The Food Animal Production and Availability subprogramme is a combined academic and clinical facility providing professional veterinary care, student training, and community animal agricultural outreach. The facility operates via production animal units, and pathology sections: routine vaccinations and deworming of animals, cattle, sheep, goats etc, Surgeries and castrations, Animal dentistry and X-ray diagnostics Pathology and post-mortem examinations. Primary healthcare mobile outreach programs is provided for local and communal animal farmers. The animal health and production programme trains undergraduate and postgraduate degrees focusing on biosecurity, food safety, and disease control. Practical, work-integrated learning rotations through clinics, laboratories, feedlots, and border control points.  

Research rationale

There are foodborne Pathogens that contaminate food and cause diseases in animals or livestock such as cattle, sheep, goats, chickens et. and this such harmful bacteria (like Salmonella, E.coli, Clostridium and Campylobacter spp) and parasites across the food chain should be prevented. Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) is a global problem in livestock and can spread to human when consuming meat, eggs or milk: The overuse of drugs in livestock to stop resistant superbugs from spreading to humans must be reduced or prevented for safety of food. Zoonotic disease epidemics illnesses that jump from animals to humans are a major global threat because over 60% of known human infections originate in animals. There is a need to manage the risk of emerging animal diseases jumping to humans and disrupting global trade. Animal feed contamination threatens public health and agriculture because pathogens and toxins in feed pass directly into the human food chain via meat, milk, and eggs. There is need to stops toxins (like mycotoxins) and chemical residues in animal feed from entering the human food supply.
 

Why it matters

Animal health and safety in food production addresses the critical food-system problem of preventing foodborne diseases, securing safe animal production, and sustainable animal protein for a growing global population.

In order to fulfilll Section 27 of the South African Constitution, which acknowledges everyone's right to enough food, it is essential to comprehend the micro and macro-level elements influencing equitable food availability.

Research focus

Research themes/ideas

• Emerging and Contagious Animal Diseases
• Food Safety, Mycotoxicology, and Toxicology
• Ethno-veterinary Medicine
• Emerging and Contagious Animal Diseases
• Food Safety, Mycotoxicology, and Toxicology
• Ethno-veterinary Medicine
• Sustainable Animal Production & Nutrition
   

Key research questions

The subprogramme heavily focuses on how to detect, manage, eradicate endemic and emerging veterinary diseases that threaten food security and rural livelihoods.

 Approaches/methods

1. Detection Methods

   • Advanced Laboratory Diagnostics: Through its Department of Agriculture-approved veterinary laboratory on the Mahikeng campus, the university utilizes molecular techniques (like PCR), advanced pathology, and microbiology to profile emerging viral and bacterial strains.

   • Syndromic & Atypical Surveillance: Technicians monitor livestock health indicators (such as drops in milk yield or sudden fever spikes) to catch unknown or atypical clinical cases before they spread.

   • Field Pathology & Post-Mortem Diagnostics: NWU's dedicated pathology section allows for rapid post-mortem investigations on livestock, providing immediate insights into mortality causes within community herds.

2. Management and Control Strategies

   • Once a disease is identified, NWU emphasizes stabilizing farming environments to limit economic damage:

     • Primary Healthcare Interventions: Providing mass vaccination campaigns, parasite control, dipping, and deworming protocols directly to cattle, poultry, and small ruminants.

     • Biosecurity & Environmental Control: Developing novel engineering technologies for environmental control—such as the biological control of odors on farms and abattoirs—to lower stress-induced susceptibility in animals.

     • Ethnoveterinary Medicine: Conducting extensive research into traditional, plant-based remedies. This empowers rural smallholders with cost-effective treatments and helps reduce reliance on chemical drugs and antibiotics, combatting antimicrobial resistance (AMR).

     • One Health Integration: Treating zoonotic threats (like rabies and ringworm) under a strict framework that acknowledges the interconnectedness of animal, human, and environmental health to safeguard farming families.

3. Eradication & Long-Term Prevention Protocols

• Eradication focuses on completely eliminating a pathogen's presence or capacity to cause outbreaks

• Technician & Field Officer Training: NWU conducts intensive, collaborative training programs to equip provincial animal health technicians with the skills required to implement government-mandated disease eradication processes.

• Epidemiological Buffer Zones: Deploying students and mobile ambulatory clinics 4 days a week to surrounding smallholder communities. This intensive outreach forms a practical ""buffer zone"" that has significantly dropped the regional disease burden around the Mahikeng area.

• Nutritional Immunology: Innovating sustainable, locally-sourced alternative feeds and precise nutrition additives to boost natural livestock immunity, minimizing the window of vulnerability where emerging pathogens take hold. 
  
