Agricultural science to suffer without investment

new-zealand-labour-party

Wed Mar 11 2009 13:00:00 GMT+1300 (New Zealand Daylight Time)

Agricultural science to suffer without investment

Wednesday, 11 March 2009, 2:59 pm
Press Release: New Zealand Labour Party

11 March 2009 Media Statement
Agricultural science will suffer without investment

Lack of funding for Agricultural Science and Research is leading to desperation among Agricultural related Crown Research Institutions, for survival, Labour Agricultural spokesman Ashraf Choudhary said.

“The scuttling of Fast Forward Fund by the National Government is causing serious concerns and demoralisation among scientists for the future of Agriculture Science and Innovation in New Zealand’.

Dr Choudhary said he was concerned that the recent announcement of merger talks between AgResearch and Lincoln University were more about funding issues than creating a world class centre for research.

“Over the years there has been an excellent co-operation among Massey University, Lincoln and Agriculture related Crown Research Institutes particularly AgResearch and such co-operation is always encouraged”.

“However, I am concerned that any merger between Lincoln and AgResearch could lead to redundancies among scientific community”.

“New Zealand had an opportunity with the Fast Forward Fund to become an innovative country that supported agricultural research. My concern with the scrapping of the fund and with the potential for redundancies because of the proposed merger is that New Zealand will fall behind the rest of world’.

“I urge the Government to recognise the value of Agriculture Research and Innovation and invest in our scientists,” Dr Ashraf Choudhary said”.

ENDS

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