Conference Program and Book of Abstracts - IIASA
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Conference Program and Book of Abstracts
© 2019 International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis ZVR 524808900 Information in this publication is correct when going to print on 25 November 2019. Views or opinions expressed herein do not necessarily represent those of IIASA, its National Member Organizations, or the conference partner organizations. External Relations, Communications and Library Department IIASA, Schlossplatz 1, A‑2361 Laxenburg, Austria E‑mail: externalrelations@iiasa.ac.at
Table of Contents Page 1 Welcome from the conference partners Page 2-3 General information Page 4-9 Conference agenda Page 10-11 Conference partners Page 12 Social media Page 13-27 Speaker and panelists biographies Page 28-40 Poster abstracts Page 41-46 Scientific and organizing committees
Welcome
On behalf of the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA), the National Research
Foundation (NRF) of South Africa, the Department of Science and Innovation (DSI) of South Africa, the
Southern African Systems Analysis Center (SASAC), and the Africa Conference scientific and organizing
committees, it gives us great pleasure to welcome you to the Systems Analysis and Africa Conference
being held on the African continent for the first time.
In 2018, the IIASA Council passed a resolution to co-host a series of regional conferences. This will be
the second in a series of events that aims to foster increased dialogue between research and policy
communities around systems approaches to resolve regional societal priorities. The focus will be on
identifying the role of systems analysis in addressing regional sustainability challenges, while also
providing local input into the strategic priorities and strategic outcomes of IIASA.
In Africa, countries face regional challenges such as poverty, hunger, competition for natural resources,
transboundary issues, environmental problems, and the need for effective sustainability strategies. This
conference will explore how the multilateral application of systems analysis can be used to address
these challenges.
It will also leverage the strong relationship between South African and IIASA expertise in systems
analysis methodologies to discuss and analyze transformative approaches aimed at increasing the
impact and effectiveness of its investments. Mechanisms to be discussed will include capacity
development programs, global research networks, and research for development and regional
challenges.
We are delighted that you are able to join us for what promises to be an intellectually exciting and
stimulating event. We hope you will take away tools and lessons that you will find both constructive
and of value in your future endeavors within your respective countries.
Albert van Jaarsveld, Gansen Pillay, Priscilla Baker, Daan du Toit,
Director General and Deputy CEO: RISA, University of the Deputy Director
CEO, International National Research Western Cape (UWC) General, Department
Institute for Applied Foundation (NRF) of and Director, Southern of Science and
Systems Analysis South Africa and African Systems Innovation (DSI) of
(IIASA) Vice-Chair of the Analysis Centre South Africa
IIASA Council (SASAC)
1 – SYSTEMS ANALYSIS AND AFRICA – www.iiasa.ac.at/africa-reg
General Information Badges Systems Analysis and Africa is for registered delegates only. Therefore, it is important for security reasons to wear your badge at all times during the conference. If you lose your badge or find a lost badge, please contact a member of the conference staff. Breaks Coffee, tea and refreshments will be available throughout the day and there will be a dedicated refreshment break at 11:15am served outside the conference room. Conference Secretariat The conference secretariat and registration desk are located outside the conference room (ground floor). If during the conference you have any queries related to the conference program or logistical matters, please contact the staff on the desk. Contact Information NRF Contact Persons Puleng Tshitlho Telephone: +27 12 481 4061 E-mail: puleng.tshitlho@nrf.ac.za Penelope Chauke Telephone: +27 12 481 4130 E-mail: penelope.chauke@nrf.ac.za IIASA Contact Persons Tom Danaher Telephone: +43 676 83807 214 E-mail: danaher@iiasa.ac.at Internet Access You can connect to the internet via NRF OPEN WIFI the connection does not require a username or password. Language and Translation All presentations and discussion sessions will be in English and translation will not be offered. Live Streaming The conference will be live streamed and the recording also available online after the event. Lunch A buffet lunch will be served outside the conference room at 12:45pm. Media All media-related information will be available at the conference secretariat. Medical emergencies For critical or major emergencies dial 112 from your mobile phone. Otherwise contact the conference secretariat for assistance. Parking Parking is available onsite at the NRF. Posters Pick up the fixing material for your poster from the conference secretariat and find out where to hang them up. Publications There will be a publications table located outside the meeting room, feel free to browse and take copies of any of the material on display. 2 – SYSTEMS ANALYSIS AND AFRICA – www.iiasa.ac.at/africa-reg
Reception A drinks reception will be held outside the main conference room immediately proceeding the conference at 5:15pm this will be combined with the poster session. Smoking The conference venue and all events are nonsmoking. Website You can find additional information on the conference website www.iiasa.ac.at/africa-reg 3 – SYSTEMS ANALYSIS AND AFRICA – www.iiasa.ac.at/africa-reg
Agenda Tuesday 3 December 2019 09:00 – 10:00 Harnessing the Power of Systems Analysis 09:00 – Welcome and Opening Remarks Moderator: Aldo Stroebel, Executive Director, Strategic Partnerships, National Research Foundation (NRF) of South Africa and IIASA NMO Secretary for South Africa Speakers: Gansen Pillay, Deputy CEO: RISA, National Research Foundation (NRF) of South Africa and Vice- Chair of the IIASA Council Albert van Jaarsveld, Director General and Chief Executive Officer, International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA) Priscilla Baker, Senior Professor with SARChl, University of the Western Cape (UWC) and Director, Southern African Systems Analysis Centre (SASAC) Daan du Toit, Deputy Director General, Department of Science and Innovation (DSI) of South Africa 09:15 – Keynote Presentation - The Power of Systems Analysis Albert van Jaarsveld, Director General and Chief Executive Officer, International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA) 09:35 – Keynote Presentation - A Regional Perspective of Systems Analysis Ursula Scharler, Associate Professor, School of Life Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN) and Chair of the IIASA-South African NMO Committee 4 – SYSTEMS ANALYSIS AND AFRICA – www.iiasa.ac.at/africa-reg
