• Latest
  • Trending
  • All
  • News
  • Lifestyle
Nompe Zim, a Free State farmer, was named the ARC's National Small-Scale Master Dairyman of the Year. She dedicated her award to her late father. Photo:Supplied/Food For Mzansi

It’s two-in-a-row for Free State dairy farmer

19th Nov 2021
Pietermaritzburg farmer Andile Ngcobo counted among the thousands of visitors to Nampo. To allow for reduced daily capacity amid Covid-19 restrictions, the expo is held over a period of five days. Under the theme “Experience it”, organisers gave visitors a broad overview of the latest trends, equipment, vehicles and so much more offered to the agriculture sector. Photo: Supplied/Food For Mzansi

In pictures: Big toys (and smiles!) at Nampo

19th May 2022
Winter weather is coming, and farmers are advised to stay informed and to prepared as best they could to safeguard their fields and animals. Photo: Supplied/Food For Mzansi

Weather warning: ‘Be extra cautious for pests, diseases’

19th May 2022
Kenyan president Uhuru Kenyatta has announced that Kenya will now be using agricultural land from parastatals and giving it to private companies to prioritise the production of food and cash crops. Photo: Supplied/Unsplash

Kenya to hand over land to private companies

19th May 2022
Sprouts are rich in a number of important nutrients. While the specific ratio of nutrients varies depending on the type of sprout, they generally contain high levels of folate, magnesium, phosphorus and vitamin K. Pictured: Ayanda Siphosothando Satula. Photo: Mikhail Nilov/Pexels

Give sprouts a go in the comfort of your home

19th May 2022
The bakers of the non-profit organisation Children of Destiny at Home say their work is severely hampered by steadily rising food prices. Photo: Supplied/Food For Mzansi

Food export bans are hurting local communities

19th May 2022
Look ... Stripey, green tomatoes with a lotta zing!

Green Zebra: Stripey tomatoes with a lotta zing!

18th May 2022
Podcast: Tips for powdery mildew on tomatoes

Podcast: Tips to tackle powdery mildew on tomatoes

18th May 2022
Driving local food security through research

InnoFoodAfrica project brings food security home

18th May 2022
Drone footage shows a flooded farm in the Free State. Photo: Supplied/Jakkals le Roux

Floods: Climate change ‘scapegoat for govt. failures’

18th May 2022
The Mamphodo Mushasha Begwa Community Property Association (CPA) located in Louis Trichadt and Elim in Limpopo has been crushed by alleged sabotage. Photo: Supplied/Food For Mzansi

‘Sabotage’ brings successful land reform farm to its knees

18th May 2022
All you need to know about growing avocados

All you need to know about growing avocados

17th May 2022
Iris Telmaggiers (fright), Sophie Sauir and Leoni Pasja harvesting green peppers from Sauir’s garden. Photo: Siphokazi Mnyobe

Vegetable garden helps Iris cope with son’s death

17th May 2022
  • Home
  • News
  • Changemakers
  • Lifestyle
  • Farmer’s Inside Track
  • Food for Thought
11 GLOBAL MEDIA AWARDS
Thu, May 19, 2022
Food For Mzansi
  • Home
  • News
  • Changemakers
    • All
    • AgriCareers
    • Entrepreneurs
    • Farmers
    • Groundbreakers
    • Innovators
    • Inspiration
    • It Takes a Village
    • Mentors
    • Movers and Shakers
    • Partnerships
    Driving local food security through research

    InnoFoodAfrica project brings food security home

    Iris Telmaggiers (fright), Sophie Sauir and Leoni Pasja harvesting green peppers from Sauir’s garden. Photo: Siphokazi Mnyobe

    Vegetable garden helps Iris cope with son’s death

    Agripreneur 101: Balance is key for this cannabis skincare producer

    Agripreneur 101: Meet a cannabis skincare producer

    Dr Obvious Mapiye, whose studies helped develop new livestock management software. Photo: Supplied/Food For Mzansi

    Dr Mapiye’s driven to help small-scale farmers commercialise

    Paballo Khoza is harvesting lettuce on his 6 000 square metre shade-netted farm in Westonaria Agri-Park. Photo: Magnificent Mndebele/Food For Mzansi

