Dr Sithembiso Ndlela is celebrating completing his PhD research that emphasises the importance of responsible natural resource management while simultaneously increasing small-scale farmers’ agricultural production capacity.

His interest in this topic sprang from Ndlela’s master’s research that concluded that promoting self-reliance and sustainability among small-scale farmers begins with developing human capital through capacity building. His own observations coupled with reviews of the literature led him to his thesis topic.

‘I realised that most development interventions globally and especially in South Africa focus on improving agricultural production to improve national food security and combat poverty, with less attention placed on sustainable management of natural resources,’ said Ndlela.

‘I have supervised Nqobile from the time of her Postgraduate Diploma in Food Security and recognised key research skills, passion and commitment even at that stage,’ said Professor Joyce Chitja of her star student, Ms Nqobile Mthuli, who graduated with a Master of Agriculture in Food Security through UKZN.

With a Bachelor of Social Science background majoring in Geography and Environmental Science, Mthuli enrolled in the Introduction to Food Security class as an elective in her third year of undergraduate studies and fell in love with the discipline. ‘I went on to do my PG Diploma in Food Security and found that I had a knack for research, coming top of my class,’ she said. ‘Professor Chitja then provided me with the opportunity to pursue my MAgric in Food Security through UKZN in 2020, for which I will be forever grateful.’

Mthuli’s study focused on environmental management of urban farming and water quality, and its implications for food security.

Dr John Lobulu, a researcher at the Tanzania Agricultural Research Institute (TARI) is receiving a PhD from UKZN after he successfully investigated the development of maize varieties resistant to the Striga parasite and compatible with a fungal biocontrol agent to combat the threats to food security posed by the weed that affects millions of small-scale farmers across Africa.

Lobulu’s thesis focused on breeding Zea mays L. in Tanzania for resistance to the asiatica and hermonthica species of Striga, commonly known as witchweed, and their compatibility to Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. strigae, a soil-borne fungal biocontrol agent.

Lobulu, who completed his research through UKZN’s African Centre of Crop Improvement (ACCI) with funds from the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA), emphasised the importance of work like this to improve food security among resource-poor smallholder farmers and improve the availability of Striga resistant maize seed that is compatible with their needs. Application of the Fusarium biocontrol agent promotes higher yields in the areas affected by Striga.

The origins of the Water-Energy-Food (WEF) Nexus Winter School can be traced back to a workshop in March 2020, says Professor Tafadzwa Mabhaudhi of UKZN’s Centre for Transformative Agricultural and Food Systems (CTAFS).

It was during a lunch break at the workshop that the idea evolved from discussions between colleagues who set out to make it a reality. However, the COVID-19 lockdowns in 2021 scuttled plans for the first Winter School.

The team then decided to host an online WEF Nexus Masterclass in place of the Winter School as they had already invested so much time into planning.

‘The Masterclass proved to be a success with more than 80 participants from across the globe involved in the three-day online training event,’ said Mabhaudhi. The Masterclass, retained as part of the WEF Nexus capacity development programme, provides an introductory and foundational course to understanding WEF Nexus concepts and tools.