10:00 – 11:15 Panel Discussion: A Regional Application of Systems Analysis Panel members will present practical applications of systems analysis in addressing regional and international challenges followed by an interactive discussion on future research directions for systems analysis in the region. Moderator: Thandi Mgwebi, Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Research, Innovation and Engagement, Tshwane University of Technology (TUT) Panelists: Esther Boere, Research Scholar, Ecosystems Services and Management (ESM) Program, International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA) Hala Elkady, Supervisor of the Specialized Scientific Councils in ASRT, Academy of Scientific Research and Technology (ASRT), Egypt Bongani Ncube, Researcher, Centre for Water and Sanitation Research, Cape Peninsula University of Technology Coleen Vogel, Distinguished Professor, School of Animal, Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand (WITS) 11:15 – Coffee Break 5 – SYSTEMS ANALYSIS AND AFRICA – www.iiasa.ac.at/africa-reg
11:45 – 12:45 Panel Discussion: Systems Analysis and South Africa A range of collaborative research and capacity building initiatives have been developed in South Africa with the support of the NRF, DSI, IIASA and South African national universities. The most notable activities are the Southern African Young Scientists Summer Program (SA-YSSP) and the Southern African Systems Analysis Centre (SASAC) that were launched in 2011 and 2015 respectively. This session will showcase what has been achieved and highlight the lessons that can be learnt for future activities. Moderator: Priscilla Mensah, Director of Human and Infrastructure Capacity Development, National Research Foundation (NRF) of South Africa Panelists: Corina du Toit, Program Manager, African Doctoral Academy, Stellenbosch University Brian Fath, Senior Research Scholar and YSSP Scientific Coordinator, International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA) and Professor in the Department of Biological Sciences at Towson University (Maryland, USA) Sepo Hachigonta, Director, Strategy, Planning and Partnerships (SSP), National Research Foundation (NRF) of South Africa Ndoni Mcunu, SASAC PhD student, University of Witwatersrand (WITS) Andreas Roodt, Former SA-YSSP Dean and Outstanding Professor, University of the Free State Mary Scholes, Full Professor, School of Animal, Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of Witwatersrand (WITS), Chair of the IIASA Scientific Advisory Committee (SAC) and holder of the Sarchi Chair in Systems Analysis Mercy Shoko, Principal Demographer, Statistics South Africa (STATSSA) and former SA-YSSP Participant 12:45 – Lunch 6 – SYSTEMS ANALYSIS AND AFRICA – www.iiasa.ac.at/africa-reg
14:00 – 15:00 Integrated Approaches to the Sustainable Development Goals Countries that implement the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in an integrated manner will benefit from synergies across the goals and minimize the negative side effects from trade-offs. This session will draw on recent research from IIASA and Africa on smart approaches to implementing the SDGs. Moderator: Cheikh Mbow, Director, Future Africa Institute, University of Pretoria Keynote speaker: Barbara Willaarts, Research Scholar, Water Program, International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA) Integrated Solutions for Water, Energy, and Land (ISWEL): This project explored cost- effective solutions to jointly meet water, land and energy demands under different development and climate pathways, first globally and then for the transboundary basin of the Zambezi. Keynote speaker: Kiflu Gedeffe Molla, Senior Researcher, Policy Studies Institute (PSI) and Coordinator of the Trade Policy Research Center at PSI Food, Agriculture, Biodiversity, Land Use and Energy (FABLE) Pathways Consortium: FABLE brings together leading research institutions from more than 20 countries to develop integrated, long-term pathways towards sustainable land-use and food systems consistent with the SDGs and the Paris Agreement. 7 – SYSTEMS ANALYSIS AND AFRICA – www.iiasa.ac.at/africa-reg
15:00 – 16:00 Panel Discussion: Global Research Networks Global research networks are increasingly growing and becoming a driving force of innovation. Nations are exploring new opportunities to ensure the sustainability of innovation in an increasingly borderless world, where public spending for research is leveraged based on national priorities, but where research outcomes are not confined to national borders. This panel discussion will focus on how effective collaboration among developing countries and IIASA can strengthen national systems analysis themes and ultimately lead to increased collaborative research that contributes towards attaining national, regional and global development agendas, informed by local data and priorities. Moderator: Canisius Kanangire, Executive Secretary, African Ministers Council on Water (AMCOW) Panelists: Christian N. Acemah, Uganda National Academy of Sciences (UNAS) Raya Muttarak, Research Scholar, World Population Program, International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA) Frans Swanepoel, Director, International Strategic Partnerships and Professor, Agricultural Transformation in Africa (ATA) and Gauteng Research Triangle Coordinator, University of Pretoria Nelson Torto, Executive Director, African Academy of Sciences (AAS) 8 – SYSTEMS ANALYSIS AND AFRICA – www.iiasa.ac.at/africa-reg
16:00 – 16:30 Audience Consultation: Future Strategy Planning: IIASA Strategy 2021-2030 Building on the topics and issues raised throughout the day, this session aims to link the regional challenges for systems analysis with the development of a new strategy for IIASA. It will gather inputs from the audience on how the IIASA future strategy can focus its research on major societal challenges, identify science-based policy solutions, respond to the interest of broader membership, and compete and collaborate with research organizations studying global problems. Moderator: Iain Stewart, Head of External Relations and Communications, IIASA 16:30 – 17:00 Poster Blitz Session During this session, six selected posters from SA-YSSP and SASAC participants and alumni will be presented as short oral presentations. Selected authors should prepare a 5-minute presentation. Questions can be directed to those presenting during the succeeding poster session. Moderator: Mary Scholes, Full Professor, School of Animal, Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of Witwatersrand (WITS), Chair of the IIASA Scientific Advisory Committee (SAC) and holder of the Sarchi Chair in Systems Analysis 17:00 – 17:15 Summary and Closing Remarks 17:00 – Summary and Closing Remarks Gansen Pillay, Deputy CEO: RISA, National Research Foundation (NRF) of South Africa and Vice- Chair of the IIASA Council Albert van Jaarsveld, Director General and Chief Executive Officer, International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA) 17:15 – 19:00 Poster Session and Cocktail Reception 19:00 – Conference ends 9 – SYSTEMS ANALYSIS AND AFRICA – www.iiasa.ac.at/africa-reg
Conference Partners
Many thanks to the conference partners for their contributions and support in the organization of this
conference.
