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09 February 2024 | Story EDZANI NEPHALELA | Photo SUPPLIED
Jerry Dlamini
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. 

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Private screening of Soft Vengeance: Albie Sachs and the New South Africa by Abby Ginzberg
2014-03-26

Soft Vengeance: Albie Sachs and the New South Africa, a film by Abby Ginzberg, was recently screened at the Odeion. The film is based on the life of Albie Sachs as lawyer, political activist, writer and art lover. 

Judge Sachs’ career in human rights activism started while studying law at the University of Cape Town. In 1955 he attended the Congress of the People at Kliptown where the Freedom Charter was adopted. At age 23 he started to practice as an advocate at the Cape Town Bar and defended people charged under the racial statutes and security laws of apartheid.

The film captures his tough life experiences, ranging from political imprisonment and torture, life in exile, to being a judge in the Constitutional Court and his ability to communicate human dimensions about legal matters. This same quality is highlighted in his judicial opinions on topics such as capital punishment, the rights of homeless people and same-sex marriages.

The screening of the film was hosted by the Vice-Chancellor and Rector, Prof Jonathan Jansen, with the Institute for Reconciliation and Social Justice and the Archive for Contemporary Affairs.

Judge Albie Sachs attended the screening and was be available to answer questions afterwards.

For more information, contact the Archive for Contemporary Affairs: Mrs Huibre Lombaard huibre@ufs.ac.za or Mrs Ernene Verster ernene@ufs.ac.za.

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