The potentials of the biogas industry in South Africa

According to Southern African Biogas Industry Association (Sabia) chairperson Mark Tiepelt:

• The biogas industry could turn into a R10-billion industry, spurring the manufacturing sector with the development of biogas-specific products and services 
• The biogas sector can create five to ten times the number of jobs that other renewable-energy projects do.

Other benefits include:

• Waste can further be used as compost
• Electricity can be generated in rural areas not reached by Eskom, the State's power utility
• Electricity will help relieve the strain on national electricity grid
• A contribution to carbon mitigation

South Africa has about 300 biogas digesters in operation. Neighbouring Lesotho has some 600! We can do better in this country.

A biogas conference will be held in Midrand on October 30 and 31 to look at the potential of biogas in the country.

Useful contacts are Southern African Biogas Industry Association (Sabia) and the Agricultural Research Council (ARC) Institute of Agricultural Engineering in Silverton near Pretoria.

Biogas is covered in the Renewable energy chapter of The Agri Handbook.

Farmers in France (and elsewhere)

It is with great concern that we read the article High suicide rate highlights plight of French farmers.

Let us remember that most of us have lost touch with the vocation which allows us to be businessmen, doctors, bankers, lawyers etc. Somebody else cultivates the food that sustains you, and so you are released to pursue the career that you do. If it were not for farmers, we would have to be growing our own food. If you are like me, you get your food from the nearest supermarket -- and that supermarket sources its food from farmers.

True, farmers earn their money from growing that food, but let's take our hats off to them for a moment, and thank them for the food in our supermakets and the food in our stomachs.

Biofuels sector receives a massive boost

When people talk about biofuels they are essentially referring to ethanol or biodiesel. Ethanol is mostly derived from corn (maize) and sugar cane. Ethanol is favoured in the Americas, US and Brazil producing most of the world's ethanol). Europe and China produce biodiesel. Here the sources are usually soybeans, sunflower, canola -- and waste cooking oil!

Algae is increasingly a possibility, and this week brings news of companies seeking investment in this area. 

Biofuels can be produced from any number of plant crops. Actually, from ANY plant material. A recent technology makes biofuel by breaking down plant cell walls.

Earlier this week in South Africa, the Department of Energy announced that compulsory blending of fuel with a percentage of biofuels is to commence on the 1 October 2015. It is the step that the biofuels sector and many in agriculture have been waiting for. Without this, biofuels would always have been just a nice idea.

Find the press release here.

Biofuels is one of the chapters in The Agri Handbook.

13th South African Agricultural Outlook Conference

The 13th South African Agricultural Outlook Conference kicks off at 7h45 on Monday, 30 September.

Find the final programme here.

See you there!

Tomorrow and 55 000 people

Tomorrow, Saturday 28 September, is World Rabies Day. It is part of an international drive to educate the public on rabies and its prevention.

After being bitten by a rabid animal a human has a short window period in which to receive vaccination. There is no cure after this window period. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in the United States of America, more than 55 000 people die from rabies every year, mostly in Africa and Asia.

Read what the CDC says about preventing rabies.

Rabies is covered in the Biosecurity chapter of  The Agri Handbook. Also of relevance is the chapter on Animal Health.

Agricultural Trade between the USA and South Africa

Ever wondered what happens in agricultural trade between the USA and South Africa?

• The US imports fruit, wine and beer, raw cane sugar, tree nuts, fruit juice and planting seed from South Africa. 
• It exports the following: dairy products, poultry meat and products, planting seed, tree nuts, wheat, vegetable fats and oils, live animals, sugars, processed fruit and vegetables.

Last week [16 - 19 September] saw a visit to South Africa by delegates from the US Department of Agriculture (USDA). South Africa's Agricultural Business Chamber (Agbiz) reports on the Agribusiness Trade Mission (ATM) and gives stats of US-SA trade.

Decisions and long-term views

Everybody makes a wrong decision, sooner or later. Be it in a personal capacity, in a marriage or in government, this is true.  The thing is: can you recognise when this has happened? Can you make a U-turn, recover and improve?

This is more likely to happen where there is openness, where an "opposing narrative" is looked at and accommodated -- even if it is not accepted. If the other point-of-view is not even allowed to surface, then it is unlikely that any introspection will happen, certainly not any honest introspection.

In his book The Long View: Getting beyond the drama of SA's headlines, JP Landman looks at eight issues that have a bearing on whether this country has what it takes to be successful. That South Africa is an open society is one of the things going for it.

Two of the issues mentioned work against the country.

Find the interview with JP Landman on www.polity.org.za or click here.