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02 June 2022 | Story Leonie Bolleurs | Photo Supplied
Walter van Niekerk_
If you are so focused on achieving only certain goals in your life, you might miss the best opportunities, believes Dr Walter van Niekerk, who recently received his PhD in Agricultural Economics.

Being relevant in a constantly changing agricultural environment. This is one of Dr Walter van Niekerk’s biggest motivations in his working life. The place where he believes he will be able to do just that, is the University of the Free State (UFS). “The university was the best plan for my life,” he says. 

Whether it is in research or in learning and teaching, Dr Van Niekerk, Lecturer in the UFS Department of Agricultural Economics, believes that with a positive attitude and the ability to be adaptable to change, one will be able to make the most of any opportunity crossing your path. If you give 110% every day, you will be ready for any possibility. He is lecturing Agricultural Finance and Agri-business Management, focusing on agricultural business plans, to first- and third-year students, respectively. 

Contribute to findings on predation management

At the recent April graduation ceremonies, he was awarded his PhD. The title of his thesis was: An estimation of the downstream economic implications of predation in the South African red meat industry.

In his thesis, he outlined the economic impact of predation in the livestock sector and red meat industry. He believes the significant damage caused by predators cannot be controlled by man-made borders. “There is a reason for these animals' existence; they just need to be managed properly at national level by government,” he says.

The aim of his study was to contribute to and combine any findings on the predation problem, and to put these findings on a macroeconomic platform to inform government of the extent of this problem in order for them to develop strategies, policies, and mitigation methods to reduce predation and lessen the impact thereof.

Thus far, excerpts from his thesis have also been published as two articles in peer-reviewed scientific journals – a peer-reviewed journal of the National Museum, Indago, as well as the journal, Frontiers in Sustainable Supply Chain Management.

With predation being a constant point of discussion at agricultural associations’ monthly meetings, he believes that the research topic he has selected for his PhD is relevant and that the outcomes of his study will be able to make a difference in the agriculture sector. His work is more than just theory. He identified a problem – the damage that predation does to the red meat industry – and found a practical solution to it.  

Students staying relevant in a fast-changing environment 

Besides the possible impact he will have on the red meat industry, the PhD was also a means to an end – to develop himself as an agricultural economist in order to become an industry expert in his field.

He also takes his role as lecturer very seriously. It is important to him that his students, once they have completed their studies, must have an actual understanding of the field and that they must be able to stay relevant in a fast-changing environment by practically applying what they have learnt. 

In his free time, Dr Van Niekerk enjoys applying his knowledge. Besides his consultancy work with farmers, he also serves on Free State Agriculture’s Young Farmer Committee, and he is a technical adviser to the National Lucerne Trust (NLT), assisting them with their grading processes to ensure that their quality system is free of any irregularities, and that they stay relevant in the industry. 

News Archive

FSSO 12 Cellists & FSSO Big Band, 11 June 2009
2009-05-29

FSSO VIRTUOSI
Thursday 11 June 2009
Odeion
19:30


FSSO 12 Cellists & FSSO Big Band

The next FSSO concert is an interesting and unusual concert with twelve cellists of the FSSO playing in the first half of the programme and the FSSO Big Band after interval.

The recently appointed cellist of the Odeion String Quartet, Anmari van der Westhuizen, is the leader of the FSSO 12 Cellists. They will be playing Bachianas brasileiras no. 1 (Villa-Lobos), an arrangement by JC Jacobs of the Largo from Dvorak’s Symphonie No. 9 (From the New World) and Allan Stephenson’ s Souvenir de Sevilla.

After interval the FSSO Big Band conducted by Paul Loep van Zuilenburg, will play well-known items like American Patrol, Haarlem Nocturne (for those of us who can remember so far back – this was the theme music of the popular Mike Hammer series), Birdland and the theme from Pink Panther.

ADMISSION:
R90 (adults)
R70 ((pensioners, students and learners)
R50 for group bookings of 10 or more
Tickets available at Computicket (at all Shoprite / Checkers shops, Mimosa Mall information desk) and at the doors.
Computicket www.computicket.com


ENQUIRIES:
Ella Kotze, tel. 051 – 401 2342

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