Nuffield (South Africa travels from 2025)

In February 2025, Tom travelled to South Africa as part of his Nuffield Scholarship, awarded in 2020 and proudly supported by AWI. His journey took him to the Karoo – a semi-arid landscape strikingly similar to East Loddon. Like us, many farmers there run sheep, making it the perfect place to explore how regenerative agriculture can be applied in comparable, low-rainfall conditions.

Learning from South Africa’s leaders

Tom spent time with some of South Africa’s leading regenerative farmers and Merino operators. What stood out most was the profound impact of mob-based grazing systems – designed not only to restore landscapes but to dramatically increase carrying capacity and farm profitability. It wasn’t uncommon to meet producers who had doubled, and in some cases tripled, their stocking rates through adaptive grazing techniques.

Two consistent themes emerged:

Infrastructure matters – water and fencing systems are essential for enabling grazing rotations.

Decisions matter more – the skill of knowing when to move stock, and how to respond to land conditions, is just as critical as the infrastructure itself.

Healing hooves training

A highlight of the trip was Tom’s participation in the Healing Hooves course in Graaff-Reinet, led by regenerative grazing expert Roland Kroon. This program provided practical, hands-on training in adaptive grazing, soil health, and landscape regeneration, with a strong focus on using livestock as a tool to heal the land.

Building connections

Equally valuable were the relationships forged with farmers and industry leaders across the South African Merino sector. Special thanks go to Erwin Woolward from Segard Masurel, whose support opened doors to many of these forward-thinking operators.

What it means for East LoddoN

The lessons from the Karoo are already shaping the way we think about land management here at East Loddon. By applying regenerative principles proven in similar environments, we aim to build greater resilience, lift productivity, and ensure our Merino enterprise thrives well into the future.