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Unisa paves the way for agricultural resilience and sustainability in the Eastern Cape
On 23 January 2025, the Unisa Eastern Cape Region, in collaboration with the Gompo Farmers’ Association (GFA), hosted an impactful meeting at Greenfields in East London. This event served as a follow-up to the memorandum of understanding (MoU) that was signed in February 2024.
Delegates from Unisa and the GFA
The meeting was attended by representatives from various government departments, parastatals, non-governmental organisations and farming organisations. The goal of the event was to facilitate engagement with emerging farmers in the Eastern Cape who are affiliated with the GFA regarding the development of their crop and livestock production operations. A prominent challenge that was identified by the GFA was the encroachment of the invasive plant which severely impacts grazing lands in the Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality.
The first session included a site visit during which the Unisa College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences research team explored the scale of the plant’s invasion. They took photographs and collected samples to investigate whether the plant possesses any medicinal properties or could be utilised for purposes not limited to essential oil extraction. They will also start the process of identifying, naming, and profiling the plant.
(Left) the research team from Unisa's College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences conducting a site visit, (right) the encroaching plant
In the second session, Dr Makwena Molotja, Unisa Eastern Cape Regional Director, delivered a comprehensive presentation in which she emphasised the region’s commitment to advancing learning and research opportunities in agriculture and agribusiness through the targeted priorities outlined in the MoU. Professors Munya Chitakira and Michael Pillay, members of the Unisa Eastern Cape Region research team, shared that this research initiative will take place under the auspices of the Unisa Centre of Excellence (Adaptation and Resilience). They emphasised the importance of crop diversification and the exploration of alternative income sources as strategies to mitigate the impacts of climate change.
Farmers who participated in the event
The meeting concluded with an engaging question-and-answer session where farmers expressed their support for the initiative while also voicing their concerns. They shared their strategies for adapting to climate change and highlighted challenges such as inadequate veld management practices, unresolved land tenure issues and the decline of indigenous tree species.
* By Ayanda Mdunge, Communication and Marketing Intern, Unisa Eastern Cape Region
Publish date: 2025/03/13
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