Why SA's Grain Sector Must Invest In Research

Ongoing research plays a key role in maintaining the viability of South Africa’s grain industry. Sadly, capacity in this regard has diminished over time, and farmers are paying the price, says Dr Miekie Human, research and policy officer at Grain SA. She spoke to Annelie Coleman about her organisation’s steps to rectify the situation.

- Dr Miekie Human

Why is research so important for sustainable grain production?

Sustainable and profitable grain production relies on applying best practices for the specific environment, inputs and production system used. The interactions between these factors are complex, and if any factor changes, the farmer needs to know how to react. Research is required to understand these changing environments.

An example of this is herbicide resistance in weeds. It takes years of research from the time that resistance is discovered to develop a new herbicide.

Another example is rust pathogens. These are always changing, so ongoing research is needed to improve plant genetics and sustain their pathogen resistance.

Why are commodity organisations getting involved with research?

Internationally, there are many examples of how collaboration between government, industry and academia benefits all involved. The UK, for example, developed a model whereby the government funds studies of relevance to an industry partner, but which are conducted by university-based researchers. Their work focuses on solving a challenge faced by the industry partner or identifying an opportunity that is advantageous to that partner’s business. This, in turn, benefits the country as a whole in terms of job creation or protection of natural resources.

In South Africa, research capacity at statefunded organisations has severely eroded, leaving farmers with a serious lack of research support. This has been exacerbated by significant budget cuts at tertiary institutions.

Investment in structured programmes, in partnership with government, industry and universities, is needed to rebuild local research capacity and address the needs of farmers.