Farmer's Inside Track

True sustainability in modern farming is about more than just food production; it is about building energy independence and financial resilience. Paul Stuart, Gordon Ayres, and Lusani Khubana join us to discuss bioenergy, innovation, and sustainability, exploring what the upcoming Bio360 Africa event means for the future of African agriculture.

Stuart is the CEO and director of Bioenergy Events and Services (BEES); Ayres serves as the secretary general of SABIA; and Khubana is a projects officer at Madam Waste. Together, their work centres on driving collaborative, localised green energy solutions and helping agricultural producers valorise their residual waste.

In this episode, they highlight why the modern African farmer must plug into bioenergy networks to diversify income streams, remediate depleted soils, and transition toward a self-sustaining circular economy.

The panel explores how the BEES platform has adapted 20 years of international expertise to deliver an Africa-ready approach, moving away from reckless grant-heavy tick-box projects towards genuine local collaboration.

True sustainability in livestock farming begins with selecting animals that can thrive in their specific environment. Ndumiso Gule joins us to discuss the vital role of climate-smart genetics and breed selection as a primary defense against extreme weather conditions.

Gule is the director of Gule Agri Consulting and works closely with the Red Meat Producers' Organisation (RPO) to deliver essential farmer training sessions and information days across the country.

In this episode, he highlights why matching cattle genetics to geographic realities is crucial for low-input farming. Gule explains why indigenous breeds, such as Nguni and Afrikaner cattle, remain uniquely equipped to withstand Africa’s harsh, tropical conditions and continue to anchor the modern beef industry.

In this episode of Farmer’s Insight Track, young Limpopo farmer and agribusiness entrepreneur Thabo Phasha shares his journey as a third-generation farmer building a grain and agro-processing business. He discusses treating farming as a business, the role of mentorship, collaboration and discipline, navigating growth challenges, and his passion for youth advocacy and agricultural policy. A practical conversation on entrepreneurship, resilience and the future of farming.

In this episode, plant pathologist Neo Hlongwane unpacks the growing concern around Goss’s wilt and what it means for South African grain producers. With no official cure or remedy available globally, farmers are being urged to focus on prevention and integrated disease management strategies.

We discuss the importance of strict sanitation, disinfecting equipment and tools, managing infected crop residues, controlling weeds that may host the disease, and rotating with non-host crops such as soybeans, sunflowers, and lucerne. Tune in as we explore practical steps farmers can take to reduce the spread and protect crop health this season.

In this Farmer Mentor episode, Zen Teitge, CEO of Manger Care Centre in XXX, shares how agriculture is helping transform lives.

From supporting vulnerable communities through accredited training and commercial farming to empowering emerging farmers to build sustainable livelihoods, Teitge discusses the power of farming as a tool for rehabilitation, opportunity, and community development in South Africa.