IIASA, The International Institute for Applied Systems
Analysis (IIASA) is an independent, international
research institute with National Member Organizations
in Africa, the Americas, Asia, and Europe. Through its
research programs and initiatives, the institute
conducts policy-oriented research into issues that are
too large or complex to be solved by a single country
or academic discipline. This includes pressing concerns
that affect the future of all of humanity, such as climate
change, energy security, population aging, and
sustainable development.
https://www.iiasa.ac.at/
NRF, The National Research Foundation (NRF) was
established as an independent government agency,
through the National Research Foundation Act of 1998.
The mandate of the NRF is to promote and support
research through funding, human resource
development and the provision of the necessary
research facilities in order to facilitate the creation of
knowledge, innovation and development in all fields of
science and technology, including indigenous
knowledge, and thereby contribute to the improvement
of the quality of life of all South Africans.
https://www.nrf.ac.za/
10 – SYSTEMS ANALYSIS AND AFRICA – www.iiasa.ac.at/africa-regConference Partners
Many thanks to the conference partners for their contributions and support in the organization of this
conference.
DSI, The Department of Science and Innovation seeks
to boost socio-economic development in South Africa
through research and innovation. To achieve its goals,
the Department provides leadership, an enabling
environment and resources for science, technology and
innovation.
Through its programmes and several entities that work
alongside it, the Department is accomplishing
groundbreaking science and enhancing the well-being
of all South Africans.
https://www.dst.gov.za/
SASAC, stands for the Southern African Systems
Analysis Centre. It is a multi-year initiative developed
by South Africa’s National Research Foundation (NRF)
and the Department of Science & Technology (DST) as
part of its membership of the International Institute for
Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA).
The program was developed in recognition of the
pivotal role that Systems Analysis and research in this
field can play in solving both global challenges and
those faced by developing nations.
http://sasac.ac.za/
11 – SYSTEMS ANALYSIS AND AFRICA – www.iiasa.ac.at/africa-regSocial Media
We encourage the use of social media during the event
#IIASAAfrica19
#SystemsAnalysis
Please also remember to tag the conference partners!
#SASAC
@IIASAVienna
@NRF_News
@dsigovza
12 – SYSTEMS ANALYSIS AND AFRICA – www.iiasa.ac.at/africa-regSpeaker Biographies – Harnessing the Power of Systems Analysis
Moderator: Aldo Stroebel, Executive Director,
Strategic Partnerships, National Research
Foundation (NRF) of South Africa and IIASA
NMO Secretary
Is Executive Director, Strategic Partnerships at the
National Research Foundation (NRF) of South Africa and
Visiting Fellow at the Institute for African Development
at Cornell University, USA. He serves as South Africa’s
national contact point for the ERC to H2020, and on the
boards of the Water Research Commission (WRC) and
the Agricultural Research Council (ARC). He is a Foreign
Fellow of the Ugandan National Academy of Science,
and a founding member of the SA Young Academy of
Science (SAYAS). Education credentials: University of
Pretoria (BSc- and Hons-degrees); University of Ghent,
Belgium (Masters: International Agricultural Development); University of the Free State and Cornell
University, USA (PhD); Postdoctoral research at Wageningen University, The Netherlands. He has
published widely in smallholder farming systems and has been acknowledged as a leader in
internationalisation of Higher Education, and research and innovation management. He serves as the
co-chairperson of the Executive Support Group of the Global Research Council.
Speaker: Gansen Pillay, Deputy CEO: RISA,
Research and Innovation Support and
Advancement, National Research Foundation
(NRF) of South Africa and Vice-Chair of the
IIASA Council
His career of over more than three decades includes
various academic, management and full professoriate
positions at the former University of Durban-Westville
(UD-W) and the Durban University of Technology in
South Africa. He has spent time as Visiting Research
Professor at Cornell University, USA; the Royal
Melbourne Institute of Technology in Australia; Goethe
Universitat, Germany; and the Scottish Crops Research
Institute in Invergowrie, Scotland. He obtained a post-
M.Sc. qualification in Biophysics at the Weizmann
Institute for Science in Rehovot, Israel, and a PhD degree in Microbiology from UD-W. Dr Pillay
completed the International Executive Development Programme through WITS University, South
Africa; the London School of Business; the Indian Institute of Management in Bangalore; the Harvard
Business School (HBS) Programme on “Maximising Your Leadership Potential” and the “Senior
Executive Leadership Programme” through Harvard University, USA. Dr Pillay is a Harvard alumnus.
Dr Pillay is currently a member of the Council of the International Institute for Applied Systems
Analysis (IIASA) in Austria where he serves as the Vice Chair.
13 – SYSTEMS ANALYSIS AND AFRICA – www.iiasa.ac.at/africa-regSpeaker: Albert van Jaarsveld, Director General
and Chief Executive Officer, International
Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA)
Obtained his PhD in Zoology from the University of
Pretoria, pursued postdoctoral studies and research in
conservation biology and global security in Australia and
the UK respectively, and completed executive
management training at Harvard University.
Prior to joining IIASA, Van Jaarsveld was the Vice-
Chancellor and Principal of the University of KwaZulu-
Natal in South Africa, and President and CEO of the
South African National Research Foundation (NRF). His
career in research, teaching, and leadership includes
academic and management positions at the Universities
of Pretoria and Stellenbosch as Dean of Science, and as Adjunct Professor: Environmental Studies
Program at Dartmouth College, USA. As Director General and CEO, Van Jaarsveld is responsible for
the formulation, management, and administration of all research programs and other activities at
IIASA.
