Want to become an entrepreneur? Be the master of your own destiny? There’s no moment like the present. The business eco-system in South Africa can be volatile – people are struggling to find work and make ends meet. Why not create the job you want, and support your future financial freedom. Creating your own financial security is key.
Zhaun’s wants you to succeed and is here to back your big business idea. Through our machines, we create sustainable business opportunities which give small business owners the opportunity to produce, and sell products which are in daily demand. One of the sectors that we support, with our innovative machinery, is farming.
We have a range of agriculture machines from chicken layer cages to kernel corn removers and a maize machines. There are a multitude of small business opportunities at your finger tips.
Sustainable farming is the way forward.
Organic farming can be profitable, and organic food appeals to consumers as both a healthy and ethical choice. Beyond money and ethics, though, organic farming practices result in numerous environmental benefits.
Reduced exposure to pesticides and chemicals
Pesticide and chemical use results in many negative environmental issues:
· Pesticides allow disease resistance to build up in plants, weeds, plant-eating-insects, fungi, and bacteria.
· Pesticides and chemicals sprayed on plants contaminate the soil, water supply, and air. Sometimes these harmful pesticides stick around for decades (maybe longer).
· Synthetic chemicals also discourage smart farming practices such as cover crops and crop rotation, which in turn, may cause other harmful environmental problems like erosion.
Organic farming builds healthy soil
To grow healthy food, you must start with healthy soil. If you treat the soil with harmful pesticides and chemicals, you may end up with soil that cannot thrive on its own. Natural cultivation practices are far better than chemical soil management.
A large nine-year study by USDA Agricultural Research Service (ARS), shows that organic farming builds up organic soil matter better than conventional no-till farming.
Combatting erosion
Not only does organic farming build healthy soil, but it helps combat serious soil and land issues, such as erosion.
A major study comparing adjoining organic and chemically treated wheat fields showed that the organic field featured eight more inches of topsoil than the chemically treated field and also had only one-third the erosion loss.
If you aren’t concerned about erosion; you should be. Erosion issues are extremely serious, affecting the land, food supply, and humans. However, organic farming practices do help discourage erosion from occurring.
Fighting the effects of global warming
Healthy organic agriculture system can actually reduce carbon dioxide and help slow climate change.
Organic Farming Supports Water Conservation and Water Health
Dwindling water supplies and poor water health are very real threats. When our water supply is at risk, people and the planet end up suffering.
Organic and sustainable farming practices help keep our water supplies clean by stopping that polluted runoff.
Organic farming also helps conserve water. Farmers, in general, tend to spend time amending soil correctly and using mulch – both of which help conserve water. Cotton, an in-demand crop, requires a lot of irrigation and excess water when grown conventionally. However, organic cotton farming needs less irrigation and thus conserves water.
Now that you have gained some insight into sustainable farming and the benefits of choosing to go organic, why not find out how you can align with farmers in your area and utilise your skills and knowledge to assist with production or processing.