SANBI often undertakes conservation-related research regarding agricultural issues, sometimes in collaboration with the Agricultural Research Council and other conservation or agricultural organisations. Recent projects include the Conservation Farming Project, the Global Pollination Project, and the Honeybee Forage Project.

The Conservation Farming Project

The Conservation Farming project, officially entitled “Conservation of globally significant biodiversity in agricultural landscapes in South Africa through conservation farming” was completed in 2004. Its goal was to evaluate conservation farming practices in four regions in South Africa that have globally significant levels of biodiversity, so that these practices can be more widely applied as part of an overall conservation strategy. The four regions where the project was undertaken were:

Succulent Thicket (Albany Centre)
Niewoudtville (Bokkeveld)
Southern Drakensberg (Eastern Mountain)
Nama Karoo

Read more about the project.

The Global Pollination Project and Honey Bee Forage Project

From 2010 to 2015 SANBI implemented two interesting projects on pollination in crops and on the forage resources underpinning the managed honey bee industry.  Please read more about these projects here.