Speaker: Priscilla Baker, Director, SASAC and
Senior Professor with SARChl, University of the
Western Cape
Is co-leader of SensorLab, an electrochemistry research
group in the department that focuses on the
fundamental and applied electrodynamics of materials
and sensors. Her specialisation is in the application of
frequency modulated electrochemical techniques,
notably electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. Baker
collaborates with researchers in US, Germany and
France, partnerships that lead to numerous student
exchange opportunities. She is also an active member of
two research consortia funded by the Seventh
Framework Programme (FP7) of the European
Commission. She has participated in international
teaching and training programmes at Wales University, Coimbra University and University of Cergy
Pontoise. Baker has supervised 50+ Honours, MSc, and doctoral researchers as well as post-doctoral
fellows. Baker was announced Winner of the Department of Science and Technology, Distinguished
Woman Scientist award in the category Physical and Engineering Sciences (2014) and in the same
year she was awarded the Deputy Vice Chancellor’s Young Researcher Award, by the University of
the Western Cape.
14 – SYSTEMS ANALYSIS AND AFRICA – www.iiasa.ac.at/africa-regSpeaker: Daan du Toit, Deputy Director General,
Department for Science and Innovation (DSI) of
South Africa
Started his career in the South African Government with
the then Department of Foreign Affairs where he trained
as a diplomat. Since 2002 he has been attached to the
Department of Science and Technology, where he has
notably served as the Department's representative in
Europe, based in Brussels. In 2014 he was appointed as
Deputy Director-General responsible for the portfolio
International Cooperation and Resources. Over the
years Daan had the privilege to contribute to multiple
initiatives in support of a diverse and rich international
partnership portfolio for South Africa science,
technology and innovation. He for example played a
central role in the establishment and management of the European-South African Science and
Technology Advancement Programme (ESASTAP). Daan has represented South Africa in diverse
multilateral forums such as the OECD's Global Science Forum, the Group on Earth Observations and
the BRICS partnership, as well as in various structures related to African regional and continental
cooperation of the African Union and the South African Development Community. In addition to being
a member of the Department of Science and Technology’s Executive, Daan currently chairs the
Strategy and Business Development Committee of the Square Kilometer Array (SKA) global radio
telescope project, and is a Member of the Board of Mintek, South Africa’s national science council for
minerals technology.
Speaker: Ursula Scharler, Associate Professor,
School of Life Sciences, University of KwaZulu-
Natal (UKZN)
Her current research and teaching areas as Associate
Professor at the School of Life Sciences, University of
KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN), in Durban are systems analysis,
aquatic ecology, and modelling. Before joining UKZN,
she completed a post-doc at the Chesapeake Biological
Lab in Solomons, MD, USA and at Wageningen
University, The Netherlands. Before that, she was
awarded a PhD degree from the University of Port
Elizabeth (now NMU), preceded by studies at the
University of Salzburg, Austria. Her lab has a vibrant
group of postgraduate students and focusses on
variability of biota and ecosystems over time and space,
and on theoretical and applied systems analysis themes. She fulfils editorial functions and regularly
review for a number of national and international journals and books, for grant applications,
evaluations and engage in steering committees and advisory boards nationally and abroad, as
member and as chair. Currently she is chair of the South African National Member Organisation
Committee to IIASA and has enjoyed collaborations with IIASA researchers over the last several
years.
15 – SYSTEMS ANALYSIS AND AFRICA – www.iiasa.ac.at/africa-regSpeaker Biographies – A Regional Application of Systems Analysis
Moderator: Thandi Mgwebi, Deputy Vice
Chancellor: Research, Tshwane University of
Technology (TUT)
Is a research and innovation leader in the South African
Higher Education sector. After a postdoctoral research
period with the South African Aids Vaccine Initiative at
the University of Cape Town, she ventured into research
and innovation management starting at the Council for
Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), and then later
to the South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC)
and the National Research Foundation (NRF), where she
was an Executive Director for DST-NRF Research Chairs
Initiative (SARChI) and Centres of Excellence, the
national flagship programmes of the Department of
Science and Innovation (DSI). Thandi is recognized for
her leadership, science diplomacy, insightful knowledge of the SA National System of Innovation
(NSI) and championing gender inclusiveness and capacity development in research. One her notable
contributions has been the Founding Director of the Southern African Systems Analysis Centre
(SASAC), a partnership with the International Institute of Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA), a
champion and founding Executive Director of the transformation of the South African Research Chairs
and Centres of Excellence Programme at the NRF that led to the Ministerial appointment of the
SARChI 42 women researchers. A former Director of Research at the University of the Western Cape,
Thandi is currently Deputy Vice Chancellor for Research, Innovation and Engagement at the Tshwane
University of Technology (TUT) and DVC designate for Research, Innovation and internationalisation
at the Nelson Mandela University, South Africa.
16 – SYSTEMS ANALYSIS AND AFRICA – www.iiasa.ac.at/africa-regPanelist: Esther Boere, Research Scholar,
Ecosystems Services and Management (ESM)
Program, International Institute for Applied
Systems Analysis (IIASA)
Is an agricultural economist in the International Institute
for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA) Ecosystem Services
and Management (ESM) program. Her research focuses
on modelling and analyzing driving factors of land use
change and their consequences on the agricultural and
forestry sectors at a regional and global scale using the
Global Biosphere Management (GLOBIOM) model.
Topics of application include the effects of gradual
climate change and extreme weather events at the
European and global scale and the development of
regional- and country-level impact assessment
modelling. She has developed country-specific versions
of GLOBIOM for Ethiopia and Indonesia tailored to analyzing respectively smallholder-specific policies
aimed to reduce poverty and food insecurity and the trade-offs between intensification, conservation
and restoration policies on LULUCF, the agriculture and forestry sectors.
Dr. Boere received her PhD from both Wageningen University and the Agricultural Economic Research
Institute (LEI). Focusing on land use changes, accounting for the role of the EU’s CAP-reform, she
developed econometric (panel data and duration) and mathematical programming models. Prior to
her PhD she completed a master’s degree in Development Economics, spending 6 months in Vietnam
designing alternative Payment for Ecosystem Services (PES)-programs.
Panelist: Hala Elkady, Supervisor of the
Specialized Scientific Councils in ASRT, Academy
of Scientific Research and Technology (ASRT),
Egypt
Is a Civil Engineering Professor (2011), awarded her PhD
entitled: Dynamic Characterization of CFRP tendons for
application in Cable-Stayed Bridges (January 2000)
through a joint supervision program between Cairo
University (Egypt), and Florida Atlantic University (USA).
