Latest News Archive

Please select Category, Year, and then Month to display items
Categories
UFS News Media Release Research
Years
2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024
Months
January February March April May June July August September October November December
Previous Archive
17 June 2020 | Story Dr WP Wahl
Students play leading role to ensure food security

The Division of Student Affairs (DSA) prioritises innovation to meet the challenges of food insecurity and malnutrition among students.  To this end, several student volunteers and student governance structures are collaborating with the DSA on various initiatives.

During 2019, various conversations were held about the possibility of creating a health-promoting food environment at the UFS where students and staff are well informed and empowered to take appropriate action regarding their food and nutritional needs.  These conversations resulted in an institutional strategy to address the food environment at the UFS.  Student representatives serve on a technical committee that directs the implementation of this strategy.  In this regard, several initiatives have already been launched.

Students from residences and other student communities have planted vegetable gardens on the Bloemfontein Campus with the assistance of KovsieACT and the Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences.  Students and staff are already harvesting and distributing vegetables to needy students every week.  Measurements were put in place to continue this during the COVID-19 period.  The following vegetables were planted: spinach, cabbage, beetroot, broccoli, cauliflower, and carrots.

Food parcels, donated by Tiger Brands and Gift of the Givers, are continuously handed out by DSA staff and student volunteers.  In this regard, 540 food parcels have already been handed out on the Bloemfontein Campus during the COVID-19 period alone.  During the same time, 117 students received food parcels on the Qwaqwa Campus.  The innovation of this food parcel project rests on the fact that business, NPOs, UFS students, and DSA staff are collaborating to address food insecurity and malnutrition.

More collaborative initiatives will be implemented over the next 12 months.  The DSA staff and students are already working with the Department of Dietetics and Consumer Sciences to create information packages about the preparation of low-budget nutritious meals.

Related article:
Vegetable tunnels established to continue the fight against food insecurity

News Archive

UFS meets with Dihlabeng Municipality after the signing of a memorandum
2011-04-20

 
Delegates from the Dihlabeng Municipality and the University of the Free State met to discuss a process to outline the work after a MOU was signed in March of this year.

In March this year, the University of the Free State (UFS) signed a memorandum of understanding with the Dihlabeng Municipality in the Eastern Free State to capacitate the municipality in their mandate to provide quality services to the residents.

At this event, Prof. Jonathan Jansen, Vice-Chancellor and Rector, said: “Municipalities need expertise on research and sustainable development. They also need to train their councillors and staff and that's where we come in as the UFS.”

As result of this MOU, a team of about ten delegates from the Dihlabeng Municipality and Business met with a group from the university. The group from the university represented several faculties. At this workshop the delegates discussed school support and research, agricultural and rural development, skills development and financial management.

According to Dr Choice Makhetha, Vice-Rector: External Relations (acting), other areas will be discussed at a workshop that will follow later, after the local government elections.

We use cookies to make interactions with our websites and services easy and meaningful. To better understand how they are used, read more about the UFS cookie policy. By continuing to use this site you are giving us your consent to do this.

Accept