The just-released 2017 Global Carbon Budget, an annual update on the carbon budget published through a partnership of the international science community, shows that the increase in fossil fuel emissions was lower than that of a decade ago. Scientists believe that it may point to a global decline...
CSIR launches 2nd edition Climate Risk and Vulnerability handbook for Southern Africa
The 2nd edition of the Climate Risk and Vulnerability handbook was launched on 5 October at the CSIR 6th Biennial Conference in Pretoria. Highlighting the costs of weather-related disasters between 1980 and 2015 in the Southern African Development Community (SADC), this latest rendition of the cr...
Agroprocessing
Agroprocessing refers to a subset of the manufacturing sector that processes raw materials and intermediate products derived from the agricultural sector. The aim is to develop and advance new processing technologies from lab to pilot and commercial scale implementation, using tools to demonstrat...
How much water does Cape apple orchards use?
Previous studies on tree water use quantified the water requirements of apple orchards, but these were not exceptionally high-yielding orchards. This study focuses on a broad range of methods, drawn from the various partner organisations, to refine estimates of water use and to reduce uncertainti...
Robotic system for horticultural crop monitoring tested in Western Cape vineyards
The CSIR has developed a cost-effective platform to inspect and monitor horticultural crops on local farms. This automated, intelligent robotic system has significant potential to improve the monitoring, production, harvesting and processing of produce. Following the successful development of a p...
CSIR's satellite imagery technology detects signs of sinkhole in Centurion
Scientists at the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) recently detected a formation of a sinkhole in Centurion, Pretoria, using state-of-the-art satellite imaging technology which they have developed. Andre Theron, a student researcher at the CSIR, used the technology named Azim...
First of its kind CSIR study puts a price tag to the impacts of algae on irrigation costs
The Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) has estimated that commercial farmers in the Dwars River area of the Western Cape spend approximately R600 000 per year ridding their irrigation systems of filamentous algae. The CSIR has taken the first step in formulating a tradable perm...
CSIR Climate modellers take on enormous task of modelling the future of climate change through an African lens
The Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) is developing Africa's first Earth System Model that would make an input into the sixth Assessment Report (AR6) of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). A total of 30 global climate models exist, with only the Australian mo...
CSIR and PwC define the 'business as usual' of the future
The Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) undertook research with support from PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) to define the "business as usual" of the future, whereby resilience is employed to ensure sustainability in the face of modern day global challenges facing businesses. In li...
Nutritious South African organic vegetable drink
An organically grown vegetable drink with no preservatives. It comes in 3 flavours: vanilla, chocolate and strawberry. It could be sold as a meal supplement/breakfast to school children or it could be sold as a healthy smoothie drink via retail outlets. Applications: Providing a nutritious drink ...