A Nigerian agricultural expert based in South Africa has been nominated for one of the country’s most respected scientific recognitions.
Professor Olaniyi Fawole of the University of Johannesburg (UJ) is a finalist in two categories of the 2024 NSTF-South32 Awards, honouring excellence in science, engineering, technology, and innovation.
Fawole, an internationally recognised expert in postharvest technology and agro-processing, was nominated for the TW Kambule-NSTF Award (Researcher) and the newly introduced NSTF-Agricultural Research Council Award.
“If we cannot keep it fresh, we must stabilise it and add value. If it goes to waste, we must find ways to turn it into something useful”, says Fawole.
Bio-based edible coatings to nanotechnology-infused packaging are being tested in large-scale packhouses and smallholder farms across South Africa.
Through the £224,000 African Agriculture Knowledge Transfer Partnerships (AAKTP) grant, Fawole’s team has also partnered with Sonlia Vrugte Pakhuis, the largest pomegranate packhouse in the country, and the University of Lincoln in the UK to pilot cutting-edge preservation technologies.
The research directly impacted food system resilience.
His ongoing collaboration with the Johannesburg Fresh Produce Market, the largest in Africa, has helped streamline postharvest handling and waste reduction in urban supply chains.
He also discovered postharvest science, shifting his focus to reducing Africa’s staggering food loss, where up to 50% of fresh produce is wasted due to poor handling and inadequate preservation.
Today, the contributions span scientific breakthroughs to policy guidance, including co-chairing the All Africa Postharvest Congress and Exhibition and co-editing the FAO’s 2024 global report on postharvest innovations.
Fawole’s is dedicated to nurturing the next generation of African scientists.
Through his centre, he has trained a critical mass of postgraduate students, many from historically disadvantaged backgrounds, contributing to inclusive capacity building and long-term transformation of Africa’s agricultural research landscape.
These nominations reflect a career committed to solving real-world problems through science, collaboration, and innovation, ensuring that Africa’s food systems are productive and sustainable.
