DREOSTI MEMORIAL LECTURES
SAIRAC Dreosti Memorial Lecture Presentation 2019 by Dr Volkmar Hasse
Extracted from SAIRAC , Past Presentations , and interview by Mike Spearpoint – a SAIRAC Fellow
Many of us probably owe our very careers to the founding work of Dr Guido Dreosti .
Mr Piet le Roux ( past President of SAIRAC ) said . “ It was an honour , as well as a great pleasure , to have spent some time with Dr Volkmar Hasse . This humble man is an archive of knowledge and experience , gained during a career spanning 40 years . His knowledge and experience enable him to anticipate future trends and developments and make recommendations , as well as offer advice , related to important strategic technological decisions .
Dr Hasse enjoys sharing his wealth of knowledge and experience with others . We wish Dr Hasse all the best for the next phase of his life – his retirement in the Philippines .”
PE SAIRAC Centre were also privileged and honoured that Dr Dreosti ’ s daughter , Joan and her husband , Dr Ian Huskisson journeyed from their home in Knysna to attend the Dr Dreosti Memorial Lecture in Port Elizabeth .
Joan tells a wonderful story of her father which happened immediately after the war and illustrates the high regard with which he was held by the international community .
He had made a huge impact during the war by ensuring soldiers on the front line were adequately fed and nourished through the preservation of the food chain .
Immediately after the war he was approached by General Smuts to visit Germany and together with two others , one from the UK and one from USA was to oversee the distribution of food for the Germans who were hungry and literally starving to death .
En route via UK , and being a private , he was informed on his arrival that only commissioned officers were allowed into Germany to assist with the feeding programme . With that he was immediately promoted from a Private to a Lt Col . Joan says she knows of no other person being promoted in this way in one day !
Mike Spearpoint , a SAIRAC Fellow interviewed Joan as follows : Joan told me her father spent much of his time at home working late at night in his office . Yet when I asked her about their family life , she told me he was very much a committed family man and always had time for them .
He must have had a great vision blessed with a very active mind and immense concentration . With that came a deep understanding and knowledge of the fruit / vegetable / canning and fishing industries and the dynamics driving those industries .
Another amusing anecdote was relayed when he was asked by the then Minister of Agriculture to produce a fortified bread .
Using a dehydrated concentrate of fish which was added to bread he used to bring home samples to be tasted by his family . Different mixtures were deodourised , and were given regularly , and became known as Bremer Bread – named after the then Minister of Agriculture , Mr Bremer . Things , however , came to a head when their dog refused to eat the bread .
He must have recognised the potential for exporting South African products abroad especially prior to , during and after WWII to Europe and elsewhere . Don ’ t forget there was a huge shortage of ships during the war years .
One of the big drivers I imagine was the contra cyclical nature of north / south hemispheres which fed into the cycle of growth for fruit in South Africa .
His research has had a huge knock-on effect when one considers the expansion that has taken place through much of his scientific research today .
Joan has played an important role in the Knysna community and is responsible for the establishment of the U3A or University of the 3rd Age . U3A is learning cooperative for people from all walks of life , and Joan is a founding and life member .
Joan and her husband have three children – all daughters – two of whom reside in Cape Town , and one in New Zealand . Joan is married to a medical doctor a specialist Physician . They are both involved in The Rotary club of Knysna and together operate a B & B in Knysna called Turning Tides .
34 SAIRAC 70TH ANNIVERSARY ISSUE | 1951 - 2021