When it comes to policy making, UNE economics alumnus and Adjunct Research Fellow Dr Omphile Temoso says there should be no such thing as a ‘one size fits all’ approach.
However, in Sub-Saharan regions of South Africa, Dr Temoso says it’s unfortunately a common mindset for industries in these areas, having detrimental impacts on the economy.
Through his research into the productivity of different agricultural regions in Sub-Saharan Africa, he’s hoping to change how governments form policies for industries in these areas.
The long-term benefits of taking a tailored approach is that at the overall industry level, we can uplift productivity, meaning farmers, and the industry as a whole, can produce more output, ultimately helping the economy.
“My research explores the resilience of different South African regions when presented with droughts, and how each area presents different challenges and opportunities that should be taken into account when creating policies,” he says.
“The long-term benefits of taking a tailored approach is that at the overall industry level, we can uplift productivity, meaning farmers, and the industry as a whole, can produce more output, ultimately helping the economy.”
Dr Temoso says this is important as the South African economy is still developing and unemployment rates are high. By boosting productivity in those specific regions through a tailored approach to policy creation, the whole industry reaps the benefits.
He says this method is not only valuable to Sub-Saharan Africa, but all over the world.
“For example, in the context of Australia, you can’t develop a policy that sees farmers in Orange facing a similar challenge to farmers in the New England region,” he says.
“You need to take into consideration the different features of these regions and tailor the policies to target the challenges and opportunities that each region face.”
Dr Temoso is set to present his research titled, Estimates of productivity growth for South African table grapes producing regions (2010 - 2020): A Fare-Primont index approach, at the upcoming Australasian Agricultural and Resource Economics Society (AARES) 66th Annual Conference, which will see academics from around the world discuss important issues relating to the theme of ‘Resilience in a time of uncertainty.’
While the online format of this conference might be a little different to usual, in the past, one of the things that I found most useful were the interactions you got to have with people from all over the world who are experts in such a diverse range of topics.
The 2022 event will be held online, and is being organised by the AARES New England branch. Along with a number of the UNE Business School community, Dr Temoso is a committee member, and he says the five-day conference will be a valuable opportunity for both students and alumni.
“While the online format of this conference might be a little different to usual, in the past, one of the things that I found most useful were the interactions you got to have with people from all over the world who are experts in such a diverse range of topics,” he says.
“It’s a fantastic way to network, especially for students at the end of their degree, or recent graduates, who may be looking for potential supervisors or employers.
“Because of the range of topics, it will also be very relevant to people from a range of disciplines including Agriculture, Law and Environmental Science; it’s not just limited to those in the Economics field.”
The virtual conference is being held from 7 to 11 February, 2022, and registrations to attend are now open. Visit the AARES website to find out about the keynote speakers, the topics, and how to get involved.
