Latest News Archive
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2021-09-30 |
A collective effort necessary to fight the evil destroying our communities and societies |
2021-09-30 |
A collective effort necessary to fight the evil destroying our communities and societies |
2021-09-30 |
Odeion ‘takes it all’ in 2021 national music ensemble competition |
2021-09-30 |
Odeion ‘takes it all’ in 2021 national music ensemble competition |
2021-09-30 |
UFS to contest first ever Varsity Football final |
2021-09-30 |
UFS to contest first ever Varsity Football final |
2021-09-29 |
#UFS3MT: Join the live broadcast and watch the finalists battle it out |
2021-09-29 |
#UFS3MT: Join the live broadcast and watch the finalists battle it out |
2021-09-29 |
Student Affairs unpacks COVID-19 Vaccinations at UFS student assembly |
2021-09-29 |
Student Affairs unpacks COVID-19 Vaccinations at UFS student assembly |
2021-06-28 |
UFS and stakeholders bringing COVID-19 vaccination closer to communities |
2021-06-28 |
UFS and stakeholders bringing COVID-19 vaccination closer to communities |
2021-09-27 |
UFS research projects look at the social impact of COVID-19 |
2021-09-27 |
UFS research projects look at the social impact of COVID-19 |
2021-09-27 |
Advancing food security; doing it differently |
2021-09-27 |
Advancing food security; doing it differently |
2021-09-27 |
Mini-Symposium on the role of UFS Grid Related Research |
2021-09-27 |
Mini-Symposium on the role of UFS Grid Related Research |
2021-09-27 |
Carbon – the connection between the atmosphere, soil, and plants |
2021-09-27 |
Carbon – the connection between the atmosphere, soil, and plants |
2021-09-24 |
Celebrating Heritage Day with colours and food |
2021-09-24 |
Celebrating Heritage Day with colours and food |
2021-09-23 |
#HeritageDay: Using storytelling to remember and reflect |
2021-09-23 |
#HeritageDay: Using storytelling to remember and reflect |
2021-09-23 |
‘Seeing students grow into actuaries gives me great satisfaction’ |
2021-09-23 |
‘Seeing students grow into actuaries gives me great satisfaction’ |
2021-09-22 |
Opinion: Is it important to promote South African Sign Language? |
2021-09-22 |
Opinion: Is it important to promote South African Sign Language? |
2021-09-22 |
SASL Star: Simoné du Preez |
2021-09-22 |
SASL Star: Simoné du Preez |
2021-09-22 |
SASL Star: Lerato Sheila Thamahane |
2021-09-22 |
SASL Star: Lerato Sheila Thamahane |
2021-09-22 |
SASL Star: Peet Jacobs |
2021-09-22 |
SASL Star: Peet Jacobs |
2021-09-22 |
SASL Star: Emily Matabane |
2021-09-22 |
SASL Star: Emily Matabane |
2021-09-22 |
SASL Star: Annemarie Le Roux |
2021-09-22 |
SASL Star: Annemarie Le Roux |
2021-09-22 |
How do we fix our failing country? |
2021-09-22 |
How do we fix our failing country? |
2021-09-21 |
Agriculture sector in good health |
2021-09-21 |
Agriculture sector in good health |
2021-09-21 |
New US Consul General visits UFS |
2021-09-21 |
New US Consul General visits UFS |
2021-09-20 |
African Knowledge: Not yet uhuru |
2021-09-20 |
African Knowledge: Not yet uhuru |
2021-09-20 |
Prince Matova receives international Young Scientist Award |
2021-09-20 |
Prince Matova receives international Young Scientist Award |
2021-09-17 |
Mr David Noko appointed as Chairperson of the UFS Council |
2021-09-17 |
Mr David Noko appointed as Chairperson of the UFS Council |
2021-09-17 |
Global Citizen and the role of Digital Futures |
2021-09-17 |
Global Citizen and the role of Digital Futures |
2021-09-16 |
Human resources webinar sheds light on COVID-19 vaccines |
2021-09-16 |
Human resources webinar sheds light on COVID-19 vaccines |
2021-09-15 |
UFS welcomes back its sports heroes |
2021-09-15 |
UFS welcomes back its sports heroes |
2021-09-15 |
“Great to come back home to my UFS family” |
2021-09-15 |
“Great to come back home to my UFS family” |
2021-09-15 |
UFS netball team an example to others – Prof Petersen |
2021-09-15 |
UFS netball team an example to others – Prof Petersen |
2021-09-15 |
UFS appoints heavyweights as new Shimla coaches |
2021-09-15 |
UFS appoints heavyweights as new Shimla coaches |
2021-09-15 |
UFS again appeals for information regarding hit-and-run incident on 24 April 2021 in front of the Bloemfontein Campus main gate |
