Friends of UKZN Agriculture

12/06/2026

The University of KwaZulu-Natal's (UKZN) Professor Onisimo Mutanga, South African Research Chair (SARChI) in Land Use Planning and Management, is a member of the Airborne Remote Sensing Observations Team involved in the Survey of the Cape (BioSCape) biodiversity project, which recently received the prestigious (NASA - National Aeronautics and Space Administration) Group Achievement Award, one of the agency’s highest accolades recognising exceptional contributions to NASA’s mission and scientific endeavours.

BioSCape is NASA’s first biodiversity-focused airborne and field campaign, designed to capture ecosystem structure, function, and composition data in South Africa’s Greater Cape Floristic Region using four NASA instruments on two aircraft. The Region is one of the world’s rare biodiversity hotspots and one of the most biologically rich and unique ecosystems, with thousands of endemic species found nowhere else on the planet.

The team comprised over 150 scientists from more than 40 institutions, including government agencies, universities and non-governmental organisations. BioSCape achieved precise, near-simultaneous observations, positioning NASA’s Earth Science Division to advance biodiversity monitoring globally.

It is one of the most ambitious biodiversity mapping efforts ever undertaken in South Africa, significantly advancing understanding of how ecosystems can be monitored at the landscape scale using cutting-edge remote sensing technology.

Achieving this recognition reflects the hard work, dedication and remarkable accomplishments of the entire BioSCape team.

Mutanga is an expert in vegetation-state analysis under global change using remote sensing techniques. In his work, he integrates ecology, biodiversity conservation, and remote sensing to model the impacts of forest fragmentation, pests and diseases, and invasive species on agricultural and natural ecosystems.

Read more: https://ndabaonline.ukzn.ac.za/UkzndabaStory/volume-14-issue-21/nasa-honours-team-including-ukzn-professor-for-biodiversity-monitoring-research/

11/06/2026

At the University of the Free State (UFS) 40th Chancellor’s Distinguished Alumni Awards, Professor Hussein Shimelis, South African Sugarcane Research Institute (SASRI) Chair of Crop Science at the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN) and Director of the African Centre for Crop Improvement (ACCI), was recognised as one of the University’s distinguished alumni for his considerable contributions to demand-led plant breeding research and capacity development in Africa.

The awards in several categories have been presented to a host of notable South Africans over their 40-year history, including jurists, Olympic champions, Springbok rugby stars, global ambassadors, and more. One of the country’s top public universities, UFS has educated eminent professionals, business leaders, and scholars. Award recipients are celebrated for undertaking work that has impacted communities, professions and society in South Africa, across the region and internationally.

Read more: https://ndabaonline.ukzn.ac.za/UkzndabaStory/volume-14-issue-21/ukzn-plant-breeding-professor-receives-ufs-distinguished-alumni-award

04/06/2026

Citrus Academy Bursary Fund applications are open!

Join the Student Community for more information and application criteria.

www.citruscommunities.org.za

04/06/2026

The sub-discipline of Soil Science in the Agricultural Science discipline in the UKZN School of Agriculture and Science is celebrating a high number of master’s and PhD graduates in the autumn graduation ceremonies, with their research underscoring the importance of soil science in addressing challenges linked to soil degradation, climate change, sustainable agricultural productivity and food security. Four graduates celebrated attaining their PhDs while working in research and academia.

Dr Grace Kanonge, a Chief Research Officer focusing on soil fertility and microbiology at the Soil Productivity Research Laboratory in Zimbabwe’s Chemistry and Soils Research Institute, characterised and evaluated naturally occurring soil microbes in Zimbabwe that can help unlock phosphorus in the soil, making it easier for cowpea plants to absorb important nutrients for improved growth...
Dr Hlayisani Mabasa, a researcher at the Agricultural Research Council’s (ARC) Natural Resources and Engineering (NRE) division, was also supervised by [Professor Pardon] Muchaonyerwa and the ARC’s Dr Adornis Nciizah. He explored farming methods to help sorghum crops grow better and keep sandy soils healthier in semi-arid areas under rainfed farming systems of South Africa...
Dr Kaya Mrubata, also a researcher at the ARC’s Institute for Soil, Climate and Water, examined how different farming practices, such as planting dates, soil disturbance, and crop rotation, affect sorghum growth and soil health across semi-arid and subhumid parts of South Africa. ..
Dr Samukelisiwe Vilakazi, a lecturer at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT), explored methods of nitrogen recovery from urine that transform it into a useful fertiliser, using materials made from pine bark and potato waste...
Ms Samukelisiwe Ndlovu and Ms Sikhulile Gumbi graduated with their master’s degrees. ..
In addition to these six postgraduate students, 12 students graduated with their Bachelor of Science (BSc) in Agriculture in Soil Science, and three graduated with a BSc in Soil Science, co-majoring with Hydrology.

