From the 17th to the 19th of June 2020, Cape Town will play host to the Agritech Africa exhibition and conference, aimed at accelerating agricultural advancements on the African continent. Taking place at the Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC), the event is expected to draw thousands of professionals in the field of agriculture from around the world who will be exposed to the latest developments and technological innovations in agriculture that can address pressing issues such as climate change, sustainable and inclusive economic growth, job creation and food security. The event is being brought to South Africa by Kenes Exhibitions – a market leader in conferencing, exhibitions and educational platforms which has been producing exhibitions and conferences around the globe in the agricultural, water technology, biomedical, and cyberspace arenas for the past decade. “Agriculture provides a source of livelihood for 61% of the 337 million people living in the Southern African Development Community. It is also crucial for food security, which in turn assists in political stability and is central to the development of agro-industries,” says Dr Max Wengawenga, Assistant Chief Economic Advisor to the President of Malawi. “However, the local industry is plagued by challenges like climate change, not being able to meet the standards of international markets, changes in consumption patterns and population growth driving increased demand for food. The way forward in overcoming these obstacles and unlocking the opportunities offered by agriculture is technology.” “It was with this in mind that we decided to host an international agricultural technology exhibition and conference in South Africa – the country at the heart of the African renaissance,” shares Kenes Exhibitions Managing Director, Prema Zilberman. Issues affecting the African agriculture industry, including the management of land and water resources, food security, as well as the development …
Major project to help alleviate PE and Gamtoos valley water supply
AMID worsening drought in the Eastern Cape, the roll-out of a new alien invasive plant clearing project in the Kouga and Kromme River systems near Kareedouw and Joubertina is set to substantially increase the water flow to three of Port Elizabeth’s supply dams while bringing much-needed job creation to the Langkloof region. Implemented by Gamtoos Irrigation Board on behalf of the Department of Environmental Affairs, the one-year National Resource Management project has employed 61 contractors and 800 workers to clear 950 densely populated hectares along the Diep River and its tributaries. According to Gamtoos Irrigation Board’s area manager, Edwill Moore, eradicating these alien invasive species will bring some relief to the drought-stricken region by increasing the flow of water into the Impofu Dam as well as the Kouga and Churchill dams downstream. “This on-going drought has placed enormous pressure on our storage dams. Alien invasive trees – in this case, mainly Black Wattle – consume huge amounts of water, which would otherwise flow into these dams,” said Moore. “Clearing alien invasive plant species is one of the most cost-effective ways of increasing our water supply.” Kouga Dam, a major supply dam in the region, currently stands at 31% full, while extraction from the Impofu Dam, which is the second biggest, has been halted after its water level dropped to a critical 17.5%. He said the contractors and their teams of 12 previously unemployed workers had been appointed from the local communities of Misgund, Louterwater, Krakeel, Joubertina and Kareedouw. “We advertised for contractors in the Kou-Kamma municipal area. A community liaison committee – consisting of five ward councillors and two ward committee members per ward – assisted in shortlisting a pool of potential contractors.” Moore said the successful bidders were then asked to appoint their own teams – on the condition that the workers had to be drawn from the unemployment lists in …
Farmers turn to government en masse as EC drought worsens
AS the “worst drought in living memory” grips large parts of the Eastern Cape, about 1,500 commercial farmers have applied to the government for drought relief in a last-ditch effort to stay afloat. Some farmers have even been forced to cull their livestock because of the drought, according to farmer’s organisation Agri EC. For others, the drought aid received to date has not been enough. However, there was some relief this week when the Eastern Cape government said it would make R100-million available for drought assistance. The announcement was made at a water summit being held at Graaff-Reinet in the Karoo, where dams and boreholes have run dry. “For most farmers the pantry is empty – it has been for many years. They have no stored supplies to fall back on,” AgriEC deputy president Peter Cloete said. “They desperately need government aid.” Without much-needed summer rainfall, all that could happen, Cloete said, was damage control. “Farmers need to access the R74-milllion in drought relief [made available