Farmer's Weekly

Farmer’s Weekly is an agricultural magazine based in South Africa, targeting the whole of Southern Africa. The magazine is committed to advancing the interests of the region’s farmers and its agricultural industry by serving as a mouthpiece for the industry and by keeping its readers informed of the latest developments in the agricultural sector.

Hypocritical spending in government

Farmer's Weekly

South Africa’s silent crisis: confronting child malnutrition • Child malnutrition in South Africa fuels a cycle of poverty and disease, but targeted early intervention, grant increases, and regulation of ultra-processed foods can protect children and transform the nation’s future, writes Lori Lake, communication and education specialist at the University of Cape Town’s Children’s Institute.

Walkerville Agricultural Show

Digital tools are reshaping agriculture

KwaZulu’s first school for budding future farmers

Geopolitical and weather risks add to long-standing challenges for SA agriculture

American policy offers valuable lessons for South African farming

Weed-control tool gains new relevance • Woven ground cover is not a new weed-control solution, but its potential value is increasing as farmers face rising labour costs, a shrinking crop-protection toolbox and mounting herbicide resistance.

Climate risk puts potato resilience in focus • A changing climate is increasing the pressure on potato production, from heat and drought stress to shifting pest risks and more frequent extreme weather. To protect yields and profitability, stronger genetics, healthier soils and more responsive crop management would be essential. Lindi Botha reports.

MEC backs programme to strengthen agri skills

Tractor sales decline amid rising uncertainty

Managing the cash pipeline before the pressure hits • Cobus du Plessis concludes this two-part series by showing why profit alone does not keep a farm operating, and how a practical cash-flow forecast helps farmers manage seasonal funding requirements before they become urgent.

Diverse supply shifts drive South African livestock prices • Tight beef and sheep supplies supported local prices, while recovering pork production and lower feed costs boosted poultry supply, easing pork and poultry market prices across South Africa in July 2026, says Jade Smith.

Way forward for the dairy industry • Low production growth combined with growing consumer demand has resulted in supply pressure on buyers. Milk producers therefore have the opportunity to negotiate better prices, writes Dr Koos Coetzee.

Five regulatory traps that catch cannabis cultivators • Turn compliance from a burden into a genuine competitive advantage, opening premium markets, attracting investment and reducing risk, writes Thomas Walker.

WOMEN IN AGRICULTURE

Ground-breaking climate data meets farming • As a lecturer and viticulture researcher, Dr Tara Southey recognised that research has limited value if confined to theory only. She founded TerraClim to translate complex climate data into location-specific tools, empowering farmers to build resilience and make climate-smart decisions, writes Petri de Beer.

Beauty Mokgwamme: leading with purpose, growing with passion • Mohair Empowerment Trust manager Beauty Mokgwamme spoke to Octavia Avesca Spandiel about her remarkable journey from humble beginnings to empowering emerging farmers to become commercially viable, thereby transforming lives through agriculture.

Woman leading South Africa’s olive industry with great purpose • As South Africa celebrates Women’s Month, Wendy Petersen, CEO of the South African Olive Industry Association (SA Olive), spoke to Octavia Avesca Spandiel about her leadership journey, the future of the olive industry, and her commitment to empowering...