    Sweat, tears and dreadful walks: Khoza finally triumphs

    ‘Dream, then pursue it,’ urges tomato farmer

    Thabo Skhosana an emerging farmer in Newcastle in KwaZulu-Natal wants to motivate young farmers who wants to study agriculture. Photo: Supplied/ Food For Mzansi

    ‘The future is ours for the taking,’ says young farmer

    Agripreneur: Learn from a cannabis skincare producer

    Agripreneur: Learn from a cannabis skincare producer

    Chairperson Violet Mathusiemang and her deputy chairperson, Themba Dingilizwe, the driving force behind Randfontein’s award-winning farming cooperative called You Reap What You Sow. Photo: Magnificent Mndebele/Food For Mzansi

    Award-winning urban cooperative now aims even higher

  • Lifestyle
  • Farmer’s Inside Track
  • Food for Thought
No Result
View All Result
Food For Mzansi
Home Changemakers Entrepreneurs Agri-innovation

It’s two-in-a-row for Free State dairy farmer

by Tiisetso Manoko
19th Nov 2021
in Agri-innovation
Reading Time: 3 mins read
A A
Nompe Zim, a Free State farmer, was named the ARC's National Small-Scale Master Dairyman of the Year. She dedicated her award to her late father. Photo:Supplied/Food For Mzansi

Nompe Zim, a Free State farmer, was named the ARC's National Small-Scale Master Dairyman of the Year. She dedicated her award to her late father. Photo: Supplied/Food For Mzansi

Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

A Free State farmer, Nompe Zim, dedicated her ARC National Small-Scale Master Dairyman of the Year award to her father, Jan, who passed away last year. Zim received the prestigious award, presented by the Agricultural Research Council, for a second consecutive year.

Zim, who first fell in love with farming after observing her father as a child, says she no choice but to pick up where her father left off. Their Zim Dairy enterprise is based between Harrismith and Kestell.

An emotional Zim says, “I just want to thank, specifically, the Agricultural Research Council (ARC) who taught me a lot, especially with the logistics of transporting our milk and other aspects. We have been exposed to a lot. Taking over from my father was never easy. However, he had laid a good foundation as he introduced us to farming from an early age because we stayed in a farming area [near Phuthaditjhaba].”

ADVERTISEMENT

Zim says it was important to build on her father’s legacy. Currently, she milks 66 cows though she hopes to increase this to 160 in the near future. “I believe it is an attainable goal. I am still young. My dad had to start from starch, I am lucky that I am continuing where he left off.”

This year’s National Master Dairyman Awards was presented virtually by Agri-Expo on behalf of the ARC’s National Milk Recording and Improvement Scheme. The JK Basson Family Trust near Darling in the Western Cape was announced as ARC National Master Dairyman of the Year.

ARC board chairperson, Joyene Isaacs, says the dairy sector is growing at a rapid pace, but transformation and mentorship remain crucial to ensure that the next generation of farmers had a solid foundation to work from.

She reiterates that the journey towards transforming the sector was not an overnight event but needed many partners to work together and pull in one direction.

“Our message to the young people who want to get into the sector is that if you are serious about the dairy industry, go sit with those people who have done it and ask how they started it. Learn from them. It is not easy. It is extremely difficult to crack the whip.”

Furthermore, Isaacs encouraged more women to choose agriculture. They should know that they are not only feeding themselves, but also the nation. “Never let people tell you that you cannot win. Women can [win] and are creative.”

Awards founder honoured

The founder of the National Master Dairyman Awards, Dr Jakkie du Toit, was also honoured following his retirement after 41 years in agriculture. “This is something I did not expect. I feel very humble and privileged to receive this award,” he says.

Meanwhile Basson dreams about dramatically increasing his milk production from the current 824 cows. “This is not really about competing but motivating one another. There is no winner nor loser. We all made it. It is not easy in the industry. It takes a lot of time and energy to do what we do with so many sacrifices to endure.”

ADVERTISEMENT

The awards ceremony was opened by Dr Hilton Vergotine, acting president and CEO of the ARC. He highlighted some achievements, namely an average of 71 farmers who tested 10 574 cows per month and received 426 technical reports per month overall. “Three dairy farmers upgraded from smallholder to semi-commercial and one from semi-commercial to commercial.”

