Andile Skosana – African Farming

/0 Comments/in /by


SOYA BEANS – Andile Skosana, Balmoral, Witbank, Mpumalanga

The effects of climate change have been evident for the past few years. Changing rain patterns are an example: the first rains usually would have fallen by this stage.

This year we plan to plant soya beans on 800ha and, in spite of the late rains, we have started preparations for planting. The lands we target first are semi-sandy ones that are not too compacted and difficult to cultivate.

We rip, disc and then roll to break up clods and level fields. We’ll have to wait for the rain before we can start cultivation on other lands, especially the predominantly red soil areas.

Once soil moisture and temperatures are suitable, the planting starts. We don’t put down fertiliser because soya beans aren’t heavy nutrient feeders. Unlike maize, soya beans do well on soil reserves that have built up over time through the fertilising of previous crops in rotation.

While soya takes up these soil reserves, it also fixes nitrogen and puts it back into the soil. The seed must be inoculated with nitrogen-fixing bacteria before planting.

After planting, depending on the weeds, we’ll apply Roundup to kill off weeds that might compete with the crop. We plant Roundup-ready seed. This first application of Roundup will help control weeds until the crop canopies in five to six weeks. Once it has canopied, weed problems are unlikely, especially if the plant population is good.



Source link

Unpacking the importance of branding animals

/0 Comments/in /by


In a time when livestock theft is prevalent, the branding of animals is important. Gauteng Chairperson of the Red Meat Producers Organisation, Jaco Taute and farmer Gerhard Steenkamp unpack this topic.



Source link

Quality feed for the best start – African Farming

/0 Comments/in /by


In broiler production, specially formulated feed for every stage of the bird’s life is one of the pillars of success. For optimal growth and profits, small-scale farmers can rely on the Meadow Feeds range to ensure their broilers receive quality nutrition as their requirements change.

Small-scale broiler production is an incredible opportunity to produce an affordable protein source in the shortest possible time – a full cycle takes only six weeks.

Success in this business rests on three equally important pillars: chicks, management and feed. In addition to this, it is very important to purchase chicks from a reputable supplier. This will facilitate a good start, as you can be assured you are dealing with quality birds that have been selected for growth when they are fed quality feed.

It is also advisable to place chick orders well in advance to ensure that first-grade birds are received. But even the best-quality chicks and feed will not guarantee success if the broilers are not properly managed.

FEED OPTIONS

As chicks grow and develop, their nutrient requirements change. For this reason, feed is specifically formulated for different stages of the bird’s life. A combination of crumbs and pellets are fed for optimal growth and better feed conversion. The Meadow Feeds Budget range is fed as follows:

■ Meadow Budget Starter crumbs are fed to chicks from Day 1 to Day 18, with a total intake of about 800g to 1kg per bird over that period. Starter is formulated for optimal skeletal and organ development, which is the basis of future growth.

■ Meadow Budget Grower pellets are fed to birds from Day 19 to Day 32, with a total intake of 1.2kg–1.5kg per bird for the period. Grower is formulated for optimal organ and muscle development.

■ Finally, Meadow Budget Finisher pellets are fed from Day 33 to Day 42, with a total intake of 1.5kg–1.8kg per bird. Finisher is formulated for optimal muscle and feather development.

For a house with 1 000 birds, at least 20 feeders and 20 drinkers are required. However, in the first seven days, chick paper with additional feed on the floor is also needed, as this gives the chicks easy access to the feed. It is essential that chicks have access to feed and water as soon as they are placed in the house, and the paper helps the chicks find feed quickly and easily.

A second advantage is that it limits wastage, as the feed is kept separate from the bedding or direct flooring. Never fall into the trap of trying to save on feed costs by diluting the balanced feed with other raw materials such as maize – this will result in poor growth and increase the risk of birds developing coccidiosis.

Once mortalities and a loss in weight have occured, your profits from the cycle will decrease significantly.

