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31 May 2021
Hello friends and alumni
It's certainly been a busy few months since you last heard from us, especially with the annual autumn graduation ceremonies taking place last week. We hope you enjoy this bumper edition of our newsletter!
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Future of Water Resources Research and Innovation Strengthened by Renewal of Chair at UKZN
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Umgeni Water has extended their funding of UKZN water resources management, innovation and research for a further 10 years.
The Chair in Water Resources Management at UKZN was created in 2011 for a 10-year period thanks to financial support from Umgeni Water which has now provided funds for the renewal of the agreement which sees a Chair in Water Resources Research and Innovation established for a further 10-year period from April 2021.
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The focus of the Chair is to develop a world-class research group and deliver high impact innovative and use-inspired research outputs, thus contributing to the development of water scientists, engineers and researchers to create a growing knowledge economy to meet the challenge of sustainable water resources.
Professor Jeff Smithers, who was appointed as the Umgeni Water Chair of Water Resources Research and Innovation on 1 February, 2021, is also the Director of the Centre for Water Resources Research, which is active in research, teaching and capacity-building related to hydrology and water resources research.
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UKZN Launches Exciting New Degree in GIS and Earth Observation
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The 4th Industrial Revolution has seen an increase in the use of spatial data for decision-making in line with promoting evidence-based and knowledge driven economies. Responding to these paradigm shifts, a new programme (BSc GIS-EO), has been created in the School of Agricultural Earth and Environmental Sciences (SAEES).
The programme, which offers a three-year study in Geo-Information Science and Earth Observation (Remote Sensing), aims to develop and build high level theoretical and practical skills in spatial data analysis and environmental monitoring using GIS and remote sensing technologies. The programme provides an intensive educational opportunity designed to equip students for either a career in the Geographical Information industry or to build scientific understanding and practical know-how in preparation for postgraduate studies. On completion, the graduates will be able to engage critically in current debates on development initiatives, and formulate spatial management strategies in decision-making.
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Horticultural Student Wins International Award
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Award-winning senior PhD student in the Discipline of Horticultural Science, Mr Bonga Ngcobo is researching innovative and sustainable practices to enhance the quality and yield of solanaceous crops for a green South African economy.
The Solanaceae, or nightshades, are a family of flowering plants that range from annual and perennial herbs to vines, lianas, epiphytes, shrubs and trees.
Ngcobo, who is being supervised by Professor Isa Bertling and Dr Alistair Clulow, represented UKZN during the VIII International Symposium on Fruit and Vegetable Effects on Human Health, FAVHEALTH2021, winning an award from the International Society for Horticultural Science for his poster presentation.
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Prestigious Atmospheric Sciences Award for Agrometeorology Graduate
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A paper emerging from the research of agrometeorology graduate Dr Floyd Khosa, now a data scientist at Santam Insurance, received the South African Society for Atmospheric Sciences (SASAS) Stanley Jackson Award for the best research paper in atmospheric sciences in South Africa in 2020.
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The accolade is presented for the best peer review paper published within the two years before the conference.
The result of research done for Khosa’s PhD at UKZN under the supervision of Professor Mike Savage, the paper is titled: Evaluation of Modelled Actual Evapotranspiration Estimates from a Land Surface, Empirical and Satellite-Based Models Using in situ Observations from a South African Semi-Arid Savanna Ecosystem. It was published in the Agricultural and Forest Meteorology Journal while Khosa was a candidate researcher at the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR).
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UKZN Researchers Call for Africa to Invest more in Earth Sciences
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Economic Geology lecturer Dr Lauren Hoyer has been interviewed by SAFM about an article she co-wrote with two colleagues titled: Why African Countries Must Invest More in Earth Sciences.
Her co-authors were postdoctoral researcher Dr Michelle North and senior lecturer Dr Warwick Hastie.
Their article, highlighted on the online media outlet: The Conversation - Africa, was based on their journal publication: Out of Africa: The Underrepresentation of African Authors in High-Impact Geoscience Literature, featured late last year in Earth-Science Reviews.
