Two key issues, the shortage of agronomists in South Africa and good seed protection, were explored at a recent knowledge hub workshop presented by John Deere and Syngenta near Napier in the Western Cape.
José de Kock, a member of Grain SA's Southern Barley Industry Committee, gave feedback on a meeting held in August to address the growing shortage of agronomists in South Africa.
Workshop participants identified a number of challenges in this regard: a shortage of lecturers with practical experience, the lack of practical application of theory at some universities, the ageing population of experienced independent agriculturists, and restrictions experienced by agricultural colleges.
Most participants agreed that agronomy training had to be more practical, and the industry had to play a more active role in the development of agronomists.
De Kock called on…
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Farmer's Weekly (Digital) - 1 Issue, 21 October 2022