Agriculture, Aquaculture & Fishing News
More newsAgriculture, food security, and the regulation of GMOs in Kenya
The past year has been an eventful one for food security matters in Kenya. Following successive failed rainy seasons, the country has faced one of the worst droughts in years. This has seen increased focus on the applicability of science and technology to address the challenge and help the country build resilience against climate change.
Surviving the impact of the electricity crisis on food production
Persistent loadshedding continues to pose a significant threat to South Africa’s food supply chain and agricultural production. Unforeseen power cuts affect irrigation schedules, heating, fruit and wine processing, milling, bakeries, abattoirs, cold chain logistic and exports. Extreme bouts of rotational power cuts and sporadic changes to the loadshedding stages, have in certain instances resulted in farms and processors having to discard their produce, with farmers reporting losses of between 30% to 50%. The frustration within the agricultural sector is driving farmers and agri-processors to find new solutions to mitigate their losses and manage theirrisk.
Fragmentation of agricultural land: Subdivisions, consolidations and notarial ties
South Africa’s agricultural sector is one of the cornerstones of its economy that has been intricately woven into the legal fabric of the country. Despite its relatively small share of the total gross domestic product (GDP), agriculture remains a significant provider of employment in rural areas and is one of the major earners of foreign exchange in South Africa. South African agriculture is, however, limited by the relative scarcity of arable land and water resources, thus resulting in the evolution of the legislative framework governing agricultural land, which encompasses the country’s commitment to sustainable agriculture and environmentalconservation.