| | The Agricultural Research Act (Act No 86 of 1990) mandates the
ARC to carry out research, development and technology transfer aimed at
promoting agriculture, industry and ultimately to improving the quality of life
of the South African population, whilst protecting the environment. ARC-ISCW, in carrying out its mandate, aligns itself with the
five corporate goals of the ARC: |
| To this end ARC-ISCW has developed unique specialized expertise
in the multi-disciplinary fields of:Soil science Agrometeorology Remote sensing and digital image processing Geographical information systems, spatial modeling and
decision support systems Analytical chemistry Technology transfer including participatory rural
appraisal
It has developed and is maintaining strategic databases
for:Agrometeorological data Soil data Land type data Land cover data Soil fertility data NOAA satellite image data Airborne and satellite image data Selected ancillary databases such as farm boundaries, digital
terrain data etc.
| | ARC-ISCW focusses its expertise and capability on the
sustainable use of the natural resources and specifically on the following areas
in which it regards itself as having a competitive advantage:Natural resource surveying, monitoring and auditing
especially soil, water and climate Integrated land use planning Food security, especially in providing agricultural
statistics and urban agriculture technologies Precision farming Integrated packages of technology including early warning and
decision support systems Agricultural information systems (AGIS and SA-ISIS) Risk and disaster management (especially
drought)
ARC-ISCW strives to:Deliver quality products and services, timeously. Collaborate and form alliances with other ARC institutes,
other Research Councils, academic and commercial institutions and foreign
partners. Refine a multidisciplinary and flexible approach to problem
solving through the optimization of a matrix management structure and a
self-managed, team-based approach. Maintain and expand its decentralized philosophy, manifested
in its satellite offices in the provinces, in order to be in direct contact with
its major stakeholders.
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