In order to optimise profitability, the birds need to reach their maximum bodyweight at market age. That is why it is essential to purchase feed only from a reputable supplier and market-leading manufacturer.

The Meadow Feeds range of commercial broiler feed is carefully formulated to ensure that broilers receive all the nutrients they require in order to reach their full genetic potential.

ENQUIRIES: Call Michelle Janse van Rensburg on 082 779 8338; e-mail michelle.jansevanrensburg@meadowfeeds.co.za or visit www.meadowfeeds.co.za.



Source link

Is it possible to eradicate diseases? – African Farming

/0 Comments/in /by


In human medicine, some diseases have been eradicated and others adequately controlled with the help of vaccines. Examples include smallpox, polio and mumps. Current vaccine research gives us further hope that more diseases will be managed even better in the future. It is also worth noting that a majority of emerging and re-emerging diseases often point to a link between animals and humans.

In the animal-health space, we know of rinderpest (also known as cattle plague), specifically in ruminants, which was successfully eradicated from the face of the Earth by vaccines. The last known rinderpest outbreak was in 2001 in Kenya.

In 2011 the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) declared the disease officially eradicated, meaning it does not occur in animals anywhere in the world. This is a disease that almost decimated the cattle population of South Africa in the 1890s, killing more than 2.5 million animals.

The answer to the question in the heading above, is therefore a resounding yes. It may not necessarily apply to all diseases of economic importance but where eradication is not an option, vaccines can still keep diseases under control to the extent that sustainable – and hopefully also profitable – livestock production is possible.

Where eradication may not be possible or easily achievable, vaccines can also help control the disease at a cost far below that of treatment attempts, which are often unsuccessful.

Unlike the traditional understanding of vaccines existing purely to prevent disease, we now understand better their importance in slowing down disease progression in a susceptible population. They often buy us a bit of time while animals develop the immunological competence to resist or recover from infections.

Moreover, vaccines can assist in minimising the spread of disease-causing agents from an infected animal to a susceptible population, reducing the severity of the disease when animals are infected.

In best-case scenarios, the vaccine elicits sufficient protection and prevents contraction of the disease as well as its effects, like abortions in pregnant animals. Vaccination remains by far the cheapest insurance one can buy to protect a livestock investment as well as valuable genetics.

RETURN ON INVESTMENT

Every animal death eats away at the farmer’s profits and every animal saved has a positive effect on the farming operation. A potential breeding animal will help add more animals to the herd. If such an animal were to be saved as a weaner, it could cover the health costs of the rest of the herd for a full year or even longer, depending on the size of the herd and the health programmes used. Do the math and you’ll quickly realise the value of investing in vaccines. It may be difficult to measure the costs of for example the case where an affected animal survives but does not perform as it should.

The cost of poor performers rolls over to the feeding as well the costs of treating them when they are unwell. For both the farmer and consumer the benefits of producing products from healthy animals are obvious. When you are bombarded with offers from suppliers who all promise that their product is the best, it can be daunting to make decisions about your vaccination programme. You might be forced to decide between critical vaccinations and optional ones for reasons of affordability.

For example, unless it is legally compulsory, as in the case of anthrax and brucellosis, it may not be essential to vaccinate for certain diseases. Even more so in the case of diseases that have not been reported in your immediate area for up to five years, assuming there is effective surveillance and reporting. (If you are not sure, ask your local vet or the state vet.)

Certain diseases, like those transmitted by insects, are known to have a higher prevalence following higher insect activity. The latter is often influenced by environmental conditions that enable the insects to survive and reproduce. It is important to protect livestock against the following insect-borne diseases before the start of a rainy season:

■ Rift Valley fever

■ Lumpy skin disease

■ Bovine ephemeral fever (three-day stiff sickness)

Clostridial diseases and lung diseases may be vaccinated against at the same time.

CUSTOMISED VACCINATION

Since certain animal diseases may present with similar clinical signs, a proper diagnosis is essential. Your local vet, both private or state, plays a critical role here. Once a preventable disease is confirmed and it is known to occur in the area, it is easier to incorporate the relevant vaccine into your annual health programme.

