Plaastoe! Plaastoe! september 2017 150dpi digital single | Page 8

The Kraalbos story
On 4 September 2017 at 4.14 pm, Beautiful News (www.beautifulnews.
co.za) released the short-film featuring Robert Richards from the Northern Cape
who is turning kraalbos into soap. Roberts realised that instead of removing the invasive
plant from farmlands, it could be harvested and repurposed to make soap to treat skin ailments.
 The Northern Cape is a semi-arid region where cattle, goat and sheep farmers realised
that despite the heat and water shortages characteristic of desert-like conditions, the area is
also rife with kraalbos. This plant is, however, poisonous to unsuspecting animals when eaten,
BROKKIES which lead to farmers wanting to eradicate it.
 Richards watched as the farmers uprooted the problem plant and created a near-disaster
situation for themselves. Being a local resident, he realised that the mass extraction of
kraalbos roots would leave the soil vulnerable to erosion that would devastate the traditional
grazing routes. In discussions with indigenous families from Okiep near Springbok, Richards
discovered the traditional practice of using kraalbos for its healing properties, treating skin
ailments such as eczema. Further research revealed scientific proof to support the statement.
 Determined to provide a lasting, environmentally sustainable solution to the farmers’
troubles, he developed a recipe for turning the shrub into an organic soap. Instead of removing
the kraalbos from their land, concerned farmers can harvest and sell the leaves to Richards and use it for trade and
consumption alike.
 As a result, the animals and soil of the Namaqualand region are safe, and the people living in the area have a new
form of income. He concludes, “I’ve turned a pest into a solution for the people in my community”.
Visit http://www.beautifulnews.co.za/ or https://www.facebook.com/beautifulnewssa/ to see the video.
Cleanliness is key to combating Bird Flu
6 Plaastoe! September 2017
The local poultry industry is facing serious damage from bird flu, also called avian flu. The latest crisis started
with an outbreak in Zimbabwe. This was followed by traces of the H5N8 strain being discovered at two farms in
Mpumalanga. Many thousands of birds have had to be culled.
Southern Africa is not alone in trying to combat bird flu (either in H5N1 or H5N8 forms). Russia, Europe, India
and parts of Asia have all been affected at various times in the past few years.
For any poultry farmer, preventing bird flu from occurring in the first place is an obvious priority and all global
best practice places an emphasis on cleaning as a key part of biosecurity.
According to the Australian government’s guidelines, the object should be to “hinder the introduction of disease
agents and contaminants into poultry sheds and enclosures and reduce the attraction of rodents and birds to
production areas”. The cleanliness mandate includes coops, production areas, runoffs, ramps or driveways,
equipment and footwear.
The UK government advise that housing should be thoroughly cleaned and disinfected at the end of every
production cycle. The problem for farmers is that cleaning can be enormously time consuming and expensive and
can take the focus away from other key farming functions.
But the good news is that there’s a new generation of cleaning technology designed to tackle precisely these
kinds of problems effectively and efficiently.
Gavin Herold, general manager of Africa and the Middle East for Nilfisk, one of the world’s leading suppliers of
cleaning equipment, says there are now bespoke solutions for every industry need in indoor and outdoor spaces.
As an example, the MH series of hot water pressure washers can clean up to 140°C for disinfection. They are
effective with water or can be used with a disinfectant.
Herold says the equipment is designed to operate with optimal mobility in every farm space,
with options for uneven surfaces and tight areas, and useful features such as eye-level fuel
monitoring, turntable hooks and quick service access: “They have improved efficiency and
durability and lead to a significant increase in cleaning productivity.”
Important staff benefits include better ergonomics, less exposure to dirt or chemical
particles, and safer ha