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Pioneering greenhouse gas research in South African rainfed agriculture

09 February 2024 | Story EDZANI NEPHALELA | Photo SUPPLIED

Dr Jerry Dlamini, lecturer and researcher specialising in agronomy within the Department of Soil, Crop, and Climate Sciences at the University of the Free State (UFS), is at the forefront of pioneering research in this field.

Greenhouse gas emissions represent a significant global concern, driving climate change on a massive scale. This concern is particularly pronounced in rainfed agriculture, where understanding and addressing these emissions are crucial for ensuring sustainable agricultural practices.

In South Africa, rainfed agriculture is vital in food production, contributing substantially to the nation's agricultural output. However, this sector also stands as a notable contributor to greenhouse gas emissions, primarily through activities such as livestock farming, fertiliser use, and changes in land use.

Dr Jerry Dlamini, a distinguished lecturer and researcher specialising in agronomy within the Department of Soil, Crop, and Climate Sciences at the University of the Free State (UFS), is leading pioneering research in this field. His current project, @CROPGas on X, funded by the European Joint Programme (EPJ), with a budget of R22 million, focuses on investigating the impact of various conservation agriculture interventions on greenhouse gas emissions, primarily targeting nitrous oxide (N2O), methane (CH4), and carbon dioxide (CO2).

This two-year project, which commenced in December 2022 and concludes in December 2024, is a collaborative effort between European and African universities and institutions, including Rothamsted Research (UK), University College Dublin (Ireland), University of Nottingham (UK), University of Poznan (Poland), British Geological Surveys (BGS), University of Zambia (Zambia), University of Zimbabwe, and Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources (Malawi).

Dr Dlamini’s preliminary findings from the UFS Kenilworth Experimental Farm indicate that climate-smart agriculture interventions, such as legume rotation and no-till practices, have the potential to reduce the intensity of greenhouse gas emissions, particularly highly radiative gases like N2O.

“This is a significant finding,” Dr Dlamini noted, “as N2O has a global warming potential 100 times greater than CO2 over a 100-year horizon, meaning its impact on ozone depletion persists far longer despite being emitted in smaller quantities.”

Looking ahead, Dr Dlamini advocates for increased research efforts to quantify greenhouse gas emissions from South African croplands. He emphasises the importance of field-based measurements, akin to methodologies employed by other nations, to enhance the accuracy and effectiveness of South Africa's greenhouse gas inventories submitted annually to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and to devise effective mitigation strategies.

News Archive

UFS ICT Services mentioned among global PeopleSoft pioneers

2017-10-23

Andrew Jusjong, Chief Officer: ICT, one of the main drivers
of PeopleSoft at the UFS.
Photo: Rulanzen Martin

At the beginning of his term, the Rector and Vice-Chancellor of the University of the Free State (UFS), Prof Francis Petersen, mentioned to parents and prospective students the importance of the UFS being recognised globally as innovators.

This month, Information and Communication Technology Services (ICT Services) were recognised by Oracle as one of the PeopleSoft Innovators at the Oracle OpenWorld (an international conference regarding all Oracle products) for deploying student self-service, using PeopleSoft Campus Solutions’ new Fluid user interface.

Andrew Jusjong, Chief Officer: ICT, says, “This solution allows dynamic administrative setup regarding available degrees, customised messages, dynamic required degree-specific documentation, and integration with the Applications and Admissions module.” He says it also includes self-service functionality that allows students to track the status of their applications, and provide additional documentation required for their study choices.

“The UFS is the only innovator in the European, Middle-Eastern and African region. Considering that the development team at the UFS is much smaller than their international counterparts, this illustrates that we do not have to stand back for our international peers regarding service delivery and the quality of service to our customers,” he says.

The PeopleSoft Innovator awards are presented to companies that are taking advantage of the latest capabilities and technologies provided by Oracle PeopleSoft in order to transform their businesses and their IT practices, while also providing benefits to the business and end users. The UFS has been making use of PeopleSoft applications since 2004. It currently makes use of three applications:

- PeopleSoft Financials for procurement, budgeting, billing, asset management, general ledger, journals, provisioning, payroll, commitment control, ad hoc claims, travel and expenses, and maintenance management.
- PeopleSoft Human Capital Management for HR data processes, recruitment, workforce management, remuneration management, leave management, employee self-service, and other HR activities; and
- PeopleSoft Campus Solutions for student lifecycle management, applications and admissions, curriculum management, programme enrolment, student records, student financials (accounts), financial aid, graduation, alumni management, graduate research management, residences, and student self-service.

In the Higher Education sector, PeopleSoft is being used by over 900 campuses in 34 countries, across six continents. “This means that recognition was given to the university on a global platform,” says Jusjong.

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