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Green Futures Hub
Prof Wayne Truter, who is leading the Green Futures Hub at the UFS, highlights that mining and agriculture are important yet competing industries in South Africa. The hub aims to find sustainable ways for them to coexist.

Our earth is very resilient, and a green future is possible, but we must make changes. At the forefront of this mission is the Green Futures Hub, spearheaded by Prof Wayne Truter at the UFS. Prof Truter holds a PhD in Integrated Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, with more than 25 years of experience. He is a leader in the field of forage, pasture, and land regeneration – particularly those impacted by mining. 

The Green Futures Hub is a virtual platform that bridges academic research and industry gaps, aiming to solve real-world challenges with scientific insights. It is designed to showcase and integrate the research happening across various disciplines at the University of the Free State (UFS), making it accessible to industry and communities alike. “People often lose faith in academic institutions, thinking that the research done there has no practical value,” Prof Truter notes. “The Green Futures Hub aims to change that by making scientific findings accessible and relevant to daily life.” 

This platform offers a unique opportunity for industries to connect with researchers working on solutions related to climate change, sustainable agriculture, or environmental rehabilitation. “Our hub is a space where industries can come to us with their challenges, and we can offer solutions based on research,” Prof Truter explains. “It’s about creating real impact.” 

Collaboration and integration are central to the Green Futures Hub’s approach. “Through interdisciplinary collaboration and a commitment to environmental stewardship, we want to develop solutions to the complex development challenges related to ecosystems, agroecosystems, water resources, biodiversity, infrastructure, and communities,” says Prof Truter. 

One of the hub’s projects that is close to Prof Truter’s heart, is the future coexistence of mining and agriculture. Mining and agriculture are two important industries in South Africa, often competing for land. However, the hub seeks to bridge this gap by exploring how these industries can coexist sustainably.  

“The future coexistence of mining and agriculture is critical,” says Prof Truter. “While mining often uses the land intensively, they have the responsibility and capability to rehabilitate it for agricultural use, ensuring that it is as productive – if not more – than it was before. Farmers and miners have much to gain from each other,” he explains. “By partnering with industries, we can help rehabilitate the land that has been mined, and in turn, farmers can harness and bring back the productivity to that land with the financial inputs of mining companies.” 

Prof Truter also emphasises the importance of science communication. “We need to do better at communicating the value of the research we’re doing. Many times, industries don’t understand the significance of what we’re working on because it’s not explained in a way that resonates with them. The hub ensures that research findings are accessible, understandable, and applicable to real-world issues.”  

The Green Futures Hub is more than just a research platform; it is a testament to the power of collaboration between academia and industry. “We’re not just conducting research,” Prof Truter concludes, “we’re developing solutions.” 

News Archive

UFS launches projects to assist communities and current students
2011-03-16

Prof. Jonathan Jansen, UFS Vice-Chancellor and Rector and Mr Rudi Buys, Dean: Student Affairs, with learners at the  Bloemfontein-Oos Intermediary School.
Photo: Stephen Collett

The University of the Free State (UFS) has launched four exciting projects set out to improve the circumstances of its current and prospective students. These include a project that will honour dedicated and influential educators.

These community service projects in the starting blocks are: the UFS Schools Partnership Project, Extreme Make-over Project, Great Teachers Project and the No Student Hungry Campaign.
 
The Schools Partnership Project aims to support 21 schools across the Free State in helping them to become top achievers in the next three to five years. The schools involved were selected last year, after which the groundwork for the project was finalised. Although it mainly focuses on improving scholars' results in mathematics, accounting, physical sciences and English, it is also custom-designed according to the specific needs of the school, as indicated by the respective governing bodies beforehand. As a bonus, scholars of the schools involved will be given an opportunity to be introduced to student life; something Dr Choice Makhetha, UFS Vice-Rector: External Relations (acting), claimed to be of great importance. “We will invite Grade 10 to 12 learners to winter and summer schools being presented at the university. We will connect learners with students (one student adopts one learner for the day) for them to experience campus life. Grade 12 learners will also receive an invitation to the May 2011 graduation ceremony,” Dr Makhetha said.
 
Adding to the university's involvement at schools on local level, the newly upgraded Bloemfontein-Oos Intermediary School with its 112 UFS-sponsored tables will officially be revealed by the end of April. Although this school's upgrade showcases the power of partnerships, it is of special importance to the university, as it also marks the first school to receive an extreme make-over as part of the 'Extreme Make-over for Schools Project'. This project, in conjunction with the local business community, university staff and students, the community, the Department of Basic Education and SIFE (Students in Free Enterprise), is considered to be a flagship project of the Vice-Chancellor and Rector, Prof. Jonathan Jansen. Part of the project’s agreement includes visits from a group of about 100 students representing campus initiatives such as the UFS’s Kovscom, Rag and SIFE, which will contribute to the improvement of the schools' resources within a period of 10 – 15 weekends. “We invite support from all corners. South Africa has a business community committed to improving the social circumstances of its community and we plead that they also come to the rescue of the Bloemfontein-Oos Intermediary School,” said Dr Makhetha.
 
By spreading a 'can do' attitude, the UFS aims to honour noble and remarkable teachers across the country by means of its 'Great teacher's project'. Through the project, fellow citizens are encouraged to submit their stories on their former or current teachers’ dedication and their positive impact which are often overlooked. The panel of seasoned education scholars and practitioners will select the top 500 stories based on the stories' clarity, distinctiveness, plausibility and affectability, which will be perpetuated in a book called 'Great Teachers', to be released at the end of this year. Proceeds are destined to serve as bursaries for students who wish to pursue a career in education. According to Prof. Jansen the ideal teacher is: “Somebody who was among, but stood out above, their colleagues, a person who made a lasting impact long after the details of subject matter content of examination preparation were forgotten.”
 
Regardless of this exceptional effort of supporting schools across the province, the UFS remains committed to its students and their social welfare by means of the 'No student hungry' campaign. This project provides financially challenged students the opportunity to purchase food from the Thakaneng Bridge on the Main Campus in Bloemfontein by using their student cards at two selected kiosks serving balanced meals. The project, which is under the guardianship of Ms Grace Jansen and Dr Carin Buys, relies solely on several fund-raising projects across the country. These women are the respective spouses of the Rector and Dean: Student Affairs, Mr Rudi Buys. According to Ms Jansen this initiative was proposed after UFS staff reported that many students were struggling to concentrate on their studies due to hunger pangs. Although the campaign recognizes students with strong academic records, it doesn't overlook those who need a food bursary which might result in them dropping out. Ms Jansen said as the external funds gathered increase, so will the amount of students being supported by the project. “The plan is to continue until the fate of hungry students had come to an end,” she said.
 

Media Release
14 March 2011
Issued by: Lacea Loader
Director: Strategic Communication
Tel: 051 401 2584
Cell: 083 645 2454
E-mail: news@ufs.ac.za

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