Editorial: Having a rural voice
OPINION: The past few weeks have been tough on farms across the North Island: floods and storms have caused damage and disruption to families and businesses.
The Feds believe research in the sector is being eroded through inadequate funding and a lack of strategic planning.
"Agriculture science is a long term investment, which is difficult for governments on a short term three year election cycle," says Federated Farmers president William Rolleston.
"We owe it to our future farmers, and all New Zealanders, to make the investments now."
"We appreciate that AgResearch needs to ensure its capacity aligns with the work it has ahead of it, but the continual downsizing at AgResearch is a symptom of this bigger problem."
Rolleston says New Zealand is well known for its leadership in agriculture. He says we need science to provide solutions for the future. Innovations can increase productivity, reduce environmental impact, and lead to new products and add value to existing products.
He adds, "We also rely on science to address the risks we face with a changing climate, biosecurity, the market and our social licence to operate."
"We need a plan which will rebuild our science capability and give more responsibility to our CRIs as outlined in the CRI Taskforce Report (2010)."
Government have the opportunity to turn the tide with the outcome of the core funding review. We would expect to see an increase in core funding, which has not been inflation adjusted since it was instituted.
The Feds do not believe AgResearch is blameless in this situation.
"They need to examine their tactics and their effectiveness in attracting new funds both from government and the private sector," Rolleston says.
"We would like to see a growing agricultural science sector which is moving forward with confidence, not a shrinking one where scientists are disillusioned and our youth discouraged from science careers."
The Feds hope that the National Statement of Scientific Intent, which the government is soon to release, will reflect the importance of science in agriculture.
"We're hoping to see more attention to basic research and capability, greater stability and certainty for scientists in the primary sector within an ecosystem where a science career can be rewarding and valued," says Rolleston.
