The Afrikaans version of The Agri Handbook

Kyk na die inleiding (tussen 4 en 5 minute) wat op kykNET se Dagbreek program verskyn het.

Die boek is 'n gratis aflaai (sien onder "order" op hierdie webwerf).

• Klik op die boek waaronder staan "PDF Die Agri Handboek (Afrikaans) PDF download (free)"
• Klik op die rooi “Add to cart”. ’n Rooi kolletjie beweeg bo. Klik op “cart” regs bo.
• Klik op “Check out”
• “Your contact email”. Dit is belangrik dat jy jou epos hier korrek invul. Die ander besonderhede is nie van uiters belang maar daar moet iets in die blokkies staan. Onder, klik op “Continue to next step”
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• Wag vir die eposte wat jou bestelling bevestig en daarna wat vir jou ‘n skakkel gee, iets soos http://rainbowsa.fetchapp.com/get/ocijip
• Klik hierop, en daarna op Die Agri Handboek 2013-14-ver-1.5.pdf (52.2 MB)

Na ’n paar minute kyk onder “Downloads” op jou rekenaar. Die PDF behoort daar te wees. Laat ons weet asb. indien daar enige probleme is met die aflaai. Rig 'n epos na craig [by] agrihandbook [punt] co [punt] za

Not paying for toll road: farmer gets away with it

Did you know that back in 2006, South African National Roads Agency Ltd (SANRAL) was found to have badly failed in its obligation "to consult with local residents affected by the tolling concession ... for the N4 Maputo Development Corridor Toll Road"?

Judge Phineas Mojapelo handed down a judgement in favour of farmer Mr Nicolaas Smit, who had refused to pay toll and been criminally charged. Smit was found not guilty because the toll road in question had not been lawfully declared as such. There had been no "proper public consultation process."

SANRAL will soon need to start court cases against many more Nicolaas Smits in Gauteng, the country's business hub, as many "clients" are not paying astronomical monthly fees (over USD100). They can, of course, halve this by buying an e-tag. This is something like paying a bribe whereby you acknowledge the legitimacy of e-tolls in exchange for a lighter fee.

Watch the clip Gauteng eTolls Make No Sense; and read more on the Opposition to Urban Tolling Alliance website.

African Farmer game: master all the risks in a safe location

Have you tried playing the African Farmer?

The game simulates the complex decisions and uncertainties faced by small-scale farmers living in Sub-Saharan Africa.

• Your challenge is to manage a farming household in a village. You need to make decisions on what to grow, what to buy and how to feed your family – and then see the results of those decisions.
• You must take care of your farm and your family’s health – but watch out for price rises, bad weather and disease!

By simulating real-life challenges the game is a perfect learning tool – and free online.

Ringing the changes in South African agribusiness

The "joint cautionary announcement" that Senwes and NWK Holdings are negotiating a merger is significant news indeed.

In the last century, agricultural co-operatives established commercial agriculture in South Africa. The changes introduced in 1994 went beyond the political, moving the economy away from a protected environment to being one of the freest in the world (no subsidies here!) This has seen the number of commercial farmers drastically reduced over the years until, it is estimated, we now have around 30 000 left.

Agricultural co-operatives changed and in almost all cases converted to being companies. Moving away from the farmer-owned model that existed previously, the stronger ones absorbed the smaller ones leaving a handful of role players of national (and international) significance. The proposed merger of two of these changes the agribusiness landscape in the country.

The history of agribusiness is traced in the agribusiness chapter in The Agri Handbook.

Subsequent to 1994, the co-operative model is held up as a tool to establish -- this time -- black small scale farmers  and other businesses. Read about this the chapter on co-operatives.