L Xingwana: Birthday Dinner of Agricultural Research Council
Institute

18 October 2006

Honourable Mayor of Mbombela Municipal District,
Councillor Nsibande
Honourable MEC for Agriculture and Land Administration,
Mr Madala Masuku
Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and President of the ARC, Dr Shadrack
Moephuli
Head of the Institute for Tropical and Sub-tropical Crops, Dr GDJ van
Rensberg
Ladies and gentlemen

This occasion marks more than the 80th birthday of research and technology
development on citrus and other subtropical crops at the Agricultural Research
Council (ARC) Institute. I have taken note of the highlight overview presented
by the Research and Technology Manager of Institute for Tropical and
Sub-tropical Crops and wish to congratulate them on their achievements.

Before I say something about ARC-Institute for Tropical and Subtropical
Crops (ITSC), however, I would like to use this opportunity to reflect on the
importance of agricultural research in enhancing the sustainability and
competitiveness of our agricultural sector and the way forward as I see it.
Some of you may not be aware of the fact that prior to 1992 the research
institutes of the ARC formed an integral part of the Department of
Agriculture.

The ARC was established in 1992 in terms of Act 86 of 1990 and the research
institutes of the Department were transferred to the ARC. The ARC has a
national mandate for research; technology development and technology transfer
and as such is and will always be a strategic partner to the Department of
Agriculture. In fact, this partnership needs to be strengthened as these two
entities have to work in close collaboration to address the challenges of an
ever changing environment within which agriculture finds itself.

Apart from economic forces and related issues, we are well aware of the
challenges that climate change will bring forth. But it also creates
opportunities to develop new crops with both commercial and food security
potential. This serves as an example of the kind of advice that my office would
require from the ARC.

Furthermore, it is essential that the ARC continues their delegated
responsibility regarding regulatory services such as the Citrus Improvement
Scheme that the ARC performs on behalf of the Department. These services also
include taking care of national assets and maintenance of research
facilities.

I am pleased to observe and to hear about the working relationship between
the ARC and the provincial Departments of Agriculture and in particular between
Institute for Tropical and Sub-tropical Crops and the Departments of
Agriculture in Mpumalanga, Limpopo and the Eastern Cape.

The challenges faced by agriculture in the different provinces are vast and
it will thus be in the general interest to strengthen and broaden existing
relationships. I would like to see a marked increase in joint ventures between
the ARC and provinces in the short term. In view of increasing challenges in
terms of the physical environment, and in this regard I have already referred
to the issue of climate change, as well as competition on global markets, this
is the opportune time for the Department of Agriculture to strategise on how to
deal with these challenges.

It would be in the best interest of the country to ensure that industries do
get the necessary support to address their research needs. However, the highly
commercialised and large industries should not lay claim on increasing
government support ad infinitum. Government has limited resources and should at
most provide start-up support to developing industries to ensure that they
reach a point where they are well established and can become to a large extent,
self-sustainable. The sound relationship between the ARC and industries in my
view would be the key to the sustainability of industries. Government therefore
has to ensure that smaller and emerging industries are supported sufficiently
for them to become competitive and to make a meaningful difference to the lives
of rural communities.

Thus, from a research and technology development point of view the so-called
orphan crops need specific attention. I call on the ARC and these industries to
come up with a strategy to achieve this goal. I also wish to briefly touch on
the issue of research capacity. During recent years there has been widespread
concern about the inability of the ARC to retain the services of its
researchers and the shortage of research capacity, particularly in some
research disciplines. I sincerely hope that the Professional Development
Programme (PDP) of the ARC will begin to positively impact on the requirements
of agricultural research.

This programme should play a significant role in creating research skills
required by the agricultural sector. The ARC has made a commitment to
contribute to the development of scientists. I would like to encourage the
young people of this country to seriously consider agricultural research as a
career. The ARC and the Department of Agriculture should join forces with the
Department of Education to develop a strategy to attract the youth to the
exciting world of agricultural science and technology development.

