Policies and strategies on research and development

Abstract

It is my privilege t o be able to share with you this morning some of my ideas o n strategies and policies for R&D in oil palm and palm oil. The unprecedented rise of palm oil exports in the world market in the last twenty years has been brought about in a large part by research efforts made on the biological, chemical and engineering aspects of the production of the oil. The introduction of Tenera hybrid planting material in the 1960s, engineering developments in milling and processing, and the introduction of weevil-assisted pollination are but some of the fruits of R&D efforts which have contributed towards making palm oil the most cost effective vegetable oil to produce today. We are now looking towards the next eleven years - to the year 2000. Strategies for R&D are important for the future development of the industry. As research projects require time frames of several years and substantially large funds, it is imperative that foresight be given to identifying the objectives of research and that appropriate strategies be formulated to effectively accomplish these objectives. I shall therefore proceed to propose to you on : i ) Objectives , ii) Strategies , and, iii ) Policies

In the context of R&D on oil palm and palm oil up to the the year 2000, and perhaps beyond .