Farmer's Inside Track

True biosecurity is about more than just fences; it is about farmer-led resilience. Dr Stefan Steyn joins us to discuss the vital role of the Red Meat Producers' Organisation (RPO) in connecting rural communities with the state, ensuring that producers’ interests remain a priority in national policy.

Steyn has spent the last 16 years refining his expertise in the veterinary field. As a technical manager for Afrivet Training Services, his work centres on the intricate relationship between viruses and the immune systems of poultry and livestock.

In this episode, he highlights why the responsibility for animal health must begin with the individual farmer, and how the Red Meat Producers' Organisation (RPO) acts as a critical facilitator in shifting the narrative toward farmer-led resilience.

Steyn explores the concept of fence-line biosecurity, advocating for a shift toward community-led defence. By adopting a neighbourhood watch model, communal and emerging farmers can form clusters to monitor animal movements and protect shared grazing areas, moving the focus from reactive treatments to sustainable, collective prevention.

In this episode of Farmer’s Inside Track, livestock specialist Junior Mkansi shares practical calf-rearing tips to help farmers build healthier, more productive herds. From the importance of colostrum and early nutrition to biosecurity, weaning, and disease prevention, he unpacks the key management practices that shape calf growth and long-term performance.

It’s a practical introduction for cattle farmers looking to strengthen their calf-rearing systems and improve herd productivity.

In this episode of Farmer’s Inside Track, we speak with Jared Gouws from Netafim about how irrigation automation is helping farmers improve precision and efficiency. He explains how sensors, data and centralised control systems enable real-time irrigation decisions, reduce labour and optimise water and nutrient use.

The discussion also explores how automation is becoming increasingly accessible to both large and small-scale farmers.

In this episode of Farmer’s Inside Track, we speak to Lebo Mashigo, founder of Eggsellent, a commercial layer farm that started as a small backyard egg-selling business and has since grown into a 15 000-bird operation, with plans to expand to 30 000.

Lebo shares how she turned personal necessity into a thriving agribusiness, the impact of Covid-19 on demand, and how funding, mentorship, and continuous learning supported her growth. She also reflects on key challenges, including land access, compliance, and scaling a rural-based operation.

Fairtrade Africa’s new 2026–2028 strategy is a practical roadmap to help farmers and workers succeed in an increasingly complex global trade environment. This episode explores how the organisation plans to improve market access, strengthen producer voices, and build resilience against climate shocks, inflation, and price volatility.

Senior leaders Chris Oluoch, Madeline Muga, and Paul Colditz explain why partnerships, compliance support, and stronger producer organisations are now essential. With stricter international regulations and growing sustainability demands, producers need more than certification – they need tools to compete and thrive.