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Webinar on Groundwater for Water Security in Africa
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More than 336 delegates from all around the world participated in a webinar on Groundwater for Water Security in Africa organised by the Centre for Water Resources Research (CWRR) at UKZN.
The event contributed to United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) programmes and activities aimed at strengthening the capacity of member states to respond to water security, particularly as part of the project Governance of Groundwater Resources (GGRETA), funded by the Swiss Development Cooperation Agency (SDC).
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The CWRR was chosen - because of its capabilities in the domain - to organise the webinar and provide technical inputs, with UNESCO and the African Ministers Council on Water (AMCOW) facilitating the various technical sessions.
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UKZN Graduates its First SA Black Female Agrometeorologist
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Dr Zoleka Ncoyini-Manciya is the first South African Black female to be awarded a PhD in Agrometeorology from UKZN… and only the second in the country.
Ncoyini-Manciya’s thesis - supervised by Professor Michael Savage, Dr Alistair Clulow and Dr Sheldon Strydom - was titled: Observed and Projected Climate Change Effects on Localized Drought Events: A Case Study for the Sugarbelt within the KwaZulu-Natal Midlands, South Africa.
Ncoyini-Manciya investigated climate change effects on localised drought events.
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Fall Armyworm Resistant Maize Closer to Reality Following Research
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‘There is hope for Africa,’ said newly capped Dr Chapwa Kasoma about her ground-breaking work on breeding maize resistant to the dreaded fall armyworm.
Kasoma conducted her PhD plant breeding research through UKZN’s African Centre for Crop Improvement (ACCI) and her findings have come at an opportune time.
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‘Chapwa’s work is foundational to developing FAW resistant maize varieties in Zambia and sub-Saharan Africa,’ said her supervisor, Professor Hussein Shimelis explaining its significance.
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Improved Cowpea Could Be A Boon for Farmers
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As a child, Dr Nelia Nkhoma Phiri had intimate knowledge of cowpea, the crop she focused on for her doctoral research through UKZN.
She spent time living with her grandmother, a subsistence farmer in rural Zambia whose favourite crop was this indigenous legume.
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‘For my doctoral project, I developed candidate cowpea breeding populations that are very high-yielding and resistant to diseases, drought and heat stress,’ said Phiri. ‘Farmers are using low-yielding cowpea varieties such as landraces and introduced varieties that are affected by many biotic and abiotic constraints prevalent in Zambia, and my objectives were to address these challenges.’
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Sewage to Help Alleviate Poverty?
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Discovering how to use nutrients processed from human excreta effectively for the hydroponic production of vegetables as part of a strategy towards alleviating poverty in informal settlements was the focus of research by Mr Sisekelo Sihlongonyane.
The investigation earned Sihlongonyane a master’s degree and he now plans to study for a PhD.
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[H]e registered for a Master of Science in Agriculture degree, specialising in Crop Science with his goal being to learn more about urban agriculture (hydroponics) in the production of vegetables.
In his dissertation, supervised by Professor Lembe Magwaza, Professor Alfred Odindo, Professor Chris Buckley and Professor Daniel Yeh, Sihlongonyane evaluated the use of human-excreta-derived materials for the hydroponic production of Swiss chard and non-heading Chinese cabbage in a vertical hydroponic system.
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Mutation Breeding Increases Climate Change Resilience in Wheat
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For her PhD research into Plant Breeding, Dr Boluwatife OlaOlorun, who arrived at UKZN from Nigeria in July 2017, focused on inducing genetic variation in wheat, using mutation breeding to harness the traits of drought tolerance and carbon sequestration.
OlaOlorun’s work forms part of an extended project by students within UKZN’s African Centre for Crop Improvement (ACCI) to breed climate smart wheat with a bigger root mass.
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PhD Focuses on Breeding Groundnut for Rust Resistance in Tanzania
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Groundnut is a vital crop for commercial and smallholder farmers in Africa because of its high edible oil and protein content, but it is vulnerable to pests and diseases. One of the worst culprits is rust caused by pathogenic fungi of the order Pucciniales.
