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WINETECH: STRUCTURE

1. INTRODUCTION
WINETECH operates as a 'virtual organisation'; i.e. its de facto organisational structure is a network of participating institutions and individuals that, in one way or the other, have a strong interest in improving the competitive position of the South African wine industry. In other words, the primary interest of WINETECH's leadership is to build a strong and healthy South African wine industry through co-operative (participative) R&D initiatives, rather than building a strong WINETECH organisation as such.
2. MISSION OF WINETECH
To provide the South African Wine Industry with a sustainable basis of forefront technology and human resources in order to strengthen both local and international competitiveness and profitability.
3. OBJECTIVES OF WINETECH
According to its constitution, the objectives of WINETECH are fivefold, namely:

To support the wine industry with expertise, enabling it to be cost effective while producing quality wines and other grape based products through the application of environmentally friendly technologies.
To support the training and education of individuals for the industry - at all levels in terms of skills, knowledge and insight development - in order to ensure the practical implementation of the best knowledge and most advanced technologies in viticulture, wine making and other grape based products.
To establish a culture of technological innovation, to ensure the ongoing utilisation of the best technology within the industry, and to facilitate its dissemination to all the sectors of the industry.
To facilitate the development of resource poor and previously disadvantaged producers and to improve their access to the industry by making appropriate cutting edge technology available to such producers.
To establish world leadership in selected niche areas of the wine industry through WINETECH'S network of scientific and technological expertise.

4. STRUCTURE
4.1. Existing Industry Stakeholders
WINETECH is an association of the most important stakeholders in the South African wine industry, namely

The Cape Wine and Spirit Institute (CWSI)
KWV
The Organisation for Wine Producers (KWK)
Cape Estate Wine Producers' Association (CEWPA)
Independent Vignerons (OWB) and
The National Research Foundation (NRF) representing national R&D interests in WINETECH.

These industry stakeholders form the board of WINETECH.
4.2. Additional Role Players
WINETECH strives to have R&D done by the most competent people and institutions to get the best and most cost effective results.
Present R&D partners are:
ARC Infruitec/Nietvoorbij
University of Stellenbosch
University of Cape Town
University of the North
Rhodes University
University of the Orange Free State
University of Durban Westville
4.3. Committees
The board of WINETECH is supported by a Management Committee responsible for the effective operational functioning of WINETECH and comprises the Industry Stakeholders.
An Industry Committee is in place which is mainly used as a sounding board for industries' needs as well as to disseminate information to the industry and comprises representatives of the industry, NDA, WCDA, ARC and NRF.
Technical committees for viticulture, training, technology transfer and oenology exist with specialist technical sub-committees for viticulture and oenology.
These committees of experts are responsible for identifying research needs, prioritising research needs, evaluating the merits, progress and funding or not of research projects.
J H BOOYSEN
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR: WINETECH

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