Dr Tariro Gwandu

Alumni and Head of the Agronomy Research Institute under the Ministry of Agriculture in Zimbabwe

What do you do?

I hold a PhD in Environmental Engineering (Soil Health) from Durham University and am currently the Head of the Agronomy Research Institute under the Ministry of Agriculture in Zimbabwe. I have published more than ten scientific articles on soil health and crop nutrition in peer-reviewed journals. My career goal is to become a distinguished agricultural scientist, with the overarching aim of contributing to the betterment of society through scientific research on sustainable soil management for improved crop production and climate resilience.

How are you involved in this area of science? 

My research, titled ‘Soil Health Improvement Technologies to Enhance Drought and Nutrient Resilience in Urban Agroecosystems,’ focused on using a waste product from clean drinking water treatment (water treatment residual) to improve soil health, enhance crop yields, and improve human nutrition in urban farming systems.

Conducted within the framework of the Sustainable Development Goals, this work aimed to address some of the 21st century's global challenges, including waste disposal, food and nutrition insecurity, and climate change.

The study employed field, greenhouse, and laboratory approaches to test the impact of different water treatment residual-based options, incorporating locally available organic nutrient resources such as manure, compost, and maize stover residues as co-amendments on soil properties, maize growth, and nutrient uptake.

Findings from this work have provided a plausible alternative for re-using water treatment residual waste in a beneficial way that not only protects the environment but also contributes to food security and nutrition. 

What do you love about this topic?

What I love most about research on soil health is that it enables the provision of evidence-based solutions. Soils are living because they are biologically active. Through many years of working with soils, I have realized that if a soil sample is treated differently, it invokes a different response in plant growth and development, providing clear evidence of its living nature.

Being actively involved in soil health initiatives gives me the satisfaction of knowing that I am not only contributing to a better life today but also helping to sustain soils for future generations.

How does this work deliver real-world impact?

My research provides new knowledge on the benefits of using water treatment residual co-amendments in agricultural soils. By helping reduce environmental pollution and lowering disposal costs for municipal authorities, this study has shown that these co-amendments improve soil properties (soil health), maize grain yield, and its nutritional properties, particularly the micronutrients zinc and iron, thereby enhancing human nutrition.

By rebuilding soil health, the use of water treatment residual co-amendments significantly reduces the impacts of soil degradation and climate change. This approach also contributes to achieving several United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs) related to both soil and human health. 

Find out more:

• Read more about the work of Dr Tariro Gwandu 
• Take a look at a Q&A session about the importance of soil health between Dr Tariro Gwandu and the British Embassy in Harare