Figure 1: Prof Johan van Rooyen, Dr Heinrich Jantjies, and Justice Edwin Cameron (SU Chancellor)

During the March graduation ceremony, the Department of Agricultural Economics celebrated the achievements of two exceptional PhD graduates, Dr Tsega Bekele and Dr Heinrich Jantjies both under the supervision of Prof Johan van Rooyen

Dr Bekele completed a groundbreaking study on the competitive performance of the Ethiopian coffee industry and its value chain. His research, driven by a profound passion for coffee, seeks to enhance the industry's global competitiveness. Dr Bekele's journey exemplifies the department's commitment to producing scholars who make meaningful contributions to their fields. Another notable graduate is Dr Jantjies, whose research focused on the competitive performance of the South African deciduous fruit canning industry. Dr Jantjies' work highlights the importance of competitiveness for industry sustainability and proposes strategic plans for further enhancement.

In addition to the two graduates, the Department of Agriculture also awarded seven MSc Agric degrees in Agricultural Economics, and two MAgric degrees in Agribusiness Management.

The department is immensely proud of these graduates and their dedication to advancing the field of agricultural economics with their research. We are also grateful for the time and effort that our academic supervisors dedicated to these students.