   

The Subprogramme promotes sustainable crop-based food production systems that enhance the availability, productivity, resilience, quality and utilisation of food crops in South Africa and beyond. It adopts a multidisciplinary approach, integrating expertise in soil science, agronomy, crop improvement, plant physiology, seed technology, crop protection, post-harvest technology, agroprocessing, microbial biotechnology, fermentation and circular bioeconomy practices. Through this integrated framework, the subprogramme investigates how soil health, improved crop management, genetic enhancement, quality seed systems and effective crop protection can be combined to increase crop productivity and resilience under changing environmental conditions.

A key focus is on sustainable agriculture, climate adaptation, resource-use efficiency and the promotion of underutilised crops to diversify production and strengthen food system resilience. The programme also addresses challenges that extend beyond primary production, including post-harvest handling, storage, loss reduction, agroprocessing, fermentation and value addition. By applying a whole-value-chain approach, it connects increased agricultural production with improved food quality, retention and utilisation.

In South Africa, the subprogramme responds to critical challenges such as climate variability, soil degradation, water and resource constraints, pests and diseases, seed limitations, productivity gaps and post-harvest losses. Its integrated research and innovation activities support the development of practical, scalable solutions while fostering international collaboration and knowledge exchange. Ultimately, the subprogramme contributes to more resilient, productive and sustainable food systems in South Africa, Africa and other regions facing similar agricultural pressures."
 

Research rationale

The subprogramme adopts a multidisciplinary approach encompassing soil science, agronomy, crop improvement, plant physiology, seed technology, crop protection, post-harvest technology, agroprocessing, microbial biotechnology, fermentation, and circular bioeconomy practices. This integrated framework enables the development of systems-level solutions that link improved production with reduced post-harvest losses and enhanced food utilisation. It strengthens climate resilience through combined genetic, physiological, and management interventions, promotes the diversification of food systems through underutilised crops, and advances circular bioeconomy approaches that convert agricultural biomass and waste into value-added products. Additionally, the subprogramme supports research, innovation, and capacity development to deliver sustainable, practical solutions for food security and resilient crop production systems in South Africa and beyond.

Why it matters

This subprogramme is critical for strengthening South Africa’s food systems and agricultural resilience. Farmers face growing challenges from climate variability, degraded soils, resource constraints, limited access to resilient seed, and increasing pest and disease pressures, all of which threaten productivity and livelihoods. An integrated research approach helps address these interconnected challenges more effectively.

The programme also tackles post-harvest losses and limited agroprocessing capacity, which reduce food availability and contribute to higher food prices even when production levels are adequate. Improving storage, handling, processing, and value addition can significantly enhance food access and reduce waste.

As climate change intensifies, research that improves crop stress tolerance, soil health, and resource-use efficiency is essential for maintaining sustainable agricultural production. The programme further promotes the development and utilisation of underutilised crops, increasing food system diversity, nutritional value, and resilience to environmental and market shocks.

Beyond national benefits, the solutions generated have relevance for other African and developing regions facing similar challenges, creating opportunities for knowledge exchange and international collaboration. Importantly, the subprogramme operationalises the Food Security and Safety (FSS) Niche Area's mandate by linking research, innovation, training, and partnerships to practical, whole-value-chain solutions that improve food security, sustainability, and economic development.

Research focus

Research themes/ideas

The subprogramme focuses on twelve interconnected research areas that support sustainable, resilient, and productive crop-based food systems:

1. Soil Health and Resource-Use Efficiency – Improving soil fertility, soil health, and the efficient use of water and other production resources.

2. Agronomy and Crop Management – Optimising crop production practices to enhance productivity, quality, and resilience.

3. Crop Improvement and Genetic Enhancement – Developing high-yielding, climate-resilient, and adaptable crop varieties.

4. Plant and Crop Stress Physiology – Understanding crop responses to environmental and production stresses.

5. Seed Technology – Enhancing the development, quality, and availability of locally adapted, resilient seed.

6. Crop Protection – Managing pests, diseases, and other biotic threats to safeguard crop yield and quality.

7. Underutilised Crops and Diversification – Promoting alternative crop species to strengthen food system resilience and nutritional diversity.

8. Post-Harvest Technology and Loss Reduction – Improving storage, handling, and preservation to reduce food losses.

9. Agroprocessing and Value Addition – Advancing processing technologies that improve product quality, shelf-life, and market value.

10. Microbial Biotechnology and Fermentation – Applying microbial and fermentation technologies to enhance food quality, safety, and utilisation.

