Buhle Mndzebele

    I am a senior research technician with 13+ years experience in research and development. I have led functional projects in which I wrote proposals, planned, and managed. Some of these were of national importance and were presented to the funding organizations. I am a self-driven and strategic researcher with a commercial mindset. My priority is personal and organizational growth while focusing on customer needs. I use a solution-based approach which is aligned with both 4IR and UN’s Sustainable Development Goals when delivering solutions.

Provided advisory services to emerging farmers
Supported a food security and nutrition programme
Training and capacity- building

Project leader in the “Testing the use of different growing media and planting techniques on G-Tech roll planter fiber technology for vegetable production” project 
Project leader for the intercropping project 
Acting project leader for the commercialization of amaranth project 
Did oral and poster presentation in Agricultural Research Symposium, Combined Congress, 7th Capricorn District Extension Conference, Indigenous Plant Use Forum, 31st Annual  South African Society for Agricultural Technologists Congress, Tshwane University of Technology Faculty of Science Research Day, 17th International Congress on Nitrogen Fixation, 10th Annual African Crop Science Society Conference, International Symposium on Biological Nitrogen Fixation in Africa, 16th International Biological Nitrogen Fixation Conference 
Conducted accredited and non-accredited training (facilitation and assessment) to  farmers/extension officers in Kwa-Zulu Natal, North West, Mpumalanga, Eastern Cape, Limpopo Provinces 
Reviewed MTech proposals and published articles and popular articles
Submitted proposals to various government departments and funding organizations.
Mentored Diploma, BTech, MTech students
Organized and hosted a farmer’s day
Funding awarded;
National Research Foundation- Indigenous Knowledge Systems: co-investigator
Gauteng Department of Agriculture and Rural Development:  lead investigator

PhD in Crop Science, University of KwaZulu-Natal (completed 2021)
Thesis title: ROLE OF FERTILISATION REGIMES ON THE YIELD AND NUTRITIONAL BENEFITS OF COWPEA-AMARANTH INTERCROPPING SYSTEMS 
Master of Technology in Agriculture, Tshwane University of Technology (completed 2012)
Dissertation title: EFFECT OF NUTRIENT ELEMENT SUPPLEMENTATION ON PLANT GROWTH, SYMBIOTIC FUNCTIONING, MINERAL CONCENTRATION AND TEA YIELD OF HONEYBUSH TEA PLANT (CYCLOPIA LONGIFOLIA VOGEL L.)
BSc. Agriculture (Land and Water Management Option), University of Swaziland (completed 2004)
Diploma Agriculture, University of Swaziland (completed 2002)
MSc/PhD-course “Plant Protection Biology to meet the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals”, (completed 2020)
Basic Soil Property and Interpretation of Results Course (completed 2019)
Weed Biological Control Short Course (completed 2018)
AVCASA (Association of Veterinary and Crop Associations of South Africa) (completed 2018)
Scientific Writing skills (completed 2015)
Facilitator, Assessor  and Moderator skills (completed 2013 and 2014)