Another valuable resource is the Ruminant Veterinary Association website (ruvasa.co.za), where various veterinary practices countrywide voluntarily report diseases they encounter in the field.

Your local state veterinary office would also be a valuable resource, especially with regard to controlled and notifiable diseases.

Speak to your local vet or animal-health technician regarding basic vaccination programmes that can make a difference to your livestock operation.

Dr Sello Maboe is the technical and marketing manager at Onderstepoort Biological Products. Email him at sello.maboe@obpvaccines.co.za.



Source link

Doc Faffa Malan chats parafilaria bovicola

/0 Comments/in /by


African Farming presenter Bathabile Modutoane is back on location with the legendary Doc Faffa Malan. This week the pair discuss parafilaria bovicola.



Source link

Koketso Baloyi – African Farming

/0 Comments/in /by


Watermelons – Koketso Baloyi, Brits, North West

Once we have finished planting 4ha of cabbage, we start planting watermelon. We have ordered watermelon seedlings from Plant Forum in Brits. We have already prepared the land by ripping, discing and applying kraal manure.

Unlike cabbage, watermelon needs 1m between plants when we transplant – that’s because it is a creeper and needs space to grow and set good fruit. We plant 4 000 plants per hectare.

A week after transplanting, we put down 2:3:4 as a top dressing and a week later we apply LAN. Yet another week and we begin to use Agri-Boost on a weekly basis. Agri Boost is a liquid bio-organic plant food and growth stimulant that is environmentally safe.

It accelerates growth and boosts yields, but is harmless to birds, bees and mammals. We use 5ℓ/ha in a prepared solution mixed with about 500ℓ of water. From transplant to harvest takes up to three months.



Source link

Joan Mugenzi, a Ugandan entrepreneur coaching people to be the best versions of themselves  — Lionesses of Africa

/0 Comments/in /by



When I am doing Imagine Me Africa work, I spend a significant amount of time advocating for the coaching profession ensuring its growth and visibility in Uganda and the rest of Africa using different platforms. I am the Founding President of ICF Uganda, a chapter that was formed in a record two months (a record not experienced in the history of ICF, and also grew the chapter to Charter Chapter status (50 members) within a period of one year and nine months against a globally set target of three years.

I am also part of Coach Masters Academy as a Director of Training for Uganda where I train, supervise and mentor coaches preparing for credentialing at Associate Certified Coach and Professional Certified Coach levels. I hold a Master’s degree in Public Health leadership (pride in providing health for the mind!), and a post graduate diploma in Journalism and Media management.

Why should anyone use your service or product?

We are addressing a challenge that every employee is likely to face in their lifetime. Every employee will one time lose a job, best case scenario, when they reach retirement age. Other scenarios are restructuring, shocks like the COVID19 pandemic, disability, illness of a loved one, personal sickness and all. We support individuals through the employment cycle for both good – career planning and transitioning, but also for eventualities. No employee should be caught unawares.

Tell us a little about your team

I basically still operate as a self-employed entrepreneur with systems around me. We are a simple team of two full time staff but led by an Advisory Board that keeps us on track ensuring we have all our systems in place, ensuring compliance and good governance. We then work with a team of eight Associates. We are deliberate about this business model because we know it helps us keep our operational costs manageable, but it also enables us to pay our Associates decently. This structure has enabled us to attract meaningful assignments and now we are on a journey of creating a coaching hub.

Our team of coaches is one on a continuous quest for exploration. All our coaches have either completed the advanced level of coach training or done their mastery training and are members of the International Coaching Federation. This level of equipping and a commitment to global professional standards only means their conversations are far deepening in terms of giving you great introspection and a learning experience. We believe that coaching should provide our clients with an opportunity to do deeper self-introspection, experience a mindset shift and evoke change from within.

