With the enthusiastic input of College of Agriculture, Engineering and Science postgraduate students, a Gold medal and Trophy for Best Customer Service was in the bag for the UKZN stand at the Royal Agricultural Show.UKZN Wins Gold at Royal Show
UKZN’s stand at the Royal Show in Pietermaritzburg - which highlighted research done within the School of Agricultural, Earth and Environmental Sciences and the School of Life Sciences at the Ukulinga Research Farm - won a Gold medal and the trophy for Best Customer Care.
The UKZN stand is always a feature at the show having won Gold on several previous occasions.
‘Our success is without doubt due to the enthusiasm and impressive knowledge of our postgraduate students who manned the stand and went out of their way to share their expertise with the general public,’ said Public Relations Manager for the College of Agriculture, Engineering and Science, Dr Sally Frost.
Said Royal Show Manager, Mr Terry Strachan: ‘While UKZN rated highly in all categories, we were particularly impressed by the enthusiasm and extra effort put in by the students and staff who manned the UKZN stand – they went the extra mile.’
Run in conjunction with the recent Ukulinga Howard Davis Symposium, the stand showcased research done at Ukulinga in the fields of animal, crop, food, grassland and soil science, as well as related disciplines such as plant pathology, hydrology, agrometeorology, agricultural engineering and food security.
Attractions included specially designed ‘khukhu khayas’ (chick homes), fish, baby tendrecs (similar to hedgehogs), tarantulas, hissing cockroaches and mealworms that feed on polystyrene as well as work done by UKZN’s Farmer Support Group with small-scale farmers.
The stand was situated directly opposite the main entrance, and with UKZN Science Centre’s ‘Dr T’ on hand with her magical science show, there was always a fascinated crowd around the exhibit.
The College of Agriculture, Engineering and Science has exhibited at the show for many years, consistently winning prizes for its displays.
The Show, now in its 162nd consecutive year, is the premier agricultural and lifestyle event in the province, attracting about 180 000 people during its 10-day run.
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