.alzu.co.za
AXXON Tel: 011 837 7177 Fax: 011 837 3100 axxon@global.co.za
(ear-tags, ID and electronic weighing equipment)
Big Dutchman SA Pty Ltd Tel: 011 452 1154 www.bigdutchman.
co.za
Biomin Animal Nutrition Tel: 018 468 1455 www.biomin.net
Charles Street Vet Tel: 012 460 9385 http://csvet.co.za
Dalein Plaasbou Tel: 012 808 5999 (construction material and design
for piggeries)
Danie Visser Tel: 082 809 7488 www.juventis.co.za (Agricultural
Advisor & Strategic Analyst)
DIVAC Tel: 044 874 2720 www.divac.co.za (Pig processing plants)
Dorna Distributors Tel: 033 386 5053 dorna@premieronline.co.za
Enterprise Foods Tel: 011 840 4000 www.enterprisefoods.co.za
Eskort Tel: 012 345 4452 www.eskort.co.za
GSI Group Tel: 011 794 4455 www.gsiafrica.co.za (Pig equipment)
Kanhym Estates Tel: 013 249 7964 / 082 901 3112 www.kanhym.
co.za (PIC pig genetics)
Longside Tel: 012 376 2607 longside@skyafrica.co.za
Lynca Abattoir (export approved) see New Style Pork
Milos Abattoir www.pigs.co.za
New Style Pork Tel: 016 362 0936 www.newstylepork.co.za
Ngculu Piggery Co-op Ltd Tel: 073 702 3794
Niemen Stud Tel: 083 778 8000
OdorCure (Pty) Ltd Tel: 0860 NO ODOR (66 6367) www.odorcure.
co.za
Pig Gen Tel: 082 333 5414 / 083 778 8000
Plantkor Tel: 036 468 1309 www.plantkor.co.za (quality equipment
and services to the pig industry)
R & R Abattoir Tel: 012 561 2548
Rica Piggery and Abattoir (Pty) Ltd Tel: 014 577 1190 www.rica.
co.za
Riverside Piggeries Tel: 012 561 1126
South African Bureau of Standards (SABS) Tel: 012 428 7911
www.sabs.co.za (veterinary remedy residue testing of meat)
TOPIGS SA Tel: 012 348 3676 francoist@topigssa.co.za (TOPIGS
supports clients with genetics, feeding, disease prevention, housing,
management, artificial insemination, depop repop.)
Troskie en Partners Tel: 011 769 1480
United Meat Packers Tel: 011 444 8435/7
Vereeniging Meat Packers Tel: 016 972 8800
Winelands Pork Tel: 021 948 1821 www.wlpork.co.za

The Pig Breeders Society released a CD on the pig breeds of South Africa
in 2011. The CD contains relevant and updated information on the origin
of the pig breeds, their history in South Africa and their breed standards.
594
Photographs and/or artwork depict each breed, and functional efficiency

is also discussed. The CD is interactive, and can be ordered from the
Pig Breeders Society in Bloemfontein. Call 051 410 0900 or write to
pigs@studbook.co.za. The cover is pictured below:
livestock
Poultry
1. Overview
The Poultry and Egg Industry is at times the biggest Agricultural sector,
depending on the size of the maize crop.
The poultry industry consists of three separate sectors:
SAPPO puts out 9 copies of Porcus published for the pork industry
per year. The latest copy can also be downloaded at www.sapork.
com. A newsletter by email is also available.
The website www.sapork.com provides information on SAPPO, its
structures and functions, and gives an orientation to the pork industry.
Find details of the SAPPO Training DVDs here.
Pigs for Profit: Manual for emerging pork producers, by Drs Jim Robinson
and Mary-Louise Penrith, is a comprehensive, full-colour manual dealing
with all aspects of pig production. It can be ordered from SAPPO.
SAPPOs Promotions Committee has compiled a publication, The
complete guide to South African pork, which provides information on the
nutritional content of pork, buying tips, preparation and handling tips
and recipe ideas.
Excellent presentations can be downloaded at www.sapork.biz/
functions/emerging-farmers.
Kejafa Knowledge Works has publications in both English and Afrikaans
on pigs. The latest is Die Kolbroek by Dr Danie Visser (ISBN 978-0620-52597-8). Kejafa also has a DVD on successful pig production. Visit
www.kejafa.co.za or call 011 025 4388.
Farming with pigs Western Cape Department of Agriculture
Guide to Small-Scale Pig Farming EH Kemm
Pig Production Problems John Gadds Guide To Their Solutions, published
by Nottingham University, covers 32 major pig problems. The book
is intensively practical, and is firmly aligned to the bottom line. It is
available from Exclusive Books.
Call 012 672 9153 for the Pig Production Manual, available from the
ARC-API in Irene.
The following ARC-Institute for Agricultural Engineering (ARC-IAE)
publications can be obtained by calling 012 842 4017 or by emailing
iaeinfo@arc.agric.za:
- Manual on housing for pigs (also available in Afrikaans)
- Extensive pig housing (also available in Afrikaans)
- Also available from the ARC-IAE is the excellent Manure handling in
intensive animal production units, written by HT Breedt, edited and
revised by F Cilliers. Copyright. 2009. Animal manure can be utilised
for fertiliser, as an energy source (fuel) and as a supplement to animal
feed rations. The different applications of animal manure on the farm
are dealt with in Chapter 12 of the publication.
A compliance guideline for the South African pig producers is available
from the Premier Pork Producers (PPP) association. Contact Guzette
Strydom at 012 361 3920, or email guzette@sapork.com.
The Pork Market Value Chain: 2010-2011 can be read on www.daff.gov.
za, website of the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries
(DAFF). Take the Publications and Agricultural Marketing options.
Also available at www.daff.gov.za are the following Info Paks:
- Care of sow and piglets
- Common diseases of small pig herds
- Skin conditions in pigs
- Pig care
- Pig Farming general hints
Find the South African Code for the Welfare of Pigs on www.nspca.
co.za
Find the notes on the AGIS website about farming with pigs. Visit www.
agis.agric.za/efarmer.
Our thanks to Dr DP Visser for feedback on the draft chapter.
the day-old chick supply industry

the broiler industry
the egg industry
Broiler chickens are raised for meat i.e. fresh, frozen or value added (e.g.
chicken fingers, saucy steaklets or polony). Egg layers or dual-purpose
chickens are used for the production of eggs (they are lighter in weight than
broilers, and so fattening cockerels from this second category with balanced
feed bought in a bag is not as economically viable as doing the same with
broilers).
The poultry industry provides about 61% of all animal product protein
consumed in SA. In addition to its importance as a source of food and its
contribution to the nations Gross Domestic Product, the South African
poultry industry remains an important contributor to job creation and
employment opportunities, both in the formal and informal sector, with in
excess of 80% of the industry consisting of SMMEs (Small, Medium and
Micro Enterprises).

The latest South African Poultry Industry Profile and other downloads on
www.sapoultry.co.za give complete overviews of the status of this industry
and related issues.
Find details of the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries value
chain profiles, statistics and economic analyses under the Websites and
publications heading of this chapter.
The Bureau for Food and Agricultural Policy (BFAP) Baseline Reports cover
chicken production. Find these annual reports at www.bfap.co.za.
Subscribe to the newsletter from The Poultry Site, which carries news, tips
and technical information. Find details at www.thepoultrysite.com.
3. Emerging farmer information

Current situation:
It is difficult for small farmers to enter into the retail supply chain,
since it is looking for suppliers who can guarantee the demand at an
acceptable price and quality. While some smaller producers can match
the price and quality criteria, they are too small to supply the needed
quantities.
At present, emerging farmers sell their eggs to black-owned shops,
spaza shops, butchers, hawkers, restaurants, hotels and to a small
extent to white traders (e.g. cafs).
Future market growth:
The African population represents the best market opportunities for
emerging farmers.
Distribution channels to the low-income groups need to improve and
are doing so. The distribution of eggs to township spazas and door-todoor sales must be promoted.
Catering companies, hawkers buying in bulk from producers, cooperatives, contracting and government tenders all represent possible
markets.
595
Many farmers do not adhere to the grading requirements as stipulated

by legislation. For small-scale farmers to penetrate other markets it is
important to begin following the regulations. Training in grading and
packaging can open new markets for small-scale producers, especially
on government tenders.
Co-operative marketing:
Black-owned co-operatives could be a vehicle for penetrating the
formal marketing channels in South Africa.
Through co-operatives, the produce of farmers can ensure larger
supply of quantities, create a brand name, and have muscle to
negotiate prices on behalf of farmers. The function of the co-operative
can be to look for markets for members and also assist in preparing the
produce (grading and packaging) and marketing it.
Possible strategies:
1. Contracting: small-scale farmers can enter into a contract with a
processing or a packaging plant, or an integrated company to supply a
stipulated number of eggs or chickens at a time. This provides a steady
market for the small-scale farmer.
2. Supply to Consumers: consumers can buy chickens or eggs at the farm
stalls. The farmer can employ a door-to-door sales representative to
take orders in the township.
3. Supply to Hawkers: eggs can be sold to hawkers on a regular basis.
Since most hawkers have a transport problem, the farmer can entice
them by delivering the eggs at their sheds.
4. Supply to Hospitality Trade: supply to hotels, restaurants, caterers,
township bed & breakfast, guest houses and shebeens. There are many
tourist initiatives and developments in the townships that need to be
catered for.
5. Supply to Township Cold Storage Distributors: some entrepreneurs
have positioned themselves in the townships and other former black
areas to distribute eggs. The concept here is to bring the product
to the consumer, to reduce the transport constraint. Small-scale
farmers can supply these distribution centres.
6. Supply Through Tendering: every year tenders from the government
departments (e.g. correctional services, hospitals, etc.) are published
for the supply of chickens and eggs. Small-scale farmers stand a change
because of the system designed for the previously disadvantaged
individuals, provided they can meet the price, quality and quantity
requirements.
7. Supply Mining Houses: mines have kitchens and hospitals that are
serviced by caterers (in-house or as an outsourced service. Some of
these mines are now owned by black empowerment groups who can
be lobbied to empower small-scale farmers.
Before starting a chicken or poultry venture, check on any applicable
regulations/legal considerations with your local municipal authority.
Source: the Agricultural Marketing Extension Training Paper at www.daff.gov.za; www.
seda.org.za and the ARC
4. For the newcomer

To make money with poultry, be prepared to work hard! Chickens must be
checked, fed and given water every day. If you are farming with layers, you
must collect eggs regularly.
Ask yourself:
Do you want to produce eggs or meat?
- Profit margins on eggs are small, but it can work if you have a good
marketing strategy.
- Adding value to your eggs is one plan e.g. sell boiled eggs at a taxi
rank.
- Layers will provide eggs almost every day, and after a year you can sell
them for replacements
- For meat, the three ways to market are: contract growing (produce
chickens for large companies), live chicken sales, and frozen chicken
sales. With the last one, you will need special facilities beyond the
budget of most beginners, but if you can secure a contract, then this
will be worth it.
Where is your market? Who are the customers?
At what price can you sell and still make a profit?
Can you produce enough to secure a contract?
Do you have all the information you need?
Infrastructure
Do the premises meet your municipalitys zoning specifications?
Do you have access to fresh water and electricity?
Do your neighbours mind having a chicken business next door?
Do you have space on the premises for future growth?
Various tips
Make sure any training you go for is practical.
Buy day-old chicks (rather than breeding them) and grow them up for
slaughter.
Dont raise your own chickens if you are producing eggs; it will be
cheaper to buy hens that are near the stage of laying.
Breeding day-old chicks for sale can be done if you have a large market,
but otherwise leave this to the large companies who specialise in this.
Big producers use specially selected breeds to produce on a large scale,
and this is done in strictly controlled facilities that cost millions of rand.
Far more suitable for smaller producers are indigenous breeds (e.g.
Boschvelder) or old standard breeds like the Australorp, Potchefstroom
Koekoek, Rhode Island Red or New Hampshire. These are hardier and
more disease resistant. They are also ideal for the informal market and
the live-chicken market.
Feed for your chickens will be the most expensive running cost. If you
buy feed along with other farmers you can negotiate a better price.
Sources: Articles from the New on the land , April 2011 editions of Farmers Weekly.
Samuel and Zoleka Joka run one of the successful small-scale broiler
operation in Bumbane village, on the outskirts of Keiskammahoek. Below
are some of the points included in the advice given by the Jokas and
Fumanekile Ngqokweni, the extension officer:
Success is linked to the ability to access start-up capital and skill to
grow broilers successfully.
The new farmer has to renovate or build adequate facilities, buy
equipment (e.g. heaters, self-feeders, drinking pans, sawdust), feed
and chicks. This is quite a capital outlay before you get anything
back.
Samuel stressed the importance of training.
He advises beginners to start small say 50 chicks and build volume
with experience, thereby minimising the risk of initial failure
Disease control is vital. Growers can radically decrease the
probability of disease through correct management e.g. ensure
clean water and watch the general cleanliness of production areas
(disease can spread through contaminated drinking water, food and
chicken waste).
Before a new batch of chickens is introduced to the pen, clean it
thoroughly and rest it for at least ten days.
The temperature should be kept at about 30oC in the first two
weeks.
There must be significant air circulation during hot periods. During
cold times, heat should be generated using heaters and infrared
lamps.
Wood shavings should be evenly distributed in the pens: this ensures
cleanliness and the retention of heat.
The Jokas have two structures: a large rondavel with large windows
where they rear their chicks up to four weeks, after which they are
transferred to a large wooden shed fitted with canvas flaps (that can be
lifted) and ceiling fans to ensure circulation.
Source: Adapted from the article Broilers transform Keiskammahoek at www.
farmersweekly.co.za
Some useful contacts are listed below. For a wider option, refer to the full
lists provided later in the chapter, both for equipment and training.
Agricultural Research Council (ARC)
Tel: 012 672 9153 (co-ordinator)
Tel: 012 672 9238/9 (trainers)
www.arc.agric.za
Training here places poultry production in reach of everyone in particular
resource-limited rural communities by providing the necessary knowledge
and resources. It addresses the need for affordable animal proteins by
enabling people to produce eggs and meat for their own use as well as for
commercial purposes.
596
The Agricultural Colleges like Cedara and Madzivhandila College,

working with the Provincial Departments of Agriculture, are able to assist
with training. Find their contact details in the Agricultural education and
training chapter.
Sciowave
Jan Grobbelaar 084 567 8975
jan@reveal.co.za
The Poultry Section
(ARC in Bloemfontein)
Tel: 051 861 1175
Developing Poultry Farmers
Organisation
Tel: 011 795 2051/2
The organisation has been
established specifically to be of
assistance to emerging poultry
farmers.
KwaZulu-Natal Poultry
Institute
Tel: 033 346 0049
www.kznpi.co.za
Training of existing and smallscale poultry farmers including
mentorship of trainees
Mpofu Small Stock Training
Centre
Tel: 040 864 9064

For contact details and information on the different Department of Agriculture,
Forestry and Fisheries (DAFF) directorates, find the Divisions option at www.
daff.gov.za.
International Trade
Administration Commission of
South Africa (ITAC)
Tel: 0861 843 384
www.itac.org.za

Council (NAMC)
Tel: 012 341 1115
www.namc.co.za
Find the list of state vets on www.sapoultry.co.za (take the Downloads

option) or refer to the Animal health chapter in this book.
Southern African Poultry
Association (SAPA)
Tel: 011 795 2051
sapa@sapoultry.co.za
www.sapoultry.co.za
One of the many services SAPA
offers is the compiling of the Code
of Practice for the industry. The
SPCA gives input to this. This Code
is an objective guide for all poultry
produced in South Africa and is an
endeavour to lay down the accepted
norms of the industry, incorporating
various legal requirements where
necessary. The Code considers
safe and wholesome food for
human consumption to be of the
highest priority and therefore fully
supports the implementation of
applicable measures to comply
with the requirements for safe
food of poultry origin, as approved

by the relevant Health Authorities.
The
Developing
Poultry
Farmers Organisation can be
contacted at the SAPA office.
Find the downloads for the
Broiler Organisation, the Chick
Producer Organisation and the
Egg Organisation on the SAPA
website.
On www.saspo.org.za find contact
details
of
clubs/associations
affiliated to the South African
Show Poultry Organisation.
These include associations for
poultry breeds like Orpington and
Asian Hardfeather.

Find the Training option at www.sapoultry.co.za. Also see the Agricultural
Many
AgriSETA-accredited
training
providers
offer
poultry courses (find the list in
training chapter).
Agriskills Transfer
Tel: 012 460 9585
www.agriskills.net
Institute (ARC-API)
Annetjie Loubser 012 672 9153
www.arc.agric.za
Sciowave
Jan Grobbelaar
Tel: 084 567 8975
jan@reveal.co.za
Tel: 021 852 2643
Skills for Africa
Tel: 012 379 4920 / 082 770 4262
www.skillsafrica.co.za
Department: Animal Science
The poultry unit offers training Tel: 021 808 4916
opportunities to students from www.sun.ac.za/animal
tertiary institutions and those
wanting to start poultry farming. It University of the Free State
also offers facilities for research to Department of Microbial,
stakeholders in the poultry industry. Biochemical and Food
Biotechnology
Tel: 051 401 2676/9
braggrr@ufs.ac.za
HugoA@ufs.ac.za
Tel: 012 841 2911
www.csir.co.za
A research team led by its Grassland Sciences
bioscientists successfully developed Tel: 051 401 2211
a novel pasteurisation system.
Lengau Agricultural centre
Tel: 051 443 8859
Tel: 071 692 2229
mcvdw@telkomsa.net
KwaZulu-Natal Poultry
Tel: 051 443 9011
Institute (KZNPI)
Tel: 033 346 0049
www.kznpi.co.za
(PMB)
Animal & Poultry Sciences
National
Certificate:
Poultry Tel: 033 260 5808
Production (NQF 3) accredited www.ukzn.ac.za
with AgriSETA. Shorter poultry
production courses can be offered University of Pretoria
Agricultural Economics, Extension
by arrangement.
and Rural Development
Tel: 012 420 3248 / 51
Mpofu Small Stock Training
Centre
Animal and Wildlife Sciences
Tel: 040 864 9064
Tel: 012 420 4018
A training centre in the Eastern
Cape which has been instrumental Production Animal Studies: Poultry
Reference Centre
in providing poultry farming skills
Tel: 012 529 8224
Poultry Information Centre
Contract and academic research is
Rod Simpson 082 853 5701
done on poultry diseases. Smallwww.poultryinfo.co.za
scale farmer projects are run.
Provides short courses on poultry
The Provincial Departments of Veterinary Science
of Agriculture, working with Department of Production Animal
the Agricultural Colleges, offer Studies
Tel: 012 529 8448 / 013
poultry courses.
597
Equipment and inputs
co.za
Ashkan Consulting Tel: 011 466 8763/4/ 084 777 4472 www.ashkan.
co.za
Avipharm Tel: 033 342 7041 / 2 http://avipharm.co.za
Bessemer Tel: 011 762 5341/2 www.bessemer.co.za
Big Dutchman SA Pty Ltd Tel: 011 452 1154 www.bigdutchman.
co.za
Biogas Power Tel: 086 124 6427 www.biogaspower.co.za (Unlocking
the value of poultry manure)
Biomin Animal Nutrition Tel: 018 468 1455 www.biomin.net
Chemvet Tel: 011 437 9001 www.chemvet.co.za
Combustion Technology www.combustiontechnology.co.za (call
them at 021 715 3171)
De Heus Feed (Pty) Ltd 031 785 1575 www.deheus.co.za
Dicla Broiler Production Unit Tel: 011 662 1363/71 www.dicla.
com
DIVAC Tel: 044 874 2720 www.divac.co.za (poultry processing
equipment see advert in the Abattoir chapter)
Dorna Distributors Tel: 033 386 5053 dorna@premieronline.co.za
Dynamic Automation Tel: 031 736 2071 www.dynamicautomation.
co.za
Echo Coldrooms Tel: 012 803 9490 www.echocoldrooms.co.za
Eskom supplies a Small Scale Broiler Production Unit and also offer an
energy advisory service. Find contact details in the Energy chapter.
GSI Group Africa (Pty) Ltd Tel: 011 794 4455 www.gsiafrica.co.za
(Poultry equipment: fans, heaters, vents, electronic climate controls
etc).
JF Equipment Machinery Tel: 011 760 3494 www.jfequipment.com
John F Marshall Tel: 011 842 7100 www.johnfmarshall.co.za
Marel South Africa Tel: 011 823 6940 www.marel.co.za

New Quip Tel: 011 472 2201 www.newquip.co.za
Nkoko Tel: 083 280 8851 www.nkoko.co.za
Onderstepoort Biological Products (OBP) Tel: 012 522 1500 www.
obpvaccines.co.za
Peninsular Poultry Appliances www.poultryappliances.com (call
them at 021 987 4831)
Plant Health Products Tel: 033 266 6130 www.plant-health.co.za
(the natural additive, Eco-BTI, kills fly larvae)
Pleysier Incubators Tel: 087 985 1754 / 5 www.pleysier.co.za
Poltek Tel: 011 866 1240/2 www.custommoulders.co.za
Safe Eggs www.safeeggs.co.za (patented technology for pasteurisation
of shell eggs)
Staalboer Tel: 082 210 0999 www.staalboer.co.za
Super Agri Science www.superagriscience.co.za
Surehatch Egg Incubators Tel: 021 981 8916 www.surehatch.co.za
Diagnostic services, advice etc. is available from the Universities e.g.
the Poultry Reference Centre at the University of Pretoria. The contact
number there is 012 529 8224.
Windmeul Tel: 021 873 2427 www.windmeul.co.za
Suppliers of chicks and breeding stock

ALFA CHICKS Tel: 012 561 1205 www.alfachicks.co.za
Chicken Shack Agencies Tel: 012 669 9908 www.chickenshack.
co.za
Eagles Pride Hatchery Tel: 012 808 9930 www.eaglespride.co.za
Finchley Broiler Breeders Tel: 079 493 6785 finchley@nitrosoft.
co.za
Grootvlei Kuikens Tel: 083 629 8182 www.grootvleikuikenssa.co.za
Lufafa Hatchery Tel: 082 889 7669 / 082 908 4152 www.lufafahatchery.
co.za (Limpopo)
National Chicks Tel: 031 785 9100 www.natchix.co.za
De Heus
598
Producers and processors

Find the list of Halaal poultry dealers at www.sanha.co.za.
AFGRI Poultry Tel: 011 063 2347 www.afgri.co.za

Alzu Depots (Pty) Ltd Tel: 013 249 8900/1 www.alzu.co.za
Anca Chix Tel: 043 683 1774 www.redcrestfarms.co.za
Astral Foods Ltd Tel: 012 667 5468 www.astralfoods.com
Boschveld Tel: 014 733 0775 www.boschveld.co.za
Chubby Chick Tel: 018 293 0202 www.fouries.co.za
Cobb South Africa Tel: 031 242 8500 www.cobbsa.co.za
Cocorico Tel: 031 785 1337
Country Bird Holdings is the holding company for several brands
including Country Bird, Ross Africa and Nutri Feeds. Visit www.cbh.
co.za.
County Fair see Astral Operations Ltd.
Daybreak Farms Tel: 013 661 1063 www.daybreakfarms.co.za
Early Bird Farm Tel: 011 206 0600 www.earlybirdfarm.co.za
Eden Rock Poultry Farm Tel: 039 835 0062
Eggbert Eggs Tel: 034 922 1618 www.eggberteggs.co.za
Eggtech Tel: 011 462 5744 Fax: 011 462 9913
Eikenhof Poultry Farms (Pty) Ltd Tel: 021 9751043
Elgin Free Range Chickens Tel: 021 859 2795 www.freerangechickens.
co.za
Elite Breeding Farms Tel: 033 266 6135 / 028 341 0979
Elkana Poultry Farm Tel: 021 874 1223
Fair Acres Poultry Farm Tel: 011 540 6300
Heidel Eggs Tel: 013 751 3897/8
Hyline Hatchery Tel: 011 318 2355
Midway Chix Pty Ltd see AFGRI
Nulaid Tel: 021 864 8600 www.nulaid.co.za (part of Pioneer Foods)
Paardeberg Eiers Tel: 021 869 8414
Rainbow Farms (Pty) Ltd Tel: 031 242 8500 www.rainbowchicken.
co.za
Rocklands Poultry see Sovereign Foods
Rosendal Poultry Farm Tel: 021 862 3100
Ross Poultry Breeders see Astral Foods
Sangiro Tel: 087 941 6474 www.sangiro.co.za
Sovereign Foods Tel: 041 995 1700 www.sovereignfoods.co.za
Supreme Poultry Tel: 051 448 6803 www.supremechicken.net
Tydstroom Poultry Tel: 021 970 5400 www.tydstroom.co.za (part of
the Pioneer Foods Agri Division)
Weldhagen Eggs Tel: 012 819 8000 www.weldhagen.co.za

Pluimvee/Poultry Bulletin a monthly magazine issued by SAPA. Previous
copies are available on their website as pdfs.
The Southern African Chicken Book Ed Wethli. Juta. Available from KwaZuluNatal Poultry Institute 033 346 0049.
A Guide for Beginner Poultry Farmers available from the ARC. Call 012 672
9153 or visit www.arc.agric.za. Numerous pamphlets for producers are
also available from the ARC in Irene.
Visit www.kejafa.co.za or call 011 025 4388 for the DVD entitled Successful
Broiler Production. A number of publications are also stocked, including:
Raising poultry Leonard S Mercia
Raising Chickens Gail Damerow
Hoenderproduksie Braaikuikens Dr Jean A Cilliers
Order the A6 production Guide to Poultry Production from Landbouweekblad.
Call 021 406 4962 or write to lbw@media24.com.
Several publications are available on the Department of Agriculture, Forestry
and Fisheries website, www.daff.gov.za (take the Publications option).
To find the Livestock: Broiler Market Value Chain Profile 2010-2011
and the Livestock: Egg Market Value Chain Profile 2010-2011 take the
Agriculture Marketing option
The excellent Training Paper on broilers and eggs is under the General
publications and Agricultural Marketing Extension Training Papers
options.
Read reports on the poultry and egg markets under the Statistical
Information and Economic analyses options.
The following producer booklets can be found under the InfoPaks
option:
Info Paks (Booklets) available on www.daff.gov.za:
Are your chickens healthy?
Chicken Care
Factors affecting egg production
and quality
Marking of poultry meat
Newcastle disease
Respiratory diseases in chickens
Gut conditions in poultry
Disease prevention in chickens

Small-scale egg production
Practical egg production
Household chickens
Keep chickens
Poultry diseases
Nervous conditions in chickens
Feather, skin and leg conditions
Anyone wishing to start a poultry abattoir should know that there are legal,
health and safety requirements to meet. Find the necessary checklists
on www.daff.gov.za (under the Divisions and Food safety and Quality
Assurance options).
Find the Infotoons on poultry production at www.agis.agric.za/efarmer.
publications, available from the ARC-IAE in Silverton:
Small-scale broiler house (also available in Afrikaans)
Heating of broilers and broiler housing (also available in Afrikaans)
Small-scale poultry housing in South Africa
Another excellent publication available from Manure handling in intensive
animal production units, written by HT Breedt, edited and revised by F
Cilliers. Copyright. 2009.
www.obpvaccines.co.za click on the livestock you wish to know more
about (in terms of health). The chicken will give you information on the
following diseases, a background, symptoms and the necessary vaccine:
Newcastle Disease, Fowl Pox, Fowl typhoid and Haemophilus Coryza.
Subscribe to the Poultry Information Centre newsletter. Write to
rod@poultryinfo.co.za.
Available from the SPCA: Chicken Care Booklet. Try your local branch of
contact the National SPCA 011 907 3590/1/2.
Worldwide poultry updates www.thepoultrysite.com and www.
worldpoultry.net.
Find the poultry farming articles at http://chicken-farming.co.za.
Find the current world production, market and trade reports at http://
www.fas.usda.gov/currwmt.asp the Foreign Agricultural Service arm of the
US Department of Agriculture.
599
a. Nature of the rabbit
livestock
Rabbits
See the Speciality fibre production chapter for notes on farming rabbits for
their wool
1. Overview
The area required for an economic unit is fairly small. A plot or even a
comparatively large town property (regulations permitting) is suitable.
Rabbits compare favourably with other animals as converters of
vegetable feed to meat. To produce 1 kg live mass meat, the rabbit
only requires 3,5kg vegetable feed.
The reproduction potential of the doe is remarkable if one considers,
in a commercial herd, a progeny of 40 can be marketed out of a single
doe, with one 3 kg animal producing up to 40kg of meat in a year.
Certain breeds are bred for both their meat and pelts, such as Chinchilla
and Rex Rabbits, whilst the New Zealand White and The Californian
are used for meat production. Angora Rabbits (see Speciality fibre
production chapter) are farmed for their wool.
Locally, rabbit health Research and Development has had little
commercial incentive to advance, and what knowledge does exist has
seldom been accessible when and where needed. Overseas expertise
applicable to mass production can be accessed, but issues of licensing
and cost work against this.

Pelts:
The market for pelts fluctuates, and breeders may have to find their
own markets.
Breeding for Pelts also means extra expense as animals must be kept
until after the primary hair coat has been shed.
Pelt processing by the producer himself could also involve great
expense.
Meat production:
A carefully worked out breeding programme can achieve top
production and the economic productive life of a doe is from about 24
to 36 months.
At 11 weeks rabbits are usually ready for the market with a mass of 2,3
to 2,5kg.
The law requires slaughtering at an approved Abattoir, either the
producers own or an existing one.
An eleven week-old rabbit should dress at about 54%.
Rabbits can be kept as pets, for meat, pelts, or to produce Angora
wool.
In South Africa, commercial rabbit farming has been somewhat
neglected.
3. Farming with rabbits

There is no single husbandry method that can be universally recommended
for successful rabbit farming: the selection of any appropriate mix of
practices and methods must consider a range of criterion, including three
basic determinants:
the nature of the rabbit, its needs and stresses
what products are being farmed for
availability of requisite inputs
High reproductive ability, concomitant to high mortality

Good dress-out ratio
Flesh low in body fat
Quick maturing
Highly-strung, small, nocturnal mammal, intensely predated upon
by rats, raptors, mongooses, dogs, cats and snakes; fearful of sudden
movements and sounds, and prone to panic
Good converter of vegetable roughage due to bacterial action in the
hindgut, therefore requiring freely available fresh water, and sensitive
to sudden changes in diet
Relatively large intestinal tract necessitating high throughput of clean
roughage and sufficient mobility to stretch its gut and expel gas buildups
Vulnerable to sudden changes in temperature and its extremes,
particularly heat, and to drafts and damp
Susceptible to a number of infectious diseases and parasites, particularly
if stressed (importation of live rabbits is often restricted, as it is
currently)
Males are progressively territorially aggressive as they mature. This
takes the form of urinating on neighbours and attacking other males
with tooth and claw.
The entire animal can be converted to product.
b. Products
Meat, fur, wool (plus all value added conversions and processed
derivatives)
Farming for meat and fur means slaughtering, farming for wool does
not. But the production and marketing of wool and wool products
demands a set of skills, management techniques, and markets that differ
markedly from those centring around rearing animals for slaughter
which need to be dealt with specifically.
Farming for quality furs (and certain meat products) requires that
animals be housed for 2 and more times longer than one would for
carcasses destined for fryer markets. This impacts upwards on
required housing infrastructure, and requires a cost-effective tanning
method or facility.
South African consumer resistance to rabbit carcasses (association
with pets or taboos) can generally be obviated by presenting portions,
pies, pts etc.
c. Availability of requisite inputs

Choose the right rabbit:
Do:
Buy healthy rabbits with bright eyes, dry noses and clean ears and feet.
The rabbits fur should be smooth and clean and its teeth in line.
It is best to buy breeding stock at about six months, and to replace
them every three years.
Select your rabbits from parents which have a good breeding record.
A female that does not perform well will also have poor offspring.
Dont:
Do not buy a mature female because you cannot always know how old
she is. She might for instance have reached the end of her productive
life and will be of no use (for breeding). Long toenails indicate that the
rabbit is older.
Housing:
Rabbits can be kept in very simple housing. Whether a single rabbit is
kept as a pet, or a warren of rabbits is farmed on a larger scale, they
can be housed in cages of wire mesh or scrap wood.
In commercial rabbit enterprises, professional hutches can be made
for quality and durability.
Individual cages should at least be 50cm x 60cm x 30cm for a 4kg rabbit
(rabbits need not be kept in sheds or buildings).
They prefer cooler temperatures, and are comfortable at 16oC. They
should be shielded from direct sunlight, wind and rain.
The cage should have a wire mesh floor with holes large enough for the
droppings to fall through (the holes in the mesh should not be big and
allow their feet to get stuck). The droppings can be used as a fertiliser
in vegetable patches or flower gardens.
The cage should not have a ground floor because the rabbits will dig a
way out.
600
If a wooden frame is used, the wire mesh should be placed on the

inside of the frame to prevent the rabbits from gnawing through it. The
mother, however, needs a nesting box to keep her babies warm. This
box should be about 38 x 25 x 25cm.
Clean the cage regularly and keep it dry to prevent disease.
Protect the cage from sun, wind and rain. It is not necessary to put the
cages inside buildings such as sheds to protect the rabbits against cold
as they can tolerate cold better than heat.
Rabbits need plenty of fresh air. Their cages must be well ventilated.
The cages should be put in a quiet place where dogs, cats and rats
cannot get to them.
Feeding:
Do:
Feed your rabbits lucerne, grass, green maize, leaves, carrots, turnips,
lettuce, maize meal, porridge, bread, samp, weeds and leaves of fruit
trees (rabbits will eat almost anything that grows in the soil).
Most rabbit breeders use commercially produced rabbit pellets too.
These contain most of the nutrients and vitamins needed to keep
rabbits healthy. They also make for less waste and mess than feeding
big vegetable leaves.
Good quality hay is also recommended in addition to pellets, followed
by treats of various vegetables or fruit.
Feed the rabbits early in the morning and late in the afternoon. Most of
the food should preferably be given late in the afternoon.
You can grow your own green material for rabbit food.
Dont:
Never feed your rabbits potato, tomato and rhubarb leaves. These are
poisonous to rabbits.
Never leave them without water: rabbits must have access to clean
water at all times.
Be careful not to introduce sudden changes in the rabbits diet.
Do not feed rabbits greens that have become heated, food that has
been sprayed with pesticides, spoiled food or mouldy hay.
Breeding
Female rabbits are ready to breed when they are 4 to 6 months old and
males when they are 5 to 6 months old.
Keep the male rabbit in a separate cage.
Always put the female into the males cage. If the mating was successful
the male will roll over.
If the female is not ready for mating, she will try to run away.
When mating does not take place, the female can be put into the males
cage for the next 5 to 6 days.
The female is more productive during springtime, summer and early
autumn.
Breeding during the winter months is not recommended as it is too
cold. Pregnancy lasts about 1 month.
Birth
A rabbit litters about 30 days after mating.
About 25 28 days after mating, soft dry grass can be placed in a clean,
dry nesting box for the female. The female will inspect the box, add
some of her own fur to the grass, make the nest her own.
Stay away from the cage at this stage until the babies have been born.
The babies are usually born during the early morning hours.
Inspect the babies carefully to see if they are alive and well.
Remove dead babies immediately.
The babies should lie close together in the nesting box.
Make sure that the babies are suckling and well nourished.
The female cannot always feed all the babies if there are too many.
Some of the babies can then be given to another female who only has
a few babies. The babies should be of the same age.
Weaning:
The baby rabbits can be weaned from the age of 30 to 35 days.
At this stage they can be taken away from their mother. Put the young
females and males in separate cages.
Depending on the feeding and management level, the female can be
mated again from 2 to 3 days up to 1 month after having given birth.
Young rabbits are usually big enough to be eaten or sold at the age of
3 to 4 months. If you keep them for a longer period they will eat much
more and the males will begin to fight.
4. Role players
Coniglio Rabbit Meat Farm
Tel: 021 801 3663/4/5
www.coniglio.co.za
Danie Janse van Rensburg
Tel: 072 798 2802
An ex-rabbit farmer
Ferdi Eichstadt works with goats
and rabbits in youth job creation,
alleviation of poverty and food
security projects. Contact him at
072 198 9199 / 072 405 2180.
Gatabi Rabbitry
Gavin 082 554 9412
Tamara 083 444 4830
tplasser@telkomsa.net
Greener Pastures
Tel: 082 454 6889 / 082 928 1882
www.rabbits.co.za
John F Marshall supplies rabbit

cages and accessories. Call 011 842
7100 or visit www.johnfmarshall.
co.za.
Karoline Steenekamp
Tel: 021 788 1111 / 082 867 9139
karoline@telkomsa.net
Rabbit show judge and rabbit
expert
Natal Rabbit Club
Heather Heron
Tel: 031 464 3823
Schmidt Seeds & Feeds
Tel: 011 838 4774/5
www.ssfs.co.za
Complete rabbit feeds
Sigrid Lemmer
Tel: 082 735 3821
Live and dressed rabbits, rabbit

equipment, training in setting up Rabbit farmer in the Natal Midlands
rabbit operations.

Kejafa Knowledge Works supplies the publication Raising Rabbits, a
256-page publication complete with photographs. Visit www.kejafa.
co.za or telephone 011 025 4388.
The following Info Paks are available under the publications option
at www.daff.gov.za: Rabbits: Keeping Rabbits and Rabbit recipes. Hard
copies can be obtained by calling 012 319 7141.
There are notes on keeping rabbits at www.agis.agric.za/efarmer.
Find photographs of the different types of rabbit at www.dwarfrabbits.
co.za.
Find the article on The Ndekero Rabbit Keeping Challenge in the
Timbuktu Chronicles (visit http://timbuktuchronicles.blogspot.com).
It concerns a project in the small town of Ndekero, Kenya, which
produces rabbit meat every month and generates part-time, incomegenerating opportunities to several parents in the community.
Sources: Karoline Steenekamp and Tjaart Steenekamp; Rabbits: keeping
rabbits, a booklet published by the Department of Agriculture (see publications
and websites in this chapter).
Our thanks to Karoline Steenekamp for assistance with this chapter.
601
livestock
Sheep
See also the Sheep wool and Goat and sheep dairy chapters
1. Overview
The domestic sheep (Ovis aries) is produced for its wool, meat and milk.
Other sheep byproducts:
Clothes, footwear, rugs, and other products are made from
sheepskin.
Sheep tallow can be used in candle and soap making.
Sheep bone and cartilage has been used to furnish carved items such
as dice and buttons as well as rendered glue and gelatin.
Sheep intestine can be formed into sausage casings, and lamb
intestine has been formed into surgical sutures, as well as strings for
musical instruments and tennis rackets.
Sheep droppings, which are high in cellulose, have even been
sterilised and mixed with traditional pulp materials to make paper.
Of all sheep byproducts, perhaps the most valuable is lanolin: the
water-proof, fatty substance found naturally in sheeps wool and
used as a base for innumerable cosmetics and other products.
Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Domestic_sheep

New Zealand, Australia and the UK are the worlds largest sheep meat
exporters.
Australia has the largest market share of sheep meat into South Africa
followed by New Zealand. Australia is also the top importer of South
African sheep meat.
Market information is obtainable from Agrimark Trends. An example of
their market reports may be found on their website www.agrimark.co.za.
The review includes an international perspective e.g. Australian exports.
For statistical information regarding slaughterings at abattoirs, auction prices

on the hook, production and consumption, visit www.daff.gov.za, find the
statistical information under Publications. In addition, find information like
Sheep and goat numbers: Breed composition in RSA.
The reader can also find regular updates in the agricultural weekly
publications Landbouweekblad and Farmers Weekly.
Source: Livestock Development Strategy for South Africa (find it on www.daff.gov.
za); Farmers Weekly 4 March 2011 page 25; Dr Scholtz ARC-API, The Butcher
July 2011
4. Controlling predators
Refer to the Wildlife on Farms chapter.
5. For the newcomer

If youre really serious about starting with sheep youll look for information
everywhere! Ask the right questions and talk to the right people not
websites. Ask about the districts:
stock theft
predation
labour
diseases
markets
veld and grazing
Experience is the best teacher, and commercial farmers have learnt most
through direct contact with other farmers (which includes fathers and
grandfathers), a kind of osmosis.
Talk to a few reasonably successful sheep farmers in the area, preferably
neighbours. This sounds like stupid advice but people dont follow it.
They buy farms in districts without doing any research; they start farming
enterprises without talking to the locals. Either theyre shy or they think
they know more than the people whove lived there for generations.
Attend farmers days and shows and ask questions instead of drinking Free
State Cabernet (klippies & coke). Many breed societies have a programme
for the year.
Source: Roelof Bezuidenhout, a farmer from the Eastern Cape. He is also a writer and
contributing editor for Farmers Weekly.
HINTS FOR DIPPING SHEEP
South Africa is a net sheep meat importer.

Sheep husbandry is mainly practiced in the Eastern Cape, Northern Cape,
Free State and Mpumalanga, with the other provinces having smaller
numbers. Read about the different breeds of sheep on www.studbook.
co.za.
Sheep numbers have decreased from over 30 million in 1970 to around 25
million in 2012, according to the National Agricultural Marketing Council
(NAMC) and the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries. The
decline is attributed to high stock theft levels and significant predation
losses, causing farmers to switch to cattle and game farming.
Sheep slaughtering at registered abattoirs are around 4.5 million per annum.
Availability of sheep meat in the formal sector is an average of 110 000 tons
per annum. The slaughtering of sheep in the informal sector could be a
further 40% of these figures.
All sheep on the farm should be dipped. When lambs dry off after birth,
they can become infested by lice and they should therefore also be
dipped.
Dipping fluid
Make sure that the dipping-fluid is suited for the purpose intended,
such as getting rid of scab, lice or both.
Read the label before mixing the dipping fluid.
Do not add anything to the dipping-fluid, unless it is recommended
on the label.
Make sure that the dipping-tank is clean before mixing the dipping
fluid.
Strictly follow the instructions concerning the replenishment and
storing of the dipping fluid.
602
Details of the National Wool Growers Association (NWGA) can be found in the
Sheep - wool chapter.
Dipping dos
Try to postpone dipping until after lambing, or dip the sheep before
the start of the lambing season.
Lice can only survive on sheep. Make sure that ALL sheep are
dipped.
Animals should be submerged in the dipping-fluid for at least 1
minute.
The head should be submerged at least 3 times.
Dipping donts
Do not place ewes and lambs in the tank simultaneously.
Sheep should not be driven over long distances before and after
dipping.
Never dip thirsty sheep.
Start dipping early in the morning and do not continue until late in the
afternoon. Sheep should get the opportunity to dry off sufficiently
before the evening.
Do not dip recently shorn sheep. Allow a period of about 14 days for
shearing wounds to heal.
Source: taken from one of the Info Paks (see heading 10)

Find contact details and information on the different directorates of the
Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries at www.daff.gov.za.
Find contact details for the sheep breeder societies in the Animal improvement
and breeders chapter.
The South African sheep industry

researched and produced its own
set of nutrient density values. These
new findings from the University
of Pretoria put the fat percentage
of South African sheep meat,
previously thought to be 25g/100g,
at 10g/100g. This boosts the image
of South African sheep meat. Visit
the Lamb & Mutton website for
more information.
National Emergent Red Meat
(NERPO)
Tel: 012 361 9127 / 472 0005
www.nerpo.org.za
Agricultural degrees/diplomas at universities and Agricultural Colleges

cover smallstock production. Short courses are also offered (Glen
College does short courses in mutton technology, for example). Find
contact details in the Agricultural education and training chapter.
Research is done by the Agricultural Research Council (ARC), the
universities, and the Agricultural Colleges amongst others.
AgriSETA accredited trainers The following services are
provide courses on the production rendered in support of the mission
of sheep.
and strategic objectives:
Institute (ARC-API)
Tel: 012 672 9111/ 320
www.arc.agric.za
To enquire about short courses in
small stock management, phone
Annetjie Loubser at 012 672 9153.
Carnarvon Experimental
Station
Tel: 053 382 3333
Dr Gretha Snyman
dier6@karoo1.agric.za

Tel: 012 319 7493
DAP@daff.gov.za
Lamb & Mutton South Africa

Tel: 012 361 2333
hettie.schonfeldt@up.ac.za
www.healthymeat.co.za
Visit the Abattoirs chapter for contact details of associations like The Association
of Meat Importers and Exporters of SA (AMIE), National Federation of Meat
Traders (NFMT), Red Meat Abattoir Association (RMAA), South African
Federation of Livestock Agents (SAFLA), South African Meat Processors
Association (SAMPA) and South African National Consumers Union.

