In 2022, the University of Fort Hare unveiled its new consolidated five-year strategic plan, titled “Towards a Decade of Renewal”. With the appointment of a new council and top management team, the university community embraced the concept of renewal.

The new strategic plan serves as a blueprint for the upcoming reconstruction efforts over the next five years to strengthen the university. It incorporates principles of transformation, equity, and socioeconomic contextualization. 

Now, midway through the plan, the university is on track to reclaim its position as one of the premier institutions of higher learning in South Africa and the continent.

Multimillion-rand greenfield infrastructure projects and property upgrades are either planned, underway or completed. These include smart classrooms, biometric security upgrades across all three campuses, a new student centre in the East London CBD, water security through the upgrading of water treatment plants in Alice, a new early childhood development centre and refurbishments for the Alice library.  

These projects aim to enhance the student experience by providing modernised infrastructure and incorporating new technologies suitable for quality teaching and research. 

Through curriculum renewal, UFH will offer innovative, socially and contextually relevant programmes to produce graduates with attributes that meet the needs of society and future workplaces. 

Pending approval from the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) and the Council on Higher Education (CHE), UFH will offer new programs in liberation and heritage studies, dairy science and technology and entrepreneurship.

UFH will also impact society through its new niche research, which responds to the National Development Plan (NDP), other national or regional priorities and the needs of stakeholders.

Last year, the institution launched its new niche areas: renewable energy; sustainable agriculture, water usage, and the impact of climate change; infectious diseases and medicinal plants; research in inclusion and township economies; and African liberation heritage in citizenship and society.

“UFH has committed to putting in the significant work required to strengthen its foundations and reimagine itself. The renewal project will see the university flourish increasingly as the end of the decade approaches,” said Prof Sakhela Buhlungu, Vice-Chancellor and Principal of UFH. 

“The institution will be offering new niche programs and cutting-edge curricula, conducting high-quality, high-impact research, supporting innovation, embracing innovative pedagogies, utilising hybrid modes of delivery, and providing a supportive learning and quality living environment for our students,” he said. 

“We are currently reaping the rewards of the renewal programme, and there is stability within the university. No student unrest has occurred in the last three years.  There is an explosion of student success both in and out of the classroom. Students are performing academically while also excelling in sports. Within a period of two years, our men’s and women’s rugby teams have lifted the Varsity Shield. New graduates are securing positions across the globe,” he said.

“Our mandate will be to ensure that the institution reclaims its place as a leading African university, with a continental, national and provincial focus, geared towards addressing contemporary challenges. We plan to continue to produce leaders who impact the trajectory of history. This was the role that the University of Fort Hare played in the past; this is the role it must continue to play now and in the future,” Prof Buhlungu concluded. 

A new and innovative research chair for the dairy industry has been established at the University of Fort Hare (UFH), thanks to a generous R12.5 million endowment from AngloGold Ashanti. The plans and future of the project are filled with promises of creating new knowledge and developing needed human capacity. 

The chair will be hosted by the university’s Department of Livestock and Pasture Science in the Faculty of Science and Agriculture, and a leader for the chair will soon be appointed. This will oversee the rollout of a new BSc degree in Dairy Science and Technology, and a variety of research projects in the field. In addition, the work will hopefully open the door of opportunity to the establishment of a Faculty of Veterinary Science at the university. 

The launch event of the chair was a lavish occasion that highlighted the importance of such a research entity, not only for the university but the dairy industry at large. As Dr Unathi Heshula said during the opening of the event: “There’s a beginning of a snowball effect that’s going to touch not only what we are doing today and generations to come, but also in terms of the institution itself.” 

The origins of the chair stem from the work that the university is already doing in the dairy industry, particularly in its partnership with Amadlelo dairy farm. Vice-Chancellor and Principal of the University of Fort Hare, Prof Sakhela Buhlungu, said that the interaction between the dairy farm and students is currently minimal, but holds much potential. 

“The chair is a professorship that will then become the hub for research, training and for all sorts of other things will be based at this university,” he said. “After all, we’ve got the track record in science and agriculture, and then we’ve got the dairy farm. It’s a brilliant idea.”

This realisation then led the team to the need for an academic qualification in the country that focuses particularly on dairy science and technology. Beyond this, the university’s location in a key area for dairy farming nationally makes it perfectly suited for great impact in this field of expertise. 

Prof Buhlungu said this led the team to seek funding for the chair, challenging themselves and potential partners to come up with R25 million in total. The university put R2.5 million towards this goal, and AngloGold Ashanti joined in with R12.5 million, making the establishment and launch possible. 

“It’s here and now, at Fort Hare, and nowhere else in the country,” he said. “This is an idea whose time actually is now and we’re very grateful to all of you.” 

