Setting the SCENE

Scientific publications published in peer-reviewed journals in the field of Animal Science: 2014 to 2015

This edition of the AgriProbe truly inspires me as we see exceptional stories of what the sector was involved in during the COVID-19 lockdown.

It is amazing how one small virus has been able to connect so many people through the power of ubuntu.

With a pandemic that has left us in humanitarian disarray, the agricultural sector has managed to join hands and support those who need it most. This generosity came in the form of farmer support and citrus and milk donations.

Agriculture is a business that is grounded in hard work and plenty of faith. It is risky and those who venture into this space do it because they have a deep desire to create something from nothing – to get their hands dirty and utilise the resources of mother nature. This is something you can only unleash by balancing hard work, knowledge, faith, dedication, and consistency.

The Western Cape Department of Agriculture has always looked for ways to

by Rashidah Wentzel

support our stakeholders, come rain or shine. The reason for this is that no one goes into agriculture if they do not truly love it and to be successful, it needs to be an interest shared between parties.

This sector has the potential to build the economy and ensure that everyone has food security and is economically prosperous in the Western Cape. We see an agricultural revolution with many exciting research projects. This includes farming in the Karoo, sustainable land management, improving landscape management through the FruitLook technology, and the improvement of milk production with the Outeniqua jersey herd. It is also promising to see how the learners and educators at Elsenburg Agricultural Training Institute have managed to adapt to the new blended learning approach.

I hope these encouraging stories will lighten the path for you as it did for me, while we move forward and continue working around the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic.