FNAS

Prof Klaus Kellner to serve on committee for sustainable land management

Prof Klaus Kellner from the North-West University (NWU) was recently appointed by the Director General of the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE) to serve on the Project Steering Committee (PSC) of the 7th Global Environmental Facility (GEF) funded project.

The GEF-funded project falls within the Land Degradation focal area and is titled “Mainstreaming sustainable land management (SLM) for large-scale impact in grazing lands of the Limpopo and Northern Cape provinces in South Africa”.

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Fortunate’s passion for herpetology takes him to Brazil

Postdoctoral researcher Fortunate Mafeta Phaka recently represented the North-West University (NWU) at the 10th Brazilian Herpetology Congress that took place in Porto Seguro.

This is the largest herpetology event in Brazil, bringing together researchers, students and professionals in the field to discuss the latest discoveries and trends. The event featured lectures, short courses, presentations, symposiums, exhibitions and much more.

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ESKOM Science Expo: Nurturing young innovators

The ESKOM Science Expo is a regional contest proudly sponsored by the North-West University's (NWU's) Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences and the Department of Education. The Dr Kenneth Kaunda district municipality recently played home to this year's event, which was held in the Weet and Sweet Hall on the NWU's Potchefstroom Campus.

This annual event serves as a platform for young scientists from primary and secondary schools to present their innovative research in the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).

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4IR and its impact on academia and curricula development

The Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) has ushered in rapid progress that is fundamentally reshaping various facets of human life, including career opportunities and educational methodologies. Kurt Naicker, senior lecturer and chartered accountant from the North-West University’s (NWU’s) School of Accounting Sciences, delves into the ongoing discourse surrounding advanced process automation and machine learning.

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Inaugural lecture examines the vital role of indigenous knowledge

In his inaugural lecture on 14 September, North-West University (NWU) academic Prof Adeyemi Oladapo Aremu shed light on the significance of indigenous knowledge and its role in medicine.

He delivered his lecture titled "Indigenous knowledge: Connecting plants, people, and everything in between" on the Mahikeng Campus.

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NWU hosts successful regional conference on sustainability

The North-West University’s (NWU’s) School of Social Sciences played host to the successful Planetary Utilisation of Sustainability Strategies (PLUS) Southern African Regional Conference from 11 to 13 September at its Mahikeng Campus.

The conference, themed "Land, Landscape, Local Knowledge, and the Pursuit of Sustainable Ontologies," brought together experts, postgraduate students, and thought leaders to discuss pressing issues related to sustainability.

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Africa’s stomach is empty and the hunger is growing

The continent is ravaged by a host of factors inhibiting food security and is trapped in what a recent report by the World Bank calls “the perfect storm”. Its consequences are disastrous. The Covid-19 pandemic was followed by the war in the Ukraine, which has led to severe food and fertiliser shortages. Now, Africa is in the midst of a tempest of increased debt and inflation, as well as the effects of climate change. The World Bank states that at least one in five Africans goes to bed hungry, and that about 140 million people in Africa are in a food insecurity stranglehold.

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