Ambassador Baso Sangqu, Senior Vice President for Group Sustainability at AngloGold Ashanti, lauded the university for pioneering this project. “This endowment represents a new dawn for knowledge production to support industrial growth, food security, shared prosperity, inclusivity, socio-economic development, and the upliftment of stakeholders in the dairy sector, including the whole value chain and the rural development of our communities.”

He explained that even though the company no longer runs mining operations in the country, it honours its long legacy of supporting the communities it has historically drawn its workforce from, particularly the Eastern Cape. Sangqu said the university and AngloGold Ashanti shared the purpose of having a positive social impact. “We’re both driven by a societal purpose larger than our own institutions, and we’re underpinned by enduring universal values.” 

Simpiwe Somdyala, Chief Executive Officer of Amadlelo Agri, echoed the excitement of what the chair will mean for the industry and province. He joked at the launch that he had considered wearing gumboots with his suit for the occasion to show that the partnership embodied practical as well as academic excellence.

“In countries like Canada, we’ve seen how research chairs have transformed societies and how through breakthrough technologies; we’ve seen new products being developed and new ways of doing things being initiated,” he said. “We’re hoping out of what we’re launching today, we will see that progress.”

Dr Nthabi Taole-Mjimba, Deputy Vice Chancellor of Research Partnerships and Innovation at UFH, said the launch is a dream come true. “We are saying, as the University of Fort Hare, we want to remain relevant, especially here in the Eastern Cape, where most people rely on livestock.”

She emphasised that the chair is part of the institution’s larger plan to be a distinctively African university that is socially and contextually relevant. “We at the University of Fort Hare strive to be that African university that looks and tries to bring solutions through whatever we do. Through teaching and learning, research and community engagement, we want to be relevant to the communities that we serve.”

She explained that the project’s main objectives are to advance knowledge generation as well as human capital development. The focus on dairy technology, not just science, is another way to make a significant impact. “We are wanting to see products that actually come out through the utilisation of technology, when we do our research and ensure that possibly there will also be intellectual property that’s going to revive the economy of this province.”

Chief Executive Officer of the Milk Producers Organisation (MPO), Fanie Ferreira, said this project can be highly important and impactful for the industry at large. “There’s a big need for training in this area, specifically in the Eastern Cape, where there’s a huge amount of dairies, but a shortage of dairy managers.” 

He explained that the industry faces a number of challenges, such as a dearth of products catering to lower-income groups. “We’re very glad to know that such a facility has been established now, and that we can work together with them to overcome all these challenges.”

Group Executive of Digital Transformation and Acting Deputy CEO of Research, Innovation, Impact Support and Advancement at the National Research Foundation (NRF), Dr Gugu Moche, called the chair a well-thought-through initiative. She said it embodies ideals of transformation, impact, excellence and sustainability.

She praised UFH’s innovative way of looking at funding opportunities, offering uniquely African solutions and advancing excellence.  “At the end of the day, we will have not only research outputs, students graduating, and strengthened research capacities, but also a story that begins to talk about impact and transformation.”

The more immediate future of the chair is to appoint a team, solidify the BSc degree offering, and then develop further research and teaching. Sanqu said that he hopes the chair’s research outputs will be applied to communities far beyond the university and that a variety of stakeholders will play a part. “We look forward to seeing the fruits of these collaborations in the years to come, and we can assure you that we will accompany this process. “

Dr Taole-Mjimba emphasised that the future is long and bright, and that the chair is expected to last for many years. ”At the end of the day, we want to see this province changed for the better and to have the impact that one day, when we look back, we’ll see that this is what the University of Fort Hare did, and it has done it in a very meaningful way.”

South Africa’s first Bachelor’s degree focusing exclusively on dairy science and technology is set to be a crucial game changer for the University of Fort Hare (UFH) and the wider industry. 

The vision for the degree programme came about through the university’s most recent strategic plan implementation, and particularly that each faculty creates a new, niche programme that speaks to the institution’s unique setting and advantages. The fact that the university is a stakeholder in a local, award-winning dairy, but wasn’t teaching abundantly on this subject, led to the idea of a BSc in Dairy Science and Technology. 

This was then underscored by the fact that BSc programmes in the field of agriculture are some of the best-subscribed degrees in the Faculty of Science and Agriculture at UFH. “So it was clear that we had all the main ingredients needed, and we just needed to put together a program that would leverage what we already had,” said Prof Renuka Vithal, the Deputy Vice Chancellor for Teaching and Learning at UFH and a professor of maths education.

While other higher education institutions in the country have modules on dairy science, this degree is special in its specific and thorough focus. “It would allow us to be a trailblazer in a very important area in the Eastern Cape and the country,” Prof Vithal said. 

