Aspiring grain farmer’s – listen up! In this week’s episode of Farmer’s Inside Track we share 5 steps to start farming with grain. Award-winning farming mentor Matshidiso Mooketsi shares her secret to finding and becoming an extraordinary mentor.

This week's #SoilSista powered by Food For Mzansi and Corteva Agriscience is Khethiwe Maseko, the founder of Gugulam Poultry House in Gauteng. She’s a farmer who started out as a domestic worker and today, she is a proud ambassador for the agricultural sector. 

While the fate of 39 Mpumalanga farmers hang in the balance, experts warn that without clear legislation, land redistribution is but a pipe dream. Professor Elmien du Plessis a leading Constitutional law expert unpacks this case and outcomes. 

Our book of the week… Wanted Dead and Alive, The Case for South Africa’s cattle by Gregory Mthembu-Salter. He takes us on a journey across Mzansi to consider the role of cattle in our society. 

And our farmer tip of the week comes from the winner of Free State Agriculture’s Young Farmer of the Year competition, Doug Osler.

In this week’s episode of Farmer’s Inside Track. The 101 of mushroom farming. We’ve got great tips for farmers. To grow this crop, you need to be meticulous, but one of the perks - they’re in season all-year long! 

Grant Mapham, a director at Sesisonke Farm - one of Mzansi’s most sustainable farming systems in Harrismith in the Free State, weighs in on the traditional versus sustainable farming debate. 

Soil Sistas, our exciting campaign celebrating female farmers with Corteva Agriscience, is back with a bang. We’re joined by Keabetswe Mokgatla from Kalbasfontein in Gauteng, a young psychology and sociology graduate turned farmer. 

Agri SA labour specialist Lebohang Sethusha unpacks the issues around this pay disparity between women and men in the agricultural industry. 

Our book of the week… “Eat that frog” by Brian Tracy. If you’ve ever felt like theirs just never enough time for everything on your “to-do” list then this productivity book is a must read! 

And our farmer tip of the week comes from Philip Kgapane. He runs a vegetable farm in Mafarafara Village under the Sekhukhune District in Limpopo. 

In this week’s episode of Farmer’s Inside Track – How to start a farm without money! It sounds crazy, but it can be done. We’ve tracked down a few farmers with a few tricks up their sleeve! 

We chat to Oupa Tshabalala, the human resources manager at Sesisonke Farm in Harrismith in the Free State. Sesisonke has built one of the most sustainable farming systems in Mzansi. And Oupa shares some practical tips on building a happy workforce.

Soil Sistas, our brand-new campaign celebrating female farmers across South Africa, is back with beekeeper Metsana Kojane. Her Mahikeng-based agribusiness has the bees and consumers buzzing.

We stay abreast with developments in the new Agriculture and Agro-processing Master Plan to help move South Africa forward. Dr Sifiso Ntombela, chief economist of the National Agricultural Marketing Council, shares his insights from the inner circle.

Our book of the week…The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference by Malcolm Gladwell. The author explores and explains the “tipping point phenomenon,” which changed how people worldwide think about selling products and sharing ideas. 

Also in today’s show… More about the Hello Tractor farming app. And our farmer tip of the week comes from Ludwe Majiza, an Eastern Cape–born permaculturialist. 

 In this week’s episode of Farmer’s Inside Track – 12 principles of permaculture! If you’re farming for the future, you should definitely explore this method to create natural ecosystems. 

When Manisha Gupta and her husband acquired a piece of land in the hope to grow clean food and harvest fresh water, they did not know that their lives would forever be changed.

Soil Sistas, our brand-new campaign celebrating female farmers across South Africa, is back with Tsholo Penyenye. She runs a mixed farming operation producing cattle, feed and crops in the North West. 

Mzansi’s financial year is off to a rocky start with an expected inflation hike. While the inflation outlook remains at 3.5 percent, FNB-Agribusiness says things could most likely change. But what does this mean for the agricultural sector?

Economist Lunathi Hlakanyane unpacks the impact of the inflation hike has on the cost of borrowing, and how it will impact the agri sector and  consumers…

Our book of the week…“The leader who had no title” by Robin Sharma. If you’re into self-mastery and leadership then this book is a must read!  

Also in today’s show… More about the PurEst farming app for cane growers and our farmer tip of the week comes from Delwyn Pillay, full-time volunteer and activist for Greenpeace Africa and an ecologist at heart. 

Crop farmers, listen up! - In this week’s episode of Farmer’s Inside Track – ten crops to plant in autumn! Turns out September is not the only month associated with growth… March is also a main planting month! 

We discuss solar-powered irrigation systems, which is proving to be more affordable for farmers. We’re joined by Samir Ibrahim, the co-founder of SunCulture in Kenya. 

And we’re proud to announce Soil Sistas, a brand-new campaign celebrating female farmers across South Africa. Powered by Corteva Agriscience, we will highlight some of the extraordinary women who are participating in the Corteva Women Agripreneur Programme 2021, a year-long blended development programme at the Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS) Entrepreneurship Development Academy (EDA). First-up is farmer Musa Gamede.

Meanwhile everyone’s buzzing about the Agri-Industrial Fund for black farmers. Minister Thoko Didiza explains how this billion-rand blended finance programme will benefit the agricultural sector.

 Our book of the week… In a world without email by Cal Newport. The author unpacks the impact of rapid task-switching and constant communication on both our productivity and mental health. 

Also in today’s show… More about the Livestock Wealth App… and our farmer tip of the week comes Free State livestock and crop farmer Sabatha Segoba.