Tel: 012 667 1189
www.redmeatsa.co.za
Red Meat Producers
Organisation (RPO)
Tel: 012 348 1933
www.rpo.co.za
South African Meat Industry
Company (SAMIC)
Tel: 012 361 4545
www.samic.co.za
SA Sheepdog Association
Tel: 017 735 1844
www.sasda.za.net
SA Stud Book and Animal
Tel: 051 410 0900
www.studbook.co.za
Technology
Tel: 051 507 3134
www.cut.ac.za
Institute
Department of Agriculture:
Western Cape
Tel: 021 808 5111
www.elsenburg.com
Tel: 049 8421113
GADI undertakes research and
provides training in the theory and
practice of small stock production.
Training

Higher
Education
and
Training for studies towards a
NQF level 5-7 bands

Education
and
Further
training for studies towards a
NQF level 1 -4 bands
skills
development
programmes
which
are
agricultural based and relevant
to a sustainable sector
Research & Technology
Development
research on sustainable natural
resource management and
use

research
on
livestock
production technologies
economic research for the
benefit of the small stock
industry
Extension and Outreach
presentations at Farmers days
and industry congresses
advice to individuals

written
and
electronic
information dissemination

initiatives and partnerships
towards
local
economic
development
603
RMRD SA Red Meat Research

& Development South Africa
Tel: 012 348 2766
Tel: 012 361 2333
Prof Hettie Schnfeldt
www.rmrdsa.co.za
Technology
Director of Research and
Innovation
Dr Mandla Msibi
Tel: 012 382 4223
MsibiMI@tut.ac.za
The RMRD SA provides funds for

research in the red meat industry.
A wide spectrum of projects
is funded. The focus areas for
research are:

Faculty of Science & Agriculture
Tel: 040 602 2232
fmaweza@ufh.ac.za
http://ufh.ac.za/faculties/sna/
sustainable natural resource

utilisation
livestock production with
global competitiveness
animal health and welfare
animal products quality and
value adding
red meat safety, nutritional
quality and value
consumerism,
market
development and trade
unlocking
the
Potential
of
Red
Meat
through
commercialisation, technology
transfer and training
climate change and sustainable
livestock production
predation management
Just Lamb Tel: 011 826 6452 www.justlamb.co.za

Konsortium Merino Tel: 048 881 4895 www.konsortium-merino.
com
Mushlendow Tel: 014 543 2388 (a feedlot)
Onderstepoort Biological Products (OBP) Tel: 012 522 1500 www.
obpvaccines.co.za
Peter Milton Tel: 083 630 8868 www.petermilton.co.za (expert
livestock consultant)
Ramsem Tel: 051 412 6327 / 082 900 3903/4 www.ramsem.com
Vleissentraal Ltd Tel: 012 460 9916 www.vleissentraal.co.za

Grassland Sciences
Tel: 051 401 2211
Visit role player websites e.g. www.redmeatsa.co.za, www.rpo.co.za and

www.samic.co.za.
Biochemical & Food Biotechnology
Tel: 051 401 2729
Prof Arno Hugo
Hugoa@ufs.ac.za
1. Karakul (complete set of Bulletins, available in Afrikaans or English);

2. Mutton (complete set of Bulletins, available in Afrikaans or English).
3. Indigenous Sheep and Goat Breeds of South Africa

Tel: 0 51 443 9011
University of KZN
Research Office
Govan Mbeki Centre
Westville Campus
Tel: 031 260 7291
shabanem@ukzn.ac.za
Visit the website for more www.ukzn.ac.za
information on the application
process for funding, the focus areas University of Pretoria
for research and their priorities as Department of Animal and Wildlife
well as past and current projects.
Sciences
Tel: 012 420 4018
Prof Hettie Schnfeldt
Services
Tel: 082 770 0480
www.up.ac.za
www.RLTS.com
SA Society for Animal Science of Veterinary Science
(SASAS)
Tel: 012 420 6017
Studies
www.sasas.co.za
Tel: 012 529 8038 / 8448 / 8013
Division for Research
Professor Iron can be contacted,
Development
pete.irons@up.ac.za.
Prof Arnold van Zyl
Tel: 021 808 9184
Professor Bath is an expert on
essie@sun.ac.za
sheep, gareth.bath@up.ac.za.
www.sun.ac.za

See the list in the Abattoir chapter.
Local Agribusiness e.g. Suidwes (Terratek), Kaap Agri and GWK. Find
contact details in the Agribusiness chapter.
Afrivet Tel: 012 817 9060 www.afrivet.co.za
Akshan Consulting Tel: 011 466 8763/4 www.ashkan.co.za
AXXON Tel: 011 837 7177/6/0 axxon@global.co.za (supplier of all
types of ID devices from Electronic ear tags/intraruminal boluses/subdermal chips, ankle/neck bands and visual tags and leg-/neck bands)
Beef Master Tel: 053 441 9100 (a feedlot)
Edlouis Voerkraal (Pty) Ltd Tel: 016 972 8032 www.lhcgroup.co.za
(a feedlot)
HOTSURE Tel: 0861 HOTSURE (468 787) www.hotsure.co.za
(biotelemetry solutions for pro-active risk management and precision
farming)
Call 012 672 9111 for these publications, available at the ARC-API in Irene:
Call 012 842 4017 or email iaeinfo@arc.agric.za for these publications,

available from the ARC-IAE in Silverton:
The Manual on sheep facilities (also available in Afrikaans)
Breedt, edited and revised by F Cilliers. Copyright. 2009. Manure
handling practices for sheep is dealt with in the seventh chapter.
The Mutton Market Value Chain: 2010-2011 publication can be accessed
on www.daff.gov.za, website of the Department of Agriculture, Forestry
and Fisheries (DAFF). Take the Publications and Agricultural Marketing
options.
Find the numerous sheep Info Paks under the Publications option at
www.daff.gov.za.
Available from Kejafa Knowledge Works are several publications dealing
with sheep. Call 011 025 4388 or visit www.kejafa.co.za to find out about
the following:
Barn Guide for Sheep
Storeys Guide to Raising Sheep by Paula Simmons. 400 pages,
photographs and illustrations throughout.
Natural Sheep Care by Pat Coleby. This is a comprehensive guide,
whether for wool, meat or milk.
Skaap Produksie is an A5, 250 publication
Raising sheep
Small stock management by J Oberholster
Diseases and Parasites of Sheep and Goats in South Africa provides easy-tounderstand information on management, disease recognition, preventative
measures and treatment. It is written by Dr Pamela Oberem, Dr Peter
Oberem and Dr Johan van Rensburg. Contact Afrivet for a copy at 012 817
9060.
Visit www.afrivetplana.co.za to use Afrivets new innovative toolkit for
sheep farming. Plan A from Afrivet is your cost-free, 24-hour-a-day, 7days-a-week, online toolbox for management, production and profit in your
flock.
Small-scale Livestock Farming a grass-based approach for health sustainability
and profit. Carol Ekarius. Storey Publishing. ISBN 1580171621. Natural,
organic approach to livestock management that produces healthier animals,
reduces feed and health-care costs, and increases profits.
Shepherd Manual Dr JJ Olivier. ARC Irene. February 2003. It is available in
English and in Afrikaans.
A magazine for practical sheep farmers covering profitable sheep tips,
current issues, extensive sheep links and resources www.sheepmagazine.
com.
Our thanks to Prof Hettie Schnfeldt and her team for valuable feedback
604
livestock
Cape Wools SA supplies an SMS message service supplying market

information directly after sales, as well as a weekly market report via email.
Sheep wool
In South Africa, as in Australia, wool is traded primarily via the open-cry

auction system. About 15% of the Australian clip is traded via alternative
selling mechanisms (contract growing, forward deliveries, futures, etc.) but
in South Africa these mechanisms have not yet found a niche.
The sheep and wool industry is one of the oldest agricultural industries in
South Africa. It plays an important economic role as an earner of foreign
exchange for the country. Economic indicators can be found on www.
capewools.co.za.
Wool auctions are characterised by many sellers and few buyers. Buyers
normally have to compete for wool over a number of auctions to make up
processing batches to meet their clients contract specifications in terms of
price, quantity and delivery date. Contracts in foreign currencies, such as
the Euro or the US dollar, have to be converted to buying limits in rands and
the buyer carries the risk.
1. Overview
During the whole of its colonial period, the Cape Province remained the
most important wool producing area in Southern Africa. Although the sheep
industry spread rapidly throughout virtually the whole of the country during
subsequent years, Cape Wool has become the international generic trade
term for all wool produced on the sub-continent.
South African wool is largely an export commodity, in both processed and
semi-processed form. It is produced and traded in a sophisticated free
market business environment into the international marketplace, where
supply and demand forces determine price levels.
Main production areas are in the following regions: Eastern Cape, Free
State, Western Cape, Mpumalanga and KwaZulu-Natal.
The South African clip is mainly a Merino clip, which makes up over
80% of all lots offered for sale.
South Africas wool prices follow those of Australia where the world
price of apparel wool is determined since the largest volumes of wool
are traded there.
More than 90% of South Africas wool is exported, mainly either in
greasy form (80%) or smaller volumes of semi-processed wools, such
as scoureds or wool top.

Find updates on www.capewools.co.za.
Wool is an export product with over 90% of total production exported
in either greasy or semi-processed form (scoureds and wool top). The
global price for apparel wool is determined in Australia, the worlds largest
supplier of apparel wool, where the largest volumes of wool are traded.
South Africa, with its small clip, is therefore a market follower or price
taker.
Factors affecting prices are exchange rate movements, supply and demand
in consumer markets, the relative price for wool compared with other
fibres, and fashion trends.
At consumer level, wool as a textile fibre is a non-essential product and to
some extent a luxury fibre. Economic growth in key consumer markets,
consumer confidence and spending patterns, therefore, affect wool pipeline
demand.
The main wool-exporting countries are Australia, New Zealand, Argentina,
the UK, Uruguay and South Africa.
The main importers of South African wool are China, Italy, the Czech
Republic, France, Germany, India and the UK.
South Africa is a full member of the International Wool Textile Organisation
(IWTO). Visit the IWTO website www.iwto.org.
The wool market can be divided into three broad product segments based
on mean fibre diameter:
Fine wools (<19,5) are used in luxury products and supply is increasing
rapidly, particularly from Australia. Prices are rather volatile and poor
quality (e.g. as a result of drought) suffers significant penalties on price.
Fashion trends and consumer demand for soft, light products for next
to the skin wear are and will remain the key drivers in this segment.
The finer end of this segment competes with other products e.g.
cashmere.
Medium wools are usually in the 20-25 category and are used essentially
in the classical menswear, womenswear and knitwear product sectors.
Probably the major offtake of wool in this product sector is in blends
with synthetic fibres to target lower price points at retail, and in some
cases to achieve certain technical effects. Prices in this category are
particularly sensitive to competition from synthetics.
Strong (coarse) wools (>26) are mainly used for interior textiles such
as furnishings, carpets and bedding products. South African wool does
not feature in this product segment.
South Africas wool clip is, and will probably remain for the foreseeable
future, an export commodity in either the unprocessed or semi-processed
form. On both value and volume, Europe is the main export destination.
The international supply and demand equation is therefore the dynamic
which influences local prices, and which needs to be understood in order to
take a view on the outlook for prices over the next few years.

Around half of the sheep in the Eastern Cape have always come from the
former homeland (communal) regions. Unfortunately, people in these areas
received very little for their wool. The NWGA Empowerment and Training
Programme aims to ensure sustainable economic wool sheep farming. The
programme is progressing well. The main activities include sheep shearing
and wool classing, with the emphasis on marketing.
Since 1997/1998, the wool income received by communal producers
increased by 300%. (R1,5 million during 1997/1998 to R31 million during
2006/2007. Simultaneously with the training programme, the NWGA is
also implementing a Genetic Improvement scheme. This consists of three
programmes:
the distribution of 3200 quality rams per annum and the removal of the
same number of home grown rams
the establishment of eight group breeding schemes within the
communal areas
the demonstration of sound veld management practices
Through the programme, NWGA upgrades existing infrastructure and
creates new infrastructure. They focus on the handling of wool, dealing with
animals, animal health, the use of facilities, the marketing of wool, and the
organisational components of farming.
Contact the National Wool Growers Association (NWGA) for more
information (details under heading 6).
605

Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries at www.daff.gov.za.
Tel: 012 341 1115
www.namc.co.za
In 2000 the Wool Industry Forum, the representative body of directly
affected groups in the wool industry, requested the Minister for the then
Agriculture and Land Affairs, in terms of the Marketing of Agricultural
Products Act, 47 of 1996, for the introduction and promulgation of the
following statutory measures, which shall be administered by Cape Wools
SA (a Section 21 Company):
Section 18 of the Marketing of Agricultural Products Act: Records and
Returns
Section 19 of the Marketing of Agricultural Products Act: Registration
In terms of the above-mentioned statutory measures, each broker, trader,
processor, importer and exporter of wool has to register and furnish
records and returns to Cape Wools SA. The purpose and aims of these
statutory measures are to compel parties to keep records and render
returns, to ensure that continuous, timely and accurate information relating
to the products is available to all role players. Market information is deemed
essential to make informed decisions.
The South African wool industry

was restructured in 1997 to comply
with the regulations of the new
Marketing of Agricultural Products
Act, 47 of 1996.
The first step was to establish
a Wool Forum representing
the various affected groups in
the industry. The Forum meets
biannually and its representatives
carry their own expenses.
The company started operating

on 1 September 1997. It has been
granted statutory measures for
the collection of statistics (records
and returns) for the wool industry,
which enables it to create a wool
statistics data bank from which a
national market indicator and other
information regarding the industry
can be made available locally, as
well as internationally.
Wool Forum
Tel: 041 484 4301
Cape Wools SA
Ona Viljoen
Tel: 041 484 4301
www.capewools.co.za
Cape Wools SA is a non-profit

organisation established by the
Forum as its executive arm. Its
directors proportionately represent
these groups and they are elected
from the Wool Forum. Cape Wools
reports to the Forum regarding its
activities. To minimise overhead
costs and to make maximum funds
available for services and functions
required by the industry, Cape
Wools operates with a small staff
complement of five and outsources
certain of the functions but accepts
full responsibility for the planning
and management of all functions.
The main functions of the Forum

are the following:
to
create
opportunities

for industry issues to be
discussed
to liaise with Government and
other organisations
to ensure an independent
and objective information,
statistical and supportive
service
to establish a viable business
environment through the
promotion of the necessary
research, development and
training
to promote South African
wool
National Wool Processors

Association
Tel/fax: 041 365 5035
South African Wool and
Mohair Buyers Association
(SAWAMBA)
Tel: 041 484 5252
SAWAMBA represents the wool
buying industry in South Africa.
Most of the companies belonging
to it have a significant shareholding
in local early stage scouring and
combing facilities, or are associated
with international wool trading
houses.
Mohair Exchange
Tel: 041 484 5252

Mohair Processors Association
Tel: 041 484 5252
Wool Testing Bureau of South
Africa
Tel: 041 503 6600
www.wtbsa.co.za
WTB is a test house accredited
with the International Wool Textile
Organisation. It is responsible
for all independent objective
measurement testing services to
the trade.
Wool Textile Council
Tel: 041 484 5252
Committee
representing
the
buying, processing and exporting
industry on the International Wool
Textile Organisation (IWTO).
The Wool Trust
Tel: 041 484 4307
Fax: 041 484 4309
wooltrust@wooltrust.co.za
The Wool Trust was established
in 1997 in terms of the Marketing
of Agricultural Products Act, 47 of
1996, which stipulates that assets
accumulated by agricultural boards
under the previous government be
transferred to trusts and utilised to
the benefit of the relevant industry
as a whole. The Wool Trust Deed
stipulates that a minimum of six
and a maximum of seven trustees
be appointed: one to represent
the trade, two to represent the
producers and one to represent
the Minister of Agriculture. The
other three should be independent
specialists in the field of asset and
financial management. The Wool
Forum appoints the trustees (except
the ministerial representative).
606
The main objectives of this Trust obliged to ensure that only activities
are:
that comply with the regulations
of the Trust deed and benefit the
protection of Trust assets
entire industry are funded.
utilisation of Trust assets to
increase value and maximise The Trust also has to report
income
to Cape Wools, the income
funding of services deemed in beneficiary, which ensures effective
the interest of industry by a communication and facilitates
body with similar objectives, financial planning and management
which also enjoys tax
of Trust funds.
exemption
Though it is a discretionary trust
(it can decide whether there are
sufficient funds available for financing certain services) there are
certain restrictions. The trustees are
South African Textile Industry

Export Council
Tel: 021 959 4162
www.satiec.co.za
Producer organisations:
National Wool Growers
Association SA (NWGA)
Tel: 041 365 5030
www.nwga.co.za
The production and advisory and
training services are outsourced
from Cape Wools SA to the
National Woolgrowers Association
(NWGA). The main aim of these
services is to assist producers to
increase production efficiency and
profitability in order to maximise
income. It involves the transfer
of production technology and
research results. It also includes
development and training with
the emphasis on farmers who
previously did not have access to
such services.
The largest share of this budget

is earmarked for the upliftment
of small-scale or developing
producers, mainly in the old Ciskei
and Transkei regions of the Eastern
Cape, Free State and Mpumalanga.
In 1997, a wool development
programme was launched in the
Eastern Cape. The main focus was
improving the quality and quantity
of the wool produced in the rural
areas.
NWGA members are kept abreast
of current news and trends in the
wool industry through the monthly
Wool Farmer newspaper, sent to
them free of charge.
For the different breeder associations, see the Animal Improvement and
breeders chapter of this book.
Other associations and Section 21 companies

SA Sheepdog Association
(SASDA)
Tel: 017 735 1844
www.sasda.za.net
The SA Sheepdog Associations
main objective is to introduce
farmers and other interested
people to sheepdogs as labour
saving force. This is done through
demonstrations
and
courses,
as well as competitions, where
breeding success is tested and the

best breeding material selected
according to working ability.
Clotex
www.clotex.co.za
Clothing and textile service centre
South African Topmakers
Association
Tel: 041 484 5252

Courses at all universities/
universities
of
technology
offering
agricultural
degrees/
diplomas cover small stock
production (see the Agricultural
education and training chapter).
Some of these institutions also offer
short courses. Two examples are:
Grassland Sciences
Prof JB van Wyk
Tel: 051 401 2677
www.ufs.ac.za
Technology
Tel: 051 507 3134
www.cut.ac.za
The Agricultural Colleges (see
training chapter) cover small stock
production in their diploma courses.
Examples include Glen College
and Grootfontein Agricultural
Development Institute (GADI).
Glen College
Tel: 051 861 1248 / 17
Tel: 049 842 1113
The Provincial Departments
of Agriculture, working closely
with the Agricultural colleges, offer
short courses.
AgriSETA accredited training.
The following are some of these
providers:
National Wool Growers
Association (NWGA)
Tel: 041 365 5030
www.nwga.co.za
Group
Tel: 045 933 1318
www.umnga.co.za
Koue Bokkeveld Training
Centre
Tel: 023 317 0983
607

Support Centre (F&T ISC)
Tel: 041 508 3223 / 89
www.csir.co.za
South African Sheep Shearing

Federation
Tel: 051 447 3023/4
http://sasheepshear.co.za
Sheep shearer training
Wool buyers
Chargeurs Wool (SA) (Pty) Ltd

Tel: 041 581 0081
Fax: 041 581 0212
Linspire
Ivan Smith 083 459 2242
ivan@mohairtraders.co.za
Modiano SA (Pty) Ltd
Tel: 041 484 6545/6
Fax: 041 484 1143
modsa@modiano.co.za
New England Wool (SA)
Tel: 083 759 8589
Fax: 041 585 4827
ken@newenglandwoolsa.co.za
Segard Masurel (Pty) Ltd

Tel: 041 451 0481
Fax: 041 451 0497
wool@segardmasurel.co.za
www.segardmasurel.co.za
Saunders, Bruce, Lappersonne

Tel: 041 451 1104
Fax: 086 575 7231
sbl@lantic.net
Cape Mohair and Wool (CMW)
Tel: 041 406 7500
Fax: 041 486 1325 406 7500
www.cmw.co.za
www.ovk.co.za
Downloads on the Grootfontein Agricultural College website http://gadi.

agric.za include useful management charts and tools for working out
measurements e.g. how many ewes can you keep?
The Sheep Shearer Instruction Manual is available from the NWGA Shearer
Training Division, PO Box 4520, Bloemfontein 9300.
Also contact the NWGA for the publication International Sheep and
Wool Handbook. Although aimed at university students, it is also highly
recommended reading for anyone involved in the wool industry.
The agricultural weeklies Landbouweekblad and Farmers Weekly frequently
cover stories of interest to the wool producer (and processor). Find archived
articles at www.landbou.com and www.farmersweekly.co.za.
Standard Wool
Tel: 041 487 0610
Find the general sheep publications in the previous chapter, under the
Websites and publications heading.
Stucken & Co (Pty) Ltd

Tel: 041 397 4700
Fax: 041 397 4735
stucken@stucken.co.za
www.stucken.co.za
Gubb & Inggs Limited

Tel: 041 994 7500
Fax: 041 992 2162
www.stucken.co.za
The National Wool Growers Association (NWGA) has brought out the
Best practice reference manual for wool sheep farming in South Africa.
Animal health and well being is dealt with under the following
headings:
management practices for sheep (hoof care, lambing, castration
etc)
infrastructure for sheep (shelter, sheep-handling facilities, shearing
facilities)
sheep handling strategy
health and disease management strategy (medicine storing, injecting
sheep, controlled and notifiable disease etc)
sheep feeding strategy
transport of sheep
The Environment section covers the following:
Wool traders and brokers:

BKB Ltd
Tel: 041 503 3111
Fax: 041 503 3112
jacobus.leroux@bkb.co.za
martin.schwellnus@bkb.co.za
www.bkb.co.za
An educational DVD of the wool value chain was produced by Cape Wools
SA and the NWGA. Find their contact details under heading 6.
SA Wool Exporters (Pty) Ltd

Tel/fax: 041 365 4620
trading@standardwool.co.za
Processors
Cape of Good Hope Wool
Combers (Pty) Ltd
Tel: 041 992 3412
Fax: 041 992 1519
jenny.erasmus@cghwc.co.za
See the websites listed earlier in the chapter e.g. www.capewools.co.za,

www.nwga.co.za and www.cmw.co.za.
Find A Profile Of The South African Wool Market Value Chain (2010) on www.
daff.gov.za. Take the Publications and Agricultural Marketing Commodity
Profiles options.
Find the directory on www.capewools.co.za for a complete list of wool buyers,

processors, exporters, traders and brokers.
Beier Finance (Pty) Ltd

Tel: 041 319 0222
beierwool@iafrica.com
Junior Steenkamp Wool &

Mohair
Tel: 041 484 2022
Fax: 041 484 2037
Junior_s@mweb.co.za
Lanata (Pty) Limited Wool/
Mohair
Tel: 041 451 1478
Fax: 041 451 1453
info@lanata.co.za
www.lanata.co.za
Van Lill Woolbuyers Trust
Tel: 041 486 1237
Fax: 041 486 1238
marina@vanlill.com
rangeland (soil and water management, invasive alien control etc)

alternative fodder crops
drought
fire management
game management in natural areas
waste management
predator control
pesticides for the control of Ectoparasites in wool sheep
Social responsibility covers topics like Basic Conditions of Employment,
skills development, occupational health and safety etc.
Contact the NWGA at 041 365 5030. It can also be downloaded as a PDF
file from the website, www.nwga.co.za.
Sources: Ona Viljoen; www.capewools.co.za, www.nwga.co.za and other
websites listed in this chapter. Our thanks to Ona Viljoen (Cape Wools SA)
for feedback on the draft chapter.
608
livestock
Speciality fibre production
1. Overview
Speciality fibres refer in general to those natural hairs or wools that enhance
garments in some way, be it in terms of warmth, handle, or lustre. The
very nature of many of these fibres is such that the environment in which
the animals live contributes to the properties of warmth in particular that
makes the fibre special. Whilst there are a number of exceptions to the
rule, many of the better-known fibres come from either the goat family or
the camel family.
Speciality fibres are different to Commodity fibres cotton or standard
wool of above 18 microns or so (there are all sorts of new terms for wool
finer than 17 microns). When wool gets as low as 15 micron it also becomes
a speciality fibre, partly because wool of that fineness is very difficult to
grow and very scarce.
A major advantage of speciality fibres is that they lend themselves to the big
brands and can get the producer closer to the supply chain through direct
contracts with processors as opposed to the open cry auction system
used for commodities.
We look at three speciality fibres in this chapter cashmere, alpacas and
rabbits. For mohair, please consult the separate chapter.
Source: www.heritage-cashmere.co.uk and Roelof Bezuidenhout rbezu@telkomsa.
net
2. Cashmere
A number of International Roleplayers in cashmere can be found on the Cashmere
and Camel Hair Manufacturers Institute website www.cashmere.org.
Cashmere is the fine undercoat or down produced by goats during winter.

There is a worldwide shortage of cashmere. Products made from this
fibre are in great demand, especially in Western countries. In spite of large
fluctuations in both wool and mohair prices internationally, the cashmere
market has remained stable. For further information contact the CSIR or
Dhne Agricultural Development Institute.
The CSIR or Dhne Agricultural Development Institute (details under
heading 6) work with the indigenous Nguni/Mbusi goat in the Eastern Cape.
These goats produce top quality cashmere equal to Mongolia cashmere.
3. Alpacas
Find the notes on alpaca farming on www.africanalpacas.co.za.
Alpacas, llamas, guanacos and vicunas form the group of South American
camelids, originating from northern Andean mountains mainly Peru, Chile
and Bolivia. Large scale exportations began in the mid 80s to the other
countries including the USA, Europe, Australia, New Zealand, China, and
in 2000 into South Africa.
Alpaca produces a fine silky fibre. Thickness of baby alpaca might be 1520, the average being 22-26, and older alpacas over 30. It is devoid
of the lanoline found in sheeps wool which causes shearing equipment to
overheat. Yield varies from 2-5kg. There are two fibre types: huacaya (over
90%) which grows out of the skin like Marino wool is crimpy, lustrous and
gathered in staples; and Suri which hangs in tight locks without crimp similar
to the Angora goat.
The fibre is carded and sometimes blended with sheep, silk, angora or
other natural fibres. It spins easily and is made into knitted, woven or felted
garments. Alpaca come in 12 natural colours white, fawns, browns, greys
and black but also dye easily into fashion colours.
Alpacas are frequently farmed on smaller properties. Stocking rate

recommended is10/ha on irrigated pastures. They are intelligent and easily
trained. This makes them ideal farm pets. Yet, these child-friendly animals
ate used with great success as herd protectors by commercial sheep farmers
in the Eastern Cape. They are used especially during the lambing season
against the jackal and caracal/rooikat.
The alpaca industry is still regarded as being in the breeding phase. This is
where new investors will gain their highest returns. A minimill, dedicated
to processing alpaca fibre, has been developed in KZN where high quality
yarn is produced for the commercial market. Various breeders have trained
staff to do spinning, knitting, felting and weaving that now market an
exclusive South African alpaca garment. Alpaca filled duvets are the latest
development in the industry. The enhanced thermal qualities of this unique
natural fibre make these products both desirable and highly marketable.
The alpaca has endeared the hearts of many that either keeps them for their
pleasant nature and an easy to farm livestock, or those that see the potential
in the future market of our fledgling industry.
4. Rabbits
Find the extensive notes at www.angorarabbits.co.za.
Angora wool is one of the most expensive and desired fashion fibres. Due to
its thermal properties the wool is also widely used to manufacture garments
worn for the effective relief of pain from arthritis and rheumatism. Angora
wool is lightweight and extremely soft, making it ideal as a garment that can
be worn close to the skin. It adds a luxurious quality when blended with
other fibres such as silk, alpaca, or lambs wool.
Although not an easy fibre to master, its beauty and rarity lends well to
hand-spinning, knitting, and weaving. The wool can be dyed using either
acid dyes or natural dyes. Because of the smoothness of the fibre, angora
does not absorb dyes as readily as mohair or sheep wool, but the colours
can be both intense and very beautiful.
Angoras are not slaughtered to yield their primary product, and because
they are not intensively bred they live longer productive lives during which
both their well-being, and the quality of the wool they carry on their bodies,
need to be tended. As a consequence farming methods differ in some ways
from those used to produce animals for slaughter. Nevertheless their nature
and needs demand the same considerations that should be afforded to all
rabbits.
Once a farmer has reached optimum herd size only the top animals should
be bred in order to replace ageing or inferior stock, and to sell stud stock
to a developing market. Those animals that are selectively culled can be
consumed on the farm, or supplied to a pre-arranged market. Systematic
record keeping and management are essential to sustaining continual
improvement.
Feeding varies, depending on the type of Angora rabbit. A diet over-rich in
protein causes a build up of fat deposits resulting in conception and health
problems, but a lack of protein will lead to a drop off in production. Yolanda
Buhr uses an 18% protein feed, especially made for her Angoras. A good
proportion of roughage (fresh vegetables, good hay etc.) is vital. Top quality
hay keeps the gut healthy.
A common (and lethal) error made by most rabbit farmers in the past in
order to reduce costs has been the tendency to limit the individual space
allowed for each rabbit, in terms both of height and floor area. All rabbits
need to be able to stand on their rear feet and stretch upwards, and to lie
at full stretch to help move intestinal gasses, but angoras more so because
of their longevity and high-bulk diets.
Cage or pen flooring for angoras should be made of spot-welded galvanised
wire mesh that is comfortable to be on but allows droppings to fall through.
Floors should be kept free of shed wool and fallen feedstuffs so that spoiled
food is not eaten, coats are kept clean, and floors are not blocked.
One expert says that it is possible to run 4 or 6 in a raised pen provided
they are all of the same age and gender and have enough space for each
to be able to claim its territory. Another expert advises against this, saying
that Angoras housed together can lead to their eating hair off each other
609
with devastating losses from hair balls developing in the stomachs. Certainly
housing each rabbit individually allows you to assess them on production,
quality of wool etc. Separation should be done by the time they are 3
months old.
Whether housed in suitably protected outdoor hutches, or in buildings, good
ventilation and cleanliness are essential practices. Ammonia build-up under
cages or hutches causes nasal, chest, and eye irritations. Angoras shed fibres
that settle despite good ventilation, and this should be periodically removed
by blowtorching or scrubbing.
There are two methods of harvesting wool:
Plucking (preferred by most hand-spinners). This is done monthly, or
more frequently, by pulling loose wool from the skin. It requires skill
to avoid pain or follicle damage. It is laborious, and there is the risk of
injury, for large scale production.
Shearing (preferred for intensive production). Each rabbit is shorn 3 or
4 times a year. This is performed with very sharp hair dressing scissors,
or with electric shears. This ensures even wool growth and simplifies
management, and assists maintenance of accurate wool-yield records.
It requires care.
Yolanda Buhr suggests that caution is required. If English Angoras are clipped,
for example, the wool will felt during the next shedding causing huge losses.
If German Angoras are plucked, the wool is torn out by the roots and injury
is done to the rabbit. There is a large section on the different harvesting
methods at www.angorarabbits.co.za.
Managing a viable production unit of angoras to crafted end product employs
a range of skills and is very labour intensive. Daily tasks of repairing, feeding,
watering, cleaning, breeding, record keeping, grooming, shearing, spinning,
knitting, weaving etc., can embrace entire communities or families in
profitable enterprise, but only if the necessary skills have been acquired, and
if the requisite shelter, water, and foodstuffs are available.

Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (DAFF) at www.
daff.gov.za.
6. Role players
A list of the alpaca breeders is available on www.alpacasociety.co.za.
Adorable Bunnies
Tel: 072 119 2966
www.adorablebunnies.co.za
Yolanda Buhr of Paddock in KZN

is an established breeder of quality
angora rabbits in white and many
colours. Find the many notes on
Angora rabbit breeders based in the website.
Pretoria
African Alpacas
Tel: 021 873 0321 / 082 340 2650 Fibres and Textile Industrial Support
Centre (F&T ISC)
www.africanalpacas.co.za
Tel: 041 508 3223 / 89
Products and services: stud,
boarding, importation, seminars Research has been done on wild silk
and farm tours. African Alpacas processing, mohair and cashmere
is the largest importer of alpacas including the contribution that
from Chile and Australia.
indigenous goats can make. Find
notes on these on www.csir.co.za
Alpcaca Designs
(take the Materials science and
Tel: 011 452 2725 / 082 466 2149 manufacturing option). See also the
www.alpacadesigns.co.za
notes under the Cashmere heading.
Angora Creations
Tel: 039 679 9106 / 073 278 6125
www.angorarabbits.co.za
Denalibelay Alpacas
Tel: 082 883 6099
www.denalibelayalpacas.com
Dhne Agricultural
Tel: 043 683 1240
Mukuti Stud Alpacas

Tel: 021 852 1677 / 083 456 2546
http://alpacasa.co.za
Cradock research station

Josua Roux 048 881 4555
Novella Alpacas
Tel: 023 614 2674
www.novello-alpacas.com
Josua Roux looks after the

collecting and quality checking Oude Wellington
of the cashmere fibres, and the Tel: 021 873 2262
breeding of special cashmere goats www.kapwein.com
at Wolwehoek.
Serena Alpacas
Tel: 033 263 1214 / 082 896 0276
Endeavour Alpacas
www.serenaalpacas.co.za
Tel: 083 777 1703
www.endeavouralpacas.co.za
Natural fibres from alpacas, goats,
angora rabbits and wild African silk
Fancy Dwarfs
are produced.
Tel: 076 420 4473
www.fancydwarfs.co.za
SA Alpaca Breeders Society
Angora rabbit breeders near Tel: 079 895 4121
www.alpacasociety.co.za
Robertson, Western Cape
Christine
Fischer
markets
scarves from Ethiopia made of a
mixture of raw silk and organic
cotton, handspun and woven, dyed
with plant material. Contact her at
cfischer@global.co.za.
The Alpaca Breeders Society

has laid out breed standards and
alpacas can be registered under the
SA Stud Book. A register is kept
of all Alpacas in South Africa, each
being identified by a microchip.
Helderstroom Alpacas
Tel: 028 840 0158 / 072 236 9356
www.helderstroomalpacas.co.za
SACOYO Alpacas
Tel/fax: 021 863 3192
alpaca@sacoyo.com
www.sacoyo.com
John F Marshall
Tel: 011 842 7100
www.johnfmarshall.co.za
Rabbit cages and accessories
Karoline Steenekamp
Tel: 021 788 1111 / 082 867 9139
karoline@telkomsa.net
Tsakani Wild Silk

Tel: 013 755 3213 / 083 265 3116
tsakani@global.co.za
www.tsakanisilk.co.za
Department of Consumer Science
Tel: 051 401 2572 / 2175
www.ufs.ac.za
Rabbit show judge and rabbit

expert
Research is done on natural textile
fibres e.g. Gonometa Postica silk and
Makoadi Angora Rabbit
Alpaca Huycaya fibres.
Handcraft
Tel: 051 943 0278 / 082 854 6166
Hair from over 500 Angora rabbits
spun by hand.

Visit the websites listed earlier in this chapter e.g. find the links on
www.africanalpacas.co.za e.g. the American and Australian alpaca
associations.
www.alpacaseller.co.za matching buyers and sellers across South
Africa
www.llamapaedia.com llama and alpaca information
A copy of a basic introduction to cashmere may be downloaded from
www.daff.gov.za (take the Publications option).
www.cashmere.org website of the Cashmere and Camel Hair
Manufacturers Institute. Technical notes and details of international
role players are provided.
www.wormspit.com a site about silkworms, silkmoths, and silk.
Available from Kejafa Knowledge Works is the publication Raising
Llamas. Visit www.kejafa.co.za or phone 011 025 4388.
Our gratitude to Karoline and Tjaart Steenekamp for information supplied to
the project, and to Yolanda Buhr and Gavin Lindhorst who provided feedback
on the draft chapter. Find their contact details under heading 6.
610
livestock
Wildlife ranching
1. Overview
The South African game-farming industry incorporates various subsectors,
ranging from extensive wildlife ranching (with minimal human intervention)
to intensive wildlife ranching (with supplementary feeding), wildlife breeding
and ecotourism.
The decades since 1970s saw a significant shift from cattle farming to game
ranching. Owing to the expansion of game ranches, the total area covered
by these privately owned ranches exceeds that of all national parks and
provincial nature reserves put together.
Limpopo has 50% of the countrys game farms, followed by the Northern
Cape with 19,5% and the Eastern Cape with 12,4%. The other provinces
share the remaining 18% amongst themselves.
Wildlife ranching provides consumable activities (such as recreational
hunting, trophy hunting, biltong and wildlife meat) as well as non-consumable
activities (accommodation, breeding material, wildlife viewing, adventure
and tourism). Other sub-sectors are the wildlife capturing/translocation
industry and taxidermy.
In addition, the wildlife sector makes a large contribution towards
conservation because it is in its interest to preserve wildlife. South Africa
is one of the few countries in the world where the number of animals of
rare or threatened species has increased in recent years, and native wildlife
numbers are at its highest since the past 100 years, says North-West
Universitys Dr PC Cloete.
The wildlife ranching industry has transformed more than 20 million
hectares of marginal agricultural land into thriving game ranches, thus
enhancing food production units, attracting tourists, creating jobs and
developing rural communities, reads a Wildlife Ranching press release. The
industry employs more than 100 000 workers, including those in the game
capture and translocation business.
Sources: The 2010/11 South African Yearbook at www.gcis.gov.za; North-West
University article Acknowledging the contribution of the South African Wildlife
Industry prepared by Dr PC Cloete; Abre Steyn article in Farmers Weekly, 21 May
2010; Wildlife Ranching press release 19 March 2010
2. For the newcomer

Capital outlay
A typical commercial game ranch generates around R220/ha of economic
output, compared to an average R80/ha for conventional livestock farming.
However, it is expensive to start up. On average, even the most successful
game ranch requires at least R6 capital outlay for every R1 of revenue
generated annually. A small ranch requires an investment of R3,5 million;
a large ranch would need at least R16,5 million. (Dr Gert Dry, Wildlife
Ranching South Africa).
To develop a wildlife ranch or convert a livestock farm into a wildlife
ranch requires major capital investments in fencing, stocking and other
infrastructure.
To fence a property for wildlife ranching is very expensive. The height of the
fences will be 1.2 m, 1.8 m or 2.4 m depending on the type of wildlife kept,
and the cost of new fencing could be as much as R30 000 per km. Once a
property is fenced in terms of the minimum standards required by Nature
Conservation, an exemption certificate is issued that is valid for a period
of three years. This allows the holder or owner to hunt, capture and sell
particular species of wild animals all year round on the exempted property.
Without an exemption certificate hunting is restricted to the hunting season,
from March to September.
The cost of stocking a property with wildlife may also be regarded as an
inhibiting factor. The rare species are animals that were almost extinct three
decades ago. They have been bred at such a rate that there is currently no
fear that they will become extinct. These animals are now available at high
prices which are determined by the market. The expectations of sellers are
also high, with the result that they prefer to keep the animals rather than sell
them at lower prices. The numbers of these animals are therefore steadily
increasing.
If the wildlife rancher wants to expand into accommodation, infrastructure
developments to provide this service also require a major capital outlay.
Demarcated areas
The conservation of the local environment as outlined in the Conservation
of Agricultural Resources Act guards against the movement of wildlife to
unsuitable habitats. One of the main inhibiting factors in South African
wildlife management is demarcated areas. This regulation means that
wildlife ranchers are prohibited from keeping particular wildlife species in
specific areas because these areas are not regarded as natural habitats for
those species.

Five methods are used in South Africa for trading with wildlife, namely:
private sales negotiated between the buyer and the seller (professional
wildlife catchers play an important role by translocating the animals);
public live wildlife auctions;
public wildlife catalogue auctions;
the tender system (This method is used mainly by municipalities that
own wildlife and nature reserves. The SANParks calls for tenders to
buy animals like elephants and rhinoceros);
electronic auctions.
The game meat/venison market potential of Western Europe is believed
to be more than 100 000 tonnes per annum. The current supply, mainly
from new Zealand, is 35 000 tonnes. Here farmed venison is seen as a
delicacy and sold at premium prices. This is supplied by the 4 000 deer
farmers with 1,7 million deer, half of the farmed deer population of the
world (and to think that at one point deer was considered a pest in New
Zealand!) However, they have converted this problem into a lucrative
export industry.
So, how do South African game meat exports compare? We export less
than 2 000 tonnes of game meat annually (2008 figures) through a handful
of individual independent abattoirs and businesses, which is only 4,5% of
the New Zealand production.
Realising the potential the WRSA is currently looking at exploring this
potential. What we found so far, is that profit is in the value one can add
to the product. By doing this, one can increase the turnover from R35/kg
to up to R400/kg.
What we need to succeed is:
a consistent supply;
a constant and consistent quality product;
housewife-friendly, ready-to-use products must be developed and
supplied;
good marketing to capitalise on the positives of a natural, healthy,
organic and environmentally friendly product, low in fat and
cholesterol, high in protein and iron and with a low spoilage due to
the lower pH of game meat.
Waterberg Natural Produce (Pty) Ltd was formed in 2011 to start this
venture. To find out more about the Game Meat Scheme (GMS), contact
the WRSA or Dr Peter Oberem at 012 991 6416 / 082 821 6577.
Source: www.fm.co.za/fm/2012/04/10/game-industry; The Autumn 2011 edition of
the WRSA magazine, Wildlife Ranching.
611

Find the Documents option at www.wrsa.co.za for relevant legislation,
permits etc.
Tel: 012 319 7662
www.daff.gov.za
In terms of game ranching, game is considered to be an agricultural product
as defined in the Marketing of Agricultural Products Act, 1996 (Act 47 of
1996).
The Directorate: Animal Production has, as its primary objective, the
sustainable management, use and ecological protection of range and forage
resources, as used by both livestock- and wildlife (game)-production
systems, across provincial boundaries.
Taxidermy Association of South

Africa (TASA)
Tel: 051 443 8621 (secretary)
info@kotoko.co.za
www.taxidermysa.com
Wildlife Ranching SA (WRSA)

Tel: 012 335 6994
admin@wrsa.co.za
manager@wrsa.co.za
www.wrsa.co.za
The Wildlife Translocation

Association (WTA)
Tel: 016 341 2534
Tel: 012 250 3535 / 082 820 7808
info@wta.org.za
www.wta.org.za
WRSA is the official mouthpiece

of game farmers whose farms
are situated in South Africa.
WRSA negotiates benefits for
game farmers with provincial
authorities, assist with firearm
and renewal licenses, compliance
with exemptions for game farms
and transport of livestock, annual
game auctions and training courses
i.e. meat processing, tanning of
skin, game farm management
meat inspectors, etc. For further
information refer to www.wrsa.
co.za.
The WTA is the organisation in

South Africa that represents wildlife
capturing operators. All members
have to adhere to the WTAs
Code of Conduct and have their
equipment regularly inspected.
The National Game-Farming Working Group consists of all relevant

stakeholders in the game-farming industry to ensure that all the parties
concerned are represented and participate fully.
Training amd research
Whereas DAFF heads up agricultural production (including wildlife

husbandry), the Department of Environmental Affairs (DEA) leads
environmental conservation. Provincial Authorities and Conservation
Permit Offices are listed on the DEA website, www.environment.gov.za
(choose the Provincial authorities option).
Find details of the South African Journal of Wildlife Research under the Websites
and publications heading.
The Department of Tourism has to create a climate for the strengthening

of South Africa as a globally desired hunting destination by facilitating, inter
alia, responsible and ethical hunting operations. See www.tourism.gov.za.