This course is especially important because the province is the largest and arguably the best producer of milk in the country. However, it does very little of the country’s milk processing. So, producing skilled staff in this field will speak to a significant need and opportunity.  

Vice-Chancellor and Principal of UFH, Prof Sakhela Buhlungu, said that the development of this degree was inspired by similar offerings internationally, such as in the Netherlands and France. “If we do it in South Africa, we’ll be the first, leading the pack,” he said.  

The planned BSc is a four-year degree that allows direct access to a Master’s afterwards. The course content will build on the dairy science and technology elements already present in other programmes at UFH. It will also touch on food technology aspects to speak to the need for milk processing. The BSc programme is also being developed to consider relevant and developing issues, such as food security. The UFH team plans to articulate this program with the surrounding agricultural colleges, to give wider access to the community.

In the fourth year, there is also a research component, which will grow that capability in the department. This research will likely stem organically from the work with the local dairy farm, and possibly feed back into its work. 

The degree programme is currently under review by the Department of Higher Education and Training, before going through approval processes at other relevant bodies. It will then hopefully come into effect in the next few years. 

Prof Vithal explained how they are working towards their goals while waiting on the process. “In the meantime, we have allocated funding to upgrade our farms and we are doing a major renovation and upgrading of our agricultural labs so that we’ll have all the infrastructure in place in order to support the programme,” she said. 

Dr Nthabi Taole-Mjimba, Deputy Vice Chancellor of Research Partnerships and Innovation, added that there are further developments in this regard. “Currently we are trying to revamp our current research farm. It’s not in the best state, but we have started to work on it. We invested R9.7 million last year just to ensure that it becomes the state-of-the-art farm that we know.”

The recent launch and endowment of the AngloGold Ashanti Research Chair in Dairy Science and Technology at the University speaks to this wider vision. Vithal explained that once appointed, the Chair can then provide expertise in offering the programme once approved, and develop postgraduate and further research programmes. 

“So, we have a long-term view on developing this as a niche area for the University of Fort Hare into the future that will provide the graduates needed to support this industry of dairy and milk production and technology in a serious way that can also be a major economic impetus to the province.”

Dr Taole-Mjimba added how the BSc will be building the foundation for further research and programmes, to ultimately have a significant impact. ”You will begin to see how the pipeline will then be strengthened to ensure that we have enough capacity in the province to do the things that we want to do in strengthening research in dairy science, but also supplying the much-needed human capital in the discipline.”

Prof Vithal said: “Besides placing the University of Fort Hare in a leading position in developing this as a key research niche area, and also producing graduates, this is also a very key component of producing graduates who could into the future directly support the development and growth of the dairy industry in the Eastern Cape.”

The long-term vision embraces the idea that the university could be key in growing the dairy industry in terms of processing, not just farming, and for both small-scale and large-scale farming. “The main goal is for  the university to stimulate the sector in the province to then take the lead in providing the education, training and research infrastructure and the support and all the other things that are needed to establish the processing component of it.”

The university’s location means that the agricultural fields of study in particular attract a lot of local students, hence a state-of-the-art and inclusive programme would feed directly back into the area. “The University of Fort Hare would in a major way leverage its location in a rural context drawing on rural students coming from diverse settings and being able to then sustain and develop the economy, develop small and large businesses and so on into the future,” Prof Vithal said. 

She said that this programme will also speak to how farming is developing internationally, especially in terms of technology used in fields like genetic analysis, farm management strategies and soil analysis. She believes that this can be particularly helpful to the province in the long run. 

This programme will also fit into the university’s wider offering and complement it. For instance, a new Bachelor of Entrepreneurship is also in the approval process. “This will enable us to then provide entrepreneurship training across our Bachelor programs,” Prof Vithal said. 

A key part of the plan is to eventually establish a new faculty of veterinary science, which would be only the second one in the country. Prof Vithal explained that in concept documents already submitted, this would  have a particular focus on the need for livestock veterinarians in the country. “In the Eastern Cape, when companies or farms require veterinary services, they actually fly in vets.”

For now, the BSc in Dairy Science and Technology is an exciting first step towards building a stronger future for UFH and the region. Vithal has high hopes for the programme. “It just seems like it’s supposed to have been done yesterday!” 

“Growing South Africa from the land up” is one of the key slogans of the Amadlelo Agri group. This vision will continue and expand as new possibilities are opened through a new dairy-focused research unit at Amadlelo’s long-standing partner, the University of Fort Hare (UFH). 

“The vision for the Fort Hare Dairy was formed in 2006, and only recently do we see one element of that being realised through the establishment of a research chair,” said Amadlelo’s CEO, Simpiwe Somdyala.

