Dr WA Lombaard Awarded NRF Y1 Rating (2024)

Our department is proud to announce that Dr WA Lombaard was awarded an NRF Y1 rating in 2024. The Y1 rating is conferred on promising young researchers who have demonstrated outstanding potential to become future leaders in their fields. This achievement reflects the quality and impact of Dr Lombaard’s research. We congratulate him on this important milestone.

 

Prof Yonas T Bahta Ranked Among World’s Top 2% of Scientists (2024–2025)

We are honoured to share that Prof Yonas T Bahta has been recognised as one of the world’s top 2% of scientists in both 2024 and 2025, according to the global ranking by Stanford University and Elsevier. This recognition is based on standardised citation metrics and authorship, ensuring that the ranking reflects research impact and influence.

Prof Yonas T Bahta Delivers Inaugural Lecture at UFS (2025)

The Department of Agricultural Economics congratulates Prof Yonas T Bahta on his inaugural lecture delivered in 2025 at the University of the Free State, titled “Can We Own the Future? The Ever-Changing Dynamics of Agricultural Trade and Food Security Amid Intensifying Agricultural Drought.” The lecture examined how climate change, drought and trade pressures are reshaping food security and agricultural trade in South Africa and globally, and highlighted the importance of climate-resilient agriculture, innovation and inclusive policy to secure sustainable future food systems.