I-UKZN Ikleliswe Kwabayishumi Abaphezulu Ocwaningweni Lwezitshalo Zase-Afrika

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INyuvesi yaKwaZulu-Natali (UKZN) iphakathi kwezikhungo eziyishumi ezihamba phambili ezineqhaza elikhulu ocwaningweni lokuhlanganisa izitshalo ukuze kuzaleke izitshalo ezintsha ezwenikazi lase-Afrika, ngokocwaningo olunzulu lwe- bibliometric analysis lweminyaka engama-23 yenqubekela phambili, olushicilelwe kujenali i-Springer’s Discover Plants.

Ngokusho kwababhali abayisishiyagalolunye, abangaphansi kwezikhungo ezihlanganisa i-United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) International Centre for Biotechnology yase-Nigeria, i-Russian Federation’s Biological Institute e-Tomsk University, uMnyango Wokudla Nezimakethe weNyuvesi yase-Greenwich e-Natural Resources Institute e-United Kingdom, kanye ne-Africa Institute for Postharvest Technology eNyuvesi yase-Stellenbosch eNingizimu Afrika, ukukhula kocwaningo oluvela e-Afrika kunyuke kakhulu kusukela eminyakeni yama-2014. Izikhungo zaseNingizimu Afrika zisebenzisana kakhulu nochwepheshe base-United States of America.

Ababhali bachaza ukusetshenziswa kwendlela yalomnyango yokusebenzisa izimiso ezihlukahlukene ukuthuthukisa izinhlobo zezitshalo ezinezici ezidingekayo, okuhlanganisa isivuno esihle futhi esisezingeni, njengokunambitheka okungcono, iphunga,ukwakheka, ukudidiyelwa kwezakhimzimba, kanye nokumelana nengcindezi eyaziwa ngele-biotic ne-abiotic stress.”

Bagqamisa ucwaningo olugxile ekuvikelekeni kokudla ukuze kutholwe yizizukulwane, kusetshenziswa amagama angukhiye afana nethi “genetics”, “genotype”, kanye ne-“CRISPR/Cas9” ukuze kuncishiswe izingcindezi zezifo, izimo zezulu ezingezinhle, nezinambuzane ezitshalweni, kanye nokulwa nezinselelo zokukhiqiza okuncane kanye nokuntuleka kokusimama emkhakheni wezolimo wase-Afrika. Ukuhlola kwabo izinto ezigqamile nezihamba phambili emkhakheni kanye nentuthuko kuphinde kukhombe izinkombandlela ezibalulekile zocwaningo lwangomuso.

Okuqaphelekayo ukuthi uSolwazi wase-UKZN u-Hussein Shimelis uqokwe njengombhali okhiqiza imibhalo kakhulu, onenani eliphakeme lezindatshana nezingcaphuno eminyakeni engama-23 ehlaziyiwe, nokugqamisa izinga leqhaza lakhe nomthelela anawo kwezemfundo.

UShimelis unguSihlalo we-South African Sugarcane Research Institute (SASRI) we-Crop Science e-UKZN, futhi unguMqondisi we-African Centre for Crop Improvement (ACCI), eyasungulwa ngowezi-2002 ukuqeqesha isizukulwane esilandelayo sabalimi bezitshalo base-Afrika. I-ACCI isiqeqeshe abalimi bezitshalo abayi-165 kusukela yasungulwa, iningi labo asebeqhubeke nomsebenzi onomthelela ekuvikelekeni kokudla kanye nokudla okunomsoco. Abafundi bayo bakha cishe ama-40-50% abalimi bezitshalo abakhuthele ezinhlelweni zocwaningo lwezolimo lukazwelonke lwase-Afrika, nokugcinwa okungu-100% ezwenikazi lonke. Abafundi be-ACCI alumni bakhiphe izinhlobo zezitshalo ezintsha ezingaphezu kwama-210 emazweni angama-20 ase-Afrika, futhi iqembu le-ACCI lishicilele izindatshana zocwaningo ezingama-500.

Ubuchwepheshe buka-Shimelis bugxile ekuthuthukisweni kofuzo lwezitshalo ukuze kuzuzwe isivuno kanye nokubekezelela ingcindezi ye-biotic kanye ne-abiotic stress. Unenethiwekhi enkulu yabahlanganyeli ocwaningweni lokuzalanisa izitshalo e-Afrika yonkana futhi ufaka isandla ezinhlelweni ezihlanganisa i-Sorghum Cluster Initiative.

Ngowezi-  2025, u-Shimelis waqokwa njenge-Fellow of the African Academy of Sciences futhi wafinyelela kowamanqamu we-National Science and Technology Forum-South32 Lifetime Award. Waqashelwa njengomunye wabalimi bezitshalo abangama-20 abanomthelela kakhulu e-Afrika ngo-2020 yi-Southern Africa Plant Breeders’ Association.

UnguSolwazi ogcwele wokuzalaniswa kwezitshalo oseneminyaka engaphezu kwama-30 enolwazi lokufundisa nokucwaninga e-Afrika yonkana, u-Shimelis wajoyina i-UKZN ngemva kokuthola iziqu zakhe ze-PhD ngowezi-2003 eNyuvesi yase-Freyistata. Waphothula iziqu zakhe zokuqala eNyuvesi yase-Haramaya ese-Ethiopia, lapho kamuva asebenza khona njengoThisha osemnkantshubomvu, futhi wathola iziqu ze-master’s eNyuvesi yase-Wageningen e-Netherlands.

U-Shimelis usebenze njengePhini Lomqondisi we-ACCI kusukela ngowezi-2014 kuya kowezi-2023. NgoNtulikazi wezi-2023, waqokwa njengoMqondisi, eqondisa lesi sikhungo ngoshintsho endleleni yaso yoxhaso ngenkathi siqhubeka nomsebenzi waso. Uphinde abe yilungu elingumsunguli kanye nomholi we-Pan-Africa Demand-led Breeding initiative, ekhuthaza izindlela zokuzalanisa eziqhutshwa isidingo ukuze kwandiswe ukwamukelwa kwezinhlobo zezitshalo ezithuthukisiwe, okuhlanganisa nezitshalo ezingasasetshenziswa kahle, kanye nokuthuthukisa ukuvikeleka kokudla nokondleka.

U-Shimelis uhlale ebalwa nabacwaningi abashicilelwe be-UKZN abahamba phambili abangama-30. Uyilungu le-Academy of Science of South Africa, I-Associate Fellow ye-Ethiopian Academy of Sciences, kanye ne-National Research Foundation C-1 yomcwaningi. Imibhalo yakhe itholakala ezindaweni ezihlanganisa i-Google Scholar H-index ye-62, i-Scopus H-index ye-40 kanye ne-Web of Science H-index of 34. Uqondise abafundi abangama-64 bodokotela, abangu-38 be-master's kanye nabangu-11 be-honors ekukhuliseni izitshalo ezivela empumalanga, eningizimu nasentshonalanga ye-Afrika.

Umbhalo: wu-Christine Cuénod

Isithombe: Sithunyelwe