Local foresters and farmers recently had the opportunity to learn more about the latest biotechnology.

“Opportunities for forestry and agriculture that have emerged in recent times from the application of biotechnology and bioinformatics are immense, and almost beyond imagination. Currently, forestry and food crops containing novel genes are already being deployed. Well-recognised examples include the incorporation of genes conferring herbicide and pest resistance onto plants,” says Mr Dries Alberts of the Soutpansberg Plant Pest and Disease Council and an agricultural consultant of Levubu.

In order to obtain more knowledge on biotechnology, the  Soutpansberg Plant Pest and Disease Council  invited the Forestry and Agriculture Biotechnology Institute (FABI) to visit the Soutpansberg during February this year.

The local pest and disease council was established in 2005 and has since worked in close contact with FABI. Based on recognition that the future of forestry and agriculture will depend strongly on the incorporation of new technologies into these industries,  FABI was established in 1997 at the University of Pretoria.

Besides the development of genes to confer herbicide and pest resistance onto plants, other products are also appearing rapidly and FABI says that this trend will not slow down in coming years.

Food security is a concern not only in the Soutpansberg,  but also nationally and globally.

“The rapid developments in genomics and the many full-genome sequences that are emerging will certainly facilitate the development of novel food and fibre crops. These will clearly contribute to global economic development and food security,” says FABI.

The forestry and agricultural sector in Levubu and the Soutpansberg, as in the whole of South Africa, will have to remain competitive with products that are internationally attractive. “We are here to assist this sector of the local economy to meet these goals. This is achieved through goal-directed research undertaken in partnership with major players in these markets,” says FABI.

The subtropical and citrus fruit industries, among others,  have associations with the staff of the University of Pretoria linked to FABI. Academic staff, post-graduate students as well as research visitors have visited the Soutpansberg  in the past.

The FABI team that visited the Soutpansberg in February consisted of Dr Brett Hurley, Ms Izette Greyling and Mr Min Lu. Mr Gert Fourie of the Molozi Trust escorted them on visits to the forestry section and Mr Dries Alberts showed them the banana, guava and avo trees, among others.