by the provincial government]. Add to that the R600-million which has been applied for nationally [for drought relief], then this crisis can at least be managed,” he said. One recipient of government aid, Aberdeen farmer Dickie Ogilvie, said while the aid had helped in the short term, he still has had to cull many of his angora goats. “We received 120 bags of maize in April from the government, but it only lasted 20 days. Due to the drought we are having to buy in stock feed to the tune of R120,000 a month,” he said. Ogilvie has farmed angora goats and merino sheep in the area for 32 years. “This is possibly the worst drought I have had to deal with, although the drought in 1965/66 was apparently horrific too,” he said. Having had to lay off staff and reduce his livestock by 40%, Ogilvie said he feared the effect the drought would have on communities as unemployment in the sector increased. Cloete echoed this concern, saying: “We …
Join Bottelary Hills Mtb Trails And Ride For Conservation
The 65km Bottelary Hills Mountain Bike Trails that run through the Bottelary Hills Renosterveld Conservancy (BHC) and across working wine farms, offer spectacular views and multiple route options that caters for various skill and fitness levels. Get your 2020 BHC MTB permit online (www.bottelaryconservancy.co.za) and enjoy the fabulous trails, while making a contribution to conservation - R680 for main members, R580 for spouses and pensioners and R480 for students and under 18’s. Day permits (R60) are available from the Devonvale Golf & Wine Estate, Asara Wine Estate, Jordan Wine Estate, Zevenwacht Country Lodge, Hazendal Bike Park and Soneike Engen in Kuilsriver. The BHC is a registered non-profit organisation (NPO) that forms part of the Cape Winelands Biosphere Reserve. Funds generated through permit sales are used to care for, expand and sustain the remaining 1500-hectare Renosterveld in its area that covers approximately 10 000 hectares. Less than 4% of the original Renosterveld in the Western Cape remains and only grows in very rich fertile soils, which is often replaced with commercial crops. Game such as Caracal, Grysbok, Grey duiker, Porcupine, Bat-eared foxes, Cape foxes and otters still roams naturally in the Hills. There are also endangered reptile species such as the Diamondback tortoise only found in Renosterveld areas, while more than 109 bird species have been identified and listed on the BHC website. Convenient park and ride access points to the trails include: Devonvale Golf Estate and Hazendal (Bottelary Road / M23); Brenaissance Wine & Studd Farm (Devon Valley Road); Asara Wine Estate (Polkadraai Road / R310), Jordan and Overgaauw Wine Estates (Stellenbosch Kloof Road) and Zevenwacht Wine Estate (Langverwacht Road). The trails are situated on working wine farms and riders need to be on the lookout for tractors and vehicles at all times as they have right of way. Riding is only allowed from sunrise to sunset. Riding alone is …
New survey shows majority of South Africans apathetic to recycling
Data from a new survey tapping into the public’s attitudes towards recycling has revealed that the majority of working and middle-class South Africans simply find recycling too much effort. In the largest consumer research in South Africa of its kind, almost 1,000 adults – mostly from major cities in South Africa, but including peri-urban and rural areas – spanning living standard measures (LSM) one to 10 were quizzed. Insights from the research will assist PETCO – the organisation overseeing polyethylene terephthalate (PET) reuse and recycling in South Africa – in its long-term strategy of improving South Africans’ recycling habits, specifically when it comes to PET plastic, commonly used to produce plastic bottles. “PETCO has undertaken extensive research to understand and unpack South African consumer perceptions and attitudes towards recycling,” said PETCO CEO Cheri Scholtz. “Our most recent research shows that recycling behaviour among South Africans is still quite limited. While the results show that recycling habits are becoming more mainstream, almost a third of the South Africans interviewed do not recycle at all. “Many consumers are apathetic and indifferent about why they should recycle. Our research further shows that different economic groups are differently motivated to recycle.” According to the research, respondents representing LSM one to three indicated that their incentives to recycle were economically aligned, with their experience of recycling being that it created jobs and was therefore good for the economy. Respondents representing LSM four to 10 were, in turn, motivated by environmental factors. This, they indicated, was because recycling minimised waste, saved energy and helped combat climate change. Their biggest barriers to recycling were a lack of facilities and space to store the items within the home and a lack of understanding of where to take recyclables once they were separated from general household waste. There …
Solving the Western Cape’s water crisis and others in Southern Africa through gravity-driven water delivery systems
