Voorwoord/Preface
100ste UITGAWE – 100 NIE UIT NIE!
Wie sou kon dink dat ons 11 jaar nadat ons in 2011 die eerste uitnodiging uitgestuur het om oor die moontlike stigting van ’n bewaringslandbouvereniging vir die Wes-Kaap te praat, die 100ste uitgawe van Bewaringslandbou Wes-Kaap se maandelikse nuusbrief sou vier? Boonop is 2022 om nóg ’n rede vir ons ’n groot jaar: Ons tiende jaarlikse konferensie word in Augustus aangebied.
Op 8 Junie 2011 was 70 mense teenwoordig by ons eerste byeenkoms by Elsenburg in die Boland. Richard Findlay van die KZN No-Till Klub was die gasspreker en hy het die storie van KwaZulu-Natal se geenbewerkingsklub kom vertel. Dr. Ilse Trautmann was ook daar om almal te verwelkom en die WesKaapse Departement van Landbou se steun aan die nuwe organisasie toe te sê.
Die idee vir ’n Wes-Kaapse vereniging is gebore ná ’n besoek aan Argentinië in 2010. Dié toer het navorsers van die Wes-Kaapse Departement van Landbou laat besef hoe boere en navorsers in een gemeenskaplike vereniging kan saamwerk om bewaringsboerdery te bevorder. Nadat dr. Amelia Genis, spesialisskrywer by Landbouweekblad, en Jan Bezuidenhout, destyds redakteur van Landbou.com, die reisverslag beetgehad het waarin ons die wens uitgespreek het om ons eie vereniging aan die gang te kry, was die bal behoorlik aan die rol.
Die eerste komitee is gevorm met Johannes Schoonwinkel van Swellendam as voorsitter. Dirk Lesch, Abrie Richter, MG Lötter, Junior Herholdt, Jacobus Human en Kobus Schonken was die eerste produsente wat as komiteelede verkies is. Wyle prof. Andre Agenbag, destyds verbonde aan die Departement Agronomie aan die Universiteit Stellenbosch, en dr. Sandra Lamprecht van die Landbounavorsingsraad was die twee wetenskaplikes op die komitee. Amelia Genis het die media verteenwoordig en Chris Cumming die chemiese bedryf. Francis Steyn van Landcare het die span afgerond.
PUIK BRON VAN INLIGTING
Bewaringslandbou Wes-Kaap se eerste nuusbrief, waarin ons gevra het vir ontwerpe vir ons logo, het op 21 Junie 2011 verskyn. Ons eerste jaarlikse konferensie het in Augustus 2013 gevolg met dr. Rolf Derpsch, een van die vaders van bewaringslandbou, as gasspreker. Agt van ons eie plaaslike produsente het ook hulle stories en ervarings gedeel. Oor die afgelope byna 12 jaar het baie gebeur en was daar moeilike jare, maar gelukkig ook heelwat rekordoeste. Die kombinasie van internasionale sowel as plaaslike sprekers by ons konferensies het bygedra tot die sukses van ons vereniging.
Internasionale sprekers soos Barry Fischer, prof. John Howieson, dr. Ken Flower, dr. Kristine Nichols, Rick Haney, dr. Wendy Taheri, dr. Angelo Loi en Neil Ballard het hulle kennis gedeel oor uiteenlopende beginsels en praktyke. Ons Suid-Afrikaanse wetenskaplikes het ook uitstekende bydraes gelewer en getoon hulle plaaslike kennis is van onskatbare waarde. In 2021 het Soil Health Solutions onder leiding van Sheila Storey vernuwing gebring vir ons
Augustus-konferensie deur ’n afdeling vir vrugte- en wingerdboere by te voeg. Ons kan baie by mekaar se suksesse én probleme leer. Vanjaar sal dit weer so wees. Hou gerus ons nuusbrief en mediaplatforms dop vir meer inligting oor die Jack Humanbewaringslandbouweek wat in Augustus aangebied word.
Hierdie 100ste uitgawe van ons nuusbrief bevat artikels uit ons argiewe asook ’n paar nuwe artikels. Ons vertrou julle gaan dit geniet. Baie dankie vir almal se ondersteuning.
Groete,
Dr. Johann Strauss
BLWK-sekretaris
100th EDITION – 100 NOT OUT!
Who would have believed that 11 years after we have sent out the first invitation in 2011 to form a conservation agriculture association for the Western Cape, the 100th edition of our newsletter would be published? Not only are we celebrating our 100th edition, but 2022 is also a special year for another reason: Conservation Agriculture Western Cape will present its 10th annual conference in August. Seventy people attended our first meeting on 8 June 2011 at Elsenburg in the Boland. Richard Findlay, secretary of the KZN No-Till Club, was the guest speaker and he shared the story of this club and its work in KwaZulu-Natal. Dr Ilse Trautmann of the Western Cape Department of Agriculture was also present to welcome everyone and officially confirmed the Department’s support for this venture.
The first committee, with Johannes Schoonwinkel from Swellendam as chair, formed at the first meeting. Dirk Lesch, Abrie Richter, MG Lötter, Junior Herholdt, Jacobus Human and Kobus Schonken were the first producers to represent farmers. The late Prof Andre Agenbag from the Department of Agronomy at Stellenbosch University and Dr Sandra Lamprecht from the Agricultural Research Council represented the scientists. Other members were Amelia Genis, who represented the media, Chris Cumming, who represented the chemical industry, and Francis Steyn from Landcare.
FANTASTIC SOURCE OF INFORMATION
The first newsletter of Conservation Agriculture Western Cape, in which we asked for logo designs and introduced the committee, was published on 21 June 2011. Our first annual conference with Dr Rolf Derpsch, one of the fathers of conservation agriculture, as the main speaker followed in August Eight local producers also shared their stories and experiences.
Over the past 12 years a lot has happened, there were difficult years but also some record yields. The combination of international and local speakers contributed to the success of the past nine conferences. International speakers such as Barry Fischer, Prof John Howieson, Dr Ken Flower, Dr Kristine Nichols, Rick Haney, Dr Wendy Taheri, Dr Angelo Loi and Dr Neil Ballard shared their knowledge on a wide range of principles and practices.
Our South African scientists also contributed with excellent talks and showed that their local knowledge is of immense value. In 2021, Soil Health Solutions, with Sheila Storey at the helm, helped to reinvigorate our association when they joined forces with Conservation Agriculture Western Cape. We now have a section during the conference aimed at our fruit and vineyard producers as well. We can learn a lot from each other in terms of successes and failures. This year the partnership will continue. Please keep an eye on our newsletter and media platforms for more information about the 2022 Jack Human Conservation Agricultural Week that will take place in August.
Some articles from our archives are included in this 100th edition of our newsletter, but there are also some new articles. We hope you will enjoy reading it. Thank you for your support.
Regards,
Dr Johann Strauss
CAWC Secretary