As the current Dean of Research Engineering Division of
The National Research Centre of Egypt (NRC), and an
NRC board member for almost four years, she has
effectively shared in developing The NRC strategies and
policies. She has a significant number of research
projects, and publications in leading journals focusing on
utilizing advanced composites in production of Nano-concretes with promoted properties. A Certified
Structural Engineering Consultant, vice president of” Consulting Unit of Civil and architectural
Engineering”, Dr. Hala supervised, designed, and reviewed designs of a large number of mega
projects, including bridges, tunnels, and industrial facilities. She joined the Academy of Scientific
Research and Technology in Egypt (ASRT), Elkady was assigned as Supervisor of the Specialized
Scientific Councils. This board of councils is considered Egypt’s think tank, as the members of the
twenty councils are selected from the elite experts in the council’s field of expertise, whether health,
agriculture, aerospace etc. These councils provide decision makers, and science policy makers with
studies, and road maps for the strategic and vital issues of concern assigned to each council.
17 – SYSTEMS ANALYSIS AND AFRICA – www.iiasa.ac.at/africa-regPanelist: Bongani Ncube, Researcher, Centre for
Water and Sanitation Research, Cape Peninsula
University of Technology
Is a water and agricultural scientist based at the Cape
Peninsula University of Technology, South Africa. She
has more than 25 years’ experience in mainstream
research and non-profit organizations. She started as a
government ecologist in 1995, then joined the
International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid
Tropics (ICRISAT) as a Scientific Officer in 2000, a
position in which she later obtained her PhD with
Wageningen University in 2007. She then joined the
secretariat of the Southern and East Africa regional
network, WaterNet, where she led the multidisciplinary
Limpopo Basin Challenge Program on Water and Food
Project 17. She came to South Africa in 2013 where she is pursuing research on water allocation,
drought impacts on agriculture, indigenous knowledge, and water resource management. She is also
a postgraduate supervisor and lecturer. She is a registered Professional Natural Scientist and a
member of the Water Institute of Southern Africa (WISA) and the Soil Science Society of South Africa
(SSSSA). She is an international panel reviewer for the National Research Foundation (NRF), the
Water Research Commission and a number of international journals. She is an Editorial Board Member
of the WaterSA Journal
Panelist: Coleen Vogel, Distinguished Professor,
University of Witwatersrand (WITS)
Is a Distinguished Professor at the University of the
Witwatersrand. She is a climatologist by training but has
increasingly worked in the social dimensions of climate
change, focusing particularly on climate change
adaptation. She has chaired and been the vice chair of
international global environmental change scientific
committees (e.g. IHDP and LUCC and involved in the
Earth System Science Programme), groups that
preceded the current Future Earth developments. She
currently serves on various local and international
boards. She has been Chapter Lead Author and coauthor
of chapters in the IPCC (4th and 5th assessment
reports). She has also received the Burtoni Award for
international excellence in adaptation research and received the University of the Witwatersrand Vice
Chancellor’s award for excellence in teaching.
18 – SYSTEMS ANALYSIS AND AFRICA – www.iiasa.ac.at/africa-regSpeaker Biographies – Systems Analysis and South Africa
Moderator: Priscilla Mensah, Director of Human
and Infrastructure Capacity Development,
National Research Foundation (NRF) of South
Africa
Is Director in the Human and Infrastructure Capacity
Development Directorate of the National Research
Foundation. Prior to this, she held a number of positions
at the University of the Free State, Bloemfontein,
including Deputy Director: International Academic
Programmes and Deputy Director of the Postgraduate
School. She served as Director for the three consecutive
summer schools of the Southern African Young Scientist
Summer Programme (SA-YSSP) in Applied Systems
Analysis hosted at the University of the Free State from
2012–2015.
She has extensive knowledge of South Africa’s Higher Education and Training landscape and the
National System of Innovation. She is managing Editor of the book Systems Analysis Approach for
Complex Global Challenges. In addition, she is a committee member of South Africa’s National
Member Organisation (NMO) of the International Institute of Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA). The
work of this committee contributes to the national strategy for developing systems analysis capacity
and establishing systems analysis as a research approach in the country. Priscilla holds Masters and
Doctoral degrees in Chemistry from the University of Cape Town.
Panelist: Corina du Toit, Program Manager,
African Doctoral Academy, Stellenbosch
University
Is responsible for managing the African Doctoral
Academy and compiling the academic programme
presented at the yearly Summer and Winter Doctoral
Schools. The twice-yearly Doctoral Schools in capacity
development are aimed at current and prospective PhD
candidates, their supervisors and researchers in general.
Her responsibilities extend also to Joint Doctoral School
presented to date in Uganda, Malawi and Namibia,
Tanzania, Nigeria and Kenya, providing a presence
across Africa. Additionally, she is constantly identifying
and selecting partners and empowerment programmes
to integrate into the ADA, examples of which are the African Woman in Agricultural Research and
Development (AWARD) programme and the Regional Universities Forum for Capacity Building in
Agriculture (RUFORUM) programme. She also served as a co-director (representing Stellenbosch
University) for the Southern African Systems Analysis Centre (SASAC) through the South African
National Research Foundation from 2016 – 2018, producing 70 PhD candidates in a range of fields
in using a Systems Analysis approach in their research.
19 – SYSTEMS ANALYSIS AND AFRICA – www.iiasa.ac.at/africa-regPanelist: Brian D. Fath, Senior Research Scholar,
YSSP Scientific Coordinator, International
Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA)
and Professor in the Department of Biological
Sciences at Towson University (Maryland, USA)
Has published over 180 research papers, reports, and
book chapters on environmental systems modeling,
specifically in the areas of network analysis, urban
metabolism, and sustainability. He co-authored the
books Foundations for Sustainability: A Coherent
Framework of Life–Environment Relations (2018) and
Flourishing Within Limits to Growth: Following nature’s
way (2015).
