South African News
GMO Access Key to South African Farmers’ Global Competitiveness
South African farmers need access to agricultural technologies such as GMOs and precision farming to remain productive, profitable and competitive, argues Tobias Doyer, while acknowledging that technology alone cannot solve poverty and food insecurity. He distinguishes concerns about corporate concentration and market power from questions around farmers’ access to innovation, arguing that each requires a separate policy response. With South African farmers facing rising costs, climate risks and limited institutional support, restricting technologies available to competitors could weaken resilience and food security. Doyer calls for science-based regulation and greater access to improved genetics, precision farming and other innovations.
Read full story: Daily Maverick
Date Published: August 16, 2026
Support Gaps Hold Back South Africa’s Small-Scale Sugarcane Farmers
A six-year study has identified key factors limiting productivity among South Africa’s 25,653 small-scale sugarcane growers, particularly in Mpumalanga and KwaZulu-Natal. Poor weed management, delayed farm planning, reliance on contractors, limited access to quality seedcane and inconsistent technical support are reducing yields and profitability. Researchers say growers need more than technical advice, with practical extension services, demonstration plots, better planning tools, improved contractor coordination and wider seedcane distribution networks recommended. Addressing these interconnected challenges could increase farm incomes, reduce production risks and strengthen rural livelihoods. The study highlights that growers often understand best practices but lack the resources and support needed to implement them effectively.
Read full story: Biz Community
Date Published: August 17, 2026
African News
Nigeria’s Rangeland Degradation Fuels Farmer-Herder Conflict
Nigeria’s rangelands and grazing routes are under growing pressure from desertification, drought, land degradation and competing land uses, worsening tensions between farmers and pastoralists. Around 23.41% of Nigeria’s land is classified as degraded, while authorities say more than half of the country’s rangelands and grazing routes have deteriorated. The government is promoting ranching to reduce cattle movement through farming areas, but experts say improved rangeland management and grazing infrastructure are also essential. Restoration efforts face major obstacles, including insecurity, vandalism and limited funding. The crisis comes as Nigeria participates in UNCCD COP17, focused on tackling desertification and restoring degraded land.
Read full story: Premium Times
Date Published: August 16, 2026
Global News
Scorching Weather Puts Europe’s Slurry-Spreading Rules Under Pressure
Extreme heat and drought across Europe are leaving slurry stores full while stalled grass growth and dry soils limit farmers’ ability to spread nutrients effectively. Farmers’ organisations in Ireland and the Netherlands are calling for extensions to slurry-spreading windows, arguing that fixed regulatory dates no longer reflect increasingly unpredictable weather conditions. Ireland has recorded grass growth 7% below the 10-year average, while Dutch farmers have struggled to spread slurry amid exceptional drought and temperatures forecast to reach 37°C. Governments must balance farmers’ need for flexibility with the Nitrates Directive’s water-quality objectives as climate conditions increasingly challenge traditional spreading calendars.
Read full story: Agriland
Date Published: August 16, 2026
USDA Expands Support for Small US Beef Processors
The USDA is increasing support for small beef processors through new funding programmes, clearer processor classifications and “Product of USA” labelling options. The $60 million Meat and Poultry Processing Expansion Program aims to improve efficiency at small and very small plants, while the new $500 million Strengthening Processing for U.S. Ranchers programme will specifically support beef processors facing high operating costs. The USDA is also reviewing processor size categories to better reflect the industry. Imported beef must meet US equivalency requirements and is reinspected at the border. Eligible USDA-inspected beef can also carry a “Product of USA” label with appropriate documentation and origin verification.
Read full story: Farm Progress
Date Published: August 17, 2026
How a small Maharashtra town taught the world a lesson in smart farming
An agricultural pilot project in Baramati, Maharashtra, has achieved exceptional results by doubling sugarcane yields whilst reducing water consumption by 40–50 per cent and fertiliser usage by 30 per cent. Developed by the Agricultural Development Trust alongside Oxford University and Microsoft, the system utilizes "Tiny AI" tailored for small, fragmented farms. Operating on an economical hub-and-spoke infrastructure using weather stations, low-cost sensors, and satellite imagery, the AI analyses data to deliver plain-language advice via standard mobile messages in Marathi. The framework predicts irrigation and nutrient requirements, outperforming international benchmarks, and is now being expanded across multiple crops and Indian states.
Read full story: Indian Express
Date Published: August 16, 2026
Race to rescue flooded farmland
China has deployed emergency agricultural task forces across its eastern provinces to drain submerged fields and prevent livestock disease outbreaks after Typhoon Dolphin delivered record-breaking rainfall. Striking Zhejiang province on 9 August, the typhoon brought the heaviest rainfall recorded there since 1949, threatening vital national production bases for grain, vegetables, livestock, and aquaculture. In response, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs sent technical teams to assess damage, clear 373,000 hectares of drainage ditches, repair damaged infrastructure, and guide crop recovery. Financial relief efforts are also under way, with insurers expediting claim settlements after receiving nearly 130,000 claims totalling an estimated 1.75 billion yuan.
Read full story: China Daily
Date Published: August 17, 2026
