What we do

As part of the ‘African-German Centre of Excellence for Sustainable and Resilient Food Systems and Applied Agricultural and Nutritional Data Science’, projects and measures will be carried out in the period from 2025 to 2029 that contribute to the further qualification of young scientists in agricultural and nutrition research in South Africa. Another important component of the programme is the promotion of the transfer of research results to the economy, politics and civil society in southern Africa.
One research focus is on the sustainability and resilience of agricultural systems under stress or extreme conditions. The aim of the research is to utilise data-based and digital approaches to contribute to the improvement of food systems in Southern Africa.

What we stand for

The isiZulu, siSwati, and Ndebele word for ‘food’.
The acronym reflects the Nguni translation of the Centre‘s title:

• *U*kuzenzela (Sustainable)
• *K*uhlangula (Resilient)
• *U*kutya (Food)
• *D*atha (Data)
• *L*wezolimo (Agricultural)
• *A*frika (Africa)

It reflects the diversity of Southern Africa, embodying the essence of the nourishment of people (umtu) and the earth (umhlaba).

Structure and main objectives

The centre is founded upon three pillars: capacity building, research and Situated at the intersection of agri-food systems and data science, the approaches for applied research. The primary objectives of this approach functioning of food systems; secondly, to improve practice, transfer and offer high-level training and capacity building for sustainable food systems In addition to capacity-building measures, the project also supports African students, postdocs and early-career scientists. Furthermore, two research will be established at the University of the Western Cape and at the subject area. Moreover, a special focus is to be placed on the transfer of business, politics and civil society.

Funding partners

The Center for Food Systems and Data Science is part of the DAAD program “Fachzentren Afrika-Centres of African Excellence”. It is a joint synergy project between German and African institutions. On the German side, the Center is funded by the DAAD with funds from the Federal Foreign Office (AA), the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) and the Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture (BMEL). On the South African side, the Department of Science, Technology and Innovation (DSTI) and the National Research Foundation (NRF) are involved.
The center is divided into separate yet interconnected funding lines:

• Funding line A (capacity building and transfer; funded by the AA)
• Funding line B (Implementation of Research Chair and funding for German doctoral students and postdocs, funded by
  BMBF)
• Funding line C (doctoral and postdoctoral funding for African doctoral students and postdocs; funding by BMEL)
• Funding line NRF (National Research Foundation – funding of a further Research Chair) via funds from the Department of
  Science, Technology and Innovation (DSTI)