MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FOOD SECURITY Highlights of achievements for the calendar year 2002
 

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:

  The year 2002/2003 has not been any significantly different from 2001/2002, in terms of weather conditions that prevailed during the two years. These have been characterized by alternating spells of torrential rains and severe drought, which hampered programs of land preparation and planting of research trials. This especially affected the summer trials during August – December 2002.

  As a result, some trials were planted late, whilst others were not planted at all in some locations. Winter trials have been harvested as planned during November – December 2002, and data is being analyzed for purposes of reporting and making technological recommendations.

  VISION:

  National agricultural research organization adequately resourced and capable of efficiently generating sustainable solutions to critical agricultural problems related to food security and poverty, and usable information and agro-technologies to support sustainable, productive and profitable farming and overall agricultural development.

  MISSION STATEMENT:

  National agricultural research organization committed to the application of agricultural science in developing, adapting and transferring environmentally safe and economically viable agro-technologies to the farming community and agro-industry, through strong linkages with education, extension and industry.

  OVERALL OBJECTIVE (GOAL):

  To employ scientific knowledge and discoveries in research and development of appropriate agro-technologies and information, in order to enhance significant reduction in poverty, increase in food security and contribution of agriculture to Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

    SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES:

  Specific objectives of the Department of Agricultural Research (DAR) express the requirements for the realization of the vision through achievement of the mission statement, and at the same time, to lay down the parameters for achieving the strategic plan encompassed by the programs. These are: 

  q       To test and adapt crop varieties, animal breeds, crop and livestock production and management practices, natural resources management practices, and post harvest management practices that enhance productivity of the natural resource base and bio-diversity

q       To test and adapt technological packages for intensification of production of basic grains and vegetables in the most productive lands

q       To introduce farm practices that enhance increased farm cash incomes and lower unit costs of production

q       To introduce new high value, high yielding, pest/disease tolerant, low pH tolerant, and cold/drought tolerant crop varieties

q       To provide technological inputs and production practices that enhance reduction in labour intensity and bring-about effective use of agro-chemicals, farm equipment (machinery, implements and hand tools) and improvement of farm structures and timing of farm operations

q       To transfer appropriate technologies, relevant scientific knowledge and information, and services (laboratory, library, etc.), to all stakeholders for sustainable agricultural development

    KEY PERFORMANCE AREAS:

  Key performance areas for the Department of Agricultural Research are:

 

1.      Crops research

2.      Livestock research

3.      Natural Resources Management research

4.      Agricultural Engineering and Food Technology research

5.      Research and Extension coordination

6.      Institutional Administration and Management

    ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE:

  The functional organizational structure of the Department of Agricultural Research currently comprises eight (8) technical research programs, namely, agricultural engineering, agronomy, farming systems, food technology, horticulture, livestock, natural resources management and plant protection. None-the-less, the department is undergoing a restructuring process, as such, the proposed functional organizational structure is as follows:

  1.      Crops Research Division

2.      Livestock Research Division

3.      Natural resources Management Research Division

4.      Agricultural Engineering and Food Technology Research Division

5.      Research and Extension Coordination Division

6.      Institutional Administration and Management Section

 

RESEARCH STATIONS NETWORK:

 

Agro-ecological zone

Characteristics

Regional Research Station

Main technological domain/thrust

Sub-Stations[1]

Northern lowlands

- Good precipitation

- Moderate temperatures

- Good (fertile and deep) soils

Mahobong

- Rain-fed crop production

- Promotion of irrigated high value crop production

- Ts’ifa-li-mali

- Ha Sakoane

Central lowlands

- Moderate precipitation

- Poor (infertile and shallow) soils

- Moderate temperatures

Maseru

- National  research management and screening of technologies

- Matsieng

Southern lowlands

- Erratic and unreliable precipitation

- Poor (infertile, shallow, duplex) and highly erodible soils

- Severely degraded soil (infertility and erosion)

- Severe drought

- High temperatures

Siloe

- Semi-arid agriculture

- Natural resources management

- Ts’akholo

Foothills

- Good (fertile alluvial and deep) soils

- Good precipitation

- Cool temperatures

Nyakosoba

- Fruity culture

- Machache

Senqu river valley

- Severe soil degradation

- Poor (shallow duplex) soils between lower and higher mountain

- Good (fertile and deep sandy loam) soils along river basin and valley

-[2]

- Irrigated vegetable and high value crop production

- Yet to be dicided

Mountains

- Poor (infertile and shallow basaltic)

- Good precipitation

- Predominantly range land

Thaba-Tseka

- Extensive livestock production

- Range management

- Mokhotlong

 


This report is presented in four chapters, namely:

  1.     ADMINISTRATIVE/MANAGERIAL ACTIVITIES:

  1.1  CAPACITY BUILDING:

  1.1.1        Human Resource Development:

  a.      Short term training courses:

