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International partners visit the UFS to advance agricultural business and sustainability

30 January 2025 | Story Martinette Brits | Photo Barend Nagel

The University of the Free State (UFS) recently hosted a group of distinguished international partners as part of the MASSTER project (Managing (South) Africa and Senegal Sustainability Targets through Economic-diversification of Rural-areas). Funded by the European Union Erasmus programme (Project ID 101129023), the project aims to support the agricultural sector in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) and Senegal by addressing pressing issues such as rural migration, food security, and sustainable development.

What is the MASSTER Project?

Launched in early 2024, the MASSTER project is an ambitious initiative designed to enhance agricultural development and economic diversification in rural areas across SSA, with a particular focus on Senegal and South Africa. According to Prof Corli Witthuhn from the Department of Sustainable Food Systems and Development at UFS, who serves as the project’s coordinator, researcher and trainer, MASSTER seeks to make a lasting impact on the sector.

“Agriculture plays a vital role in these regions, contributing up to 40% of GDP and providing livelihoods for over 70% of the population. However, challenges such as rural-urban migration and underutilised agricultural potential hinder the growth of this crucial sector,” explains Prof Witthuhn.

By offering innovative training and educational tools to farmers and agricultural students, the project aims to bridge these gaps. It involves higher education institutions (HEIs) in community development and focuses on the intersection of agriculture and migration. In doing so, MASSTER contributes to key Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including zero hunger, quality education, decent work, and economic growth.

Key objectives of the MASSTER Project

MASSTER collaborates with six partner HEIs in Senegal and South Africa to tackle pressing agricultural and migration challenges. The project focuses on:

Assisting local farmers in implementing income-generating activities.
Supporting extension services in delivering relevant training programmes that emphasise economic sustainability.
Helping municipalities manage economic migration, particularly from rural areas.

To achieve these objectives, MASSTER analyses the risk factors that drive migration and those that prevent it, designing training programmes that empower current and future farmers to generate income. It also provides Training of Trainers (TOT) to HEIs and extension services, equipping them with skills to deliver impactful training sessions. Additionally, the project helps HEIs develop comprehensive migration management strategies that foster a whole-of-society approach linking agriculture and migration policies.

A global collaborative effort

The MASSTER project brings together a diverse consortium of partners from Senegal, South Africa and Europe, including:

Senegal: Université Du Sine Saloum El-Hâdj Ibrahima Niass Kaolack (USSEIN), Université Gaston Berger Saint- Louis (UGB), Université Assane Seck de Ziguinchor (UASZ), Interprofessional Center for Training in Agriculture (CIFA)
South Africa: University of the Free State (UFS), Stellenbosch University (SU), Tshwane University of Technology (TUT), South African Society for Agricultural Extension (SASAE)
Germany: Hochschule Weihenstephan-Triesdorf (HSWT)
France: Universite D’Aix-Marseille (AMU)
Italy: University of Naples Federico II (UNINA)
Serbia: Academy of Professional Studies South Serbia and Western Balkans Institute

Benefits for the University of the Free State

The MASSTER project presents significant opportunities for the UFS. It enables researchers to collaborate with international partners on groundbreaking research that addresses urgent agricultural challenges. Prof Witthuhn highlights that the project also provides valuable third-stream funding for the UFS research initiatives, strengthening the university’s broader academic and community development efforts.

Additionally, UFS researchers gain hands-on experience in European Union grant administration, potentially paving the way for future EU-funded projects. The project fosters direct engagement with local farming communities by offering training that empowers farmers and promotes rural development. Moreover, it enhances the university’s expertise in agricultural sustainability and migration management.

Partners’ visit to UFS

The recent visit by MASSTER project partners to the UFS marked a key milestone in this collaboration. During their stay, the group participated in various activities, including farm visits and discussions aimed at advancing the project’s objectives.

News Archive

UFS Physics Research Chair receives more funding

2017-11-20

Prof Hendrik Swart, Senior Researcher Professor in the
Department of Physics at UFS.
Photo: Charl Devenish

A research project into low-energy lighting using phosphor materials for light emitting diodes (LEDs) at the Department of Physics at the University of the Free State (UFS) has received further recognition.

The South African Research Chairs Initiative (SARChi) has awarded further funding for the Research Chair in Solid State Luminescent and Advanced Materials situated in the department. Prof Hendrik Swart, a Senior Research Professor in the Department of Physics, says this means that the Chair will carry on receiving funds from SARChi for another five years. The Initiative also awarded Prof Swart in 2012 for the research, which resulted in funding for equipment and among others, bursaries.

Better light emission in LED’s
The research focuses on better light emission of phosphor powers in LEDs. It is also looking into improving LED displays in flat screens. The research into solar cells has shown that phosphors can also increase their efficiency by increasing the range of light frequencies, which convert into electricity. It also entails that glow-in-the-dark coatings absorb light during the day and emit it at night.

Prof Swart says over the next five years the research will focus on developing and producing devices that emit better light using the substances already developed. “We need to make small devices to see if they are better than those we already have.” In practical terms, it means they want a farmer’s water pump that works with solar energy to work better with less energy input.”

Device that simulates sunlight
Prof Swart says the renewal of the Chair’s funding means the department can now get equipment to enhance its research such as a solar simulator. The solar simulator uses white LEDs whose intensity output and wavelengths can be tuned. The output is measured in number of suns. It enables researchers to work in a laboratory with a device that simulates sunlight.

According to Prof Swart the long-term benefit of the research will result in more environmentally friendly devices which use less energy, are brighter and give a wider viewing field.

About 10 postdoctoral researchers are working on the studies done by the Chair in collaboration with the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research.

The Research Chair Initiative aims to improve the research capacity at public universities to produce high-quality postgraduate students, research and innovative outputs. The criterion for evaluating the department’s Chair includes aspects such as how much development has occurred over the past five years. The assessors look at features such as the number of students the research entity has trained and how many publications the research team has produced.

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