by Wandile Sihlobo | Nov 15, 2019 | Agricultural Production
SA’s political leaders often mention agriculture as one of the sectors that will boost our economic fortunes and create jobs in rural areas. For a long time, this has been stated without a clear practical execution plan. The National Development Plan (NDP) is one of...
by Wandile Sihlobo | Nov 11, 2019 | Agricultural Trade
Essay by Wandile Sihlobo and Tinashe Kapuya[1] South Africa’s trade policy is underpinned by an export-led growth strategy. This means that the country essentially looks to grow its economy by deepening and expanding its export markets. Such efforts can be seen...
by Wandile Sihlobo | Nov 6, 2019 | Agricultural Production
I am in the Eastern Cape today, attending The Co-Op/Landbou Weekblad conference. The main theme of the conference is Opportunities for Farming. The inputs or presentations from various farmers showcase the good work that’s currently being done across the province. The...
by Wandile Sihlobo | Nov 4, 2019 | Agricultural Production
Over the past few months, I have written a few essays arguing that we shouldn’t worry much about the current heatwave in South Africa and that rainfall could soon provide some relief. I made this argument, leaning on the South African Weather Services (SAWS) views...
by Wandile Sihlobo | Nov 1, 2019 | Agricultural Production
It is quite amazing how productive South Africa’s maize industry has been over the past five decades. If one looks back to the period between 1970 and 1990, South Africa’s maize area planting averaged 4.2 million hectares. This is 8% higher than the overall area...
