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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 shines in MBA survey

2006-10-25

Here are Prof Tienie Crous (Dean: Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences at the UFS) and Prof Helena van Zyl (Director of the UFS School of Management) with a copy of the Financial Mail.
Photo: Leonie Bolleurs

UFS shines in MBA survey
According to a recent survey published in the Financial Mail, the MBA programme presented by the School of Management at the University of the Free State (UFS) was rated jointly second best in the country by its graduates in terms of quality and standard.
The UFS MBA Programme was also rated fourth best by its graduates in terms of relevance to their business.

“I am overwhelmed and very proud that the School of Management, although we are a young school and have only been in existence for 7 (seven) years, has been rated so high by our graduandi. The School contributes in a very special way to much-needed business training in central South Africa,” said Prof Helena van Zyl, Director of the UFS School of Management.

“According to the survey, we have the lowest acceptance rate of applicants for the MBA programme, with only 33 students being accepted out of every 100 who apply. In general, we do not compromise on quality – as stated by our slogan: Be worth more. Given the quality of the programme, our MBA is very affordable – it offers real value for money,” said Prof van Zyl.

According to Prof van Zyl, the School of Management has had an increase the past 6 (six) months in enquiries from prospective students from Gauteng who are interested in studying the MBA programme. “They are even prepared to travel to Bloemfontein to attend classes,” she said.

This year Financial Mail moved away from an overall MBA ranking to a detailed consideration of subject area strengths for each business school in South Africa. The subject Strategy offered at the UFS School of Management was rated second in the country while the subject Economics also received the same rating.

“The School of Management is the flagship of the Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences. It gives the UFS and this faculty a standing in corporate South Africa. This is largely due to Prof Helena van Zyl’s strategy to position the school and making it visible on a national level,” said Prof Tienie Crous, Dean: Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences at the UFS.

According to Prof Crous, the UFS School of Management provides students with opportunities to obtain first-hand experience of how big and successful companies are managed. “For instance, our MBA students undertake an overseas study tour every year. This year they visited amongst others the headquarters of Airbus in Toulouse, France and next year they will be visiting the headquarters of Toyota and Yamaha in Japan,” said Prof Crous.

Media release
Issued by: Lacea Loader
Media Representative
Tel: (051) 401-2584
Cell: 083 645 2454
E-mail: loaderl.stg@mail.uovs.ac.za
24 October 2006

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