Farmer's Inside Track

Carbon credits are gaining traction across various industries, but they are also emerging as a new opportunity within agriculture. In this episode, we explore what carbon credits are, how they work, and why they are becoming increasingly relevant for South African farmers. Matthew Kensett, manager of the Carbon Smart programme at UPL Africa, joins the conversation to answer frequently asked questions from farmers and unpack what carbon credit farming could mean for the future of sustainable agriculture.

In this episode of Farmer’s Inside Track, award-winning pomegranate producer Debbie Theunissen, owner and managing director of Bovenvlei Farm in the Western Cape, unpacks her journey from food technologist to commercial fruit farmer. Theunissen explores the realities of entering agriculture without a farming background, building an export-focused pomegranate business, navigating water licensing, drought and long production cycles, and using technology to drive quality, sustainability and long-term farm viability.

Community development often fails due to fragmented efforts and short-lived gains. Seriti Institute changes the narrative by acting as a vital facilitator, uniting government, the private sector, and local communities.
In this episode, Juanita Pardesi, CEO of Seriti Institute, explains how they realign partners around shared outcomes through initiatives like Agri-nodes, GreenWorks, and Hluma Roots, empowering over 13 000 people nationwide with jobs, skills, and resilient enterprises.

By interconnecting food security, climate resilience, and enterprise growth, Seriti turns one-off projects into sustainable systems that foster long-term independence.

In this episode, plant pathologist Dr Godfrey Kgatle explains how seed genetics influence farm profitability, resilience, and food security in South Africa. He unpacks the role of hybrids, GMOs and emerging new breeding techniques (NBTs) in improving yields, managing pests and diseases, and adapting to climate variability. Kagtle also highlights South Africa’s strong regulatory framework and why farmer choice and innovation are key to sustainable, profitable farming.

In this episode of Farmer’s Inside Track, we speak to Dale Hutton, the 2025 Toyota SA Kwanalu Young Farmer of the Year, about his journey from environmental science to pasture-based dairy farming in KwaZulu-Natal. Dale gives practical insights into pasture management, KiwiCross genetics, dairy efficiency, solar power, and managing the volatility of farming. He also shares honest reflections on leadership, resilience and stewardship of the land.