To celebrate the first birthday of the Soutpansberg Pests and Disease Council, an exciting new development is envisaged.

Farmers are forming their own Google chat group which would be the first for a local disease council.

Disease and pests are limiting factors in the area. Fifty percent of tree losses are due to pests and diseases. Some researchers say that more than 20% of fruit and nut production is lost through tree diseases.

"Through communicating with each other and with FABI (the Forest and Agriculture Biotechnology Institute) via an Internet group, farmers can benefit greatly," Mr Fanie Wentzel, Molozi’s forestry manager, said on January 20. It is the trend worldwide that farmers communicate with each other via the Internet.

Mr Dries Alberts, agricultural consultant, suggests that two sub-groups be formed, one for farmers and one for forestry and that FABI act as the administrator of the group.

"New groups can be formed to specialize in any new topics that come forward as time goes by. We have large space offered by Google on the Internet for free and the technology is easy to use," Alberts said.

The benefits for the members are that all members can see and participate in all discussions and they can also bring their own topics and problems. Members join per invitation and leave whenever they wish, and there is no cost involved. Members receive automatic updates per e-mail.

The administrator is the driving force to keep discussions lively and provide the technical knowledge and backup for discussions. Forestry farmers would know the whereabouts of the threatening Sirex Woodwasp immediately and fruit farmers may want to discuss problems like root rot.

"Sometimes, at formal conference discussions, farmers do not see their way clear to ask certain questions. In a Google group, every member can communicate," Alberts said.

An important date for established and emerging forestry and agricultural farmers in the area is March 25 when leading experts from FABI will visit the Soutpansberg for an information day. Dr Mike Wingfield and Dr Yolanda Roux, both world-class experts, will deliver valuable input. FABI undertakes scientific research and provides short- and long-term benefits to the forestry and agricultural sectors. They have techniques for the recognition of desirable traits in trees and other crop plants. They are also committed to understanding the origin and spread of pests and diseases and endeavour to reduce the impact of these through genetic studies.