Tel: 014 717 3819
info@alut.co.za
www.alut.co.za
The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) has as its prime

responsibility the enhancement of international trade. Visit www.thedti.gov.
za.
Find contact details for all government departments through the website
www.info.gov.za.
5. Role players
Associations
Find details of the Professional Hunters Association of South Africa
(PHASA), the Confederation of Hunters Associations of South Africa
(CHASA) and other associations in the hunting chapter.
Buffalo Owners Association
Tel: 082 555 3367
Eastern Cape Game
Management Association
Tel: 041 933 1394
www.ecgma.co.za
South Africa (FGASA)
Tel: 011 886 8245
www.fgasa.co.za
Game Rangers Association of
Africa
www.gameranger.org
Contact details on website
Private Rhino Owners

Association (PROA)
Tel: 082 299 3161
Tel: 021 554 1297
elma@mweb.co.za
www.sawma.co.za
Stud Game Breeders
www.studgamebreeders.co.za
Find a list of breeders on the
website
Africa Nature Training

Tel: 012 667 5440
www.AfricaNatureTraining.co.za
Courses are presented for farm

owners and workers and include
training in processing of game
meat, hunting guide training and a
one-day game tanning course.
Grassland Society of South

Africa (GSSA)
Tel: 049 842 4335 / 083 256 7202
ARCAnimal
Production admin@grassland.org.za
Institute (ARC-API)
Deon Furstenburg
Hans Hoheisen Wildlife
Tel: 012 672 9111 / 322
dfurstenburg@arc.agric.za
Research Station (HHWRS)
dfurs@mweb.co.za
Tel: 083 633 2203
Bushwise
www.bushwise.co.za
A research and training platform

managed by the University of
Pretoria as part of a collaborative
Contact Bushwise through their agreement with the Peace Parks
Foundation
and
Mpumalanga
website for field guide training
Tourism & Parks Agency
Care For Wild
Impala Field Guide Training
Tel: 082 825 8735
Tel: 014 735 0361 / 083 256 0210
www.careforwild.co.za
www.impalatraining.co.za
Eastern Cape Game
International School of Tanning
Technology
Academy of Training
Tel: 046 622 7310
Tel: 041 933 1394
info@tanschool.co.za
www.ecgma.co.za
www.tanschool.co.za
Ghoenaskraal Training Centre
Tel: 012 548 4708
Moetsie du Plessis 083 272 7486 University (NMMU)
Agriculture and Game Ranch
Piet du Plessis 083 272 7485
Management
Karel Landman 083 265 0937
Tel: 041 504 3527
ghoenaskraal@telkomsa.net
www.nmmu.ac.za/agri
www.ghoenaskraal.co.za
612

Management (Saasveld Campus)
Nature Conservation & Game
Ranch Management
Tel: 044 801 5018
mike.cameron@nmmu.ac.za

Department of Livestock and
Pasture Science
Dr Solomon Tefera Beyene
Tel: 040 602 2499
www.ufh.ac.za
National Diploma and BTech University of the Free State

degree offered in Game Ranch www.ufs.ac.za
Management
Prof JP Grobler
Tel: 051 401 3844
GroblerJP@ufs.ac.za
Institute for Tourism and Leisure
Studies
Tel/fax: 018 299 4140
www.nwu.ac.za
Grassland Sciences
Prof HO de Waal
BA, BCom and BSc qualifications Tel: 051 401 2210
in tourism are offered. Game is dewaalho@ufs.ac.za
included in the studies.
Department of Geography
Mr Mnqobi Ngubane and Dr
Brooks
Tel: 051 401 2183
Prof Klaus Kellner
Tel: 018 299 2510
Department Zoology &
Dr PC Cloete
Entomology
Tel: 018 299 4245
Prof OB Kok
Flippie.Cloete@nwu.ac.za
Tel: 051 401 2489
kokob@ufs.ac.za
The
Agricultural
Economists
at the Unit for Environmental University of KwaZulu-Natal
Sciences and Management of School of Life Sciences
the North-West University are Prof Sam Mukaratirwa
directly involved with the sector; Tel: 031 260 3192
conducting data collection and Mukaratirwa@ukzn.ac.za
research in order to maintain a http://biology.ukzn.ac.za
comprehensive information system
for the wildlife industry.
www.up.ac.za
SanWild Wildlife Trust
Tel: 015 383 9958 / 083 310 3882 Centre for Wildlife Management
Tel: 012 420 2627 / 69
Emergency: rescue@sanwild.org
info@wildlife.up.ac.za
www.wildlife.up.ac.za
Anti-poaching training
Ecologists and Environmental
Sciences
Tel: 046 122 0579
www.saiees.org
South African Wildlife College
Tel: 015 793 7300
Prof Louw Hoffman
Tel: 021 808 4747
Tshwane University for
Technology
Brian Reilly ReillyBK@tut.ac.za
JL Bekker bekkerjl@tut.ac.za
Tel: 012 382 5332 / 06
Tel: 0861 102 422
www.tut.ac.za
Animal and Wildlife Sciences

Tel: 012 420 4018
edward.webb@up.ac.za
Conservation Ecology Research
Unit (CERU)
Tel: 012 420 2753
rjvaarde@zoology.up.ac.za
www.ceru.up.ac.za
Mammal Research Institute
Tel: 012 420 3776
ezcameron@zoology.up.ac.za
Studies
Tel: 12 529 8448 / 013

(Unisa)
Department of History
Prof Jane Carruthers
Tel: 012 429 6767
carruej@unisa.ac.za
University of the
Witwatersrand
Sciences (APES)
Tel: 011 717 6404
www.wits.ac.za
Environmental history is one

of Prof Carruthers specialities.
Publications/presentations include
Wilding the Farm or Farming the
Wild which traces how farming
with game has evolved from the
1960s until the present day.
Wildlife Ranching SA (WRSA)

has several study groups where
members share ideas and discuss
market developments. Find WRSA
details under Associations.
NGOs
(EWT)
Tel: 011 372 3600
www.ewt.org.za
TRAFFIC is a joint programme run

by the WWF (World Wide Fund
for Nature) and IUCN (The World
Conservation Union) and aims to
ensure that the trade in wild plants
EWT Rhino Hotline number 082 and animals does not impinge on
404 2128
nature conservation.
National Society for the
Prevention of Cruelty to
Animals (NSPCA)
Wildlife Unit
Tel: 011 907 3590/1/2
www.nspca.co.za
Wildlife and Environment

Society of South Africa
(WESSA)
Tel: 033 330 3931
gbarnes@wessanorth.co.za
www.wessa.org.za
TRAFFIC International
TRAFFIC East/Southern Africa
Tel: 011 372 3600
trafficza@ewt.org.za
www.traffic.org
WWF South Africa (World Wide

Fund)
Tel: 021 657 6600
Tel: 011 447 1213
www.panda.org.za
The TRAFFIC Network is the

worlds largest wildlife trade
monitoring programme with offices
covering most parts of the world.
Statutory/parastatal
Northern Cape Tourism
Authority
Tel: 053 832 2657 / 832 2643 / 831
2789
www.northerncape.org.za
Find the other province details in
the biodiversity chapter
Standards (SABS)
Tel: 012 428 7911
www.sabs.co.za
The Game Standard SANS 10331,
obtainable from SABS, covers
aspects of the translocation, such

as the capture, transportation,
temporary accommodation and
release, of wild herbivores such as
antelope, elephant, rhino, hippo,
giraffe and zebra. The document
can also be viewed at www.nspca.
co.za.
South African National Parks
(SANParks)
Tel: 012 426 5000
www.sanparks.org
613
Companies
Afgri Voere
Tel: 011 063 2347
www.afgri.co.za
Afrivet
Tel: 012 817 9060
www.afrivet.co.za
Animal Handling Support
Systems
Tel: 0861 ANIMAL (264 625)
www.animalhandling.co.za
Camdeboo Meat Processors
Tel: 0800 214 787
info@camdeboo.co.za
www.camdeboo.co.za
Wildlife meat (fresh meat)
DIVAC
Tel: 044 874 2720
Fax: 044 874 2747
divac@pixie.co.za
www.divac.co.za
Du Toit Game Services (Pty)
Ltd
Tel: 035 753 1366
www.dutoittmcs.co.za
Eko Wild
Tel: 083 301 8119 / 087 802 1989
www.ekowild.co.za
Ekofocus Game Consultants
Tel: 082 929 5277
www.ekofocus.co.za
http://wildfocus.co.za
Global Ecological Supplies
South Africa
Tel: 011 949 1045
www.gesweb.co.za
Mpanza Wildlife
Tel: 082 569 8457
Game capture and transport
Mpatamacha Game Capture
Tel: 014 755 4026
www.mpatamachawild.co.za
Nel Game Capture
Tel: 083 259 1034
PricewaterhouseCoopers Agri
Industry Group
Frans Weilbach (National Leader
and Southern Region) 021 815
3000
Safari Club International (Africa
Office)
Tel: 012 663 8073
sciafric@global.co.za
www.scifirstforhunters.org
Thaba Manzi
Tel: 082 891 5889 / 084 893 7464
www.thabamanzi.co.za
Tick Off
Tel: 012 804 4461
www.tickoff.co.za
TNH Wildlife
Tel: 082 890 9993 / 074 114 8651
Fax: 086 519 0124
tnhfence@mweb.co.za
www.tnhwildlife.com
Fencing materials, wildlife and
electric fence installations, solar
electricity, GIS mapping and the
supply and application of herbicides
are some of the animal and wildlife
management services offered by
TNH.
A professional wildlife management

company that breeds, imports and Waterberg Natural Produce
exports wildlife, birds and reptiles
(Pty) Ltd was formed in 2011 to
explore game meat which holds
Hanley Game Capture
much potential. Interested parties
Tel: 082 320 6575
should contact the WRSA or Dr
Peter Oberem (find the Afrivet
HOTSURE
entry).
Tel: 0861 HOTSURE (468 787)
www.hotsure.co.za
Wildlife Pharmaceuticals
Products include livestock/wildlife Tel: 082 805 3955
www.wildpharm.com
monitor & track collars
The following publications are available from www.amazon.com and www.

kalahari.com:
Game Ranch Management J du Plessis Bothma and JG du Toit (5th
edition)
Intensive Wildlife Production in SA J du Plessis Bothma N Van Rooyen.
Van Schaik (Hatfield)
The Capture, Care & Management of Wildlife Mike le Grange.
Game Farming and Wildlife Management Young.
Kejafa Knowledge Works stock game publications including Game Capture
and Relocation Guide. Contact them at 011 025 4388 or visit www.kejafa.
co.za.
Various post-graduate dissertations at University libraries.
Game Ranch Management. J du Plessis Bothma and JG du Toit (5th
edition). The publication is also available in Afrikaans.
Intensive wildlife production in southern Africa. J du P Bothma. 2005. Van
Schaik. ISBN 0-627-02549-8.
D Furstenburg. 1996-2006. Game series in Game & Hunt, www.
wildlifehunt.co.za Also available on CD The Wildlife CD
Managing game farms from a tourism perspective P van der Merwe and M
Saayman ISBN 1-86822-392-2
Find The Capture and Care Manual on www.scribd.com.
Report on the investigation to identify problems for sustainable growth and
development in South African Wildlife Ranching. 2006.Contact: Schalk Burger,
The National Agricultural l Marketing Council (NAMC), SchalkB@namc.
co.za.
An invaluable publication about (and for) the sector is Wildlife Ranching
in South Africa, July 2008, available from the Department of Agriculture,
Forestry and Fisheries. Contact: Victor Musetha (VictorMu@daff.gov.za)
or Keith Ramsay (keithr@daff.gov.za).
The Info Pak (booklet) Diseases shared by Wildlife and Livestock,
available from the ARC-OVI and DAFF, explores links between the various
animals and diseases like African swine fever and corridor disease. Find the
publication at www.daff.gov.za.
Find the frequent articles in the agricultural weeklies Landbouweekblad
and Farmers Weekly or visit the websites www.landbou.com and www.
farmersweekly.co.za.
Other websites:
The International Wildlife Ranching Symposium http://iwrs.co.za
International Council for Game and Wildlife Conservation www.cicwildlife.org
www.ifaw.org International Fund for Animal Welfare
www.wildnetafrica.biz Your Link To Africas Finest Wildlife Real
Estate
www.wildliferanching.com wishes to satisfy the wildlife-related
needs of wildlife ranchers, tourists, hunters, conservationists through
a single online platform.
www.africanconservation.org the African Conservation Foundation.
The profitability of game ranches versus stock farming is well
documented in the Absa Economic research report with the full text
available at www.absa.co.za.

WRSA puts out a magazine, Wildlife Ranching, for the game farmer. Contact
them for copies. Recent copies in PDF format can be read on www.wrsa.
co.za.
www.stoprhinopoaching.com updates on the rhino poaching epidemic
The magazine Game & Hunt is an independent monthly publication aimed at
promoting the sustainable utilisation of South Africas wildlife. Game & Hunt
serves the entire spectrum of the game industry, including game ranchers,
hunters and nature lovers. Call 012 348 5550 or visit www.wildlifehunt.
co.za.
SA Journal of Wildlife Research www.sawma.co.za. Contact Mrs Elma
Marais at 021 554 1297 or elma@mweb.co.za.
Our thanks to Elma Marais (SA Wildlife Management Association) and Maryke
Agostini (WRSA) for feedback on the draft chapter.
614
value add and agro-processing
Abattoirs
1. Overview
Natural progression from live animal to carcass to meat
Animals are transported, offloaded and kept for slaughter in a manner
that does not involve unnecessary pain.
Clean water is provided continuously.
Depending on the time they have to wait for slaughtering, food, in
accordance with their needs, is provided.
The animals are handled in a humane way at all times.
Inspectors perform an ante mortem examination to determine if the
animals are healthy and ready for slaughtering.
Sick animals are isolated and dead animals are disposed of by
an acceptable method which may include rendering, burning or
denaturation.
Care is taken that only meat from healthy animals reaches the
consumer.
All animals are inspected to determine whether they have any latent
diseases.
A routine meat inspection is done on the carcass and offal of each
animal by trained meat inspectors.
Carcasses are now classified. Meat is classified to provide the consumer
information relating to the age and fat thickness on the carcass.
After final approval, the carcasses are chilled immediately to stop germs/
micro organisms from multiplying or causing accidental contamination.
Meat is now kept cold and the temperature is kept constant until the
product reaches the consumer (it is important not to break the cold
chain from after slaughtering until the meat is cooked and consumed).
During the entire process, hands are washed regularly, instruments are
sterilised (boiled) and clean protective clothes are worn daily.
All surfaces coming into contact with meat are cleaned and sanitised on
a routine basis.
The health care of the workers handling the meat is a high priority
to eliminate problems with regard to germs/micro organisms or
contagious diseases that can be transmitted to the meat.
A great effort is made to make certain that meat leaving the abattoir
is clean, safe, nutritious and in a wholesome condition to ensure a
relatively long shelf life.

Visit the website of the International Meat Secretariat (IMS) www.
meat-ims.org. The IMS brings together meat and livestock organisations
throughout the world.
Find out about the 2013 World Meat Congress at www.
worldmeatcongress2013.com.
Meat News The business journal for meat and poultry processors.
The website is www.meatnews.com.
Major exporting countries are Australia, the USA, Brazil, the European
Union (EU) and Canada.
Major importing countries are the USA, Japan, Russia, the EU, Mexico
and South Korea.
The following are the requirements for South Africans registering

to supply the meat export market:
1. Animals need to be individually and permanently identified at least 3
months before slaughter.
2. Animals must be of South African origin.
3. Farmers must supply a detailed plan of their farm, buildings and
fences.
4. Dont use hormones, steroids, growth stimulants, animal byproducts or feed stimulants.
5. Only natural food may supplement veld.
6. Veld must be clearly marked, identified, rotated, and rested for one
season before being used.
7. Feed must be stored in a dry area away from chemicals and fertilizers
and be kept safe from vermin, mould and dust.
8. Feed and water troughs must be clean and well maintained.
9. Stock Registers must contain the following information:
- dates of arrival at the farm
- origin
- identification numbers
- any treatment and vaccination dates
- number of deaths (with reasons)
- the dates of dispatch to the Abattoir
10.0 Disease Control Measures:
- notify State Vet in the event of the outbreak of a disease.
- treated animals must be kept in a separate camp.
- intra-muscular injections must only be given in the neck.
- observe the stipulated withdrawal periods for any therapeutic
remedy used.
- send the head of any animal that dies to the nearest vet (to check for
Mad Cow Disease)
11.0 Dipping areas must be sealed when not in use.
12.0 Record all chemicals used.
13.0 All chemicals must be environmentally friendly.
14.0 Allow the export Abattoir to conduct soil, water and feed analysis
for heavy metals prior to registration.
15.0Transport must be well coordinated and the trucks should never be
overloaded.
16.0 Cattle branding must be completed 3 weeks before slaughter.
17.0 De-horn cattle before weaning.
18.0 Animals must be subjected to minimum stress during the 3 week
period before slaughter.

The RMAA releases its price information report once a week.
Participating abattoirs receive it free of charge.
Market outlook can also be found in the agricultural weeklies
Landbouweekblad and Farmers Weekly, or visit their websites: www.
landbou.com and www.farmersweekly.co.za.
The latest Abstract of Agricultural Statistics includes categories like
Cattle numbers, numbers slaughtered and average prices of beef,
Production and consumption of veal, Sheep, lambs and goats
numbers slaughtered at abattoirs, average prices of mutton, production
and consumption. Find it on www.daff.gov.za.
Local markets include butcheries, supermarkets, hotels, institutions,
colleges, schools and restaurants.
Increasingly, purchasing patterns are reflecting issues like food safety,
traceability, animal welfare and good environmental practices. Consumers
want to know more about the source of their food, and details of production.
Health is no longer left to chance. Supermarkets, who dominate food
distribution channels, have been responding to consumers and developing
niche markets.
615
South Africas meat imports exceed her exports by far. Most of our exports
go to Mozambique, and the majority of our imports come from Brazil.
Source: South African Meat Trade: overview (2009 2011) in International TradeProbe
November 2011. Find it on www.namc.co.za.

Find the Abattoir lists and Veterinary Public Health Manuals under Food and
Veterinary Sciences. Take the Divisions option at www.daff.gov.za. Application
forms, Guidelines and contacts at DAFF are available.
Nguni cattle at forefront of new breeding project

ORDINARY South Africans cannot afford red meat in supermarkets,
says Limpopo agriculture MEC Dipuo Letsatsi-Duba, because the cost
of importing is so high.
The MEC was speaking at the launch of the Nguni cattle Assisted
Reproductive Technology (ART) project in Vuvha, Limpopo. The ART
project aims to alleviate some of this cost and stimulate the rural beef
industry, through increasing the number of Nguni cattle in rural areas.
The project is a collaboration between the Agricultural Research Council
(ARC), the Technology Innovation Agency (TIA) and the government.
Cattle in poor communities are an unproductive asset, accounting for
40% of the national herd but contributing only 5% to the countrys gross
domestic product (GDP) from beef, says the ARCs Animal Production
Institute programme manager, Prof Tshimangadzo Nedambale.
The project intends to build breeding-line (Nguni) bulls and heifers (for)
farmers to address the challenges of breeding, or availability of bulls in
their communities, he says.
Source: An excerpt from the article which ran in Business Day, 3 February 2012
4. Nerpos Black Economic Empowerment in

Value Adding Programme
Until the emergent black farmers have established themselves in the
marketing of their livestock and the black entrepreneurs have become
an integral part of the commercial marketing chain, the meat industry
cannot expect to enjoy more than token political support. Black farmers
and businessmen need some interventions to become part of the formal
meat and livestock sector. This action cannot be limited to marketing
in the communal areas as this will perpetuate the exclusion of the black
participants and will fail to introduce them to the commercial sector.
The strategic objective of the NERPO programme is to pursue business
opportunities in the livestock and meat production chain for the advantage
and benefit of the emerging producers.
NERPO Investments Limited that is an existing public company established
by the members of the Organisation in 1998 with the intent to promote
and gain access as an empowerment company to the commercial red meat
industry is a driving force for the implementation of this strategic objective.
Its strategy is:
identify and acquire significant ownership in profitable enterprises
operating in the meat and related industries
explore the acquisition of appropriate and profitable privatisation and
unbundling opportunities
seek joint venture partnership with local and foreign investors involved
in meat and related industries
ensure the widest possible ownership by members of the organisation
in acquired companies
actively support the training of staff, the upgrading of skills and capacity
building of the workforce in acquired companies
Source: www.nerpo.org.za
Legislation governing the prevention of cruelty to animals specifically

pertaining to transport, stunning and sticking of animals at abattoirs
includes:
Meat Safety Act (Act 40 of 2000)
The Animal Protection Act
Regulation 73 under the Meat Safety Act, 2000 (Act no. 40 of 2000)
prescribes the following regarding stunning pistols:
the abattoir owner must ensure that the captive bolt pistol is silenced,
in a good state of repair and that it is used according to the methods
approved by the national executive officer
the correct grade of cartridge for the type of animal must be used to
ensure maximum bolt speed and penetration of the skull
For a simple outline of these Acts refer to www.rmaa.co.za. Other relevant
legislation:
Agricultural Product Standards Act (Act 119 of 1990)
The Health Act
The Water Act
Local Authority Health Regulations
The Livestock Theft Act
www.daff.gov.za

Council
Tel: 012 341 1115
www.namc.co.za
Directorate: Food Safety & Quality

Assurance
Relevant Statutory Measures,
Tel: 012 319 7306
registration forms, abattoir levy
forms etc can be obtained from the
This directorate is responsible for Red Meat Levy Admin company
setting national standards, etc for (details under heading 6).
abattoirs.
South African Bureau
of Standards (SABS)
Import Export Policy Unit
Commercial
Tel: 012 319 7522 / 14
Tel: 012 428 7911
www.sabs.co.za
Tel: 012 395 8000
www.doh.gov.za
programmes as well as Product
Certification: GLOBALG.A.P.
The Department of Health and
the South African Bureau of
Microbiological examination
Standards (SABS) are responsible
of foods
for processing of meat.
Red Meat Industry Forum (RMIF)
Tel: 012 667 1189
www.redmeatsa.co.za
The RMIF represents all the nationally representative role player
organisations in the Red Meat industry.
616
International Meat Quality Assurance Services (IMQAS)

Tel: 012 348 5115/6
www.imqas.co.za
IMQAS acts as an independent agent at an abattoir that ensures a safe and
wholesome product is supplied to the consumer through compliance with
regulations of the Meat Safety Act (Act 40 of 2000) and meat inspection at
the abattoir. Traceability is vital, and as it is approached positively, it is the
single most important tool in the meat and livestock industry for future
market development. Contact IMQAS about services here. Find details of
all services (e.g. meat inspection) on their website.
Red Meat Abattoir Association (RMAA)
Tel: 012 349 1237/8/9
www.rmaa.co.za
The Red Meat Abattoir Association (RMAA) is a representative forum for
abattoir owners in South Africa. The mission of the Association is to provide
representation and services to the abattoir industry, which will ensure the
highest standards of meat safety and quality to the benefit of the industry
and the consumer. Training is provided to abattoir personnel as part of the
challenge to improve and maintain hygiene and safety standards of meat.
The RMAA website gives information on industry news, services offered by
the RMAA, legislation relevant to the industry, price and health information
and industry products.
Role player and website
Contact details
Association for Meat Importers Tel: 011 803 2058

and Exporters (AMIESA)
www.amiesa.co.za
The Federation of Red Meat This comprises the National
Producers
Emergent Red Meat Producers
Organisation (NERPO) and the
Red Meat Producers Organisation
(RPO).
Gauteng Meat Traders
Employees Union
Tel: 011 673 0980
Meat Statutory Measure

Services (MSMS)
As for RMLA
National Council of SPCAs:

Farm Animal Unit
Tel: 011 907 3590/1/2

www.nspca.co.za
National Emergent Red Meat

(NERPO)
Tel: 012 361 9127

www.nerpo.org.za
National Federation of Meat

Traders (NFMTT)
Tel: 011 646 0290

Fax: 011 646 3566
National Heritage Council
Tel: 012 348 1663 / 8233

www.nhc.org.za
Red Meat Levy Admin (RMLA)
Tel: 012 348 7572

www.levyadmin.co.za
Red Meat Producers

Organisation (RPO)
Tel: 012 348 1933

www.rpo.co.za
South African Feedlot

Association (SAFA)
Tel: 012 667 1189

www.safeedlot.co.za
South African Meat Industry

Company (SAMIC)
Tel: 012 361 4545

www.samic.co.za

Consumers Union
Tel: 012 428 7122

www.sancu.co.za
South African Ostrich Business

Chamber (SAOBC)
Tel: 044 272 3336

www.ostrichsa.co.za
South African Pork Producers

Organisation (SAPPO)
Tel: 012 361 3920

www.sapork.com
SA Federation of Meat Traders
Tel: 011 646 0290
SA Meat Processors
Association (SAMPA)
Tel: 012 807 1367 / 082 399 8908

stoffelm@lantic.co.za
South African Federation of

Livestock Agents
Tel: 012 460 2054

Training provided by the Red Meat Abattoir Association (RMAA)
includes:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
routine training
alternative techniques
correction of slaughter methods
starting-up of new abattoirs
operational investigations
hygiene management
Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) and Hazard Analysis Critical
Control Point (HACCP)
8. hygiene Awareness
A number of Learnerships in the red meat industry have been developed.
Bursaries for the training of health officers are also available.
For more information, visit the RMAA website (www.rmaa.co.za) and view
the Training and the Qualifications & Learnerships sections.
Institute (ARC-API)
Nutrition and Food Science
Tel: 012 672 9111/ 341
www.arc.agric.za
FoodBev SETA
Tel: 011 253 7300
www.foodbev.co.za
The Sensory Analysis Unit does

confidential contract work for
the broader food, beverage and
household product industry. The
following services are rendered,
usually using trained panels:
Meat cutting technician training
FOODBEV is the Sector Education

and Training Authority (SETA)
Research is done in meat production, responsible
for
facilitating
carcass evaluation, meat technology, education and training in the food
quality, microbiology, biochemistry, and beverages manufacturing
chemistry all relevant areas.
sector. This includes processed and
preserved meat.
Together with the ARC-Irene
Analytical Services section, training Northlink College
courses offered include those which Theuns Duvenhage
help you determine the nutrient Tel: 083 455 1112
www.northlink.co.za
content of food products.
flavour, texture and appearance descriptive analysis

shelf-life stability tests
comparative product analysis
consulting
statistical interpretation of
results.

Dr Voster Muchenje
Tel: 040 602 2059
vmuchenje@ufh.ac.za
www.ufh.ac.za
Meat Science, Lipid Chemistry
Tel: 051 401 2729
hugoA@ufs.ac.za
www.ufs.ac.za
Consumer tests can also be run.

There are two formal structures in the red meat industry from which
funds are made available for research and development, namely the
Red Meat Industry Forum (RMIF) and the Red Meat Research and
Development Trust (RMRDT). Find details at www.redmeatsa.co.za.
Visit www.rmrdsa.co.za for the latest on red meat research.
Find the list of abattoir lists per province under the Divisions and Food and
Veterinary Sciences options at www.daff.gov.za.
Beefmaster (Pty) Ltd
Tel: 053 441 9100
www.beefmaster.co.za
Bull Brand Foods (Pty) Ltd
Tel: 011 953 2334 / 48
www.bullbrandfoods.com
Butcher and Meat Process

Equipment (BMPE)
Tel: 011 664 8212
www.bmpe.co.za
Carnarvon Abattoir
Tel: 053 382 3349
www.caoabattoir.co.za
618
Certified Natural
Tel: 054 833 0041
www.naturalmeat.co.za
Kanhym Deli
Tel: 013 249 7897
www.kanhymdeli.co.za
Crown National (Pty) Ltd

Tel: 011 201 9100
Karan Beef
Tel: 011 613 1851
www.karanbeef.co.za
Supplier of spices and equipment
Kentmaster SA (Pty) Ltd

Tel: 011 455 3748
www.kentmaster.com
Deli Spices
Tel: 021 505 2000
www.delispices.co.za
DIVAC
Tel: 044 874 2720
Fax: 044 874 2747
divac@pixie.co.za
www.divac.co.za
Exim International
Tel: 021 511 4009
www.exim.co.za
Freddy Hirsch Group (Pty) Ltd
Tel: 011 406 3200
www.freddyhirsch.co.za
They are suppliers of spices, casings
and equipment to meat industry.
Gariep Organic Meat
Processors
Tel: 053 683 0190
gariep@ovk.co.za
Icecold Bodies
Tel: 016 349 1140
www.icecoldbodies.co.za
IIR Conferences
Tel: 011 771 7134
www.iir.co.za
The IIR runs the Excellence in Meat
Management Conference.
JF Equipment
Tel: 011 760 3494
www.jfequipment.com
Jarvis Products Corporation
RSA (Pty) Ltd
Tel: 011 454 0100
Eastern Province Livestock Agency Tel: 041 401 6800

Karan Abattoir Tel: 017 773 0352
Gariep Abattoir Tel: 053 683 0190
Abattoirs that are EU listed for mutton, venison and fresh meat are:
Graaf-Reinet Abattoir, Camdeboo Meat Processors (largest exporters of
Game), LAW Groblershoop and De Aar Abattoir.
Koepel Abattoir
Tel: 083 610 1457
www.koepelabattoir.co.za
Find an extensive list of companies involved at www.thebutcherweb.co.za, under

the categories: beef, chicken, crocodile, duck, game, goat, lamb/sheep, offal,
ostrich, pork, turkey.
LAW Holdings
Tel: 054 833 0041
www.lawmeat.co.za
www.naturalmeat.co.za
Read about the services at the ARC-Animal Production Institute under the
previous heading.
DIVAC designs, develops and

supplies specialised equipment, plan MBB Consulting Engineers
and design by-product, chilling and Tel: 021 887 1026
freezing facilities according to SA, www.mbb.co.za
EU and USDA Export standards.
Meat to Market
Tel: 053 456 1004
www.gwk.co.za
See the advert on previous page.
EAC Group
Tel: 058 304 1387
www.eac-group.co.za
Included amongst the abattoirs in South Africa of international standards,

are:
Milos Abattoir
Tel: 087 750 8009
www.pigs.co.za
Morgan Abattoir
Tel: 011 362 4471
www.morganabattoir.co.za
Rhys Evans Group
Tel: 056 343 3311
www.re.co.za
See the advert on previous page.
Roelcor Meat
Tel: 021 851 2694
Sparta Beef
Tel: 051 991 9200
www.sparta.co.za
Specialised Dryers
Tel: 016 341 2505
www.specialiseddryers.co.za
UNITEMP
Tel: 021 762 8995 / 011 966 9800
www.unitemp.com
Van Vliet de Wet & Partners
Tel: 011 726 8195
Planning, design and construction of
plant and equipment for abattoirs
Vleissentraal
Tel: 012 460 9916
www.vleissentraal.co.za
Equipment for the beef, sheep, pig,

poultry and ostrich industry.
Vryheid Meatmasters
Tel: 034 981 4222
John F Marshall
www.meatmaster.co.za
Tel: 011 842 7100
Wallacedale
Tel: 083 660 5930
Agro-processing equipment
www.wallacedaleabattoir.co.za

Visit the websites of the associations mentioned earlier in the chapter
e.g. www.samic.co.za and www.rmaa.co.za.
Consult the National Agricultural Marketing Councils monthly Trade
Probe reports at www.namc.co.za. Frequently you will find aspects of
the meat sector covered.
Find extensive information at www.thebutcherweb.co.za.
www.meat-sa.co.za order meat online.
Find out about the 2013 World Meat Congress at www.meat-ims.org
www.iso.org website of the International Organization for
Standardization. The ISO 17020 gives assurance of the quality of meat
and meat products from recognised abattoirs.
Current legislation does allow for cultural, traditional or religious
slaughter. The role of the SPCA is to ensure the humane treatment
of the animals and that the process is checked from the loading of the
animals through to their arrival at the venue and the actual slaughter.
Relevant websites are www.nspca.co.za, www.nhc.org.za and www.
chabad.org. For a list of Halaal abattoirs visit www.halaal.org.za. See
also the www.sanha.org.za, www.islamsa.org.za and www.jamiat.org.
za sites.
www.meatscience.org website of the American Meat Science
Association
www.meatinternational.com is shutting down, but news on pork and
poultry can be gained at www.pigprogress.net and www.worldpoultry.
net respectively.
Publications
Manual for the Abattoir Industry a manual which describes all aspects
of the abattoir industry and is an ideal source of reference for any
person involved in the abattoir industry.
Meat Inspectors Manual - this manual contains the minimum norm
of required knowledge for all persons involved with hygiene control
and meat inspection at abattoirs. It also serves as a valuable reference
with regard to diseases and condemnations.
FOA [United Nations Food and Agricultural Organisation] Manual on
Meat Inspection for Developing Countries is strongly recommended
for training and reference purposes.
The above publications are available at the RMAA 012 349 1237/8/9 or
www.rmaa.co.za under the Training menu option.
Industry relevant articles, news and events will be available and updated on a
regular basis in the articles section of the RMAA website.
publications, available from the ARC Institute for Agricultural Engineering:
Mishanteringshandleiding vir intensiewe diereproduksie-eenhede in SA
Processing of Meat Products (Russians, tongue, hamburger patties, polony,
frankfurters, bacon, ham, susages)
Red Meat in Nutrition and Health - Communicating current science about red
meat as part of a healthy South African diet by Prof Hettie Schnfeldt and
Nicolette Hall was published in 2012. Write to Prof Schnfeldt at hettie.
schonfeldt@up.ac.za.
619
The Butcher is the definitive magazine for the meat & deli industries. Also
available is the annual Butcher Buyers Guide. Call the editor at 011 447 1192
or write to newstr1@mweb.co.za.
Other food products/ingredients include starch and starch products, baby

food, chips, baking powder, yeast, condiments, flavours and fragrances,
mustard, vinegar, edible salt refining, tea and coffee processing and
packing.
Karan Beef have introduced their Meat Buyers Guide to assist meat buyers
in selecting their purchases. See sample pages on www.karanbeef.co.za.
Contact G Simonsen at 011 613 1851 for more information.
Agro-processing also produces non-food products e.g. tobacco, essential

oils, biofuels, biopolymers, bioplastics and leather.
A number of booklets are available from SAMIC:

Info for new meat traders
Duties and Functions of Abattoir managers regarding the welfare of
animals
Duties and Functions of Abattoir managers regarding the welfare of pigs
A guideline for the use of prodders and stunning devices in abattoirs
The above booklets are also available from the NSPCA. Tel: 011 907
3590/1/2.
An Australian resource is Meat Your interactive guide to red meat. This
CD contains a Beef and Goat and Lamb and Mutton disc and both are
full of informative and useful training tools including cooking and cutting
demonstrations, food safety techniques, industry contacts, links to industry
web sites that provide up-to-date news, and general information about red
meat. To order, contact Meat and Livestock Australia by email: info@mla.
com.au.
Emerging Red Meat Producers Road to Prosperity. Contact NERPO. Tel: 012
348 1933
Download the latest edition of Rooivleis/Red Meat at www.rpo.co.za.
Agro-processing
Consult also the other chapters in the Value add and agro-processing
section.
1. Overview
This section of the Agri Handbook for South Africa deals with adding value to
the primary agricultural product. This finished product is what the consumer
wants and pays money for. Because of this, farmers are often advised to be
more involved in the activities that happen beyond the farm gate.
The agro-processing / food processing industry consists of various subsectors, which include:
meat processing
dairy products
fruit and vegetables processing
grain mill products
sugar mills and refineries
wine
fruit juices
beer
cocoa, chocolate and sugar confectionery
bakery products
prepared animal feeds

The traditional markets for South African food processors, namely Europe
and the USA are expected to register low growth for the next two to three
years. However, significant opportunities for South African produce existed
in China, India, Brazil and Russia, as well as the African continent and the
Middle-East region. The DTI has appealed to South African food processors
to actively investigate these opportunities and to develop new products
and packaging to exploit the market opportunities that these countries and
regions represent.
Source: the article DTI disbursed over R700m to food-processing sector which
appeared on the 26 March 2012 on www.engineeringnews.co.za
The international Muslim population is comprised of nearly 1.6 billion

people who, as part of their Islamic religion, follow a Halaal diet
(Carnegie Endowment for International Peace). The sheer size and
scope of this market presents a promising mosaic of consumers for food
manufacturers.
There are two key drivers that make the Muslim population an
increasingly important market. The first simply comes down to the
numbers. It is estimated that Muslims account for about 25% of the global
population, and the Muslim population is younger and growing faster as
a whole, increasing at a rate of 1.8% per year (Carnegie Endowment
for International Peace). The second is the changing nature of the world
market. The Muslim population is gaining influence and economic clout,
with the gross domestic product (GDP) of most Muslim countries
growing faster than in the West.
Compounded by new immigration, there are large amounts of native
Muslims around the world. These second and third generation Muslims
show the same consumer inclination to opt for convenience rather than
cooking from scratch. They are also looking to expand the range of
cuisines traditionally favoured by their elders. These changing trends not
only promise a growing demand for Halal foods, but also make a market
ripe for new product developments.
If you wish to know more about this market, you are invited to contact
the South African Halaal Export Forum (SAHEF). Contact Ismail Rawat
on 082 793 4494.
Source: an excerpt from the executive summary, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canadas
Global Pathfinder Report, April 2011

Find the Trends in the Agricultural Sector document on www.daff.gov.za.
A range of incentives is available to qualifying investments. The more
commonly used incentives are listed on the DTI website: A Guide to the
dti Incentive schemes and in the latest Investors Handbook (find this under
the Publications option on the website). The Department of Trade and
Industry (DTI) invested R736-million in incentives in the food-processing
sector over the period 2009 2011. Various consultants specialise in assisting
BU
UHLER DPS
623
entrepreneurs to access these incentives. Formentco is an example of a

company which does this. Visit www.formentco.co.za.
The provinces also have incentives and grants. Find details of the provincial
investment agencies in the Providers of financial services chapter.
The South African governments R20-billion tax incentive for
industrial projects
The scheme was jointly finalised by the DTI, the National Treasury and
the South African Revenue Service in July 2012. It falls under section 12i
of the Income Tax Act.
The scheme is aligned to the Industrial Policy Action Plan (IPAP Version II)
to support investments into productive manufacturing capacity, including
agro-processing and forestry products. The scheme will also complement
the other 13 incentives schemes available to South African businesses and
investors.
Find information on Section 12i Tax Allowance Incentive 12i TAI on www.
agbiz.co.za, website of the Agricultural Business Chamber.
the direct control of government,

such as legislation, regulations
and strategic direction. Therefore
the primary role of this business
unit is to lead the development
and implementation of sector
strategies or programmes in the
agro processing sector.
Competition Commission
Tel: 012 394 3332
www.compcom.co.za
The Competition Amendment
Act holds major implications for
directors and senior management.
The Act introduces provisions to

hold personally accountable, and
criminally liable, individuals who
cause firms to engage in cartel
activity. Find the document on this
website, on www.thedti.gov.za or
at www.agbiz.co.za.
Tel: 012 395 8799 / 8800
Find the Food Control option at
www.doh.gov.za.
The Presidential Infrastructure Co-ordination Committee

launched its Strategic Integrated Projects (SIPs) programme in 2012. The
eleventh of these priority projects (Sip 11) is an agro-logistics and rural
infrastructure one. Included amongst the infrastructure here are agroprocessing facilities.

Agro-processing Support
Tel: 012 319 8457 / 8
DES@daff.gov.za

Tel: 021 930 1134
www.ppecb.com
Department of Trade &

Read about this new DAFF offering Industry (dti)
at www.daff.gov.za.
Industry Development Division
(IDD)
Chief Director: Stephen Hanival
Quality Assurance
Tel: 012 394 1350
Tel: 012 319 7306
DFSQA@daff.gov.za
IDD is a division of the Department
of Trade and Industry (DTI),
Food Business Operators (i.e.
responsible for providing leadership
producers, packers, processors,
in developing industry policies and
transporters, etc.) of regulated
strategies that create an enabling
agricultural products of plant origin
environment for competitiveness,
for export and local market can
growth and job creation.
register their food business online.
The electronic facility of registering
Agro Processing I
Food Business Operators online
Imameleng Mothebe
will enable a process of tracing
Tel: 012 394 1160
and tracking of the product in the
imamelengm@thedti.gov.za
supply chain.
www.thedti.gov.za
Find Food Business Operator
Codes under the Divisions and
then Food Safety and Quality
Assurance pages at www.daff.gov.
za.
Tel: 012 319 8455
DM@daff.gov.za
Directorate: Agricultural
Product Inspection Services
Tel: 012 319 6100
DAPIS@daff.gov.za
Details of directorates can be found
on www.daff.gov.za.

