By Simthandile Ponti
GCBR extension officers Wilhelm de Beer, Jolandie Buck, and Simthandile Ponti attended a Regenerative Agriculture course hosted by Van Wyk Pretorius at Favour Farm in George. The course was facilitated by Richard Perkins, a regenerative farmer from Ridgedale Farm in Sweden, and Gerardo Ruiz, director of Agroasis, a regenerative agriculture design and consultancy business.
The GCBR also provided two smallholder farmers, identified by Smallholder Farmer Extension Officer Simthandile Ponti, with the opportunity to attend the course. Pieter van Wyk, a grain and cattle farmer based in Slangrivier and Janesta Jagers, a vegetable farmer supplying fresh produce to the Cape Town market.
This intensive 9-day course was very interesting and informative, and we got the opportunity to learn how to design, plan and manage productive, profitable and sustainable agricultural and livestock landscapes. For over 20 years now, Richard Perkins has been teaching and supporting people who seek to generate profitable models of regenerative agriculture and livestock that restore soil fertility, enhance biodiversity, nourish the local communities and strengthen the local economies.
Favour Farm implements sustainable agricultural practices, and one of the key takeaways from the course was the concept of a no-dig market garden. This approach minimises weeds, improves soil water retention, reducing the need for frequent irrigation and decreases reliance on fertilisers, as nutrient-rich compost provides long-lasting soil benefits.
Reflecting on what we learned during the course with the two smallholder farmers, Pieter van Wyk intends to start broiler chickens that will be moved along with his cattle three times a day to optimise land use. Janesta Jagers aims to implement the Berkeley Composting method shared by Richard Perkins to enhance soil fertility naturally.
Overall, the course provided valuable knowledge and practical techniques to support regenerative farming in our region. By equipping the three extension officers and two smallholder farmers with innovative and sustainable approaches, the training has the potential to improve local agricultural practices, improve soil health, and promote long-term environmental and economic benefits. GCBR continues to support the development of resilient agricultural systems that benefit both the environment and local communities.