The Trans Africa Water Alliance (TAWA) consortium has announced a far reaching plan - three years in the making - to solve the looming water crisis in parts of South Africa, starting in the Western Cape. Under the leadership of Dr. Konstant Bruinette, former Chairman of the consulting team behind the acclaimed Lesotho Highlands Water Project (LHWP), the consortium's plan uses the principle of gravity-driven pipelines to bring water to drought stricken areas. Intrinsic to the plan is that each project will pay for itself over a number of years. TAWA comprises civil engineers, government partners and other relevant role players. Although the idea of building gravity-driven water delivery systems for Southern Africa is not new, the significant funding challenges posed have meant that these ideas have, until now, not been implemented to deliver the water required. The 2017 water crisis in the Western Cape has prompted TAWA to promote four major pipeline projects to the Western Cape authorities, the Development Bank of Southern Africa, the Trans Caledon Tunnel Authority, Department of Water Affairs and Sanitation and the Presidential Infrastructure Coordinating Commission as well as authorities in Namibia, Zambia and Botswana. The proposed major pipelines are the line from a new dam on the Orange River at Vioolsdrif to the Cape Town Metro; the line from Vioolsdrif to Swakopmund; a line from the Kunene River to outside Windhoek; and a fourth line from the Zambezi River to Eastern Botswana and South Africa. Plans and cost estimates for four smaller pipelines have also been prepared and proposed to various water authorities. These are from the Eastern Cape's Van Der Kloof Dam to deliver water to Port Elizabeth and then to Cape Town; a second line from Boegoeberg to Cape Town; a third from Colenso to Albert Falls and on to Durban, and lastly from western Lesotho to the Modder River to supply water to Bloemfontein. Bruinette and his team believe these gravity …
Festive fun planned for Crocworld Conservation Centre this December
Visitors to the KZN South Coast this festive season have a number of exciting holiday activities to enjoy, with Crocworld Conservation Centre’s dedicated holiday programme at the top of the list. This unique conservation centre, located in Scottburgh, will give visitors of all ages the chance to enjoy a range of informative animal demonstrations, nature walks and even a not-to-be-missed reptile birthday party during the holiday programme, running from 5 December to 14 January. Martin Rodrigues, Centre Manager of Crocworld, said: “Our holiday programme is packed with fun and exciting activities for the entire family and we look forward to welcoming our visitors over the festive season.” Animal feedings and interactions This year’s programme includes daily crocodile feedings at 11am and 3pm, a snake demonstration - featuring a selection of the centre’s inhabitants - at 10.15am, and, as a special holiday treat, a vulture feeding every Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday at 2pm. There will also be a fun (and safe!) snake and crocodile interaction session at 1.30pm daily. Crocworld’s informed staff members. And, for those interested in the care and rehabilitation of the centre’s many residents there is a Treatment Room viewing window where visitors can watch the caregivers treating the animals. Birthday celebrations One of the highlights of the Crocworld Conservation Centre holiday programme is the birthday celebration for one of its most beloved residents, Henry the Nile crocodile, on Monday, 16 December. Henry, a 5-metre-long, 500kg croc, arrived at the centre in 1985 as a mature 85-year-old and has enjoyed a life of leisure, fathering more than 10 000 offspring with his six female co-habitants. Celebrating his 119th birthday this year, Henry is believed to be the oldest known Nile crocodile in captivity, and he thoroughly enjoys his annual birthday get-together. For this year’s party, Food Lovers will be sponsoring tasty treats for Henry, and …
Crocworld Conservation Centre to host an edutaining frogging evening
Crocworld Conservation Centre, based in Scottburgh on the KZN South Coast, is launching a host of new wildlife activities that will entertain and educate audiences. Forming part of this exciting programme is the monthly Frogging Evening on Friday, 6 December, which will be hosted in collaboration with Nick Evans of KwaZulu-Natal Amphibian & Reptile Conservation. Nick Evans has spent his life working with reptiles, first as a herpetologist for Dangerous Creatures at Ushaka Marine World, followed by the role as Field Officer for the Endangered Wildlife Trust’s Threatened Amphibian Programme. He has also led numerous expeditions around KwaZulu-Natal, showcasing ways to identify reptiles. He now runs the KwaZulu-Natal Amphibian & Reptile Conservation, a chapter of The Lawrence Anthony Earth Organization. Nick and the Crocworld team will start the Frogging Evening with a presentation on the various regional frogs with frog calls played to introduce participants to the