A University of the Free State (UFS) student, Mpumelelo Ntozakhe from the Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, has been named the 2025 Winner of the Young Agri Writers General Award for his article on precision agriculture.

His award-winning piece, Precision Agriculture: Revolutionizing Farming with Technology, explores how innovations such as drones, GPS, sensors, and data analytics are transforming modern farming, improving efficiency, sustainability, and profitability while promoting long-term food security.

Ntozakhe said his decision to enter the competition stemmed from his passion for sustainable development and his desire to make a positive community impact through agricultural knowledge. He described his win as both humbling and inspiring, motivating him to continue contributing to the agricultural sector and his peers.

His former lecturer and supervisor, Dr Qinisani Qwabe, praised his accomplishment, expressing pride in his former student’s success and commending his dedication and enthusiasm.

Compiled by Clement Matroos