By Michelle van der Spuy
The National Science and Technology Forum joined hands with the Agricultural Research Council (ARC) this year to make the ARC Award part of the NSTF-South32 Awards for the first time.
The NSTF-South32 Awards are known in South Africa as the “Oscars of science”. It is the largest, most comprehensive and prestigious award of its kind in the country. It has been awarded since 1998 to people who have made outstanding contributions to science, technology and engineering.
The new ARC Award recognises outstanding contributions to sustainable agricultural management, knowledge generation and solutions by an individual or a team over the past five to ten years.
The first nominees for this new award are as follows:
The University of Pretoria’s (UP) Department of Animal Science for its contribution to the sustainable production of animal proteins in Africa. Prof. Carina Visser, associate professor, is head of this department.
Prof. Olaniyi Amos Fawole, who holds the chair in the University of Johannesburg (UJ) Department of Science, Technology and Innovation, as well as the National Research Foundation’s South African Research Chair Initiative for Sustainable Conservation and Agro-Processing Research. He is the founding director of UJ’s Research Centre for Post-Harvest and Agro-Processing. He is also an Extraordinary Professor at Stellenbosch University (SU) and a Visiting Professor at the University of Bari Aldo in Italy. Fawole was nominated for his important research on sustainable post-harvest technology and agro-processing, which promotes both food security and the sustainability of the agricultural sector.
Dr Mahlatse Kganyago, senior lecturer in UJ’s Department of Geography, Environmental Management and Energy Studies, who was nominated for his use of space technology and artificial intelligence to provide greater insight into agricultural systems and promote food security.
(Read more about Dr Mahlatse Kganyago.)
Prof. Lise Korsten, a professor of plant health and food safety at UP and co-director of the National Research Forum and Department of Science, Technology and Innovation’s Centre of Excellence for Food Security. She is also the president of the African Academy of Science. She was nominated for her contribution to transforming food safety by combining scientific and practical solutions to protect fresh produce and public health across Africa.
Prof. Stephanie Midgley, a specialist scientist in climate change at the Western Cape Department of Agriculture, as well as extraordinary associate professor in horticultural science at SU. She was nominated for her contribution to climate adaptation and resilience in the agricultural sector.
The winners will be announced at a gala function on 31 July. A full list of the nominations for all categories is available at: https://nstf.org.za/current-nominees/
