The commercialisation of new fruit cultivars adapted to South African conditions is creating major opportunities for farmers who get involved early. This was the message from Dr Cynthia Motsi, senior manager for intellectual property and commercialisation at the Agricultural Research Council (ARC) during her presentation on trials of promising new cultivars at the recent Subtrop Marketing Symposium in White River.
By Jasper Raats, senior journalist at African Farming and Landbouweekblad
Dr Motsi explained that in terms of the Agricultural Research Act (Act 86 of 1990), the ARC’s mandate includes research, technology transfer and the commercialisation of new technologies. “Our job is not only to develop new cultivars but also to ensure they reach the market to benefit the country’s farmers and the wider agricultural economy.”
Farmers Needed as Trial Partners
She noted that the ARC works across all nine provinces of South Africa on research farms, in greenhouses and in laboratories. The organisation has advanced facilities for plant-tissue culture, biotechnology and pathology, but wants to work more closely with farmers to conduct trials of new cultivars under real-world conditions.
“We need farmers to help evaluate new fruit cultivars in different climate regions,” she said. “This allows us to confirm not only adaptability and yield potential, but also disease resistance, quality and consumer preference.”
Farmers who take part in testing new varieties can benefit significantly when a cultivar reaches the commercial stage.
“When a grower already has experience with the material and helps us test it, they often gain earlier access to the marketable product once licensing begins,” Dr Motsi said. “We establish agreements that recognise the risks and benefits of testing.”
As a state-owned entity, the ARC must comply with the Public Finance Management Act (Act 1 of 1999). Motsi emphasised that commercialisation is a legal requirement – the ARC may not develop cultivars only to leave them unused. This is why producer participation is so important. The process must, however, remain open, transparent and competitive so that all interested parties have the opportunity to take part.
“We want to promote inclusivity and ensure that state-funded research leads to real economic growth,” she said. She encouraged farmers to respond to public notices when the ARC makes new cultivars available for testing.
Focus on Subtropical Crops
Dr Motsi highlighted the ARC’s work at its tropical and subtropical research units, where new varieties of mangoes, litchis, citrus, macadamias, avocados, bananas and other crops are being developed. “These are proudly South African cultivars that can compete internationally,” she said. “We invite the industry to partner with us to unlock their full potential.”
She added that the ARC already benefits from strong partnerships with industry organisations and is eager to build new collaboration. “We have the research and the plant material – now we need the farmers to help take it to the next level”
