The last ten years have seen a massive shift from livestock farming to wildlife conservation and ecotourism in the Eastern Cape. Amakhala and Shamwari are two neighbouring private game reserves between Grahamstown and Port Elizabeth.

Dairying is a major agricultural activity in the Eastern Cape and participants will be visiting three diverse dairy enterprises on a scenic tour not to be missed.

Leonie and Rodney Yendall have successfully converted former pineapple lands into lush pastures, where they now run their herd of indigenous Nguni cattle. Leonie presented a talk on the light footprint of the Nguni cow at last year’s Thicket Forum.