CoE-FS, University of Hohenheim partner in new centre of excellence, UKUDLA

Published October 31, 2024, by CoE-FS

The DSI-NRF Centre of Excellence in Food Security (CoE-FS) has announced its partnership with the University of Hohenheim (UHOH) to lead the establishment of the “Centre of Excellence for Sustainable and Resilient Food Systems and Applied Agricultural and Food Data Science”, also known as “UKUDLA”.

Following a competitive call for proposals by the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD), UKUDLA’s establishment marks significant international collaboration led by DAAD, alongside the UHOH in Germany, and four African partner universities. The University of the Western Cape (UWC) is the South African host institution, while the University of Pretoria and the University of Agriculture and Natural Resources in Lilongwe, Malawi are the partners. The University of Mpumalanga (UMP) is an affiliated member.

From January 2025, DAAD will support the aim and activities of the Centre, which is to enhance the training of young scientists in the domain of applied and transdisciplinary research. To do so, UKUDLA will offer digital teaching and supervision for doctoral students, postdoctoral researchers, and early-career scientists at participating universities in Southern Africa, in alignment with international standards.

The acronym “UKUDLA” reflects the Nguni translation of the Centre’s title, and is the isiZulu, siSwati and Ndebele word for “food”. The Centre will place emphasis on capacity building, research, and the dissemination of research findings to stakeholders in science, business, politics, and civil society.

Empowering the academic community through data science

Support for the Centre comes through funding totalling nearly 6.5 million euros, provided by the German Federal Foreign Office, the Federal Ministry of Education and Research, and the Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture. Funding will cover operational and research initiatives through 2029.

As part of the programme, two research chairs will also be established: a chair in data science at UWC and a chair in sustainable agriculture at UMP. The National Research Foundation is supporting the establishment of the Chair at UMP.

Prof Ndiko Ludidi, Dean of Agriculture and Natural Sciences at the University of Mpumalanga and CoE-FS principal investigator, addresses the UKUDLA team. Photo Ross Jansen/CoE-FS.

Professor Julian May, director of the CoE-FS and UKUDLA’s South Africa-based Principal Investigator, highlighted the Centre’s role in advancing agricultural and nutritional sciences within the region: “This Centre will focus on sustainable, resilient food systems by leveraging applied data science.

“Our mission is to generate knowledge that not only empowers the academic community, but also supports economic, policy, and civil society initiatives in Southern Africa.”

Impactful, solution-driven science

Prof Julian May, the CoE-FS’s director, will serve as the South Africa-based Principal Investigator. Photo Ross Jansen/CoE-FS.

By fostering cross-border partnerships, the Centre aims to drive innovative, evidence-based solutions to food security challenges facing the region. It will act as a platform for collaboration between researchers and practitioners, allowing for a dynamic exchange of knowledge, resources, and ideas.

“With a focus on improving food security in Southern Africa through research, data, and innovation, this initiative highlights the partners’ dedication to impactful, solution-driven science,” said Professor May.