Technological options that respond to demands and market opportunities with focus on crops and livestock

Technology development is a core area of agricultural research, and the increasing global focus on client-demand and market opportunities is intended to increase its relevance and effectiveness. This theme focuses on the achievements of and lessons learnt from technological options developed for crop and livestock systems including breeding, management practices and processing and appropriate technologies, knowledge, information and methods that enhance productivity, value addition and the competitiveness of the products in both national and international markets. A number of research providers as well as public sector bodies such as national agricultural systems and universities, non-governmental organisations which have links to broad farmer networks have become increasingly involved in research activities. Consequently, agricultural researchers have and are continually developing a broad range of technological options to secure the production of safe food and non food cash crops and to achieve the most efficient and ecologically sound use of natural resources; soil, water and energy. It is however apparent that farmers prefer packages of information-not just pest management strategies alone but a total package including other aspects such as soil and weed management options.