Advancing real-time data collection in South African agriculture

Dr Mahlane Godfrey Kgatle, Research Coordination Manager at Grain South Africa, spoke to Octavia Avesca Spandiel about how the Information Hub at Innovation Africa, University of Pretoria, is transforming agricultural research through real-time data integration and collaboration across disciplines.

- By Octavia Avesca Spandiel

The Information Hub at Innovation Africa, University of Pretoria, in collaboration with Grain South Africa’s (Grain SA) Research Consortia, recently hosted a workshop focused on enhancing real-time agricultural data collection and integration. Supported by the Department of Science, Technology and Innovation (DSTI) and the Technology Innovation Agency (TIA), the workshop brought together over 70 researchers from diverse fields including plant pathology, agronomy, soil science, entomology, climatology, genetics and data science agronomy.

Established about six years ago, the Information Hub has become a cornerstone in connecting research, data, and innovation across South Africa’s agriculture sector. It plays a vital role in strengthening research networks and advancing sustainable agricultural development, a goal that is becoming increasingly critical as the country faces climate change, pest invasions and growing biosecurity threats.

Dr Mahlane Godfrey Kgatle, research coordination manager at Grain SA, told Farmer’s Weekly, the significance of the initiative is that an integrated, real-time data platform can transform how South Africa collects, shares and uses agricultural information.

He added that, currently, much of the nation’s agricultural research data is often spread across individual computers, drives, or institutional servers. This fragmentation makes it difficult for researchers, farmers and policymakers to access and use information effectively. The new platform aims to change that by creating a unified system where data can be easily shared and accessed in real time.