Climate change challenges for SA agriculture

The Daily News set out to find out what climate change means for the production and cost of food. According to Roland Schulze, Professor Emeritus of Hydrology at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, projections showed that the lack of water for irrigation would have a detrimental effect on agriculture. Read more >>

SA adds rice to its grain crop farming

MediaClubSouthAfrica.com, news channel of the International Marketing Council of South Africa (IMC), reports that the South African agricultural sector could soon add rice to its list of locally cultivated crops. Rice has never been produced commercially in this country. According to the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), 90% of the world's rice is cultivated in South, Southeast, and East Asia. Read more >>

ANC's 'carrot & stick approach' to job-creation financing

According to Reuters, South Africa has lost more than one million jobs since the start of 2009 -- its first year in recession since 1992 - and the ANC is looking at ways to finance its efforts to boost jobs in agriculture and mining. Read more >>

Organic products are fastest growing - Adams & Adams

A survey published in Winetimes found that only 18% of wine consumers consider an organic certification to be an important influencing factor when purchasing wine. According to Charne le Roux, a partner at attorneys Adams & Adams, it appears that pricing and varietals play a more important role in the purchasing decision. Read more >>

Will agriculture be in Durban's climate change text?

BusinessGreen reports that South African President Jacob Zuma is expected to lead a bid to include a specific mention for agriculture in the negotiating text. Agriculture is a major contributor to climate change, directly accounting for about 14% of greenhouse gas emissions. Read more >>

Degradation in 25% of the world's farmland: UN report

News.com Australia reports that the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) has completed "State of the World's Land and Water Resources for Food and Agriculture" - the first-ever global assessment of the state of the planet's land resources. Read more >>

Small organic farmers foiled by red tape

In the face of a rising obesity rate and the complicated health risks that come with it, organic foods have become a sizeable industry. Read more >>

Don't drop the ball, climate delegates told

[Chris Bathembu] International Relations and Cooperation Minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane has called on the delegates attending the climate change conference in South Africa to "retain" the trust that was built in Mexico last year. Read more >>

African agenda set at COP17

[Kemantha Govender] The South African government recognises its role as the major contributor to greenhouse gas emissions on the continent, says Water and Environmental Affairs Minister Edna Molewa, as the African agenda is set at COP17. The all-important conference officially got underway in Durban on Monday, 28 November 2011. Read more >>