At an awards ceremony held yesterday evening at Valley Lodge in Magaliesburg, The South African National Seed Orgnisation (SANSOR) announced the 2016 Bayer, Science for a Better Life Award, winner - Dr. Lindy Esterhuizen, from the University of Johannesburg. Dr Esterhuizen was awarded with this award for her research on Brassica Stunting Disorder, a problem that has affected farmers across South Africa. BDS is characterised by stunted plants, flattening and sometimes purpling of the leaves, side shoot development, vascular discoloration in the stem and/or midrib of leaves, poor root development, low yield and low quality of the final product - thus reducing the market value and overall yield.
 
The purpose of the Science for a Better Life Award, now in its fourth year since inception, is to recognise Agricultural Scientists who show leadership in making a positive contribution to the field of Agriculture and specifically, the Seed industry.
 
Says Dr. Klaus Eckstein, CEO and Head of CropScience for Bayer Southern Africa; “We are committed to the development of the agricultural industry in South Africa to ensure that we remain globally competitive, as such, acknowledging important work and research that is taking place is critical for further growth and progress, and our partnership with SANSOR allows us to do exactly that. In fact, long-term investment and commitments into local agricultural and farming enterprises, both small and commercial, are essential to building supply chains for sustainable food sources that will meet demand and future export potential  and research and innovation forms a critical cornerstone of this. Dr. Esterhuizen’s research is a breakthrough in developing effective disease management practices and thereby ensuring continued sustainable production of Brassica crops in SA.”
 
Every year SANSOR invites individuals making a contribution in the field of Agriculture to submit essays based on their research projects which are judged in terms of how the candidtate is contributing to Science for a Better Life through their research. SANSOR’s General Manager, Dr Lukeshni Chetty says; “It’s amazing to see the work and research that is going on in the agricultural industry. As an industry we are at a critical point, with effective and sustainable intensification in agriculture of paramount importance to meet the demands of a growing population. The agricultural and science communities need to come together to cultivate solutions that will yield a sustainable supply of crops and we are proud to be a catalyst with our partner in Bayer.”
 
Bayer: Science For A Better Life
Bayer is a global enterprise with core competencies in the Life Science fields of health care and agriculture. Its products and services are designed to benefit people and improve their quality of life. At the same time, the Group aims to create value through innovation, growth and high earning power. Bayer is committed to the principles of sustainable development and to its social and ethical responsibilities as a corporate citizen. In fiscal 2015, the Group employed around 117,000 people and had sales of EUR 46.3 billion. Capital expenditures amounted to EUR 2.6 billion, R&D expenses to EUR 4.3 billion. These figures include those for the high-tech polymers business, which was floated on the stock market as an independent company named Covestro on October 6, 2015. For more information, go to www.bayer.com