Program director
The Head of Department
Management
Delegates
Ladies and gentlemen
One great thinker and media personality, David Letterman once remarked about researchers and he said; “USA Today has come out with a new survey apparently, three out of every four people make up 75% of the population”. However complex the remark might be, researchers and statisticians would understand it much better than we do.
Program director, colleagues, ladies and gentlemen, the Agricultural sector in Limpopo is faced with challenges such as persistent droughts, floods, climate change, improved production costs, disease and pest outbreaks coupled with lack of adequate skills.
This meeting is one great meeting were the cream of the biggest brains in our department meets to strategise on new research innovations. When history is made on new innovations, this team will be there. It is also well documented that Agricultural research is one of the key factors that drive economic growth in agriculture. The significant contribution of the Bonsmara cattle breed is a very good example of the how research contributes to agricultural growth. The Bonsmara was developed at our own Mara Research Station in the 1940s and today it is the most known beef cattle in South Africa. From this example, we can learn that agricultural research and innovation can be meaningful if it is done to address the challenges the sector faces; ensuring that the benefits from research are translated into increased agricultural productivity—which leads to improvedfarm income, increased employment and overall reduction in poverty.
Programme director, the dawn of the 21st century presented South Africa with pressure to deliver services with available limited resources. In response, our country has taken a conscious decision to shift from being a resource based economy to a knowledge based economy, in which the production and dissemination of knowledge leads to economic benefits and enriches all fields of human endeavour. It is no secret that skilled human capital required for Research and development. South African human capital base in science and technology is characterised by an aging and shrinking population which is not adequately developed and renewed. Similar to other African countries, South Africa is also exposed to the ‘brain drain’ phenomenon resulting from globalisation. Many skilled and experienced researchers have left the country for better opportunities elsewhere in the world. Rural provinces like ours further risk losing skilled researchers to the more urban provinces.
It is therefore my presentation that there is a need for a focused strategy to develop, attract and retain skilled researchers. If we are able to recruit and train capable researchers of the caliber of Professor Nesamvuni who is today the Head of this Department, we should be able to do more. We should be able to have effective human resources policy that features career- pathing, opportunities for personal development, incentives (e.g. Occupational Specific Dispensation) and adequate funding. In this regard, the department is making very good progress in developing research human capital. Several researchers have been awarded bursaries for masters and PHD studies and some are further given special leave to complete their studies full time.
Program director research prioritises actual farmers ‘needs articulated by different commodity associations, farmers’ unions and other farmers’ forums.
However, national priorities as set in the Presidential Imperatives and research to support the Limpopo Department of Agriculture (LDA) Flagship projects are prioritised. Research proposals are submitted to the LDA Research Committee which evaluate and recommend the approval of the proposed research by the General Manager; Research and Training. However, an effective model for filtering and prioritising research needs still need to be further developed.
Our Research infrastructures are based primarily at Mara and Towoomba research stations, however some of the research projects are conducted at Madzivhandila, and Tompi Seleka colleges as well as on farm. Taking into account the remoteness of the research stations, the department is investing on building researcher’s accommodation at the research stations.
However, there is still a great need for investment in research infrastructure such as research laboratories, various research equipment, ICT, office space and labourers’ housing. Ladies and gentlemen, I believe you will come out with new innovations which will be of benefit not only to the province but the whole of South Africa. Limpopo is a place where things happen, and I believe research innovations can begin and end up here.
Source: Limpopo Agriculture