  Title                                                                                Venue               Staff

             

§         Renewable energy for thermal processing                    Indonesia               2

§         Abstracting, indexing and computer literacy                 Lesotho                 1

§         Research methods                                                      Lesotho                14

 

b.      Long term training:

 

Degree                           Discipline                        Venue             Staff

 

§         MSc                               Animal science                      RSA                      1

§         MSc                                Crop science                       RSA                      1

§         MSc                               Food science                       RSA                       1 

§         MSc                               Extension                             RSA                       1

§         Msc                                Plant breeding                     Australia                  1

§         BSc                                Crop science                      RSA                        1 

§         Diploma                         Librarianship                      Botswana                  1

 

 

c.       International conferences/symposia/seminars/meetings:

 

Title                                                                                 Venue                  Staff

 

§         Sanitary and Phyto-Sanitary (SPS) measures                           RSA                            1 

§         SADC Plant Genetic Resources                                              Zambia                        3

§         SADC Plant Genetic Resources Board members                    Zambia                         1

§         Elimination of persistent organic pollutants (POPs)                  RSA                             1

§         Biosafety (BS) and biothechnology (BT) in agriculture             Malawi                        1

§         Formulation of BS and BT procedures                                    Namibia                      1

§         Database Management of Migrant Pests in SADC                  RSA                            1

§         Management of Obsolete Pesticides in Southern Africa          RSA                             1

§         3rd Global Workshop on Biosystematics                               RSA                             1

§         SADC Plant Protection Sub-committee                                Botswana                      1

§         Pesticide Management                                                         Zambia                          1

§         Southern Africa Bean Research Network                             Malawi                          1

§         Managing Innovation, Research and Development                RSA                              1

1.1.2        Research Information Management:

 

§         87 new books were procured from Presidium Books, RSA for library

§         9 computers were net-worked for internet access

§         Membership to Lesotho Library Consortium (LELICO) and Lesotho Environmental Information Network (LEINET)

 

1.1.3        Research Infrastructure Development:

 

§         10 computers and 2 laser printers (4 remaining) were acquired from APCBP

§         M 300,000.00 worth of laboratory equipment has been ordered through APCBP, delivery is awaited

§         Briefs for civil works for offices and residential houses for Thaba-Tseka  regional research station, and library, conference hall and soils laboratory extensions at Maseru main research station were submitted to Project Coordinators for SADPMA and APCBP, respectively, for tendering

 

1.2  RESEARCH RATIONALIZATION:

 

1.2.1        Restructuring:

 

§         DAR is currently structured into eight technical research programs. Five  technical divisions and one administration/management section are being proposed in the restructuring process, as follows:

 

Division

Section

Units

Crops

Agronomy

Cereals, Legumes, Oil seeds

Horticulture

Fruits, Vegetables, Ornamentals

Plant Protection

Pathology, Entomology, Nematology, Weed Science

Soil Fertility

Chemistry, Physics, Biology

Engineering and Food technology

Engineering

Draft power/Machinery, Irrigation, Farm Structures, Post harvest Technology, Farm Energy

Food Technology

Human nutrition, Food Science, Processing

Livestock

Animal breeding and production

Animal breeding, animal production

Animal health and nutrition

Animal health, animal nutrition

Range and forages

Range management, forage production

Natural Resources Management

Soil and water conservation

Soil conservation, water conservation

 

Plant genetic resources

In-situ conservation, ex-situ conservation, seed science, herbarium, documentation

Agro-forestry

Agro-forestry, forestry

Research and Extension Coordination

Biometry

Biometrics

Technology transfer and Marketing

Extension and sociology, economics and marketing, regional research stations management

 

§         47 job descriptions for core management and professional category staff positions have been written to specifications proposed by Ministry of Public Service. These are:

-         Director (1)

-         Chief Research Officer (5)

-         Principal Research Officer (14)

-         Regional Research Station Manager (5)

-         Research Officer (22)  

1.2.2        Development of research-stakeholder linkage structure:  

§         Tender was opened on 17th December 2002

§         Evaluation of 1 tender (3 other tenders were disqualified) was carried-out

§         Average score was <50 points – there is need to re-advertise the consultancy

 

1.2.3        Institutional location of Department of Agricultural Research (DAR):  

§          Preliminary meetings to resuscitate the process were convened as follows:

-         DAR a.i. and DPS-Agriculture: 2nd September 2002

-         DAR a.i., DPS and PS-Agriculture: 16th September 2002

-         DAR a.i., DPS-Agriculture and Dean-Faculty of Agriculture: 17th September 2002

§         This issue was also discussed in the MoACLR Management meeting – December 2002. MoACLR has to make a formal decision and produce an official stand-point on this issue. 

