UJ Centre for Ecological Intelligence

03/09/2026

HAPPY CUSTOMERS = HAPPY LIFE👨‍🌾

It’s that time of the year again! Get your freshly harvested spinach at Centre for Ecological Intelligence 🧡🥬.
APB CAMPUS , opposite Kilimanjaro Residence 📍

01/09/2026

📚 THE DESERT BLOOM CLUB: Growing Dreams Together

What if a school garden could become a classroom, a place of friendship, a source of food, and a space where young minds learn to dream?

We are proud to introduce The Desert Bloom Club, a children’s book developed by the Centre for Ecological Intelligence (CEI).

The book is written by Chifuniro Kandaya, a Senior Research Associate at CEI. The book takes children on a journey where farming, teamwork, inclusion, creativity and community come alive through an engaging story.

🌱 It introduces children to the possibilities of growing food.
🤝 It explores teamwork and inclusion.
💡 It encourages children to cultivate their minds, spaces and dreams.
🌍 And it speaks to a broader vision of building sustainable, food-conscious communities.

For CEI, this is more than a book. It is part of our commitment to developing innovative ways to connect children, education, food systems, and ecological intelligence.

We believe that if we want to build a different future, we must also cultivate different ideas in our children's minds.

📖 The Desert Bloom Club
Published by: UJ Press
Paperback: R225
E-version: R175

You can order your copy now!
https://ujonlinepress.uj.ac.za/index.php/ujp/catalog/book/490

A wonderful resource for schools, educators, parents, libraries and anyone passionate about children, agriculture, sustainability and education.

Let’s grow the next generation of dreamers, growers and changemakers.

26/08/2026

Innovation for a Sustainable Future 🌱🔬

UJ STEAM brings together faculties from across the University of Johannesburg to showcase their unique setups, innovations and the work they do within the university. The showcase gives students an opportunity to explore different fields, understand how each faculty operates, and discover the many academic and career pathways available to them.

As part of the showcase, the Centre for Ecological Intelligence (CEI) is highlighting innovative h**p-based products and demonstrating the diverse ways h**p can be utilised from sustainable materials to other practical applications.

By creating a space where students can engage with different disciplines, technologies and innovations, UJ STEAM encourages informed choices while inspiring young minds to think creatively about solutions for a more sustainable future. 🌍💡

Different disciplines. Multiple possibilities. One sustainable future.

18/08/2026

A Bridge Between Haiti and South Africa

A shared vision. A partnership with the potential to make a difference. 🌍🌱

The Centre for Ecological Intelligence (CEI) was honoured to host H.E. Ambassador Jean Robert Pillard of Haiti for an immersive visit to our Centre.
The visit went beyond showcasing infrastructure and agricultural technologies. It was an opportunity to demonstrate how ecological intelligence can translate into practical solutions for food production, food security, sustainability and resilient communities.

The Ambassador engaged with CEI’s living laboratory and explored our work across hydroponics, sustainable food production, ecological innovation, and agricultural systems, including the quality of produce cultivated on-site.

What made the visit particularly significant was the shared recognition that food security is not only a local challenge; it is a global imperative that demands knowledge, innovation and collaboration across borders.

The engagement has opened exciting possibilities for collaboration between CEI and the Embassy of Haiti, including knowledge exchange, sustainable agriculture initiatives, capacity building and the development of practical programmes that can strengthen food systems and contribute to greater resilience.

For CEI, this is precisely the kind of engagement we seek to cultivate: connecting knowledge with action, research with real-world impact, and South Africa with the wider world.

We are grateful to H.E. Ambassador Pillard for his visit and his interest in the work of CEI. We look forward to building on this engagement and exploring how our collective expertise can contribute to a more sustainable and food-secure future.

From Johannesburg to Haiti, the work of building resilient food systems knows no borders. 🌍🌱

17/08/2026

07/08/2026

Today was harvest day at Funda School, and what a rewarding milestone it was

Fresh, nutritious vegetables grown in the school's food garden were harvested and shared with learners, allowing them to take healthy produce home to support their families' meals during the long weekend.

This is the vision of the University of Johannesburg Centre for Ecological Intelligence (CEI) School Food Garden Programme: to improve food and nutrition security, cultivate healthy eating habits, and ensure that fresh vegetables become a regular part of learners' diets.

A well-maintained school food garden is more than a learning space, it is a source of nourishment, dignity, practical skills, and hope. When communities invest in these gardens, they produce abundant harvests that benefit both learners and their families.

Growing Plants. Growing People. 🌱🥬

05/08/2026

🌾 Growing Solutions, Inspiring Generations: Dr. Makgabo Reginah Mhaule Visits CEI!

Real transformation happens when vision meets action on the ground. We were thrilled to welcome Dr. Makgabo Reginah Mhaule—Deputy Minister of Basic Education and a lifelong champion of youth empowerment and learning— to the Centre for Ecological Intelligence (CEI) at the University of Johannesburg!

Dr. Mhaule took an immersive walkthrough of our site to see our ecological projects and farming models operating in real-time. The heart of our engagement focused on a vital shared mission: establishing strong partnerships to extend food security awareness directly into classrooms across South Africa. True food security begins with early education—teaching students where their food comes from, why biodiversity matters, and how local farming directly solves real-world challenges.

Visits like this highlight the transformative power of connecting national leadership with institutional research. We extend our sincere gratitude to Dr. Mhaule for her support as we work toward a greener, healthier, and more food-secure future! 🥦🇿🇦✨

27/07/2026

At the Centre For Ecological Intelligence learning goes beyond theory . Today’s entrepreneurial session facilitated by Zandile Kumalo who is an innovative entrepreneur reshaping Africa’s agricultural landscape through sustainable, technology-driven solutions. She is the founder of HyHarvest and co-founder of Neighbour Roots she is dedicated to urban hydroponic farming , transforming underutilized spaces into green assets .
Participants took part in an engaging session on entrepreneurship mindset. The session challenged attendees to think beyond employment, embrace opportunities, and develop the confidence to turn ideas into impactful ventures. By fostering an entrepreneurial way of thinking, we're equipping individuals with the tools to create solutions, drive change, and contribute to a more sustainable future.

The session provided participants with practical tools to strengthen their entrepreneurial thinking and develop their agribusiness ideas. By the end of the workshop, participants were able to:
• Complete a draft Business Model Canvas (BMC) for their own agribusiness idea.
• Understand how each of the nine building blocks of the Business Model Canvas interrelates.
• Identify gaps, risks, and assumptions within their business models.
• Gain greater clarity on their value proposition and target customers.
Through knowledge sharing and practical application, the workshop empowered aspiring entrepreneurs to think strategically, identify opportunities, and build sustainable businesses that can create lasting impact.