75 years of scientific and technological advances in pastoral agriculture - what will it take to continue to deliver?

Abstract

Scientific and technological advances are important for any industry to ensure continued improvement in productivity - achieving more output of value per unit of input. Since the majority of New Zealand's pastoral produce is traded internationally we need to ensure that we are the most efficient at growing and producing this produce, whether it is traded as a commodity or as a value added product. The requirement for continued R & D investment in our agricultural knowledge economy is a prerequisite for continued improvements in pastoral agricultural productivity. In reflection, the major scientific and technological advances that have improved on-farm productivity over the last 75 years are described and the challenge is given to determine how this might continue into the future. Keywords: pastoral agriculture, research and development, technologies