The African Centre for Crop Improvement (ACCI) was started in 2002 with the ambitious goal of becoming a world-class training centre for African plant breeders.
Based at the University of KwaZulu-Natal in Pietermaritzburg, South Africa, its PhD graduates are part of a new generation of African scientists who are highly trained global experts on the continent’s food security crops.
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Top Scholars in South Africa Honoured
Forty-four of the country’s leading scholars and scientists, including our ACCI director, Prof Hussein Shimelis, were inaugurated as Members of the Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAf) at the annual Awards Ceremony on 23 October 2024.
The event happened at a ceremony at the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research in Pretoria. The main criteria for election as a member are academic excellence, scientific leadership, science in the service of society — or a commitment to significantly assist the Academy in achieving its objectives.
“I am humbled and honoured to be one of the distinguished members of this august academy, to advance its objectives and services to society,” said Shimeles.
“The award recognises my contributions to creating a critical mass of plant breeding and crop science researchers who are advancing plant breeding in Africa,” he said.
Rwanda Sci-Tec Conference
The director of UKZN’s African Centre for Crop Improvement, Professor Hussein Shimelis, was in Kigali, Rwanda this week to participate in the 2nd Rwanda Science, Technology, and Innovation (STI) Conference. It was organised by Rwanda’s Ministry of Agriculture and Animal Resources, the National Council for Science and Technology and local and international partners.
The conference is a biennial event to discuss the role of science and technology in addressing diverse societal challenges. This year’s conference theme was a global issue: Promoting Climate-Resilient Agriculture Through Science, Technology, and Innovation for Improved Food Security and Nutrition.
The University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN) was one of the key partners of the event. Shimelis was on a panel that discussed promoting the use of technologies and innovation for sustainable agriculture and food transformation for economic productivity. “I highlighted the role of plant breeding capacity, innovations and technologies, and support needs to boost agricultural production and productivity in Africa in the face of climate change,” said Shimelis.
