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What is Agricultural Research at Otago (Ag@Otago)?

The focus of Agricultural Research at Otago University is to enhance the profitability and sustainability of New Zealand primary industries.

New Zealand's economy depends on productive primary industries which generate $30 billion a year in export earnings. To support future export growth, it will be important to increase both production and the value of our primary products, while reducing the impact agriculture has on our natural environment.

This requires people with a wide range of different skills and interests. At Otago researchers study genetics, microbiology, food safety and development, consumer perspectives, health and safety, breeding new plants or developing new technologies and are focussed on three main areas:

  • Enhancing agricultural productivity
  • Adding value to primary industry products
  • Sustainable and profitable environmental management

We come from departments such as Food Science, Botany, Accounting and Finance, Marketing, Pharmacology and Toxicology, Zoology, Sociology, Gender and Social Work, Mathematics and Statistics, Genetics, Anatomy, Biochemistry, Pharmacy, Microbiology and Immunology, General Practice and Rural Health, Geography, Bioengineering and Nanomedicine, Applied Sciences, Dentistry, Information Science and Physiology.

This broad scope allows the group to tackle problems of food production, sustainable farming, environmental management and increased productivity in new and exciting ways.

The elective

During the session you will look at plant breeding techniques (convention vs genetic) and how they are used in farming systems.

You will be learning how genetic modification works in plants and comparing that information to traditional techniques such as plant selection and breeding over multiple generations. As well as hands-on activities you will get to meet and talk with representatives of the Ag@Otago research theme to find out more about the range of work and research that they do.

More information about Agricultural Research at Otago

For further information visit the Agriculture at Otago research theme website.

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