Dr Lembe Magwaza

Areas of expertise

• Agrifood Systems
• Food Quality
• Food Safety

Background

Dr Lembe Magwaza earned his PhD in Postharvest Biology and Technology of Horticultural Crops in 2013 from Stellenbosch University in South Africa. His doctoral research, funded by the Commonwealth Scholarship of the United Kingdom, was a collaborative effort conducted in two centers of excellence within the field of Postharvest Biosciences. These centers included the Research Chair of Postharvest Technology at Stellenbosch University in South Africa and the Postharvest Biology and Technology Laboratory at Cranfield University in the United Kingdom. Throughout his doctoral studies, Dr Magwaza pioneered innovative non-destructive techniques for detecting internal quality and susceptibility of citrus fruit to postharvest rind disorders.

With over two decades of experience in Postharvest Biology and Technology Research and a decade dedicated to lecturing, Dr Magwaza has cultivated a diverse skill set and amassed extensive knowledge and expertise. His areas of expertise span fundamental plant physiology, biochemistry, chemometrics, and modelling within the postharvest value chain.

Dr Magwaza's research journey began in 2004 when he embarked on a career as a researcher in Postharvest Sciences at the Agricultural Research Council. Prior to his appointment at Cranfield University in 2023, he served at the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN), where he held various academic and managerial positions. His tenure at UKZN commenced in January 2014 as a Lecturer and progressed through the ranks to Senior Lecturer in 2018 and Associate Professor in 2020. Notably, he has supervised a total of eleven PhD students to completion, along with twenty-one Master's and eight Honours students.

During his tenure at UKZN, Dr Magwaza actively contributed to the fields of Horticultural Science and Crop Science. His multidisciplinary and transdisciplinary approach allowed him to engage in both research and teaching across both disciplines.

Current activities

Lembe's primary research focus lies in the development of strategic approaches aimed at optimizing the postharvest shelf life of diverse crops. This encompasses a broad spectrum of activities, including crop characterization, enhancement of food product quality, and ensuring food quality and safety from the farm to the consumer's table. Additionally, he is deeply committed to identifying resilient crop genotypes capable of withstanding the challenges posed by evolving climate conditions, thereby mitigating postharvest food spoilage. Given the intricacy of these multifaceted issues, he firmly believes in the value of establishing and nurturing collaborative partnerships to tackle these challenges effectively.

His dedication to collaboration is evident in his extensive engagement in both multidisciplinary and transdisciplinary initiatives at international levels. Notable among these are my productive collaborations with esteemed institutions such as the National Pingtung University of Science and Technology in Taiwan, KU Leuven University in Belgium, the University of South Florida and Tezpur University in India, Stellenbosch University, University of KwaZulu-Natal, University of Johannesburg and North-West University in South Africa.

Lembe's most significant research achievements stem from his pioneering utilization of multidisciplinary non-destructive technologies for assessing the quality of horticultural crops. Additionally, he is championing a holistic value-chain approach aimed at extending the shelf life of harvested fruits and vegetables, thereby contributing to sustainable food safety and security.

Dr. Magwaza has led multiple research projects, generously supported by government bodies and industry stakeholders, all of which center on the critical aspects of quality measurement and postharvest quality management aimed at mitigating postharvest losses. His most significant asset, which has facilitated the acquisition of these diverse funding opportunities, lies in his innate collaborative spirit. This collaborative nature has evolved into a cornerstone of his success as a researcher, fostering synergistic relationships with fellow investigators.

Selected publications below, for a full publication list please follow the ORCID link.

Publications

• Articles in journals
• Conference papers
• Books