The company was formed in 2004 and its first operation project was the Fort Hare Dairy Trust two years later, in partnership with UFH. This has led to a 420-hectare working dairy farm that produces millions of litres of milk each year. 

The farm was set up by Amadlelo, which raised private-sector funding to get it going. While the university owns 50% of the dairy farm, the farm itself is operated by a trust, which is governed by both the university and Amadlelo. 

“The vision for setting up this dairy was about advancing research knowledge and using it as a demonstration or experiential farm, while at the same time ensuring that it is commercially viable, so it has to be a profitable business,” Somdyala said.  

He said that the partnership is a great opportunity to bring Amadlelo’s practical business knowledge of operating a dairy together with the university’s academic strength. By bridging the gap between research and practical operation, both benefit. 

The trust and Amadlelo’s work is now set to be boosted even further by the University of Fort Hare’s recent announcement of the Research Chair in Dairy Science & Technology. The post will fall under the UFH’s Faculty of Science and Agriculture, and was made possible by a R12.5 million endowment from mining giant AngloGold Ashanti.

“Research is key,” Somdyala said. He believes the new research chair will enable even further growth for the dairy trust. For example, the work of the chair could look at the socioeconomic dynamics of rural agro-enterprises in the area, to make them more competitive. It may touch on a variety of technical aspects, from the best suitable breeds, to the local environment, to issues of soil and land management. 

UFH Vice Chancellor and Principal Prof Sakhela Buhlungu has described the research chair position as proof of the university’s commitment to leveraging academic strengths for the benefit of local communities and the broader dairy industry. 

This vision is aligned with the heart of Amadlelo’s mission as a majority black-owned company that works to provide support services to upcoming black farmers. The company looks to share its knowledge and expertise with those farmers looking to build prosperous agribusinesses and acquire resources. Its aim is to make key transformative strides in the agriculture industry.  

Somdyala explained how that desire grew: “It’s a company that was started by a group of commercial farmers and black business people.”  He said that these farmers sought to contribute to agricultural transformation and economic inclusion, and that the predominantly white commercial farmers were asking themselves how they could play a role in advancing economic inclusion in the country. 

“So the focus of Amadlelo, which is pretty much made up of just over 70 different individuals with one purpose in mind, is unlocking the potential of government land that’s underutilised.” 

Somdyala further described the role of Amadlelo as that of an aggregator of skills and assets. The company’s long-term goal is to get each farm they are assisting to be profitable and sustainable. Amadlelo does this by first partnering with communities who have land, and then forming a co-op with the multiple landowners, which in turn partner with Amadlelo.

“What we realise is that small-scale communities would own 0.5 hectares of land, and really there are no economies of scale, and these land parcels are so small that to make them economically viable we would aggregate them to form these viable commercial units.”

But this work requires a lot of support and innovative approaches. Both UFH and Amadlelo believe that technology and scientific research will be key to overcoming some of the challenges that traditional farmers face. This is the kind of research the university focuses on and partners with Amadlelo in.

Now it will be taken a step further. The research will be driven by the university, and is not only confined to the dairy industry. The findings will expand beyond local communities and seek to influence the research agenda in the Eastern Cape and nationally.

“Dairy is not just about the milking of cows, ” Somdyala said. “It’s got all other elements that are linked to it, which relates to grain production, feed, fodder production and mitigating climate change issues. So those are the things that are critical, as we are also looking at expanding the rural dairy footprint in the Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal and other parts of our country.”

While the Fort Hare Dairy Trust is sure to benefit from the research of the chair, Amadlelo is committed to supporting the partnership in a reciprocal way. Somdyala said that a key portion of the profits will go back into funding the university’s research chair.

“We’ve made a commitment that we will, from the profits that we make, contribute to the research chair each year,” he said. “That’s a sign and a commitment that we have as a business to the importance of research and advancing knowledge.”

On top of the game-changing research chair announcement, the university has also revealed that it hopes to soon offer a BSc qualification specifically in dairy science and technology. This degree is set to be the first of its kind available in South Africa.

It is an exciting prospect for both Amadlelo and the Fort Hare Dairy Trust, as it opens up new possibilities for working with the university — and it’s a big opportunity for students of the Eastern Cape.

Somdyala highlighted that with the Eastern Cape being the number one province for milk production in the country, the new qualification will allow more UFH graduates to be absorbed into the Dairy Trust.

Another key benefit of the specialised qualification is in the blending of skills from different parts of a dairy and agricultural business. Previously, Amadlelo has had to deal with staff coming in, and only being experts on one side of the business. For instance, staff may focus on livestock management or soil science. 

