Field of Expertise

Agriculture

Expertise

Coming from an agricultural background, I have always had a very practical approach to both my research and teaching endeavours. After conducting research and teaching for about 15 years, I veered from the “normal” University career in 2017 into a position combining teaching with industry interaction and innovation coordination. I started an Agri Innovation Hub, initially focussed on grapes and wine in the Faculty of AgriSciences at Stellenbosch University. The aim of this is to stimulate the translation of products, services, and technology development in the Agricultural sector with an initial focus on the wine industry, but with an implementation model suitable for other Agricultural sectors. In 2017/2018 I was the Agricultural Consultant on a project team of the University of Stellenbosch Business School (USBEd) commissioned by the Western Cape Department of Agriculture to scope the future of Agriculture in the Western Cape within the context of the 4th Industrial revolution. This study has been widely cited and several aspects of it are being adopted, even by other provinces’ agricultural departments. I also work close to Innovus (www.innovus.co.za), Stellenbosch University’s university-industry interaction platform for the commercialisation of SU’s assets, as well as the Launchlab (launchlab.co.za) assisting with programmes related to entrepreneurship and start-up development in Agriculture.