2021-09-15 |
UFS again appeals for information regarding hit-and-run incident on 24 April 2021 in front of the Bloemfontein Campus main gate |
2021-09-14 |
Team UFS walks away as winner at national animal sciences competition |
2021-09-14 |
Team UFS walks away as winner at national animal sciences competition |
2021-09-14 |
Childhood Cancer Awareness Month: Identifying early warning signs is critical |
2021-09-14 |
Childhood Cancer Awareness Month: Identifying early warning signs is critical |
2021-09-13 |
2021 UFS Thought-Leader Webinar Series:Why Vaccinate? |
2021-09-13 |
2021 UFS Thought-Leader Webinar Series:Why Vaccinate? |
2021-09-13 |
Embracing diversity in virtual spaces |
2021-09-13 |
Embracing diversity in virtual spaces |
2021-09-10 |
Dr Molapo Qhobela to speak at International Summit on SDGs |
2021-09-10 |
Dr Molapo Qhobela to speak at International Summit on SDGs |
2021-09-10 |
Faculty of Health Sciences Mental Health Awareness Initiative |
2021-09-10 |
Faculty of Health Sciences Mental Health Awareness Initiative |
2021-09-09 |
#WorldSuicidePreventionDay: Suicide – Underrated and Misunderstood |
2021-09-09 |
#WorldSuicidePreventionDay: Suicide – Underrated and Misunderstood |
2021-09-09 |
Everything you need to know |
2021-09-09 |
Everything you need to know |
2021-09-09 |
UFS research group celebrates successes and five PhDs |
2021-09-09 |
UFS research group celebrates successes and five PhDs |
2021-09-09 |
Remembering Prof Klaus von Delft, German scholar, and stalwart |
2021-09-09 |
Remembering Prof Klaus von Delft, German scholar, and stalwart |
2021-09-09 |
The impact of political influences on university governance structures |
2021-09-09 |
The impact of political influences on university governance structures |
2021-09-08 |
Temba Hlasho: Enhancing the student experience through open dialogue |
2021-09-08 |
Temba Hlasho: Enhancing the student experience through open dialogue |
2021-09-07 |
UFS continue to excel in Computer Science |
2021-09-07 |
UFS continue to excel in Computer Science |
2021-09-06 |
Sophia Gray lecture: ‘New national urban development strategy needed’ |
2021-09-06 |
Sophia Gray lecture: ‘New national urban development strategy needed’ |
2021-09-06 |
2021 Rector’s Concert: Watch the star-studded performances |
2021-09-06 |
2021 Rector’s Concert: Watch the star-studded performances |
2021-09-06 |
Louzanne ends memorable Paralympics on a high note |
2021-09-06 |
Louzanne ends memorable Paralympics on a high note |
2021-09-06 |
Voices from the Free State: Episode eight – featuring David Uwah |
2021-09-06 |
Voices from the Free State: Episode eight – featuring David Uwah |
2021-09-03 |
We celebrate this great achievement with pride |
2021-09-03 |
We celebrate this great achievement with pride |
2021-09-03 |
‘The COVID Vaccine and YOU’ |
2021-09-03 |
‘The COVID Vaccine and YOU’ |
2021-09-03 |
Why Universal Access and Disability Support matters |
2021-09-03 |
Why Universal Access and Disability Support matters |
2021-09-03 |
UFS Qwaqwa staff embrace vaccination message |
2021-09-03 |
UFS Qwaqwa staff embrace vaccination message |
2021-09-02 |
Webinar: Hearing you, hearing me |
2021-09-02 |
Webinar: Hearing you, hearing me |
2021-09-01 |
#UFSDeafAwarenessMonth: Raising awareness is our shared responsibility |
2021-09-01 |
#UFSDeafAwarenessMonth: Raising awareness is our shared responsibility |
UFS teams up with Department of Agriculture and donates latest farming technology to Oppermans
2009-03-09
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Attending the recent launch of the latest technology that measures the salinity of soil – the EM38 system – during an information day held in Jacobsdal were, from the left, back: Mr Robert Dlomo, a farmer from Pietermaritzburg in KwaZulu-Natal, Prof. Leon van Rensburg, Department of Soil, Crop and Climate Sciences at the UFS, Mr Sugar Ramakarane, head of the Department of Agriculture in the Free State, Dr Motseki Hlatshwayo, national Department of Agriculture, and Prof. Herman van Schalkwyk, Dean of the Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences at the UFS; front: Mr Robert Smith and Mr Fagan Scheepers from Oppermansgronde, who will be working with the EM38 system in the area.
