We have recently finished harvesting our 2015-16 summer crops and it is now time to reflect on the past season.

Last year was officially the driest in South Africa since records began in 1904.

The first half of 2016, in my opinion, continued where the previous year left off.

Not only was the past season dry but also incredibly hot, which is something all of us can attest to. 

As for our yields, well, not too bad all things considered. The maize and soya bean yields were 20% and 25%, respectively, down on last season.

See also: Read more from our Arable Farmer Focus writers

This is not that great, particularly as last season realised below average yield, having also been part of the very dry 2015 year.

Fortunately this production loss was offset by higher grain prices. While this year’s yield is down there was a stage in December and January when I wondered whether we would reap anything at all.

There are large areas of South Africa that were not sown at all this year and other areas that are not worth combining.

There are many reasons why we managed to weather the drought so well.

Cultivators and chemicals are vastly better today.

In my opinion, the greatest reason that we survived the drought is that we started to seriously no-till our crops some 20-plus years ago.

The previous crops’ residue acts as armour on the soil, shielding it from raindrop impact, insulating it from the heat and reducing soil moisture evaporation.

The roots from previous crops add to the organic matter content of the soil acting as a sponge, improving water holding capacity.

The fact that the soil is not turned means that this organic matter doesn’t decompose that quickly.

In the past few years we started winter cover crops, which have accentuated all the benefits mentioned above.

My only regret is that we didn’t have more years of cover crop benefits in the bank but on the other hand, another drought will come and when it does, we will be more prepared for that one than what we were for this.

Good management is accumulative.

Bruce Shepherd farms in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. He plants 320ha of rain-fed summer crops. He also runs 2,200 weaner oxen on pastures, finishing them in a feedlot with maize grown on the farm.