11. Circular Bioeconomy – Converting agricultural biomass and waste into value-added products and resources.

12. Climate Resilience and Sustainable Agriculture – Integrating climate adaptation and sustainability across all aspects of crop production and utilisation."
     

Key research questions

1. How can soil health, crop management, and resource-use efficiency be improved to sustain productivity under increasing water and land constraints?

2. What genetic, physiological, and management interventions can enhance crop resilience to climate variability and other environmental stresses?

3. How can quality seed systems and crop protection strategies be strengthened to close productivity gaps and reduce yield losses to pests and disease?

4. How can post-harvest losses be reduced and agroprocessing, fermentation, and value-addition capacity be improved to retain and enhance food that is already produced?

5. How can underutilised crops be developed and integrated into production systems to diversify food sources and strengthen resilience against systemic shocks?"
    

Approaches/methods

1. Field Trials and Long-Term Experiments – Evaluating crop varieties, management practices, and production systems under real-world conditions.

2. Soil and Plant Analysis – Assessing soil health, fertility, and crop physiological responses to environmental and production stresses.

3. Molecular and Biotechnological Techniques – Applying genetic and microbial technologies for crop improvement, seed quality enhancement, and fermentation processes.

4. Post-Harvest and Food Science Research – Developing improved storage, preservation, agroprocessing, and quality management methods to reduce losses.

5. Circular Bioeconomy Approaches – Converting agricultural biomass and waste into value-added products to enhance sustainability and resource efficiency.

6. Multidisciplinary Research Integration – Combining expertise across crop production, protection, physiology, seed technology, and agroprocessing to address complex food system challenges.

7. Participatory Farmer-Centred Research – Collaborating with commercial and smallholder farmers to ensure relevance, applicability, and adoption of innovations.

8. Climate and Environmental Monitoring – Using environmental data to assess crop performance and guide climate-resilient interventions.

9. National and International Collaboration – Partnering with research institutions, government, and industry to strengthen impact, capacity development, and knowledge exchange."
    

The Sub-Programme is committed to enhancing our understanding of national and international policy dynamics that affect access to healthy and nutritious diets, with focus on some socioeconomic and institutional constraints

Research rationale

Despite South Africa's very advanced agricultural and food systems, food accessibility and affordability continue to be significant issues, especially for low-income and vulnerable households. Other factors that affect food access include, inflation, unemployment, uneven distribution of income, low household income, poverty, market inaccessibility, impact of trade and geopolitics and the lack of capacity to generate food at household level.

Why it matters

Food security does not only depend on food availability, but citizens must also be able to purchase, physically acquire, and socially obtain enough nourishing food. Considering Section 27 of the Constitution, which acknowledges everyone's right to adequate food and mandates that the state take reasonable steps toward its progressive realization, it is imperative to comprehend the micro- and macro-level factors influencing equitable food access in South Africa.

Research focus

Research themes/ideas

• Inflation

• Food price inflation

• Interest rates, exchange rates and economic development 

• Food systems policies

• Market concentration analysis, price volatility and transmission and market integration

• Food value chains

• Poverty alleviation analysis (macro-micro level) and sustainable livelihoods studies

• Child poverty and malnutrition

• Agricultural extension services effects on food accessibility

• International trade effects on food accessibility

Key research questions

• What effects do inflation, food-price inflation, interest rates, currency rates, economic growth, and market concentration, price volatility, price transmission, and market integration and other micro and macro variables have on South Africa's food affordability and access?

• What is the impact of agricultural extension services, technology transfer, and the adoption of improved agricultural technologies on access to food at household and community level?

• What are the macroeconomic and microeconomic factors that influence food security particularly food accessibility and affordability and poverty reduction in South Africa?

Approaches/methods

Quantative and mixed methods

The Subprogramme promotes safe, healthy and sustainable food systems that support food security, protect public health and strengthen the resilience of food value chains in South Africa and beyond. It brings together expertise in food mycotoxicology, food microbiology, antimicrobial resistance, veterinary and chemical residues, foodborne pathogens, analytical chemistry, molecular epidemiology, food processing, preservation, post-harvest technology and food-safety management.

The Subprogramme takes a whole-food-chain and One Health approach to understanding and managing food-safety risks. Research covers the pathway from primary production through processing, storage, transportation and marketing to consumption. Particular attention is given to mycotoxins, antimicrobial-resistant bacteria, veterinary-drug residues, foodborne pathogens and other chemical and biological hazards that may compromise food safety and quality.

