The 2023 annual conference of the Southern African Confederation of Agricultural Unions (SACAU) witnessed a fervent call for enhanced collaboration between researchers and farmers to align research agendas with the practical needs of the agricultural sector.
Stakeholders from 19 member national farmers’ associations across 12 countries in southern Africa gathered at the conference to address the pressing issue of bridging the gap between research and on-ground implementation.
Dr Florence Nherera-Chokuda, the CEO of the National Emergent Red Meat Producers’ Organisation in South Africa, underscored the urgency of aligning research with the demands of livestock development within the region.
She remarked, “When you look at the farmer’s needs, it just cuts across the entire parity chain. Starting from information, the rewarding system, understanding drought-resistant and disease-resistant crop varieties, the service sector, and the markets, there’s a lot of research that needs to happen to address all those aspects.”
Adaptation, mitigation and resilience
Michiel Scholtz, a specialist researcher in applied animal breeding at the Agricultural Research Council (ARC) in South Africa, emphasised the need for adaptation, mitigation, and resilience strategies in the face of climate change. He stressed, “In tropical and subtropical areas, adaptation should be much more important,” highlighting the contrasting focus on mitigation in European and North American countries.
Elizabeth Nsimadala, a smallholder farmer and agripreneur from Uganda, drew attention to the missing connection between researchers, farmers, and governments. She urged stakeholders to take responsibility and be held accountable, stating, “We cannot connect the dots unless we take responsibility. Each one has to be held accountable, starting with us as the farmers.”
Nsimadala emphasised the need for research that encompasses the entire value chain, including information dissemination, resilient crop varieties, and addressing market and service sector requirements.
The conference also welcomed perspectives from international stakeholders. Dr Ansgar Aschfalk, representing the German Ministry of Agriculture’s division for climate change and water dialogue, shared insights from a German initiative that promotes dialogue between farmers and policymakers.
Auschberg revealed, “We selected 50 practitioners from all different areas of Germany, representing various orientations of work. It’s like an institutionalised dialogue between farmers and policymakers.” He highlighted the success of the initiative in fostering collaboration and knowledge exchange.
Involving farmers in research
Jan Ritter, chief technology officer at SeedForward, stressed the importance of involving farmers directly in research projects.
Ritter advocated for early farmer involvement, stating, “You have to bring to the table a research institute, a private company like ours, and at least one farmer. That could be a good approach to involve farmers right from the start of a research topic.”
He also emphasised the significance of sharing research results along the value chain, making them accessible to all stakeholders.
The discussions at the SACAU conference revealed a resounding consensus among stakeholders for stronger collaboration and accountability between researchers, farmers, and policymakers.
Research endeavours meeting the needs of farmers
The urgent need to address the entire value chain, adapt to climate change, and involve farmers in research initiatives was underscored. The valuable insights shared during the conference will play a crucial role in shaping future research endeavours that effectively meet the practical needs of farmers in southern Africa.
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