Newsletter: October 2018

Warm greetings and welcome to this special edition of the Nano News brought to you by NPEP. This edition has a focus on the role of nanotechnology in agriculture and highlights new and exciting developments and events that have taken place in the nanotechnology sector.

The Nanotechnology Innovation Centres (NICs) funded by the Department of Science and Technology (DST) have celebrated 10 years of conducting world-class research and development in the field of nanotechnology. The NICs, hosted by MINTEK and the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) have a mandate to build capacity that will ensure the development of commercial nano-enabled products for South Africa to compete globally in the field of nanotechnology.

Globally, the agricultural industry is facing a myriad of challenges which include low efficiencies in nutrient use, stagnation in crop yield, multi nutrient deficiencies, climate change and water scarcity. It is imperative that many of these global challenges be addressed by innovative technologies, including the application of nanotechnology.

There is an increase in nanotechnology research and commercialisation of nano products in  African countries such as South Africa, Zimbabwe, Kenya, Sudan, Egypt and Algeria. However, great disparities in technological advancement exist between African nations and the developed world, as well as within Africa itself; as a result of several socio-economic factors that include the lack of appropriate technological policies and regulations

Agriculture is the largest interface between humans and the environment and, as a result, is a major influence on climate change and ecosystem degradation. The demand on agriculture increases as our demand for food increases while natural resources such as land, water and soil fertility are limited.

Nanotechnology is the branch of science concerned with the manipulation of matter at the nanoscale, i.e., a size so small that it is measured in nanometres (one billionth of a metre), to create materials of any size that have new properties and functions.

The complementary nature of health and food industries is exemplified in animal production, where livestock health is directly linked to food production and food safety. Nanotechnology has a role to play in these industries to prevent and treat diseases that may impede the growth of animals and may also threaten human health.

The Applied Nanotechnology and Nanoscience International Conference is an annual event. It hosts high-profile plenary speakers, world-class researchers, oral and poster presentations, workshops, sponsor exhibits and afterworks. This event is a great opportunity to share your research findings with a wide audience, promote knowledge exchange, and network. Come to share during this fourth edition.

The Composite Research Group (CRG) from the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the Durban University of Technology in Durban, South Africa is hosting their Third International Conference on Composites, Biocomposites and Nanocomposites (ICCBN). The conference hosts leading researchers, scientists and experts from around the world.

The National Research Foundation (NRF) awards bursaries to students pursuing full-time Honours’ and final year B Tech studies at South African public universities.