Our team is also vastly exposed and has provided coaching and held strategic engagements with clients across Africa, Asia, Europe, North America, and South America. Among the countries covered are Australia, Brazil, Burundi, Chad, DRC, Ethiopia, France, Ghana, Germany, Hong Kong, Lesotho, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mozambique, Niger, Netherlands, Norway, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, South Africa, South Sudan, Swaziland, Sweden, UAE, Tanzania, Uganda, United Kingdom, Zambia and Zimbabwe. The team has also offered coaching to multi-sectoral teams and individuals covering financial services, NGO sector, Faith Based Organisations, Public sector, and the UN Agencies among others. To meet your needs as a client, we give you a minimum of three blinded coaching profiles from which you choose a potential match for you.

Share a little about your entrepreneurial journey. And do you come from an entrepreneurial background?

Part of this is covered under what inspired me to start the company. However, it has been learning on the job. My family didn’t have any entrepreneurs that I could look up to. In fact, when I left an International job, it was traumatizing for some of my family members. They thought I was out of my mind.

What are your future plans and aspirations for your company?

Turning Imagine Me Africa into an African coaching hub of choice. We are intentional about offering quality professional coaching services and this has dictated who we onboard. When a client has a bad coaching experience, they will send word around. We pride in offering enhanced transformational and transcendence coaching experience.



Source link

Chaimaa Elghani, an entrepreneur providing co-working inspiration in Morocco  — Lionesses of Africa

/0 Comments/in /by



What inspired you to start your company?

Moi-même j’avais ce problème de trouver un lieu professionnelle pour se poser et travailler autour des experts, et c’est là d’ou vient l’idée par la suite j’ai fait le tour un peu partout au Maroc pour brainstormer et benchmarker sur le concept puis j’étais en Tunisie aussi et l’étape finale c’était ma participation au salon du Coworking ou j’ai remporté le prix de l’entrepreneur international et juste après en rentrant au Maroc j’ai lancé mon Coworking space. 

I myself had this problem of finding a professional place to sit down and work around the experts, and that’s where the idea comes from. I went all over Morocco to brainstorm and benchmark on the concept, then I was in Tunisia too and the final step was my participation in the Co-working show where I won the international entrepreneur award. Just after returning to Morocco, I launched my Co-working space.

Why should anyone use your service or product?

C’est des services qui répondent directement aux besoins des entrepreneurs.
Tous nos services sont lancés suite à nos rencontres avec cette catégorie pour bien étudier leurs besoins et lancer conjointement avec nos partenaires ce type de service : programme d’accompagnement, formations, after work…

These are services that directly meet the needs of entrepreneurs. All our services are launched following our meetings to study their needs and jointly launch this type of service with our partners: support program, training, after service. 

Tell us a little about your team

Sans mes équipes que ça soit celle qui est full-time ou les personnes avec qui je bosse en freelance, sans eux je n’arriverais jamais à réaliser ce que j’ai fait jusqu’aujourd’hui. D’ailleurs tous mes équipes c’est des jeunes, mon rôle c’est de leur inculquer ce Mindset entrepreneurial et leurs permettre aussi d’évoluer dans leurs carrières. J’ai une relation d’amie avec les équipes et non pas un DG, ce n’est pas moi… Mais dans le travail, c’est du sérieux 🙂

Without my teams, be it the full-time ones or the people I work with on a freelance basis, without them I would never be able to achieve what I have done today. My teams are young people, and my role is to instill in them this entrepreneurial mindset and also allow them to develop in their careers. I have a friendly relationship with the teams and not as a CEO, it’s not me … but in the work, it’s serious 🙂

Share a little about your entrepreneurial journey. And do you come from an entrepreneurial background?

Non, ni mes parements ni mes frères c’est des entrepreneurs… mais le drôle dans mon parcours c’est que depuis très jeune je disais à mes parents à l’âge de 26 ans je vais lancer ma boite, en étant jeunes je ne savais pas pourquoi exactement cet âge, j’ me disais je vais bosser un peu et par la suite je doit être à mon propre compte et Hélas le rêve se réalise avec beaucoup de persévérance, et d’engagements. J’ai fait du salariat pendant 6 ans c’était mon choix parce que je voulais apprendre et développer des compétences que j’utiliserai par la suite dans mon entreprise.

