Opening Address:Grassland research and extension: present and future.

Abstract

It is indeed a great honour to be invited to give the opening address at this Twenty-third Congress of the Grassland Society. It seems pertinent to review briefly grassland research, its impact on the farmer, and consider where we should be going in the future. Veld management research in Southern Africa has a proud history going back some 54 years, with the first research station being established at Toowoomba. By 1941, 47 years ago, there were 16 grassland research centres. Effectively then, we have had over 50 years of grassland research. What has been achieved? What are the problems? What needs to be done in the future?

Keywords: congresses; grassland; grassland society of southern africa; management; research; southern africa; veld; veld management