BUAN

Flora Pule-Meulenberg

Associate Professor

Faculty of Agriculture
Department of Crop and Soil Sciences (CSS)

Private Bag 0027 Gaborone
3650100
fpmeulenberg@buan.ac.bw

Prof. Meulenberg works at Botswana University of Agriculture and Natural Resources. She holds a Doctor ate in Soil Science, She lectures to university students and conducts research. She supervises both undergraduate and graduate (MSc and PhD) students. She is a soil and plant scientist with an excellent background in soil chemistry and ecophysiology of beneficial soil microorganisms. Her research focus is in the soil-plant-water-microbe interactions and she is passionate about sustainable green solutions for soil health and soil fertility management. In the past four years, she has led projects ranging in nature from legume-microbes interactions to One Health (OH). In her spare time, Flora is a passionate farmer, experimenting in both arable and livestock production

Soil Science,

Soil ecology,

Soil microbiology,

Soil fertility and fertilisers,

Plant nutrition, environmental pollution and toxicology

Development of management plans for Kasane and Chobe forest reserves, a consultancy
Co-designing crop-livestock climate smart farming systems with local stakeholders in the Gantsi, Bobirwa and Botetei Districts of Botswana, a consultancy
Making use of the wild legume resource to improve arable and livestock farming in Botswana, a research project1.
Developing decision support simulation tools based on scientifically validated in indigenous/traditional and conventional knowledge for increasing agricultural production and food security in Africa, a research project
Engaging urban and peri-urban farmers in sustainable soil nutrient management to enhance produce and environmental safety in Gaborone Environs in Botswana.
Improving soil and water management options to optimize yields of selected crops

1. Sustainable Food Security and Woodland Utilization for Drought Prone Communal Areas under Climate Change in Sothern Africa

2. Rangeland improvement through bush control and sustainable intensification to mitigate climate change and improve livelihoods and food security in Southern Africa

3. Sustainable management of soil fertility

4. Capacitating One Health in Eastern and Southern Africa

PUBLICATIONS

1. Kgosimore, M., Mokhondo, N., Pfukenyi, D. M., Tlale, L., Sebolai, B., Segopolo, I., ... and Pule-Meulenberg, F*. (2024). Status of one health implementation in Botswana. One Health Cases, (2024), ohcs20240016.

2. Richards, S., Knight-Jones, T., Angombe, S., Becker, J., Bukachi, S. A., Chirenda, J., ... and Caron, A. (2024). Towards Institutionalization of One Health in Eastern and Southern Africa. One Health Cases, (2024), ohcs20240007.

3. Martínez-Hidalgo, P., Maymon, M., Pule-Meulenberg, F. and Hirsch, A. M. 2019. Engineering root microbiomes for healthier crops and soils using beneficial, environmentally safe bacteria. Canadian Journal of Microbiology doi/pdfplus/10.1139/cjm-2018-0315

4. Batisani N., Pule-Meulenberg F., Batlang U., Matteoli F., Tselaesele N. 2020. Retooling Smallholder Farming Systems for Climate Change Resilience Across Botswana Arid Zones. African Handbook of Climate Change Adaptation. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-42091-8_168-1

5. Batisani N., Pule-Meulenberg F., Batlang U., Matteoli F., Tselaesele N. 2020. Retooling Smallholder Farming Systems for Climate Change Resilience Across Botswana Arid Zones. African Handbook of Climate Change Adaptation. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-42091-8_168-1

6. Pule-Meulenberg, F*., Obopile, M., Chimwamurombe, P. Bernard, N., Losologolo, M., Hurek, T., Sarkar, A., Batlang, U., Ngwako, S., Schmiedel, U., Nanyeni, L., Mashungwa, G., Tselaesele, N. and Reinhold-Hurek, B. 2018. Diversity of wild herbaceous legumes in Southern Africa, their associated root nodule bacteria and insect pests. In: Climate change and adaptive land management in southern Africa – assessments, changes, challenges and solutions (ed. By Revermann, R., Krewenka, K.M., Schmiedel U., Olwoch, J.M., Helmschrot, J. and Jurgens, N), pp 257-264, Biodiversity & Ecology, 6, Klaus Hess Publishers, Gottingen & Windhoek.