Thulani Ningi

(MENAFN- The Conversation)

• Research associate, University of Fort Hare

Profile Articles Activity

Thulani has a Master's degree in Agricultural Economics and has worked as a university lecturer in Agricultural Economics and Management. He is currently a Research Associate at the University of Fort Hare in South Africa and is also pursuing a PhD in Agricultural Economics, focusing on the water–energy–food nexus trade-offs and synergies in South Africa.

Thulani currently works as the Socioeconomics Manager at Conservation International, leading research and evaluation on community-based natural resource management, sustainable agriculture, and livelihood resilience.

He holds more than seven years of professional experience in agricultural research, monitoring and evaluation, and policy analysis.

Previously, Thulani worked with the National Agricultural Marketing Council (NAMC), contributing to projects on market access, agricultural trade, and food security.

He is also the founder of AgriNexus Consulting Group, a research and training consultancy that develops monitoring and evaluation systems, data collection tools, and capacity-building programs for agricultural stakeholders.

This mix of academic expertise and professional practice has equipped Thulani with strong skills in applied socioeconomics, research design, and evidence-based policy development for sustainable and inclusive development.

Experience

• 2018–present Research associate, Centre for Global Change
• –present Socio-Economics Manager, Conservation International
• 2023–2025 Economist, National Agricultural Marketing Council
• 2022–2022 Lecturer, Cape Peninsula University of Technology

Education

• 2025 University of Fort Hare, PhD in Agricultural Economics
• 2020 University of Fort Hare, Masters in Agricultural Economics

Publications

• 2025 Harnessing localised multi-actor institutional water, energy and food nexus financing to achieve just transitions in South Africa,

Grants and Contracts

• 2022 Fulbright Scholarship Role: Visiting Scholar Funding Source: National Research Foundation

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