When smallholder farmers face agricultural challenges, who can they turn to for advice? The new Ask-a-Prof initiative of the North-West University’s (NWU’s) Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, in collaboration with the Zen Raseto Joint Venture, is at their service.
This pioneering programme is set to revolutionise agricultural support in the North West Province by providing farmers with real-time, expert guidance from leading university professors and researchers.
Addressing agricultural challenges in the North West Province
Agriculture is the backbone of the North West Province’s economy, yet many farmers, particularly smallholder farmers, face significant challenges. Limited access to expert advice, knowledge gaps in modern farming practices, and environmental uncertainties hinder agricultural productivity and sustainability. The Ask the Prof initiative seeks to bridge this gap by offering farmers direct access to academic expertise, helping them overcome obstacles in crop management, pest control, soil fertility, livestock health and climate adaptation.
How does the initiative work?
The Ask the Prof initiative is designed as a multi-platform support system, ensuring accessibility for all farmers:
· Online portal: Through a user-friendly web-based platform, farmers can submit questions, access expert responses and browse a knowledge base of common agricultural challenges and solutions.
· Mobile support: Recognising the limited internet access in some areas, farmers can submit questions via SMS or WhatsApp for direct responses from university experts.
· Radio interviews: Weekly radio presentations by experts will cover various agricultural topics including research done by the university.
· Workshops and on-site consultations: Regular in-person engagements will provide farmers with practical demonstrations and tailored advice to address complex farming issues.
The Zen Raseto Joint Venture comprises Neo Rampa and Jovi Chen who are business experts, partnering with Motlatsi Tolo, a farmer in the North West Province. The venture approached the NWU to partner with it in facilitating knowledge transfer and guidance through the rich base of agricultural experts from the university. It is anticipated that this
partnership will enhance the unique role of the NWU’s veterinary services in providing support to farmers in the North West.
“This initiative will be driven by university professors, lecturers and postgraduate students specialising in agricultural sciences, environmental sciences, economic and management sciences, and engineering,” says Neo.
“These experts will be available on a rotational basis across the various platforms to ensure comprehensive and specialised support to the farmers. Furthermore, the Ask the Prof initiative will document farmer queries, providing valuable data for academic research and helping shape future agricultural innovations,” he adds.
Expected impact
This initiative should yield short-term and long-term benefits to the farmers in the province, says Prof Sydney Mavengahama, an associate professor who specialises in agronomy and plant breeding and is one of the implementers of this initiative.
“It will assist farmers with short-term benefits that include immediate expert advice, leading to better farm management decisions, improved crop yields and enhanced operational efficiency. In the long term, the initiative is expected to foster a deeper collaboration between the NWU and the agricultural community, drive sustainable farming practices and contribute to economic growth in the region,” Prof Mavengahama says.
The Ask the Prof initiative marks an exciting step towards integrating academic knowledge with real-world agricultural needs. By making agricultural expert advice more accessible, this programme has the potential to transform farming practices and strengthen the agricultural sector in the North West Province.
For more information, stay connected with NWU’s Faculty of Natural and Agriculture Sciences, and following interviews on the NWU radio stations NWU FM (105.5) every Thursday at 17:15, and at Mahikeng FM (96.7) every Tuesday at 19:40.