sounds. There will then be a walk around Crocworld Conservation Centre and a viewing of the crocodile feeding before heading to the frogging site. “We have identified a nearby marshland which is home to several interesting frog species as well as a variety of bird and wildlife,” said Martin Rodrigues, Centre Manager of Crocworld. “We are extremely excited about the new activities being launched by Crocworld Conservation Centre and encourage all those interested in nature and wildlife to join us for these monthly frogging evenings.” Participants of the first Frogging Evening will get the chance to identify the Bubbling Kassina, Water Lilly Frog, Greater Leaf Folding Frogs, Tinker Reed Frogs, Painted Reed Frog and Guttural Toad, among others. Some of the evening’s adventures could also include sightings of the Spotted Eagle Owls, Night Jars and even nocturnal mammals such as Small Spotted Genet. The Crocworld Conservation Centre Frogging Evening will cost R80 per adult and R50 per child …
Industry Upbeat And Hopeful Following Success Of Plastics Colloquium
Plastics SA, the umbrella body representing all sectors of the South African Plastics Industry (including polymer producers and importers, converters, machine suppliers, fabricators and recyclers) has congratulated the Department of Environmental Affairs, Forestry and Fisheries (DEAFF) on the hosting of a very successful Plastics Colloquium in Boksburg recently. According to Anton Hanekom, Executive Director of Plastics SA, they applaud DEAFF Minister Barbara Creecy’s pro-active approach, openness and willingness to learn first-hand about the many successful projects that the various role-players in the plastics industry have initiated and been running over the past 10 years. “As an industry, we have been the first to acknowledge the need to reduce the impact plastics have on the environment and ensure that plastic litter does not end up in our oceans, water sources or anywhere in nature. To this end, Plastics SA and the four plastic Producer Responsibility Organisations (PROs), namely Petco, Polyco, SAVA and the Polystyrene Association of SA have launched various recovery and recycling projects, with which we have had great success. It was encouraging that Minister Creecy created an opportunity for the industry to showcase these achievements to her, her department and other environmental groups. Instead of blindly bowing to the pressure of anti-plastic campaigners, she expressed a willingness to engage with us,” Hanekom says. An estimated 500 people representing the entire plastics value chain attended the Plastics Colloquium on the 21st and 22nd of November, which was presented in collaboration with the Consumer Goods Council South Africa (CGCSA) and Plastics SA. More than 50 exhibitions demonstrated the plastics industry and other stakeholders’ commitment to Extended Producer Responsibility, recycling and creating a circular economy. Attendees represented government, civil society, brand owners, recyclers, waste management companies, waste pickers, NGO’s …
African Tank Systems contribute to the World’s first Bank for the business of Water
Johannesburg, December, 3, 2019: While water is fast becoming Africa’s most important currency, African Tank Systems is playing a significant role in contributing to the success in the Agriculture, Industry, Business, and Mining sectors of African countries as well as to keep African communities running. We are living in a world where water will determine who thrives and who doesn’t and who you bank with makes all the difference. African Tanks Systems (ATS), a leader in custom designed water storage tanks has been awarded the exclusive rights to represent Tank Connections who is an industry leader of custom designed bulk storage tanks and integrated storage systems. The storage products and services of Tank Connections are recognized as the best available in the industry. Their expertise, on-the-ground experience and exceptional service has taken African Tank Systems far beyond the borders of Southern Africa to various countries across the African continent. Quality products and exceptional service has made the African Tank system brand well-known and trusted throughout Africa and beyond. As the leader in providing innovative industrial water storage tanks in Southern Africa for many years, ATS has become known as a ‘water bank’ providing an economical, convenient and stable supply of water to protect every community in Africa from the risk. Our ‘water banks’ act like a ‘savings account’ so that businesses and communities have the water they need to keep running, even in times of water scarcity. That’s why African Tank Systems is contributing to the world’s first bank for the business of water and the leader in supplying hygienic water storage tanks. ATS provides different types of ‘water banks’ – Bulk Liquid storage tanks that include: aluminium geodesic domed tanks, industrial liquid storage tanks, fire protection tanks, bulk fuel storage tanks, anaerobic digester tanks, waste water storage tanks and municipal water bulk reservoirs and Dry …