Sithabile Hlahla The Conversation

(MENAFN- The Conversation) Researcher, Future Water Institute, University of Cape Town Profile Articles Activity

Sithabile joined the Future Water Institute as a post-doctoral research fellow working within the Water resilience and environmental health project under the Carnegie DEAL programme. She is currently a Junior Research Fellow and is researching the impacts of climate change and water insecurity on human migration patterns and the health outcomes of such migration. Prior to joining UCT, she was a post-doctoral fellow at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, South Africa, where she worked under the building Well-being, sOcial cOhesion, and Dignity by restoring environmental RIGHTS (WoodRIGHTS) project and the Sustainable and Healthy Food Systems (SHEFS) programme. Her work under the SHEFS programme focussed on the agriculture-environment-health nexus and the associated policy impacts of food production system transformation for low-income groups in the rural areas of South Africa, while her work under WOODRights focussed on ecosystem restoration and the enhancement of natural capital through neglected and underutilised tree species, and the benefits that can be derived for human wellbeing.

Sithabile has spent over 10 years in the research space and her research interests have been interdisciplinary in nature. These interests have included: environmental due diligence in banks; community-based payments for environmental services projects; community and local government response to climate variability and change; gender and climate change response; sustainable food production systems; the water-energy-food nexus; and ecosystem system restoration and neglected and underutilised trees.

Sithabile is also a 2025 Climate and Development Knowledge Network (CDKN) African Early Career Research Fellow.

Experience

• 2024–present Junior Research Fellow, Future Water Institute, University of Cape Town
• 2022–2023 Post-doctoral Research fellow, Future Water Institute, University of Cape Town
• 2018–2021 Post-doctoral Research fellow, Centre for Transformative Agricultural & Food Systems, University of KwaZulu-Natal

Publications

• 2024 Method and process towards developing a Health Vulnerability Index (HVI) for Extreme Weather Events (EWEs) for local residents in South Africa, Abrams A, Asmall T, Hlahla S, Carden K. and Dalvie M.A, 2024. Method and process towards developing a Health Vulnerability Index (HVI) for Extreme Weather Events (EWEs) for local residents in South Africa. MethodsX, p.102725. .
• 2024 NUS Policy Brief Diversifying the Agrifood System in South Africa: Mainstreaming Neglected and Underutilised Crop Species (NUS), Mabhaudhi T, Hlahla S, Mojapelo M, Dlamini C, Podisi B, Nhamo L, Mpandeli S, Madzivhandila T, and Slotow R, 2024. NUS Policy Brief Diversifying the Agrifood System in South Africa: Mainstreaming Neglected and Underutilised Crop Species (NUS). University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg.
• 2023 Policy gaps and food systems optimization: a review of agriculture, environment, and health policies in South Africa, Hlahla S, Ngidi M, Duma S.E, Sobratee-Fajurally N, Modi A.T, Slotow R and Mabhaudhi T. (2023). Policy gaps and food systems optimization: a review of agriculture, environment, and health policies in South Africa. Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems, 7, 867481.
• 2022 Climate–Urban Nexus: A Study of Vulnerable Women in Urban Areas of KwaZulu-Natal Province, South Africa, Hlahla S, Simatele M.D, Hill T, Mabhaudhi T. (2022). Climate–Urban Nexus: A Study of Vulnerable Women in Urban Areas of KwaZulu-Natal Province, South Africa. Weather, Climate, and Society, 14, 933-948. DOI: 10.1175/WCAS-D-20-0180.1
• 2022 Gender perspectives of the water, energy, land, and food security nexus in sub-Saharan Africa., Hlahla S. (2022). Gender perspectives of the water, energy, land, and food security nexus in sub-Saharan Africa. Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems, 6, 1-13.
• 2022 Diversity and Diversification: Ecosystem Services Derived from Underutilized Crops and Their Co-benefits for Sustainable Agricultural Landscapes and Resilient Food Systems in Africa, Mabhaudhi T, Hlahla S, Chimonyo VGP, Henriksson R, Chibarabada TP, Murugani VG, Groner VP, Tadele Z, Sobratee N, Slotow R, Modi AT, Baudron F & Chivenge P (2022). Diversity and Diversification: Ecosystem Services Derived from Underutilized Crops and Their Co-benefits for Sustainable Agricultural Landscapes and Resilient Food Systems in Africa. Frontiers in Agronomy. 4, 859223.

Professional Memberships

• Golden Key International Honour Society member

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