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Grain SA focuses on research:
Consortiums and multi-stakeholder
partnerships
F
ollowing Grain SA’s internal restruc-
turing, two units namely Grain Econ-
omy and Grain Research and Policy
Centre, were established in line with
our ever expanding mandate.
Central to this was the need to escalate
Grain SA’s active role in the co-ordination
of needs-driven grain research. The ap-
proach agreed upon was to establish con-
sortia and multi-stakeholder partnerships,
preferably with universities and other ap-
propriate public-private partners.
Additionally, partnerships and stakeholders
were identified to work with the Grain SA
team for a food secure future. Funding is a
crucial element and a concerted effort was
made to prioritise funding for the different
research needs identified by producers.
Critical to Grain SA’s role is to ensure fund-
ing is directed to new prioritised focus ar-
eas. These priority focus areas are: Crop
improvement, crop protection and climate
change.
The next steps were the development of
joint research programmes for each focus
area, linking up with various technology-
driven initiatives and making sure that ap-
propriate technologies reach the producers.
Crop improvement: Wheat
pre-breeding
Under the theme ‘crop improvement’, the
wheat pre-breeding platform was estab-
lished as a consortium. Revitalising the
wheat industry, with wheat breeding high
on the agenda, clear priorities are set in the
South African context.
Wheat breeding is of vital importance if
South Africa is to produce enough food to
feed its growing population. The country
needs to develop high-yielding wheat cul-
tivars that can withstand common wheat
diseases and changing climate conditions.
In order to breed better adapted cultivars,
breeders need to respond constantly to
changing environmental conditions, agri-
cultural practices and consumer preferenc-
es. In the past ten years, South Africa has
become increasingly dependent on imports
to meet its domestic needs.
This has been widely acknowledged by
stakeholders in the wheat value chain and
has led to increasing interest in research
and development in this area. Currently
South African breeders are involved in
the development of wheat varieties adapt-
ed specifically to the local environment,
with the aim of producing higher yields to
supply the ever-growing domestic demand,
while still maintaining quality.
Grain SA is also collaborating with govern-
ment to expand industry-funded research
and development activities to complement
current research efforts under this theme.
A multi-stakeholder partnership on wheat
between Grain SA, the Winter Cereal Trust
and the Department of Science and Tech-
nology has been established with the
objective of achieving a sustainable in-
crease in wheat productivity.
Grain SA’s public-private multi-stakeholder
partnership on wheat breeding provides a
unique opportunity for policymakers, pub-
lic research organisations and private seed
companies to work together towards en-
hanced food security and economic growth.
Crop protection: Soilborne
diseases
Another consortium has been established
under the theme ‘crop protection’, with a
special reference to soil-borne pathogens.
The focus herein is the monitoring of dis-
ease incidence and the build-up of soil-
borne pathogens inoculum.
In this light conservation agriculture and
improving soil health in an effort to re-
duce soil-borne diseases, while increasing
yields of grain and oilseed crops, remain
important. Some of the most important
diseases and pests resulting in yield losses
are effects of nematode infestations and
sclerotinia.
Part of this consortium is to foster closer
ties with policy makers in an effort to keep
quarantine pests and diseases outside the
borders of South Africa, e.g. maize lethal
necrosis disease.
Climate change
In the newly established consortium, ‘cli-
mate change’, the focus is to bring to-
gether national, regional and international
experts that can add value to the many
challenges climate change is posing. The
current 2015/2016 El Niño-induced drought
has devastated grain production and the
impacts of this phenomenon, compounded
by the previous year’s drought, will have an
economic impact for several years to come.
Climate projections suggest heat stress is
going to become an increasing threat to
grain production in Southern Africa.
Improved germplasm will play a vital part
in adaptation strategies. Other objectives
are to develop drought and heat tolerant
varieties, or to assist local breeders in
accessing international pools of genetic
material.
An important aspect of this consortium
is looking for new strategic partnerships,
with the Consortium of International Agri-
cultural Research Centres (CGIAR) and in
particular the International Maize and Wheat
Improvement Centre (CIMMYT) and other
leaders in climate resilient grain research.
A high priority is to gain access to qual-
ity seed through public-private multi-
stakeholder collaboration for all grain and
oilseeds.
Summary
Considering the context, there is an urgent
need for South Africa to increase the rate
of genetic gains for yield, heat and drought
tolerance and resistance to pathogens and
pests and ensuring a safe, environmentally-
friendly and nutritious food chain.
At the same time it is necessary to find
more efficient and sustainable ways of pro-
duction, including the use of inputs such as
fertilisers and pesticides.
17
October 2016
GRAIN SA
MARINDA VISSER,
manager: Grain Research and Policy Centre, Grain SA