ADVERTISEMENT
Tags: Agricultural Research CouncilAwardsInnovation
Share196Tweet123Send
Tiisetso Manoko

Tiisetso Manoko

Tiisetso Manoko is a seasoned journalist with vast experience in community media. He possesses diploma in media studies majoring in journalism, certificate in civic leadership. He loves news from all angels with particular interest in local government, agriculture and politics. He is a staunch Mamelodi Sundowns Football club supporter.

Related Posts

Every chicken produces thousands of feathers, with tonnes of them ending up as waste. Imagine if we could do more with this source of keratin and nutrients. Photo: Supplied/Food For Mzansi

The chicken feather revolution has begun

by Zolani Sinxo
4th May 2022
0

Every chicken produces thousands of feathers, with tonnes of them ending up as waste. Imagine if we could do more...

With the many challenges faced by farmers, it is clear that more time should be allocated to process farmer support related applications, including for maize farmers. Photo: Supplied/Food For Mzansi

Farmers deserve early start to support programmes

by Malapane Thamaga
2nd May 2022
0

Agricultural economist Malapane Thamaga believes government could take a leaf out of the Maize Trust book and already commence with...

Picklogger is mounted on the clippers used by harvesters and collects location data as workers manually harvest the fruit from the tree. Photo: Supplied/Food For Mzansi

Data-driven harvesting tool advances yield management

by Staff Reporter
28th Apr 2022
0

The agriculture sector is buzzing about a new data-driven harvesting tool that allows farmers to easily determine the number of...

Learn more about macadamia farming

Learn more about macadamia farming

by Nicole Ludolph
26th Apr 2022
0

FARMER'S INSIDE TRACK: Mzansi's macadamia industry may have started small and slow, but today it's one of the major players...

Sprouts are rich in a number of important nutrients. While the specific ratio of nutrients varies depending on the type of sprout, they generally contain high levels of folate, magnesium, phosphorus and vitamin K. Pictured: Ayanda Siphosothando Satula. Photo: Mikhail Nilov/Pexels
Lifestyle

Give sprouts a go in the comfort of your home

by Duncan Masiwa
19th May 2022
0

Sprouts are perfect to grow in the comfort of your own home. These little germinated seeds are often used in...

Read more
The bakers of the non-profit organisation Children of Destiny at Home say their work is severely hampered by steadily rising food prices. Photo: Supplied/Food For Mzansi

Food export bans are hurting local communities

19th May 2022
Look ... Stripey, green tomatoes with a lotta zing!

Green Zebra: Stripey tomatoes with a lotta zing!

18th May 2022
Podcast: Tips for powdery mildew on tomatoes

Podcast: Tips to tackle powdery mildew on tomatoes

18th May 2022
Driving local food security through research

InnoFoodAfrica project brings food security home

18th May 2022

In pictures: Big toys (and smiles!) at Nampo

Roads in disrepair: Farmers count the ‘wasted’ costs

Fishers Speak Out: ‘No to oil and gas from our oceans’

Liewe Lulu, I’m a broken-hearted farmer

‘Step in at Gqeberha port,’ asks leading food importer

Sweat, tears and dreadful walks: Khoza finally triumphs

THE NEW FACE OF SOUTH AFRICAN AGRICULTURE

With 11 global awards in the first three years of its existence, Food For Mzansi is much more than an agriculture publication. It is a movement, unashamedly saluting the unsung heroes of South African agriculture. We believe in the power of agriculture to promote nation building and social cohesion by telling stories that are often overlooked by broader society.

In pictures: Big toys (and smiles!) at Nampo

Weather warning: ‘Be extra cautious for pests, diseases’

Kenya to hand over land to private companies

Give sprouts a go in the comfort of your home

Food export bans are hurting local communities

Green Zebra: Stripey tomatoes with a lotta zing!

  • Our Story
  • Contact Us
  • Cookie Policy
  • Privacy Policy
  • Copyright

Contact us
Office: +27 21 879 1824
WhatsApp line: +27 81 889 9032
Marketing: +27 71 147 0388
News: info@foodformzansi.co.za
Advertising: sales@foodformzansi.co.za

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
  • Changemakers
  • Lifestyle
  • Farmer’s Inside Track
  • Food for Thought

Copyright © 2021 Food for Mzansi

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In

Add New Playlist

This website uses cookies. By continuing to use this website you are giving consent to cookies being used. Visit our Privacy and Cookie Policy.
Go to mobile version