An independent advisory panel of agricultural experts is at the helm of one of South Africa’s most ambitious experiments in sustainable farming. This panel plays a decisive role in shaping the vision, trials, and daily operations of the North-West University’s (NWU) new Centre for Sustainable Agriculture—a bold initiative designed to meet the country’s urgent need for resilient, productive, and environmentally responsible farming systems.

What sets this panel apart is not only its independence from the university but also the breadth and depth of its expertise. It includes:

· Dr Hendrik Smith, Conservation Agriculture Facilitator at Grain SA, whose work spans national training, advocacy, and research in soil health and minimum-tillage systems. His deep knowledge of conservation principles directly informs the centre’s reduced-tillage and cover-cropping trials.

· Prof Pieter Swanepoel, Associate Professor and Chair of Agronomy at Stellenbosch University, specialises in conservation agriculture, ecological intensification, and regenerative farming. His research integrates soil, water, nutrient, crop, and animal systems to advance sustainable production in Mediterranean-climate regions. He is widely published, supervises MSc and PhD students, and provides agronomic insights to national industry bodies, positioning him as a leading voice in sustainable cropping systems and agroecosystem management.

· Juta Mentz from Laeveld Agrochem, a veteran in the agrochemical sector with extensive experience in integrated crop protection and nutrient management. He guides the design and calibration of fertiliser application plans, pest control measures, and biological treatments in the experimental plots.

· Prof Johann Strauss, research agronomist at the Western Cape Department of Agriculture and affiliated professor at Stellenbosch University, whose long-term trials at Elsenburg have made him a leading authority in crop rotation, soil quality, and systems thinking. His insights are shaping how the NWU evaluates the long-term impact of regenerative practices.

· Cobus van Coller, a progressive regional farmer and practitioner of regenerative agriculture, who brings frontline experience in integrating cover crops, biological inputs, and livestock into no-till systems. His contribution ensures that the research remains grounded in real-world farming realities.

Together, these experts provide strategic direction, scrutinise data, and help the NWU adapt its trials to reflect both current on-farm challenges and emerging innovations. “Their collective expertise ensures that the systems we test—from conventional monoculture maize to rotational and regenerative systems—are both regionally relevant and forward-looking,” says Prof Gerhard du Preez, project lead at the NWU Centre for Sustainable Agriculture.

“The panel is our go-to body for day-to-day trial management decisions and long-term strategy. We meet regularly, including after each harvest, to review practices, yields, and outcomes, and to plan adjustments for the next season. Their input has been vital in aligning the trial with real-world farming systems while testing promising innovations for the future of agriculture in our region.”

Situated just four kilometres from the Potchefstroom Campus, the Centre for Sustainable Agriculture rose rapidly from bare grassland into a working experimental farm between September 2024 and early 2025. Equipped with no-till planters, a combine harvester, and upgraded with digital precision mapping, the farm functions as a live laboratory for sustainable agricultural practices.

It serves dual purposes: providing field-based training for BSc Agriculture students and conducting rigorous long-term research into sustainable farming systems. The centre’s flagship trial is a comparative study of seven production systems—ranging from conventional maize monocultures to diversified rotations with cover crops, silvopasture (such as pecan trees with grazing), and livestock integration.

Unlike many traditional research setups, this trial does not promote a one-size-fits-all solution. Instead, it generates robust local evidence on yield, input efficiency, economic returns, and adaptability. All data are logged via AgMatix, a cloud-based agronomic platform, with oversight from the expert panel ensuring methodological rigour and relevance.

Beyond its long-term trials, the centre supports short-term experiments and product evaluations in collaboration with agri-business partners. Demonstration plots, input comparisons, and registration trials are complemented by guest lectures and knowledge-sharing events, giving students a first-hand glimpse into cutting-edge technology and real-world application.

The next development phase is ambitious: expanding into precision-irrigated winter crops on newly acquired 32 ha of water rights, building on-site laboratories and storage facilities, and launching rotating workspaces and training venues to support capacity-building workshops. This expansion will further enable the centre to offer mentorship, short courses, and partnerships aimed at empowering black and smallholder farmers with access to viable commercial pathways.

In a country where agriculture must balance food security, profitability, and environmental health, the NWU’s Centre for Sustainable Agriculture stands out as a model of collaborative, evidence-based innovation—with the advisory panel ensuring that every seed sown and every lesson taught contributes meaningfully to a more resilient farming future.

Cobus van Coller

Dr Hendrik Smith

Prof Gerhard du Preez

Prof Pieter Swanepoel

Juta Mentz

Prof Johann Strauss