7 October 2008

The Programme Director
The Minister for Agriculture and Land affairs, Ms Lulu Xingwana
Deputy Minister for Agriculture and Land Affairs, Adv Dirk du Toit
Members of the Executive Councils responsible for Agriculture
Chairpersons of the Agricultural Research Council board & the Onderstepoort Biological Products board
The Dean of the faculty of Veterinary Science, Prof Jerry Swan
The President of the South African Veterinary Council, Dr Rebone Moerane
The Director Generals of Agriculture & of Land Affairs
The Heads of Departments of Agriculture and senior government officials present here today
CEOs of the Onderstepoort Complex - Dr Shadrack Moephuli and Dr Boitshoko Ntshabele
Chairperson of the Black Veterinary forum, Dr Alfred Kgasi;
The President of the South African Veterinary Association, Dr Clyde Marwick
Members of the South African Veterinary Association, Senior Officials and Staff from the Onderstepoort Complex & Our International Guests

Ladies and Gentlemen:

It is a great honour to be part of this historic event, the Centenary Celebrations of the world acclaimed Onderstepoort complex.

Let me also welcome all our guests and practitioners in the field of veterinary science who come from all over Africa and the world. Equally, I wish to recognise the presence of the late Dr Jotello Festiri Soga''s family this evening. The first black veterinary surgeon at 21, Dr Soga showed the way at the time when it was almost impossible to achieve such a feat. We bear historical responsibility to exalt him. Young black students in the field of veterinary science must take a leaf out of his book and strive for excellence no matter what the conditions.

To all scientists present here today - your contributions to this seminal event will go a long way towards improving human and indeed, animal condition.

I am informed that, due to practical consideration, the Ondestepoort complex has, over time, been broken down into three component parts: the Onderstepoort Faculty, the Onderstepoort Biological Products and the Onderstepoort Veterinary Institute.

This indeed proves that over the years veterinary science in our country has developed and carved its own sphere of specialisation consistent with best practices in the world.

The Onderstepoort complex can be regarded as the hub of veterinary science in Africa, as well as a world class contributor in this field thus making this complex a source of inspiration for future generations of scientists.

This is an achievement for which we can be deservedly proud as South Africans.

Ladies and Gentlemen

The proximity of these institutions to one another as well as their complementary mandates, expertise and strengths, require that on this occasion we should reflect where we have come from and the future to which we are going.

As we all know today we are saddled with a huge skills deficit which, if not addressed speedily, threatens to undo the hard work done since the dawn of democracy in 1994.

Effective veterinary services and systems require people with relevant and updated skills, consistent with the new local and international findings made through research and new product development.

As it is we already face a chronic challenge - the number of veterinarians with an interest in serving impoverished and rural communities is limited.

Similarly, there is a small and rapidly diminishing number of specialist veterinarians with an interest in research or diagnostics especially, in the public sector.

This diminishing number of researchers in both the public and private sector has weakened the achievement accomplished by the earlier scientists from this glorious institution.

Many generations of scientists have made outstanding contributions to veterinary science since Sir Arnold Theiler''s time, giving Onderstepoort international acclaim for research and vaccine production.

I would like to believe that these esteemed scientists had a drive for coming up with solutions for control of diseases in their countries.

This, to my mind, exemplifies the height of patriotism - the love for one''s country. Sadly, nowadays, such dedicated and esteemed scientists are in short supply.

Equally, let the division of Onderstepoort into its component parts help strengthen the intentions for which this establishment was reconceptualised.

Instead, we should encourage cooperation through harnessing of available resources and by optimising aggregate outcomes for the benefit of the country.

In this regard, government has the task to immediately look at ways and means of adopting a cooperative approach to support Onderstepoor management.

It is in the interests of all of us, especially in the face of adverse global conditions which impact negatively on food security, to work together to ensure that our people do not face the spectre of hunger and starvation.

Already government has, through the strategic plan of Southern Africa, formed partnership with the agricultural sector to realise our vision of increasing food production and ensuring household and national food security.

Accordingly, I would like to extend an invitation to the private sector within veterinary field to work together with government towards the delivery of services in this crucial sector.

As we are aware, in the recent past soaring food prices have been dominating news headlines, with the attendant threat to the already fragile livelihood of the poor, who make up a sizeable section of our population.

Worsening this bleak reality is the fact that only 13% of the South African land is arable, and this is about 14million hectares. The rest is suitable for livestock production.

The total value of agricultural production to the economy is R91, 8 billion, whereas the value of livestock production is R44,7 billion.

Livestock production contributes 49% to agricultural GDP, a fact that necessitates that all stakeholders within the livestock industry should work together so that, in this way, we can contribute positively towards the economy of the country.

In addition, we should all make an effort towards ensuring that farmers from communal areas are able to access markets.

Government is convinced of the fact that the agricultural sector is critical to the economic development of rural areas and the country as a whole, because of its potential to:

• create work, both as a direct employer and through its linkages to other sectors;
• provide the basis for sustainable livelihoods and small business development on a mass scale in rural communities;
• raise rural incomes and build local economies; and
• ensure the efficient production of affordable food and other wage goods, assure food security for the poorest, and contribute to a climate of low inflation.

We should therefore consider veterinary sciences the lifeblood of agriculture, without which our agricultural sector would wilt.

In this connection, we should strive to ensure the production of world-class veterinarians whose numeric strength is not only proportional to the volume of work in the country, but who can also measure up to the tasks at hand.

Ladies and gentlemen

The 76th Annual General Session of the International Committee of the World Organisation for Animal Health [OIE] 2007, declared as follows:

"Food Security - The International Committee stressed the strong link existing between the fight against hunger around the world and the fight against animal diseases in particular developing countries and consequently between food security and animal health."

The excerpt just cited confirms the evident inter-dependence of food security, animal health and veterinary services. It also touches on the historical peculiarities that characterise our challenges in the field of veterinary science.
We are also facing challenges of a different kind in the field of veterinary science in the country at the moment.
The Onderstepoort Faculty produces almost 100 veterinarians per annum, most of whom, unfortunately, leave the country for greener pastures elsewhere.

If this trend continues unabated the whole country faces a gloomy prospect in terms of the progressively dwindling number of much needed practitioners in the field.

Secondly, it is a known fact that the number of individuals from the previously disadvantaged communities who study veterinary science is disproportionate to the demographic composition of our nation.

This leaves the Ministries of Agriculture and Education with the pressing responsibility to immediately review the status quo with the view to making recommendations for remedial action.

Lastly, I must acknowledge the brilliant efforts of the late Dr Arnold Theiler, the young Swiss veterinarian whose responsibility it was to combat the rinderpest disease that had wreaked havoc till the early 1800s.
Developing a vaccine for the total eradication of this dreadful disease, he blazed a trail and left generations to come a legacy of which we are all proud today.
The passion and dedication of people like Dr Soga and Dr Theiler serve as eternal inspiration to all of us.
With the foundations they have laid, we cannot but succeed. The future of the livestock production and veterinary science is in our hands. We dare not misuse it!

May you have enjoyable Onderstepoort Centenary Celebrations as well as fruitful deliberations!

I thank you.