He is also Editor-in-Chief for the journal Ecological
Modelling and co-Editor in Chief for Current Research in Environmental Sustainability. Dr. Fath was
the 2016 recipient of the Prigogine Medal for outstanding work in systems ecology, and twice a
Fulbright Distinguished Chair (Parthenope University, Naples, Italy in 2012 and Masaryk University,
Czech Republic in 2019).
Panelist: Sepo Hachigonta, Director, Strategy,
Planning and Partnerships (SPP), National
Research Foundation (NRF) of South Africa
Is Director of Strategic Partnerships at the National
Research Foundation (NRF) of South Africa. His research
interests is in trans-disciplinary fields as well as Africa’s
science, technology and innovation policy landscape.
Prior to joining the NRF, he was a programme manager
at FANRPAN, a regional policy analysis network on food
security and agriculture based in Pretoria. He has
published widely in environmental and agriculture
systems, with a specific focus on research to policy
interface.
He is the author, co-author/editor of more than 40
articles and books (20 in scientific international journals). Dr Hachigonta has extensive networks
within the African Continent and beyond having worked with partners in more than 20 African
countries and is a IIASA, 2007 YSSP Alumni. His expertise includes stakeholder engagement with the
public and private sector – networking, cultivating and nurturing strategic partnerships with
stakeholders across the Continent, globe and sectors. He holds a Masters and a Doctoral degree in
Environmental Science from the University of Cape Town.
20 – SYSTEMS ANALYSIS AND AFRICA – www.iiasa.ac.at/africa-regPanelist: Ndoni Mcunu, SASAC PhD student,
University of Witwatersrand (WITS)
Is currently pursuing a PhD (Doctor of Philosophy) at
the Global Change Institute at Witwatersrand
University. Ndoni is also the founder & Chief Executive
Officer of Black Women in Science (BWIS) a registered
non-profit organization which aims to deliver capacity
development interventions that target young black
women scientists and researchers. She was selected as
the top 200 Mail and Guardian Young South Africans,
under the education sector 2016.
She is a Mandela Washington Fellow 2017, selected
for her contribution in Civic Leadership development in
Africa for her work in BWIS. Mcunu has been listed as
the Top 50 most Inspiring Women in Tech in South Africa in 2017, which is an award issued by the
Kingdom of the Netherlands and South Africa. Ndoni was awarded by Wilton Park, an Executive
Agency of the UK Foreign Office, as one of the 40 under 40 African Leaders for climate resilience in
2019.
Panelist: Andreas Roodt, Former SA-YSSP Dean,
Outstanding Professor, University of the Free
State
Holds a Ph.D. from the University of the Free State
(UFS) and is currently distinguished professor in UFS
Chemistry. His research focuses on complete reaction
mechanisms in Coordination Chemistry and chemical
processes applied in homogeneous catalysis,
radiopharmaceuticals and the environment wherein X-
ray crystallography, reaction kinetics and time resolved
spectroscopy are utilized. He collaborates with South
African industries and international research groups in
Switzerland, Sweden, Germany, Russia, Croatia, India,
Tunisia and the USA, and was president of the European
Crystallographic Association (2012-2015; 35 member
countries across Europe, Middle East and Africa).
He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry and international elected member of the Swedish
Physiographic Society as well as the Ruđer Bošković Institute in Zagreb, Croatia. He presented > 100
lectures at international venues and has made more than 25 international research visits as visiting
professor to universities in Switzerland and Sweden. He published more than 300 scientific papers
and chapters in books (Google Scholar H-index 35) and served as dean for the three consecutive
summer schools of the Southern African Young Scientist Summer Program (SA-YSSP) in Applied
Systems Analysis hosted at the University of the Free State from 2012-2015.
21 – SYSTEMS ANALYSIS AND AFRICA – www.iiasa.ac.at/africa-regPanelist: Mary Scholes, School of Animal, Plant
and Environmental Sciences, University of
Witwatersrand (WITS), Chair of the IIASA
Scientific Advisory Committee (SAC) and holder
of the Sarchi Chair in Systems Analysis
A graduate of the University of the Witwatersrand
(Wits), is currently a full professor in the School of
Animal, Plant and Environmental Sciences and serves as
the Director of the Graduate Support Division at Wits.
She has a PhD in Botany (Plant Physiology) from the
University of the Witwatersrand. Her research activities
focus on soil fertility, food security and biogeochemistry
in savannahs, plantation forests and croplands. Her
research funds are mostly sourced from industry and the
government and she is currently actively involved in
monitoring the impacts, on human health and the environment, of the new power stations in the
Waterberg.
In 2002, she was elected as a foreign member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Agriculture and
Forestry in 2002 and in 2004, she was elected as a fellow of the Royal Society of South Africa. She
was the associate editor of the Journal of Geophysical Research and serve on the editorial boards for
Applied Soil Ecology, Ecosystems and Biogeochemistry. For the past ten 10 years, she has been
actively involved with the Tropical Soil Biology and Fertility Programme, an Institute of the
International Centre for Tropical Agricultural Research. Currently, she serves as the Chair of IIASA’s
Science Advisory Committee, vice-chairperson for the International Committee of Climate Change,
Agriculture and Food Security as well as the Secretary General for the Scientific Council on Problems
in the Environment. She also chairs the advisory board of the Max Planck Institute for Chemistry.
These activities involve extensive collaborative research with a number of overseas and local
institutes.
Panelist: Mercy Shoko, Principal Demographer,
Statistics South Africa (STATSSA) and former
SA-YSSP Participant
Is a principal demographer at the South Africa National
Statistics Office – Statistics South Africa. She
participated in the Southern African Young Scientists
Summer Program (SA-YSSP) and the President's
Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) Fellowship
Program. Her research interest spans the demographic
processes; mortality, ageing and sexual and
reproductive health.