 

  2.    TECHNICAL RESEARCH ACTIVITIES:  

2.1  TECHNOLOGY GENERATION:  

2.1.1        Crop variety releases:

  a.      Agronomic crop varieties:  

Ø     Maize: 9 hybrid varieties (PAN 6335, 6757 and 6479, PHB 30N35 and 3203, SNK 2969) are high yielding; 2 hybrid varieties (PAN 6335 and CRN 3505) are promising for drought tolerance, and 3 open-pollinated varieties (ZM 421 flint, 521 and 301 are low pH tolerant

Ø     Wheat: 5 winter varieties (Tugela DN-Puseletso, SST 363, 966, and14, and Gariep) are high yielding, cold tolerant and have long straw for thatching, especially preferred in the mountains

Ø     Sorghum: 4 hybrid varieties (SNK 3337, 3860 and 3939, and NK 283) are promising for high yield, bird resistance, height and drought tolerance

Ø     Beans: Nodak, XAN 78, RA 055, G 14369 and G 22501 performed well in all locations for high yield

Ø     Peas: winter varieties DMR 4, 88 P 0101-10-2, 88 P 038-10-18, MG 101831 and a local check 1690 performed well in all locations for yield and cold tolerance, especially in the mountains

 

b.      Horticultural crop varieties:  

Ø     Irish potato: 6 clones out of 15 selected from 96 in the previous year trials proved better performers in all locations, especially in the mountains

Ø     Sweet potato: adaptable varieties (Chingova, Mafutha, etc.) were multiplied and about 41,900 vines were distributed country-wide to about 218 farmers and 63 schools

Ø     Tomato: Money maker and Zest preformed better for high fruit yield and weight in all locations  

c.       Fodder crop species:  

Ø     Fodder sorghum: Sentop, Senfor, Supersen, PHI 988 and PHI 855 proved to be more palatable and high biomass yielders 

2.1.2        High value crop introduction:

 

Ø     Garlic: Giant garlic and Small Egyptian pink proved more adaptable

Ø     Mushrooms: 200 jam bottles of Pleurotus steattus spawns were made from sorghum and wheat grains as substrate. Pleurotus sajor caju, Garnoderma lucradum, Lentimula edodes, Agricus pisporus and Pleurotus osteatus are promising varieties for adaptability. 

Ø     Roses: Tests are on-going on four rooting hormones

Ø     Ground nuts: 2 varieties (Jasper and Vaal Red) are mostly adaptable across all agro-ecological zones

Ø     Sunflower: 6 varieties (ASUN 587, PAN 7355, CRN 1414, HYSUN 350 and 338, and SNK 34) are high seed and oil yielders  

2.1.3        Micro-organism technology introduction:  

Ø      Effective Micro-organisms (EM) technology was introduced through a South African based company “Effective Micro-organisms Research Organization-South Africa (EMRO-SA)” during early 2002. Uses include seed soaking, fertigation, composting, soil improvement, smell suppression, insect repelling, admixture with animal feed and drinking water, sterilization of wounds, etc.. 4,320 liters have been given to 29 farmers’ groups country-wide and 2 high schools (Leribe and Paray); 300 litres to 106 individual farmers; and 100 litres to DAR, DLS, DoC, FoA, MADF, GROW and DAOs for Quthing; Mohales’Hoek and Butha-Buthe. This is for on-station trials and laboratory analyses for confirmation of active ingredients and chemical action, and on-farm trials and demonstrations.

2.1.4        Low-pressure irrigation techniques:  

Ø      2-man hand operated irrigation pump for enhancement of small-scale farm irrigation has been developed in collaboration with Appropriate Technology Section (ATS). Arrangements for manufacturing and financing initial batches for distribution to the districts are underway through ATS and the Water Control Component of the FAO-GoL Special Program for Food Security (SPFS), respectively.  

2.1.5        Range management practices:  

Ø      Rangeland productivity under controlled grazing patterns within Range Management Associations (RMAs) proved better than traditional communal grazing pattern outside RMAs, producing average bio-mass yield of 539 kg/ha and 397 kg/ha, respectively. 

2.1.6        Pest/disease management practices:  

Ø      Indigenous organic materials, Khaki bush (Tagetes minuta), Wild mint (Mentha longifolia) and Sehalahala-sa-matlaka (Eriocephalus punctulatus), proved to have higher efficacy for repelling cabbage and tomato insect pests (Bagrada bug and Diamond back moth).  

2.1.7        Post harvest management practices:  

Ø      Indigenous organic material Koae-ea-Sesotho (Nicotina tabacum), proved to have high efficacy for control of stored grain insect pests, especially grain weevil (Ts’upa)

 

2.2  DEVELOPMENT OF PLANT GENETIC RESOURCE POOL:  

2.2.1