Going forward, the new qualification could change all of that. “So, you are blending the two, because we’ll run pasture-based dairies, so coming in with that kind of background from an education point of view is going to be good for the industry,” said Somadlala.

While it is yet to be seen how the exciting developments at the UFH are likely to influence the Fort Hare Dairy Trust and Amadlelo, it is sure to be successful. Amadlelo’s strong track record and love for the community are set to pair well with the innovative work the chair has planned. Somdyala is adamant that advanced research, for instance on climate change and how farmers can adapt, will be crucial to the local industry. 

The premier organisation representing dairy farmers around the country looks to the University of Fort Hare’s (UFH) newly launched AngloGold Ashanti Research Chair in Dairy Science & Technology as a way to solve practical problems through innovative research. 

The Milk Producers’ Organisation (MPO) is a voluntary organisation, funded by contributions, that focuses on making the South African dairy industry more profitable, sustainable and competitive. 

“There are about 880 dairy farmers left in South Africa,” said MPO’s CEO Fanie Ferreira. “They produce about nine million litres of milk a day, and we represent them on basically all levels.“

The MPO represents dairy farmers’ needs and concerns in matters concerning the government and institutions such as the Agricultural Business Chamber of South Africa and the National Animal Health Forum. “Whatever comes up day-to-day in the needs of the farmers and they need to be represented — that is our job.” 

For instance, during the recent Foot and Mouth Disease outbreak, the MPO stepped in to help dairy farmers vaccinate their herds preventatively, despite the risks involved. It worked with the Department of Agriculture to make exceptions and interventions that protected the livelihoods of many in the industry. 

The MPO also has an agricultural economic desk that compiles weekly reports to help dairy producers understand micro- and macroeconomic factors, on a local and international level, that might affect them. 

The organisation’s in-house training facility offers a wide range of accredited training, on topics like artificial insemination and socioeconomic empowerment. “Even a very inexperienced farm worker who turns up on the farm and shows potential can go through training courses and can be eventually trained to run the whole dairy farm on his own,” Ferreira said. 

Unfortunately, the amount of dairy farmers in South Africa has shrunk significantly over the last decade, but Ferreira said those left in the industry are extremely efficient and professional. “It’s an enormous challenge that we have, and we’ve got a very unique primary industry,” Ferreira said. “If we compare it to the rest of the world, we are definitely leaders in many aspects.” 

Research for growth

The University of Fort Hare’s recent launch of the AngloGold Ashanti Research Chair in Dairy Science & Technology signifies a big step towards improved research and support for the dairy industry, which is likely to have a significant impact on the MPO and its members. 

The research chair is still in its infancy, but it has already received a sizable endowment, and Ferreira said there is exciting work that lies ahead.   

“We do know that it is a very necessary action, and that there’s a lot of things that need to be done that can be done on a primary level, regarding research development and transformation for upcoming and new black farmers, and so forth.”

Ferreira explained that South Africa has a highly sophisticated quality and range of dairy products on offer. “If you stand in front of a dairy shelf in one of our retailers in South Africa, you close your eyes and you open it, you might as well be in London or in New York, or in any highly developed country in the world.”

But there is a significant gap in milk products designed specifically for lower-income households. The MPO estimates that up to 30 million people in South Africa don’t use dairy products on a daily basis. Various research shows that even moderate amounts of milk in the diet of children can significantly benefit their development. “So once we can start competing on that level, there will be a huge amount of scope for growth, especially in the primary dairy industry,” Ferreira said.

This is a prime example of how research from UFH could develop and grow the local dairy industry. Currently, excess milk leads to producers cutting down on prices, because there appears to be no demand in the system. Developing stronger lower-income sector consumption would thus support both consumers and producers. 

Ferreira sees this as both one of the biggest challenges and opportunities in the current market, which he said has stagnated in the last few years. “If we can do that successfully, we will be able to perhaps double what we currently produce, but right now, we can only dream about that.”

Research for development

Another key area that research could affect in the dairy industry is development and transformation. This is a crucial issue in need of change in South Africa, but Ferreira said transformation initiatives need a significant push, which may be stimulated through research. 

“If we can show the industry out there that we are serious about transformation and developing new dairy farmers, I’m sure there are hundreds of millions of rands that will be available through different funding channels,” Ferreira said. “We just need to make a start.”

Other countries offer inspiration for how the dairy industry can empower small-scale farmers across the rural-urban divide and various demographics. Ferreira provided the example of India, where millions of people farm only a few cows each, resulting in the largest cumulative dairy production in the world.  

Kenya, Africa’s biggest per capita dairy-consuming nation, has a similar system. Families tend to keep the milk from the evening for themselves and sell what is milked in the morning. 

