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01 December 2022 | Story Leonie Bolleurs | Photo Supplied
Pieter Bruwer was recently announced as Agricultural Writers SA (AWSA) Agriculturalist of the Year. Pictured with his children at the award function, which took place at Nampo Park near Bothaville are, from the left, Marisna, Pieter, Etienne, and Hannes.
Pieter Bruwer, a doctoral student at the University of the Free State (UFS), was recently announced Agricultural Writers SA (AWSA) Agriculturalist of the Year.

The focus of this award, recognising excellence in the agricultural sector in South Africa, was on extension services in agriculture and the important role of disseminating information throughout the industry, according to Liza Bohlmann, chairperson of AWSA. She says the award is made to persons who have made it their life’s work to contribute to the sustainability of agriculture in South Africa.

Candidates considered for this award were assessed on their work in the agricultural sector. They were evaluated on their essence, principles, value systems, and life ethics, as well as their local and international status. Bruwer has dedicated a large part of his life and professional career to researching and promoting sustainable practices in agriculture. “This award is in recognition of years of dedication,” he says. 

Contributing to sustainable agriculture 

An extension officer and agronomist at Langfontein Seeds in Wakkerstroom, Mpumalanga, Bruwer is working on his PhD in the Centre for Sustainable Agriculture, Extension and Rural Development at the UFS. Here he investigates, among others, the importance of true scientific research results, the effective dissemination thereof, and the potentially devastating impact of pseudo-science on sustainable agriculture.

“I am determining whether there is a communication gap between agricultural researchers and producers in our country. I investigate why and how pseudo-science slipped in through the back door. If we can determine the reasons and find alternative ways to effectively disseminate scientific results from the researcher right through to the producer, we would not have to be concerned about the quality and validity of information. That can only positively contribute towards sustainable agriculture,” states Bruwer.

One of the highlights of his PhD studies is the people crossing his path. “They have changed my perspective on life. What an eye-opener,” says Bruwer who, even before he started his studies at the UFS, believed “the university has the best Faculty of Agriculture in the country”. 

He indicates that he spent the best years of his life at the UFS. When he had to decide on a university for his postgraduate studies, he did not even consider any other university. “I am still of the same opinion regarding the faculty and my supervisors (Prof Johan van Niekerk and Dr JW Swanepoel), as well as other personnel from the centre. These staff members are highly skilled, motivated, and energetic individuals and I get most of my passion and drive directly from them. World-class!” All three of his children studied at the UFS. Marisna completed an LLB, Etienne the degree BScAgricHons, and Hannes an MComm.

Believing that there is a bright future for agriculture in South Africa and the rest of the world, Bruwer says the importance of tertiary institutions such as the UFS cannot be overemphasised. “The university has the resources and ideal infrastructure to complete the agricultural scientific dissemination chain from researcher and lecturer to student, who then subsequently develops into a sustainable producer or agriculturalist. Only the academic institutions can truly form and shape young agricultural professionals.”

Passionate about agriculture 

Since his childhood, Bruwer has always been passionate about agriculture. After completing his BScAgricHons at the UFS, and after farming with crops and livestock for many years, he started working as an agronomist at Langfontein Seeds, part of a large commercial farming operation in the Wakkerstroom area. Here he developed as a crop production specialist in maize, soybeans, dry beans, wheat, and certain pastures.

“This is where I became aware of the importance of soil and crop management, which is so important to the concept of sustainable food production all over the world. We have created a model where we advise on the farmer’s complete cycle of crop production by managing the soil, crop nutrition, and crop protection – right through to harvesting,” he says.

He also enjoys his work in the advisory field. “It starts with the analysis of soil and the subsequent calculating of crop production potential, responsible recommendations and application of our organic and inorganic resources and finding solutions for all the practical implications during the growth cycle – unique to each and every year.”

“Food security is an absolute priority and sustainability is non-negotiable,” he says, adding that at Langfontein Seeds – a leader in the concept of sustainable agriculture – “we believe that food security starts with every individual who goes to work with a happy heart in the morning.”

