Council Focus Areas

SASHS COMMITTEE FOCUS AREAS

1.Crop focus areas and research disciplines

Committee: Karin Hannweg (chair), Graham Barry, Elke Crouch, Lynn Hoffman and Mike North.

Description: The SASHS is facilitating Horticultural Scientific communication via a crops-based approach between members with similar groups of interest. Members are asked to indicate in which crop group and sub discipline they would associate their work / research with, whereafter we will load your name under these certain crops and disciplines on the Crop and Disciplines Focus Areas webpage. This will facilitate communication and development of the horticultural sciences. These focus areas will also be used as session allocationors at congresses.

2. The African Initiative

Committee: Puffy Soundy (chair), Ian Du Plooy, Karin Hannweg, Johan Potgieter, Puffy Soundy and Mike North.

Description: The aim of the SASHS African Initiative is to promote horticultural research, development and technology transfer in Africa and the Indian Ocean Islands and create forums for professional meetings, publication in the SAJPS and provide a network of professional Horticulturists.

Related Links:

African Initiative

3. Environmental and food safety (to maintain sustainable production)

Committee: Ian Du Plooy (chair), John Bower, Nicolette Taylor and Mike North.

Description: Topics to be discussed under this heading include: a) Increasing shortage of water and the SASHS’ involvement in SANCID b) Climate change c) Organic production d) Crop protection and agrochemicals e) Food safety and health f) Disease g) Soil amelioration.

4. Education in Horticultural Sciences

Committee: John Bower (chair), Graham Barry, Puffy Soundy and Mike North.

Description: Despite unprecedented growth in the size, diversity and value of horticultural industry worldwide, horticultural science within academia is experiencing a decrease in undergraduate students choosing Horticultural Sciences as a career in all the Southern African Universities. This is not only a Southern African problem, but the number of horticultural science departments at North American universities has declined 35% over the last 30 years. Students often fail to perceive horticulture as a science and certainly not as a career option. Can this trend be reversed?

The purpose of this committee is to provide platform for the development of horticultural education in science to provide industry with professionals around the world. Also see the ISHS forum on undergraduate education in Horticulture: http://www.ishs.org/future nd the paper by the SASHS about outcomes of a workshop held on undergraduate horticultural education in May 2006 (Link the abstract / report).