No, neither my sisters nor my brothers are entrepreneurs … but the funny thing about my career is that from a very young age I told my parents at the age of 26 I would start my business. Being young I did not know why exactly this age, I told myself I will work a little and then I must be on my own, and fortunately the dream came true with a lot of perseverance and commitment. I worked as a salaried worker for 6 years, it was my choice because I wanted to learn and develop skills that I will later use in my business.



Source link

Refilwe Sebothoma, a visionary South African entrepreneur in PPE — Lionesses of Africa

/0 Comments/in /by



Refilwe’s strong financial acumen assists in driving profitability, cash flow management, performance measurement and management, thus creating value. In addition, her market orientation abilities enable her to critically analyze and synthesize market and competitive data necessary to build a competitive advantage. Lastly, through her strategic management insights, she demonstrates the ability to understand and manage critical interdependencies across the business value chain thus achieving effective and efficient strategy execution.

As an entrepreneur, her leadership and people skills enable her to clearly communicate the business vision and objectives with business charisma and decisive decision making. Grasp of short and long-term trade-offs of business decisions, local market insight and its contextualization for business success); and leadership (ability to communicated and business vision and objectives, leading strategy execution, outstanding people skills, business charisma and a decisive decision maker). Her recent qualification in Business Development Management with UCT are some of the things which continues to give her the edge to win.

Lioness Weekender chatted to Refilwe Sebothoma to learn more about her pioneering entrepreneurial journey in Africa’s tough PPE sector, and her aspirations for the future.

What does your company do?

We assist our clients in creating a safe working environment for their employees through the supply of premium, personal protective equipment (PPE) and high risk solutions. We specialize in a full range of personal protective equipment, i.e., head, hands, body, footwear, and work at heights protection. Our high risk solutions include: Lifelines, Rescue Kits, Anchor Points, Training, Site Surveys, Fall Protection Plans, Incident Investigations – Subject Matter Experts on Fall Protection, Workshops / Speaker / Event participation / Toolbox Talks , Implementation and Inspection and Certification.

What inspired you to start your company?

I was born and raised in a mining village called Marikana in the Northwest Province of South Africa. I grew up there and eventually worked for a mining house there too. Safety became a rich culture and an everyday life experience to me. I then began to pursue my specialist studies and undertook research regarding safety in the workplace. As a result of this career path, my company PBM Creations was birthed and I never looked back.

Why should anyone use your service or product?

We take the safety of human beings extremely seriously and thus we focus on the best quality personal protective equipment in the industry. What sets us apart is that we are always prepared to go the extra mile for our clients. We offer specialized customization services which allow us to be a convenient, reliable, and trusted supplier of choice. We have done our market analysis and made sure that we address most of the burning issues and gaps in the industry.

Tell us a little about your team

Throughout our value chain we employ over 2,500 employees and most of them are women. We also focus on employing women from disadvantaged backgrounds and skill them up to enable them to use sewing machines, and some of them even progress to learn how to use our computers. We have a highly skilled and dynamic team that is crazy about customer satisfaction and passionate about the industry.

Share a little about your entrepreneurial journey. And do you come from an entrepreneurial background?

I am the very first person to pursue entrepreneurship in my family. My mom was mad at me for a while after finding out that I had resigned from my full time employment to start a business. I am fortunate to have had the opportunities to work for large corporates in South Africa which helped me to understand the importance of building structures and systems in the business. I do believe that business is able to stretch you out of your comfort zones and teach you lessons ordinary jobs cannot teach. I have learned the importance of commitment, nurturing relationships, and treating people well. My greatest strength to date is still the willingness and ability to learn and take opportunities as if they are my last breath. Vulnerability, honesty and humility are huge contributions to my success.

