Qinisa Initiative hosts UP Vice-Chancellor and New Zealand High Commissioner

The Qinisa Initiative at the University of Pretoria (UP)’s Future Africa, hosted a high-profile delegation on 17 January 2025, including UP’s Vice-Chancellor and Principal Professor Francis Petersen, and the New Zealand High Commissioner to South Africa, H.E. Philip Richard Hewitt.

The visit reinforced Qinisa’s role in fostering regional collaboration in agricultural greenhouse gas (GHG) mitigation by enhancing research, innovation, and information-sharing across Southern Africa.

Delegates toured the livestock GHG measurement hub, a flagship project supported by the Global Research Alliance on Agricultural Greenhouse Gases (GRA). This hub provides advanced GHG measurement capabilities, complementing external facilities like Nairobi’s International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI).

High Commissioner Hewitt praised the initiative as a milestone in climate change mitigation and reaffirmed New Zealand’s commitment to capacity-building in the region.

Prof Petersen acknowledged the contributions of key stakeholders, including the GRA, the New Zealand government, and leading researchers, in equipping UP with state-of-the-art GHG measurement tools. He emphasised the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration and scientifically grounded solutions to ensure sustainable outcomes.

Experts at the event, including Professor Wanda Markotter, Interim Director of Future Africa and Dr Ackim Mwape, a member of Qinisa’s secretariat, highlighted the role of the initiative in integrating data, coordinating related programmes, and supporting governments in tracking Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC) targets.

Professor Frans Swanepoel, Future Africa’s Sustainable Food Systems Research, stressed the need to prioritise livestock-related GHG mitigation, given its significant contribution to emissions and its importance to rural livelihoods.

The visit served as a strong endorsement of the Qinisa Initiative’s mission to strengthen partnerships, build regional research capacity, and develop targeted interventions for reducing agriculture’s carbon footprint while improving livelihoods.

*Partner with Qinisa, visit https://www.futureafrica.science/our-challenge-domains/sustainable-food-systems/qinisa/or contact Dr Pamela Pophiwa  at pamela.pophiwa@up.ac.za, or Ms Sebabatso Nthinya at sebabatso.n@qinisaghg.org

*Qinisa – meaning ‘to strengthen’ in isiZulu-is a flagship under Future Africa at University of Pretoria

High Commissioner H.E. Philip Richard Hewitt, Vice-Chancellor and Principal of the University of Prof Francis Petersen and other dignitaries at Future Africa during the Qinisa Initiative engagement.