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Pioneering solutions through the Green Futures Hub

16 January 2025 | Story Dr Cindé Greyling | Photo Supplied

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

International speakers discuss diversity

2014-02-11

Dr Charles Alexander from UCLA
Photo: O'Ryan Heideman

International and local experts recently gathered on the Bloemfontein Campus to deliberate over the topic of diversity.

Student participation and mobility dramatically increased in higher education worldwide. Cultural, political, economic and social factors on a national and global scale, have brought the reality of diversity into the operational spaces of Higher Education Institutions. These challenges are not exclusive to South Africa, though. In the Netherlands and USA, universities are also challenged by the demands of an increasingly diverse student population.

Prof Jonathan Jansen, Vice-Chancellor and Rector of the UFS, acted as one of the keynote speakers during a two-day colloquium hosted by the Institute for Reconciliation and Social Justice. In an impelling address, Prof Jansen argued that change cannot be affected on a university campus if the surrounding community does not change as well. He also noted the spread of a culture of silence surrounding issues of misbehaviour. He urged that we need to find courage again to speak out. From the level of government, media and churches to the private spaces of our homes, we have to co-create an environment of care.

This message closely tied in with that of Prof Shirley Tate’s from the University of Leeds. In her keynote, she asserted that mere tolerance of someone different from you can lead to even more alienation. The path to true reconciliation is grounded in the intimacy of friendship. Friendship and empathy lead to trust and transcend racism.

Another keynote speaker from abroad, Dr Charles Alexander from the University of California, delineated a model for inclusive excellence. He explained that the major problem of true transformation is not due to a lack of ideas, but in the implementation thereof. “Realities of implementation short circuit the change process,” he said. He explained how campus environments can adapt in order to support and enhance lasting inclusivity.

We have to become complicit in the process of transformation, Prof Dr Ghorashi, Professor of Diversity and Integration at the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, conveyed. Linking up with the issue of silence, she demonstrated the power of speaking out, using examples from her extensive research among victims of violence. It is imperative, she maintains, that for transformation to materialise, we need to create safe spaces in which we can share our vulnerabilities.

Footnote: Due to unfortunate circumstances, both Prof Dr Ghorashi and Prof Shirley Tate could not personally attend the colloquium as planned. Their respective keynotes were read to the audience on their behalf.

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