“There’s absolutely nothing in existence today in South Africa that supports such a system,” he said. “If we could start this on a small scale somewhere — and the Eastern Cape, I think, is a very good example of where it could work — it could be built from there.” 

Capacity to grow the industry

Another exciting possibility for growth comes in the form of UFH’s innovative BSc in Dairy Science and Technology, which will be the first degree of its kind in the country. Beyond this, UFH hopes to eventually establish a Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, with a particular focus on livestock. 

“We can never have enough vets, and we can never have enough qualified people in the dairy industry to take care of the needs of a growing industry,” Ferreira said. The recent problem of Foot and Mouth Disease in dairy herds showed the importance not only of veterinary professionals but knowledge of animal health more holistically. 

“We still need to do a lot of research on that and we still need a lot of help, especially in terms of getting people around the table and deciding how to handle this going forward, regarding vaccinations and a positive herd. There’s not enough written and talked about concerning all these dairy diseases, so enough veterinarians will always be handy.” 

Despite the challenges facing the dairy industry, those working to move it forward, like the Milk Producers’ Organisation, are hopeful and energetic about the future, particularly regarding the new developments at UFH. 

Ferreira said: “We are looking forward to working with this facility and we were very glad to know that it has been established, and that we can work together to overcome all these challenges.”

The rolling hills and green fields of the Eastern Cape are not just beautiful, but crucial. The province’s dairy industry has long stood as an important contributor to the economy and offers exciting future promise, particularly through research.

The University of Fort Hare (UFH) launched the AngloGold Ashanti Research Chair in Dairy Science and Technology in June, at the UFH Alice campus. With it comes the planned establishment of a BSc degree focusing specifically on the dairy industry, and a future Faculty of Veterinary Sciences.

At the launch of the Research Chair, UFH Vice-Chancellor and Principal Prof Sakhela Buhlungu explained that the development of this exciting position came in part from the university’s location. 

“We realised that we exist, live and operate alongside a belt of dairy farms, stretching from the other side of Gqeberha all the way into KwaZulu-Natal,” he said. “Some of the best dairy farms are in this region and we are situated right in the middle of it.” 

He explained that the hope from inception was that not only would the university and its students gain from the research, but that the dairy industry around the institution would also benefit.

Dr Nthabi Taole-Mjimba, Deputy Vice Chancellor of Research Partnerships and Innovation, adds that around a quarter of South Africa’s cattle are in the province. “This is the right place,” she said. “The University of Fort Hare has got what it takes to host this very important Research Chair. “ 

According to data from the Milk Producers Organisation (MPO), The Eastern Cape produced around 28% of the country’s milk in 2022. This makes it the third-largest province after the Western Cape and KwaZulu-Natal. However, it has the largest number of cows in a herd per producer in the country, at 1 121 in 2022. 

It is ideal for these developments to be located in the Eastern Cape, given the province’s strength and potential in the dairy industry in particular. While the northern parts of the country used to be the main dairy-producing region around twenty or thirty years ago, this now only accounts for around 7-8% of national production. 

Chief Executive Officer of the MPO, Fanie Ferreira, said: “All the production of dairy has actually gone down to the coastal areas to KZN and the Eastern Cape, and there’s only one factor — because they can produce it cheaper there, more effectively.”

Ferreira explains that this is mainly because the soil and rain patterns of the region work together in ideal ways to create top-class pastures and with it, affordable, high-yield milk. 

Farmers in the Eastern Cape mainly rely on a pasture system rather than a Total Mixed Ration (TMR) method.  This means that cows walk to nearby fields to graze and return to the dairy to be milked, instead of being fed with grain and other feed on-site. This is not only efficient but affordable. 

“This is a more sustainable way of farming,” he said. “It’s well known in terms of pasture systems in South Africa, that farmers who do it right and well will tell you: sustainability is profitability.”

CEO of Amadlelo Agri Simpiwe Somdyala agreed: “We are predominantly pasture-based, which means the animals roam and are free and healthy. And that is only possible in an environment where you’ve got those natural endowments, like the land, soils and water.“

Somdyala said that while the Eastern Cape is already particularly competitive in the dairy industry, there is even more potential for growth. “Being one of the top producers in the country, it’s an opportunity for a poor province like ours to really build upon and be much stronger. We believe that we can do it, and we should build competitiveness around that.”

He said that one should consider the entire dairy value chain and the wider ecosystem in terms of increased competitiveness. For instance, he said there is an opportunity for growth in the grain sector in the Eastern Cape, which is typically stronger in the Free State province. 

Another key asset to the local dairy industry that has room for growth is human resources. “Skills are critical. It’s not the farm that makes money, it’s the farmer. It’s the people who run the farms,” Somdyala said. “So it’s important to build this talent that will drive this industry.”