An important component of the programme is the investigation of food-safety risks in foods that are important to African food systems, including dried fish, cereals and small grains, groundnuts, animal products and emerging protein sources. The programme also examines how drying, storage, processing, fermentation and packaging influence contamination, food quality and shelf life.

The Subprogramme recognises that food safety and food security are closely connected. Food that is contaminated, spoiled or lost during storage and processing cannot contribute fully to food and nutrition security. Consequently, research is directed not only at identifying hazards, but also at developing practical approaches to prevent contamination, reduce losses and improve the safety and quality of food.

The programme further addresses antimicrobial resistance as an emerging food-safety and One Health challenge. Research examines resistant organisms and resistance determinants at the animal–food–environment interface, with particular attention to understanding the factors that contribute to the emergence and dissemination of antimicrobial resistance.

Through its research, training and partnerships, the Subprogramme aims to generate evidence that can be translated into improved food-safety practices, stronger surveillance systems, better processing and storage practices, and evidence-based policies and standards. Ultimately, it contributes to safer food, healthier populations, reduced food losses and more resilient food systems in South Africa and Africa.

Research rationale

Food safety is an essential component of food security and public health. Increasing food production alone does not guarantee food security if food is contaminated, lost during storage or processing, or unable to enter markets because it does not meet required safety and quality standards.

African food systems face a combination of biological, chemical and environmental food-safety challenges. These include contamination with mycotoxins, foodborne pathogens and antimicrobial-resistant organisms, as well as residues of veterinary medicines and other chemicals. These risks may be increased by inadequate drying and storage, limited processing infrastructure, informal marketing systems and limited access to food-safety testing.

The Subprogramme therefore adopts an integrated approach that links hazard identification, analytical measurement, epidemiology, risk assessment and practical intervention.

A significant research focus is on mycotoxins and fungal contamination in food and feed. Current research includes investigation of aflatoxin contamination and fungal occurrence in dried fish and other food products. This work seeks to understand the factors associated with contamination and to distinguish between the presence of fungi and the confirmed occurrence and concentration of mycotoxins.

The programme also addresses antimicrobial resistance through research on resistant bacteria associated with food-producing animals and the food chain. The work on carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae combines microbiological methods, antimicrobial susceptibility testing, molecular detection and genomic approaches to investigate resistance mechanisms, genetic diversity and potential transmission pathways.

Research on veterinary-drug and other chemical residues complements the microbiological work by addressing another important source of food-safety risk. Together, these research areas provide a broader understanding of the factors affecting the safety of food produced and consumed in African food systems.

The Subprogramme also recognises the importance of what happens to food after production. Research on drying, preservation, storage, processing and packaging is therefore integrated into the programme to identify practical opportunities to reduce contamination and food losses while maintaining food quality and value.

The overall rationale is to move beyond simply documenting food-safety problems and to develop evidence-based and practical solutions that can be implemented by farmers, food processors, laboratories, regulators and other food-chain stakeholders.

Why it matters

Food safety is fundamental to public health, food security and economic development. Unsafe food can cause illness, reduce productivity, undermine consumer confidence and result in significant economic losses. For farmers and food enterprises, contamination can also reduce product value and restrict access to formal and higher-value markets.

These challenges are particularly important in Africa, where many food products are produced, processed, dried, stored and marketed under conditions where contamination can occur and where access to specialised food-safety testing remains limited.

Mycotoxins are an important example. They can occur in food and feed and may remain present after harvesting and processing. Understanding their occurrence in foods such as dried fish, cereals, small grains and groundnuts is therefore important for assessing potential exposure and identifying appropriate control measures.

Antimicrobial resistance presents another increasingly important challenge. Resistant bacteria and resistance genes can move between animals, farms, food, humans and the environment. Understanding these connections is essential for developing interventions that reduce the emergence and spread of resistance.

The Subprogramme also recognises that food safety cannot be separated from food processing and food losses. Poor drying, storage and handling can increase deterioration and contamination, while inadequate processing and packaging can reduce shelf life and market opportunities. Improving these processes can therefore simultaneously contribute to food safety, food security, income generation and waste reduction.

The programme is particularly relevant to South Africa and other African countries because many of these challenges occur across national borders and food value chains. The research therefore provides opportunities for regional collaboration, comparative studies, capacity development and the sharing of appropriate technologies.

Importantly, the Subprogramme operationalises the Food Security and Safety Niche Area by linking research, innovation, postgraduate training, laboratory capacity and partnerships to practical solutions for safer and more resilient food systems.

Research focus

1. Mycotoxins and fungal contamination
   Understanding the occurrence, distribution and risk factors associated with aflatoxins and other mycotoxins in food and feed, with particular attention to foods of importance to African food systems.