22 – SYSTEMS ANALYSIS AND AFRICA – www.iiasa.ac.at/africa-regSpeaker Biographies – Integrated Approaches to the Sustainable
Development Goals
Moderator: Cheikh Mbow, Director, Future
Africa Institute, University of Pretoria
Served as the Executive Director of START-International
in Washington DC and Lead Scientist on Climate Change
at the World Agroforestry Center in Kenya. He is Adjunct
Associate Professor at Michigan State University’s
Department of Forestry. He led several international
research programs such the Chapter 5of the IPCC
Special Report on Climate Change and Land (SRCCL)
and has been a Lead Author for the Agriculture, Forestry
and Other Land Use (AFOLU) of IPCC-AR5. Mbow is now
a Coordinating Lead Author for the Climate Change
(IPCC) Special Report on Climate Change and Land and
lead author of IPCC AR6 on AFOLU.
He served in many Scientific Committees such as the Global Land Program (2005-2011), the
International Geosphere-Biosphere Program-IGBP from 2012-2014, Future Earth (2013-2015). Prof
Mbow worked on drivers of land resources dynamics in various human-ecological contexts. He
focused on climate impacts and land-based mitigation pathways, food security, land resource
opportunities in semi-arid ecosystems. He is working currently on the development of
transdisciplinary approaches to address Africa’s development challenges by establishing frameworks
for thriving sustainability science to support need transformation in the continent.
23 – SYSTEMS ANALYSIS AND AFRICA – www.iiasa.ac.at/africa-regSpeaker: Barbara Willaarts, Research Scholar,
Sustainability Nexus Research Cluster, Water
Program, International Institute for Applied
Systems Analysis (IIASA)
Joined IIASA in January 2017 to become the Project
Manager of the cross-cutting project “Integrated
Solutions for Water, Energy and Land (ISWEL)”. Dr.
Willaarts work involves coordinating the global and
regional research activities that are being developed by
the four research programs involved in the project
(Water, Transitions to New Technologies, Energy and
Ecosystem services and Management). She is also co-
coordinating the stakeholder engagement strategy to
ensure that project outputs are fit for purpose and local
and regional capacities for water-energy-land nexus
enhanced. Dr. Willaarts holds a degree in Environmental Biology from Universidad Autónoma de
Madrid (Spain), an MSc in Environmental Sciences from Wageningen University (The Netherlands),
and a PhD in Environmental Planning from Universidad de Almeria (Spain).
Before joining IIASA, she worked as a researcher for different research organizations, think tanks
and also as a consultant for several international organizations. She has strong technical skills in
biophysical modeling (water, carbon, biodiversity), and over the past years she has gained
experience in developing and implementing innovative participatory approaches to bridge the gap
between science and policy. With her research, Dr. Willaarts aims to generate evidence-base and
tools that useful for decision making. During the course of her career to date, she has participated
in a dozen research projects addressing issues related with different dimensions of water-food
sustainability and environmental planning in Europe, Latin America, Africa, and South Asia. She has
coordinated several projects and published over 40 publications including peer-review, books and
policy briefs.
Speaker: Kiflu Gedeffe Molla, Senior Researcher,
Policy Studies Institute (PSI) and Coordinator of
the Trade Policy Research Center at PSI
Is a Senior Researcher at the Policy Studies Institute
(PSI), his main areas of research include international
trade, international macroeconomics, and taxation.
Currently he works on a project that focuses on building
pathways towards sustainable land-use and food
systems in Ethiopia, under the Food, Agriculture,
Biodiversity, Land-Use, and Energy (FABLE) consortium.
Kiflu is coordinator of the Trade Policy Research Center
(TPRC) at PSI and holds a PhD in Economics from
Stockholm University.
24 – SYSTEMS ANALYSIS AND AFRICA – www.iiasa.ac.at/africa-regSpeaker Biographies – Global Research Networks
Moderator: Canisius Kanangire, Executive
Secretary, African Ministers Council on Water
(AMCOW)
Is the Executive Secretary of the African Ministers’
Council on Water (AMCOW) since September 2016
where he plays a leadership role in providing political
leadership, policy directions and high-level advocacy to
the Africa’s water and sanitation sector. He is the Chief
Executive of AMCOW Secretariat, a sub-committee of
the African Union Specialized Technical Committee on
Agriculture, Rural Development, Water and
Environment. Prior to the current appointment, Dr
Kanangire served the East African Community as the
Executive Secretary of the Lake Victoria Basin
Commission (LVBC, 2011-2016); an Inter-
Governmental Institution mandated to promote sustainable development and poverty eradication in
the Lake Victoria Basin; the Nile Basin Initiative (NBI) as the Head of Strategic Planning and
Management/Deputy Executive Director (2009-2011) and the United Nations Office for Project
Services (UNOPS) as the Regional Project Manager for the Nile Basin Applied Training Project (2004-
2009).
Panelist: Christian Acemah, Executive Secretary,
Uganda National Academy of Sciences (UNAS)
Is Executive Secretary of the Uganda National Academy
of Sciences. He is also Visiting Professor of African
Studies at Quest University, Canada. Previously,
Christian was Director for Strategy and Program
Development for the African Science Academy
Development Initiative of the U.S. National Academies.
Christian has also served as Executive Officer, Policy and
Research at UNICEF within the GAVI Secretariat. He has
worked in the Sudan-Uganda program of the Lutheran
World Federation. He holds a first degree in
Mathematics and Philosophy from St. John's College and
graduate degree in International Development
Economics and Strategy from Georgetown University.
25 – SYSTEMS ANALYSIS AND AFRICA – www.iiasa.ac.at/africa-regPanelist: Raya Muttarak, Research Scholar,
World Population Program, International
Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA)
Holds an MSc and DPhil in sociology from the University
of Oxford. She is Director of Population, Environment
and Sustainable Development at the Wittgenstein
Centre for Demography and Global Human Capital
based in Vienna, Austria. She is also a research scholar
at the World Population Program at IIASA and an
associate professor in Geography and International
Development at the School of International
Development, University of East Anglia, UK. Her recent
research projects include: 1) the role of education in
climate actions and sustainable development; 2)
differential impacts of climate variability on migration,
conflict and health; 3) forecasting future societies’ adaptive capacity; and 4) personal experience of
climate change and voting behaviors. Furthermore, she is also actively engaged in empirical studies
on a variety of topics ranging from health and health behaviors, immigrants' integration, fertility
behavior to impacts of China's One Belt, One Road strategies on population dynamics.
