Thembelihle Fakude is currently doing her MSc in Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security at the National University of Ireland, Galway (NUI Galway). She holds a BSc in Animal Science completed at the North-West University, Mafikeng campus (South Africa).
For the current Masters, she will be doing a research project focused on the vulnerability of South African Livestock to climate change, working with the Agricultural Research Council (ARC) (Soil, Climate, and Water) under the supervision of the Climate Change, Agriculture, and Food Security (CCAFS) team and the CGIAR. She will Input historical and future climate projection parameters into livestock (dairy and/beef) discomfort index to identify heat stress vulnerable areas in South Africa. Additionally, collect information on the degree of awareness concerning climate change and assess vulnerable communities’ likelihood to adapt and mitigate climate change impacts through focus groups and interviews to identify the main vulnerabilities and appropriate adaptation practices.
To complete her Masters and fulfill her goal of battling against climate change in Agriculture, Thembelihle is supported by the Irish aid under Kader Asmal Fellowship.