In this week’s episode of Farmer’s Inside Track…How to set up a verticle farm! By 2050, the world’s population is expected to grow to a whopping 9.7 billion people. Growing food and feeding everyone will be a huge challenge but verticle farming could be our saving grave!  

That’s great, but are indoor vertical farms really the future of agriculture? We chat to investment banker-turned-farmer Stuart Oda. He explains how this method can maintain better safety standards, save money, use less water and help provide for future generations. 

Our book of the week takes a bit of a twist. Food For Mzansi’s Sinelizwi citizen journalist Melanie Baumeister reviews “Recipes for Love and Murder” by renowned South African author Sally Andrews. 

And then… the very latest Stats SA update shows further growth in agriculture, bringing the sector’s overall 2020 performance to 13-point-one percent. Dawie Maree, head of agriculture information and marketing at FNB Agri-business speaks about the factors influencing agriculture’s strong performance.

Also in today’s show…our farmer tip of the week comes from Gauteng urban rooftop farmer and owner of Mcebo Wealth Rooftop Farm - Sibongile Cele. 

In this week’s episode of Farmer’s Inside Track…Hydroponics 101 – a guide for beginners. Put simply: Hydroponics is a way to skip the soil, sub in a different material to support the roots of the plant, and grow crops directly in nutrient-rich water. Cool right!

Nigerian farmer and founder of USAIFA Agro-Allied, a farm focused on practicing and promoting zero waste agriculture, Usman Lawan unpacks - Why he think the future of farming is not farming. 

Farmers choose Start with Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Take Action by Simon Sinek as their book of the week. 

As we continue to put all our efforts into the fight against Covid-19 to save lives and the South African economy, we can't ignore a second epidemic that is threatening half a million jobs in the beef industry - bovine brucellosis! Economist Lunathi Hlakanyane argues that we need to be vaccinating for bovine brucellosis too. 

And Eastern Cape grain farmer Sinelizwi Fakade gives us the 101 about building retailer and supplier relationships. 

In this week’s episode of Farmer’s Inside Track…7 steps to get your own land in South Africa. Finding and purchasing land to farm seems daunting but their are a few simple steps to take to find land to filful your farming dream! 

Agricultural economist Thabi Nkosi questions why the agriculture sector is often seen as the perpetual ugly duckling? She presents a somewhat disarming take on the state of agriculture in Africa. 

Farmers choose The Perfect Predator by Steffanie Strathdee and Thomas Patterson as their book of the week. This book provides a glimpse into the potential treatment of bacterial infections in an antibiotic resistant world through the use of bacteriophages, bacteria-eating viruses. 

In the South African National Budget Review for 2021, it was revealed that government’s recovery plan focuses on raising the economy’s long-term growth rate by supporting industries with high employment potential such as agriculture. 

Unathi Mhlatyana, MD at McCain Foods says it’s because the agricultural supply chain holds many job opportunities and along with this, the sector has seen a positive growth trajectory since 2019. 

And organic fertilizer specialists, Thapelo Phiri encourages farmers to explore organic fertilizers to farm more sustainably…

In this week’s episode of Farmer’s Inside Track… Farming is a laborious and capital intensive business with numerous risk…But their are a few commodities that yield better financial return - like pig farming. Don’t miss todays – 10 easy steps to run a profitable pig farming business!

 At the end of apartheid, Kelo Kubu, along with many other black South Africans, was able to reclaim her ancestral farmland and thus she, unexpectedly, became a farmer. She shares her vision to educate these newfound landowners while her ag-tech accelerator focuses on teaching urban female farmers how to profit from their land.

Farmers choose Start Your Own Business: The Only Start-Up Book You'll Ever Need by Rieva Lesonsky as their book of the week. 

South Africa is fast becoming a significant player in the farming and export of saffron - by far the world’s most expensive spice. After years of perfecting the art of saffron cultivation in the Northern Cape, Bennie Engelbrecht, the founder and a director of Saffricon talks about the opportunities now open toMzansi farmers…

Mpumalanga vegetable Gugulethu Mahlangu’s farming mantra is “Diversify and plan ahead!” She says, "Farming may be the cornerstone of your business but consider what else you and your enterprise could do to achieve the best return from your assets". 

In this week’s episode of Farmer’s Inside Track… If you're a start-up future farmer with a lucrative farming business idea but limited finance to live your dream? Don’t miss our list of 10 funding opportunities for Mzansi farmers!…

John Dumelo a Ghanaian actor and farmer explains how you can grow agriculture in the next century in African to feed the world. 

Farmers choose For the Love of the Land co-authored by award winning journalist Ivor Price and Kobus Louwrens. The book introduces South Africans to the heroes of agriculture. Set against the backdrop of the of the heated land reform debate this book proves that farming is often a labour of love!

We are moving into an era where nature’s abilities are enhanced by new scientific approaches, believes Dr Naudé Malan - lecturer and founder of iZindaba Zokudla, a Soweto-based farmers’ lab. 

Find out why he believes that ultimately it is important to farm with nature as agriculture disrupts ecological processes which endangers life on earth. 

What happens when you find a four-metre python snake wrapped around your goat’s head? Any ideas on how to respond? Snake rescuer Nick Evans shares a few tips about dealing with snakes on your farm.

Also, in our Health Squared Agri Update - Marcia le Roux, sales executive at Agility Agri wraps up our 13 week campaign emphasising that ‘healthcare benefits for workers have become critical’ for any future focused farmer.