NEW WSU RESEARCHER LAUNCHES RESEARCH PROJECT ON AGRO-ECOSYSTEM MANAGEMENT

The Faculty of Natural Sciences has recently appointed a Postdoctoral fellow, Dr Zanele Adams, who within a month of appointment, developed a three-year project proposal that aligns with the faculty's strategy for research-led community engagement.

The project focuses on integrating agro-ecosystem management systems and directly addresses Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 13: Climate Action. The study also aims to contribute to SDG 1 (No Poverty) and SDG 2 (Zero Hunger) by producing research outcomes that foster food security and sustainable agricultural practices.

“In the context of Sustainable Development Goals, agro-ecosystem management is about the biological complexity of the agricultural system as well as decreasing damage to the environment. My PhD skills will allow me to engage in this project while gaining new insights about interactions between plants and humans,” said Adams.

On 16 August 2024, Adams, accompanied by Professors Albert Modi and Kamande Kuria, held a pre-situation analysis session with the rural community of Baziya, located near Mthatha.

“The most important insight I got in Baziya was the ability of farmers to articulate their traditional system of agriculture. This will make it easy for the research to proceed sooner. Their willingness to participate freely and shape the research as we proceed was also encouraging,” said Adams.

She added that women and youth participation as organised groups of cooperatives is an important aspect of the future impact of the project in terms of socioeconomic rural development

“The government of South Africa has Indigenous Knowledge Systems (IKS) and climate change as thematic research areas. Given that the Eastern Cape is the poorest province of South Africa, I hope that some of the research outcomes will influence national government policy. Knowledge generated locally may assist the global attempts to address the Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations,” said Adams.

Adams added that WSU promotes research focus on African challenges, especially in the Eastern Cape and her study will incorporate use of technology to explain environmental changes in line with the WSU goal of technology-infused innovation in research.

“Indirectly,  the research also promotes research-led community engagement. Since there is scarcity of knowledge and skills related to IKS, this research has the potential to come up with innovations that are unique to rural areas for conversion into the current systems of data intelligence. For example, the study will map the environment and identify quick ways for interpretation using technology,” she concluded.

Adams said there will be a need to consult other experts regarding the transfer of technology skills in a simple fashion for rural communities.

By Anita Roji