Sustainable Agriculture Projects in Zimbabwe

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“Sustainable Agriculture Projects in Zimbabwe”

with Tait Chirenje, Professor of Environmental Science & Sustainability, Stockton University

Climate change is wreaking havoc in the lives of rural farmers in Zimbabwe, often leading to poor or no harvests in back to back seasons. This talk will focus on results from a four-year effort to help rural farmers transition from vulnerable large-scale field based agricultural practices like corn/soybean growing to small-scale controlled environment system like shed-grown mushroom and hydroponics. The talk will cover how the development of a demonstration center helped provide incentives for local farmers and international experiences for Dr. Chirenje’s university students.

Tait Chirenje holds a PhD in Trace Metal Biogeochemistry from the University of Florida (Florida), an MS in Earth Science from the University of Guelph (Ontario, Canada) and a BS from the University of Zimbabwe (Harare, Zimbabwe).

Dr. Chirenje works in the area of aquatic chemistry, brownfields assessment and redevelopment and the urban geochemistry of trace elements. He has worked on baseline studies of trace elements in both urban and rural areas of Florida and performed geochemical characterization of water bodies including Hammonton Lake, the Delaware River, Crosswicks Creek and the Great Egg harbor River.  Dr. Chirenje currently runs the Stockton University Environmental Internship Program (SUEIP) and he and his team of 10 students and four scientists help the New Jersey Department of Military and Veterans Affairs (NJDMAVA)’s Environmental Monitoring Bureau (EMB) meet environmental compliance at their 27 sites in the state of New Jersey. He also advises local communities on stormwater quality and watershed management projects. 

Professor Chirenje teaches courses in the field of environmental chemistry, including water chemistry, environmental remediation and biotechnology, environmental toxicology and environmental pollution and regulation. He also teaches and engages students in international sustainable development projects in Zimbabwe, Ecuador and Brazil.

Closed captioning will be provided.

This event is sponsored by the East Brunswick Public Library and the Friends of the East Brunswick Environmental Commission, and funded by the American Library Association's, "Resilient Communities: Libraries Respond to Climate Change" pilot program.

Option Green 2021 Program Community Partners

• Highland Park Public Library
• Matawan-Aberdeen Library
• New Brunswick Free Public Library
• North Brunswick Library
• Old Bridge Public Library
• Plainsboro Public Library
• South Brunswick Public Library