Council (NAMC)
Tel: 012 341 1115
www.namc.co.za
Agro Processing 2
Unati Speirs
Tel: 012 394 1149
uspeirs@thedti.gov.za
www.thedti.gov.za
The dtis Agro processing unit is
located in Industry Development
Division (IDD). Agro-processing is
one of sectors under EIDD.
The unit designs and implements
programmes for the development
of agro-processing sector, in
support of the dtis Integrated
Manufacturing
Strategy
and
governments
microeconomic
reform strategy.
Sector development is related to
the identification and facilitation of
the removal of blockages to sector
development. In this context this
will be done by any means within
Agricultural Business Chamber (Agbiz) Tel: 012 807 6686 www.
agbiz.co.za
Consumer Goods Council of SA Tel: 0861 242 000 www.cgcsa.
co.za
Federation of Food Processors (FoodFed) see SAAPA
South African National Consumer Union (Sancu) Tel: 012 428
7122 www.sancu.co.za
South African Association for Food Science and Technology
(SAAFoST) www.saafost.org.za
South African Agricultural Processors Association (SAAPA) Tel:
012 663 1660
The following are associations with which the Agro-processing units at the
Department of Trade and Industry have contact:
Aerosol Manufacturers Association of South Africa Tel: 083 325
9704 www.aerosol.co.za
AFMA (Animal Feed Manufactures Association) Tel: 012 663 9097
www.afma.co.za
AMIE (Association of Meat Importers and Exporters) Tel: 011 803
2058 www.amiesa.co.za
Canning Fruit Producers Association Tel: 021 872 1401 www.
canningfruit.co.za
Chamber of Baking Tel: 012 663 1600/2 www.sacb.co.za
Chamber of Milling Tel: 012 663 1660 www.grainmilling.org.za
Fair Trade SA Tel: 021 448 8911 www.fairtradelabel.org.za
Grain SA Tel: 08600 47246 www.grainsa.co.za
HORTGRO Tel: 021 870 2900 www.hortgro.co.za
MPO (Milk Producers Association) Tel: 012 843 5600 www.mpo.
co.za
Milk SA Tel: 012 460 7312 www.milksa.co.za
NAACAM (National Association of Automotive Component and
Allied Manufacturers) Tel: 011 392 4060/5784 www.naacam.co.za
NRF (National Research Foundation) Tel: 012 481 4000 www.nrf.
ac.za
Paper Manufacturers Association Tel: 011 803 5063 www.pamsa.
co.za
Red Meat Industry Forum (RMIF) Tel: 012 667 1189 www.
redmeatsa.co.za
SA Cane Growers Association Tel: 031 508 7200 www.
sacanegrowers.co.za
South African Crocodile Farmers Association (SAFCA) Tel: 012
807 4100 www.sacfa.co.za
South African Chocolate and Sweet Manufacturers Tel: 011 886
3008 / 083 325 9704
624
SA Citrus Processors Association Tel: 015 298 6001

SA Feedlot Association Tel: 012 667 1189 www.safeedlot.co.za
SA Flower Export Council Tel: 011 692 4237 www.saflower.co.za
SAFGA (South African Flower Growers Association) Tel: 011 692
4237 www.saflower.co.za
SAFLEC (SA Footwear and Leather Export Council) Tel: 031 701
4206 www.saflec.co.za
SA Fruit & Vegetable Canners Association Tel: 021 871 1308/9
www.safvca.co.za
SA Fruit and Vegetable Exporters Council Tel: 021 871 1308
SA Fruit Juice Association Tel: 021 872 4145 www.safja.co.za
SAGIS (SA Grain Information Service) Tel: 012 523 1400
South African Ostrich Business Chamber Tel: 044 272 3336 www.
saobc.co.za
SA Pork Producers Association 012 361 3920 www.sapork.com
SA Port Producers Association Tel: 044 213 3326
SA Poultry Association Tel: 011 795 9920 www.sapoultry.co.za
SA Savoury and Snack Food Organisation (SASFO) Tel: 012 807
3853
(Subtrop) SA Subtropical Fruit Growers Association Tel: 015 307
3676/7 www.subtrop.net
SASA (SA Sugar Association) Tel: 031 508 7700 www.sasa.org.za
SA Sugar Millers Tel: 031 508 7300
SA Table Grapes Producers Industry (SATI) Tel: 021 872 1438
www.satgi.co.za
SA Wine Industry Information & Systems Tel: 021 807 5700 www.
sawis.co.za
SAWIT (South African Wine Industry Trust) Tel: 021 889 8101 www.
sawit.co.za
Swaziland Sugar Association info@ssa.co.za www.ssa.co.sz
Textile Federation 011 454 2342 www.texfed.co.za
Tobacco Institute of SA Tel: 021 421 0011 www.tobaccosa.co.za
WOSA (Wines of South Africa) Tel: 021 883 3860 www.wosa.co.za
Find other umbrella bodies in the relevant chapters.

Systems improvements and value-add is identified as a priority area in the
National Agricultural Research and Development Strategy document. Find it
at www.daff.gov.za.
Tel: 021 809 3100
www.arc.agric.za
Training courses are given in postharvest handling of fresh fruit, fruit
beverages, value adding to dried
fruit, fruit processing and jam
processing.
peach processing
tomato processing
peanut processing
dairy processing
soya processing
jam manufacturing
health & food safety
Further examples would include

Fort Cox College (value adding
technology training), Grootfontein
(meat processing), Tsolo College
(baking bread, buns, scones). All
offer training in marketing concepts
ARC-IAE training and research too. Find the list of Agricultural
includes on farm processing Colleges in the Agricultural
equipment,
infrastructure, education and training chapter.
publications, advice etc. Find the
list of publications under heading 8. Cape Peninsular University of
Technology (CPUT)
The Provincial Departments Department of Consumer Sciences
of Agriculture working with food and nutrition
the Agricultural Colleges offer Tel: 021 460 3176
value-add training courses. The jacksonv@cput.ac.za
following can be learnt at Cedara in
KwaZulu-Natal:
ARC-Institute Agricultural
Tel: 012 842 4000
www.arc.agric.za
Food Technology
Tel: 021 959 6176
www.cput.ac.za
SESTO is an accredited training

provider delivering learnerships
and skills programmes nationally.
AgriFood Station
Tel: 011 253 7300 / 953 8615
dolleyl@cput.ac.za
www.cput.ac.za/agrifood
Tel: 021 808 3578
Dairy Cheret
Tel: 011 314 8618
http://dairycheret.com

www.ufs.ac.za
Consultants:
Hans Keller 082 975 5675
Andre Kruger 084 447 2490
Centre for Sustainable Agriculture

and Rural Development and
Extension
Tel: 051 401 3765

responsible
for
facilitating
education and training in the food
and beverages manufacturing
sector. Visit www.foodbev.co.za or
call 011 253 7300.
Hope Nutritional Training and
Research
Tel: 011 326 3507
www.hopenbc.co.za
Mechanical Engineering
Centre of Excellence in Advanced
Manufacturing
Tel: 018 299 1328/9
www.nwu.ac.za/content/dti
www.dticoe.co.za
Services like product development
provided to the food processing
and polymer and natural fibre
composition industry. Extruders
and relevant equipment can be
built.
The website www.extruafrica.
org.za says: Extrusion is an ideal
vehicle for job creation, BBBEE
development,
empowerment
and industry development. It is a
technology that can add value to a
variety or raw materials. Extrusion
can be applied in, inter alia, the
food, feed and plastic industries.
SESTO
Tel: 011 280 8660
www.sesto.co.za
Tel: 051 401 2396
Tel: 033 260 5459
siwelam@ukzn.ac.za
Limpopo Agri-Food Technology
Station
Tel: 015 268 2785 / 3359
www.ul.ac.za
www.up.ac.za
Institute for Food, Nutrition and
Well-being (IFNuW)
sheryl.hendriks@up.ac.za
Centre for Nutrition
Tel: 012 420 6030
andre.oelofse@up.ac.za
Tel: 012 420 2531
consumer.science@up.ac.za
Department of Food Sciences
Tel: 012 420 3202
food.science@up.ac.za
University of Venda
Food Science and Technology
Tel: 015 962 8310
www.univen.ac.za
Find the Food manufacturing, safety & HACCP training option at www.
skillsportal.co.za.
Find the details of the various associations and companies involved in the
relevant agro-processing chapters. In addition to the other agro-processing
chapters, also consult chapters like Grain storage and handling and
Agricultural consultants. Be aware too that role players like the ARC,
CSIR and Eskom can also assist in value add activities.
Find details of the Buyers Guide and the Food & Beverage Reporter
under the Websites and publications heading.
Refer also to the SAAFoST website where details of a number of consultants
are given. Visit www.saafost.org.za.
626
Finance and services

co.za
Andrew Murray Consulting Tel: 028 312 3064 www.foodengineering.
co.za
Food Processing and value adding are areas in which Caryki Consulting
consultancy can help. Call them at 051 436 6281 / 082 456 0396 or
email caryki@iburst.co.za.
CFAM Technologies (Pty) Ltd Tel: 018 294 7173 www.cfam.co.za
(the design and manufacturing of extruder equipment and processing
plants parts)
Agro-processing consultation, advisory / information work is done by
DIGIVU. Write to dave@digivu.co.za, call 082 451 0148 or visit www.
digivu.co.za.
Africas Big Seven, which happens at Midrand, incorporates AgriFood, Food Tech Africa, Interbake Africa, Food Biz Africa, Retail
Trade Exhibition, Retail Solutions Africa and IFMA Africa. Exhibition
Management Services organises this. Visit www.exhibitionsafrica.
com.
FIRI Consulting Tel: 021 801 4711/2/3 www.firi.co.za
GPB Consulting Tel: 021 852 7811 www.consultgpb.co.za
The Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) gives support
mainly to horticultural activities, particularly those with a processing
element. Contact Food, Beverages & Agro Industries at 011 269 3000
or take a look at www.idc.co.za.
Interfab does the design, fabrication and installation of stainless steel
process equipment. Visit www.interfab.co.za or call 011 477 5124.
082 467 2863
MBB Consulting Engineers specialises in Post harvest value adders
and processing. Visit www.mbb.co.za, write to info@mbbsouth.co.za
or phone 021 887 1026.
Van Der Vyver Transport Tel: 021 981 0300 (refrigerated and general
transporter)
Equipment
African Micro Mills Tel: 031 584 6250 www.africanmicromills.com
Anderson Engineering Tel: 033 387 1544 www.andersoneng.co.za
Roast Tech Tel: 051 435 0888 / 082 770 5711 www.roastech.com
Buckle Packaging and Engineering Tel: 011 613 8024 www.
bucklepack.co.za
Buhler is a global leader in the supply of process engineering solutions,
especially for the milling and food industry. Visit www.buhlergroup.
com and call 011 801 3500.
Donaldson process filtration provides the food and beverage industry
with quality filtration products worldwide. Call either 011 997 6000,
021 930 3882 or visit www.donaldson.co.za.
Elite Fibre Tel: 021 551 9390 www.elitefibre.co.za
Exim International Tel: 021 511 4009 www.exim.co.za
Facet Engineering Tel: 011 769 1168 www.facetengineering.co.za
Flexicon Tel: 041 453 1871 www.flexicon.co.za
Goldman Engineering Tel: 021 511 3755 www.afrigol.com
HG Molenaar & Co Tel: 011 578 0940 www.hgmolenaar.co.za
Heat and Control Tel: 021 948 5934 www.heatandcontrol.com
John F Marshall Tel: 011 842 7100 www.johnfmarshall.co.za
Macadams Baking Systems Tel: 021 907 1000 www.macadams.
co.za
Metal Tank Industries Tel: 011 021 0501/2/3 www.metaltankindustries.
com
Stargate Scientific supplies equipment into many industry
laboratories including those of the food and beverage sector. Visit
www.stargatescientific.co.za or call 011 675 7433.
627
General
ABI (Amalgamated Beverage Industries) Tel: 011 676 9500 www.abi.
co.za
African Aloe Tel: 044 752 1588 www.africanaloe.co.za
Anchor Yeast Tel: 011 248 8200 www.anchor.co.za
Associated Fruit Processors Tel: 021 859 7090
Astral Foods Tel: 012 667 5468 www.astralfoods.com
AVI Limited Tel: 011 502 1300 www.avi.co.za
Brenner Mills Tel: 0861 100 2010 www.brenmill.co.za
British American Tobacco Tel: 0800 118 118 www.batsa.co.za
Cape Fruit Processors Tel: 021 867 0277 www.capefruits.co.za
Clover Tel: 011 471 1400 www.clover.co.za
Crown National Tel: 011 201 9100 www.crownnational.co.za
Danisco Tel: 011 608 6760 www.danisco.com
Dannhauser Malt Tel: 034 621 2661
Dewfresh Tel: 011 736 7738 www.dewfresh.co.za
Entreshar Tel: 011 791 3591 gillian@entreshar.co.za
Foodcorp Tel: 011 549 1030 www.foodcorp.co.za
Granor Passi Tel: 015 298 6000 www.granorpassi.co.za
GWK Douglas Tel: 053 298 8200 www.gwk.co.za
Heinz Foods SA Tel: 021 870 5700 www.heinz.com
Hudson & Knight Tel: 011 896 9002 www.hudsonandknight.co.za
International Fine Ingredients Tel: 011 888 6613 www.ifi-sa.com
Kraft Food Tel: 011 603 4400 www.kraft.com
Magaliesberg Citrus Tel: 012 256 9000 www.magaliescitrus.co.za
McCain Foods (SA) Tel: 011 856 6000 www.mccain.co.za
National Brands see AVI Limited
Nestl (SA) (Pty) Ltd Tel: 011 514 6638 www.nestle.co.za
Nicola-J Flavours & Fragrances Tel: 011 315 6582 www.njflavours.
co.za
Pacmar Tel: 021 873 3101 www.pacmar.co.za
Parmalat SA Tel: 021 809 1400 www.parmalat.co.za
Pioneer Foods Tel: 021 807 5100 www.pioneerfoods.co.za
Premier Foods Tel: 011 565 4300 www.premierfoods.com
Progress Milling Tel: 015 297 3452 www.progress-milling.co.za
Rainbow Farms Tel: 031 242 8500 www.rainbowchicken.co.za
Rudolf Wild Tel: 011 783 1130 www.wild.de
SAB Miller Tel: 011 881 8111 www.sablimited.co.za
Sharon Bolel Tel: 011 454 5400/1 www.sharonbolel.co.za
Snackquip Tel: 011 965 0582 www.snackquip.com
Summerpride Tel: 043 700 6699 www.summerpride.co.za
Tiger Brands Tel: 011 840 4000 www.tigerbrands.com
Tongaat Hulett Starch Tel: 011 458 5000 www.tongaathulettstarch.
co.za
Unilever Tel: 031 570 3000 www.unilever.co.za
Processing of Meat Products (Russians, tongue, hamburger patties, polony,

frankfurters, bacon, ham, sausages)
Processing of Berries, Volume 1 (blackberries, blackcurrant, blueberries,
Cape gooseberries, cherries)
Processing of Berries, Volume 2 (gooseberries, raspberries, redcurrants,
strawberries)
Processing of Cereal Crops Volume 1 (maize, oats, rice)
Processing of Cereal Crops Volume 2 (sorghum, wheat)
Processing of Cereal Crops Volume 3 (barley, sesame, poppy seed, rye)
Processing of Cucurbits (butternut, cucumber, pumpkin, sweet melon,
watermelon, baby marrow)
Processing of Deciduous Fruit (apples, apricots, grapes, pears, plums,
peaches, figs)
Processing of Olives and Legumes (green peas, green beans, cowpeas,
lentils, olives, peanuts, mushrooms)
Processing of Field Crops (chilli, bell peppers, tomatoes)
Processing subtropical fruit (avocado, bananas, figs, guava, kiwifruit, litchi,
papaya, passion fruit, pineapple)
Processing of Oil Seeds (soy beans, sunflower)
Processing of Root Crops (asparagus, beetroot, carrots, garlic, onions,
potatoes, sweet potato)
Processing of Textile Crops (cotton, flax, hemp, sisal)
Processing of Marine Foods (fish products)
Processing of Industrial Crops (chicory, coffee, sugar cane, tea)
Processing of Herbs and Spices (cinnamon, paprika, jojoba, parsley)
Processing of Legumes (cowpeas, beans, green beans, lentils, green peas,
peanuts)
Processing of Poultry (chicken and turkey)
General food processing methods
Processing of snack foods and confectionary)
Manual on small-scale food processing (achar, jam, etc)
Food & Beverage Reporter subscribers have access to an online, searchable
directory. They also receive the Food & Beverage Reporter online. Call 011
462 5645 or visit www.developtechnology.com.
The Buyers Guide is an annual directory listing the providers of all processing
aids, flavours, ingredients, antimicrobial agents, colorants, curing agents
etc, food and beverage processing equipment and more. Visit www.
thebuyersguide.co.za.
From the PLAAS Publishing stable the magazine farmlink has made its
appearance. Visit www.farmlinkmag.com.
Milk & Juice is a magazine aimed at informing and empowering milk and
juice processors to run their businesses on a sound basis. The magazine is
also a member of the Restaurant Association of South Africa and serves as a
link between the food supplier (processor) and the food vendor. Visit www.
mjmagazine.co.za.
Dave Harcourt does agro-processing advisory work. Find his blogs at www.
digivu.co.za.
Frozen Food Science & Technology by JA Evans. Wiley Blackwell is the

publisher. Order the book at www.wiley.com
Contact the ARC-IAE at 012 842 4000 / 17 for the following publications
dealing with on-farm processing:
distillation
Processing of Citrus Fruit (grapefruit, lemons, oranges)
Processing of Dairy (butter, cream, buttermilk, cheese, yoghurt, milk and
milk powder)
Companies which sell processing equipment often have manuals and

publications explaining the technology and/ or business opportunities
involved.
www.hospitalityforum.co.za is a unique information site for hospitality
resources.
www.ifama.org International Food and Agribusiness Management
Association
628
Baking
See also the Milling and Small and micro milling chapters
1. Overview
Bread is the second most important supplier of energy (kilojoules) in the
national diet after maize products. Apart from bread, bakers also produce
other products like biscuits, pies and pizzas.
Baking is comprehensively covered by the Baker Guide for the Baking &
Milling Industries in South Africa. Visit www.thebaker.co.za.

Find the Legislation menu option on www.sacb.co.za.
Refer to this heading in the general Agro-processing chapter for information

on the Department of Trade and Industry and the Department of
National Regulator for Compulsory Specification (NRCS)
Tel: 0800 21 47 19
www.nrcs.org.za
The NRCS is mandated to regulate products on behalf of government such
as vehicle components and others in the interest of public safety and to
ensure fair trade. It also regulates all types of perishable goods. According
to the Trade Metrology Act of 1973, bread deficiency cannot be less than 5
percent of the declared quantity or in excess of 10 percent.
Find details of the National Chamber of Milling (NCM) in the milling chapter.
South African Chamber of Baking

Tel: 012 663 1600
www.sacb.co.za
South African Agricultural Processors Association (SAAPA)
Tel: 012 663 1660
SAAPA is an association promoting the interest of its members including
in the areas of international trade, BEE and government policy. Read more
about it in the general agro-processing chapter.

Agricultural Colleges like Tsolo Agriculture and Rural Development
Institute (TARDI), linked to the provincial departments of Agriculture,
do short courses in baking. Find the contact details in the Agricultural
Bokaone Bakery Specialists

Tel: 072 024 9801
koproer@gmail.com
Rich Products Corporation

Tel: 011 429 4000
www.rich.com
Bakery consulting and training
A centre which combines a

state-of-the-art research and
development centre and a bakery
training school was opened in 2009.
DGRV Bakery Training Centre

Tel: 012 346 6020 / 083 629 8326
dgrvsa@worldonline.co.za
www.dgrvsa.co.za

Laboratory (SAGL)
The DGRV, the national apex Tel: 012 807 4019
organisation and top-level auditing www.sagl.co.za
federation of the German cooperative sector, has opened a The SAGL is an association
model-bakery where a qualified incorporated under Section 21
master baker offers basic and (Association not for gain). SAGL is a
advanced training in baking and quality analyses laboratory and has
ISO/IEC 17025 accreditation. They
confectionary.
offer a variety of quality analyses
on grains and oilseeds. The SAGL
FOODBEV
provide courses in laboratory
Tel: 011 253 7300
training for both wheat (flour) and
www.foodbev.co.za
maize (meal) analyses.
and Training Authority (SETA) University of the Free State
responsible
for
facilitating Department of Microbial,
education and training in the food Biochemical & Food Biotechnology
and beverages manufacturing Prof G Osthoff
sector. Of relevance to this Tel: 051 401 2216
chapter is their Baking, Cereals, Osthoffg@ufs.ac.za
Confectionary and Snacks Chamber.
The Baker Guide for the Baking & Milling Industries in South Africa is
a comprehensive directory to the baking and milling industries. Visit www.
thebaker.co.za or phone Newstreet Publishers at 011 447 1192.
Find the membership list on www.sacb.co.za.

Find the Wheat Market Value Chain Profile: 2010-2011 under the
Publications and Agricultural Marketing Commodity Profiles options at
www.daff.gov.za.
In addition to the websites listed in this chapter, the following will also be
of interest:
The Baker serving the baking, milling & confectionery industries:
www.thebaker.co.za
Grain South Africa www.grainsa.co.za
SA Grain Information Service www.sagis.org.za
National Agricultural Marketing Council www.namc.co.za
For wheat related research documents and projects, contact the Winter
Cereal Trust. Call 012 663 1600 or visit www.wintercerealtrust.co.za.
629
The case against biofuels:
Biofuels
1. Overview
When people talk about biofuels they are essentially referring to ethanol or
biodiesel. Ethanol is favoured by the Americas (Brazil and the US produce
most of the worlds ethanol), whereas biodiesel is preferred by Europe,
where most of the global biodiesel production happens.
Biofuels can be produced from any number of plant crops; most ethanol
in the world today being derived from maize, with sugar cane increasingly
gaining favour (the latter providing double the yield per acre of the
former).
Biodiesel emanates mainly from vegetable oils or animal fats, and waste
cooking oil from Chinas restaurants has been to thank for supplying Chinas
growing biodiesel industry.
Cellulosic ethanol, also fast becoming the darling of the biofuel movement,
is produced by breaking down plant cell walls. And as cellulose is the most
common organic compound around, it can be sourced from many more
places and has the added bonus of turning things that used to be regarded
as waste maize stalks, wood chips, grasses into incredibly useful sources
of energy.
Countries, and interest groups within countries, are divided over whether
biofuels is the villain behind food insecurity or a vital future energy source.
There is also, increasingly, a re-think of how green, or eco-friendly, biofuel
really is.
Source: Biofuels: Green gold or problems untold, an article on www.cnn.com;
the report Bad ethanol, good ethanol at www.irinnews.org
2. Biofuels: the debate

The price and supply of fossil fuel has led to a strategic re-think, with
governments and interest groups looking to alternative sources of energy.
Climate change and the resulting concern over vehicle emissions added a
moral imperative.
To do the biofuel debate justice would require a lot more space than we
have available here, and we will simply list the arguments that cropped
up repeatedly. Readers are encouraged to explore the listed websites and
other material to gain a greater sense of the arguments.
The case for biofuels runs mainly along these lines:
The local economic development income generating opportunities for
entrepreneurs and rural communities; new markets for emerging (and
commercial) farmers and community growers; new skills development
and the provision of services etc and a halting of people migrating to
urban areas.
It is environmentally friendly and better for our health (no exhaust
carbon monoxide and fine particulate emissions).
The establishment of by-products within this process (livestock feed,
fertiliser for food crops).
The high level of inputs fossil fuel, fertiliser means that the carbon
and nitrous dioxide emissions overtake the good intentions of being
environmentally friendly. A strain on water supply and soil erosion
are possible down-sides to biofuel crops, as is the loss of millions
of hectares of forest, converted into soy, sugarcane and palm oil
plantations.
Local development does not work if it means that the same farmers
go hungry because they used their crops (e.g. cassava) for energy
rather than for food.
The use of food crops as a fuel leads to exorbitant food prices. The
food vs fuel issue is looked at under heading 3.
Biofuels are not the only renewable energy source: why not look to
solar or some other form of energy?
3. The food vs fuel question

See the note on indirect land use change (ILUC) under heading 8.
The dramatic increase in food prices over the past years raised concerns
about the affordability and accessibility of food for the poor. Biofuels were
frequently identified as one of the drivers in the sharp rise, and this turned
into the food vs fuel debate.
The reasons for the escalation in prices are many (see heading 2 in the
Food security chapter). Amidst them all, no agreement exists on the
share of responsibility that grain-based biofuels carry. The Organisation
for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) placed it as high as
60 percent, the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) at 30
percent. Biofuel proponents, like the US Secretary for Agriculture, might
admit to a 3 percent figure.
Owing to the costs of transport, processing and distribution, agricultural
commodities are already integrated within the global energy market. The
production of biofuels from food crops adds a new dimension to this.
Droughts in wheat-growing and food producing areas might be temporary
factors, but when they coincide with political tensions and the uncertainty
which couples food to the price of oil (because grain is diverted to fuel), the
lives of millions are placed at risk.
In a country such as South Africa where farmers produce surplus grain
crops more years than most, the use of grains for fuel can actually enhance
food security. When surplus crops force prices down farmers are forced
to change to activities that ensure their income and thus they move away
from grain production. If this coincides with a dry year we could have
real food shortages. Should there be a biofuel industry that processes
the surpluses and the supply and demand is kept in balance, farmers will
always have a reason to plant grain.
Source: Derek Matthews
Access to food, not food production, is the problem. Severe market

inefficiencies exist and are a critical factor (i.e. price-fixing; the fact that
farmgate prices are divorced from retail prices; the prices charged by
spaza shops in poor areas).
Source: Andrew Makanete
630
4. Biodiesel
Biodiesel is a diesel fuel substitute produced from renewable sources such
as vegetable oils, animal fats, and recycled cooking oils. It can be used in
neat form, or blended with petroleum diesel for use in diesel engines.
Extensive notes on biodiesel exist on websites like:
www.biodiesel.org the National Biodiesel Board (USA)
www.biodieselsa.co.za find the What is biodiesel menu option
Find other role players under heading 12 whose websites can also be
consulted.
5. Ethanol
The largest single use of ethanol (ethyl alcohol) is as a motor fuel and fuel
additive, a biofuel alternative to petrol. It is manufactured from crops like
sugarcane and maize.
The largest national fuel ethanol industries exist in Brazil (used in more than
90 percent of new cars in the country). Whereas the United States fuel
ethanol industry is based largely on maize, the Brazilian industry is mostly
sugarcane-based.
The following websites are excellent starting points for the interested
reader:
www.greenfuel.co.zw
The website of the US Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) provides
comprehensive information on, and makes the case for, ethanol. Visit
www.ethanolrfa.org.
www.ethanol.org the American Coalition for Ethanol provides a
step-by-step interactive tour on the how ethanol is made.
www.ethanolindia.net Ethanol Information India is also a
comprehensive source of information for the reader.
6. Ethanol gel and safety stoves

Visit www.silversandsethanol.co.za.
Ethanol gel is a renewable form of energy made by mixing ethanol with a
thickening agent and water.
It burns cleanly (no harmful fumes are emitted). It does not spread if the
stove is knocked over, and there is no danger of flash fires from leaking
stoves.
Ethanol gel is more suitable for household stoves and lights, and its use
eliminates a major health hazard.
7. Biofuels: some other sources

Biobutanol produced from sugar beet. It has an energy equivalent of 95%
of petrol compared to ethanols 75%. A further benefit is its acceptability in
petrol fuel systems. It is replacing ethanol in several parts of the USA.
In Mauritius, at least 14% of the countrys electricity is derived from
bagasse, the dry, fibrous residue left over once juice has been extracted
from sugar cane stalks.
Jatropha, a tough weed with oily seeds, can grow on poor land. It offers a
spectrum of potential uses, apart from the principle imperative of Biodiesel
production like erosion control, soap production, organic fertiliser, chemical
production, glycerine and biodegradable cutter bar lubricant (for chain
saws). Visit www.jatrophabiodiesel.org for more information. Neighbouring
Mozambique is pursuing jatropha production for ethanol. It is excluded as a
feedstock in South Africas biofuels strategy because it falls in the category
of being an alien invasive.
Three trees have potential and relevance for this chapter: the moringa
oleifera (miracle tree), the ximenia caffra (large sour plum) and the pappea
capensis (jacket plum). While the jatropha curcas is a foreign tree, the
ximenia caffra, moringa oleifera and the pappea capensis are indigenous
to Africa.
Besides oils for biodiesel, the trees can provide feedstock for biogas
reactors as well as material for the manufacture of briquettes for burning.
In addition, the large-scale planting of trees could enable farmers to earn
hard cash under the carbon-credit scheme of the Kyoto Protocol - if they
pursue it in the correct manner.
Read about Moringa Biofuels Research on the University of Pretoria
website, www.up.ac.za.
Source: Adapted from the article Fuel from trees plan takes root on www.
engineeringnews.co.za
Biofuel can be manufactured from algae. It does not impact on fresh water
resources, and wikipedia tells us that more oil is produced from an area
the size of a two-car garage than from an entire football field of soybeans.
Algaculture is the term given to the farming of algae.
Ethanol can also be from grapes (find the ARC Infruitec-Nietvoorbij contact
details under heading 12).
Dr Klaasen of the University of the Western Cape is actively involved in
developing bio-fuels from indigenous Kraalbos.
Using technology like Lignocellulose conversion, South African
Red Grass, invader plants and even wood chips can be utilised for
bioenergy.

The EUs renewable energy directive requires countries to achieve a 10
percent share of green energy in road transport by 2020, the vast majority
of which will be met using biofuels.
Find the report Biofuels (Biodiesel and Bioethanol) Market Global Production,
Regulations, Export-Import Analysis and Key Country Analysis to 2020 at www.
globaldata.com. The research provides an understanding of the technology,
key drivers and challenges in the global biofuels market. It provides a history
and also a global look ahead with a particular focus on key countries such as
Germany, France, Spain, China, Thailand, India, the US, Canada and Brazil.

The first scheduled flights using biofuels were launched in 2011. Biofuels
may need to comprise as much as half of South African Airways (SAAs)
fuel supply by 2020 if the national carrier is to avoid future carbon penalties.
The airline is vulnerable to the possible imposition of penalties and taxes on
carbon emissions, owing to the fact that it operates in the global market.
Indirect land use change (ILUC)
ILUC is a theory that states that by diverting food-crops into fuel tanks,
biofuel production increases overall global demand for agricultural land.
Studies carried out for the European Commission showed that the risk
of ILUC is far greater for biodiesel a diesel substitute typically made
from oilseeds - than it is for bioethanol a gasoline-substitute usually
made from grain or sugar. By estimating the ILUC emissions associated
with each specific crop, scientists concluded that most biodiesel currently
used in Europe emits more carbon than conventional diesel.
The realisation that EU rules on ILUC could kill off much of Europes
estimated 13 billion euro biodiesel industry and undermine its climate
goals has led to uncertainty and much debate.
Find the full story Uncertainty still clouds future of EU biodiesel at
www.engineeringnews.co.za.
631

Find the latest Biofuels report on www.bfap.co.za.
Sugarcane is expected to be the major feedstock for biofuel production in

South Africa. The price of biofuel will be determined by biofuel parity prices
and the Basic Fuel Price (BFP) for fossil fuel.
In addition to sugarcane, ethanol will also be produced from sugar beet.
Biodiesel will be sourced from soy beans, sunflower and canola. Largely due
to concerns that maize is a staple food source for the majority of the poor
in the country, it was excluded from the countrys biofuels policy. The use
of sorghum as a possible feedstock is being explored by a number of role
players like Grain SA and Senwes. The production of ethanol from sorghum
delivers a similar yield to maize.

Advice to farmers considering producing their own biodiesel for on-farm
use:
Continual quality control of all inputs and of the production process is
essential because fuel-injected equipment failure is a risk with belowstandard biodiesel.
Ensure that the quality and specifications of the biodiesel is accepted
by the engine manufacturer of your farm machinery. Failure to do this
could invalidate any manufacturers warranty.

Find the Biofuels option on the Department of Energy website www.energy.gov.za.
Cabinet approved the National Biofuels Industrial Strategy in December

2007. This Strategy suggested a 2% biofuels penetration to the current
fuel pool by 2013. The 2% would contribute to energy security, create 25
000 jobs in rural farming, and achieve a balance of payments saving of R1.7
billion. Find the Strategy document on www.energy.gov.za and also at www.
opot.co.za, website of the Oil & Protein Seed Development Trust.
The draft document for public commentary on the proposed mandatory
blending of biofuel with petrol and diesel, published in the Government
Gazette in September 2011, makes provision for the blending of a minimum
5% biodiesel blend and 2% bio-ethanol in the national fuel supply.
Both Agriculture and Renewable Energy are focus areas of Governments
quest to create jobs. The Industrial Policy Action Plan (IPAP), for example,
foresees job generation of 150 000 jobs in agriculture.
The finalising of mandatory blending regulations will go a long way towards building
confidence in the biofuel industry.

See also the Renewable energy chapter.
Associations and interest groups

CANEGROWERS Tel: 031 508 7200 www.sacanegrowers.co.za
Grain SA Tel: 0860 047 246 www.grainsa.co.za
Oil & Protein Seed Development Trust and the Oilseeds Advisory
Committee Tel: 011 234 3400/1 www.opot.co.za
South African Sugar Association (SASA) Tel: 031 508 7400 www.
sasa.org.za
The Southern Africa Bioenergy Association (SABA) Tel: 011 655
7332 www.saba.za.org

Tel: 012 842 4017
www.arc.agric.za
Tel: 021 809 3100 / 3320
minnaarp@arc.agric.za
www.arc.agric.za
Tel: 021 808 5854
www.sun.ac.za/biofuels
Economics
Tel: 051 401 2824
WillemseBJ@ufs.ac.za
Research has been done on using

grapes for ethanol
CSIR
Environment
The Department of Plant
Tel: 012 841 2911
Pathology
www.csir.co.za
Professor Mark Laing
Tel: 033 260 5524
EWSETA Energy & Water
Sector Education & Training
Authority
Research is done on African food
Tel: 011 274 4700
crops and biofuel crops for yield,
www.eseta.org.za
drought tolerance and disease
resistance.
University
InnoVenton: Institute for Chemical Department of Plant Production
Technology
and Soil Science
Tel: 041 504 3281 / 3613
Tel: 012 420 3809 / 3223
http://innoventondcts.nmmu.ac.za www.up.ac.za
NMMUs custom- made algae Also find the Moringa biofuels
biomass liquefaction converts algae research option at the Department
biomass into a bio-oil.
webpages.
Tel: 018 299 1995
sanette.marx@nwu.ac.za
Tel: 011 803 2579

SA Herbal Science and Medicine
Institute
Tel: 021 959 2911
www.uwc.ac.za
Dr Klaasen is involved in developing

from
indigenous
Find the Biofuels & by-products biofuels
Kraalbos
University of the
Witwatersrand
Centre of Material and Process
Synthesis (COMPS)
Tel: 011 717 7567
www.wits.ac.za/Centres/COMPS/
Research done into the uses of algae www.beautifuel.co.za
including as a source of energy
Rhodes University
Environmental Biotechnology
Research Unit (EBRU)
Tel: 046 622 2656 / 079 902 2457
a.cowan@ru.ac.za
South Africas National Energy

Research Institute (SANERI)
Tel: 010 201 4700
www.saneri.org.za
Companies and other role players

African Alternative Technologies (AAT) Tel: 084 941 3993 www.
aatec.co.za
Agrarian Research and Development Agency (ARDA), together
with the IDC and the Central Energy Fund, is establishing a R2-billion
ethanol plant in Cradock from sugar beet and grain sorghum. Sugar
beet is more labour-intensive and so more jobs are forecast. See the
Sugar Beet RSA listing.
Agricane has operations in Malawi, Mozambique, Zimbabwe and
South Africa. Visit www.agricane.com or call 033 343 3016.
Beautifuel see University of the Witwatersrand
Bio Fuels Kontor SA info@alensys.de www.alensys.de
BioDiesel One see Sunfuel Cleantech Group
632
Biodiesel Power Plants Tel: 082 956 7118 www.biodieselpowerplants.

co.za
Biodiesel SA does sales of biodiesel and biodiesel-making equipment.
Visit www.biodieselsa.co.za or phone 033 330 8765.
Biogreen Biodiesel offers franchises through which biodiesel refineries
are setup that produce biodiesel from waste oil. Call 0860 BIO GRN
(246 476) or visit www.biogreen.co.za.
Bioman is a manufacturer of biodiesel processing units. Phone 072
819 2060.
Biotechsa Tel: 082 783 9402 (organic vegetable oil, crude vetgetable
oil, biodiesel equipment, biodiesel)
Buhler makes complete plants, processes and stand-alone machines
for utilising renewable energy sources like ethanol. Visit www.
buhlergroup.com and phone 011 801 3500.
East London IDZ Renewable Sector Manager Livhu Motabatsindi Tel:
043 702 8200 email livhu@elidz.co.za, www.elidz.co.za
EECO Fuels Tel: 011 456 5400 www.eecofuels.com
EMVEST Tel: 012 003 0219 www.emvest.com
Evonik Industries Tel: 011 697 0716
Greengel cooking gel is an organic based product, made from sugar
cane. It is the most cost effective and safest fuel available to informal
housing and residents and the needy. Visit Flammable Greengels
website, www.flammablegreengel.com and phone 031 700 1313.
Frost & Sullivan Tel: 021 680 3260 www.frost.com
Goudine Empowerment Tel: 014 594 2570 www.inw.org.za
Grasoline South Africa produces ethanol from Johnson Grass. Phone
071 678 7033.
Greenfuel Tel: +263 4 852077 www.greenfuel.co.zw
Grundfos Tel: 011 579 4800 www.grundfos.com (Shaft seals and pumps
are customised to offer flawless operation and long life regardless of
the media ethanol, oil, acid, methanol or any other aggressive fluid).
Gunda Imports and Distribution Tel: 082 920 0656 www.gunda.
co.za (bioethanol gel)
iLembe District Municipality Tel: 032 437 9512 Mike.
Newton@ilembe.gov.za (Moringa trees are cultivated for biofuel)
Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) Tel: 0860 693 888
www.idc.co.za
Investec Bank Ltd Tel: 011 286 7000 / 7239, email ccorbishley@investec.
co.za, www.investec.co.za
Lurgi SA (Pty) Ltd Tel: 011 244 4600 www.lurgi.com
In a Makana Bioethanol Platform presentation, locally produced
bioethanol would run the government transport , which would turn
fuel money into an economic development tool. Phone 046 636 1227.
(biofuels projects, research and development planning)
NanoElf Biodiesel is a South African manufacturer of small and micro
biodiesel plants. Phone 011 807 2258 and visit http://biodiesel.nanoelf.
co.za.
Phyto Energy Group Tel: 021 853 8004 / 082 779 1609 www.
phytoenergy.org
Rainbow Nation Renewable Fuels Limited (RNRF) Tel: 041 402
4000 www.rnrf.co.za
Shaval Biodiesel are specialists in the erection of biodiesel plants and
production technology. Visit www.shaval.co.za.
Silversands Ethanol supplies ethanol gel, portable and economical
stoves for safe and easy cooking. Call Derek Matthews 082 878 0056
- and visit www.silversandsethanol.co.za.
South African-German Chamber of Commerce Tel: 011 486 2775
www.germanchamber.co.za
Standard Bank Tel: 011 636 6162 www.standardbank.co.za
Stellenbosch Biomass Technologies (SBMT) Tel: 021 808 5859
www.sbmt.co.za
See the earlier ARDA listing. Sugar Beet RSA is implementing the
project in collaboration with the government. Call 082 330 3223.
Sunfuel Cleantech Group Tel: 021 421 9881http://biodiesel.co.za
Tongaat Huletts calculated that the introduction of electricity as a

core product from sugarcane had the potential to protect 20 000 direct
jobs currently at risk and to create 23 000 new jobs if cane production
returns to full production. Find the article Tongaat sees big potential
for jobs in ethanol and power projects at www.engineeringnews.
co.za. Write to Wolfgang Fechter Wolfgang.Fechter@huletts.co.za .
See also the Tongaat Hulett website, www.huletts.co.za.

The websites of role players (see heading 12) contain a wealth of
information about biofuels, as do the websites mentioned under other
headings.
www.biofuelsdigest.com, the Worlds most widely read biofuels
daily
Find biofuels news and articles at www.biofuelsjournal.com.
Find the archived articles on www.farmersweekly.co.za.
Visit the website of the National Gas Vehicle Institute (NGVI), an
American not-for-profit organisation established to promote the
transition to alternative fuel vehicles www.ngvi.org.
www.miss-collect.org Miss Collect supports disadvantaged woman
in third world countries with the collection of used cooking oil for the
production of biodiesel.
The Bureau for Food and Agricultural Policy (BFAP) Annual Baseline
Reports cover biofuels. Find the report at www.bfap.co.za.
Read about the downloadable ebook, Making Algae Biodiesel at Home,
by visiting www.global-greenhouse-warming.com/making-algaebiodiesel.html.
Find statistics on global production on the Canadian Renewable Fuels
Association website www.greenfuels.org.
Renewable Fuels Association (USA) www.ethanolrfa.org
www.worldbiofuelsmarkets.com organised by Green Power
Conferences, this is the largest biofuels event in Europe.
www.agra-net.com/worldethanol website of the World Ethanol
conference
www.worldbioplants.com The easiest way to find bio plants around
the world
Ethanol Producer Magazine www.ethanolproducer.com
www.ethanolmarket.com daily website with market and commodity
news. A weekly ethanol newsletter is also available.
Implications of Biodiesel-Induced Land-Use Changes for CO2 Emissions:
Case Studies in Tropical America, Africa, and Southeast Asia, a study by
Louis Verchot of the Center for International Forestry Research. The
study found that found that carbon emissions generated from land
conversion for biodiesel production may take decades to hundreds of
years to reverse in some cases, raising serious questions about biodiesel
sustainability. For more information, write to d.cooney@cgiar.org or
call +62 (0) 811 900 3264.
633
3. Role players
Canning and preserving

1. Overview
Find the information on the canning process on www.safvca.co.za. The
educational information option at www.canningfruit.co.za is also very
informative.
The three main sectors of this industry covering products which are
canned, preserved or otherwise processed from fruit, vegetables and
tomatoes and other related products are:
Deciduous fruit: based in the Western Cape. Includes products such
as canned fruit, fruit in plastic cups, fruit purees, fruit concentrates and
jams manufactured from the same raw material base.
Pineapples: based in the Eastern Cape. Includes products such as
canned pineapples, pineapple purees and concentrates.
Tomatoes and vegetables: based in various parts of the country.
Includes products such as canned and bottled vegetables, tomatoes,
pulps, purees, pastes, sauces, spreads and condiments.
Raw materials are sourced from around 1 500 farms and about 600 000
tons of fresh fruit, tomatoes and vegetables are processed annually to
produce goods with a market value of more than ZAR 5 billion. These
products are renowned for their high standards and are manufactured in
production facilities that have adopted world class manufacturing practices
in full compliance with both product quality and food safety certifications.
Coupled with this, the natural attributes of the South African raw materials
i.e. colour, texture and taste rank these products as some of the best
in the world.
To maintain strict quality standards for export products, canners carry out
their own continuous on-line quality inspection. In addition, there is third
party inspection by the Perishable Products Export Control Board on behalf
of the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (DAFF).
While the bulk of the tomato and vegetable products are marketed locally,
approximately 85% of canned/preserved deciduous fruit and pineapple
products are exported to over 40 countries in Europe, Far East, North
America, South America, Middle East, Australasia and Africa.
Source: SA Fruit & Vegetable Canners Association (Safvca)

Control Board
Tel: 021 930 1134
www.ppecb.com
Inspectors of the Perishable
Products Export Control Board are
stationed at each canning factory to
ensure that South African exports
of canned fruit and vegetable
products conform to prescribed
regulations. Regional contact details

can be found on the website.
Quality Assurance
Tel: 012 319 7306
DFSQA@daff.gov.za
www.daff.gov.za
Associations
SA Fruit and Vegetable Canners
Association (Safvca)
Tel: 021 871 1308/9
info@safvca.co.za
www.safvca.co.za
SA Canning Fruit Producers

Association (CFPA)
Tel: 021 872 1401
inmaak@mweb.co.za
www.canningfruit.co.za
The association is a voluntary

grouping of fruit and vegetable
canning/processing
industry
members and its mission is to
protect and promote their interests
and provide its members with
synergistic services of value.
The CFPA is a voluntary association

of canning fruit farmers in the
Western- and Eastern Cape
regions. The Association aims to
serve the apricot, pear and peach
growers and act on their behalf.
SA Fruit & Vegetable Canners

Export Council (Safvcec)
Tel: 021 8711308/9
info@safvca.co.za
www.safvca.co.za
Safvcec operates in association with
its sister organisation, Safvca. The
sector covers products for export
which are canned, preserved
or otherwise processed from
fruit, vegetable and other related
agricultural products.
They offer the services of:

grading regulations relating to
the grading of fresh apricots,
clingstone peaches and pears
intended for processing in a
factory
setting
spraying
recom
mendations for maximum
residue limits
the handling of samples for
residue analysis
plant improvement

Tel: 021 809 3100
www.arc.agric.za
Training courses are given in:

fruit beverage workshops
(including hands-on practical
sessions)
post-harvest handling of fresh
fruit
any other courses relevant to
canning and jam production,
provided there is sufficient
demand
Canning companies provide
learnership and do HACCP training
for their staff. Companies involved
also do research investigating
new products and varieties.
Technology (CPUT)
Food Technology
Tel: 021 959 6176
www.cput.ac.za
FoodBev SETA
Tel: 011 253 7300
Fax: 011 253 7333
www.foodbev.co.za
This is the Sector Education
responsible for facilitating education
and training in the food and
beverages manufacturing sector.
SAPO Trust
Tel: 021 887 6823
www.saplant.co.za
A specialist plant improvement
organisation

Tel: 021 808 3578
BSc degree in Food Science (4 year
course)
Research for the fresh production of canning fruit is contracted to universities,

as well as to the ARC-Infruitec-Nietvoorbij.
634
Companies
Ashton Extracts Tel: 023 615 2307 www.ashtonextracts.co.za
Boland Pulp Tel: 021 873 3165 www.bolandpulp.co.za
Breede Valley Fruit Processors Tel: 021 706 6135 www.bvfp.co.za
Ceres Fruit Processors Tel: 023 316 8000 www.cfp.co.za
Deemsters Tel: 058 303 7878 http://deemster.co.za
Del Monte Foods South Africa see Rhodes Food Group
Denny Mushrooms Tel: 0861 888 182 www.denny.co.za
Goudmyn Fruit Tel: 023 615 1474 info@goudmynfruit.co.za
Langeberg & Ashton Foods Tel: 021 870 5000 (Paarl), Tel: 023 615
8200 (Ashton), www.tigerbrands.co.za
Rhodes Food Group Tel: 021 870 4000 www.rhodesfoodgroup.
com
Swazican part of the Rhodes Food Group
Tiger Brands Tel: 021 870 5000 www.tigerbrands.co.za
Wellington Fruit Processors Tel: 021 864 2401info@welpro.co.za
Companies: can makers

Nampak Divfood www.nampak.co.za
Carnaud Metal Box www.crowncork.com
Dairy processing
Find also the Dairy chapter in the Livestock section
1. Overview
Milk processors buy milk from producers and process it for the retail
market. Some role players both producers and processors, and the reader
will find many of these listed under heading 5 (see the Dairies and milk
processors sub-heading). In order to survive, many farmers have extended
their activities beyond the farmgate and are involved in both the fork and
field parts of the value chain.
In addition, there are other vegetable canners and pulp/puree processors whose contact
details may be obtained from Safvcec.
This chapter covers the processing side, the dairy secondary industry: milk
powder, flavoured milk, cheese, cottage cheese, feta cheese, maas (Amasi),
yoghurt, evaporated and condensed milk, cheese powder, buttermilk,
cream, sour cream, butter, ice-cream as well as the retailing of milk itself.
2. Notes on adding value to your milk
Visit the role player websites e.g. www.safvca.co.za.
By Chris Challis of Axxon (Pty) Ltd
Die Krat is a bi-monthly newsletter which contains practical information

regarding the canning fruit industry. Download the latest issue at www.
canningfruit.co.za (look under the Newsletter option).
Milk is a cash crop and most people are users and cash buyers (including
your neighbours!) The question is: should you sell fresh milk or add value by
producing and selling fermented products (amasi, yoghurt, cream cheese)?
Sources for the chapter: the websites listed and SAFVCA

Our thanks to Wiehahn Victor (Canning Fruit Producers Association) for checking
the draft chapter.
Producing fresh milk for your own family and neighbours where there
are no nearby commercial milk farmers can earn a decent price AT
RETAIL LEVEL.
Bulk delivery into township spaza shops or to retailers who have a
bulk-tank and can dispense to customers into their own containers is
viable. However, you may be forced by health regulations in your area
to pasteurise milk before selling. There are also the transport costs of
delivering the milk to your customers.
Selling fresh milk to large buyers (e.g. Clover, Nestle, Parmalat) requires
a certain level of production (also check you are on a collection route).
You may not be able to cover your costs at the wholesale price offered.
You are competing with the larger-scale commercial farmers prices
and expectations are set accordingly.
Adding value to your milk
You could sell your fresh milk and get, say R3.25 a litre, but there is another
option adding value to your milk. The same litre of milk as Amasi could
sell for R6 a litre (R12 for a 2 litre cool drink bottle) and thats to resellers.
Selling it direct to customers will fetch even more. That is nearly doubling
your turnover on the same amount of milk with relatively little extra cost of
pasteurising and additives.
You can definitely make money out of small-scale dairy!
Some considerations:
There is also the cost of additives culture medium, stabiliser,
flavourant (like vanilla) and yellow colouring agent.
Keep an eye on Eskom costs in future pasteurisers chew power!
Competition from the Big boys means that making milk-powder,
long-life milk and butter is not recommended, even if you could afford
the very expensive equipment.
635
What is needed for producing fermented products?

