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Die Voorsitters van die Spesialis-
werkgroepe en Komitees
The Chairpersons of the Specialist
Working Groups and Committees
1. LOUW STEYTLER
Maize
Mielies
2. ANDRIES THERON
Winter Grain, Remuneration Committee,
NAMPO Buildings (Pty) Ltd and
Marketing Working Group
Wintergraan, Vergoedingskomitee,
NAMPO Geboue (Edms) Bpk en
Bemarkingswerkgroep
3. VICTOR MONGOATO
Farmer Development
Landbou-ontwikkeling
4. LOUIS CLAASSEN
Sorghum
Sorghum
5. RD ERASMUS
Barley (Southern Barley
Industry Committee)
Gars (Suidelike Garsbedryfskomitee)
6. THEO FERREIRA
Editorial Committee
Redaksiekomitee
7. JAN GREY
Sunflower and Soybean
Sonneblom en Sojaboon
8. MARTIN HEYDORN
Canola Specialist Committee
Kanola Spesialiskomitee
9. RICHARD KRIGE
Barley (National Barley
Industry Committee)
Gars (Nasionale Garsbedryfskomitee)
10. WILLIE LINDE
Production/Input
Produksie/Inset
11. FRANCOIS MINNAAR
Groundnut
Grondboon
12. COBUS VAN COLLER
NAMPO Harvest Day Committee
and Conservation Agriculture
Working Group
NAMPO Oesdagkomitee en
Bewaringslandbouwerkgroep
13. FANIE VAN ZYL
Audit Committee
Ouditkomitee
Absent:
Afwesig:
FRIKKIE MAREE
Barley (Northern Barley
Industry Committee)
Gars (Noordelike Garsbedryfskomitee)
Afdeling Bedryfsdienste
Industry Services division
Production research
and development
STRATEGIC RESEARCH FOCUS AREAS
Grain
producers recognise that research and develop-
ment and innovation are key to improving productivity
and sustainability. Grain SA identified crop improvement
as a strategic focus area because seed is an important
input in improving yield and therefore profitability. Grain SA
collaborates with the government and is building a relation-
ship of trust with the Departments of Agriculture, Forestry
and Fisheries (DAFF), Science and Technology (DST)
and Trade and Industry (dti).
A national policy framework for wheat research and
development is being developed in collaboration with the
DAFF. The aim is to strengthen research ability and support
a culture of cooperation. A formal pre-breeding platform
consortium for wheat, with DST as a key partner, was one
of the most important strategic outputs. This work is being
done by the University of Stellenbosch (US) and funded
by the DST. The DST has helped to involve other wheat
producing countries internationally as partners. Private
seed companies with public and international sources
of funding were also involved.
South Africa’s soybean production has reached a record
one million tons, thanks to the dti’s investment in the expan-
sion of the local crushing capacity. A consortium focusing
on soil-related diseases in soybeans was also established.
Sclerotinia is hampering sustainable soybean production in
all the different production regions. The universities of the
Free State and Pretoria are involved here.
The lack of new high-yield and heat resistant sorghum
cultivars for the various production regions remains a
challenge. Producers and seed companies investigate
the possibility of joint field trials.
CONSERVATION AGRICULTURE
FARMER INNOVATION PROGRAMME
Grain SA, together with The Maize and Winter Cereal Trusts,
established a Conservation Agriculture Farmer Innovation
Programme (CA-FIP) to address concerns about excessively
high soil degradation rates, profitability and poverty in
grain-producing areas.
Progress and major achievements
► The Grain SA CA working group has been functional
and managed to review and focus various activities.
► The publication of CA related articles has been very
popular and covers a wide range of relevant topics.
► Awareness on CA is accelerated through prestigious
events such as the annual KwaZulu-Natal no-till
conference and various farmers’ days. The second
CA Conference held in Ottosdal (11 - 12 March 2015)
was a major milestone in this regard (see
Photo 1
).
► Trials under the Argentinian cooperation agreement
have been successfully implemented at sites near
Ottosdal and Kroonstad.
Produksienavorsing
en -ontwikkeling
STRATEGIESE NAVORSINGSFOKUSAREAS
Graanprodusente
besef dat navorsing en ontwikkeling
èn innovering belangrik is om produktiwiteit en volhoubaar-
heid te verbeter. Graan SA het gewasverbetering as
‘n strategiese fokusarea geïdentifiseer omdat saad ‘n
belangrike inset is om opbrengs, en dus winsgewendheid, te
verbeter. Graan SA werk saam met die staat en bou aan ‘n
vertrouensverhouding met die Departemente van Landbou,
Bosbou en Visserye (DLBV), Wetenskap en Tegnologie (DWT)
en Handel en Nywerheid (dti).
‘n Nasionale beleidsraamwerk vir koringnavorsing en ont-
wikkeling word saam met DLBV ontwikkel. Die oogmerk is om
navorsingsvermoë te versterk en ‘n kultuur van samewerking
te ondersteun. ‘n Formele voortelingplatform-konsortium
vir koring, met DWT as ‘n sleutelvennoot, was een van
die belangrikste strategiese uitsette. Die werk word deur
die Universiteit Stellenbosch (US) gedoen en deur DWT
befonds. DWT het gehelp om ander koringproduserende
lande internasionaal as vennote te betrek. Privaat
saadmaatskappye met openbare en internasionale
befondsingsbronne is ook betrek.
Suid-Afrika se sojaboonproduksie het ‘n rekord een miljoen
ton bereik danksy die dti se belegging in die uitbreiding
van die plaaslike perskapasiteit. ‘n Konsortium wat op
grondverwante siektes by sojabone fokus, is ook gestig.
Sclerotinia kniehalter volhoubare sojaboonproduksie in al
die verskillende produksiestreke. Die universiteite van die
Vrystaat en Pretoria is hierby betrek. Die gebrek aan nuwe
hoë-opbrengs- en hitteweerstandige sorghumkultivars vir
die verskillende produksiestreke, is ‘n uitdaging. Produsente
en saadmaatskappye ondersoek die moontlikheid van
gesamentlike veldproewe.
Hannes Otto from Ottosdal explains CA
practices to conference delegates.
Hannes Otto van Ottosdal verduidelik BL-praktyke aan
konferensiegangers.
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Photo
Foto
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