This presentation will give a historical introduction and comparison of winter
rainfall and summer rainfall ecosystems, including initiation of research and development
(R&D.) in each. This will be followed by a brief statement of the components of each of
the two systems: biotic, abiotic, socio-economic and socio-political. Commodity crop
breeding spearheaded research all the way till the turn of the 21st Century. This was
supported by research in crop husbandry, IPM, pathology, soils, water including
supplementary irrigation....etc. The paper will touch on genetically modified crops and
the role of multinationals in this regard. Handicaps and potentials for futuristic outlook
will be discussed.