Nepal Agricultural Research Council (NARC) held a farewell here on Monday in honour of agronomist Dr Peter R Hobbs who in his 14 years in Nepal has made breakthrough contributions in the area of wheat research. Hobbs is leaving Nepal on May 28.

Senior officials at NARC expressed gratitude to Hobbs for his outstanding contributions to research and development in agriculture. Executive Director of NARC Raghunath Sapkota noted that Hobbs was ‘the best’ foreign expert he worked with in his 30 years’ work experience.

“He was an expert liked by administrators, researchers and farmers alike,” he remarked.

“His output-oriented and straight-forward style was what we needed in our developing country.” His dedication helped to revive a facilitation unit for the rice-wheat system that was going to collapse for want of funds. He also initiated a rice-wheat consortium in the country.

“Hobbs brought about the boost we needed in wheat production and initiated mechanisation in the country,” said Shambhu Bahadur Pandey, director for Planning and Coordination at NARC. “I have found him to be a fine gentleman.”

Hobbs is Regional Representative of the South Asia Regional Programme of the Mexico-based International Maize and Wheat Improvement Centre (CIMMYT). “It is a matter of great pride for Nepal that this regional office is in Kathmandu,” Sapkota said.

Hobbs established the regional office here in 1984. Hobbs is however modest about his accomplishments. “I feel my role in the region has been that of a catalyst,” he said. A catalyst gets a reaction going but cannot do anything itself. Things only happen when everybody works together, he said. “I have introduced a new idea here, it is up to you to keep the reaction going,” he said addressing NARC scientists.

The country should accord high priority to research in agriculture as it is crucial for its development, he said. Moreover, research has to be professional. It must have a stable leadership as only a stable leader can develop teamwork. It was frustrating to have 18 executive directors during 14 years of work here, he recalls. “This is not how a professional organisation works.”

It is also necessary for NARC to attract funding, instead of relying on government funds, which are scanty. As Hobbs said, 60 per cent of funds for CIMMYT come from special projects. He further spoke of the need to recruit new scientists of high calibre.

“An organisation which does not have new blood will die,” he said. It is important to maintain accountability and motivation in the staff and to provide them with incentives.

Hobbs has worked for 30 years in the South Asian region, including Thailand, Bangladesh, India and Pakistan. “I have found Nepal to be the best country among all of them. Except for its pollution and traffic, I am going to really miss Nepal,” he said.

After 14 years here, Hobbs is leaving for the US where he will serve as a professor at Cornell University for one year. He would be taking a sabbatical from CIMMYT for this time and is not breaking his ties with either CIMMYT or Nepal. “I will be leaving in body but not in spirit,” he said, adding, "I will be only a click away from you."