Fenji Materechera-Mitochi (PhD)

I am a sustainability scientist with a background in geography and environmental sciences. My work integrates sustainability science and systems thinking to address ecological challenges, particularly those emerging from agricultural landscapes. With a strong foundation in qualitative research approaches, nexus research, and communication, I bring a systems thinking, co-creation driven, people centred approach to every project I coordinate. My transition into the dynamic work environment is driven by a strong drive to adapt, grow and contribute to solution driven teams that value collaboration and transformative outcomes with societal and environmental impact. My research interests focus on the use of transdisciplinary methodologies to address issues within the water-land-agriculture nexus and water governance in the Southern African region. I have experience in project co-ordination and administration, post-graduate student supervision, training facilitation, assessment and moderation.

Local projects/grants

2023-2026 Governance and institutional arrangements for accelerating equity in the water-land-agriculture nexus: A case study of resource poor farmers/emerging farmers in smallholder irrigation schemes in the Lower Sundays River (Barkley Bridge) and Tyhefu River (Tyhefu) catchments.

Funder: Water Research Commission of South Africa

Budget: R1800 000

Role: Co-investigator

2024-2028 Assessing the commercialization potential of the former Transkei's land and water resources through an integrated water-land-agricultural nexus in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa., Funder: Water Research Commission of South Africa

Budget: R 3 325 000

Role: Principal investigator/principal grant holder

International projects/grants

2019-2024 The African Water Resources Mobility Network (AWaRMN). A 5-year multi-partner project involving 5 countries

Funder: Intra-Africa Academic Mobility Scheme of the European Commission

Budget: 1.4 million Euro

Role: Part-time project administrator and project management committee member

2021 Famelab International Competition for science communication -Wits University final heat round top 3.

NRF Doctoral Scholarship 2019-2022

Water Research Commission of South Africa emerging researcher acceleration programme in partnership with EWSETA postdoctoral funding 2024-2025.

Member of Golden Key International Honours Society in recognition of top academic post graduate achiever (Joined 2023).

Rhodes University African Studies Center Postdoctoral Research Fellowship 2023.

• Mack, E.A., Akamagwuna, F.C., Murata, C., Materechera-Mitochi, F., Nnadozie, C.F. and Odume, O.N., 2024. Perceptions and knowledge of water quality in urban river systems, Eastern Cape, South Africa. Urban Ecosystems, 27(5), pp.1905-1914.
• Materechera, F. and Scholes, M.C., 2021. Characterization of Farming Systems Using Land as a Driver of Production and Sustainability in the Vhembe District, Limpopo, South Africa. Agricultural Sciences, 12(11), pp.1352-1373.
• Materechera, F. and Scholes, M.C., 2022. Understanding the Drivers of Production in South African Farming Systems: A Case Study of the Vhembe District, Limpopo South Africa. Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems, 6, p.722344.
• Materechera, F. and Scholes, M.C.,2022. There is a place for big and small farms in securing South Africa's food supply. The Conversation. Available online: https://theconversation.com/theres-a-place-for-big-and-small-farms-in-securing-south-africas-food-supply-187456
• Materechera, F. and Scholes, M.C., 2022. Scenarios for Sustainable Farming Systems for Macadamia Nuts and Mangos Using a Systems Dynamics Lens in the Vhembe District, Limpopo South Africa. Agriculture, 12(10), p.1724.
• Materechera, F. and Scholes, M.C., 2019. Farming systems in South Africa beyond 2020: A scenario-based study using systems analysis to explore the connectivity between farming systems in the Limpopo Province of South Africa. [Conference proceedings] Systems Analysis and Africa: Transformative uses of systems analysis to address regional challenges. 3 December 2019. Pretoria, South Africa. Available online: https://previous.iiasa.ac.at/web/home/about/regional/africa/South_Africa_conference_program_Final.pdf
• Materechera-Mitochi, F., 2023. Farming systems in South Africa beyond 2020: a scenario-based study, using systems analysis to explore the connectivity between farming systems in the Vhembe district, Limpopo, South Africa (Doctoral dissertation, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg (South Africa)).

May 2024: Session speaker: How African Early Career Researchers can shape African Sustainability Science Innovation. [Lead speaker for conference breakout session] SRI (Sustainability Science Innovation) 2024 Satellite Event 21 May 2024. Durban, South Africa.

Dec 2019: Poster: Farming systems in South Africa beyond 2020: A scenario-based study using systems analysis to explore the connectivity between farming systems in the Limpopo Province of
South Africa. [Conference proceedings] Systems Analysis and Africa: Transformative
uses of systems analysis to address regional challenges. 3 December 2019. Pretoria, South Africa. Available online: https://previous.iiasa.ac.at/web/home/about/regional/africa/South_Africa_conference_program_Final.pdf