Photo: Landbouweekblad |
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UFS teams up with Department of Agriculture and donates latest farming technology to Oppermans
Emerging and commercial farmers of the Oppermans Community in the Northern Cape will now be able to monitor the salinity levels on their farms effectively for the first time.
This is as a result of a donation of the latest technology that measures the salinity of soil – the EM38 system – which the University of the Free State (UFS) is donating to the community.
The unique project was launched by the Department of Soil, Crop and Climate Sciences at the UFS and the Department of Agriculture in the Free State during an information day held at Jacobsdal recently.
The day was attended by members of the Oppermans Community and representatives of the UFS as well as the Department of Agriculture. Mr Sugar Ramakarane, Head of the Department of Agriculture in the Free State, did the welcoming and several academics from the UFS held discussions about various topics related to the salinity levels in soil.
Since the establishment of the Oppermans Community emerging farmers are now for the first time able to accurately monitor the salinity levels on their farms as well as that of irrigation schemes of commercial farms in the area.
“In a region such as the Northern Cape it is very important that the salinity level of soil is monitored properly. As water is administered to crops, salts accumulate in the soil because the roots leave most of the salts in the soil when it transpires. When the salinity of soil increases, the osmotic potential thereof can also increase, which can seriously damage the water intake of crops and can create loss in yield and income,” said Prof. Leon van Rensburg from the Department of Soil, Crop and Climate Sciences at the UFS and leader of the Oppermans Project.
To assist the farming community of Oppermans to apply precision farming and to measure the salinity level of soil more accurately the latest technology that measures salinity in soil – the EM38 – will be donated to the community. Although the system is used throughout the world, the UFS is the only tertiary institution in the country that owns the latest version of this system.
“We are also training two persons from the Oppermans Community as technicians that will monitor the use of the system. The advantage of the donation of the system for the university is that we can gather data that can be used for research purposes by our Master’s and Doctoral students. We also want to see if water-table heights can be measured with this system,” said Prof. Van Rensburg.
According to him the system has several advantages for the community’s emerging farmers. “For the first time the salinity level of soil can now be measured accurately, salt maps can be drawn up, we can advise farmers about the corrections that need to be made and salinity management plans can be compiled,” he said.
The system is very accurate as it takes measurements every 200 mm while it is pulled by a four-wheel motorbike. The readings provide the distribution of salts up to a soil depth of 1 500 mm. “In the past the measuring of salinity levels was time-consuming and the cost thereof was R90 for one sample. The new system is more cost-effective,” stated Prof. Van Rensburg.
The instruments will be handed over to the African Spirit Group of the Oppermans Community, who will then become the owners. The service to farmers will then be managed by an operational group consisting of people from the Oppermans Community, a postgraduate student who can compile salinity maps and Prof. Van Rensburg, who will act as project leader and advisor.
The system will also be made available to farmers at the Riet River and Vaalharts Schemes.
Media Release
Issued by: Lacea Loader
Assistant Director: Media Liaison
Tel: 051 401 2584
Cell: 083 645 2454
E-mail: loaderl.stg@ufs.ac.za
9 March 2009
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