1. Firstly a nearby market that will buy your product.
2. Electricity from Eskom not generated off diesel or petrol power
(too expensive)!
3. A Batch Pasteuriser say big enough for 1 or 2 days milk
production.
4. A warm room (for Amasi) to mature the fermented product and to
house your thermostatically controlled batch pasteuriser for other
products like yoghurt.
Milk SA
Tel: 012 460 7312
www.milksa.co.za
www.cheesefestival.co.za. Their
website www.cheesesa.co.za is
enormously informative about the
cheese industry in South Africa.
Milk SA represents the primary and

secondary industries.
South African Milk Processors
Organisation (SAMPRO)
Agri-Expo
Tel: 012 991 4164
Tel: 021 975 4440
www.sampro.co.za
www.agriexpo.co.za
The Dairy Standard Agency
This is an agricultural society Tel: 012 665 4250
involved with training, competitions, www.dairystandard.co.za
expos, finance and other support.
They run dairy championships, the Monitoring dairy safety and
South African Cheese Festival visit quality

Tel: 028 312 3064
Specialist fields include the
processing of fruit, vegetable
and dairy products particularly
where such unit operations as
heat exchange, pasteurisation or
evaporation take place.
Institute (ARC-API)
Department: Dairy Technology
Tel: 012 672 9220 / 153 / 203
Louwrens@arc.agric.za
This department of the ARC-API

specialises in:
practical
dairy
very
manufacturing courses, each
student (practically) makes 5
types of cheese
research in dairy and food
products
product development for
SMMEs
problem solving
Cheese Academy see Grootplaas
de Rust Cheese Academy
Dairy Cheret
Tel: 011 314 8618
Consultants:
JJK Food Consultants

Tel: 012 332 3112 / 082 975 5675
SAMPRO Training
Tel: 012 991 4164
www.dairytraining.co.za
Dairy Cheret offers cheese and Department of Food Science
yoghurt manufacturing courses. Tel: 021 808 3578
They are also the sole supplier of voedselw@sun.ac.za
Danisco products.
FOODBEV
Tel: 011 253 7300
Biotechnology
www.foodbev.co.za
Division of Food Science
FOODBEV is the Sector Education Tel: 051 401 2692 / 3261
and Training Authority (SETA) www.ufs.ac.za/biotech
and training in the food and A three-day course on the
production of value-added dairy
products is be presented by Drs
Celia Hugo and Maryna de Wit.
GetSmarter
Tel: 021 447 7565
Contact Prof Koos Myburg at
www.getsmarter.co.za
myburgJ@ufs.ac.za for information
GetSmarter has facilitated dairy about dairy research done by the
processing courses
Division of Food Science. Prof
Garry Osthoff is another point of
Grootplaas de Rust Cheese
contact.
Academy
Tel: 082 828 1832
barbie@cheeseacademy.co.za
http://cheeseacademy.co.za
Dairies and milk processors
Agri-Best
Tel: 021 439 7822
www.agri-best.com
Alfalfa Melk
Tel: 023 340 4117
admin@alfalfadairy.co.za
All Seasons Cheese
Tel: 082 460 5375
willie@intshona.com
Alpine Goats Cheese

Tel: 028 423 3112
info@goats-cheese.co.za
www.goats-cheese.co.za
Ambledale Dairy
Tel: 033 234 4927
cheryl@ambledale.co.za
Bandini Cheese
Tel: 011 433 2355 / 765 1462
sales@bandini.co.za
www.mozzarella.co.za
636
Belnori Boutique Cheesery

Tel: 011 964 3405 / 082 330 4706
rina@belnori.co.za
www.belnori.co.za
Bellevue Cheese
Tel: 082 494 9318
Fax: 051 821 1896
bellevuekaas@vodamail.co.za
Berg River Cheese Factory
Tel: 021 510 0679 / 80
www.primefoods.co.za
Bergen Cheese
Tel: 013 254 0073
Bon Mella Estate
Tel: 021 300 1170
www.bonmella.com
Buffalo Ridge Cheese
Tel: 082 375 0977
buffaloridge@iafrica.com
Cairnbrogie Dairy
Tel: 044 533 9163
www.cairnbrogie.co.za
Caledon Food & Beverage
Tel: 028 212 2272
www.caledondairy.co.za
Cape Cheese
Tel: 021 551 3087
info@capecheese.co.za
www.capecheese.co.za
Caterix
Tel: 021 946 4737
patrick@caterix.co.za
www.caterix.com
Dairy Belle
Tel: 012 803 7361
www.dairybelle.co.za
Forest Hill Cheesery

Tel: 021 875 5360
www.anura.co.za/cheese.html
Dairy Corporation
Tel: 051 523 3980
Foxenburg Estate
Tel: 021 873 5617
www.foxenburg.co.za
Dairy World (Pty) Ltd

Tel: 012 327 0416
saul@dairyworld.co.za
Dalewood Fromage
Tel: 021 875 5725
cheese@dalewood.co.za
www.dalewood.co.za
Darling Creamery
Tel: 022 492 2206
Deneys Swiss Dairy
Tel: 083 297 5158 / 083 447 5378
www.realmilk.co.za
Deur die Drif
deurdiedrif@telkomsa.net
Geluksfontein Goat Milk

Tel: 014 755 4331
info@goatmilk.co.za
www.goatmilk.co.za
Douglasdale
Tel: 011 706 6030/1
www.douglasdale.co.za
Goatpeters
Tel: 072 136 2087
www.goatpeter.com
Dragon Fly Farm see Alpine

Goats Cheese
Greenways Fine Cheese

Tel: 011 466 2001 / 082 883 2608
greenways@global.co.za
www.greenwayscheeses.co.za
East Rand Milk Suppliers

Tel: 011 740 9134 / 083 326 9076
www.eastrandmilk.co.za
Elberta Estate Cheese
elberta@iafrica.com
Cloud Cottage Cheese

Tel: 044 752 3423
www.cloudcottage.co.za
Fair Cape
Tel: 021 557 7600
www.faircape.com
Clover SA
Tel: 011 471 1400
www.clover.co.za
Fairfield Dairy
Tel: 033 239 9800
C Cremona & Sons

Tel: 011 413 1027
www.cremonacheese.co.za
Fairview Cheese
Tel: 021 863 2450
fairwine@mweb.co.za
www.fairview.co.za
Creighton Valley Cheese

Tel: 039 833 9060
crtnvalley@futurenet.co.za
Gays Dairy
Tel/Fax: 023 541 1274
Cell: 082 563 1465
Doornkraal Cheese see Hijke
Famous Brands Cheese

Manufacturing Company
c/o Tel: 041 484 7110
Creighton Dairies
Tel: 039 833 1238
creightonmilk@futurenet.co.za
Ganzvlei Dairy
Tel: 044 383 0035
ganzvlei@icon.co.za
Georgi Gorgiev
Tel: 011 888 9972 / 083 397 3531
georgiev@wbs.co.za
Chrissies Country Cheese

Tel: 031 781 1791 / 082 558 6049
Coega Dairy
Tel: 041 403 0400
Fynboshoek Cheese
Tel/Fax: 042 280 3879
Finest Kind
Tel: 044 533 1623
www.finestkind.co.za
Fischer Dairy
Tel: 045 839 4705
fischer@isat.co.za
Foundation Jersey Dairy
Tel: 036 354 1714 / 083 387 8666
Healeys Farmhouse Cheese

Tel: 021 847 0480
finewine@icon.co.za
Highbury West Dairy
Tel: 039 834 1068
highbury@futurenet.co.za
Hijke Cheeses
Tel: 087 701 4952
info@hijke.co.za
www.hijke.co.za
Homsek Dairy
Tel: 051 433 9368
info@homsek.co.za
www.homsek.co.za
Imhoff Farm
Tel: 021 783 4545
www.imhofffarm.co.za
Indezi River Cheese Company
Tel: 033 234 4795
info@indezi.co.za
www.indezi.co.za
Intshona Milk Products
Tel: 021 852 1660
www.intshona.com
Jasmyn Plaasprodukte
Tel: 012 259 1183
Kasselshoop Cheese
Tel: 028 754 2430
Kimilili Farm
Tel: 023 004 0038
www.kimililifarm.co.za
Klein River Cheese
Tel: 028 341 0693
kleinriver@telkomsa.net
www.kleinrivercheese.co.za
La Cotte Inn
Tel: 021 876 3775
www.lacotte.co.za
La Montanara Cheese
Tel: 023 615 1929
lamontanara@lando.co.za
Ladismith Cheese Company
Tel: 028 551 1613
ldskaas@cybertrade.co.za
www.ladismithcheese.co.za
Lamont Cheese
Tel: 023 615 1929
www.lamontcheese.co.za
Lancewood Cheese (Pty) Ltd
Tel: 044 878 1894
info@lancewood.co.za
www.lancewood.co.za
Langeberg Kaas
Tel: 028 512 3523
antony@langebergcheese.co.za
www.langebergcheese.co.za
Marrakesh Cheese Farm
marrakesh@dillon.co.za
Melrose Cheese
www.melrose.co.za
Milkwood Dairy
Tel: 046 653 0230
Montagu Cheeses
Tel: 082 475 7188
Mont Vere Cheese
Tel: 021 873 1635
Montic
Tel: 011 617 7200
www.montic.co.za
Mooivallei Suiwel
Tel: 023 616 3912
mooivallei@telkomsa.net
Morning Milk
Tel: 044 878 1419 (Depot)
Tel: 028 722 1980 (factory)
www.morningmilk.co.za
Nestl SA
Tel: 011 514 6000
www.nestle.co.za
637
Nuwehoogte Goatsmilk &

Cheese
Tel: 023 626 4165
nuwehoogte@yahoo.com
nuwehoogte.weebly.com
Simonsberg
www.simonsbergcheese.co.za
Oak Spring Dairy

Tel: 033 263 2321
oaksprings@lantic.net
Simply Natural
Tel: 072 396 2765
cnprudhon@gmail.com
Oakdene Cheese
Tel: 083 233 2269
ingrid@tradouw.co.za
Stellenbosch Cheese
Tel: 021 881 3342
roulou@mhws.co.za
Orange Grove Dairy

Tel: 034 212 1144
www.orangegrove.co.za
Swissland Cheese
Cell: 082 418 3440
Ovis Angelica
Tel: 051 713 7091/ 082 412 3787
eva@sasheepdairy.co.za
www.sasheepdairy.co.za
Parmalat
Tel: 021 809 1400
www.parmalat.co.za
Provincial contact details can be

found on the website
Tantinki
Tel/Fax: 044 882 1133
Cell: 083 340 5821
info@tantinki.com
Tetbury Dairy
Tel: 031 785 4700 / 082 489 0868
tetbury@xsinet.co.za
Transem Cheese
Tel: 018 469 2275
www.transem.co.za
Pendle Hill Dairy

Tel: 013 254 0073
Petite Chvre
Tel: 076 850 3185
goatsmilk@petitechevre.co.za
www.petitechevre.co.za
Trumilk Dairy see Morning Milk
Pin Oak Dairy

Tel: 043 782 9035
pinoakdairy@gmail.com
Van Gaalen Kaasmakerij

Tel: 012 207 1289
www.vangaalen.co.za
Portobello Cheese
Tel: 021 870 4000
www.rhodesfoodgroup.com
Wegraak Bosch Dairy

Tel: 082 853 8754
Van der Poel Kaas

Tel: 072 444 1669
Weltevreden Plaaskaas
Tel: 082 496 4191
Puglia Cheese
Tel: 021 551 8538
www.pugliacheese.co.za
Woodlands Dairy
Tel: 042 200 3400
tpretorius@woodlandsdairy.co.za
www.woodlandsdairy.co.za
Riemland Okasi Kaas

Tel: 083 357 2461
cma@saml.co.za
River Glen Cheese
Tel: 033 701 1926
www.riverglen.co.za
Zandam Cheese
Tel: 087 625 0081
willie@zandamcheese.co.za
www.zandamcheese.co.za
Silver Lily Cheese Farm

Tel: 044 870 7424 / 083 444 2392
silverlily@lantic.net
www.silverlilycheese.co.za
Zevenwacht Wine Estate

Tel: 021 903 5123
sales@zevenwacht.co.za
www.zevenwacht.co.za
Other role players

Astrapak
Tel: 043 745 2233
www.astrapak.co.za
Central Milk
Tel: 013 246 1094
www.centralmilk.com
AXXON/MILKING
Tel: 011 837 7177/6/0
axxon@global.co.za
Dairy Cheret
Tel: 011 314 8618
BALIMI BONKE
Tel: 083 736 2638
balimibonke@webmail.co.za
Consultants:
Small scale pasteurisation and Sole supplier of Danisco products

fermented products manufacture
amasi, yoghurt, cheeses
Ecolab
Tel: 011 578 5000
www.ecolab.com
Filmatic Packaging Systems
Tel: 021 862 2192
www.filmatic.com
La Rochelle Tours
Tel: 083 301 6774
www.larochelletours.com
Olgear
Tel: 021 702 4111 / 082 890 7927
info@olgear.com
www.olgear.com
Polyoak Packaging Group
Tel: 011 494 4470
www.polyoak.com
Find the Dairypack option
Prime Pharma
Tours in the Cape peninsular Tel: 021 856 2386
include cheese and wine farms
www.primepharma.co.za
Lab-o-Mat
Tel: 051 773 0068
www.labomat.co.za
SABS
Tel: 012 428 7911
www.sabs.co.za
Sachet machines
Microbiological
foods
Lake Foods
Tel: 011 409 5000
www.lake.co.za
Marefa
Tel: 021 862 9944
www.marefa.co.za
Bottle filling equipment
examination
of
Tetra Pak
Tel: 011 570 3000
www.tetrapak.com
The Cheeseman
Tel: 031 904 1602 / 083 732 5594
Cheese making machinery

Visit the websites of role players listed in this chapter.
The Dairy Technology department at the ARC-Animal Production Institute
offers the following:
Dairy Product Manufacturing, a booklet for those interested in making
their own cheese on kitchen scale. Call 012 672 9203, or email
Louwrens@arc.agric.za.
The nutritional content of South African milk and liquid milk products and
Nutritional content of South African cheeses are two other publications.
Call 012 672 9203, or email Louwrens@arc.agric.za
Call 012 842 4017 or email iaeinfo@arc.agric.za for the publication
Processing of Dairy (Butter, cream, buttermilk, cheese, yogurt, milk and milk
powder), available from the ARC-Institute for Agricultural Engineering.
Contact role players like the ARC or Dairy Cheret (details under the
previous) for other publications to do with dairy processing.
Find certified Halaal establishments at www.sanha.org.za.
www.developtechnology.co.za sometimes runs dairy related articles.
The Tetra Pak Dairy Index is an annual report designed to help dairy
producers identify new opportunities for growth while offering all
industry watchers information on the latest facts, figures and trends
related to the global dairy industry.
The report found that global demand for liquid dairy products set to surge
by 30% from 2010 to 2020. It also forecasts that by 2014, packaged milk
will outsell loose milk in the developing world for the first time, as
economic growth and city living spur demand for healthy and convenient
products. Sustainability will become a central issue as demand for
resources puts pressure on the environment and increases the need for
technological innovation.
This shift is expected to mark a turning point in white milk consumption
for millions of people around the world. Global demand for all forms
of liquid dairy products white milk, flavoured milk, drinking yoghurt,
sweetened condensed milk, lactic acid drinks, and baby and toddler milk
- will grow from some 270 billion litres in 2010 to 350 billion litres by
2020.
Source: 10-year African dairy boom, an article on www.bizcommunity.com
638
Dried fruit
1. Overview
Dried fruit is fruit that has been dried, either naturally or through use of a
machine, such as a food dehydrator. Raisins, prunes and dates are examples
of popular dried fruits. Other fruits such as apples, apricots, bananas,
cranberries, figs, kiwi, mangoes, nectarines, papaya, peaches, pears,
persimmons, pineapples, strawberries and tomatoes may also be dried.
Drying preserves fruit, even in the absence of refrigeration, and significantly
lengthens its shelf life. When fresh fruit is unavailable, impractical, or out
of season, dried fruit can provide an alternative. It is often added to baking
mixes and breakfast cereals.
The global increase in health consciousness has benefited the South African
raisin industry.
The benefits of dried fruit production include:
a prolonged shelf life, and thus a longer marketing period which
extends fruit availability to all year round
reduced storage space required, which lowers transportation costs
low or no refrigeration costs
they are peeled, cut and ready for use by the consumer
the dehydrated value is higher than fresh produce
good compatibility with other ingredients in dry food mixtures
prices are more stable than fresh produce prices

South Africa is a small player in the global industry. We export between 30
000t and 40 000t of raisins every year. The local demand is between 10 000t
and 12 000t.
Both the local marketing and exporting of dried fruit are free from
government intervention. However, in the case of exports, phytosanitary
requirements and quality standards must be adhered to.
DFTS is an umbrella association representing the dried deciduous fruit

producers and dried fruit packers. It co-ordinates research and development
in the dried fruit industry. DFTS has joined Hortgro Services to jointly supply
better and additional services to the fruit industry.
Visit the website of the International Nut and Dried Fruit Council
Foundation (INC) at www.nutfruit.org.

Tel: 012 319 7306
DFSQA@daff.gov.za
Find the Info Pak Solar drying of fruit and vegetables under the Publications menu
option at www.daff.gov.za.

Tel: 021 809 3100/446
hansmannc@arc.agric.za
Institute, Stellenbosch. Training

covers the whole fruit production
process:
planting,
pruning,
irrigation, fertilisation, pest- and
In addition to research, training disease management, harvesting,
courses are given in the drying of and drying of the crop.
fruit.
FoodBev
CSIR
Tel: 011 253 7300
Tel: 012 841 2911
www.foodbev.co.za
www.csir.co.za
Included in CSIR programmes is Training
Authority
(SETA)
training and demonstration in solar responsible for facilitating education
drying and sun drying.
DIGIVU
DA Harcourt 082 451 0148
South African Plant
dave@digivu.co.za
www.digivu.co.za
(SAPO)
Tel: 021 887 6823
Training, consulting
www.saplant.co.za
Dried Fruit Technical Services
(DFTS)
Tel: 021 870 2929
www.hortgro.co.za
The November 2012 issue of TradeProbe ran a report on dried grapes. Find
it on www.namc.co.za.
A specialist plant improvement

organisation owned by deciduous
fruit growers through Hortgro
Services, the Canning Fruit
Short courses, farmers days and Producers Association, the Dried
technical discussions are frequently Fruit Technical Services and South
organised by Dried Fruit Technical African Table Grapes.
Services.
Tel: 021 808 3578
Institute
Tel: 021 808 5111
Dried Fruit is part of the Diploma

at Elsenburg Agricultural Training
Dried fruit is produced mainly in the Western Cape, the Southwestern

Districts, Northern Cape, the Little Karoo, the Olifants River area and the
Lower and Upper Orange River area. Apricots are mainly produced in the
Little Karoo. Prunes are grown almost exclusively in the Tulbagh district
in the Western Cape. Most raisins are produced along the Lower Orange
River. Currants come from the Vredendal district. Tree fruit, as opposed
to vine fruit, is dried mainly in the Western Cape and the Southwestern
districts.
Dried Fruit Technical Services (DFTS)

Tel: 021 870 2900
www.hortgro.co.za
639
Equipment
Ananeo
Tel: 021 300 0077
info@ananeo.co.za
www.ananeo.co.za
John F Marshall
Tel: 011 842 7100
Fax: 011 872 1078
Essential and vegetable oils

See also the Herbs and spices chapter
Dryers for Africa

Tel: 013 733 3854
www.dryersforafrica.co.za
1. Overview
Packers/marketers
At Source (Pty) Ltd
Tel: 023 313 3130
info@source.co.za
www.source.co.za
Koo Drory
T/A Jakkalsvlei Plase Edms Bpk,
Tel/fax: 023 614 2095
koodroery@breede.co.za
BOKOMO
Tel: 021 970 7300
Fax: 021 807 5118
www.bokomofoods.co.za
Langeberg & Ashton

Tel: 023 615 1120
Fax: 023 615 1307
Little Oaks Dried Fruit
Tel: 023 614 3319
Fax: 086 538 4399
dawie@littleoaks.biz
Carpe Diem
Tel: 054 332 2901
Fax: 054 331 3829
admin@carpediemfarms.co.za
www.carpediemraisins.com
Tulbagh Dried Fruit

Tel/fax: 023 230 0960
Desert Raisins see Fruits Du orders@tulbaghdriedfruit.co.za
Sud
Montagu Dried Fruit
Fruits Du Sud (Pty) Ltd
Tel: 023 614 2682
Tel: 054 491 1041
Fax: 023 614 1379
Fax: 054 491 1042
www.montagudriedfruit.co.za
www.fruitsdusud.com
Rainbow Fruit
Fruitworks (Pty) Ltd see Tel/fax: 021 863 0270
Rainbow Fruit
Cell: 071 672 3090
www.fruitworks.co.za
JBF Fruits (Pty) Ltd
Tel: 028 572 1960
The Raisin Company
Fax 028 572 1198
Tel: 054 441 0200
jbffruits@cybertrade.co.za
Fax: 054 441 0014
Kalahari Raisins merged with
Carpe Diem
Kambrosig Tien
Tel: 021 873 2841
Fax: 021 864 2030
mfoshola@telkomsa.net
Others
Abba Moosa Wholesalers Tel: 031 209 1125 www.orientaldelight.
co.za
Almans Tel: 011 397 4685 www.almans.co.za
Ambassador Foods Tel: 013 750 1192 www.ambassadorfoods.co.za
Bestnut Tel: 011 791 7467 www.acenuts.co.za
Komati Foods Tel: 021 448 2130 www.komatifoods.co.za
Neltropica Tel: 012 323 9200 info@neltropica.co.za www.neltropica.
co.za
Sirkel Trading Tel: 021 876 4891 / 082 824 9022 www.sirkel.co.za
Sources for this chapter: Wikipedia; Dried Fruit Technical Services (DFTS); Farmers
Weekly 13 January 2012 p 17
Our thanks to the Dried Fruit Technical Services (DFTS) for feedback
on the draft chapter.
An essential oil is any concentrated, hydrophobic liquid containing volatile

aroma compounds from plants, which are called aromatic herbs or aromatic
plants. They are also known as volatile or ethereal oils, or simply as the oil
of the plant material from which they were extracted, such as oil of clove.
An oil is essential in the sense that it carries a distinctive scent, or essence,
of the plant.
Essential oils do not, as a group, need to have any specific chemical properties
in common, beyond conveying characteristic aromas. They are extracted
from flowers, grasses, stems, seeds, leaves, roots, bark, fruit, moss and tree
secretions using various means including distillation, expression, extraction,
enfleurage, maceration and head space technology. They are used by the
flavour and fragrance industry to create, and then manufacture, flavourings
for food and beverages, and perfume compounds for cosmetics, household
products and fine fragrances, amongst other items.
Various essential oils have been used medicinally at different periods in
history. Medical applications proposed by those who sell medicinal oils
range from skin treatments to remedies for cancer, and are often based on
historical use of the oils for these purposes. Such claims are now subject to
regulation in most countries, and have grown correspondingly more vague,
to stay within these regulations.
Interest in essential oils has revived in recent decades, with the popularity
of aromatherapy, a branch of alternative medicine which claims that the
specific aromas carried by essential oils have curative effects. Oils are
volatilised or diluted in a carrier oil and used in massage, or burned as
incense, for example.
Carrier oil, also known as base oil or vegetable oil, is used to dilute essential
oils before they are applied to the skin. They are so named because they
carry the essential oil onto the skin. Carrier oils do not contain a concentrated
aroma, unlike essential oils, nor do they evaporate like them. There are a
range of different carrier oils each with their own individual properties and
suitability towards different treatments in aromatherapy. Infused oils are a
combination of a carrier oil and various herbs. True carrier oils are generally
cold-pressed vegetable oils such as:
sweet almond
grape seed
avocado
olive oil
sesame
evening primrose
sunflower
jojoba oil
South Africa has the potential to be a major supplier of certain essential

oils, such as Rosemary, Lemon grass, Lavender, Lemon Balm and Rose
geranium. The eucalyptus oil sector is some 70 years old and is largely selfsufficient and established. Others, like geranium, lavender and chamomile
are relatively new.
The Essential Oil industry is driven by two main factors: commercial
farmers seeking alternative high value crops to diversify risk and increase
profitability; and rural communities, Government and NGOs seeking high
value crops that can be produced on a co-operative basis thereby creating
jobs in economically depressed rural areas. The South African essential oils
industry comprises over 80 small commercial producers of which fewer
than 20% are regular producers. Most oil production is in the Limpopo and
Mpumalanga regions, KwaZulu-Natal and the Western Cape.
Source: Michael Gristwood, SAAFFI; www.essential-oil.org; NEDLAC / Fridge report
(details under heading 11); the Southern African Trade Directory of Indigenous
Natural Products
640

Find the Trade Profile of Essential Oils section in the INTERNATIONAL
TradeProbe, November 2011, which can be found on www.namc.co.za and www.
agbiz.co.za.
The primary market for essential oils is the flavour and fragrance industry,
which supplies manufacturers of soft drinks, food, cosmetics, toiletries and
perfumes with the tastes and smells these products use. These commercial
markets require reliable supplies of consistent high quality price competitive
products.
Leading world exporters of essential oils in 2010:
Exporters
Exported value in US$

Million
World exports
USA
India
France
China
UK
Brazil
Germany
Indonesia
Argentina
Italy
100
431
327
276
190
189
165
124
124
120
104
14.6
11.1
9.3
6.4
6.4
5.6
4.2
4.2
4.1
3.5
25
0.8
There is great potential for African essential oils provided the growers can
meet both quality and quantity restrictions expected by the regional and
world essential markets. Essential oils qualify for duty free access under the
AGOA Act to the USA. Some growers warn that it is a difficult market to
break into.
Leading world importers of essential oils in 2010:
Importers
Exported value in US$

Million
World imports
One of the most important aspects is marketing intelligence before

planting, find out what the buyer wants in terms of quality and quantity.
This determines what to plant, how much and also what type of distillation
is going to be used. This is a growing market, but it can be a risky business if
all aspects of the market requirement are not taken into account.
4. Indigenous essential oils

Rural communities often wild harvest indigenous plants, either on their own
land or that of a commercial farmer.
Share in world
exports %
2 953
South Africa
A wide range of producers grow essential oil crops farmers both

commercial and emerging, farmers looking for alternative crops, cooperative farmers and community projects, as well as the cottage industry.
The technologies for extracting and distilling the oils are reasonably easy to
access and operate.
Share in world
exports %
2 967
100
USA
France
UK
Germany
Japan
Netherlands
Switzerland
China
Singapore
Spain
570
285
236
202
156
145
135
120
119
101
19.2
9.6
8.0
6.8
5.3
4.9
4.6
4.0
4.0
3.4
South Africa
15
0.5
Source: the INTERNATIONAL TradeProbe, November 2011
The exploitation of this indigenous plant material holds some interest for
rural development, and a number of new cultivation projects are underway,
with the aim of ensuring long term sustainability of these industries and
enabling rural communities to create wealth from indigenous knowledge.
Promising indigenous oils are: Artemisia afra. Leonotis leonurus, Eriocephalus
sp., Lippia sp., Salvia sp., Helichrysum sp., Cymbopogon validus, Coleonema sp.,
Tarchonanthus camphoratus, Arthrixia sp.
For more information on the market trends contact Karen Swanepoel at
saeopa@gmail.com or call 082 081 6077 / 082 785 8700.
5. Other vegetable oils

Essential oils evaporate or volatise when in contact with air, and they usually possess
a strong aroma. In this way they are different to fatty vegetable oils (e.g. sunflower
or canola). For role players in oilseed crops (e.g. the Oil & Protein Seed Development
Trust), refer to the Grain and oilseeds chapter.
Grape Seed Oil

Oil from grape seeds discarded by grape producers is a possible niche
market. Similar to olive oil, the product boasts many regenerative and
health-boosting properties. Cheaper grape seed oil is imported from
Europe but this is refined oil, not cold pressed and doesnt have the same
health benefits.
Add value: powdering the dried seeds by putting them through a hammer
mill and packaging them in 150g sachets for the treatment of gout.
Marula Oil
Virgin marula oil is extracted from the fresh raw seeds in a natural pressing
and filtration process. For years, women in the rural areas of Africa have
cracked the nut of the marula fruit to extract the precious kernels from
which the oil is made. Traditional uses include putting baked nuts into foods
as a spice, over meat as a natural preservative, and in using oil from the
kernels to soften the skin. Visit www.marula.org.za.
Olive Oil
See the Olives chapter.

Find the Trade Profile of Essential Oils section in the INTERNATIONAL
TradeProbe, November 2011, which can be found on www.namc.co.za and www.
agbiz.co.za.
Typical uses of essential oils:

homeopathic remedies
sweets
aromatherapy
pharmaceuticals
perfumery
non-toxic insecticides
stain removers
cleaning materials
Citrus Oil
Citrus oils are produced as a by-product of the citrus fruit and fresh fruit
juice market. South Africa is a net exporter of lemon oils (as it is of fresh
fruit). The citrus flavours generally are used in the softdrink industry, for
example, Coca Cola. Besides beverages and confectionery, Lemon oil is also
used in fragrances, where it provides a top note.
Other cold pressed oils
Avocado, macadamia, grapeseed and baobab oil are also produced in South
Africa. Information on cultivation, markets and role players is available at
saeopa@gmail.com or contact Karen at 082 081 6077 or 082 785 8700.
641
6. Some small-scale farmer contacts
www.doh.gov.za

Agriculture
Directorate: Farmer Support
The governmental body that has Services
ultimate responsibility for this Mr J Aries 021 808 5199
Mr W Burger 044 803 3713
countrys food laws
www.elsenburg.com
AFD Agri Farm Development

Wim du Toit Tel: 082 889 0682
wim@tshwabac.co.za
CSIR
Tel: 012 841 2911
www.csir.co.za
A newly formed joint venture

company to create sustainable
employment
and
empower
historically disadvantaged people in
semi-urban and rural areas.
The CSIR are involved in projects,

especially when this involves rural
development projects. Find more
contact details under heading 9.
Read
about
the
Gauteng
Economic Development Agency
(GEDA) under heading 5.
The Allied Health Professions Council

Tel: 012 329 4001
www.ahpcsa.co.za
KARWIL Consultancy
South African Association of the Flavour & Fragrance Industry

(SAAFFI)
Tel: 011 447 2757/ 082 940 2757
info@saaffi.co.za
www.saaffi.co.za
(ASNAPP)
Tel: 021 808 2918
www.asnapp.org
ASNAPP is a non-profit organisation
that helps create and develop
successful African agribusinesses in
the natural plant products sector.
BioAfrica
Tel: 082 534 4807
www.bioafrica.co.za
Research and training on essential

oil, medicinal plant and industrial
crops and agricultural advice for
SAEOPA. Developer of training
materials. Developing business
plans for the industry.
Winrock International
Tel: 035 450 3110
BioAfrica works with farmers and Steven Jacobson 076 515 4955
communities who have sufficient Jabulile Mkhwanazi 082 055
land to grow, harvest and produce 1508
sufficient essential oil.
They train and mentor farmers,
Find
details
of
Biomox and link them to marketers and
Pharmaceuticals and Buchu processors. Co-ops have sprung
Moon under heading 10.
up in Ntambanana, Mtubatuba,
Hlabisa and Mbazwana as Winrock
Cacadu District Municipality
targets rural communities where
Tel: 041 508 7111 / 339
unemployment is between 45% and
www.cdm.org.za
60%. Farmers with access to half a
hectare of land are provided with
Find the notes on essential oils at
www.tradeandinvestcacadu.co.za/ support. Each farm in turn usually
hires two temporary labourers
agro/oils
and so jobs are created.

Industry
www.dti.gov.za
Quality Assurance
Representatives of SAEOPA have Dr BR Ntshabele
attended various trade missions Tel: 012 319 7306
sponsored by Department of Trade www.daff.gov.za
and Industry (DTI). These trade
missions are largely considered Department of Science and
to have been successful with the Technology (DST)
prospect of orders being placed. www.dst.gov.za
However, in the process, SAEOPA
has identified several issues that The Department of Science and
need to be addressed in order to Technology (DST) has identified
essential oil production as an
secure market access:
important priority. Its interest in
The need to consolidate the industry is largely channelled
production in order to supply through three initiatives: the
sufficient quantities with work of the CSIR (in particularly
consistency. The volumes community projects); the work of
are required in order to the Institute for Natural Resources
get
serious international (at the University of KwaZulu-Natal
attention.
University); and thirdly, through the
The need to have basic chemical sector incubator (Chemin)
testing facilities (e.g. Gas situated in Port Elizabeth.
Chromatograph) in order to
test oils and to be able to give
assurances with regards to
quality and characteristics.
SAAFFI is a Member of the International Organisation of the Flavour

Industry (IOFI) and the International Fragrance Association (IFRA), the
two international organisations that deal with many aspects of flavours and
fragrances respectively on a global level.
Southern African Essential Oil Producers Association (SAEOPA)
Tel: 082 785 8700 / 082 081 6077
Fax: 086 668 8823
saeopa@gmail.com
SAEOPA is an advisor on new, medicinal plant crops and essential oils for
market trends, production, packaging, quality control and value adding.
SAEOPA offers networking and a data base for plant material, nurseries,
distillation and marketing. Mobile distillation units for the extraction of
essential oils from herbaceous materials are researched, especially for
where electricity and water are not available. These are sized for supporting
small commercial growers.

See also the Herbs and spices chapter.
AFD Agri Farm Development
Wim du Toit 082 889 0682
wim@tshwabac.co.za
ARCInstitute for Tropical and
Rosemary Du Preez
Tel: 013 753 7000/ 073 252 7675
rosedup@arc.agric.za
ASNAPP South Africa
(Agribusiness in Sustainable
Natural African Plant
Products)
Tel: 021 808 2920
www.asnapp.org
Technology
AgriFood Station
Tel: 021 959 6276
dolleyl@cput.ac.za
Research done by companies
(like Biomix and Buchumoon) is
company-specific. Training and
agricultural advice is also provided
for farmers who will be growing
alternative and industrial crops for
them. See heading 10.
CSIR
Tel: 012 841 2911
Vanesh Maharaj
vmaharaj@csir.co.za
Helena Heystek
hheystek@csir.co.za
Dr Marthinus Horak
rmhorak@csir.co.za
www.csir.co.za
Historically, the CSIR has had the
most experience (out of all role
players) with the essential oils
sector in South Africa. It retains
an interest where essential oil
production is undertaken by rural
communities. Work has been done
on a wide range of oils, including
geranium, chamomile, lavender,
peppermint and lemongrass.
Corporation
Ken Bern
Tel: 083 451 2289
www.ecdc.co.za
Tel: 021 848 9413
veronica@elginlearning.co.za
www.elgonlearning.org.za
642
Elsenburg Agricultural Training SAAFFI also runs short training

courses of less than one day on
Institute
very specific subjects related to the
eunicea@elsenburg.com
work of the Flavour and Fragrance
Industry. These are announced
FoodBev SETA
through its newsletter, details of
Tel: 011 253 7300
which can be found on the website:
www.foodbev.co.za
www.saaffi.co.za.
and Training Authority (SETA) Stellenbosch University
responsible for facilitating education Food Science
and training in the food and Tel: 021 808 3578
beverages manufacturing sector. www.sun.ac.za/foodsci
Find a list of accredited training
providers on the website.
Tel: 012 843 5000
KARWILConsultancy
www.sanbi.org.za
karwil888@gmail.com
For information regarding South
Research, training is done. African flora and biomes
Agricultural advice is given for
SAEOPA. They develop training Tshwane University of
materials and business plans for the Technology
Prof AM Viljoen
industry.
Tel: 012 382 6360
KwaZulu-Natal Department of viljoenam@tut.ac.za
Agriculture and Environmental www.alvaroviljoen.com
Affairs
Essential Oils research: South Africa
Dr Maria de Figueiredo
is a global epicenter for research
Tel: 033 355 9156
on aromatic plants.
Maria.Figueiredo@kzndae.gov.za
KwaZulu-Natal is characterised by
a great climatic diversity enabling
the growth of a variety of essential
oils.
The
National
Economic
Development
and
Labour
Council (Nedlac) and the
Industrial
Development
Corporation (IDC) released a
study on essential oil industry. Find
it at www.nedlac.org.za.