2. Foodborne pathogens and microbial safety
   Investigating bacterial and fungal contamination of food and identifying factors that contribute to contamination during production, processing, storage and marketing.

3. Antimicrobial resistance and food safety
   Investigating antimicrobial-resistant organisms and resistance genes associated with livestock production, food and the environment, including the epidemiology and genomic characteristics of priority resistant bacteria.

4. Veterinary-drug and chemical residues
   Investigating the occurrence and potential food-safety significance of veterinary medicines, antibiotics and other chemical residues in food and food-production systems.

5. Food-safety analytical science
   Strengthening the application of microbiological, molecular and analytical techniques for the detection and characterisation of food-safety hazards.

6. Post-harvest food safety
   Investigating contamination and deterioration during drying, handling, storage, transportation and marketing, and developing approaches to reduce food losses.

7. Food processing, preservation and packaging
   Evaluating processing and preservation approaches that improve food safety, quality and shelf life while remaining practical for small and emerging food enterprises.

8. Emerging foods and alternative proteins
   Assessing the safety and quality of emerging food sources such as insects, fish, soybean products, Bambara groundnuts, moringa and other locally important food resources.

9. Food quality and value addition
   Integrating food-safety considerations into processing and transformation to support higher-quality products, improved shelf life and access to formal and higher-value markets.

10. Food-safety surveillance and risk assessment
    Generating evidence on contamination, exposure and risk factors to support targeted surveillance and evidence-based food-safety interventions.

11. One Health and food systems
    Investigating the relationships between animal health, food, environmental contamination and human health, particularly in relation to antimicrobial resistance and chemical hazards.

12. Food-safety capacity and innovation
    Strengthening the capacity of researchers, students, laboratories, farmers, food processors and other food-chain stakeholders to identify and manage food-safety risks.

Key research questions

• What are the major biological and chemical food-safety hazards affecting important foods in South Africa and other African food systems?
• What factors contribute to mycotoxin contamination in foods such as dried fish, cereals, small grains and groundnuts, and how can these risks be reduced?
• How do antimicrobial-resistant bacteria and resistance genes move through the animal–food–environment interface?
• Which production, processing, storage and marketing practices increase the risk of food contamination?
• How can microbiological, molecular and analytical technologies be used to strengthen food-safety surveillance in Africa?
• How do drying, storage, fermentation, processing and packaging influence food contamination, safety, quality and shelf life?
• What are the food-safety risks associated with emerging and alternative protein sources?
• How can practical and affordable food-safety interventions be developed for smallholder farmers, informal processors and emerging food enterprises?
• How can food-safety research be translated into guidelines, standards, policies and practical interventions?
• How can One Health approaches improve the prevention and control of food-safety hazards across animal, food, environmental and human systems?

Approaches/methods

1. Food sampling and surveillance
   Risk-based sampling of food, feed, animals, environmental materials and food-processing environments across selected value chains.

2. Microbiological methods
   Isolation, identification and characterisation of bacterial and fungal contaminants using conventional microbiological techniques and advanced identification platforms.

3. Molecular and genomic methods
   Use of PCR, antimicrobial-resistance gene detection, whole-genome sequencing, MLST, cgMLST and SNP analysis to characterise pathogens and investigate resistance mechanisms and transmission.

4. Analytical chemistry
   Application of LC-MS/MS, QTOF-MS and other appropriate analytical platforms for the detection and quantification of mycotoxins, veterinary-drug residues and other chemical contaminants.

5. Food processing and post-harvest studies
   Controlled studies of drying, storage, preservation, fermentation, processing and packaging to determine their effects on food safety and quality.

6. Epidemiological and risk-factor analysis
   Analysis of farm, food-processing, storage and behavioural factors associated with contamination and food-safety risks.

7. Food-safety risk assessment
   Integration of laboratory results, exposure information and food-consumption data to characterise risks and identify priority intervention points.

8. Participatory research
   Engagement with farmers, food processors, traders, regulators and communities to ensure that research responds to practical food-safety challenges.

9. Intervention research
   Development and testing of practical approaches for contamination prevention, safe processing, preservation, storage and packaging.

10. One Health integration
    Integration of animal, food and environmental information to understand food-safety risks and antimicrobial-resistance pathways.

11. Capacity development
    Training postgraduate students, researchers, laboratory personnel, food processors, farmers and other stakeholders in food-safety research and practice.

12. National and international collaboration
    Collaboration with universities, research institutes, government, laboratories, industry and international organisations to strengthen research capacity, knowledge exchange and impact.