African Centre for Crop Improvement (ACCI) graduate, Dr Happy Daudi focused her PhD research on breeding groundnut for resistance to this disease in Tanzania. Her interest was sparked by prior experience of rust’s impact while working for the Tanzania Agricultural Research Institute (TARI), where she has been employed since 2010.
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It Takes a Village to Raise a Child!
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The African proverb: “It takes a village to raise a child” is apt in the life of Master of Agriculture in Food Security graduate Ms Noxolo Thabethe.
After losing her mother - who was her pillar of strength - when she was about to write her matric examinations, Thabethe was surrounded and supported by her community.
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Thabethe encountered the subject of Food Security in her third year when she undertook the Food Security 360 module...
Now she has obtained her Master of Agriculture in Food Security degree cum laude!
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Graduate Breeds New Drought-Tolerant Wheat for Ethiopia
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Climate change is a growing challenge for farmers, especially in Africa where temperatures are expected to increase more than in other regions of the world. Breeding crops that are adapted to drought-prone environments therefore makes sense as a sustainable strategy.
For his PhD study, Dr Yared Semahegn Belete chose to work on developing drought tolerance in bread wheat for Ethiopia.
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Lightning Detection System a Life-Saver for Rural Communities
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Dr Maqsooda Mahomed’s postgraduate journey started with water.
‘My honours and master's research focused on tackling challenges within the water cycle,’ said Mahomed.
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For her PhD - which she started in July 2018 - Mahomed changed tack, choosing to explore a different project in order to advance her research and innovation skills. She chose a scarce yet fascinating and crucial element - lightning.
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Rural Upbringing Triggers Interest in Food Security Studies
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Doctoral graduate, Dr Nthabeleng Tamako grew up in the Mount Fletcher area of the Eastern Cape where subsistence farming is widespread.
Her parents grew and sold vegetables and kept livestock to earn money to pay for necessities, including school fees for her and her siblings.
The value and impact of the rural farming experience in her early life spurred Tamako’s love for agriculture and motivated her to continue her studies in that field after earning an MSc degree in Food Security cum laude.
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Graduate Passionate about Market Access for Small Farmers
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Master of Agriculture in Food Security graduate, Mr Phiwokuhle Ndlovu had a desire to improve the livelihood of small farmers and this led him to focus his research on small farmer empowerment and access to markets for improved food security.
Ndlovu identified and explored factors influencing the level of vegetable value chain participation and implications on smallholder farming and food security in Swayimane, KwaZulu-Natal.The approach his study took was towards community-based participatory and translational research that also involved training and empowering smallholder farmers.
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Pigeonpea Focus of Doctoral Research by Mother of Three
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The improvement of a lesser-known legume that could be a major contributor to continental food security was the goal of Dr Esnart Yohane when she began her PhD research project in 2017.
The legume, Pigeonpea, contains high levels of protein, amino acids, minerals and vitamins as well as being drought tolerant. Esnart chose to work on pigeonpea [Cajanus cajan (L) Millspaugh) because ‘it is one of the most important legume crops in Malawi’.
Reeling off its attributes, she said it is ‘a good source of protein and cash income for millions of farmers. Pigeonpea crop residues form excellent animal feed and it also serves in atmospheric nitrogen fixation and biomass allocation in the soil.’
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Warrior for Infant and Child Nutrition Aims to Influence Policy
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Nutritionist and University of Venda lecturer Dr Tshifhiwa Mandiwana is passionate about maternal and child health, so when she decided to study for a PhD her focus was on aspects that improve the nutritional status of infants and young children.
She chose UKZN because of its status as one of the top South African universities in terms of research.
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[H]er study focused on Growth Monitoring and Promotion (GMP). The primary benefits of GMP, especially in developing countries, are related to a reduction in the prevalence of being underweight, and morbidity and mortality in infants and young children (IYC) under five years old.
