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24 August 2022 | Story Leonie Bolleurs | Photo Supplied
UFS vegetable garden
A variety of vegetables, including beans, spinach, onions, and carrots, are sheltered in 40 vegetable boxes in the two 300 m² tunnels opposite the Welwitschia Residence on the Bloemfontein Campus.

At the University of the Free State (UFS), research findings have indicated that 59% of students do not know where their next meal will come from. The recent COVID-19 pandemic contributed to the unemployment rate of 34,9%, adding to the likelihood of our students being affected even more by food insecurity. 

One of the initiatives the university has created to address the issue, is a vegetable production and training programme. The purpose of the programme, which was established by the Department of Sustainable Food Systems and Development, KovsieACT, and the Food Environment Office, is to teach students how to produce vegetables. 

A variety of vegetables, including beans, spinach, onions, and carrots, are sheltered in 40 vegetable boxes in the two 300 m² tunnels opposite the Welwitschia Residence on the Bloemfontein Campus. Not only is this initiative providing students with fresh produce that supplements the food parcels they receive from the Food Environment Office through the No Student Hungry Project. It also provides them with the opportunity to get involved on a voluntary basis in the food production process, including the planting and harvesting of the vegetables. 

Food production is an important skill in growing one’s own food. Moreover, it is also a valuable skill for students to transfer to their communities back home.

From mid-August through to the end of October is planting season for a number of vegetables. Starting spring on a high note, the Department of Sustainable Food Systems and Development, KovsieACT, and the Food Environment Office invited food security activist, Thabo Olivier, to address the university community and provide some valuable guidelines to grow your own food in innovative ways. 

Date: Thursday 1 September 2022
Time: 13:00
Venue: Thakaneng Bridge

Invest in your future and join the event, which will include hands-on harvesting from the vegetables gardens as well as a food demonstration. 

More information: Teddy Sibiya on SibiyaLT@ufs.ac.za at KovsieAct. 

Grow you own vegetables

News Archive

New examination dates for the Main and Additional End-of-year examination timetables
2016-10-24

New dates:

Main Examination: 24 November 2016–14 December 2016
Please note that the timetables will be published on Friday 28 October 2016

Additional examination: 4 January 2017–16 January 2017
Please note that the timetable will be published on Friday 4 November 2016
 
The new Main and Additional examination timetables will be published on these dates on the UFS website.
 
Students can thereafter obtain personal examination timetables on Student Self-service.
 
Communication will be sent to staff and students once the new timetable is published.
 
Note 1 (Deviations from above):
The currently published Main examination timetable is still applicable for the week 24-28 October 2016, but only for modules which made specific arrangements to deviate from the above Main and Additional examination periods.
 
Some of the faculties/departments with specific arrangements include, but are not limited to: Faculty of Health Sciences, the Business School, Department of Quantity Surveying, ACE/NPDE modules, certain postgraduate modules in the Faculty of Education, etc.
 
Please consult the department for your respective modules if clarification or confirmation is required.
 
Note 2 (Graduations):
Due to the above changes, the Graduation ceremonies, which were originally to be held in April 2017, have been postponed to June/July 2017 (Specific dates will be confirmed once arrangements have been finalised).

Released by:
Lacea Loader (Director: Communication and Brand Management)
Telephone: +27 51 401 2584 | +27 83 645 2454
Email: news@ufs.ac.za | loader@ufs.ac.za
Fax: +27 51 444 6393

 

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