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Initiative will position the UFS as a leader in circularity in agriculture

04 April 2025 | Story Andre Damons | Photo Supplied

Prof Wayne Truter, Research Professor at the UFS Centre for Mineral Biogeochemistry, and Executive Management of the UFS Green Futures Hub.

Hosting the South African Circular Agriculture Initiative (SACAI) – an initiative of the Department of Science, Technology and Innovation’s (DSTI) – will help position the Green Futures Hub at the University of the Free State (UFS) as a leader in circularity in agriculture.

The UFS Green Futures Hub was selected to host the SACAI from 1 January 2025-31 March 2026. The funding received will be used to conduct workshops with stakeholders to develop a strategy to strengthen South Africa’s science, technology, and innovation for a circular economy in the agriculture sector.

The SACAI, under the leadership of Prof Wayne Truter, Research Professor at the UFS Centre for Mineral Biogeochemistry, and Executive Management of the UFS Green Futures Hub, aims to advance the principles of the circular economy and modernise agriculture in line with the South African government's aspirations. These goals are outlined in the Science, Technology, and Innovation (STI) Decadal Plan (2022-2032) and the Circular Economy STI Strategy.

Elevating the UFS’ visibility

The UFS Green Future Hub is a virtual platform in the Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences (NAS), to facilitate integration and leverage capabilities to facilitate third stream funding and industry collaboration. It provides an interface and support structure for researchers to engage with funders and partners through the Hub.

Prof Truter says it is a great honour and privilege to have been awarded this initiative. “The funding that comes with SACAI will elevate our visibility in agriculture in the country and will help position Green Futures Hub as a leader in circularity in agriculture. A key objective of SACAI is to leverage science, technology, and innovation to enhance the value of the national system of innovation (NSI) within the agriculture sector.

“The initiative will align with the priorities set out in the Circular Economy STI Strategy (2024-2034), focusing on resource efficiency, regenerative agriculture, sustainable agro-processing, and biorefinery development in South Africa. Through collaborations with other public research institutions, the hub will drive STI implementation in these critical areas,” says Prof Truter.

Objectives of SACAI

The objective of SACAI is to give effect to the (i) circular economy, and (ii) modernising agriculture, aspirations of the South African government. The SACAI aims to advance the principles of the circular economy and modernise agriculture in line with the South African government’s aspirations.

Simultaneously, Prof Truter explains, the objectives of the SACAI align with the vision of the UFS Green Futures Hub to be a global leader in advancing the understanding and application of sustainable practices for life with land and water, in developing contexts. By leveraging the latest advancements in research, technology, and innovation, the hub aims to create a thriving future where communities harmonise with natural and agricultural environments, ensuring the well-being of current and future generations, which has a particular focus on modernising agriculture and capacity development.

Through STI, the SACAI will support the South African agriculture sector to adopt, scale and accelerate circular practices and technology. The SACAI will act through a hub-and-spoke model, to build and strengthen a national system of innovation, and associated capability, and will establish and strengthen strategic regional and international STI partnerships, to directly support industry and other sector stakeholders, serving as a facilitator of relevant research and related outputs.

UFS’ Vision 130

“A South African Circular Agricultural Initiative perfectly aligns with our research-led, student-centred, and regionally engaged university by driving innovation and knowledge production in sustainable agriculture. This initiative will enable the university to contribute to development and social justice by advancing circular farming practices that reduce waste, optimise resources, and promote environmental sustainability, particularly in rural areas.

“This fosters greater food security and resilience, benefiting marginalised communities, and addressing social inequalities within the agricultural sector. By involving our students, this initiative will directly support the student-centred approach, offering hands-on learning experiences that equip graduates with cutting-edge skills in circular economy principles,” says Prof Truter.

The university’s Vision 130 focus on diversity, inclusion, and equity is reflected in the initiative’s emphasis on sharing knowledge and resources equitably, ensuring maximum societal impact and advancing a more just and sustainable agricultural system across South Africa.

Prof Vasu Reddy, UFS Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Research and Internationalisation, says: “This accolade speaks volumes of the calibre of our scholars and the recognition of our expertise in the agricultural domain. The UFS is exceptionally proud of Prof Truter’s drive, initiatives, vision and foresight. Under his leadership, we will augment and inflect even further our standing and position in the circular economy of agriculture. Reddy added: “We will not simply be the heartland but the growing soul and substance of what agriculture might become through research, implementation and impact. We are watching this space with deep curiosity.”

News Archive

UFS the only university in South Africa with a P-rated history researcher

2016-12-13

Dr Daniel Spence has been earmarked by the NRF
to become a future international leader in his field
of expertise.
Photo: Supplied

The University of the Free State (UFS) is the only university in South Africa with a P-rated History researcher. Dr Daniel Spence, a postdoctoral Research Fellow at the International Studies Group (IGS), and a member of the Vice-Chancellor’s Prestige Scholar’s Programme at the UFS, was last week awarded a National Research Foundation P-rating by the National Research Foundation (NRF). Dr Spence is the first South African historian to achieve this honour.

Leader of the pack
P-ratings are given to young researchers, usually under the age of 35, who have the potential to become leaders in their field. Researchers in this group are recognised by all, or the overwhelming majority of, reviewers as having demonstrated the potential to become future international leaders.

The rating is awarded on the basis of exceptional research performance and output from their doctoral and early postdoctoral research careers.

Other researchers from the UFS who obtained P-ratings in the past, are Prof Lodewyk Kock (1986), Prof Zakkie Pretorius (1989), and Prof Robert Schall (1991).

Extraordinary achievement lauded
“It is an extraordinary achievement. There are fewer P-ratings, than there are A-ratings,” said Prof Neil Roos, associate professor at the ISG. Prof Roos said the P-rating was seldom awarded to researchers within the field of Humanities.

As a member of the ISG, Dr Spence’s research has flourished under the guidance of Prof Ian Phimister. Much of the success of this group is due to the way it operates as an incubator for high-level research, with scholars collaborating with each other.

In addition to Dr Spence’s magnificent P-rating, the ISG currently has three C1-rated researchers (established researchers with a sustained recent record of productivity in their field) and two Y1-rated researchers (researchers 40 years old or younger, who are recognised by all reviewers as having the potential to establish themselves as future leaders in their fields).

“From the time Dr Spence wrote his doctoral thesis on the colonial history of the Royal Navy, he has expanded his field of expertise so that he can address imperial and global histories of race,” said Prof Roos.

Demonstrated research excellence
Dr Spence secured a postdoctoral Research Fellowship at the UFS to develop an African case study to augment his Asian and Caribbean research thesis into a monograph. In March 2013, Dr Spence won a three-year NRF Postdoctoral Innovation Scholarship, and learned Kiswahili ahead of archival research in Kenya and Tanzania from April to May of that year. He has conducted archival and oral research in Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Australia, Kenya, Zanzibar, the Cayman Islands, Trinidad, and the UK.

Internationally renowned
Dr Spence is the author of two monographies, the Colonial Naval culture and British imperialism, 1922-67 and A History of the Royal Navy: Empire and Imperialism. He has been invited to present papers and chair panels at over 20 international conferences, workshops and seminars.

The NRF rating system is a benchmarking system through which individuals who exemplify the highest standards of research, as well as those demonstrating strong potential as researchers, are identified by an extensive network of South African and international peer reviewers.

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