Read more: https://ww1.caes.ukzn.ac.za/news/building-capacity-in-soil-science-for-sustainable-agriculture/

01/06/2026

Taking the long view: Decades reveal ecosystem responses to disturbance

Long-term experiments are essential for understanding ecosystem responses to disturbance because they capture slow processes and lagged changes that short-term studies miss. South Africa’s 75-year Ukulinga grassland experiments—the longest fire experiment globally and the longest nutrient addition trial on natural grassland in Africa—show that species composition continues to shift over decades, demonstrating that long-term studies are costly but critical for generating insight, new questions, and collaboration on ecosystem responses to change.

https://
doi.org/10.17159/sajs.2026/25571

26/05/2026

To mark , Honorary Professor Tafadzwanashe Mabhaudhi authored this reflection on Africa's valuable experience managing climate volatility, and the lessons it has learnt that could influence how the continent, and the world, adapt to a changing climate while safeguarding health, sustainable food systems, and livelihoods.

As climate crises deepen, Africa must turn its hard-won experience and local knowledge into global leadership on climate, health, food systems and clean energy.

26/05/2026

21/05/2026

Mr Emmanuel Valentine achieved a cm laude result for an innovative master’s research project examining how treated domestic wastewater can be repurposed as a nutrient source in crop production to support more sustainable water and nutrient management practices.

Originally from Nigeria, Valentine completed his undergraduate studies in agricultural sciences at Kogi State University, now Prince Abubakar Audu University (PAAU), graduating with a First Class Honours, the first student at PAAU to achieve this distinction since its founding in 1999.

Having been exposed to the realities of agriculture while growing up in the rural Opulega community in Kogi State, Nigeria, particularly among smallholder farmers who sometimes use unproductive traditional practices that can worsen food insecurity, Valentine was driven to explore crop science and solutions to improve African agricultural systems.

He enrolled at the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN) for master’s studies under the supervision of Professor Alfred Odindo and investigated the feasibility of using municipal anaerobic filter effluent as a fertigation source for soilless crop production, specifically in non-circulating hydroponic systems.

Valentine sought to address the critical challenges of water scarcity and nutrient sustainability, integrating wastewater reuse into hydroponic systems to advance the growing field of the circular nutrient economy and offer practical solutions for resource-efficient agriculture, particularly in water-limited environments.

Read more: https://ndabaonline.ukzn.ac.za/UkzndabaStory/volume-14-issue-18-aes-graduation-special-edition-2/using-domestic-wastewater-for-crop-production-earns-cum-laude-masters-qualification/

20/05/2026

Dr Nomusa Chizhande, a research officer at the Department of Research and Specialist Services in Zimbabwe, used her PhD research to identify genetic traits in sweet potato associated with high yield and improved nutritional quality, contributing to the development of high-yielding, nutrient-dense crop varieties with the potential to help combat malnutrition and improve farmer productivity.

Chizhande evaluated genetic variability in sweet potato germplasm to identify traits, including beta-carotene content, that make this a key food security crop, particularly in developing regions, highly valuable, and that could possibly be further developed to enhance its benefits and productivity for people who rely on it.

Chizhande’s undergraduate studies at the Zimbabwe Open University developed her strong foundation in crop science and genetics. She completed her master’s studies at Zimbabwe’s Africa University, focusing on maize hybrids with resistance to the Imazapyr herbicide, deepening her interest in plant improvement and research.

Passionate about improving crop productivity and resilience, especially in the face of climate change and food insecurity, Chizhande saw the potential of breeding to develop improved varieties that yield more while offering enhanced nutritional value to benefit communities and livelihoods.

Chizhande chose to pursue a PhD at the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN) because of its strong reputation in agricultural sciences and its commitment to impactful research addressing food security challenges.

Read more: https://ndabaonline.ukzn.ac.za/UkzndabaStory/volume-14-issue-18-aes-graduation-special-edition-2/potential-for-sweet-potato-improvement-through-breeding-identified-in-phd-study/