Agribusiness
Tel: 040 602 2232
www.ufh.ac.za
Dept. of Microbial, Biochemical &
Food Biotechnology
Prof JLF Kock
Tel: 051 401 2249
kockjl@ufs.ac.za
(UJ)
Food Technology Department
Tel: 011 559 6252 / 6349
dmetcalfe@uj.ac.za
Training is done for private www.uj.ac.za
individuals, extension officers,
emerging farmers and companies. University of Pretoria
SAAFFI, together with the Tel: 012 420 3202 / 38
University of Johannesburg, has food.science@up.ac.za
designed a BTech Diploma Course,
focusing on many aspects of the University of the
Flavour and Fragrance Industry. Witwatersrand
The course is structured in block Pharmacy and Pharmacology
format and includes lectures and Tel: 011 717 2175/57
Sandy.vanvuuren@wits.ac.za
practical laboratory work.
Pico-Gro
Tel: 011 314 1029
info@pico-gro.co.za
www.pico-gro.co.za

Find the list of SAAFFI members on www.saaffi.co.za, some of who are
included below:
African Alternative
Technologies
Tel: 084 941 3993
www.aatec.co.za
Essential oil farming and production
AFRIPLEX
Tel: 021 8724976
www.afriplex.co.za
Manufacturer of natural products
Agri Farm Development

Tel: 082 889 0682
wim@tshwabac.co.za
Trainer and advisor for all crops including

alternative crops e.g. essential oils and
medicinal plants
Amathole Economic
Development Agency
Tel: 043 721 2070
www.aspire.org.za
Find the Essential oils option on the

website.
Aromatech Flavours
Tel: 011 452 1760
www.aromatech.co.za
Manufacturer of snack food seasonings
Bidfood Technologies
Tel: 011 201 9100
Raw material and spice supplier to the

food industry
BioAfrica
Tel: 082 534 4807
www.bioafrica.co.za
Predominantly a national agricultural

consultancy to farmers and communities.
It has its own distillation facilities and a
network of international buyers.
Bioflora
Tel: 012 348 2367
www.bioflora.co.za
Bioflora distributes Carotino Cooking

Oil, a cholesterol free food oil.
Biomox Pharmaceuticals
(Pty) Ltd
Tel: 012 804 8068
www.biomox.com
Research and development of new

products, specialising in vitamin, mineral
and amino acid combinations in natural
products in collaboration with farmers.
Buchu Moon
Tel/fax: 021 864 3317
www.buchumoon.com
Nursery and production advice to all

interested producers.
Burpak Da Gama Avocado Avocado and macadamia oils

Oils
Tel: 013 750 0055
www.dagamaoils.co.za
Busby Essential Oils
Tel: 033 343 1767
www.busbyoils.co.za
Pure, natural eucalyptus oil and Dives

oil
Cape Essential Oil Services

Tel: 082 338 8292
www.cape-eos.co.za
This is a joint venture between HerbsAplenty and four commercial farmers.
CapeNature
Tel: 021 483 0000
www.capenature.org.za
Find the Indigenous Essential oils

heading earlier in this chapter.
Cargill RSA (Pty) Ltd

Tel: 011 745 9600
www.cargill.co.za
Flavours and texturisers
Carst & Walker (Pty) Ltd

Tel: 011 489 3600
www.carst.co.za
Importer & distributor of raw materials

for the food industry
643
Chemin
Tel: 041 503 6700
www.chemin.co.za
Chemin has successfully piloted an

essential oil project in the Oliver Tambo
Municipal area in conjunction with the
local authority.
Chemimpo SA (Pty) Ltd

enquiries@chemimpo.co.za
www.chemimpo.co.za
Suppliers of flavours and flavour

ingredients to the food industry
Claman (Pty) Ltd

Tel: 011 791 2640
Marketing/sales of Robertet Fragrances

to the cosmetic, toiletry and household
industries
Clive Teubes (Pty) Ltd

Tel: 011 793 1207
Manufacturer of raw materials for the

flavour and fragrance industry
Coca Cola Southern and Manufacturer of soft drink concentrates

East Africa (Pty) Ltd
Tel: 011 644 0666
www.cocacola.co.za
Cranbrook Flavours
Tel: 011 398 6000
www.cranbrookflavours.com
Manufacturer of flavours for the food

industry
Creative Flavors
International (Pty) Ltd
Tel: 011 760 1830
www.creativeflavors.co.za

and drink industries
Eastern Cape Development Co-funders of essential oil projects

Corporation (ECDC)
Tel: 043 704 5600
www.ecdc.co.za
Emerald Acres
Tel: 082 372 0676
Tel: 082 495 0405
emeraldacres@lantic.net
Active in the Beauty & Personal

Care industry, Emerald Acres deal
specifically in essential oils
Essential Oils cc
Tel: 012 361 2112
www.essentialoils.co.za
A web-based business dealing in pure,

unadulterated essential oils
Firmenich (Pty) Ltd

Tel: 011 653 0700
www.firmenich.com
Manufacturer of flavours and fragrances

to industry
FlavourCraft (Pty) Ltd

Tel: 031 719 0600 / 18
www.fcraft.co.za
Manufacturer and distributor of food

flavourings & food products
Foodspec Co (Pty) Ltd

Tel: 011 793 1333
www.foodspec.co.za
Supplier of food Ingredients and food

manufacturing equipment
Fourchem
Tel: 021 709 0517
www.fourchem.co.za
The distributor of Bell Flavours and

Fragrances in South Africa
Gauteng Economic
Development Agency
(GEDA)
Tel: 011 833 8750
www.geda.co.za
GEDA works with partners to facilitate

funding for previously disadvantaged
individuals identified for participation.
Givaudan South Africa

Tel: 011 406 8700
www.givaudan.com
Marketing/sales of
fragrances to industry
Icy Herbs
Tel: 051 943 0317
www.icyherbs.co.za
Grow, freeze and export herbs
flavours
and
Industrial
Development The IDC has identified the essential oil
Corporation (IDC)
industry as significant contributor to job
Food, Beverages & Agro
creating, higher value agriculture.
Industries
Tel: 0860 693 888
www.idc.co.za
International Flavors & Manufacturer of flavours and fragrances
to industry
Fragrances (SA)(Pty) Ltd
Tel: 011 922 8800
www.iff.com
Invest North West

Tel: 014 594 2570
www.inw.org.za
Devils Claw is identified as a planting,

harvesting and processing opportunity.
Jannderee (Pty) Ltd

Tel: 011 974 7822

and drink Industries
John F Marshall
Tel: 011 842 7100
Equipment: cold press oil extraction

systems
Kalahari Grape Seed Oil

Tel: 054 332 2382
Kai-uru@webmail.co.za
Producer of cold pressed grape seed oil

and other grape seed products
Khutso Foundation
Tel: 083 302 3988
Supply local and international markets

with natural African health foods,
essential oils and essences.
Maccallum & Associates SA Importer of ingredients for the food

industry (including Ajinomoto flavour
Tel: 011 234 8470
enhancers)
www.maccallum.co.za
McCormick South Africa
Tel: 011 990 4900
www.mccormick.com

industry
Millbrook Distribution
Tel: 073 055 7546
Tel: 034 952 1615
www.millbrook.co.za
Suppliers of essential fatty acids and cold

pressed oils, including virgin coconut oil
644
Morgenster Estate
Tel: 021 852 1738
www.morgenster.co.za
Extra Virgin Olive oil
Mystic Mountain
Tel: 083 953 8010
www.puressentialoils.co.za
Producer
Visit the websites of the associations and companies mentioned in this

chapter, e.g. www.saaffi.co.za.
Naturoba Skincare
Tel: 011 705 1607
Cell: 082 927 9629
cindy@better-deal.co.za
Jojoba skincare products, made from

South African pure Jojoba nut
Parceval Pharmaceuticals
Tel: 021 873 3895
www.parceval.co.za
Manufacturer of herbal, homeopathic

and natural medicines
Several publications can be found on www.daff.gov.za (take the Publications

option). Under Agriculture marketing find the Industrial Products: Essential
Oils Market Value Chain Profile 2010:2011. There are numerous notes for
growers, which can be found under Brochures. These include guidelines
for lavender, Lemongrass, Thyme, Lemon balm, Peppermint, Rose geranium
and Rosemary.
Pico-Gro
Tel: 011 314 1029
info@pico-gro.co.za
www.pico-gro.co.za
Bulk herbs and essential oil production

(see advert on previous page)
Websites
Ondla Organic Macadamia

Oil
Tel: 082 850 1204
www.aromaforum.co.za for those interested or involved in aromatherapy

in South Africa or beyond.
Some international websites:
Ruah
Tel: 018 451 0033
www.ruah.co.za
Producer and manufacturer of range of

essential oil products
Sensetek
Tel: 011 608 4944
mikec@sensetek.biz
Supplier of fragrance oils and natural

essential oils from Charabot
Sensient Colors South

Africa
Tel: 011 462 7150
dershana.jackison@sensient.
com
Importer and supplier of colouring for

the food, cosmetic and pharmaceutical
Industries
SensoryFXtraordinaire
Tel: 012 653 2346
www.sensoryfx.co.za
One of the leading manufacturers of

flavours in Africa
SEOPI South African Seobi is a section 21 company that

Essential Oils Business establishes and supports sustainable
SMMEs in the essential oils industry
Incubator
Tel: 012 808 3061
andre@seobi.co.za
www.seobi.co.za
Sharon Bolel Chemical
Marketing
Tel: 011 454 5400/1
www.sharonbolel.co.za
Find the NEDLAC / Fridge report on essential oils under the Research
option at www.nedlac.org.za.
Supplier of raw materials to the flavour,

fragrance, cosmetic, food and pharma
industries
SIAS
Tel: 021 705 0210/1
www.siasflavo.co.za
SOIL
Tel: 031 201 2778
www.soil.co.za
Organic production of essential oils
SoyLites
Tel: 076 632 1973
www.soycandles.co.za
SoyLites aromatherapy soy candles
Sunspray Food Ingredients

Tel: 011 473 6800
www.sunspray.co.za
Manufacturer of Spray Dried Food

ingredients
Symrise (Pty) Ltd

Tel: 011 921 5911
www.symrise.com
Manufacturer of savoury and sweet

flavours; supplier of oleoresins,
fragrances and cosmetics
Talborne Organics
Tel: 011 954 5763
www.talborne.co.za
Involved in ARC and CSIR herbs for

essential oils and employment projects
Teubes
Tel: 011 792 4451/2
www.teubes.com
Organic carrier oils and organic citrus

oils
The Lavender Company

Cell: 082 825 9243
info@thelavenderco.co.za
Producer and manufacturer of range of

essential oil products
International Organisation of the Flavour Industry (IOFI) www.iofi.

org
The International Fragrance Association (IFRA) www.ifraorg.org
International Federation of Essential Oils and Aroma Trades (IFEAT)
www.ifeat.org
National Association of Flavours & Food-ingredient Systems (based
in the USA) www.naffs.org
The New Crop Resource Online Programme at Purdue University
www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop
HealthWorld Online www.healthy.net
Natural Coconut Oil Site www.coconut-info.com: a good site
discussing the products and uses of one of the top 10 most useful
trees in the world: the Coconut Cocos nucifera.
Why Sesame seed oil is known as the queen of oils www.
youthingstrategies.com
Books
distillation
SAEOPA and KARWIL Consultancy developed Info Paks on 10 essential oil
crops for the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries. Find these
under the Publications menu option on www.daff.gov.za. A planned manual
on the agricultural requirements for essential oil crops to be published by
SAEOPA and DAFF is still in the pipleline. Contact SAEOPA for details.
The Food & Beverage Reporter often has articles of relevance for this sector:
news or articles e.g. adding value to products with flavours and fragrances.
Visit www.developtechnology.co.za.
A Complete Guide to Understanding and Using Aromatherapy for Vibrant Health
& Beauty Roberta Wilson. 1995. ISBN 0-89529-627-6. This book covers the
extraction of Essential oils.
Essential Oil Crops EA Weiss. ISBN 0851991378
www.developmentbookshop.com three relevant publications are:
Small-scale Oilseed Processing by Janet Bachmann. Basic processes
involved in small-scale oilseed processing, includes a low-tech method
for raw material preparation using sunflower seeds as an example;
information on methods and equipment used for oil extraction; notes
on clarification, packaging, and storage.
The Manual Screw Press for Small-Scale Oil Extraction by Kathryn H. Potts,
Keith MacHell, 1993, Intermediate Technology, ISBN 1853391980.
Manual oil extraction from peanuts or other soft oilseeds can be a
viable enterprise for small businesses. Describes small-scale processes
of oil extraction for use in rural areas, as well as ways to market and
distribute the oilcake.
645
Small-scale Vegetable Oil Extraction by S W Head, A A Swetman, T

W Hammonds, A Gordon, K H Southwell and R V Harris, Natural
Resources Institute, 1994, ISBN 0 85954 387-0. Covers a basic
understanding of the science and composition of oils and economic
and marketing considerations, principles of oil extraction, basic oilseed
processing methods, the major oil sources with specific small and
intermediate technologies for each. Results from third world situations
are used.
Computer-based programmes
Bizsolutions has an excellent set of interactive computer-based programmes
dealing with various aspects of essential oils. These are available from
bizsolutions by contacting them by email (bizsolutions@xsinet.co.za) or
telephone (011 447 2757).
The Encyclopaedia of Natural Raw Materials programme covers 282 Essential
Oils, giving a description of each, the history, cultivation details, different
names and photographs. In addition, general information such as INCI
names and CAS numbers are listed. For each Essential Oil, details of the
composition, physical and chemical analysis, odour description are given as
well as information about the production method and yields are given. The
programme has the facility to record personal notes, add photographs and
to print off personalised Safety Data Sheets. The search criteria include:
Latin name, vernacular, country, type of apparatus, molecule, olfactive
note.
The Universal Aromatherapy Encyclopaedia covers 262 Essential Oils, giving
a description of each, the history, different names and photographs. The
programme gives indications for the use of the essential oil in aromatherapy
as well as its properties and precautions before use. For each essential oil,
details of the composition are given. The programme has the facility to record
personal notes, add photographs and to print off personalised Safety Data
Sheets. The search criteria include: botanical name, vernacular, synonyms,
chemotypes, properties, indications, precautions and molecules.
The Encyclopaedia of Natural Raw Materials for Cosmetology covers over 200
Botanicals, giving a description of each, the history, different names and
photographs. The programme gives indications for the use of the botanical
as well as its properties and precautions before use. For each Botanical,
details of its composition are given. The programme has the facility to record
personal notes, add photographs and to print off personalised Safety Data
Sheets. There is a complete section on formulating cosmetic products, in
which ones own formulation can be captured. The search criteria include:
botanical name, vernacular, synonyms, chemotypes, properties, indications,
precautions and molecules.
Our thanks to Karen Swanepoel (SAEOPA) for feedback on the draft
chapter.
Food safety and traceability

1. Overview
Food is a dynamic substance which changes with time and through exposure
to different temperatures, storage conditions and processing methods.
Food safety is a scientific discipline describing the production,
harvesting, handling, processing, preparation and storage of food
in ways that prevent foodborne illness. This includes a number of
procedures and practices that should be followed to avoid potentially
severe health hazards. Food can transmit disease to humans as well as
serve as a growth medium for bacteria that can cause food poisoning.
Traceability gives the ability to identify the past or current location
of a food item, as well as to know the items history. To achieve
traceability, a producer and other supply chain participants must be
able to link the physical flow of materials and products with information
about locations, parties, processes and conditions. Traceability of food
products is driven by food safety requirements and consumer concerns
about where the food they eat comes from and how it was produced.
2. Some notes on traceability

Traceability helps to identify the source of products and their ingredients,
to identify the processes conducted, to assure compliance with food safety
standards, and to affirm the authenticity of a product and claims made about
it. When something goes wrong, the information recorded for traceability
purposes can help to locate and prevent further distribution of products that
may be affected, and if necessary support withdrawals.
Implementing traceability requires supply chain participants to link the
physical flow of materials and products with information about locations,
parties and processes. This requires each party to keep vital records.
Vital records are the minimum records required to achieve a particular
outcome.
The following actions are required in order to achieve traceability:
identify and record the food and its components
identify and record relevant locations and parties
identify and record treatments and processes
record movements of products, one-step-back and one-step-forwards,
in other words what exactly was received from whom, and what
exactly was sent to whom
record changes of constitution of products, such as breaking or building
a pallet
record transformations of products, for example on-site processing
link the inputs to the outputs, taking account of constitutional changes
and transformations
when needed, recreate what happened from records,
view across the whole supply chain (which is the greatest challenge)
646
Typical uses for traceability:

provides a foundation for vital data records
determines the origin of a product
gives evidence of compliance to requirements of regulations,
agreements and standards
authenticates claims made about a product, such as Organic and
Fairtrade
satisfies consumer demands for information on production conditions
reports on, locates and manages products that might have a problem
Traceability vital records enable us to recreate the production, processing
and distribution of a food or feed product, and associate a specific product
with others that shared its experiences or which it met in its journey on
and from farm to fork. Traceability systems enable this to happen quickly
and efficiently. The details to be recorded would depend on the reason
for having traceability food safety data requirements and records would
differ from those for organic products, fair trade and carbon footprint.
However, all could apply to the same product across its production and
supply chains.
A traceability system is defined as the totality of data and operations
that is capable of maintaining desired information about a product and
its components through all or part of its production and utilisation chain
(ISO22005:2007; SANS22005:2009).

If we wish to be internationally competitive, exporters of food and beverages
must be aware of and implement the numerous protocols, systems and
standards.
GLOBALG.A.P.
Find the standard documents on www.globalgap.org.
The GLOBALG.A.P. standard is primarily designed to reassure
consumers about how food is produced on the farm by minimising
detrimental environmental impacts of farming operations, reducing the
use of chemical inputs and ensuring a responsible approach to worker
health and safety as well as animal welfare.
Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP)

Find guidelines on www.fao.org and www.doh.gov.za.
HACCP is a food safety management system that is based on proactivity
and prevention, and is therefore seen as the management of product
safety to prevent food poisoning incidents. It can be used to ensure
quality, and goes a long way to ensuring food safety.
There are control points and critical control points (CCP). The CCP
is any point at which a hazard can be prevented, reduced or eliminated
in a food process.
The Codex Alimentarius

Find documents on www.codexalimentarius.org and www.fao.org.
This is a collection of international set of standards, guidelines and codes
of practice. Each country has the right to set stricter standards and/or
regulations than Codex guidelines, under the WTO SPS agreement,
provided that that country can scientifically prove why their regulations
are stricter (otherwise these can be seen as an artificial barrier to
trade).
These food standards aim to protect consumers health and ensure fair
practices in the food trade. The Codex Alimentarius includes standards
for all the principle foods, whether processed, semi-processed or raw,
for distribution to the consumer.
GS1 Standards
Find out more at www.gs1za.org.
The GSI Standards identify locations, trade items and logistics units. The
GS1 South Africa User Manual, the Global User Manual and the GS1
General Specifications can be ordered from GS1 South Africa. Contact
them at 0861 242 000 or write to services@cgcsa.co.za.
GLOBALG.A.P. standards to be translated into locally relevant
standards in East Africa
Some 10 million farmers across East Africa are expected to benefit from
the recent EAGAP initiative. EAGAP is reported to be a modification
of the Global Good Agricultural Practice standards (GLOBALG.A.P.) to
suit value chain structures, available capacities and resources, agronomic
cultures, and ecological conditions of local smallholder farmers.
It is hoped that the initiative will make it easier for East African horticultural
producers to gain access to international markets. According to the Fresh
Produce Exporters Association of Kenya (FPEAK), this project will
improve the incomes and livelihoods of small-scale horticulture farmers
in East Africa due to enhanced international market access.
The horticulture sector is already Kenyas second largest foreign
exchange earner, with the new initiative expected to raise this figure
phenomenally.
Read the full article on http://agritrade.cta.int/en.

Read about Food Business Operators under the National strategy and Government
contacts heading.
SA_GAP is the collective name given to the SA quality standards that are
the minimum required for exporting products of plant origin. The reader
can pick up the links and standards from www.daff.gov.za (find the Food
Safety & Quality Assurance pages) or www.ppecb.com.
Consumer Protection Act
The attention given to exports has not always extended to produce
destined for the local market. The CPA is set to change this.
Immediate teething problems of this legislation is that emerging
farmers, struggling with the administrative and bookkeeping
demands of food safety, could be shut out of the supply chain.
Find notes under the Legislation option at www.agbiz.co.za,
website of the Agricultural Business Chamber.
Genetically modified (GM) products
South African regulations state foodstuffs containing more than 5% of GM
organisms should be labelled contains genetically modified organisms,
whether or not they originate in the country.
GM opponents say that the law has been flouted since it was passed in
October 2011 (tests carried out by the African Centre for Biosafety found
GM ingredients in maize meal and baby cereal without the called-for labels
on the products).
There is debate on the regulations in the Consumer Protection Act.
The greatest need of any industry is time. Rapid GMO testing has enabled decisions
on storage and transportation of product to be made quickly and accurately. Find
the Stargate Scientific listing under the Role players heading.
647
South African Pesticide Initiative Programme (SA PIP)

To ensure continued market access to the EU after concerns about chemical
residue levels on agricultural food products being exported into that region,
South Africa signed a Financial Agreement with the EU which resulted in the
establishment of the South African Pesticide Initiative Programme (SA PIP),
followed by SAPIP 2.
The Perishable Products Export Control Board was tasked with rolling out
these programmes to assist smallholder fruit and vegetable farmers enhance
food security and safety. Funding was provided for training 450 smallholders
nationally on responsible pesticide use, food safety, agricultural practices
and legislation.
There is huge potential for more small scale farmers to be empowered to
be sustainable and commercially viable exporters as they constitute only a
small percentage of the perishable products exporters.
Emerging farmers and packhouses servicing the local market could be

locked out of the supply net in the face of the Consumer Protection
Act.
Contact the National Agricultural Marketing Council (NAMC) about
initiatives carried out to assist emerging/smallholder horticultural farmers
to become compliant with national (mandatory) and private (voluntary)
certification standards.
Sydwell Lekgau Tel: 012 400 9746 / 012 341 1115 sydwell@namc.
co.za
Precious Nengwekhulu Tel: 012 400 9753 / 012 341 1115
precious@namc.co.za

The South African government has created a regulatory framework and
related instruments for food safety and traceability. The Departments
of Health (DoH) and Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (DAFF) have
responsibilities relating to safety of food locally and with regard to meeting
requirements of international markets.
DAFF Inspection Services ensures compliance with phytosanitary agreements.
Government assignees assure compliance of products in different sectors,
e.g. the Perishable Products Export Control Board (PPECB) is responsible
for assuring that exports of fresh and processed products of plant origin
meet the requirements of the South African Agricultural Products Standards
Act [Act 119 of 1990]. Similarly, the South African Bureau of Standards
assures that fish products comply with regulations, and the Wine & Spirits
Board assures compliance of wine and spirits processes and products.
The national Food Safety Forum is chaired by the DAFF Directorate: Food
Safety and Quality Assurance. The Forum publishes hazard profiles, and
food safety checklists and compliance criteria for different types of food
business operators. Separate operating procedures and guidelines may be
provided, e.g. for residue sampling and traceability. PPECB inspectors use
the checklists during food safety export compliance audits. A Food Safety
Forum Technical Working Group updates the documents from time to time.
Further documents are under review or in the process of being prepared.
The documents are available under the food safety section on the DAFF
website: www.daff.gov.za. (This is SA_GAP).
Companies handling products of plant origin that are destined for export
markets are required to register with DAFF as Food Business Operators.
Producers who supply local fresh produce markets will in future also
register as Food Business Operators (FBO). An FBO must adhere to good
handling practices and traceability, keep adequate records and be able to

withdraw implicated products from the market should there be a serious
problem. An approach to responding to product alerts, withdrawals and
recalls is provided in the Traceability Standard Operating Guideline published
on the website of the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries
(DAFF), www.daff.gov.za. The FBO code database is available under the
Food Safety and Quality Assurance option on the same website.
Larger South African retailers are adopting international trade standards or/
and defining their own standards. This has a domino effect back up the fresh
produce chain, and producers and processors who are unable to provide
evidence of adhering to good practices may be locked out of storage and
processing facilities. The ability to show evidence of due diligence and
compliance with a standard would depend on the records available about a
specific product or process at each point in the chain.
Source: Gwynne Foster, who can be contacted at g.foster@mweb.co.za
Department of Health (DoH)

Directorate: Food Control
Tel: 012 395 8799 / 800
Find information on directorates www.doh.gov.za
under the Divisions option at
www.daff.gov.za.
National Codex Office
Tel: 012 395 8789
The Directorate: Food Safety and
Quality Assurance
For the purposes of its regulatory
Tel: 012 319 6004 / 7306
activities, the Directorate is
advised by the Food Legislative
Advisory Group (FLAG). This
Tel: 012 319 6072
non-statutory body is composed
of representatives of academic
Directorate: Agricultural Product and research institutions, the food
Inspection Services
industry, consumer and professional
Tel: 012 319 6535/ 6100
organisations, other government
departments and provincial health
authorities.
Tel: 012 319 7456
The Perishable Products Export Find the Foodstuffs, Cosmetics and
Disinfectants Act of 1972 on the
website.
Tel: 021 930 1134
www.ppecb.com
PPECB was mandated under the Industry (DTI)
Tel: 012 394 9500
Agricultural Products Standards
www.dti.gov.za
Act (Act 119 of 1990) to ensure
compliance with the food safety South African Bureau of
standard by conducting food safety Standards (SABS)
audits on all registered FBOs (Food Food and Health Cluster
Business Operators). Assessors Tel: 012 428 7911
are stationed across the country www.sabs.co.za
and delivers inspection services
on 200 product types at more that National Regulator for
Compulsory Specification
1500 locations.
(NRCS)
PPECB also audits the use of Tel: 012 428 5000
legislated pesticides on a regular www.nrcs.org.za
basis, according to an MRL Standard
Operating Procedure. This forms
part of the risk based approach
of the total PPECB mandated
function.
648
6. Role players
Food safety products
Associations and Councils

Association of Dietetics of
South Africa
Tel: 011 061 5000
www.adsa.org.za
Food Safety Initiative
Tel: 0861 242 000
www.cgcsa.co.za
www.foodsafetyinitiative.co.za

Accreditation System
(SANAS)
Tel: 012 394 3760
www.sanas.co.za
Consumer Union
Tel: 012 428 7122
www.sancu.co.za
Consultants and certification services

Agri Bio Equipment and
Solutions
Tel: 021 979 3180
www.agribio.co.za
Agri Business Systems
International (ABSI)
Tel: 021 917 2719
www.absi.co.za
Tel: 028 312 3064
Business Quality Solutions
Tel: 082 892 8010 / 083 230 6029
bqs@polka.co.za
Control Union SA
Tel: 031 262 5965
Tel: 035 788 0045
www.controlunion.com
Dairy Standards Agency (DSA)
Tel: 012 665 4250
www.dairystandard.co.za
DQS (Pty) Ltd South Africa
Tel: 011 787 0060
https://za.dqs-ul.com
F.A.C.T.S. Company
Tel: 021 551 2993
www.factssa.com
Food Safety Assessment
Tel: 011 975 9833
www.safsa.co.za
GLOBALGAP Africa
Dr Elm Coetzer
Tel/Fax: 012 991 5139
Cell: 082 662 8105
Tel: 012 332 0696
coetzer@globalgap.org
www.globalgap.org
GS1 South Africa
Tel: 0861 242 000
www.gs1za.org
International Meat Quality
Assurance Scheme (IMQAS)
Tel: 012 348 5115 / 6
www.imqas.co.za
Tel: 021 887 1026
www.mbb.co.za
The
Perishable
Products
Export Control Board (PPECB)
programme for training and
technical support also provides
training
and
consultation
programmes to facilitate growers
and other operators in the supply
chain to compl with food safety
standards. Visit www.ppecb.com
or call 021 930 1134.
Product Control for Agriculture
(Prokon)
Tel: 012 325 4579
http://prokonsa.co.za
Quality control in the fresh produce
industry
The South African Bureau
of Standards (SABS) offers a
diverse range of services for thirdparty certification and testing
for food safety which provides
for international acceptance of
certification and test services. Call
012 428 7911 or visit www.sabs.
co.za.
SGS South Africa (Pty) Ltd
Tel: 011 680 3466
www.sgs.com
Toxicologist
Wilna Jansen van Rijssen
Tel: 012 347 4257 / 083 379 2111
wilnajvr@telkomsa.net
Food safety legislation; GMO
legislation; registration of chemical
pesticides;
toxicology;
food
irradiation; Codex Alimentarius
issues; mycotoxins; presentations
and workshops.
Van der Linde, Des
Tel: 012 654 4716
Van der Linde helps farmers get
their GLOBALG.A.P. systems and
other systems in place
Von Holy Consulting
Tel: 083 461 4228 / 021 913 0366
www.vonholyconsulting.com

Tel: 021 904 1154
Stargate
Scientific
supplies
equipment and consumables to
several industries, including food and
beverages. Some of the equipment
allows for instant tests for GMOs,
enabling immediate storage and
distribution decisions (find the
article in the Biotechnology and
plant breeding chapter).
Diversey
Tel: 011 871 9000
www.diversey.com
Hanna Instruments
Tel: 011 615 6076
Tel: 021 946 1722
Tel: 031 701 2711
Tel: 041 373 3303
www.hannainst.co.za
The Werner Group

Tel: 011 249 5117
www.wernerbrushware.co.za
Kemklean Hygiene Systems

Tel: 080 142 4141
www.kemklean.co.za
Stargate Scientific
Tel: 011 675 7433
They supply rotary spiral / staple

brushes, donuts and an entire
range of hygiene (HACCP)
brushware. They also train on the
implementation of HACCP cleaning
methods with specific reference to
the basket the group carries.
Laboratories
See the Laboratories and agriculture chapter.

Find the Food manufacturing, safety & HACCP training option at www.skillsportal.
co.za.
Tel: 012 808 8000
www.arc.agric.za
Some AgriSETA accredited
trainers provide courses in the
area of food safety. Find details of
these providers in the Agricultural
education and training chapter or
at www.agriseta.co.za.
Technology (CPUT)
Food Technology
Tel: 021 460 3176 / 3431
www.cput.ac.za

Genesis Food Safety
Consultancy
Tel: 041 365 0868 / 073 879 5602
www.foodsafetyinsa.co.za
HACCP Academy
Tel: 082 883 2103
www.haccpacademy.co.za
International Meat Quality

Assurance Scheme (IMQAS)
Tel: 012 348 5115 / 6
Department of Environmental and www.imqas.co.za
Occupational Studies
The
Perishable
Products
Tel: 021 460 9068
www.cput.ac.za
Export Control Board (PPECB)
programme for training and
technical support also provides
Technology
training
and
consultation
Unit for Applied Food Safety and programmes to facilitate growers
Biotechnology (UAFSB)
and other operators in the supply
Tel: 051 507 3145
chain to comply with food safety
www.cut.ac.za
standards. Visit www.ppecb.com
or call 021 930 1134.
CMI Africa
Tel: 021 880 2024
Pest Control Service Industries
www.nsf-cmi.com
Board
Tel: 012 654 7708
The Consumer Goods Council www.pcsib.org.za
of South Africa (CGCSA) offers
training courses. Call 0861 242 000
Some Provincial Departments of
and see www.cgcsa.co.za.
Agriculture provide short courses
on health and Food Safety e.g.
FoodBev SETA
the KwaZulu-Natal Department
Tel: 011 253 7300
of Agriculture and Environmental
www.foodbev.co.za
Affairs, who can be contacted at
033 355 9444/5.
650
SA AgriAcademy
Tel: 021 880 1276
Swift Micro Laboratories

Tel: 021 683 8436
www.swift.co.za
The Food Safety Network (FSN) www.thefoodsafetynetwork.co.za.

The objective of FSN is to create a user-friendly, one-stop directory and
networking website that will provide broad-based food safety information.
Training includes GAP and

certification procedures, food safety,
quality standards, Phytosanitary
requirements/MRLs, and packaging
and packaging requirements.
HACCP
training
Find information about The Consumer Protection Act Made Easy publication
and DVD at www.madeasy.co.za.

Tel: 021 447 2023
Southern African Auditor &
Training Association (SAATCA)
Tel: 012 349 2763
www.saatca.co.za
Tel: 021 808 3578
and
hygiene-related

Department
of
Microbial,
Tel: 051 401 2900
Tel: 012 420 2531
Food Sciences
Tel: 012 420 3202
food.science@up.ac.za
Wareham & Associates
Tel: 021 713 2380
www.wha.co.za
Introductory HACCP training is

also offered.

The Consumer Goods Council of South Africa produced the Product Recall
Guideline Document, reported by the Agricultural Business Chamber in 2011
as fantastic and useful for agribusinesses. Find this and other information
at www.cgcsa.co.za.
Find the different food safety Info Paks at www.daff.gov.za/publications.
The Agritrade eNewsletter (sign up on www.cta.int) carries an SPS/food
safety option.
Find the many books written by Graham Ries at www.foodsafetyinsa.co.za.
These include:
The Team Members Pocket Guide to HACCP
The Pocket Guide to Personal Hygiene
The Pocket Guide to Basic Food Hygiene
The Pocket Guide to Hygiene in the Fishing Industry
The Supervisors Pocket Guide to Making HACCP happen on the floor
Some international websites

www.freshquality.org, Your guide to EU Fresh Produce Law
World Organisation for Animal Health www.oie.int Find the Food
Safety menu option.
www.who.int the UNs World Health Organisation. Find the Food
option.
www.wto.org find the Sanitary and phytosanitary measures menu
option.
www.usda.gov find the Food safety menu option
The International Food Safety Authorities Network (INFOSAN) is a
joint initiative between the UNs World Health Organisation and Food
and Agricultures Organisation. Find information at www.who.int and
www.fao.org.
www.fsis.usda.gov the USA Department of Agricultures Food Safety
and Inspection Service
www.brc.org.uk British Retail Consortium, for successful and
responsible retailing
The European Commission Food and Veterinary Office (EC FVO)
audits compliance to food safety issues. Find their information on
http://ec.europa.eu/food/fvo. The role of EFSA (European Food Safety
Authority) is to assess and communicate on all risks associated with the
food chain. See www.efsa.europa.eu.
International Association for Food Protection www.foodprotection.
org
International Commission on Microbiological Specifications for Foods
(ICMSF) www.icmsf.iit.edu
www.coleacp.org promoting sustainable horticultural trade in
African, Caribbean and Pacific countries, especially with the EU
www.identigen.com This company, active in Ireland and North
America, uses a DNA-based system for accurate traceability back to
the farm where the animals were raised.
Find European Union Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF)
publications at http://ec.europa.eu.
Find the Glossary & Definitions menu option at www.foodsafetyinitiative.
co.za (website of the Consumer Goods Council of South Africas Food
Safety Initiative). Amongst the many terms and explanations are the
following:
GAP Good Agricultural Practices are practices on farms
which define the essential elements for the development of best
practice for production, incorporating integrated crop management,
integrated pest management and integrated agricultural hygiene.
GHP Good Hygiene Practices include all practices regarding the
conditions and measures necessary to ensure the safety and suitability
of food at all stages of the food chain, including primary production,
facility design, operational control, maintenance, personal hygiene,
transport, consumer complaints, product information and training
(Codex).
GLP Good Laboratory Practices refers to a quality system
concerned with the organisational process and the conditions under
which non-clinical health and environmental safety studies are
planned, performed, monitored, recorded, archived and reported
(OECD).
GMP Good Manufacturing Practices are that combination of
manufacturing and quality control procedures aimed at ensuring that
food products are consistency manufactured to their specifications
(IFST). Limited to such a maximum level that the product concerned
will not be deleteriously affected or its compliance with legal
requirements disturbed (Department of Health).
651
Hunting
See also the Wildlife Ranching and Gamebirds, waterfowl and other
poultry chapters
We need to call on hunters to hunt with pride and to continue building a

legacy. As hunters we have a responsibility to fulfil our calling in the wild.
We are an indispensible conservation force as illustrated by the slogan
of the Confederation of Hunting Associations of South Africa (CHASA):
NO HUNTING NO WILDLIFE.
Source: Adapted from a paper sent to this project by Prof Pieter van Niekerk of Nelson
Mandela Metropolitan University and CHASA
1. Overview
Information on hunting (regulations, procedures etc) can be found at www.
professionalhunters.co.za and www.sahunt.co.za
Hunting has been a part of the South African history since the earliest days.
With the arrival of the Europeans a new era dawned, and modern weapons
and the desire for financial gain from meat, horns, tusks and skins led to a
decline in wildlife numbers. A number of species became extinct, but the
situation was eventually arrested when concerned parties took steps to
conserve the remaining wildlife. Hunters took the lead in this process and
were responsible for the first conservation associations to be established in
South Africa.
The modern hunter is attracted to hunting by the experience associated with
a hunting trip which includes enjoyment of the great outdoors, an escape
from the hustle and bustle of the city, the opportunity to be with friends and
the thrill of the chase. Regulated sport hunting has not caused or threatened
the extinction of a single species. On the contrary the money hunters spend
and contribute pays the cost of wildlife protection. The modern hunter is
a true conservationist who believes in wise use of resources to the benefit
of society at large.
In the latter half of the twentieth century a new model for management of
game on private land developed in South Africa. Fundamental to this model
were the issues of private ownership of game animals and adequate fencing
required to keep animals in the enclosure. From its humble beginnings
the commercial game industry on private land in South Africa developed
steadily. Many farmers converted agricultural land to game ranches,
motivated by the opportunities of financial gain offered by a growing game
industry. Some areas in South Africa became a patchwork of high fences and
game numbers increased exponentially over the past forty years. In areas
where certain game species no longer existed, land owners translocated
animals from other areas to stock their farms. This increased not only game
numbers, but also species diversity on private land. The wildlife revolution
that took place on private land in South Africa is regarded by many as one
of the conservation miracles in the world.
The engine behind this whole process was the market created by hunters
wishing to hunt game animals. Research has shown that as much as 60% of
the total income of the commercial game industry is derived from hunting.
In addition to about 200 000 local hunters, large numbers of foreign hunters
visit South Africa annually. The money that hunters are willing to pay for
trophies, leisure and meat drive a huge industry with a total value estimated
to be in access of R7 billion. Hunting has been the cornerstone and most
important conservation development in the 20th Century and continues to
be the leading contributor to conservation as man enters the 21st Century.
Hunting is an exceptional form of sustainable use that has been proven to
create conservation stakeholders, to stimulate conservation incentives and
generate operating revenue for conservation budgets; hence, is one of the
foremost forces for conservation.
Confederation of Hunting Associations of South Africa (CHASA)

www.chasa.co.za
Manager: Rory OMoore Tel/fax: 041 922 5600 chasa@telkomsa.net
Chair: Stephen Palos Tel: 082 905 7400 stephen@thegrillmaster.co.za
Secretary: Matt Relihan Tel: 021 975 6324 admin@kaapjag.co.za
CHASA is an umbrella body for all Hunting Associations in South Africa.
CHASA functions as a central discussion forum and channel to act on behalf
of the hunting industry at a national level.
CHASA affiliates
African Gamebird Research and Development Trust (AGRED)
www.agred.com
Amatola Hunters Association www.amatolahunters.co.za
Big Bore Association Southern Africa www.bigbore.org
Border Hunting Club www.borderhunting.co.za
Bosveld Hunters and Game Conservation Association www.
bushveldhunters.co.za
Bosveld Wapen en Ammunisie Vereniging Tel: 082 856 7149
hblautoshop@telkomsa.net
Cape Hunters and Game Conservation Association www.kaapjag.
co.za
Clay Target Shooting Association of Southern Africa (CTSASA)
www.ctsasa.co.za
East Cape Game Management Association www.ecgma.co.za
Handgun Hunters Association of Southern Africa www.
handgunhuntersa.com
Highveld Hunters and Game Conservation Association Tel: 082
674 3569 chris.opperman@shell.com
Kalahari Hunters and Game Conservation Association Tel: 082
448 1002, kalaharijagtersvereniging@gmail.com
KwaZulu-Natal Hunting & Conservation Association www.
kznhunters.co.za
Northern Cape Hunters Association Tel/fax: 053 831 1480
nk.jagters@absamail.co.za
North West Hunters and Game Conservation Association Tel:
018 468 3821, nwjagters@@vodamail.co.za
Problem Animal Control Association of South Africa Tel: 011
462 1050 info@pacasa.co.za
South African Falconry Association of South Africa (SAFA) Tel:
072 440 2494 julius.koen@gmail.com
Southern Cape Hunters Association http://suidkaapjagters.co.za
Swartwitpens Jagtersvereniging www.swartwitpensjagters.co.za
Vrystaat Jagters en Wildbewaringsvereniging www.fshunters.
co.za
Other associations include the SA Bowhunters Association (SABA)
www.sabowhunters.co.za, the SA Sport and Hunting Federation www.
sasportjag.co.za, and SA Hunting Rifle Shooting Association www.
sahuntingrifle.co.za.
652
International Council for Game

and Wildlife Conservation
(CIC)
South African Delegation
Tel: 082 552 6603
gary@prismeb.co.za
www.cic-wildlife.org
South African Predator

Breeders Association
Tel: 082 451 0762
www.sapredators.co.za
To co-ordinate and promote the

interests of the breeders and
hunters of captive bred predators,
CIC unites member states and represent their interests at
(mostly represented by the national and international level.
Ministry responsible for wildlife
management and conservation), The South African taxidermy
universities, organisations engaged industry is serviced by two bodies,
in hunting, as well as individuals such the Taxidermy Association of
as private members and scientific Southern Africa (TASA) and
experts from over 80 countries. Commercial Taxidermists and
CHASA, PHASA, SAH&GCA and Game Skin Tanners of South
WRSA are member associations of Africa
(CTGSTSA).
TASA
the CIC South African Delegation. represents the so-called smaller
taxidermists while CTGSTSA
Professional Hunters
represents the so-called bigger
Association (PHASA)
taxidermists, each of them has a
Tel/fax: 012 667 2048/9
market share of approximately
info@phasa.co.za
50%. Visit www.taxidermysa.com
www.professionalhunters.co.za
or call 014 722 2082/082 729 7156
to find out about TASA. Details of
PHASA represents the professional
CTGSTSA can be found on www.
hunters of South Africa who,
phasa.co.za. If you would like to
according to law, have to be
reach them, phone 034 370 1136.
present at hunts conducted by
foreign hunters. The Association Wildlife Ranching SA is the official
is the largest professional hunters mouthpiece of game farmers. Find
association in the world.
details in the Wildlife ranching
SA Hunters and Game
Conservation Association
(SAHGCA)
Tel: 0861 SAHUNT (724 868)
admin@sahunt.co.za
www.sahunt.co.za
Included in SAHAs objectives
are the promotion of sustainable
utilisation, believing that hunting
is the meaningful exploitation of
a renewable resource; and to
assist authorities in stamping out
unethical and illegal hunting.
Its website contains important
information e.g. hunting licences,
hunting opportunities, hunting
proclamations,
listed/protected
species and more.
concern i.e. issues involve conditions around the breeding, transportation

and sale of wildlife.
Federation for Associations for Hunting and Conservation of the EU
(FACE) represents hunters in the European Union. Visit www.face.eu.

Find legislation affecting hunting on this website and on others mentioned
earlier in the chapter e.g. www.chasa.co.za and www.sahunt.co.za.
Both the national Departments of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries
(DAFF) and Water and Environmental Affairs (DWEA) are significant roleplayers in the wildlife and hunting sectors. While DAFF leads agricultural
production (including wildlife husbandry), DWEA leads environmental
conservation. The latter plays a most important role with regard to resource
utilisation, as demonstrated by the appointment of a panel of experts to
advise on appropriate norms and standards for hunting (both professional
and recreational).
Lists of companies involved can be found on www.phasa.co.za as well as on
websites listed under the CHASA, PHASA and SAHA entries.
chapter and at www.wrsa.co.za.

The Wildlife Translocation
Association (WTA)
Tel: 016 341 2534
www.wta.org.za
The WTA is a voluntary

association of professional
game capturers and associated
role-players with members
from the private sector and
government service.
The game capture industry
in SA has an annual turnover
well in excess of R100 million
and
provides
significant
employment.
The WTA members annually
capture 130 000 game
animals.
Other interest groups

National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals
(NSPCA)
Wildlife Unit
Tel: 011 907 3590/1/2
www.nspca.co.za
While questions about the actual practice of hunting in general may be
raised, the handling of animals leading up to the hunt is also a major welfare
Also see this heading in the Wildlife ranching chapter.

Game & Hunt, a monthly publication. Visit www.wildlifehunt.co.za or call
012 348 5550. Another magazine is SA Hunter/Jagter. Call Tel: 012 424 6401
or visit www.media24.com.
Find the hunting books at www.zimbibooks.com.
African Indaba is a free bi-monthly e-Newsletter for hunter-conservationists
and people who are interested in the incentive-driven-conservation of Africas
wild natural resources. Read African Indaba online at www.africanindaba.
co.za. African Indaba is mailed out by the CIC International Council for
Game and Wildlife Conservation and its Tropical Game Commission. For
more information about the CIC please go to www.cic-wildlife.org.
More information about hunting in South Africa can be found in the paper
Hunting in South Africa: Facts, Opportunities and Risks. You can download
the paper at www.africanindaba.co.za. Also find details about the book The
hunter and the fence by Gerhard R Damm here.
Several publications are available from Rowland Ward. Visit www.
rowlandward.com.
Visit the websites of role players mentioned earlier in this chapter.
Our thanks to CHASA for feedback on the draft chapter.
653
Leather
The most effective way hide improvement schemes have been shown to
work is when the farmer can see the benefit of looking after his animals to
result in a higher quality, less marked hide or skin. This relies on a trace-back
system from end processor (tannery) all the way back through the abattoir
to the original farmer, with him receiving some sort of bonus for delivering
an animal with a good quality hide. Such schemes are rare working best in
sophisticated economies such as parts of Europe and Australia.
Source: International Council of Tanners website www.leathercouncil.org
1. Overview
3.
Find the notes on how leather is made at www.tanschool.co.za.
The leather industry has been around for thousands of years ever since
mankind began hunting animals.
Almost every country has a tanning industry of some sort. If leather was
not produced, synthetic materials (probably derived from non-renewable
resources) would be in its place.
Hides and skins are a by-product of the meat industry, so supply does not
react to demand for leather, but for meat. Leather is used in the automotive,
footwear, furniture, clothing, leather goods and exotic leathers (e.g. ostrich)
sectors.
Leather makes a contribution to the quality of everyday life: virtually
everyone wears or uses one or more leather products on a regular basis.
The following are the main categories of skins or hides according to
species.
Bovine (cattle) hides dominate the supply of leather in South
Africa. They are mainly by-product of meat production supplied by
feedlots.
Sheep skin is produced with or without wool mainly for export
market.
South Africa does not have significant supply of pig skin as this tends
to be part of the meat.
The supply of goat and kid skins is low as the majority of goats are
slaughtered outside the abattoirs.
Unlike bovine, ostrich is bred primarily for its skin; and ostrich meat
becomes a by-product. Ostrich leather is unique with its feather
quill pattern. This gives it extra strength and durability which is 7
times stronger than bovine (cattle) hide. Ostrich leather is used to
produce handbags, wallets, shoes, clothing etc.
Many wild animals including elephants and buffalo are main sources
of leather.
Crocodiles and snakes are bred for their skins.
Sources: Industrial Products: Hides, Skins and Leather Market Value Chain 2010-2011,
available at www.daff.gov.za; The introduction to leather at www.leathercouncil.org.