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PhD Celebration for the School of Agricultural, Earth & Environmental Sciences
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With graduation ceremonies taking place virtually again this year, the College of Agriculture, Engineering & Science made special arrangements to host online celebrations of the work of PhD graduates in its five Schools.
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To commemorate the International Day of Girls & Women in Science on 11 February, Capital Newspapers' Maritzburg Sun caught up with three female scientists in Pietermaritzburg, one of whom is Agric's own Marylyn Christian, a PhD candidate in Plant Breeding within the African Centre for Crop Improvement (ACCI).
Marylyn is investigating the efficacy of using silicon to improve the quality of drought-tolerant wheat, and discussed the satisfaction of knowing that her research has practical applications and will contribute to improved products for consumers and enhanced food security.
Marylyn also spoke about other research underway in the ACCI, and singled out her lecturer, Professor Julia Sibiya, as an outstanding role model for young female students.
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Water Wheel Feature - Prof Tafadzwa Mabhaudhi
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In the March/April edition of the Water Research Commission's (WRC) Water Wheel magazine, Research Associate Professor and Co-Director of the Centre for Transformative Agricultural and Food Systems (CTAFS) Tafadzwa Mabhaudhi spoke about his research journey and vision to build capacity amongst up-and-coming scientists in his field.
In this feature, you can read about Mabhaudhi's start in agriculture in Zimbabwe, where he completed his undergraduate degree and started out as a farmer, and about his journey to postgraduate studies at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, funded by the WRC. He spoke about the mentors that challenged and inspired him, and his quest to support smallholder farmers, boost undervalued traditional food crops and find solutions to the challenges of climate change through his work.
The feature also details the growth of the "Green Team" of researchers, academics, and students that sparked the creation of the CTAFS in 2019, and about Mabhaudhi's belief in the importance of translating science into policy. He touched on lessons from the COVID19 pandemic that could inform how complex issues of poverty, food, water, energy, and climate change are tackled, and highlighted the importance of collaborative work.
Now locally and internationally recognised for his work on the Water-Energy-Food nexus, Mabhaudhi still considers the development and achievements of students under his supervision and mentorship the greatest reward.
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Staff in the discipline of Geography at UKZN have shared condolences and memories after the untimely passing of alumnus and former member of staff on the Pietermaritzburg campus, Dr Riyad Ismail, early in May.
Dr Ismail was a Lead Data Scientist for Sappi Global, and an Honorary Senior Research Associate in the School of Agricultural, Earth & Environmental Sciences at UKZN where he formerly worked as a cartographic technician before joining Sappi.
University Dean of Research Professor Urmilla Bob remembered Dr Ismail for his generosity, dedication to assisting others, and exceptional research skills.
Professor Brij Maharaj noted Dr Ismail’s skill with computers, his proficiency in his work, and his sense of humour.
Dr Ismail’s PhD supervisor, SARChI Chair Professor Onisimo Mutanga, recalled his thirst for knowledge, the excellent work he put into his PhD that produced a model now extensively used for forest management, and the selfless assistance he provided to students.
Dr Ismail’s former colleague, cartographic technician Mr Brice Gijsbertsen, paid tribute to his passion, personality, and willingness to impart knowledge on to others.
Colleagues at Sappi and the University of the Witwatersrand remembered him for the aptitude he showed in major projects he was involved in and for his contributions to cutting-edge research in remote sensing and forest management.
Dr Ismail’s colleagues expressed their hope that his legacy will live on in the lives and work of the students and many others whose lives he impacted.
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The passing of Prof Chris Buckley on 27 May 2021 is an enormous loss for the water and sanitation sectors in South Africa and globally, and an even greater loss for the UKZN community. Prof Buckley achieved remarkable strides in his field and was an inspiring and dedicated mentor to scores of students and researchers, including many in the School of Agricultural, Earth & Environmental Sciences at the University of KwaZulu-Natal.
From UKZN Agriculture, heartfelt condolences to his family and WASH R&D colleagues.
You can view a special video commemoration to Prof Buckley from the Water Research Commission here, and read about the Chris Buckley Water & Sanitation Internship being established in his honour here.
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