Farmer and consumer partnerships are now possible through Trace & Save!

Agricultural sustainability should be every farmer’s goal. Here is an opportunity for consumers to partner with farmers to achieve this, ensuring a process of protecting the environment and our future.

Trace & Save aims to encourage and assist the implementation of sustainable agricultural practices on farms.

Trace & Save provides measures of indicators of sustainability, allowing farmers to track changes on their farm pertaining to sustainability, while being assisted and advised in how to become more sustainable in their practices.

The measures of sustainable agriculture are also used to show consumers, with integrity, whether sustainable agricultural practices are being implemented.

Agricultural sustainability will only be trustworthy if it is measured and all facets of the agro-ecosystem are considered properly. For example water and soil are just as important as the atmosphere, when it comes to the environmental impact of agricultural practices. Trace & Save uses various measures of on-farm indicators:
1. The SWAN system (Soil, Water, Atmosphere and Nutrients)
2. Biodiversity conservation
3. People welfare
4. Animal welfare
to attain a trustworthy, holistic measure of agricultural sustainability.

The SWAN system, along with the measuring of people and animal welfare, and biodiversity management, provides a comprehensive representation of the relative sustainability of a farm’s current practices and physical conditions.

Consumers are able to use the Trace & Save platform to partake in sustainable agriculture by tracing what farmers are doing, thereby keeping farmers accountable to practices that save the environment.

The indicators used in the SWAN system:

Meet the Trace & Save team:

Phillip Terblanche

Phillip Terblanche

Phillip is the owner of Trace & Save and he created the Trace & Save and SWAN systems for measuring agricultural sustainability. He has been an agricultural consultant in the dairy industry for over 25 years.

Qualification:
Masters in Sustainable Agriculture (University of the Free State)

Research interests:
Sustainable agriculture; cow nutrition; soil fertility and health; nutrient flow; profitability indicators on dairy pasture farms.

Current studies:
PhD in Sustainable Agriculture (University of the Free State)

Marlene Terblanche

Marlene Terblanche

Marlene is the glue that holds the team together. She is responsible for ensuring the smooth running of the team and the projects which Trace & Save is involved with.

Qualification:
BCom (Honours) (University of the Free State)
Post-graduate Tax Diploma

Portia Phohlo

Portia Phohlo

Sustainability Researcher

Portia is passionate about everything soil and joined the team in 2013.

Qualification:
MSc in Agriculture Soil Science (University of the Free State)

Research interests:
Soil quality and health; soil microbiology; soil nutrient management; site-specific crop management; carbon sequestration; environmental impact of agriculture.

Prospective studies:
PhD in Agronomy (Stellenbosch University)

Craig Galloway

Craig Galloway

Sustainability Researcher

Craig is interested in environmental stewardship and the sustainable use of natural resources and joined the team in 2013.

Qualification:
PhD in Conservation Ecology (Stellenbosch University)

Research interests:
Farmers’ perceptions of sustainable agriculture; soil health; nutrient balancing and accounting; farm carbon footprint; carbon sequestration; whole farm productivity; environmental impact of agriculture; biodiversity conservation.

Marno Fourie

Marno Fourie

Sustainability Researcher

Marno is passionate about farm nutrient use efficiency and joined the team in 2013.

Qualification:
MSc in Conservation Ecology (Stellenbosch University)

Research interests:
Bio-geochemical nutrient cycling; farmer engagement in sustainable farming practices; environmental and sustainability education; greenhouse gas emissions.

Current studies:
PhD in Conservation Ecology (Stellenbosch University)

Francois Searle

Francois Searle

Information System Developer

Francois is responsible for the development and maintenance of the Trace & Save application and website.

Qualification:
BTech in Information Technology (Port Elizabeth Technikon)