Visit www.leathercouncil.org, website of the International Council of Tanners.
Defects affecting hide and skin quality:

pre-slaughter branding, barbed wire, tick, mite, veins (feeding
deficiency), fine scratches caused by thorns, etc., horn rakes (sheepskins
pin-holes from sharp grasses)
abattoir damage flay cuts, drag marks, stretch marks from hide
pulling equipment, bruising, delay in curing (putrefication/rotting)
The demand for hides by the automotive sector out-strips the number
of cattle slaughtered locally.
Over 60% of South African hides are regarded as suitable for
automotive leather.
The increase in feedlots over the years has led to better quality hides
(animals spend less time in the veld). These can be rated higher than
other sub-Saharan African and most Asian hides, but they remain
inferior to most hides from Australia, Argentina, the US and Europe.
The value chain is divided into five stages:
skin & hide supply
semi processed leather
finished leather
finished products
the market
For more details, consult the publication Industrial Products: Hides, Skins
and Leather Market Value Chain 2010-2011 (see heading 8)

Read about the Skins and Hides Sub-Sector Development Programme in the Industrial
Policy Action Programme (IPAP) 2012/13 2014/15 available at www.thedti.gov.za.

Tel: 012 319 7306
www.daff.gov.za
The Department of Trade and Industry and the South Africa Bureau
of Standards (SABS) are also involved. Find their details in the general
agro-processing chapter.
National Ostrich Processors
Association (NOPSA)
Tel: 044 272 3336
www.nopsa.com
The Skin, Hide and Leather
Council (SHALC) is the body
representing all sectors of the
South African Leather Industry,
from raw hide procurement to
finished leather. It is a member of
the Red Meat Industry Forum (see
www.redmeatsa.co.za). Contact
SHALC by emailing Colin Gerrans
at gerrans@iafrica.com.
SA Footwear and Leather

Export Council
Tel: 031 701 4206
saflec@saflia.co.za
www.saflec.co.za
SA Footwear and Leather
Industries Association
Tel: 031 701 4111
info@saflia.co.za
National Union of Leather and
Allied Workers (NULAW)
Tel: 031 206 0105
654

International School of Tanning Technology (ISTT)
Tel: 046 622 7310
www.tanschool.co.za
This is the only training body for the leather industry in South Africa.
African Hide Trading Tel: 041 405 7000 www.aht.co.za
African Leather and Skin Tel: 021 863 1936 www.africanleather.
co.za
AfriTan Tanner Tel: 072 186 1795 www.ngunihides.com
Apeco Tel: 031 705 1668 www.apeco.co.za
Bader South Africa Tel: 012 797 7100 info@bader.co.za
Beit Ore Tanner Tel: 015 293 1259
Camexo SA t/a Exotan Tel: 041 396 9100 www.camexo.co.za
Cape Produce Company Tel: 041 484 4591 www.capeproduce.
co.za
Crafcor Hart Hides Tel: 033 398 5700 Fax: 033 398 1272
EAC Tannery Tel: 016 972 1802 www.eac-group.co.za
Era Pelles Tannery Tel: 087 550 1508
Feltex Automotive Leather Tel: 036 638 3001/ 9 www.feltex.co.za
Gringo Leathers Tel: 039 685 5345 leather@gringo.co.za
Hannitan Leathers Tel: 011 817 2150 www.hannitanleather.com
Hidskin Tel: 011 613 6271 www.hidskin.com
Horne Tanning Tel: 046 622 8174
The Ing Thing Tel: 033 343 1445
Karan Beef Tel: 016 342 1214 www.karanbeef.com
Klein Karoo International Tel: 044 203 5250 www.kleinkaroo.com
Ostrimark Tannery Tel: 044 203 3709 Tel: 046 603 5300 www.
ostrimark.co.za
Pelts Products Tel: 041 461 1515
Philippe Genuine Ostrich Products Tel: 046 622 6567 / 697 7031
Predator Tel: 021 554 2453 www.resonanceonline.co.za
Prince Albert Tannery Tel: 023 541 1411
Rein Tanning Tel: 044 697 7031
Richard Kane & Co Tel: 021 535 1122
Rotta Leathers Tel: 041 992 4887 / 6043
Sangoma Curios philipp@southernhunting.co.za http://sangomaskulls.
com
Seton SA Tel: 011 360 7500
Skhumba Skins of Africa Tel: 033 391 1341 www.skhumbaskins.
co.za
Southern Cape Ostrich Tannery Tel: 044 606 4500 www.scot.
co.za
Springbok Trading (Pty) Ltd Tel: 041 405 7000 www.springboktrading.
co.za
Sutherlands Tannery Tel: 033 398 5700 Fax: 033 398 1272
Swartland Tanning Tel: 021 851 2694 www.swartlandostrich.co.za
Tanrite Tel: 041 992 4887 / 6043
Woods Tannery Tel: 041 992 2179 www.woodstanning.co.za
Zenda SA Tel: 012 810 3500
For a list of SAFLEC companies (specifically footwear), visit www.saflec.
co.za.

Find Industrial Products: Hides, Skins and Leather Market Value Chain
2010-2011 at www.daff.gov.za (take the Publications and Agriculture
Marketing options.
Find details of the footwear and leather trade magazines at www.svmag.
co.za.
The website ISTT website, www.tanschool.co.za, is a must-read for anybody
in the leather industry. Its menu options include a list of the chemicals used
to make leather, provides a dictionary of terminology, lists leather magazines
and provides a list of related websites. Links to international bodies, websites
as well as details of UK and USA Tanning publications may be found.
www.leathercouncil.org the International Council of Tanners website, a
definitive international website.
Milling
See the Grain storage and handling, Small and micro milling and the grain
chapters
1. Overview
Milling is the agro-processing end of the grain industry. Milling grain involves
breaking the grain open so that the bran and endosperm are separated, and
then processed for further uses.
White maize and wheat flour milling are the core business in milling, while
associated business are baking, pasta, wet milling (see next heading), animal
feeds and malting (barley and sorghum).
2. Mills: maize
The maize kernel is processed by the Wet and Dry Milling Industries.
Wet milling is a process carried out in water during which pure starch is
obtained from maize. After the steeping process of 36 hours the kernel can
easily be separated into its various components, namely the husk, starch,
gluten and the germ.
From the starch, food technologists create foodstuffs such as puddings,
gravies, sauces and pie fillings. The starch pastes from maize can be allowed
to cool, thicken and congeal into a gel that provides starch-based puddings,
salad creams and some adhesives. The starch paste also has industrial uses
for paper coating and sizing, textile sizing, the manufacture of corrugated
boards and adhesives.
The gluten and the germ that are obtained from the wet milling process
are used in the manufacture of maize oil and animal feed supplements.
The maize oil can be used in cooking, where its high smoke point makes it
valuable frying oil. It is also a key ingredient in some margarine. Maize oil
is also used as one source of bio-diesel. Other industrial uses for maize oil
include soap, salve, paint, rust proofing for metal surfaces, inks, textiles,
and insecticides. It is sometimes used as a carrier for drug molecules in
pharmaceutical preparations.
During the dry milling process the maize kernels are refined to maize
meal.
Sources: the Maize Market Value Chain Profile: 2010-2011 at www.daff.gov.za
AFGRI
Tel: 017 647 1100 (Bethal)
Tel: 017 811 2322 (Ermelo)
Tel: 017 687 1591 (Kinross)
www.afgri.co.za
Premier Foods
Tel: 011 565 4300 (Isando)
Tel: 012 842 8000 (Waltloo)
Tel: 056 216 4600 (Kroonstad)
www.premierfoods.com
Foodcorp
Tel: 011 692 1610 (Nola
Randfontein)
Tel: 012 308 3000 (Ruto Mills
Pretoria West)
www.ruto.co.za
www.foodcorp.co.za
Pioneer Foods
Tel: 051 634 1681 (Aliwal North)
Tel: 036 352 3035 (Estcourt)
Tel: 018 406 1500 (Klerksdorp)
www.sasko.co.za
www.pioneerfoods.co.za
NTK
Tel: 014 719 9211 (Modimolle)
Tel: 015 964 3031 (Shayandima)
Tel: 015 491 9000 (Potgietersrus)
www.ntk.co.za
Pride Milling Company

Tel: 012 663 5215 (Centurion)
Tel: 017 683 0050 (Leslie)
Tel: 013 643 1016/93 (Ogies)
Tel: 011 814 8254 (Nigel)
Tel: 033 328 6200
(Pietermaritzburg)
www.pridemilling.co.za
656
Progress Mills
Tel: 015 297 3452 (Polokwane)
Tel: 013 235 2058 / 9 (Lydenburg)
www.progress-milling.co.za
Sasko see Pioneer Foods
Tiger Brands
Tel: 011 840 4000 (Sandton)
Tel: 011 411 7000 (Randfontein)
Tel: 033 397 0226
(Pietermaritzburg)
www.tigerbrands.co.za
Some independent and smaller millers

Bothaville Milling (Thuso Mills) Tel: 056 515 1071
Brenner Mills Tel: 0861 100 2010 www.brenmill.co.za
Circle Milling Tel: 018 771 4703
Durban Grits Tel: 031 502 2689 www.durbangrits.co.za
Empangeni Milling Tel: 035 792 9124
Godrich Flour Mills Tel: 013 932 0155
Impilo Products Tel: 012 940 8665 www.impiloproducts.co.za
Isiswe Mills Tel: 013 246 2443 www.isiswe.co.za
Lesotho Milling Co (Pty) Ltd Tel: 051 933 4488 Tel: +266 22 430
622
Maedico Tel: 058 852 1122
NMI Group Tel: 012 940 0395 www.nmigroup.co.za
Noordfed Tel: 018 632 5037 www.nwk.co.za
OVK Tweespruit Roller Mills Tel: 051 963 0001 www.ovk.co.za
TWK Piet Retief Grain & Malt Tel: 017 826 2147
TWK Mkondo Mill Tel: 017 826 2147
Vaal River Milling Tel: 016 423 5395
Vlakpoort Roller Mills Tel: 017 753 1955
VKB Frankfort Mill Tel: 058 813 9900 www.vkb.co.za
Westra Industries Tel: 053 298 2817
3. Mills: wheat
Wheat is delivered to milling companies who mill the wheat into wheat
flour, meal and bran that are used in three different ways:
The wheat flour can be used in the baking industry to manufacture
perishable products such as pan loaves, rolls, buns, confectionery
products and other products such as frozen dough and par baked
products.
Wheat based goods products such as biscuits, pasta, crackers and
breakfast cereals can also be manufactured from the wheat flour.
The animal feed manufacturing industry also uses the wheat meal and
bran to manufacture farm feeds and pet foods.
Sources: the Wheat Market Value Chain Profile: 2010-2011 at www.daff.gov.za
Foodcorp
Premier Foods
Tel: 012 308 3000 (Ruto Mills Tel: 011 565 4300 (Isando)
Pretoria West)
Tel: 012 803 9590 (Pretoria)
www.foodcorp.co.za
Tel: 031 250 4400 (Durban)
www.ruto.co.za
Tel: 021 442 3300 (Cape Town)
Tel: 051 873 2151 (Thaba Nchu)
Tel: 016 455 1010 (Vereeniging)
Pioneer Foods
www.premierfoods.com
Tel: 021 807 5800 / 8 (Paarl)
Tel: 021 871 1160 (Paarl)
Tel: 058 307 4555 (Bethlehem)
Sasko see Pioneer Foods
Tel: 041 401 6000 (Port Elizabeth)
Tel: 011 762 5300 (Chamdor)
Tiger Milling
Tel: 031 469 0451 (Mobeni)
Tel: 011 840 4000 (Sandton)
Tel: 015 285 6500 (Polokwane)
Tel: 011 411 7000 (Randfontein)
Tel: 022 482 8400 (Malmesbury)
Tel: 057 573 9300 (Henneman)
www.sasko.co.za
Tel: 021 948 0790 (Western Cape,
www.pioneerfoods.co.za
Bellville)
Tel: 033 397 0226
(Pietermaritzburg)
www.tigerbrands.co.za
Some independent and smaller millers

Citrusdal Rollermeule Tel: 022 921 2434
Eureka Mills Tel: 028 722 1887 www.eurekamills.co.za
Godrich Flour Mills Tel: 013 932 0155
Group 35 Foods Tel: 022 461 2500
Just Flour Tel: 031 564 2280
Kromdraais Best Milling Tel: 058 813 1567 http://kromdraaisbestmilling.
co.za
Lesotho Milling Co (Pty) Ltd Tel: 051 933 4488 Tel: +266 22 430
622
NMI Group Tel: 012 940 0395 www.nmigroup.co.za
Noordfed Tel: 018 632 5037 www.nwk.co.za
OVK Tweespruit Roller Mills Tel: 051 963 0001 www.ovk.co.za
Pro Flour Tel: 031 502 2689 www.proflour.co.za
RC Mission Mill Tel: 054 461 1085
Target Investments Tel: 051 933 4486 Tel: 031 500 9811/2
Western Cape Milling Tel: 021 951 2011
White River Mills Tel: 013 796 1706

Find the Fortification menu option on www.grainmilling.org.za.
Find the Food Safety and Quality Assurance pages under the Divisions
option at www.daff.gov.za, website of the Department of Agriculture,
Forestry and Fisheries.
The National Chamber of Milling (NCM)
Tel: 012 663 1660
The National Chamber of Milling promotes, encourages and assists in
the common interest of the milling industry in South Africa. It is a trade
association which represents the interests of the South African wheat flour
and maize milling industry.
Membership of the NCM is voluntary and comprises large food
conglomerates as well as small entrepreneurial operators and covers 90%
of all wheat and 65% of all white maize milled in South Africa ( 5,0 million
tons of grain per annum).
South African Agricultural Processors Association (SAAPA)
Tel: 012 663 1660
SAAPA is an association promoting the interest of its members including
in the areas of international trade, BEE and government policy. Read more
about it in the general agro-processing chapter.

Grain Milling Federation
Tel: 012 663 1660
The Grain Milling Federation offers theoretical training through
correspondence courses for wheat and maize milling technology. It
administers the practical trade test for would-be millers, and is also
responsible for the advanced course. Tutorial assistance and technical
consulting services are part of the Grain Milling Federations functions. All
course information can be found on www.grainmilling.org.za.
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Southern African Grain Laboratory (SAGL)

Tel: 012 807 4019
www.sagl.co.za
The SAGL is an association incorporated under Section 21 (Association
not for gain). SAGL is a quality analyses laboratory and has ISO/IEC 17025
accreditation. They offer a variety of quality analyses on grains and oilseeds.
National information is published on the website. They provide ring tests
and give laboratory training and are being recognised as the grain analyses
reference laboratory in Southern Africa. They are also responsible for a
national crop quality survey for wheat and maize.
The SAGL provide courses in laboratory training for both wheat (flour) and
maize (meal) analyses. They offer a one-day hands-on course for the most
imported analyses and a four-day practical course for all the different analyses
done for quality control including a lecture on Good Laboratory Practices
and Accreditation. Special course requests will be gladly accommodated.
FoodBev
Tel: 011 253 7300
www.foodbev.co.za
FoodBev is the Sector Education and Training Authority (SETA) responsible
for facilitating education and training in the food and beverages manufacturing
sector. Their chamber relevant to this chapter is the Baking, Cereals,
Confectionary and Snacks Chamber one.
The National Chamber of Milling is responsible for identifying and ensuring
that research projects relevant to the industry are carried out.

In addition to the websites listed in this chapter, the following will also be
of interest:
Animal Feed Manufacturers Association www.afma.co.za
Grain South Africa www.grainsa.co.za
SA Grain Information Service www.sagis.org.za
National Department of Agriculture www.daff.gov.za
National Agricultural Marketing Council www.namc.co.za
International websites will include:
International Association of Operative Millers Mideast Africa (IAOMMEA), www.iaom-mea.com
International Maize and Wheat Improvement Centre (CIMMYT),
www.cimmyt.org
International Centre for Agricultural for Agricultural Research in Dry
Areas (ICARDA), www.icarda.org
Find the Maize Market Value Chain Profile: 2010-2011 and the Wheat Market
Value Chain Profile: 2010-2011 under the Publications and Agricultural
Marketing options at www.daff.gov.za.
For maize related research documents and projects, contact the Maize
Trust at 012 807 3958 or fax 012 807 7090.
For wheat related research documents and projects, contact the Winter
Cereal Trust. Visit www.wintercerealtrust.co.za or call 012 663 1600.
Visit www.thebaker.co.za for details of The Baker, the publication for the
baking and milling industries in SA.
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Small and micro milling

1. Overview
Small milling can be defined as having a capacity of 1 ton/hr or under.
Micro milling can be defined as having capacities of up to 5 ton/hr.
There are huge growth opportunities within the milling industry at present,
both locally and in relation to exports to neighboring SADC countries.
There is sufficient room for expansion within the general milling market
due to the many diverse product requirements within the industry. Due
to relatively low start up and running costs, along with high returns and a
market opening for niche milled products, this would be an extremely viable
and sustainable investment for any group of investors.
Micro milling is highly suited to farmers because they already have industry
specific advantages of product, storage and labour. Similarly, people in rural
environments where finished product often incurs large price additions due
to transport and trader mark ups could offer a superior product at a lower
cost whilst still retaining large margins.
An opportunity to value add, diversify, increase skills, create jobs, boost rural
economies and contribute greatly to black economic empowerment exists
within micro milling. The Governments IPAPs (Industrial Policy Action Plan)
includes small milling as an area in which jobs can be created.
3. Black Economic Empowerment

Micro milling has been identified as an ideal BEE venture. In particular, it
should be of particular interest to a large processor who seeks to earn BEE
points for Enterprise Development.
Small milling can provide multiple benefits from end to end as the industry
encourages new skills development and lends itself towards empowering
communities to become self sufficient. Relatively low start up costs with
high returns facilitates a swift, upward incorporation into the economy.
The wider range of training options and backup available to the small/micro
milling industry provides entrants with further investment security. Other
factors such as minimal infrastructure requirements, low running costs,
transport savings amidst increasing fuel prices and the ability to easily
diversify product range make the small milling industry a profitable, viable
and sustainable business option.
One 3ton/hour milling plant has the potential to provide a rural community
with 330 tons/month of animal feed and 1300 tons per month of quality
maize meal enough to feed 150 000 people! The same project can
potentially generate 25-30 direct employment opportunities and up to
150 indirectly. Food costs in the vicinity of the small milling project can
be reduced by up to 25%.
The Governments role in pushing the small milling sector into the limelight
cannot be ignored or underestimated. The intervention consists of maize
mills embedded in a franchising business model that enable local,
affordable, quality product milling at competitive prices.
The expected outcomes are the provision of local markets; competitive
prices; job creation; poverty alleviation and enterprise development.

Africa Micro Mills has identified the following local small and micro milling
business opportunities:
Grain milling
localised milling: local production facilities throughout SADC
breweries and snack food industries: specialised maize grits
production and/or other maize products
baking industry: specialised biscuit wheat flours and biscuit/rusk
production lines
specialised continental bakery and pizza market: value-added 00
cake flour production for this burgeoning sector
infant food and breakfast cereal producers: rice flour milling
beverage and cereal products: barley flour milling
specialised baking market: rye flour milling
specialised Al-Dente pasta manufacture: Durum Wheat/Semolina
for production of authentic, top-quality Italian-style pastas
organic market: wheat and maize flour milling
Basic foods
bread: micro-bakeries
instant bread: premixes
famine relief and feeding programmes: vitamin enriched basic
foods
prisons & mine workers: extended shelf-life, non-refrigerated instant
nutrition
Source: Jane Higgins (African Micro Mills)
Just as there are forces positively contributing to the growth of the

independent milling sector, there are, of course, limiting factors as well.
For the most part, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) seems to
be attempting to address these shortfalls.
An excellent example of this is the Manufacturing Investment Grant of
15% in qualifying costs which clearly demonstrates commitment towards
minimal available financing options to start-up milling entrepreneurs.
Source: The Baker April 2011 p 34, 35
The National Chamber of Milling (NCM) is an option that is open to all
millers, including small and micro sectors. The NCM has a representative
who looks after small/micro millers interests. A list of small millers can be
obtained from the NCM. Find NCM details in the Milling chapter.

African Micro Mills offers concise introductory courses to basic milling
practices. Visit www.africanmicromills.com.
African Mill Mentors, an associate company to African Micro Mills, offers
a range of mentorship, advisory and equity participation options to the grain
milling and basic food production industries. Find their web pages at www.
africanmicromills.com.
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Small milling is included as a priority in AgriSETA planning (see AgriSETA

Strategic Plan for Period 2012-2016). Call 012 301 5600 or visit www.
agriseta.co.za.
FoodBev is responsible for facilitating education and training in the food
and beverages manufacturing sector. Call 011 253 7300 or visit www.
foodbev.co.za.
Training has historically been restricted to the theoretical courses which
culminated in trade tests carried out by the Grain Milling Federation. This
is predominantly aimed at people already in the traditional milling sectors.
(See Milling chapter for details, or visit www.grainmilling.org.za).
Tourism and agriculture

1. Overview
MLG (trainers, facilitators & mentors details under heading 7) are

AgriSETA and FoodBev SETA approved trainers. They offer National NQF
and SAQA accredited milling qualifications. The credentials are practically
and theoretically orientated. (www.mlg.co.za).
ABC Africa Group
Tel: 012 803 0036
www.millingsupply.com
African Micro Mills (Pty) Ltd
Tel: 031 584 6250
African Mill Mentors
Tel: 031 584 6250
Bag Closer
Tel: 011 768 2289
www.bagcloser.co.za
Buckle Packaging (Pty) Ltd
Tel: 011 613 8024
www.bucklepack.co.za
Drotsky
Tel: 011 864 1601
www.drotsky.co.za
MLG
Tel: 086 110 2177
www.mlg.co.za
MLG
offers
milling
and
entrepreneurial milling skills training
and mentoring programmes
Maximill Roller Mills
Tel: 056 217 1580/1
www.maximill.co.za
P Cubed
Tel: 012 803 8803
www.pcubed.co.za
Consultants
Plantkor
Tel: 036 468 1309
www.plantkor.co.za
ROFF Industries
Tel: 056 212 2696 / 7
www.roff.co.za
Stargate Scientific
Tel: 011 675 7433
Equipment
and
consumables
supplied to grain laboratories
Source: www.agritourismsa.co.za/contacts.htm
Tourism now contributes more to the countrys GDP than gold. It has been
identified as one of the sectors in which South Africa can create jobs (see
heading 4). It is labour intensive and, apart from a sincere intention towards
clients who are in ones care, need not require a high level of skills. And
when tourism is happening, jobs are not only created in the travel and
tourism sector, but also in many other areas of the economy.
Can farmers benefit more from tourism than they are presently doing?
Establishing accommodation on your farm to encourage getaways or
tourism can be a second revenue stream for your farm. We have listed a
number of farms that have some tourist element to them (heading 3), as
well as exploring possibilities under heading 2.
There is also the case were you yourself are the tourist. We are all interested
in case studies, in seeing how someone else got it right. It provides us with
ideas on measures we can implement in our own operations. Agricultural
tours can be a valuable platform for agriculturalists to share knowledge and
farming methods. Some of the role players listed in this chapter organise
these agricultural tours. There are others too, listed elsewhere in this
directory like the Agricultural Business Chamber and SA Biofarm, who
organise trips to other countries to study the methodologies and learn from
the experiences there.
Rural tourism is a concept which covers tourist activity devised
and managed by local people, and based on the strengths of the
natural and human environment.
Ecotourism is about travelling to a natural area to understand
the environment and history there whilst producing economic
opportunities that make conservation of natural resources financially
beneficial to local citizens (The Ecotourism Society, 1992).
Agritourism is a much narrower concept, referring to the different
forms of tourism related to agrarian activities and/or buildings
with an agrarian function. This particular form of rural tourism
is, therefore, run by farmers, usually as a secondary activity, with
farming remaining the principle occupation and source of income.
Often, a distinction is made between agritourism and the term farm
tourism (farmstays), which is used to refer simply to the use of
former farmhouses as tourist accommodation.
Sources: Peter Myles, Tourism Specialist, Kyle Business Projects
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2. Some farm and eco-tourism ideas

Few countries in the world have South Africas diverse farming diversity e.g.
a capacity for the production of bananas (a tropical fruit) as well as cherries
(which require a cold winter). In addition there is poultry as well as ostrich
meat, wine and dry fruit, all the grain types, red meat and dairy products,
and fresh potatoes throughout the year.
In recent years vast stretches of land have been studied and improved to
create new tourist destinations.
Two factors contribute to the attractiveness of a tourism region:
1. the primary features (software) climate, ecology, cultural attractions,
traditional architecture, land forms;
2. the secondary destination features (hardware) the developments
introduced specifically for tourists such as hotels, catering, transport,
activities and amusements.
Attractions on a farm could include:
Bed and Breakfast, self-catering accommodation
game viewing, hunting, bird watching, hiking, biking, 4 x 4 routes, fly
fishing, boating, horse riding and many more
rounding up cattle, mustering sheep, dipping, dosing, inoculating,
shearing
ploughing, planting, cultivating, harvesting
farmstays offer a nature-based tourism experience in an exclusive
environment
by mainstream traffic travelling on national highways from one destination

to another. Tourist routes comprise:
gateways and entry points
staging posts
destinations
distribution points
Consider signing concepts:
normal tourism advance turn signs turn off, in/onto tourism route /
area.
welcome signs entry points.
confirmation signs leaving a town.
tourist route marker signs.
information points strategic road junctions
Overall, the requirements for an agritourism route include:
birth of a new agritourism destination
tourism audit and analysis
strategy development
branding exercise based on International Best Practice
development of theme routes
electronic supported marketing/web page
capacity building
community involvement
strategy follows structure
What can you offer in terms of arts and crafts, adventure, cultural, historic,
agricultural, environmental, etc?
Source: Peter Myles, Tourism Specialist, Kyle Business Projects
Do some market research:

Who are your competitors?
What are they offering and at what price?
3. Some farm and eco-tourism examples
The next tasks for research are:

determine who your target customers are, demographically and
psychographically
how many of them are likely to visit you?
how often are they likely to visit you?
what would they like to experience?
how best do you reach them cost effectively?
Consider the advantages of clustering:
There are huge advantages for marketing farmstays in South Africa
if only farms in an area would co-operate in order to compete by
forming an agritourism cluster.
This would facilitate developing a strong brand identity, corporate
communications strategy, theme route and package tours e.g. wine
route.
Independent farms may be successful in attracting independent
travelers via a good interactive website, but generally tour operators
prefer a cluster of attractions and accommodation for group tours
Examples of clusters:
Thomas River Conservancy where nine farms clustered to form a 31
000 hectare conservancy built around the theme of the old railway
village of Thomas River
Kouga Canyons Conservancy 35 farms clustered to form an historic
conservation corridor linking the Baviaanskloof mega-reserve through
the Kouga Mountains to Tsitsikamma and recreating an ancient wildlife
migration route cut off by farming 250 years ago
Consider theme routes. In many parts of the world tourist routes have
opened up new areas for exploration that have previously been bypassed
Find the Farm visits option on www.greengoose.co.za, website of the

Green Goose Organic Farm, near the Cherry Capital of Ficksburg.
Red Baron Tomatoes also run farm visits. Find the Farm tours
option at www.redbaron.co.za.
Elandskloof Trout Farm runs a number of activities that you can learn
about at www.elandskloof.co.za.
Adem Guest Farm has a 4 Star rating obtained at the South African
Tourism Council, and is also affiliated with the AA. Find out why at
www.ademgasteplaas.co.za.
The Green Mountain Eco Route is about blending wine and
biodiversity. Find out more at www.greenmountain.co.za.
Read about the Mohair Meander at www.mohair.co.za (take the
Tourism option).
Why not spend a weekend at Amatola Wild Trout Flyfishing (www.
amatolaflyfishing.co.za), the first community owned and managed
recreational fishery in South Africa?
The Nicholsons developed a range of activities on their farm near
Richmond in KwaZulu-Natal. Read about the Roselands Outdoor
Adventure Centre at www.roselands.co.za.
See what is on offer at the Makana Goat Village www.
makanagoatvillage.org.za.
On the sunny northern slopes of the Amatola mountain range, 19
farmers have made over 31 000 hectares of beautiful farmland
available for conservation and recreation. Contact the Thomas River
Conservancy at 082 575 4923 or visit www.thomasriver.com.
Grant McIIrath is promoting a new concept in wildlife tourism. He does
not focus on the Big Five in the Karoo instead he focuses on the Shy
Five! These are porcupines, bat-eared foxes, aardvarks, aardwolves
and of course, meerkats. Contact the Meerkat Magic Project at 044
272 3077 / 082 413 6895 or visit www.meerkatmagic.com.
Taking the Activities/attractions option at www.bonnievale.co.za will
provide details of several farm tours/visits in the Western Cape. The
slogan for this route is the Valley of cheese and wine.
www.birdlife.org.za read about birding eco-tours
661
www.honeywoodfarm.co.za John Moody, former chairperson of the

South African Bee Industry Organisation, adds beekeeping and bee
products to several other agri-tourism activities at Honeywood Farm
like birding, horse riding and hiking.
Otters Haunt offers several cottages and activities, 2km from Parys.
Read more www.otters.co.za.
Williamsburg Mountain Reserve is situated 12km off the N9
between George and Uniondale. Read about its self-catering farm
accommodation at www.williamsburgfarm.net.
The Karoo Highlands Route runs through sheep-farming territory,
linking several towns like Sutherland, Williston, Beaufort West, Victoria
West. Attractions include Khoi and San rock art in the hills, and cycling
and hiking trails. Read more at www.openafrica.org/route/KarooHighlands-Route.
Included in the Clanwilliam route (see www.clanwilliam.info) is a
Rooibos Tour on the farm Elandsberg. Call 027 482 2022 (ask for
Chris).
Read about the first hotel in the world that offers a mushroom-inspired
experience, known as mycotourism, at www.wildmushroom.co.za.
Find the many farms offering accommodation at www.farmstay.co.za and
www.aatravel.co.za.

Find the B-BBEE Tourism Sector Code at www.thedti.gov.za.
Tourism is an important driver of both domestic and consumer spending and

foreign exchange earnings, underpinned by labour intensive activities and
relatively low barriers to entry by entrepreneurs, Collins Chabane, Minister
in the Presidency.
Based on the governments New Growth Path and focus on job creation,
the Department of Tourism and South Africa Tourism plans to increase the
current R199 billion contributed by the sector to the GDP to about R500
billion by 2020. Find the National Tourism Sector Strategy (NTSS) on www.
tourism.gov.za.
The National Rural Tourism Strategy, released in April 2012, emphasises
the development of rural tourism in stimulating job creation and economic
benefits.
The South African Domestic Tourism Growth Strategy (DTGS), released
in May 2012, recognises the role that domestic tourism (South African
touring the country) makes to the annual tourist volume and spend (76%
and R 20-billion in 2011).
Improving rural tourism infrastructure is included in Sip 11, the eleventh of
the Strategic Integrated Projects (SIPs) programme of the Presidential
Infrastructure Co-ordination Committee.
Department of Tourism
www.tourism.gov.za

www.npconline.co.za
Find contact details of branches Department of Agriculture,

and directorates on the website.
Directorate: Co-operatives &
Enterprise Development
Tel: 012 319 8133
Industry
Tourism Directorate
Tel: 012 394 1183 / 1372
South African Tourism (SAT)
www.thedti.gov.za
www.southafrica.net
The Internal Marketing Council of South Africa, now Brand South Africa,
is tasked with developing and implementing proactive and coordinated
marketing and communication strategies for the country. The slogan
South Africa: inspiring new ways replaced the Alive with possibility in
2012. Visit www.imc.org.za.
Provincial Tourism Authorities

Eastern Cape www.ectourism.co.za
Free State www.detea.fs.gov.za
Gauteng www.gauteng.net
KwaZulu-Natal www.zulu.org.za
Limpopo www.golimpopo.com
Mpumalanga www.mpumalanga.com
North West www.tourismnorthwest.co.za
Northern Cape www.northerncape.org.za
Western Cape www.tourismcapetown.co.za
In South Africa tourist guiding activities are regulated by the Tourism Second
Amendment Act, No.70 of 2000. According to the Act any person who wishes to be
involved in the tourist guiding activity must be registered.
5. Agricultural tours organisers

Agri Travel & Tours
Tel: 012 843 5722
www.agrivia.co.za
Agricultural Tours Worldwide
Tel: 082 447 7718
hestiecb@mweb.co.za
www.agritoursandtravel.com
Cape Agritours
Tel: 021 887 4257
info@capeagritours.co.za
www.capeagritours.co.za
Guttera Tours
Tel: 012 804 7605
guttera@netactive.co.za
www.guttera.co.za
Pride Safaris
Tel: 082 881 2690
info@pridesafaris.co.za
www.pridesafaris.co.za
Specialized Tours
Tel: 021 418 2302
specialt@iafrica.com
www.specialtours.co.za
6. General tourism role players

Agricultural Tour Operators
International (ATOI)
www.atoi.org
Bed and Breakfast Association

of South Africa (BABASA)
Tel: 012 480 4012 / 082 239 2111
www.babasa.co.za
ATOI is a worldwide association of

tour operators that specialise in the Fair Trade in Tourism South
business of agricultural travel.
Africa (FTTSA)
Tel: 012 342 2945/3642
www.fairtourismsa.org.za
Association of South African
Travel Agents (ASATA)
Tel: 011 327 7803
The FTTSA has been involved with
www.asata.co.za
the development of agritourism
clusters
Automobile Association of SA
Tel: 011 713 2000
Federated Hospitality
www.aatravel.co.za
Association of Southern Africa
(FEDHASA)
On the website find the many Tel: 011 726 6666
establishments
offering
farm www.fedhasa.co.za
accommodation.
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The National Accommodation

(NAA-SA)
Tel: 086 186 2272
www.naa-sa.co.za
SATSA is committed to promoting

SMME growth and dedicated to
providing as much information to
entrepreneurs wishing to start up
in the tourism industry.
NAA-SA
represents
smaller South African Youth Travel
accommodation establishments. Confederation (SAYTC)
Find the links to the NAA-SA www.backpackingsouthafrica.co.za
provincial affiliates on the website.
Tourism Business Council of
South Africa (TBCSA)
National Association
Tel: 012 654 7525
of Conservancies and
www.tbcsa.org.za
Stewardships of South Africa
(NACSSA)
www.nacsa.co.za
Tourism Grading Council of
South Africa (TGCSA)
Conservancy status offers security Tel: 011 895 3000
benefits to farmers, encourages www.tourismgrading.co.za
community
cooperation
and
promotes regional tourism (see the Vacation Ownership Association
chapter on conservancies in this of Southern Africa (VOASA)
directory). Many conservancies Formerly Time Share Institute of
offer self-catering, fully catered or South Africa
Bed & Breakfast options.
Tel: 021 914 9693
www.voasa.co.za
Southern Africa Tourism
Services Association (SATSA)
Tel: 086 127 2872 (Head Office)
www.satsa.com
Consultants
Associations offer help and
services to newcomers. Find out
about what the Bed and Breakfast
(BABASA) can do for you, for
example. See www.babasa.co.za.
Complete Solutions
Consultants
Tel: 012 543 0425
www.csolc.co.za
Kyle Business Projects

Peter Myles: Tourism Specialist
Tel: 041 582 5289
www.kylebusiness.co.za
Kyle Business Projects has been
working with Fair Trade in Tourism
South Africa (FTTSA) to develop
agritourism clusters in rural areas.
Mokgalaka Business
Help with accessing the different Tel: 015 622 0543 / 082 467 2863
financial
incentives
from
government to the tourism
industry

Bed and Breakfast Association
of South Africa (BABASA)
Tel: 082 239 2111
www.babasa.co.za
Birdlife South Africa
Tel: 011 789 1122
www.birdlife.org.za
Technology
School of Tourism, Hospitality and
Sport
Tel: 051 507 3115
www.cut.ac.za

Institute
Birdlife South Africa runs an avi- Tel: 021 808 5451
career entrepreneurial programme, www.elsenburg.com
contributing bird guides to the
Fair Trade in Tourism South
eco-tourism industry.
Africa (FTTSA)
Tel: 012 342 2945/3642
CATHSSETA
www.fairtourismsa.org.za
Tel: 011 217 0600
www.fttsacertification.org.za
www.cathsseta.org.za
CATHSSETA is the responsible
Sector Education and Training
Authority (SETA) for tourism.
Contact
them
for
training
providers, as well as for SMME
support/advice.
The FTTSA runs seminars in

partnership with Unisa
Southern Africa (FGASA)
Tel: 011 886 8245
www.fgasa.org.za
Getsmarter
Tel: 021 447 7565
www.getsmarter.co.za
University
courses
accredited
short
Limpopo Field Guiding

Academy
Tel: 014 740 0153
www.limpopotraining.co.za
South Africa Fundi Tourism

Expert Course
Tel: 083 123 6789
www.safundi.net
Tourism Enterprise Partnership
(TEP)
www.tep.co.za
School of Tourism and Hospitality
Your local tourism authority will Tel: 011 559 1141
know about available training (see www.uj.ac.za
heading 4)
Nelson Mandela Metropolitan Environmental Sciences
Dr J Maryann Green
University
Tel: 033 260 5271
George Campus (Saasveld)
green@ukzn.ac.za
Tel: 044 801 5111
george-info@nmmu.ac.za
Centre for Environmental Studies
Environmental Tourism
Prof Deon Wilson
Institute for Tourism and Leisure Tel: 012 420 4415
deon.wilson@up.ac.za
Studies
Tel/fax: 018 299 4140
www.tourisminstitute.co.za
College
BA, BCom and BSc qualifications in Tel: 015 793 7300
tourism are offered.
Finance
This area is thoroughly covered in the Department of Tourisms excellent
handbook How to start and grow your own tourism business, which can
be downloaded from www.tourism.gov.za.
Business Partners Tourism
Fund
Tel: 0861 763 346
www.businesspartners.co.za
provincial tourism departments)

have funding available for small or
start-up businesses.

Corporation
Unit: Investment and Trade
Promotion
Tel: 043 704 5600 / 5710
tourism@ecdc.co.za
www.ecdc.co.za
Tourism Enterprise Partnership

(TEP)
www.tep.co.za
A number of the large commercial Corporation (IDC)
banks have tourism finance desks. Tourism SBU
(Tourism Sectoral Focus)
Tel: 0860 693 888
Complete Solutions
www.idc.co.za
Consultants
Tel: 012 543 0425
www.csolc.co.za
Safari & Tourism Insurance
Brokers (SATIB)
Help access available funds and Tel: 0861 728 4248
www.satib.co.za
incentives in the tourism sector
Vumelana Advisory Fund

Tel: 011 612 2000
www.vumelana.org.za
Training, support and establishment

of guides and black entrepreneurs Read about the various tourist
projects on the website.
Various Government departments (such as the DTI and the
The Emerging Tourism Entrepreneur of the Year Award (ETEYA) is an
annual event which recognises emerging entrepreneurs for their ability
to start up and run viable businesses. The winner is chosen from finalists
from the nine provinces. TEP, a co-sponsor of the award, provides free
consulting services to the finalists ensuring their tourism enterprises grow
from strength to strength.
663

How to start and grow your tourism business is a handbook compiled
by the Department of Tourism, which explains the various types of
business assistance that is available to small businesses including financial
assistance. This, and various other publications, can be accessed at
www.tourism.gov.za (find the Essential Downloads option).
Tourism in South Africa (Third Edition) Marthinus Jordaan (Editor) ISBN
978-0-620-52067-6. This publication is a comprehensive reference
guide on the tourism industry and includes a whole chapter on farm
holidays. It is also available as a DVD. Take the Tourism option at
www.mjsjordaan.co.za or call 084 577 3226.
Ecotourism: getting back to basics M Saayman (editor) ISBN 978-186822-546-0
Adventures with Nature has several books related to tourism, or that a
tourist to South Afrixa would enjoy reading. Visit www.awn.co.za.
South African Tourism Services Association (SATSA) publications
include: Tips To Ensure That Your Business Will Succeed; Developing
An Accommodation Establishment; Developing An Attraction; How Do I
Register The Business Legally, And Why Should This Be Done?; How Do I
Register A Domain Or Website Name? Contact SATSA at 011 886 9996.
Find the Department of Trade and Industry study, Avitourism in South
Africa (Niche Tourism Markets) under Publications at www.thedti.gov.
za. The publication includes notes on how to start your own avitourism
business.
Environment Autumn 2011 / Issue 6 ran several articles on eco-tourism.
Contact Future Publishing at 011 803 2040.
www.hospitalityforum.co.za the only internet portal in sub-Saharan
Africa offering a comprehensive supplier database defined by category,
product or by brand, essential in the running, upgrading, redecorating,
refurbishing or managing a hospitality venue.
Your local tourism authority usually has various brochures and pamphlets
about starting your own tourism business. Contact them, or try their
website (see heading 4).
General South African

www.southafrica.net The official South African Tourism website
Refer to the South African Travel Guide website for all regions - travel
essentials, all towns and cities, an online provincial map, live online
advice. www.southafrica.org.za
www.selfdrivesa.com Tour South Africa and the region at your own
pace with a large degree of flexibility. You can choose the type of car
for hire, the standard of the accommodation, the time of the year to
visit etc
www.aatravel.co.za AA Travel Guide.
www.bokbus.com a five-day, four-night Garden Route tour
Read about the micro breweries in South Africa at http://
microbreweries.co.za. Many of these provide a tourist experience and
accommodation.
www.sagoodnews.co.za a website which reports positive
developments in South Africa.
The catering trade exhibition, www.hostex.co.za
International
The report, Tourism Towards 2030, confirms that international tourism
will continue to grow, forecasting an average of 43 million additional
people becoming international tourists every year. This figure, which
corresponds to a 3.3% annual increase, represents a more moderate
growth pace in the industry than in previous years. Find the report
at www.unwto.org, website of the United Nations World Tourism
Organisation.
A website marketing farmstays in New Zealand www.ruralholidays.
co.nz
Read about what this Canadian honey farmer has done to turn his farm
into an adventure farm see www.clovermead.com.
www.wftga.org World Federation of Tourist Guide Associations
Wine
1. Overview
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 the ideal
conditions for viticulture. The Western Cape produces over 90% of South
Africas wines.
The wine industry in South Africa goes beyond what is usually understood
by the word wine. Brandy and its building blocks rebate wine and
distilling wine as well as grape juice and its concentrate are included,
as wine grapes are used to produce all these. The products below all are
relevant to this chapter.
Natural wine is non-fortified and non-sparkling wine. It also includes
any grape juice or must and grape juice or must concentrate used in
the sweetening of such natural wine.
Fortified wine is non-sparkling wine which has been fortified with wine
spirit and has a higher alcohol level than natural wine.
Sparkling wine which includes any grape juice or must and grape juice or
must concentrate used in the sweetening of such sparkling wine.
Rebate wine is wine specially prepared for double distillation in a copper
pot still and then, as distillate, maturation for a period of at least three
years in oak casks with a capacity of not more than 340 litres.
Distilling wine is wine specially prepared for distillation to spirits
intended for use in other spirits, for fortification of wine or for industrial
purposes.
Non-alcoholic refers to unfermented, undiluted or concentrated juice
from grapes destined for use in non-alcoholic products such as fruit
juices.