What are your future plans and aspirations for your company?

In the past few years, I have been buying into businesses which owned our value chain, this continues to position us strongly in the market as we have better control and can serve our customers competitively.

What gives you the most satisfaction being an entrepreneur?

The ability to retain clients, making a difference in my team’s lives, and knowing that they are extending the same impact to their families and communities.

Above all I just love winning!

What’s the biggest piece of advice you can give to other women looking to start-up?

You have to know what you want, and define your success because if you don’t, everyone will do it for you. 

It’s important to research, learn and understand your market so well that you can stand regardless of the opposition. Knowing and understanding your market and products gives you the confidence to stand up every single time after defeat and keep hoping that you will eventually get it right. 

Success is a process and not an overnight event, we have to learn to celebrate every milestone, no matter how small it might look!

Contact or follow PBM Group

WEBSITE | FACEBOOK | YOUTUBE | EMAIL refilwe@pbmgroup.co.za



Source link

Dark kitchens and the changes in Quick Service Restaurant models — Lionesses of Africa

/0 Comments/in /by



What are the business models that one can explore if intending to introduce a dark kitchen?

The setups of a dark kitchen vary on location, market demand and the collaboration partnerships with the delivery channels. The predicated growth for platform to delivery which also includes the dark kitchen by Statisa1 is attractive for the restaurant market; revenue in the Platform-to-Consumer Delivery segment is projected to reach R8,6b in 2021 with the number of users expected to rise to 9.6m by 2024. Revenue is expected to show an annual growth rate (CAGR 2021-2024) of 7.69%, resulting in a projected market volume of R10b by 2024. The market projections will come from the existing market, and there will be digressions from the traditional restaurant model to the dark kitchen model.

So, what are the common dark kitchen models prevalent in the South African market?

Single-brand dark kitchen

A single brand dark kitchen offers one cuisine which is enjoyed offsite. Due to the less complex nature of this type of kitchen, the delivery can be entrusted to employees through in-house delivery. Some brands opt to involve a third-party delivery channel while they develop internal capabilities.

Multi-brand dark kitchen

The model typical works well for franchisors who have several brands in their stable. The franchisor will centralize the dark kitchen and offer i.e. Pizza, Burger, Chicken under one roof. The main benefit of this type of set-up is to reduce the operational costs. Each cuisine is managed separately, and market insights derived to determine which cuisine is popular with which market and at what times. The cost to serve is substantially reduced compared to when each cuisine carries its own cost.

Takeaway dark kitchen

A click/call and collect functionality is the unique identifier for the model. Clients are offered an experience of seeing their orders being prepared and have an opportunity to interact with the employees. This model renders essentially a dark kitchen/ normal restaurant hybrid. Post the hard lockdown, most eateries opted for this model as the investment has been made to host clients. The key differentiator is the opportunity to forge customer connections. Clients are still able to connect to the brand on a personal level.

South Africa has had dark kitchens since 2012, the COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the adoption of the dark kitchen model. It key to note that the success of the dark kitchen is dependent on various factors such as spatial dynamics of the market that is served, reliable technology platform, and an efficient delivery partner. The dark kitchen model thrives in the cities as compared to disperse locations which present a higher cost to serve i.e. delivery fees. The traditional restaurant model will continue to thrive in some geographies, while cities will continue to see more brands cutting costs and re-introducing some of their offerings in a dark kitchen model.

To find out more about the Restaurant and Quick Service Restaurant industry and available financing solutions, contact Abigail Makhubele via email:  Abigail.makhubele@absa.co.za; or visit the website: www.absa.co.za; or call +27 11 350 8000; or email: franchise@absa.co.za

Notes

  1. Statista. 2020. Platform-to-Consumer Delivery. Statista Digital Market Outlook – Segment Report. South Africa.

  2. Menezesv, B. (2021) 10 dark kitchens that are making a dent on the dining scene in South Africa. Eatout. South Africa



Source link