Linked to this is the important opportunity that large parts of the Eastern Cape are rural and the land is underutilised. This offers great potential for the dairy industry. “So we need to research those [areas], where you can derive this competitiveness,” Somdyala said. 

However, starting more dairy farms in these parts of the province, particularly towards the East, brings significant challenges with it. The infrastructure, such as roads and water systems, is often lacking or insufficient, and the approval process for industry licences is frequently difficult. 

“There’s no way you can unlock this potential without stronger infrastructure,” Somdyala said. “Dairy, in particular, is not an easy business.” One way to progress, which has been a clear focus for Amadlelo as a company, is to aggregate small rural pieces of land that are under communal ownership. He said their success with this so far shows that this growth is possible. But, more research is needed. 

Ambassador Baso Sangqu, Senior Vice President for Group Sustainability at AngloGold Ashanti, echoed this at the Research Chair launch. “It is very much an agricultural province where you see a lot of livestock. Every other community and every other family has one or two cattle or livestock in their homesteads, but yet these are not being utilised.” He noted that he hopes the UFH’s Research Chair and other developments will affect these communities. 

These uniquely localised opportunities for growth make the university’s work ideal for the Eastern Cape. The Deputy Vice Chancellor for Teaching and Learning at UFH, Prof Renuka Vithal, said: “I really think the university has great potential to contribute.” She lauded the university for choosing particularly the more remote UFH Alice campus for this project. 

She echoed Somdyala’s point that the rural and underdeveloped industry in parts of the province could be particularly stimulated. This research and development of various aspects of the dairy industry would then ideally support the economy of the area as a whole. “We see this as a way to work together and to support each other to address these challenges of unemployment and poverty, which is so needed. 

“We do see that the University of Fort Hare can contribute to both stimulating the development of  Dairy Science and related industries in the Eastern Cape, as well as providing the graduates and the research knowledge needed to support and sustain that industry in the province.”

The Eastern Cape already holds a wealth of experience and industry in terms of dairy production. But, with exciting new developments in the sphere of research and more, the future looks bright. 

The long-awaited establishment of the University of Fort Hare’s new Research Niche Areas (RNAs) is set to bolster the institution’s research and innovation profile worldwide.

The five RNAs, which were unveiled during a ceremony at the East London International Convention Centre in September 2023, form part of Fort Hare’s strategic plan for institutional renewal.

After an extensive application and approval process that began in 2022, the RNAs are:

•       Renewable Energy;
•       Sustainable Agriculture, Water Usage and Impact of Climate Change;
•       Infectious Diseases and Medicinal Plants;
•       Research in Inclusion and Township Economies; and
•       African Liberation Heritage in Citizenship and Society.

In his opening remarks, UFH Vice-Chancellor and Principal Prof Sakhela Buhlungu said Fort Hare attracted students because its teaching and learning, and its research portfolios remained resilient. While the annual intake is limited to 3 700, more than 45 000 students applied in 2021 and a staggering 219 000 in 2022. At the time, 140 000 applications had already been received for 2024.

However, Prof Buhlungu added, the university had experienced fluctuations in productivity, and one of the functions of the RNAs was to address this.

Academics from the various niche areas were then given an opportunity to present their work at the event.

Dr Patrick Makumba from the Department of Physics in the Faculty of Science and Agriculture emphasised why renewable energy was the best solution to South Africa’s power crisis.

His team’s research focuses primarily on wind energy and biogas technology, and how these can be used to produce electricity for both generators and the grid.  “We can provide a centre of excellence in terms of renewables,” he said, as they are working on projects like optimising biogas for vehicle fuel.”

His team have, for instance, discovered that biogas from as few as two cows can provide electricity for a family of two. Dr Makumba and other researchers also aim to develop a wind renewable energy system for nodes in the Eastern Cape. This will create employment opportunities as its installation, operation and maintenance require skilled workers.

Prof Philani Moyo, Director of the Fort Hare Institute of Social and Economic Change, presented on climate change’s impact on pre-existing livelihoods, especially those of poorer people. He said while there had been much work on climate change policy, there was a dearth of intellectual thought on the subject. 

“Our aim is to explore the extent climate change is compounding multidimensional rural poverty, deepening precarious livelihoods and reconfiguring rural food systems,” he explained. “We will also look at the adaptation responses of resilient households and communities.”

The nexus between the climate’s impact on rural livelihoods and multidimensional poverty would also be studied, while examining the extent to which it affected rural vulnerabilities and inequality, according to Prof Moyo.

In terms of the Infectious Diseases and Medicinal Plants RNA, three sub-units will operate in concert, namely: Medicinal Plant Research, Indigenous Knowledge Systems and Environmental Infections Pathogens Research. 

