Click photo to enlarge
CEO of AgResearch Dr Andy West has announced his
resignation. Photo by Neal Wallace.
Andy West has regularly championed the value of science
in agriculture, and leaves his position as chief executive of
AgResearch with some business unfinished.
Dr West caught most people by surprise last week by
announcing his resignation from a position he has held for
six years, saying it was time for him to have a fresh
challenge and for the crown research institute (CRI) to have
a new leader to revitalise itself.
During his tenure, Dr West used his position to remind the
country of the importance of agriculture and science, and in
an interview after announcing his resignation outlined three
specific challenges for his successor.
The first was to ensure AgResearch took the opportunity to be
a major player in the Government and industry initiative, the
Primary Growth Partnership, designed to invest in significant
programmes of research and innovation to boost the economic
growth and sustainability of New Zealand's primary, forestry
and food sectors.
Dr West also reiterated his plea to ensure scientists' pay
was equal to other professions in New Zealand, saying too few
young people were embarking on PhDs, meaning CRIs had to rely
on and compete for scientists from overseas.
Equally, investment was needed in laboratories and equipment
to underpin New Zealand science.
His other hobbyhorse was the lack of money being invested in
science, which at 1.2% of GDP, was the same today as in 1988.
Australia invested 1.2% of its GDP in science in 1988, but
that had now grown to 2%.
"We have to improve our rate of investment and it needs to
form part of a deeper economic strategy."
Underlying those concerns was the requirement to develop
technology to feed a growing population, while also dealing
with the impacts of accelerating climate change.
As an example, Dr West said the impact of an average 4degC
warming of the planet would be most severe in the
grain-growing regions of the world, pushing temperatures at
key stages of plant growth over 30degC, potentially
collapsing yields.
"AgResearch and research and development organisations around
the world will have a very important role to play," he said.
At the time of his appointment as AgResearch chief executive,
the organisation had been pursuing a policy of focusing on
life sciences.
In line with board policy, he redirecting the CRI to once
again focus on primary production, and to develop closer
relationships with the dairy sector.
During his tenure Dr West closed Wallaceville research centre
near Wellington and oversaw the development of both the
Christie Centre at Invermay, which specialises in
reproduction genomics, and the Hopkirk Centre at Palmerston
North.
AgResearch also bought Canesis to extend research into
proteins, material science, textiles and wool.
Dr West said his resignation took effect from June 30 after
which he would look for science and technology opportunities
in the private and public sectors.
