Dr C Devendra: Always on the go

Dr Canagasaby Devendra

Doubling beef production. This headline in a local daily caught my attention. The story was about the Ministry of Agriculture and Agro-based Industries studying a proposal to integrate oil palm plantations with cattle-rearing to double beef production.   

The article reminded me of a renowned senior Malaysian scientist – Dr Canagasaby Devendra, 70, who is a member of the committee on National Livestock Development in the Ministry.


He is a good example of a person who is way past retirement age but is still active in his chosen field of specialisation.   

A specialist in animal nutrition and animal production systems, he has worked in Malaysia and throughout Asia. He was a consultant to the World Bank, the Asian Development Bank, United Nations Development Programme and the Food and Agricultural Organisation.  
“Working with, and being able to serve, many national agricultural systems, gives me much satisfaction,” said Devendra.  

There have been many professional challenges for him. “The most engaging one is the contribution to new knowledge – to have it accepted and endorsed by one’s peers is wonderful. The sharing and dissemination of information is an important part of the research process.”   

When asked how the high-tech younger generation can learn from the experiences and expertise of senior scientists, he said: “For the research scientist, the important prerequisites are reading, writing and communication in the context of commitment to purpose. It is equally important to recognise other tenets. Research must be relevant and needs-based. It is dynamic and must lend itself to constant critique. It must drive development. Research results are the purview of all mankind.”   

Being interested in goat meat and milk, I asked him about their nutritional value. “Goat meat is leaner than mutton or beef. Goat’s milk has anti-allergic properties and a higher proportion of small fat globules. It is often recommended for people allergic to cow’s milk and who suffer from gastro-intestinal disorders,” he said.

“Goat’s milk has more essential amino acids, monounsaturated, polyunsaturated and medium chain triglycerides which are all beneficial to health,” continued Devendra. 

How does Devendra unwind?    

      

“I enjoy reading, writing and travel,” he enthused. He is a prolific writer and is the author of 15 books and over 400 publications, mostly published internationally. Two of his most prominent books published in Britain are: Goat Production in the Tropics and Goat and Sheep Production in the Tropics.  

He is also a sports enthusiast. He played cricket, hockey and badminton in his younger days, and now follows live telecasts of these sports.  

Devendra hails from Kuala Lumpur where he had his primary and secondary education. He has always been keen on biological sciences. He holds a degree in agricultural science from Lincoln University, New Zealand, a Master’s degree from Universiti Malaya, and a PhD from the University of Nottingham, Britain.   

He started his career as a lecturer at the College of Agriculture, Malaysia (1963-66), and then as animal nutritionist at the University of the West Indies, Trinidad (1969-71). Between 1971 and 1984, he worked as Principal Research Officer in the Malaysian Agricultural Research and Development Institute, focusing on fundamental and applied animal nutrition projects.  

From 1984 to 1994, he served as Senior Programme Officer for the Animal Production Systems (Asia) programme at the Canadian International Development Research Centre in Singapore. He participated in over 80 research projects in 13 Asian countries, Latin America and Africa.   

He was a member of the sub-committee on Animal Nutrition for the United States National Research Council and tasked with producing a study on “Nutrient Requirements for Goats”.   

From 1995 to 2002, he served as senior associate with the International Livestock Research Institute, and managed the crop-animal systems network project in China, Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam.   

He has received many awards in recognition of his efforts. He was the first Asian to receive the International Dairy Production Award from the American Dairy Science Association (1989). He was also the recipient of the Medal of Honour from the Minister of Agriculture in Vietnam (1991), Lincoln University International Alumni Medal from New Zealand (2004), and the Asian Animal Science Award from South Korea (2004). He is a Fellow of the Malaysian Society of Animal Production.

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This article was published in the Star (Malaysian newspaper) on 5th September 2005.

Currently, in 2016, Dr Devendra is still actively involved in writing and publishing.

Update in 2017:

On 16th September 2017, in Starmetro, an article by Priya Menon reported that the Malaysian Scientific Association (MSA), honoured Malaysian scientists over the age of 80 who are still conributing towards the advancement of Science, at an Awards Nite 2017. Dr Canagasaby Devendra was one of the recipients for the Senior Member Certificate of Recognition.

Quoting Priya Menon: "Dr Canagasaby, who specialised in animal production systems and the environment, believes sharing knowledge is important. This belief has kept him going and he has built a name for himself in the windows of opportunity that have come his way. His main concern has been in improving the nation's ability to increase food production through the use of natural resources with community-based participation from farmers."

"Dr Canagasaby has written 24 books and about 500 publications. He said that Science must provide solutions to growing challenges and demands in an environment of reduced resoirces and diminishing funding." 

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