Wandile Sihlobo’s Post

The SA agriculture and land policy discourse risks entering a period of stagnation like much of the country’s developmental agenda. More than three years ago we knew that government had over the years acquired about 2.5-million hectares of land through its Proactive Land Acquisition Strategy. Much of this land was previously used for various farming activities, but some is now underutilised, and some is under short-term leases to farmers who struggle to access the capital required to unlock the land’s potential. READ MY FULL COLUMN HERE: https://lnkd.in/dicexv-t

Some good news... USDA to Begin Issuing $2.14 Billion to Agricultural Producers through Key Conservation and Safety-Net Programs WASHINGTON, Oct. 21, 2024 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) today announced that it will begin issuing more than $2.14 billion in payments to eligible agricultural producers, and landowners—providing much needed support through key conservation and safety-net programs. Producers should soon receive payments from USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) for their participation in these programs aimed to conserve natural resources and keep family farms economically viable.    https://lnkd.in/gAct27uX  

https://lnkd.in/eN_sJx2G A new agriculture policy, spearheaded by Minister of Agriculture Girma Amente (PhD), has made its way to Parliament, signalling a shift towards a market-driven approach aimed at revamping the sector. Girma's proposal to allow farmers to use their land as collateral for loans is seen by officials as a step towards addressing this longstanding barrier. Read more https://ow.ly/kZBN50Rx3z7

What prevents farmers from starting a succession plan? It’s predicted that by 2033, 40% of Canadian farm operators will retire. Of these farms, 66% do not have a succession plan in place. Curious about transition planning? Watch this episode with Maggie Van Camp https://loom.ly/nWbY8hw #agriculture #successionplanning

💡New research suggests that more farmers are looking to diversify following the Autumn Budget announcement... In a survey of 250 farm business owners, 22% of respondents said that they will be diversifying their operations, which is essential for the business' survival, while 30% plan to make changes before passing it onto the next generation. "𝗗𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗶𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗺𝗮𝘆 𝗵𝗲𝗹𝗽 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝗲𝗰𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗼𝗳 𝗳𝗮𝗿𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗯𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗲𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲, 𝗯𝘂𝘁 𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗳𝘂𝗹 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗳𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗴𝘂𝗶𝗱𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗸𝗲𝘆." - Amy Cowdell, Head of Agriculture at Shakespeare Martineau We are on a mission to help farmers and guide them through the process of self storage and diversification. Starting a new business or expanding an existing one can be daunting, but with the right support, it doesn't have to be! 🤝 Book a free consultation with Kuboid to learn more: https://lnkd.in/ekeJitDZ #FarmDiversification #FarmingIndustry #UKFarmers #AutumnBudget

Farm Vision: Your Essential Farming Update. Stay ahead with this month’s edition of Farm Vision. Our monthly newsletter is packed with insights, advice, and analysis to help farmers and landowners stay informed on all of the aspects affecting the agricultural sector. Key highlights include: * The Autumn Budget’s impact on farming businesses * Higher-rate NICs and what they mean for your business * Updates on Agricultural Property Relief * The Farming Recovery Fund update * Uncertainty surrounding CSS capital grants * Delinked BPS payments: what to know * Advice on implementing the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) Alec Smith, Business Solutions Director at Sentry, says: "The 2024 Autumn Budget presents challenges, but it also offers an opportunity to reassess and adapt. By understanding these changes and planning strategically, farmers can remain resilient and well-positioned for the future." Contact us today to get your copy and stay informed: sbs@sentry.co.uk   #FarmVision #FarmingNews #AgricultureInsights #FarmManagement #FarmingAdvice #SustainableFarming #AgriculturalBusiness #FarmBudget2024 #FarmingResilience #OnYourFarm #ByYourSide

Happy National Agriculture Day! Today, we take a moment to reflect on, celebrate and express our gratitude for Australia's farming sector. As the agricultural industry evolves to meet growing global population demands, farm owners and operators may require external assistance to overcome challenges and seize new opportunities—from enhancing financial performance to expanding their businesses. Combining farming knowledge with financial strategy, Ben Waters, shares how our team draws from experience across all major commodities and the entire supply chain to guide stakeholders wanting to invest in agriculture, expand their businesses or navigate challenges and uncertainty. https://lnkd.in/g_gb3xva #ExpertsWithImpact #SustainableFarming #AgricultureInvestment

Good read. 👍 Such fundamental issues require, imho: • adequate brain storming of all concerned experts (local & foreign) • deploying best international practices applicable to the #Ethiopian context • ሕዝቡንም በውይይት (traditional + social media) አሳትፎ (NB: 95% smallholders, engaged in primitive agriculture mode, unable to feed themselves enough (🤭) let alone a 📈 population of ~130M). Of course structural change & reforms are required here, as long as sound, viable, gradually applicable & politically feasible. Yet, not that a single shot solution or an appealling short cut can do, especially when easy 💰 can be so easily spent on (ጭፈራ መኪና ብልጭልጭ ተስካር/ፍትሓት ሰርግ DV visa ...ምናምን) Now, if all the existing policies and practices had effectively managed to assure endemic poverty & backwardness to the vast majority here, the inappropriate & hastened ones could deprive them the little they have too. ከድጡ ወደ ማጡ። 🤔 Ultimately, the poor & inconsistent assistance to smallholders & cooperatives, poor education, poor governance etc.. can't obviously produce better results. አያ ጂሎ: ሳሩን አይተህ ገደሉን ሳታይ, እንዳይሆን ነው መጠንቀቅ።

The agriculture, commercial fishing, forest products and food manufacturing industries are key economic engines in the Northeast, according to an economic impact report recently released by Farm Credit East. The report found that 71,365 farms and related businesses throughout the eight-state region of Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont produced an estimated $225.2 billion in economic activity supporting 818,408 jobs on and off the farm.https://ow.ly/C0NC50TWBln

RWANDA - Lawmakers are proposing radical changes in the agriculture sector, including the division of the Ministry of Agriculture into two separate entities as well as the establishment of an exclusive agriculture bank, in order to enhance the sector's contribution to the country's economic development https://lnkd.in/dhCEd3z3