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.

A watershed month on the global stage

Farmer's Weekly

How pineapple leaves help clean water and solve crimes • Bienvenu Gael Fouda Mbanga, a research fellow in environmental analytical chemistry at Nelson Mandela University in Gqeberha, Eastern Cape, explains how discarded pineapple leaves can successfully separate toxic copper from industrial wastewater and even assist forensic units.

Plant production

Impofu Wind Farm becomes a canvas for community connection through Enel's Blowing Art Initiative

Thokoman Peanut Butter marks 25-year milestone with R500 000 commitment to food security

Do you know your medicines for dosing?

A path of accelerating land reform in South Africa

Reflections on 2025 and the policy space for 2026 • The year 2025 was a year characterised initially by a wave of misinformation, particularly relating to legislation and tariff issues. This year some big moves are expected in the trade space.

NEWS WRAP

Shipping conditions to ease in 2026, but risk remains high • Early signs suggest a more favourable export season for South African producers, as easing global shipping congestion and improved performance by Transnet point to higher throughput at local ports. Lindi Botha reports.

FMD detected on Free State pig farm • South Africa's pig industry is on high alert with the news that animals at a commercial piggery has tested positive for foot-and-mouth disease. Hanlie du Plessis reports.

Sorghum shoot fly spotted in Roedtan, Limpopo • Octavia Avesca Spandiel reports on sporadic sorghum shoot fly detection in Roedtan, outlining identification signs, weather-driven risk, and practical management steps farmers need to protect vulnerable seedlings this season.

What a West African palm oil project reveals about SA's readiness for EU rules • As EU sustainability rules tighten, compliance with the EU Deforestation Regulation is fast becoming a commercial requirement for South African agricultural exporters. A recently digitised palm oil supply chain in Sierra Leone now offers practical lessons on moving from policy to practice, writes Octavia Avesca Spandiel.

Zimbabwe's dairy industry on the rebound • According to government officials, Zimbabwe's dairy industry is well on its way to revitalisation and modernisation. Clemence Manyukwe reports.

The foot-and-mouth disease threat is growing • Foot-and-mouth disease poses a growing threat to the livestock industry, especially communal farmers, with devastating economic consequences unless awareness and compliance improve, writes Shane Brody.

Resigning in the agriculture sector • In the same way as an employer has a obligation to adhere to the labour law when terminating the employment of a farmworker, so too the employee has to follow procedures when resigning, says James Pretorius.

2026: a year for women to prosper in agriculture • The UN's declaration of 2026 as the International Year of the Woman Farmer highlights women's vital role in agriculture and the need to close the sector's gender gaps, writes Dr Sifiso Ntombela.

South Africa is losing the fight against parasites in livestock • South Africa is losing the war against internal and external parasites, according to Dr Dave Midgley, CEO of the Ruminant Veterinary Association of South Africa. He told Annelie Coleman that this is because the focus in the country is on killing the parasites and not on addressing the root cause of the...