“Agroecology has the potential to change the way we ‘do agriculture’. We hope that our comprehensive research agenda will help to chart the path to sustainable, diversified agriculture and biodiversity conservation in the future.” Professor Teja Tscharntke, co-author and Head of the Agroecology Research Group at the University of Göttingen. Humans depend on farming for survival. But it’s this very …
Many African communities lack the capacity to respond or adapt to the impacts of climate change, leaving the continent vulnerable to changing conditions. Warming trends have already become evident across the African continent, along with changes in precipitation patterns. Increasing temperatures and changes in rainfall put even more pressure on strained African agricultural systems. Pressures from pests, weeds and diseases …
“Coupled with the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on employment and food prices, and spiralling government debt, South Africa has an impending multidimensional crisis to address.” Writing in his personal capacity for the Daily Maverick, Professor Raymond Auerbach (a member of the boards of the SA Organic Sector Organisation and the Agricultural Research Council) says that new cuts to South …
In celebration of Women’s Month, we take a look at the role of women in agriculture … We know that when women are active participants of the agricultural economy, the benefits extend way beyond their own livelihoods. Women in farming help to improve the lives of their families and communities too. Studies have found that addressing some of the constraints …
Sustainable farming measures recognise the beneficial role played by insects, and dung beetles are one of the most helpful critters out there. Dung beetles have their name for a reason: the many species of dung beetles found worldwide spend their days breaking up, burying and rolling dung, which helps to put essential nutrients back into the soil, fosters plant growth …
We know that soil health plays an essential role in sustainable agriculture. These days, most farmers realise that healthy soil is key to reducing costs, promoting biodiversity and improving the efficiency of their farms. One method used to promote soil health sustainably is mulching. Mulching is proven to suppress weeds and protect the soil year-round. So, what is mulching in …
Plants out of place, or a sign of healthy soil? In a column in Acres U.S.A October 2019 issue, Spencer Smith, Savory Field Professional (for the Savory Global Network) and Californian rancher, says that plants which show up in your fields could be adding value by unlocking nutrients and improving soil structure. The relationship between farmers and weeds is a …
“The soil is the ‘creative material’ of most of the basic needs of life. Creation starts with a handful of dust.” Dr William A. Albrecht Dr William Albrecht was a man ahead of his time. A good twenty years before the phrase ‘environmental concern’ crept into the USA’s national consciousness, Dr Albrecht was lecturing from coast to coast on the …
In the October 2019 issue of Acres U.S.A, consultant Jon Frank explains the pitfalls of the ‘Four Rs’ developed by the fertiliser industry. Frank, the owner of International Ag Labs, based in Minnesota. He is a soil consultant with over 20 years’ experience, and the founder of High Brix Gardens. Like the team at Zylem, Jon is fascinated with the …
What do you think of when you imagine farms of the future? Massive underground hydroponic operations run by robots is one way things could go … but could the sustainable future of agriculture actually look a lot smaller and simpler? Current cultural shifts, and even the Coronavirus pandemic, could lead to more and more food being produced on a small-scale …