For advice on export opportunities, or to contact potential overseas agents
or distributors, contact WOSA or visit www.wosa.co.za. For export statistics,
international grape prices, certification, regulations and issuing of licences,
contact SAWIS or visit www.sawis.co.za.
South Africa is the 8th largest wine producer in the world, behind Italy,
France, Spain, USA, Argentina, China and Australia. Find the statistics menu
option at www.oiv.int, website of the International Organisation of Vine and
Wine (Organisation Internationale de la Vigne et du Vin OIV).
Wines of South Africa (Wosa) represents all exporters of South African
wines and the generic promotion of Trademark SA overseas. It has branches
in Sweden, Canada, Germany, Denmark, The Netherlands, the UK and the
USA, among others.
South African wine exports have increased enormously since 1994. The EU
is the top export destination, and new opportunities and growth in nontraditional markets such as the USA, Canada and Asia have also opened
up. Compared to domestic production and exports, only a small amount of
wine is imported in cases where the domestic demand for certain varieties
cannot be met.
An export licence has to be obtained for all export wines. Before a licence
is granted, samples of each consignment destined for a foreign country
have to be sent to the Wine and Spirits Board at the ARC-InfruitecNietvoorbij, where they are subjected to tasting tests and chemical analyses
in laboratories. The Wine and Spirits Board provides each bottle with a seal
to confirm that the statements on the label regarding origins, vintage and
wine grape variety are true. On its part, each country also requires certain
664
documentation and compliance with certain regulations for instance, the

alcohol content and the particular countrys legislation with regard to health
warnings on wine labels have to be observed.
Some other international websites
www.winedirectory.org
www.winespectator.com
www.decanter.com
www.just-drinks.com
www.newworldwinemaker.com
www.wineanorak.com
Find the statistics option at www.sawis.co.za.

An extensive distribution network of wholesalers and retailers, as well as
co-operative cellars, estates and other organisations which market wine
directly, ensure that wine products reach consumers around the country.
The huge increase in trade and consumer shows, wine festivals, food and
wine festivals and regional festivals has also created an important channel
though which wine can be brought directly to the consumer.
Primary wine grape producers and producer cellars have been under severe
financial pressure due to the increasing cost-price squeeze. Cost expenditure
on farm and cellar level has increased by 34% and 83% respectively over
the past seven years. Over the same time, while the average retail price on
a 750 litre rose 59% (the excise duty on wind rose 83%), the price farmers
get for their grapes rose by 17%, a study released by Vinpro and Sawis at
the beginning of 2012 showed.
Categories of wine producers:
Estate wineries, which can make wine only from grapes grown on
their own land;
Co-operatives, which on a communal basis process the grapes of their
farmer member shareholders into wine these co-operatives alone
have invested vast amounts in production equipment and they press
about 80% of South Africas total wine harvest;
Independent cellars and a number of wholesalers who buy in both
grapes and wine, and make wine for bottling under their brand
names, as well as making wine from grapes grown on their own
wine farms.
See the SA Wine Industry Directory, wine.co.za or speak to Sawis about
distributors of and agents for wine products as well as dates of shows and
festivals taking place throughout the year.
INDUSTRY ISSUES
Issues around ethical trading, responsible alcohol consumption and socioeconomic upliftment are important components of the wine industry and
have received al lot of attention over the past few years.
The representative authority and

policy-making body on the social
aspects of alcohol consumption.
Members include SAB Ltd, Distell,
Guinness UDV, DGB Pty Ltd, KWV
and E Snell & Co.
Fairtrade South Afrika
Tel: 021 448 8911
www.fairtradelabel.org.za
Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS), by

providing a training network and
community support.
Aims to offer specialised educational

assistance to underprivileged
children between 2 12 years of
age, particularly those affected by
Wine and Agricultural Ethical

Trade Association (Wieta)
Tel: 021 880 0580
www.wieta.org.za
Black Economic Empowerment (BEE)
Association for Responsible

Alcohol Use (ARA)
Tel: 021 886 4327
www.ara.co.za
Pebbles Project
Tel: 072 472 2797
www.pebblesproject.co.za
Dopstop Vereniging
Tel: 021 883 8780
www.dopstop.org.za
A non-profit organisation striving
to create empowered and sound
rural agricultural communities
by
promoting
sustainable
improvement in their standard of
living and by enabling them, among
other things, to take control of
alcohol and drug abuse.
The Wine Industry Transformation Charter is regarded by government as a

sub-charter of the AgriBEE Charter. It includes scorecards, guidelines and
commitment statements from all role players in the wine industry, including
the government, to work towards the sustainable implementation of black
economic empowerment, land reform and transformation in the wine
industry.
As part of the industrys commitment to black economic empowerment,
transformation and land reform, government, together with organisations,
individual producers and related businesses, are actively involved in setting
up new producers from historically disadvantaged groups, supporting and
uplifting farm workers and their communities, assisting new producers with
regard to marketing and access to related services, and offering training.
Several wine producers have set up joint businesses with their workers in
order to promote co-ownership and transfer wine farm management and
wine-making skills. Interest was initially aroused by the political background
of the projects, but since then the quality of these wines has been acclaimed
and support for exports is becoming stronger.
Many private initiatives are also aimed at extending ownership to
communities living in wine producing regions. Returns on wine sales are
ploughed back into the communities to improve their standard of living.
For details, contact the organisations listed below and visit the Wosa website
for background and a list of empowerment initiatives.
Black Association of the Wine
& Spirit Industry (Bawsi)
www.bawsi.org.za
VinPro BEE Advisory Service

Tel: 021 807 3322
www.vinpro.co.za
The main objectives of BAWSI are

the social upliftment of people
living on farms, the implementation
of fair labour practices, and to play
a significant role in empowering its
members to gain ownership in the
wine industry.
This section of VinPro strives to be

a one-stop service a central point
producers can contact when they
become involved in BEE.
SA Wine Industry Trust (Sawit)

Tel: 021 889 8101
www.sawit.co.za
Sawit focuses on transforming
of the wine industry, setting up
new producers from historically
disadvantaged
backgrounds,
supporting and uplifting farm
workers and their communities
in the wine industry, and assisting
new viticulturists with marketing
and access to related services.
Wine Industry Development

Association (WIDA)
Tel: 021 872 9181
http://wida.co.za
WIDAs mission statement is To be
the key industry body responsible
for initiating, facilitating, coordinating
and
monitoring
transformation through economic
empowerment, social upliftment
and human capacity development in
the South African wine industry.
Environmental issues
The Integrated Production of Wine (IPW) is a technical system for
sustainable wine production, covering the wine industry as a whole. One
of the main principles of the IPW system is that production should be in
harmony with nature a principle which is also upheld by the Biodiversity
and Wine Initiative (BWI). The system was created in 1998 and published in
accordance with the Liquor Products Act 60 of 1989. It includes guidelines
and recommendations on what should be done, as well as minimum
standards. See www.ipw.co.za.
665
South African wine producers are becoming increasingly aware of the

importance of protecting indigenous plant species and environmentally
friendly viticulture, and this is used as a unique marketing tool in overseas
markets, where consumers are showing a marked preference for wines
produced under environmentally friendly conditions.
Biodiversity and Wine Initiative (BWI)
Tel: 021 888 2865
bwi@sawb.co.za
www.bwi.co.za
The BWI is a partnership concluded by the South African wine industry
and the conservation sector with a view to reducing further encroachment
upon the endangered natural habitat to a minimum and contributing to
sustainable wine production by accepting guidelines on biodiversity.

www.daff.gov.za
Quality Assurance Division
Liquor Products
Tel: 021 809 1602
Fax: 021 887 6392/6
Directorate: Agricultural Product

Inspection Services
Tel: 012 319 6004
www.nda.agric.za/docs/
plantquality/default.htm
You are invited to contact the following for information on how regulations
and legislation impact the wine industry:
SALBA for customs and excise duty, liquor licensing: 021 887
0117
Wine and Spirit Board for certification, government regulations:
021 889 6555
WOSA for export requirements: 021 883 3860 www.wosa.co.za
Cultivar development groups

Chardonnay Forum Tel: 021 880 1682 matthew@uvamira.co.za
Chenin Blanc Association Tel: 021 853 1454 www.chenin.co.za
Garagiste Movement Tel: 021 855 4275 www.garagiste.co.za
Mthode Cap Classique Producers Association (MCCPA) Tel:
083 309 7621 elsabe@efpromosies.co.za
Muscadel South Africa Tel: 023 344 3021 winemaker@badsberg.
co.za
Pinotage Association Tel: 083 309 7621 www.pinotage.co.za
Pinot Noir Interest Group Tel: 028 312 3595 neilhrv@hermanus.
co.za
Sauvignon Blanc Interest Group Tel: 083 357 3864 sbig@dW.co.za
Shiraz Forum Tel: 082 924 7254 info@shiraz.co.za
SA Brandy Foundation Tel: 021 882 8954 www.sabrandy.co.za
SA Port Producers Association (Sappa) Tel: 044 213 3326
boplaas@mweb.co.za
Regional wine associations

Breedekloof Wine and Tourism (Rawsonville) www.breedekloof.
com
Calitzdorp Wine Route www.calitzdorp.co.za
Darling Wine and Art Experience www.darlingtourism.co.za
Durbanville Wine Valley www.durbanvillewine.co.za
Helderberg Wine Route www.helderbergwineroute.co.za
Klein Karoo Wine Route www.kleinkaroowines.co.za
Oranjerivier wynroete www.owk.co.za
Paarl Vintners www.paarlwine.co.za
Robertson Wine Valley www.robertsonwinevalley.co.za
Stellenbosch Wine Route www.wineroute.co.za
Swartland Wine Route www.swartlandwineroute.co.za
Tulbagh Wine Route www.tulbaghwineroute.com
Vignerons de Franschhoek www.franschhoekwines.co.za
Wellington Wine Route www.wellington.co.za
Worcester Wine and Olive Route www.worcesterwineroute.
co.za
Other role players and associations
South African Liquor Brand
Owners Association (Salba)
Tel: 021 887 0117
beaty@salba.co.za
members, which represents them

in dealings with the government
and on all relevant wine industry
forums.
Salba is a non-profit organisation

representing
the
overlapping
interests of manufacturers and
distributors of liquor products in
South Africa. Among others, issues
include promotion of the long-term
viability of members businesses by
means of responsible brand name
development in a competitive
environment.
Wine Cellars South Africa

Mr Henk Bruwer
Tel: 021 887 3334
wksa@lantic.net
VinPro
Tel: 021 807 3322
info@vinpro.co.za
www.vinpro.co.za
VinPro is the service organisation for
4 500 South African wine producer
This representative organisation

for producer cellars and marketers
protects their interests on all
industry forums with regard to wine
legislation, zexports, marketing,
labour relations, BEE, technical
wine making issues and relations
with the government. WCSA also
offers guidance regarding harvest
management, price segmentation,
legislation and long-term planning.
Cape Estate Wine Producers Association (Cewpa) Tel: 021 872

6393 elsabe@efpromosies.co.za
Cape Winemakers Guild (CWG) Tel: 021 852 0408 www.
capewinemakersguild.com
Independent Vignerons Tel: 021 886 4867 stlandbo@mweb.co.za
Institute for Cape Wine Masters Tel: 011 024 3616 / 082 551 5545
www.capewinemasters.co.za
Rootstock Tel: 021 885 0509 www.rootstock.co.za
SA National Wine Show Association (SANWA) www.veritas.co.za
Wine Industry Development Association (WIDA) Tel: 021 872
9181 http://wida.co.za
6. Education and training

Cape Peninsular University
of Technology
Food Technology
Tel: 021 959 6176
www.cput.ac.za
National Diplomas in agriculture and

agricultural management, as well as
BTech Crop Production (viticulture
and oenology) and MTech degrees
(viticulture only).
Cape Wine Academy

Tel: 021 889 8844
michelle@capewineacademy.
co.za
www.capewineacademy.co.za
A wide range of courses, from

appreciation to an in-depth knowledge
of wine, are offered at different levels
to the public, tertiary institutions and
traders.
666
Elsenburg Agricultural
Training Institute
Tel: 021 808 7709
www.elsenburg.com
Degrees (Cellar Technology) and

a Diploma (Cellar Technology)
cover aspects like wine chemistry,
microbiology, oenology, marketing,
legislation and management
FoodBev Seta
Tel: 011 253 7300
www.foodbev.co.za
FoodBev is the SETA responsible for

facilitating education and training in
the food and beverages manufacturing
sector.
Institute for Wine

Biotechnology
Tel: 021 808 3770
www.sun.ac.za/wine_
biotechnology
Postgraduate studies in Agriculture or

Viticulture and Wine Biotechnology from
an honours degree to a doctorate.
South African Agri

Academy
Tel: 021 880 1276
info@agriacademy.co.za
Practical training in the industry, focusing

on strategic market access and exports
to businesses in different agricultural
sectors, including mentorships for
emerging producers in the wine
industry.
Dept of Viticulture &
Oenology
Tel: 021 808 4782
www.sun.ac.za/viti_oenol/
Undergraduate
and
postgraduate
degrees in Agriculture, Agricultural
Administration and the opportunity to
specialise in Viticulture and Oenology.
The Wine Academy

Tel: 011 482 9178
crossley@reciprocal.co.za
Training of producers, restaurateurs,

traders and the media in wine
evaluation
7. Research and development

Several institutions and research bodies undertake important research,
and the knowledge gleaned from this is ploughed back into the industry in
the form of journals, magazines, and presentations at information days or
farmers days. Producers pay a statutory levy, part of which is allocated to
research. Government institutions, private businesses, financial institutions
and so forth also contribute financially.
ARC-InfruitecNietvoorbij
Tel: 021 809 3018
infocape@arc.agric.za
www.arc.agric.za
A world-renowned, one-stop research

facility where the most advanced technology
is generated for SA industries such as
deciduous fruit, grapes, wine, brandy and
several others. The Institute supplies a
needs-driven service in order to ensure
the economic viability and growth of these
industries, and research is strictly focused
on practical implementation.
Council for Scientific

and Industrial Research
(CSIR)
Dr Esbeth van Dyk
Tel: 021 888 2614
fevandyk@csir.co.za
The CSIR, together with Stellenbosch

University, have been involved with the
PricewaterhouseCoopers South African
Wine Industry Insights Survey reports.
Institute for Wine

Biotechnology (IWBT)
Tel: 021 808 3770
ccav@sun.ac.za
www.sun.ac.za/wine_
biotechnology
Research is done on the genetic

improvement of wine ferments, bacteria and
wine grape cultivars. The two main fields of
research are fermentation-biotechnology
(wine aroma, wine fermentation and
processing, gene regulation, etc) and
viticultural biotechnology (stress-resistant
grape cultivars, diseases and environmental
conditions).
SA Society for Enology

and Viticulture
(SASEV)
Tel: 021 889 6311
sasev@sasev.org
www.sasev.org
A scientific association servicing the wine,

wine grape and related industries by
distributing the most advanced relevant
scientific knowledge to its members
via workshops, seminars and an annual
congress as well as a number of international
congresses. A scientific journal, the South
African Journal for Enology and Viticulture is
distributed twice annually.
Winetech
Tel: 021 807 3324
booysenj@winetech.co.za
www.winetech.co.za
This network of knowledge and technology

pertaining to the wine industry co-ordinates
and finances research, training and the
transfer of technology in the wine industry.
Research partners include ARC-InfruitecNietvoorbij, ARC Plant Protection, the
Institute for Wine Biotechnology and the
Universities of Cape Town, Stellenbosch and
Pretoria. The Technology Transfer Project
is aimed at taking research results and the
most advanced technology directly to the
producer in the form of information days,
farmers days and viticultural, winemakers
and farm worker study groups co-ordinated
by VinPro. A research output data base
listing research projects is available on
www.sawislibrary.co.za and articles are
published in the Wineland Magazine.
Wine Grape Association Manages the South African Plant

Tel: 021 872 1831
Certification Scheme for Wine Grapes as
plantpom@iafrica.com
provided by the Plant Improvement Act
53 of 1976 and stipulated by the National
Minister of Agriculture. Plant improvement
occurs uniformly by applying regulations
regarding vine cultivation and the selection,
evaluation, testing and release of viticultural
material.
VinPro
Tel: 021 807 3322
info@vinpro.co.za
www.vinpro.co.za
A financial survey, the Production Plan, is done

annually by means of study groups in each
of the wine producing regions to determine
the average production costs incurred by
producers in each region. The research
project also includes start-up costs, breakeven costs, target income, grape prices and
labour. The results are available on the web
page. Excellent, updated knowledge and
technology is also made available by the
VinPro Consultation Service via its regional
viticultural consultants, soil scientist and
oenologist.
Refer to Sawis, the SA Wine Industry Directory and www.wine.co.za for
comprehensive lists of producers, cellars, wine and liquor companies, providers,
agents etc.

The SA Wine Industry Directory (Sawid), published annually by WineLand
Publications, is a most comprehensive resource for the wine industry. It
contains all the statistics, cultivars, wine makers, viticulturalists, distributors,
667
organisations, wine routes, cellars, wine competitions and other industry

interests one could wish for. Call 021 863 4524, write to in@wineland.
co.za or visit www.wineland.co.za. WineLand Publications also publish two
journals, WineLand (incorporating Wynboer) and Fynproe, a manual entitled
Basic Wine-making (English, Afrikaans & Xhosa), the Wynboer Technical
Yearbook and South African Trilingual Wine Industry Dictionary (English,
Afrikaans and isiXhosa).
The Certification Manual and Labelling guide for South African wine are
available at www.sawis.co.za.
Find Industrial Products: Wine Market Value Chain 2010-2011 on www.daff.
gov.za (take the Publications and Agriculture Marketing options).
Monty Waldins Biodynamic Wine Guide 2011 ISBN 978-0-9566678-0-9
Sign up for the Vinpro newsletter at www.vinpro.co.za for news, technical
articles and more.
A series of full colour pamphlets from the ARC-Infruitec-Nietvoorbij
discusses how to identify, control and prevent various diseases and pests in
the vineyard. Call 021 809 3100.
Find the various National Agricultural Marketing Council reports e.g. Wine
study, Production cost of wine grapes etc at www.namc.co.za.
Contact PricewaterhouseCoopers for various studies done in the wine
industry e.g. The South African Wine Industry: Insights Survey 2012. Call 021
808 0400 or send an email to frans.weiibach@za.pwc.com.
www.wine.co.za is an all-encompassing web site containing news about
South African and international wines, a diary indicating generalities,
dates pertaining to the industry, trading days and show days, and a
search engine for finding wine makers, cellars, distributors or different
kinds of wine. It offers a platform for overseas agents to contact local
producers, to facilitate trade between buyers and sellers of grapes,
bottled and bulk wine and equipment, and undertakes market surveys
that can be used to promote marketing.
www.sawis.co.za is the authoritative web site for statistics regarding the

SA wine industry, including the harvest, area occupied by vines, exports,
domestic sales, certification, Wine and Spirits Board regulations and so
on. Links to the Sawis Library and the Winetech research data base can
also be found on the web page.
www.vinpro.co.za is a collection point for news with an impact on the
wine industry in the printed and electronic media, including the harvest,
markets, best practices, excise, transformation and empowerment,
fuel prices, the power issue and agriculture in general.
www.wosa.co.za contains overview and news about the South African
wine industry for potential importers.
Journals and wine tasting guides
WineLand: www.wineland.co.za
Wynboer Technical Yearbook www.wineland.co.za
Grape: www.grape.co.za
WINE Magazine www.winemag.co.za
John Platter Wine Guide www.platteronline.com
On-line wine sales
www.winedirectonline.co.za
www.cybercellar.co.za
www.capewineandfood.com
www.sawinesonline.co.uk
www.vineyardconnection.co.za
www.winecellar.co.za
www.wineseller.co.za
www.ewine.co.za
www.sawines.com
www.agwines.com
www.wineweb.co.za
www.wineconcepts.co.za
Wine shows and competitions

Contact the SA National Wine Show Association c/o 021 807 3104. The
SA Wine Industry Directory and www.wine.co.za can also be consulted for a
complete list and dates of wine competitions and shows.
Our thanks to Elsab Ferreira for assistance with some contact details.
668
The success of South Africas economy agriculture included is

interlinked with that of the region.
beyond our borders
The Regional Indicative Strategic Development Plan (RISDP) and the

Strategic Indicative Plan of the Organs (SIPO) contain SADCs long-term
strategy for:
The Southern African

Developmental Community (SADC)
Refer also to the opening chapter, Africa and agriculture
Find the information on the RISDP and SIPO under Key documents at
www.sadc.int.
1. Overview
The potential of the SADC region in terms of trade and market
opportunity is immense, with SADC possessing a market of some 257
million people, compared to South Africas 51 million plus.
Three countries (the Democratic Republic of Congo, South Africa and
Tanzania) account for almost two thirds of the total SADC population
(64.4%), while the five smallest members (Swaziland, Mauritius,
Botswana, Namibia and Lesotho) comprise 4%.
The picture is a mixed one. In a region that has abundant resources, 40
% of the people live on less than one US dollar per day. Yet while we
know about the booming economic growth of countries like China and
India, we are not as aware that some of the fastest growing economies
in the world are right on our doorstep e.g. Angola, Botswana, Mauritius
and Mozambique.
Country
Flag
Population
deepening regional integration

contributing to accelerated economic growth
eradication of poverty
achievement of sustainable pattern of economic growth
Since most SADC economies are pre-dominantly agricultural based and

food dominates agricultural trade among SADC countries, enhanced
trade in value-added agricultural products potentially provides a tool
for fighting poverty in the region, promoting regional integration, and
increasing economic growth and welfare.
developed by the South African Government. Each SIP comprises of specific
infrastructure components and programmes. SIP 17, Regional Integration
for African cooperation and development, looks outward to the other
African states.
Languages
Currency
Internet
domain
Int dialling
code
Angola
19.6 million
(UN, 2011)
Portuguese (official), Umbundu, Kimbundu, Kikongo
1 kwanza = 100 lwei
.ao
+244
Botswana
2 million
(UN, 2011)
English, Setswana
1 Pula = 100 thebe
.bw
+267
DRC
67.7 million
(UN, 2011)
French, Lingala, Kiswahili, Kikongo, Tshiluba
1 Congolese franc = .cd

100 centimes
+243
Lesotho
2.2 million
(UN, 2011)
Sesotho and English
1 loti (L) = 100 .ls

lisente
+266
Madagascar
21.3 million
(UN, 2011)
Malagasy (official), French
Ariary
+261
Malawi
15.4 million
(UN, 2011)
English, Chichewa (both official)
1 Malawi kwacha .mw

(MK) = 100 tambala
+265
Mauritius
1.3 million
(UN, 2011)
English (official), Creole, French, Indian languages
1
Mauritian .mu
rupee=100 cents
+230
Mozambique
23.9 million
(UN, 2011)
Portuguese (official), Makua-Lomwe, Swahili, other

indigenous languages
1 metical (plural .mz

meticais) = 100
+258
Namibia
2.3 million
(UN, 2011)
English (official), Afrikaans, German, Oshivambo,

Herero, Nama
1 Namibian dollar = .na

100 cents
+264
Seychelles
86,500
(UN, 2010)
English, French, Creole
1 Seychelles rupee = .sc

100 cents
+248
South Africa
50.5 million
(UN, 2011)
11 official languages including Afrikaans, English,

Sesotho, Setswana, Xhosa and Zulu
1 Rand = 100 cents
+27
Swaziland
1.2 million
(UN, 2010)
Swazi, English (both official)
1 Lilangeni = 100 .sz

cents
+268
Tanzania
45 million
(UN, 2010)
English, Swahili
1 Tanzanian shilling = .tz

100 cents
+255
Zambia
13.5 million
(UN, 2011)
English (official), Bemba, Lozi, Nyanja, Tonga
1 Kwacha = 100 .zm

ngwee
+260
Zimbabwe
12.7 million
(UN, 2011)
English (official), Shona, Sindebele
1 Zimbabwe dollar = .zw

100 cents
+263
.mg
.za
669
2. Some country role players

Angola
BDA (Angolas Development Bank) www.bda.ao
CAE (Business Support Centre) www.caeangola.com
www.anip.co.ao Angolan Agency for Private Investment (ANIP)
(find the English menu option). Agriculture is one of the targeted
industry sectors where investment is promoted. Find notes on the
business tax rates, investment protection, required documents, notes
on how long you can expect to wait for the approval and what happens
after approval etc.
Department of Commerce www.dnci.net (in Portuguese only)
Government of Angola www.governo.gov.ao
The Ministry of Finance website, www.minfin.gv.ao, lists projects
happening in energy, agriculture, education, transport, roads.
For more information on the countrys oil production, visit www.
sonangol.co.ao.
The Tourism menu option at www.portalangop.co.ao will take you
to a map showing the 18 provinces of Angola. Clicking on a province
brings up information relevant to that province. This is the website of
the Angola Press Agency (ANGOP). The information is available in
Portuguese, English, French and Spanish. Included in the information
is the news across different categories and a feature on investing in
Angola.
Botswana
Government of Botswana www.gov.bw. Find contact details for
government Ministries (including Agriculture), local authorities and
parastatals here.
Botswana Agricultural Union (BAU) Tel: +267 71321160
Bank of Botswana www.bankofbotswana.bw
Botswana Export Development and Investment Authority
(BEDIA) www.bedia.bw
Botswana Development Corporation (BDC) www.bdc.bw
Botswana Unified Revenue Service www.burs.org.bw
Botswana International Financial Services Centre (IFSC) www.
ifsc.co.bw.
Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)

The Presidency www.presidentrdc.cd
Ministry of Mining www.miningcongo.cd
Ministry of Environment, Nature Conservation and Tourism
www.mecnt.cd
National Agency for Promotion of Investment (ANAPI) www.
anapi.org/en/
Central Bank of Congo www.bcc.cd
Congo Invest Consulting www.congoinvest.net
Lesotho
Lesotho National Farmers Union (LENAFU)
Lesotho Government www.lesotho.gov.ls
Lesotho National Development Corporation. See www.lndc.org.
ls
Lesotho Revenue Authority www.lra.org.ls
Central Bank of Lesotho www.centralbank.org.ls
Standard Lesotho Bank www.stanbic.com
Nedbank Lesotho www.nedbank.co.ls
Ministry of Finance and Development Planning www.finance.
gov.ls
Ministry of Tourism, Environment and Culture www.mtec.gov.ls
www.ltdc.org.ls Lesotho Tourism Development Corporation.
Find investment options here and at www.visitlesotho.travel.
Madagascar
Government of Madagascar www.madagascar.gov.mg
Economic Development Board of Madagascar www.edbm.gov.
mg. Agribusiness is covered under the Sectors menu option on the
website.
Fdration Chrtienne des Paysans Malagasy (FEKRITAMA) and
the Coalition Paysanne de Madagascar (CPM)
Malawi
Malawi Government www.malawi.gov.mw
Farmers Union of Malawi (FUM) and the National Smallholder

Farmers Association of Malawi (NASFAM), www.nasfam.org
Malawi Investment Promotion Agency (MIPA) www.malawiinvest.net. Find the Agribusiness option under Projects on the
website.
Mauritius
Visit the Government Web Portal www.gov.mu
Find the Agro-industries and Seafood and aquaculture options
under Business opportunities at www.boimauritius.com , website of
the Mauritian Board of Investment.
Financial Services Commission www.fscmauritius.org
The Central Bank of Mauritius http://bom.intnet.mu
Mauritius Sugar Authority
Mauritius Sugar Industry Research Institute
Ministry of Agro-Industry
Princes Tuna (Mauritius) Ltd
Societ de Technologie Agricole & Sucrire de Maurice (STASM)
The Irrigation Authority of Mauritius
Enterprise Mauritius http://enterprisemauritius.biz
Central Electricity Board http://cwa.gov.mu
Mauritius Tourism Promotion Agency http://tourism-mauritius.
mu
The Mauritius Chamber of Commerce and Industry www.mcci.
org
Enterprise Mauritius http://enterprisemauritius.biz, a trade
promotion organisation
The State Trading Corporation (STC) is the trading arm of
the Government for the importation of essential commodities i.e.
petroleum products, cement, rice, wheat flour and liquefied petroleum
gas (LPG) http://stc.intnet.mu
Mozambique
Government of Mozambique www.portaldogoverno.gov.mz (find
the links to many role players on the website)
The Investment Promotion Centre website, www.cpi.co.mz, sets
out investment opportunities in Fisheries and Aquaculture, Agriculture,
Industry, Public infrastructure, mineral resources and energy.
Maputo Corridor Logistics Initiative www.mcli.co.za
Beluzone Free Trade Zone Industrial Park www.beluzone.com
Namibia
Namibian Government Gateway www.grnnet.gov.na
Ministry of Trade and Industry www.mti.gov.na
Namibia Development Corporation www.mti.gov.na/ndc.htm
Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Forestry www.mawf.gov.na
Meat Board of Namibia www.nammic.com.na
Namibia Agricultural Union (NAU) www.agrinamibia.com.na
Namibia Agricultural Trade Forum (ATF) www.atf.org.na
Seychelles
Government of Seychelles www.egov.sc
Seychelles Investment Bureau www.sib.gov.sc
Central Bank of Seychelles www.cbs.sc
Seychelles Enterprise Promotion Agency (SEnPA) www.senpa.
sc
Seychelles International Business Authority (SIBA) www.siba.
net
Seychelles Tourist Board www.seychelles.travel
Seychelles Farmers Association (SeyFA) www.seychellesfarmers.sc
Swaziland
Government of Swaziland www.gov.sz
Small Enterprise Development Corporation (SEDCO) Tel: +268
404 2811/2
Swaziland National Agricultural Union (SNAU)
Tanzania
Government of Tanzania www.tanzania.go.tz
Agricultural Council of Tanzania (ACT) find webpages on www.
eaffu.org, website of the Eastern African Farmers Federation.
670
Zambia
Zambia National Farmers Union, www.znfu.org.za
Zambian Development Agency, www.zda.org.za
Find links to numerous Zambian role players at http://zambia.co.zm.
The website for the State House, the Presidency is www.statehouse.
gov.zm.
Zimbabwe
The Zimbabwe Farmers Union (ZFU) and the Commercial
Farmers Union of Zimbabwe (CFU) www.zfu.org.zw and www.
cfuzim.org
Find links to all government departments, parastatals and other role
players at www.gta.gov.zw.
3. Contacts in South Africa: embassies and other

Angola (Embassy) Tel: 012 342 0049 / 50 www.angolanembassy.co.za
South Africa Angola Chamber of Commerce Tel: 011 723 9000 www.
sa-acc.co.za
Botswana (High Commission) Tel: 012 430 9640
Democratic Republic of Congo (Embassy) Trade & Investment
Promotion Unit Tel: 012 344 6475/6
Lesotho (High Commission) Tel: 012 460 7648
Madagascar (Embassy) Tel: 078 630 5311www.madagascar.org.za
Malawi (High Commission) Tel: 012 430 9900
Mauritius (High Commission) Tel: 012 342 1283/4
Mozambique (High Commission) Tel: 012 401 0300 www.mozbusiness.
gov.mz
South Africa Mozambique Chamber of Commerce Tel: 072 145 0129
www.samozacc.co.za
Namibia (High Commission) Tel: 012 481 9100 www.namibia.org.za
Seychelles Consulate General Tel: 011 70 68 720
Swaziland (High Commission) Tel: 012 344 1910 www.swazihighcom.
co.za
Tanzania (High Commission) Tel: 012 342 4393/71
Zambia (High Commission) Tel: 012 326 1854 / 47 www.zambiapretoria.
net
Zimbabwe (Consulate) Tel: 011 615 1117 www.zimbabweconsulate.
co.za
4. Regional role players

See also the Africa and agriculture and Infrastructure and agrologistics chapters.
Many SADC role players are also listed in the Research and development chapter
Association of SADC Chambers of Commerce and Industry

(ASCCI) www.sacci.org.za
Electoral Institute of Southern Africa (EISA) www.eisa.org.za
Federation of East and Southern African Road Transport
Associations (FESARTA) www.fesarta.org
Food, Agriculture and Natural Resources Policy Analysis
Forum for Agricultural Research (FARA) www.fara-africa.org
Maputo Corridor Logistics Initiative (MCLI) www.mcli.co.za. See
also www.mdc.org.za - Maputo Development Corridor
Mining Industry Associations of Southern Africa (MIASA) www.
miasa.org.za
SADC Banking Association www.sadcbanking.org
SADC Business Forum (SBF) Mr Maszwe Majola Tel: 076 230
3148/083 984 0512
SADC Employers Group Tel: 011 784 8000
SADC Parliamentary Forum www.sadcpf.org
SADC Plant Genetic Resources Centre (SPGRC) www.spgrc.org.
zm
SADC Secretariat, Directorate of Food, Agriculture and Natural
Resources (FANR) www.sadc.int
Southern African Confederation of Agricultural Unions (SACAU)
www.sacau.org
Southern African Enterprise Network Tel: +264 61 272203
Southern African Railways Association (SARA) www.sararail.org
Southern African Regional Police Chiefs Cooperation
Organisation (SARPCCO)
Southern Africa Trade Hub www.satradehub.org
Southern Africa Trust www.southernafricatrust.org
Regional commodity bodies include the Eastern and Southern African

Dairy Association (ESADA); the Southern Africa Poultry Association
(SAPA); SADC Poultry Forum; SADC Cane Growers Association;
Horticultural Council of Africa (HCA); Southern Africa Livestock
and Meat Forum (SALMF); Eastern Africa Fine Coffee Association
(EAFCA); and the African Cotton and Textile Industry Federation
(ACTIF).
The Strategic Partnership Grant Fund (SPGF) was established to
address Southern Africa region industry issues in cereals, legumes and
other agricultural commodities and their related services in finance,
transportation, storage, and information technology.
SPGF is a financing mechanism to allocate funds to support efforts of
the South Africa private sector to make investments in the Southern
Africa regional agriculture sector that will increase trade in agricultural
products, help accelerate agricultural sector growth in the region and
improve regional food security. It focuses on South African companies
as catalysts for increasing trade capacity in agricultural value chains in the
wider Southern Africa region.
The USAID-funded Southern Africa Trade Hub (SATH), administers the
SPGF, in cooperation with Agbiz. Visit www.satradehub.org or www.
agbiz.co.za.
5. Some South African regional role players

Please refer to heading 8 in the Africa and agriculture chapter for South
African role players not listed here.
Business Unity South Africa (BUSA) www.busa.org.za
FIRMS www.agriinspec.co.za
Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS), African Leadership
Programme (LBF), www.gibs.ac.za
Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) www.idc.co.za. The
IDC is the primary catalyst for South African investment in Mozambique,
South Africas second largest export market in Southern Africa.
NEPAD Business Foundation www.nepadbusinessfoundation.org
NWK Ltd www.nwk.co.za
SADC Centre for Land Related, Regional and Development
Policy www.sadc-centre.up.ac.za
The Trade Law Chambers (International) www.tradelawchambers.
co.za
6. Some websites and publications

Visit the many websites listed earlier in this chapter. Also refer to the Africa and
agriculture chapter.
The official SADC website is www.sadc.int.

African Economic Outlook has reviews of each country. Visit www.
africaneconomicoutlook.org/en. Take a look, too, at the different
Country briefs at www.fao.org.
www.sadctrade.org The SADC Trade Development Project. Find
menu options like SADC Trade Database, Other SADC Trade
Resources and more.
Take the US-SACU menu option at www.bilaterals.org
Find the Member countries option at www.fanrpan.org. Articles and
papers are captured from countries in the Southern Africa region.
Included in the latest Abstract of Agricultural Statistics at www.daff.
gov.za is information about the value of agricultural exports and imports
within the Southern African Custom Union (SACU).
Find the SADC Information menu option on www.sagis.org.za. This
provides information as to the grain situation within the Southern
African Development Community.
www.engineeringnews.co.za, find the Sector news option which
provides news under categories like Construction, Energy, ICT,
Transport etc. Developments in SADC are included.
Several SADC countries feature on www.lowtax.net.
The embassies of SADC countries here and overseas sometimes
have a website which provides a useful introduction to the country
and is a first point of contact. Some examples include www.angola.
org, embassy of the Republic of Angola in Washington DC, and www.
angola.org.uk, Angolan embassy in the UK.
Advertiser index
Advertiser
Page
Advertiser
Page
ABC Hansen
242, 659
Foskor
220, 305
AFGRI
15, 48, 238, 655
241, 367
Africa Truck Parts
227, 281, 285
Grassland Society of SA
156, 269, 459
African Land-Use Training (ALUT)
136, 157, 273, 459
Greenfields
277
Afrivet
185
Grundfos
255
Agri Mega Group
57
GSI Group Africa
242
Agricultural Business Chamber (Agbiz)
52
Haifa Chemicals
271, 407
Agricultural Produce Agents Council (APAC)
85, 90
Hanna Instruments
353, 414
Agricultural Research Council (ARC)
2-3, 25, 288, 301, 398,

427, 558, 626
Haygrove
405, 534
AgriSETA
365
Hishtil SA
147, 269, 409, 533
Agriskills Transfer Network
306, 368, 450
Human Science Research Council (HSRC)
486
Andisa Agri
75, 293, 306, 396
IMAC Services
66, 368
551
Incledon
250, 255
Avima
241, 498
Incotec SA
265, 531
AXXON
234, 567, 636
Industrial Commodity Holdings
226
Balimi Bonke
306
Industrial Development Corporation 35, 98-99, 333

(IDC)
BASF
207
Infigro Natural Technologies
408, 532
Bessemer
242, 598
Insect Science
148, 194, 210
Biotech Veterinary Labs
189, 541
Invest North West
104
Bonsmara
545
120, 131, 394
Boon Boran Stud
546
JHB Tractor Spares
228, 278
Brangus SA
41, 547
Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE)
61, 111
Buhle Farmers Academy
305, 367
JL Besproeiing
251, 256
Buhler
620-621
Juventis
394, 591
Cape Peninsular University of Technology

(CPUT)
379, 474
Kaap Agri
51, 306
Cape Wools
605
Kanhym Estates
589
Capstone Seeds
497, 498
Kelpak
147, 226, 270
CASIDRA
40
Kongskilde SA
244
Central University of Technology (CUT)
374-375
Krohne
248, 350
Consumer Goods Council of SA
649
Kynoch
221
Dairy Cheret
565, 635
Land Bank
20, 100-101, 337
De Heus
183, 597
Lindsay Africa
247
Department of Agriculture, Forestry &

Fisheries (DAFF)
Inside cover, 16, 19
MBB Consultants
314, 393
DFM Software
170, 410, 424, 650
DIVAC
559, 617
Donaldson Filtration Solutions
275
Durban Fresh Produce Market
84
Eco-fert
224
Enviro-crop
209, 215
407
Metson
147, 210, 272, 514, 538
Microbial Biological Fertilisers International
147, 272, 508, 513
Monsanto
269, 402
Mutual & Federal
109
Mycoroot
147, 272
National Agricultural Marketing Council

(NAMC)
95, 328
572, 573, 577, 578
Nedbank
Bookmark
Advertiser index (continued)

Advertiser
Page
Advertiser
Page
Nedbank Capital
62
Senter 360
251
NEL Precision Farming
242, 423
Simbra Cattle Breeders Association
547
Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University
378, 464
Simmentaler Cattle Breeders Association
14, 546
New Holland SA
277, 421
Skills for Africa
306, 368, 464, 471
Nguni Cattle Breeders Association
544
242, 469, 514
Northmec
278, 423
South African Grain Information Service

(SAGIS)
6-7, 64, 80, 117, 348,

371, 372, 489, 622
South African Table Grapes Industry (SATI)
473
168
Omina Fertilizer
222
Standard Bank
102-103
Onderstepoort Biological Products (OBP)
187
Stargate Scientific
400, 497, 657
Oos Vrystaat Kaap Operations Ltd (OVK)
54, 606
376
Orsmond Aviation
136, 210
Stimuplant
495
Pambile
86
Suidwes Ltd
53
Pannar
268, 460
The Traction Centre
191
Peulwana Financial Services
71, 293
Topigs SA
592, 593
Philagro
208
Pico-gro
479, 643
26-27, 46, 59, 113,

231, 237, 327
Plant Health Products
122, 193
Turf Ag
249, 255
Potatoes SA
507
Unitrade 826
64, 523
Prodsure
182, 242
University of the Free State (UFS)
32, 123, 373, 625
143
University of South Africa (UNISA)
Rand Water Foundation
31, 317, 346-347
12-13, 42, 77, 87, 118,

162, 199, 298, 370, 667
Reapers
235
378
Resonance Institute of Learning
67, 368
Valley Irrigation
249
Rhys Evans Group
267, 476, 617
205
Ronin Grain Management
240
Volkswagen
23
Ronin Precision Farming
422
VKB Agriculture Ltd
55
SA Lime & Gypsum
224
Wenkem
210, 493
South African Business Resource Institute

(SABRI)
394
Wesbank
105
SAKATA Seeds Ltd
265, 531
SASOL Nitro
36, 218-219
Sensako
266, 537
Western Cape Department of Agriculture
39
Weston Agricultural College
362
Zinchem
223
The Agri Handbook for South Africa
is published in both English and Afrikaans,
in Printed Format, eBook Format (on CD),

and Online (Downloadable PDF).
It is distributed to every major agricultural stakeholder
in South Africa and much of Africa
TO ADVERTISE:
Contact Mike or Craig
+27 (0)87 576 9785 or +27 (0)87 574 3776

advertising@AgriHandbook.co.za
TO ORDER BOOKS
OR eBOOKS:
orders@AgriHandbook.co.za
www.AgriHandbook.co.za
Photo credit here and cover by Paul van Walree - www.toothwalker.org

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Foreword by the Minister

An economy houses a nation. Under its roof people find vocations,

Honourable Tina Joemat-Pettersson (MP)

From the editor

THE AGRI HANDBOOK FOR SOUTH AFRICA

Marketing and finance

Resources and Good Agricultural

Agricultural education, training and

THE AGRI HANDBOOK FOR SOUTH AFRICA

Agronomy and horticulture

Value add and agro-processing

Beyond our borders

Roll of honour: our advertisers

2. Millennium Development Goals (MDGs)

Find the latest release of Africa Development Indicators which analyses

3. New Partnership for Africas

4. Africa and agriculture

The single most important focus should be upgrading rural infrastructure

African policy-makers must embrace technology and develop their own

5. Regional Economic Communities (RECs)

Arab Maghreb Union UMA

Economic Community of West African States ECOWAS

Economic Community of Central African States ECCAS

Intergovernmental Authority on Development IGAD

Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa COMESA

Southern African Developmental Community SADC

Two key initiatives were developed in an attempt to achieve the MDG

Eastern African Community EAC

6. Intra-Africa trade and Economic Partnership

Investment in infrastructure geared towards production and export:

7. International role players

United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO)

African Union bodies

Finance, investment and trade

Associations and industry bodies

Business Action For Africa http://businessactionforafrica.org

Research and development

African Capacity Building Foundation (ACBF) www.acbf-pact.

How are we doing?

8. South African role players

The Foundation for the Development of Africa runs several

9. African country profiles

10. Websites and publication

Find the reports and papers at www.polity.org.za e.g. US African Growth

A vast stretch of African savannah land that spreads across 25 countries

3. South Africas agricultural trade balance: our

2. The economy: agriculture and the GDP (Gross

Palm, palm kernel, coconut oil

3 Coffee, green & black tea, Soybean oilcake

5 Sugar (raw cane & sucrose)

Chicken meat, cuts and offal

8 Seeds & plant sowing

Preserved tuna, salmon, sardines,

10 Seeds for oil & consumption

Sunflower seed / safflower oil

Casein, egg albumin, gelatine,

12 Plants, bulbs, trees, roses

13 Live chickens & poultry

Pasta, pastries, breads, etc.

14 Fresh & chilled vegetables