Karoo farmers thrive after record rainfall boosts grazing
South Africa has a diverse agricultural sector, from grains, oilseeds, sugarcane, vegetables, fruits, livestock, and more. In appreciation of the sector’s diversity, I want to focus this letter on the Karoo region.
WANDILE SIHLOBO
South Africa has a diverse agricultural sector, from grains, oilseeds, sugarcane, vegetables, fruits, livestock, and more. In appreciation of the sector’s diversity, I want to focus this letter on the Karoo region.
Why is this important? Consider the distribution of South Africa’s agricultural land and its land potential. Commercial agriculture typically takes place on freehold land in South Africa.
Freehold (private title deeds) farmland makes up 77.5 million hectares of South Africa’s surface area, or roughly 63%.
Of this farmland area, 44.5 million hectares (or 57%) are in the semi-arid Karoo and the Kalahari. It is here that extensive livestock production takes place (mutton, lamb, wool, mohair and cattle – largely in the Kalahari).