Given the historical background of the ARC Institutes it is evident that
government has invested substantial amounts of money to develop and maintain
the infrastructure required to support the research and technology requirements
of the sector. I am made to understand that the horticulture business division
is managing a number of research farms from Musina and down the eastern
seaboard up to the west coast of the country.

This geographical spread is required to accommodate research in the
different eco-climatic environments required by the diverse mandate crops. The
challenge for the ARC regarding the existing infrastructure, i.e. research
farms, laboratories, greenhouses, controlled atmosphere rooms, offices etc is
to come up with innovative and practical proposals to make use of this
infrastructure to its full strategic potential. The Department of Agriculture
would require a clear illustration of the continued strategic value of
infrastructure to enable us to argue for increased support.

At this point I must briefly refer to our industries and their relationship
with the ARC. Financial support to the research programmes of the ARC by
industries, though ongoing, varies annually due to various reasons and it is
the smaller industries in particular that seem to suffer most. The industries
should also come up with innovative ideas to create stability in their support
to research.

A few industries have thus far decided to follow the route of statutory
levies. I believe that one or two industries have suspended their relationship
with the ARC. I firmly believe that this is not in the best interest of these
industries. I can only hope that all role players would rather stand together,
plan together and work together to the benefit of South African agriculture. I
would therefore advise industries to strengthen their relationship with the ARC
and the Department of Agriculture.

The ARC and in particular the Horticulture Business Division can indeed be
very proud of the contributions of the Institute for Tropical and Sub-tropical
Crops over the past 80 years, to establish a flourishing citrus and other
subtropical crops sector in South Africa. I have already taken note of some of
the achievements of the Institute for Tropical and Subtropical Crops and the
list of research highlights is impressive.

The highly successful initiative by ARC-ITSC to promote the biological
control of insect pests on citrus and subtropical crops has given new impetus
to the Integrated Pest Management Programme for these crops. The success rate
which resulted from the importation, breeding and eventually the release of
natural enemies for the bio-control of red scale on citrus, scale insects on
mango and spiny black-fly on citrus is being regarded as exceptional.

The breeding of a seedless lemon and commercialisation of this new product
under the trade name Eureka Seedless Lemon is a world first and an achievement
that clearly illustrates that our researchers can compete with the best
internationally. The appearance of a soil borne wilt disease of guavas in the
Malelane area some 25 years ago almost wiped out the guava industry. The
disease had spread so rapidly within 10 years that it caused a 90% reduction in
plantings in the commercial guava producing areas.

The concerted action of plant pathologists, biotechnologists and plant
breeders produced two guava wilt resistant lines which had been released by the
Institute as rootstocks. These rootstocks were used to re-establish the guava
industry. But it is also in the field of development programmes aimed at rural
communities that I wish to commend the Institute for Tropical and Subtropical
Crops.

The programme on high value crops in the OR Tambo municipal region of the
Eastern Cape serves as an example of what can be achieved in a relatively short
period of time. I mentioned these examples of research and technology
development achievements to emphasise that agriculture is at high risk without
scientific support. The ARC in its entirety must also be commended for working
closely with researchers in the Southern African Development Community (SADC)
region.

Science provides the growers with cutting-edge technology and researchers
should strive to improve these technologies to promote a sustainable and
competitive agricultural sector. I therefore wish to salute all researchers
present here tonight for their dedication and world class research that has
contributed to the successes of so many industries.

Finally, in order to address future challenges effectively it will require
all stakeholders in agriculture to work together. Particular attention should
be given to "orphan" crops, i.e. crops without the financial and other support
structures of mainstream crops. The future lies in our hands and we need to
work together in innovative ways. I am confident that with such an attitude and
approach to the future we will all reap success. I wish this Institute well on
its proud 80th year.

I thank you.

Issued by: Department of Agriculture
18 October 2006
Source: Department of Agriculture (http://www.nda.gov.za)