NSTF lecture 31 July at UFS
By: Professor Maryke Labuschagne

On 31 July, prof. Maryke Labuschagne presented a lecture on the importance of training of post-graduate students in Africa specifically in Agriculture. Prof. Jan van der Westhuizen, from the department of Chemistry, also gave a lecture. This was part of the program of the NSTF to make especially students aware of opportunities in Science and Technology. The lecture was attended by a number of undergraduate chemistry students, post-graduate students in Plant Breeding, as well as interested staff members. The importance of training of students in agriculture was emphasized, given the lack of food security in Africa. Trained students can take the lead in developing better producing crop cultivars that have tolerance to abiotic stress (especially heat and drought). This can increase food production and food security. This was seen in the Green Revolution in India and other countries. There is a strong movement toward a Green Revolution for Africa (AGRA), but this can only be successful with well trained agriculturalists.  South African universities, such as the UFS, have the expertise and infrastructure to train students on MSc and PhD level. This also encourages collaborative research on the continent, and is beneficial to all concerned.     

NSTF-wenner reik uit na publiek
Deur Janus Snyders

Een van die Nasionale Wetenskap en Tegnologie (NSTF) pryswenners het weer eens haar passie vir ontwikkeling getoon deur op twee gemeenskaps radiostasies haar kennis met die publiek te deel.

Prof Maryke Labuschagne is hoof van die Planteteel afdeling aan die Universiteit van die Vrystaat en het in Mei 2008 ‘n toekenning ontvang vir haar uitstaande bydrae tot kapasiteitsontwikkeling in navorsing oor ‘n tydperk van 5 – 10 jaar.  Sy het ingewillig om onderhoude toe te staan aan Radio Riverside te Upington en Radio Rosestad in Bloemfontein oor die belangrikheid van landbou navorsing.

 “Die realiteit in Afrika is dat die populasiegroei die beskikbare hulpbronne verbygesteek het. Daar is net soveel grond en water, en navorsing moet eerstens gedoen word om hierdie hulpbronne optimaal te bruik,” het prof Labuschagne tydens haar onderhoud met Radio Riverside gesê. Sy het verder genoem dat plante ontwikkel moet word om meer te produseer met dieselfde hulpbronne. “Navorsing in planteteelt kan ook meebring dat gewasse ten spyte van omgewings stremming nogsteeds effektief kan produseer”.

Tydens haar onderhoud op Radio Rosestad, het prof Labuschagne uitgebrei oor die belangrikheid van samewerkingsooreenskomste met ander lande. “Ons is deel van Afrika en ons het baie om mekaar te bied op die kontinent. Deur samewerkingsooreenkomste kan ons kennis uitruil en mekaar help,” het prof Labuschagne aangevoer. Haar departement werk onder andere saam met die Universiteit van Malawi op die verbetering van cassava en soetpatats. Hulle werk ook saam met groepe in Kenya en Zimbabwe ter verbetering van mielies se voedingswaarde; en Sudan en Kenya op die verbetering van sorghum kwaliteit.

Prof Labuschagne het die afgelope 10 jaar as studieleier opgetree vir 14 swart PhD en 8 swart MSc studente van Suid-Afrika asook van ander lande. Sy het ook bygedra tot die ontwikkeling van ‘n nuwe molekulêre en ‘n verbeterde biochemiese laboratorium. Verbeterde samewerkingsooreenkomste met die Suid-Afrikaanse Landbou Navorsingsraad sowel as ander lande is ook deur haar werk te weeg gebring.

Die NSTF toekenning het ‘n prys van R100 000 ingesluit, maar prof Labuschagne het aangedui dat dit vir navorsing ingespan gaan word.

Artikel goedgekeur deur: Professor Maryke Labuschagne

My experience of interviews with community radio stations
by Prof M Labuschagne

As part of the NSTF award for capacity building in science, I did two interviews with community radio stations, one with Radio Rosestad (in Bloemfontein), and the other with Radio Riverside (in Upington). It was a novel experience for me. I drove to the Radio Rosestad studio, which is in a converted house on a smallholding outside of Bloemfontein. No fancy buildings or equipment here, but they still do a good job in reaching their listeners, consisting largely of the Afrikaans speaking community in and around Bloemfontein. The interview was pre-recorded, and was done very efficiently and with professionalism. It was broadcast in the evening at 18h20, and came across very well.

The second interview was live telephonic, which places stress on the interviewer and interviewee, especially if telephone lines are feint, and you hope you are hearing the questions correctly! But all went well, and I think the whole point of especially the importance of training and research in agriculture was clear. 

The female recipient of the Eskom sponsored category G award: ‘Researcher, for Research Capacity Development over the last 5-10 years' was Professor Maryke T Labuschagne, Professor and Head of Plant Breeding, Plant Sciences, University of the Free State.

Free state university’s top scientist addresses food security
Professor Maryke Labuschagne, the Head of Plant Breeding at the Department of Plant Sciences at UoFS, is the female recipient of the 2007/8 National Science and Technology Forum (NSTF) Category G Award. It is awarded to both males and females for research capacity development over the last 5 – 10 years. Under her supervision, 14 black PhD, 8 black MSc, 15 white MSc and 4 white PhD students completed their degrees over the last 10 years.

In her interview with KovsieFM, she mentioned that the biggest challenge of plant breeding is to breed new crops that are resistant to insects, pests, diseases and tolerant to draughts and heat stress. She also highlighted   the importance of collaboration with other agricultural research institutions as key to the success of capacity development.
Prof Labuschagne’s department is currently collaborating with universities and research institutes in Malawi, Kenya, Ghana and Tanzania. The Swedish government has also provided them with funds for agricultural research on the African continent.

“Plant breeding is one of the most exciting fields to study, particularly, molecular breeding and genetic engineering. Plant breeding is also one of the most promising disciplines to contribute to food security in Africa” concluded Prof Labuschgne.

Article approved by: Professor Maryke Labuschagne