LANDBOUWEEKBLAD: WEBINAAR – GRONDGESONDHEID / WEBINAR – SOIL HEALTH

ABOUT

Ons nooi jou graag uit na die herfsbyeenkoms van die Citrusdal-herlewingslandboustudiegroep wat vir die eerste keer aanlyn gaan plaasvind. Dit word aangebied met die samewerking van Landbouweekblad en Madumbi. Ons gaan onder meer saam met dr. Brendon Neumann en Sheila Storey na die rol van verskillende grondorganismes kyk. Chloe Clegg, ’n suikerriet- en groenteboer van KwaZulu-Natal gaan ook vertel hoe sy die opbrengs op die swakste grond op haar suikerrietplaas van 900 ha verdubbel het deur erdwurmkompos te gebruik. Sy vervaardig self hierdie kompos en maak ook erdwurmtee wat as grondbemesting en blaarvoeding gebruik word.

We are pleased to invite you to the online autumn gathering of the Citrusdal Regenerative Study Group. It will be presented with the support of Landbouweekblad and Madumbi. One of the topics Dr Brendon Neumann and Sheila Storey will discuss, is the role of different soil organisms. Chloe Clegg, a sugarcane and vegetable farmer from KwaZulu-Natal, will also tell us how she has managed to double the yield on the poorest soils of their 900 ha of sugarcane plantations by using vermicompost. Chloe has been making and applying her own vermicompost and compost teas since 2013.

PROGRAM / PROGRAMME

SPREKERS | SPEAKERS

CHLOE CLEGG

Nadat sy ’n graad in bewaringsekologie in 2012 voltooi het, het Chloe Clegg, ’n tweedegenerasie boer, by die familieplaas, Claremont, tussen Kokstad en Port Shepstone in die suide van KwaZulu-Natal aangesluit. Sedertdien het sy toesig gehou oor die veldgewasse en daarin geslaag om die opbrengs te verdubbel op die armste grond van hul suikerrietplantasies van 900 ha. Tydens die droogte het sy daarin geslaag om hierdie opbrengs te behou deur basiese landboupraktyke toe te pas, sowel as kompos, kompostee en ander biologiese insette te gebruik. Sedert 2012 het sy ook die boerdery gediversifiseer en produseer hulle nou 2 ha soetrissies, 12 ha gewasse met essensiële oliegewasse en 28 ha makadamias. Chloe vervaardig en gebruik ook sedert 2013 haar eie vermi-kompos en kompostee.

After completing a degree in conservation ecology in 2012, Chloe Clegg, a second-generation farmer, joined the family farm, Claremont, between Kokstad and Port Shepstone in southern KwaZulu-Natal. Since then she has overseen the field crops and have managed to double the yield on the poorest soils of their 900 ha of sugarcane plantations. During the drought she managed to maintain these yields by using basic agricultural practices as well as compost, compost teas and other biological inputs. Since 2012 she has also diversified the farm and now produce 2 ha of sweet peppers, 12 ha of essential oils crops and 28 ha of macadamias. Chloe has been making and applying her own vermicompost and compost teas since 2013.

BRENDON NEUMANN

Dr. Brendon Neumann staan aan die hoof van die Business Innovations-platform by Madumbi Sustainable Agriculture. Brendon het sy doktorsgraad in plantpatologie aan die Universiteit van KwaZulu-Natal verwerf op grond van sy uitgebreide navorsingswerk oor die voordelige swam Trichoderma asperellum, wat bygedra het tot die ontwikkeling van die produk Eco-T®, wat nou grootskaals gebruik word. Brendon het ’n spesiale belangstelling in mikrobiese en voedingsprodukte. Hy is ’n kundige op die gebied van grondgesondheid en geniet hoë agting in die landboubedryf vir sy kennis oor hoe om biologiese oplossings prakties toe te pas in ’n geïntegreerde benadering wat gerig is op die optimalisering van volhoubare voedselproduksie.

Dr Brendon Neumann heads up the Business Innovations platform at Madumbi Sustainable Agriculture. Brendon obtained his doctorate in plant pathology at the University of KwaZulu-Natal based on his extensive research work on the beneficial fungus Trichoderma asperellum, which contributed to the development of the now widely used product Eco-T®. Brendon has a special interest in microbial and nutritional products. He is an expert on soil health, highly respected in the agricultural industry for his knowledge on how to practically integrate biological solutions in an integrated approach aimed at optimising sustainable food production.

SHEILA STOREY

Sheila Storey, ’n spesialis van wêreldgehalte op die gebied van grondlewe, plantprestasie en aalwurmbekamping, en eienaar van die Nemlab-grondgesondheidslaboratorium, is al meer as 30 jaar betrokke by grondgesondheid. Weens haar volgehoue navorsing oor grondmikrobe, toewyding tot grondgesondheid en bereidwilligheid om haar kennis te deel, het produsente en konsultante landwyd ’n beter begrip van grondgesondheid en hoe hulle grondorganismes beter kan bestuur tot voordeel van hul boerderye. Sheila het in 2019 Hortgro se Innovasie-prys ontvang vir haar jare lange tegniese en wetenskaplike bydraes tot die sagtevrugtebedryf.

Sheila Storey, a world-class specialist in soil life, plant performance and nematode control, and owner of the Nemlab Soil Health Laboratory, has been involved in soil health for over 30 years. Through her ongoing research on soil microbes, commitment to soil health and willingness to share her knowledge, producers and consultants nationwide have a better understanding of soil health and how they can better manage soil organisms for the benefit of their farms. Sheila received Hortgro’s Innovation Award in 2019 for her many years of technical and scientific contributions to the deciduous fruit industry.

CHARL VAN REENEN

Charl van Reenen is ’n gekwalifiseerde wingerdboukundige met ’n spesifieke belangstelling in grondgesondheid en die interaksie tussen plante en grond. Nadat hy elf jaar lank as wingerdboukundige by onder meer Ernie Els Wyne op Stellenbosch gewerk het, het hy sowat twee jaar gelede by Omnia aangesluit as landboukundige in die Wes-Kaap.

Charl van Reenen is a qualified viticulturist with a particular interest in soil health and the interaction between plants and soil. After working for 11 years as a viticulturist with, among others, Ernie Els Wines in Stellenbosch, he joined Omnia about two years ago as an agriculturist in the Western Cape.

JACO VISSER

Jaco Visser is ’n gewasspesialis in die Citrusdal-omgewing in die Wes-Kaap. Hy is al ’n dekade lank gemoeid met die opbou van grondlewe en grondgesondheid met die doel om minder afhanklik van strawwe chemiese middels te wees sonder om winsgewendheid op die plaas in te boet.

Jaco Visser is a crop specialist in the Citrusdal area in the Western Cape. He has been involved in regenerating soil and soil health for a decade with the aim of becoming less dependent on harsh chemicals without sacrificing profitability on the farm.