Farmer's Inside Track

In this episode of Farmer’s Inside Track, Byron Latrobe, technical sales advisor for Netafim Southern and East Africa, discusses precision drip irrigation for onion seed production.
Byron explains how dripper spacing and irrigation uniformity influence root development, flowering, pollination and yields, while highlighting the importance of maintaining a dry flower environment to support bees and reduce disease pressure. Learn more about managing saline water through leaching, using fertigation to improve nutrient efficiency, and the advantages of thin-wall drip lines for seed producers. Byron also shares practical advice on installation, retrieval, maintenance and filtration, and explains why farmers should start by understanding their water quality and soil conditions before designing an irrigation system.

In this episode, commercial farmer and agriculturalist Lesego Mohube shares practical strategies farmers can use to prepare for drier seasons and manage water more efficiently. From improving soil health and using irrigation more effectively to harvesting rainwater, maintaining water infrastructure and reducing unnecessary water losses, Lesego highlights practical steps that can be applied on farms of different scales. Tune in for practical insights on building a more water-efficient and climate-resilient farming operation

In this episode of Farmer's Inside Track, Moleke Maphila shares how his passion for agriculture grew from witnessing the role of livestock and vegetable production in rural livelihoods. After struggling to find employment, he turned his knowledge and qualifications into an opportunity to build his own farming enterprise. With support from his family and business partner, Maphila began farming on a 22-hectare property, turning his agricultural knowledge into practical experience and a growing business.

Taking a trip down memory lane! Today, we’re revisiting some of your all-time favourite podcast episodes.
Agriculture remains a key driver and beneficiary of technological innovations.
In this episode, we speak to Thulani Magida, the founder of Juta Agritech, who explores the specific uses, benefits, licensing requirements, and potential of drone technology to advance agricultural practices in South Africa.

As South African livestock producers navigate volatile climate cycles and degraded veld conditions, suppressed fertility caused by mineral deficiencies can limit herd growth. Dr Josef De Villiers Van Wyngaard, technical manager at Voermol Feeds, joins the podcast to tackle how targeted phosphate supplementation serves as a critical driver for protecting reproduction and driving farm profitability.
He breaks down why phosphate remains one of the most underestimated limiting factors in local livestock production, especially when recovering pastures fail to deliver essential soil nutrients. He also highlights the direct connection between long-term mineral gaps and dropped calving or lambing rates.
To help farmers safeguard their breeding stock, Dr Van Wyngaard outlines exact timing strategies for introducing phosphate licks across different regional veld types. This includes avoiding common supplementation mistakes and deploying specific Voermol solutions to rebuild herd numbers with confidence.