Prof Uchechukwu Nwodo from the Faculty of Science and Agriculture said it was imperative to study and analyse pathogens as a public health priority. The seven members of his sub-unit will also busy themselves with the subject of pathogenic determinants and virulence.

Prof Nwodo’s work is especially vital in that Fort Hare is one of eight South African tertiary institutions that comprise the Institute of Pandemic Prevention and Preparedness, which in turn is connected to networks across the world. The institute has been granted funding of R5 billion over the next 15 years. Research to be conducted by the Inclusion and Township Economies RNA is especially relevant to the Eastern Cape, where 62% of households are poor.

According to its representative, Prof Munacinga Simatele of the Faculty of Management and Commerce, townships are hubs of exclusion. “A lot of people are excluded socially and economically, and our work addresses this,” she said.

“As a university, we need to find a way to tackle these issues to influence policymakers. As such, our RNA addresses poverty, empowerment of women and reduction of inequality.” She cited the example of stokvels, which control R5 billion in South Africa, and said the question should be how these could be leveraged to create employment.

The final presentation was made by Dr Motsamai Molefe of the Centre for Leadership Ethics in Africa in the Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities. 

He said the purpose of his RNA, African Liberation Heritage in Citizenship and Society, is to establish what assumptions, insights, lessons, narratives and theory could be drawn from the history of liberation movements so that African society could be reimagined.

The RNA intends contributing to “growing stories” of liberation histories while expanding on the ideas of consciousness and lived experience to make sense of the world. Another pillar is to draw on the theories and praxis of African liberation movements to “think about politics as we think about society”.

The Fort Hare Dairy Farm, a picturesque 210-hectare facility situated just a few kilometres from the University of Fort Hare’s (UFH) Alice campus, offers an integral role in the animal science and agricultural education at Fort Hare by offering invaluable hands-on experience to students from the Faculty of Science & Agriculture.

Co-owned by the university and Amadlelo Agri, the Fort Hare Dairy Trust exemplifies how strategic collaborations can drive excellence in the fields of science and agriculture. This partnership has significantly advanced dairy farming practices for the students who volunteer in the daily activities on the farm to further hone their skills for the future.

With over 1 000 dairy cows and an estimated annual production of 4.3 million litres of raw milk, the farm’s success was recently highlighted when it was named the overall winner at the Amadlelo 5th Annual Awards. The farm secured top spots in categories such as “Most Grass Eaten per Hectare”, “Least Nitrogen per Hectare”, “Best Fertility Figures”, “Lowest Cost Producer”, “Highest Profit per Hectare”, and “Most Improved Farm”.

The key driver of the students’ practical training on the farm is the UFH Agriculture Skills Development Club, established in 2017 by former students of the Faculty of Science & Agriculture. 

The club aims to bridge the gap between theoretical knowledge and practical application by partnering with key agricultural projects like the Fort Hare Dairy Trust. This initiative allows students to gain hands-on experience in areas such as milking, feeding, pasture management and farm maintenance.

One of the club’s founding members said: “When we started the club, the vision was not only to provide solid theoretical knowledge in agriculture but also to offer practical experiences such as milking cows, planting crops, driving tractors, and working the land. I am delighted to see that it continues to fulfil this vision.”

Recently, UFH students, including Sibulele Mapuza, Sinovuyo Luphuzi, Ntombifikile Bhutsha, Lutho Mathiwane and Parsons Mellis, were seen working diligently on the farm during their semester break. 

“It is calving season, and it is our favourite time because it keeps us busy,” exclaimed Mapuza. In 2022, the 25-year-old from Butterworth was named the top-performing first-year student in the faculty. She is currently pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture, with a focus on Animal Science.

The students’ dedication to early mornings and rigorous farm work reflects their commitment to mastering the skills needed for their future careers. Whether aspiring to become veterinarians, agricultural economists or dairy farmers, they benefit greatly from the practical experience provided by the farm.

The recent launch of the AngloGold Research Chair in Dairy Science & Technology at UFH further amplifies the significance of this partnership, said Simpiwe Somdyala, CEO of Amadlelo Agri.

“I am thrilled that Amadlelo and the Fort Hare Dairy Trust have committed to ongoing support for the research chair, showcasing a shared dedication to fostering collaboration in research and innovation. This commitment underscores the importance of this initiative in areas facing poverty, infrastructure limitations, geographical disadvantages and high unemployment rates.

“The Fort Hare Dairy Trust is more than just a productive dairy farm; it is a hub of learning and skill development, equipping students with the knowledge and experience needed to excel in the agricultural industry,” Somdyala emphasised.