The University of Pretoria (UP) has been named a co-lead of the newly formed African-German Centre for Sustainable and Resilient Food Systems and Applied Agricultural and Food Data Science. The Centre will be launched in January 2025 and is set to focus on research training and knowledge dissemination in food systems and data science across the African continent.

The Centre, officially known as UKUDLA, derives its name from the Nguni word for ‘food’, symbolising the importance of sustainable nourishment for both people and the planet.

Funded by the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) and German government ministries with €6.5 million (R124 million) over the first five years, UKUDLA’s mission is to bridge academic research with practical implementation to address pressing food security challenges in Africa.

In partnership with the University of Hohenheim in Germany, the University of the Western Cape (UWC) and University of Mpumalanga (UMP) in South Africa, and the Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources (LUANAR) in Malawi, UP will play a leading role in coordinating the Centre’s Post-Graduate Training Centre.

Graduate centre with a pan-African mission

Under UP’s stewardship, the Post-Graduate Training Centre will be pivotal in establishing inter- and transdisciplinary research teams and delivering advanced training programmes. These initiatives will build crucial skills in food systems analysis and data science, two fields essential to addressing food security through technology and data-driven approaches.

Professor Frans Swanepoel, Future Africa Chair in Sustainable Food Systems at UP, emphasised the importance of this collaboration, saying, “The Graduate Centre at UP will not only cultivate technical skills in food systems and data science but will also foster interdisciplinary perspectives essential for tackling Africa’s food-security challenges comprehensively.”

Through its course offerings, the Centre will focus on building capacity by training scientists in data science applications within food systems while also equipping data scientists with knowledge of agricultural systems. These integrated programmes are designed to transform the continent’s food systems by creating a pipeline of skilled professionals capable of adapting to, and innovating within, Africa’s complex agri-food landscapes.

A hub for regional policy and knowledge sharing

UKUDLA will serve as a knowledge hub for the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region, informing and supporting regional food-systems policy. Researchers and stakeholders from academia, government and civil society will collaborate to ensure research outcomes directly address food-systems issues relevant to Africa. This approach emphasises the co-production of knowledge, with stakeholders involved from the inception of research to its practical application, ensuring the Centre’s work is aligned with the needs of the communities it serves.

Three-pronged approach to transformation

The Centre’s approach integrates capacity building, research, and knowledge transfer. Capacity building will occur through robust training programmes for master’s and PhD students, postdoctoral research fellowships and lifelong learning opportunities. The research agenda will leverage digital tools to foster resilient food systems, with field research taking place at three diverse sites in South Africa and Malawi. Through continuous engagement with stakeholders, UKUDLA will ensure that research findings are relevant and directly beneficial to local communities.

Fostering networks across continents

UKUDLA presents an opportunity to enhance collaboration across disciplines, regions, and continents and to both expand and strengthen African and European partnerships – such as the recently launched Africa-Europe Cluster of Research Excellence in Sustainable Food Systems (CoRE-SFS). The CoRE-SFS is co-led by UP, and four of its 21 partners collaborated in developing the UKUDLA proposal, along with LUANAR.

“As the University of Pretoria hosts the doctoral training hub for the African-German Centre for Sustainable and Resilient Food Systems, we have a unique opportunity to further solidify UP’s role as a cornerstone of transformative research and education in food systems on the continent,” Prof Swanepoel added. “Positioned under the Future Africa Research Chair in Sustainable Food Systems and alongside impactful initiatives like the ARUA Centre of Excellence in Sustainable Food Systems (ARUA-SFS) and the Africa-Europe Cluster of Research Excellence in Sustainable Food Systems (CoRE-SFS), this Centre’s work will directly support our mission to train and empower the next generation of African scholars. This Centre represents a milestone in interdisciplinary collaboration that spans geographies and sectors, bringing together expertise from across Africa and Europe to address food-systems challenges in ways that are sustainable, inclusive, and impactful.”

As UKUDLA prepares for its launch, UP’s leadership role promises substantial benefits for the University, the SADC region, and the broader African continent, positioning UP and its partners as frontrunners in shaping the future of food systems in Africa.