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04 October 2018 | Story UFS | Photo UFS
Prof Ashok Chapagain, recently appointed as Senior
Prof Ashok Chapagain, recently appointed as Senior Professor in the Department of Agricultural Economics in the Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences at the University of the Free State, is looking forward to working with key water-related sectors.
Prof Ashok Chapagain has recently been appointed as Senior Professor in the Department of Agricultural Economics in the Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences at the University of the Free State (UFS). 

Water hub key in collaborations with research institutes

According to Prof Chapagain, the position provides a unique opportunity to help establish the university at the forefront of water research in South Africa. He is looking forward to cross-departmental collaborations on innovative research projects working with key water-related sectors, such as agriculture, business, mining etc., and establishing a water hub that would be key in external collaborations with other research institutes in South Africa and beyond.

Prior to his formal appointment at the UFS, Prof Chapagain has been remotely involved with the Department of Agricultural Economics since 2017 through his support to a number of research projects funded by the Water Research Commission (WRC). 

He is experienced in managing and coordinating international and interdisciplinary projects, ensuring technical quality and project delivery. He has vast cultural and geographical work experience, and specific water-related experience in the fields of integrated water resource management, water footprint assessment, industrial and agricultural efficiency and sustainability, irrigation, hydrology and watershed modelling, flood-risk management, river-basin planning and management, and environmental impact assessment. He has recently left the Water Footprint Network (The Netherlands), where he worked in the capacity of Science Director. Prior to joining the WFN, Prof Chapagain worked as Senior Water Adviser at WWF-UK for about six years.

Systems approach to address water issues

Prof Chapagain holds a PhD in the field of Water Resources Management and Policy Analysis from Delft University of Technology (The Netherlands), an MSc degree in Water and Environmental Resources Management from UNESCO- IHE Institute for Water Education (The Netherlands), and a Bachelor’s in Civil Engineering from IIT Roorkee (India). His professional career of 28 years can be broadly grouped under two inter-related blocks: development projects for 10 years (as an irrigation engineer in Nepal); research and application for 18 years (academia for eight years and applied work for 10 years in the Netherlands and UK). During his MSc and PhD research, he specialised in water resources and environmental management, integrated river-basin management, policy analysis, and systems analysis.

He regularly reviews articles for several scientific journals. Currently he serves as the Editor-in-Chief for the recently launched open access scientific journal H2Open, published by IWA Publishing. In addition, he serves as editor for five scientific journals, and frequently guest edits specific issues for peer-reviewed scientific journals. He has published four books, and 64 other articles and reports (25 scientific journal articles, 40 papers in conference proceedings, book chapters, and technical reports). His publications are widely cited, with 10 436 citations, and has an h-index of 34 and i10-index of 44. He applies a system approach in addressing issues on water, energy, and food securities, where managing local resources also includes global dimensions where key stakeholders are often cross-sectoral and situated outside the boxes. He has been involved in many national and international projects as a team leader, project leader, and international expert in several Asian, European, and South American countries.

For more information about Prof Chapagain and his role in the Department of Agricultural Economics, please contact Prof Chapagain at ChapagainAK@ufs.ac.za, or Dr Frikkie Maré at MareFA@ufs.ac.za or +27 51 401 2824 

News Archive

‘Sola Scriptura’ — Does Scripture still reign as authority?
2017-02-21

Description: Theology Open Day Tags: Theology Open Day

Thania Labuschagne, Nico Oosthuizen, and
Suthea van der Westhuizen.
Photo: Supplied


Reformation 500: Sola Scriptura [scriptural authority] and contemporary conflicts of interpretation was the theme for the Faculty of Theology and Religion’s official opening and annual Open Day on the Bloemfontein Campus of the University of the Free State (UFS). The faculty was recently renamed to be more inclusive of other denominations, as well as to be sensitive to the impact religion has on society, both in the past and presently.

In his welcoming address to first-year students, Prof Fanie Snyman, Dean of the Faculty of Theology and Religion, said, “I hope that you indulge in the theological dish served to you, and that it will create in you a deep hunger to know more.”

One first-year, Neo Kgaje, had this to say, “I first wanted to do Archaeology, but then I decided to follow my calling as a missionary and study Theology. I would like to serve in my own community in Botshabelo.”

Thania Labuschagne, former chairperson of the Sola Gratia student association, said, “The annual opening is always very special for me. We become part of a family here.” Her message for first-years was, “Maintain your passion for what you do. Make sure of your calling, and everything else will fall into place.”

Prizes awarded
Prizes were awarded to several students who excelled in the previous year. The best third-year student in 2016 was Suthea van der Westhuizen; best fourth-year BTh student, Thania Labuschagne; and Nico Oosthuizen was recognised as the best Master of Divinity in the fifth year.

The Director of Shepherd Centre for spiritual leaders, Dr Gerhard Botha, awarded certificates for the completion of a 9-module short learning programme presented by the centre.

"May you hunger to know more"—
Prof Fanie Snyman, Dean of the
Faculty of Theology and Religion

Current affairs addressed through scriptural analysis
While acknowledging that the debates around the authority of Scripture are complex and not easily resolved, Prof Hendrik Bosman from the Faculty of Theology at Stellenbosch University (SU) argued that it is an indispensable precept of Christian theology. However, it can no longer be taken as a given, since the authority of Scripture is increasingly vulnerable. He said, “Sceptic academics and critical theologians are challenging the more traditional ways of accepting the authority of Scripture.”

Prof Bosman highlighted the negative impact that certain claims of scriptural authority have had on the marginalised and vulnerable groups in society — “the suffering endured by people of colour, Jews, the LGBTQI community, and women due to prejudice and hatred. … [When reading the Bible], one must also be held accountable by the marginalised and the vulnerable in society.”

Prof Juliana Claassens (Faculty of Theology, SU) presented Beyond Revenge: Responsible Bible Reading Practices in a Traumatised Land. “As a community of believers who hold dear the principle of Sola Scriptura, what do we do with texts that revel in the downfall of the enemy and propagate revenge as a viable solution to the hurt and pain people are experiencing?”

Prof Claassens continued, “This question is particularly relevant given the deep wounds that many in this beautiful country of ours carry. … There is thus a real danger that expressions of violence survive and grow ever stronger with each utterance, until the violent ideas they propagate are considered to be normal.” Her recommendation? “Foster communities of care, focused on breaking down walls, instead of erecting them.”

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