Panelist: Nelson Torto, Executive Director,
African Academy of Sciences (AAS)
Is the Executive Director of The African Academy of
Sciences. The AAS is a non-aligned, non-political, not-
for-profit pan African organisation whose vision is to see
transformed lives on the African continent through
science. Under his leadership, the goals of The AAS are
to promote partnerships, mobilise the African scientific
community, lead science advocacy efforts and ensure
research findings are incorporated into policymaking so
that science remains at the forefront of the African
agenda and is adequately supported to transform
people’s lives.
He was the founding CEO of the Botswana Institute for
Technology Research and Innovation. He was also the Founding Director of the Centre for Scientific
Research Indigenous Knowledge and Innovation, credited with the establishment of the indigenous
knowledge policy for Botswana. He has had an illustrious academic and research career and has
graduated 19 PhD students during his tenure at the University of Botswana and Rhodes University.
He has a PhD in analytical chemistry from Lund University in Sweden, MSc from the University of
Botswana and a BSc (Hons) Chemistry from the University of Manchester in the United Kingdom. He
has received several international awards and has held various positions in African and international
networks and organizations.
26 – SYSTEMS ANALYSIS AND AFRICA – www.iiasa.ac.at/africa-regPanelist: Frans Swanepoel, Director:
International Strategic Partnerships and
Professor: Agricultural Transformation in Africa
(ATA), University of Pretoria
His current work focusses on Future Africa at the Centre
for Advancement of Scholarship at the University of
Pretoria (UP), South Africa. He is former Deputy Vice-
Chancellor Research and Innovation, and Professor at
the Institute for Poverty, Land and Agrarian Studies
(PLAAS) at the University of the Western Cape (UWC),
South Africa. He also served as Dean at UFH and was
Director of the African Doctoral Academy at SU and
Director of the Post-graduate School for Agriculture and
Rural Development at UP. He obtained all his degrees
[BSc, BSc Agric (Hons) and MSc Agric] with distinction.
He researched at Texas A&M University, USA and University of the Free State, SA for his PhD, and
completed post-doctoral research in Australia. His research interest advanced to smallholder
agricultural production systems, agricultural education and training (AET) and agricultural research
and innovation leadership in Africa.
Professor Swanepoel currently chairs a consensus panel appointed by the Academy of Science of
South Africa (ASSAf) on the revitalisation of Agricultural Education, Training and Research in SA. He
serves in various capacities, including as Board Member, and previously as Vice-Chairperson and
Acting Chairperson, on the Board of the Agricultural Research Council (ARC) in SA – ministerial
appointment. He serves as board member of the Gates-funded African Women in Agricultural
Research and Development (AWARD) initiative based in Kenya; and the continental Science Granting
Councils Initiative funded by DfID and IDRC. He is also a member of South Africa’s National Member
Organization to IIASA.
27 – SYSTEMS ANALYSIS AND AFRICA – www.iiasa.ac.at/africa-regPoster Abstracts 28 – SYSTEMS ANALYSIS AND AFRICA – www.iiasa.ac.at/africa-reg
Individual entrepreneurial orientation propensities as drivers of entrepreneurial momentum In a competitive labor market, individuals may have difficulty accessing job opportunities. Entrepreneurship has been identified as a means of addressing the creation of new employment opportunities and promoting economic growth, and there have been numerous policy formulations following this rationale to promote small businesses. Huge challenges however remain, with more than half of South Africa’s youth unemployed and few individuals having an interest in becoming entrepreneurs. Empirically, the growth of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in the country is constrained by both internal and external determinants. These challenges have a direct effect on the individual entrepreneurial orientation (IEO) of people. The paper hypothesizes a strong positive correlation between IEO propensities and entrepreneurial momentum (EM). Mixed methods were used for data collection from 250 entrepreneurs. The study intends to establish the extent to which IEO propensities act as drivers of entrepreneurial momentum using systems analysis – having recognized its major role in tackling complex social and policy challenges as part of the problem-solving process. It seeks to extend the frontiers of research in management and entrepreneurship and recommends steps that policymakers and practitioners can take to improve policies that boost IEO propensities in support of self-reliance. Author: Yemisi Adelakun, University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa Co-Authors: Thea van der Westhuizen, University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa Improving Ethiopian farmer’s food security: An assessment of alternative policy options More than 80 per cent of the 570 million farms in the world operate land areas smaller than 2 hectares. These farms are often the focus of strategies to reduce poverty, inequality and hunger. A wide array of goals and targets has emerged, for environmental sustainability, food security and agricultural productivity, most notably those listed in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The objective of this study is to combine household survey, agricultural census and land cover data to analyze food security and poverty at the micro (farm) and macro (regional and country) levels and to assess the impact of different policy measures on the evolution of smallholder farmers’ food security and livelihoods in Ethiopia. A novel methodology was developed to establish country‐wide farm typologies that enable an analysis of poverty and food security that is both farm‐system specific and spatially explicit. To test our methodology, we analyzed the poverty and food security situation of Ethiopian smallholder farms. Our results show that the combination of activities and agroecological zone largely determined the food security situation of the farm. In terms of poverty, all farms were below the poverty line; in particular, livestock farms operating in poor biophysical conditions exhibited low market interactions and high incidence of poverty. The farming‐system and location‐specific poverty and food security indicators feed into an Ethiopia‐specific version of the Global Biosphere Management Model (GLOBIOM), a bottom‐ up partial‐equilibrium model tailored to the context of smallholder farming systems. The impacts of road and irrigation development, and fertilizer subsidies on the evolution of smallholder farmers is analyzed. It is concluded that a combination of irrigation expansion with infrastructure development and limited fertilizer subsidies would be most beneficial for smallholder’ livelihoods and overall food security, as well as the environment. Author: Esther Boere, International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA), Austria Co-Authors: Aline Mosnier; Johannes Pirker; Petr Havlik, International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA), Austria; Geraldine Bocqueho, INRA, France; Alessandra Garbero, IFAD, Italy 29 – SYSTEMS ANALYSIS AND AFRICA – www.iiasa.ac.at/africa-reg
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