News Archive

Getting out of the dark
2015-04-28

Photo: Leonie Bolleurs

Since 2008, the University of the Free State has been busy with the planning and implementation of projects to reduce the impact of load shedding. To date,  the cost of these projects has run to R6 million. They have been done primarily to ensure that the academic programme does not suffer damage as a result of the increasing interruptions in the power supply that are continuing this year.

The university’s greatest concern has been the provision of emergency power to the lecture halls and laboratories.

Thus far, 35 generators are servicing 55 buildings on the three campuses of the UFS. This includes 26 generators on the Bloemfontein Campus, eight on the Qwaqwa Campus in the Eastern Free State, and one generator on the South Campus in Bloemfontein. The generators are already in service, and are maintained in working order.

Since 2010, the university has also ensured that all newly-built academic buildings are equipped with emergency power supplies.

On the South Campus in Bloemfontein, the new lecture-hall building and the computer laboratory are equipped with emergency power, while the installation of emergency generators in other buildings is under way. The majority of the buildings on the Qwaqwa Campus in the Eastern Free State are equipped with emergency power supplies.

In the meantime, the UFS management has approved a further R11 million for the installation of additional generators on the three campuses. A further R1.5 million has also been approved for the purchase of two mobile generators.

To extend the work already done, the main task will be the installation of more generators on the Bloemfontein Campus to ensure that lecture halls with emergency power will be available for the centrally-arranged timetables, and to ensure that more of the critical laboratories will be provided with emergency power.

There are still  some important buildings and halls on the Bloemfontein Campus that must be supplied with emergency power. However, it is a costly process and must be brought into operation gradually. The further implementation of emergency power depends on the delivery of equipment. The university is also investigating alternative solutions for power provisioning, including solar power.

Generators with spare capacity are optimally deployed to satisfy the lower needs of the campus, including the Odeion, the ANNEX at Microbiology, the Stabilis ANNEX, the Agriculture Building, the UV-Sasol library, and the Francois Retief Building.

In addition, the UFS  is busy on all campuses, coupling area lighting, including

street lights and pedestrian walkways, to existing generators. Procedures for the operation of mechanical equipment, such as entrance gates, lifts, and so on, are currently being dealt with on all campuses. Continuous power sources for certain ICT equipment will be installed on all campuses to protect it against power surges.

Staff and students can also equip themselves with the necessary knowledge to manage load shedding in their specific areas of work and study. It is always helpful to know who to contact. The following list with guidelines and contact numbers has been compiled to assist you:

1. In an emergency, call Protection Services. This line will continue to operate, regardless of whether the power is on or off.
2. Avoid using lifts just before planned load shedding. Some lifts have emergency power packs which will bring the lift to the nearest floor and open the doors. If you still get stuck in a lift during a power outage, use your cellphone to call Protection Services. While you're waiting, stay calm and be patient.
3. If the access control systems in your building stop working after load shedding, contact Protection Services.
4. The students and staff members who are most at risk during load shedding are those in wheelchairs or with other mobility limitations. As far as possible, plan ahead to avoid being stuck on a floor or in a room that is difficult to access when load shedding is imminent. Please contact Protection Services if you need assistance.
5. During a fire, alarms WILL go off. Alarms are not power driven, but battery driven. For assistance, contact Protection Services.
6. The main UFS Switchboard (Bloemfontein Campus +27(0)51 401 9111 and Qwaqwa Campus +27(0)58 718 5000) will continue to operate during load shedding.

Contact details of Protection Services:

  • Bloemfontein Campus: +27(0)51 401 2634/2911
  • Qwaqwa Campus: +27(0)58 508 5460/5175
  • South Campus: +27(0)51 5051217

Communication and Brand Management will make information available on the UFS web, Facebook page, Twitter, Blackboard and the intranet. Get the load shedding schedule from Eskom’s webpage (http://loadshedding.eskom.co.za/). The Bloemfontein Campus falls in group 4 and the South Campus falls in group 2 in Centlec’s load shedding schedule.

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