Prof Osmund D Mwandemele

University of Sydney, Australia, 1983   Ph.D.

University of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, 1978.  MSc

University of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, 1976. B Sc. (Hons.)        

Pro-Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs and Research and Professor, Plant Genetics and Breeding

Pro-Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs and Research Office, Administration Building, 3rd Floor, Main Campus, Private Bag 13301, Windhoek/NAMIBIA

+264 61 2063035 

+264 61 2063936 (Fax)

odmwandemele@unam.na; odmwandemele@gmail.com

Prof. Mwandemele is the Pro-Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs and Research and he has been in this position since 2007. He is also a Professor of Plant Genetics and Breeding at the Department of Crop Science since 1995. In 1989 he was an Elected Fellow selected by the Indian Society of Genetics and Plant Breeding. In 1999 he was a Founding Member of the College of Research Associates, United Nations University Institute of Natural Resources in Africa (UNU-INRA). In 2002, he became an Honorary Professor at the Czech University of Agriculture Prague, Czech Republic. Prof. Mwandamele served as a Scientific Advisor for the International Foundation for Science (IFS). He is currently the Chairman of the Steering Committee of the Southern Africa Network of Biosciences (SANBio) since 2005. He is also the Chairman of the Steering Committee of Biosciences- Finnish- South Africa (BIOFISA) Project coordinated by SANBio, CSIR, Pretoria South Africa since 2009. Prof. Mwandamele is a Member of the Board of Directors of the Women’s Action for Development (WAD), an NGO since 2007. He is a Member of the Ministerial Advisory Committee on Indigenous Knowledge Systems (IKS), Ministry of Science and Technology, Republic of South Africa for the period of 2008-2010.

2007-Todate    Pro-Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs and Research,   

                        University of Namibia

2003-2006       Founding Director, Sam Nujoma Marine and Coastal 

                        Resources Research Centre, Henties Bay, Namibia.

1995-2003       Founding Dean, Faculty of Agriculture and Natural Resources,

                        University of Namibia.

1994-1995       Director, Graduate School, Egerton University, Njoro, Kenya.

1994-Todate    Professor, Plant Genetics and Breeding

1990-1994       Associate Professor, Plant Genetics and Breeding

1988-1990       Associate Dean, Faculty of Science, University of Dar es Salaam,

                        Tanzania

1985-1990       Senior Lecturer, University of Dar es Salaam

1981-1985       Lecturer, University of Dar es Salaam

1978-1981       Assistant Lecturer

• Genetics
• Plant Breeding

• Genetics
• Plant Breeding
• Plant Genetic Resources Conservation

Recent Selected Publications

Mshigeni, K E, Mwandemele, O D and J van Harmelen, 2001. ZERI Namibia Henties Bay Coastal Zone Development Project: An Update. In K E Mshigeni and E Bisanda (eds.) Proc. of the Fourth Annual World ZERI Congress, held in Windhoek, Namibia, 14- 17 Oct.1998. Pg 282-287

Molloy, F J, Mwandemele, O D, Mshigeni, K E and Chang S T, 2001. Turning a Low – Value Brewery Waste into a High- value Oyster Mushroom Crop in Namibia. In K E   Mshigeni and E Bisanda (eds.) Proc. of the Fourth Annual World ZERI Congress, held in Windhoek, Namibia, 14-17 Oct.1998. Pg 71-74.

Mwandemele, O D and K E Mshigeni, 2000. Zero Emissions Research Initiative (ZERI) Integrated Bio-systems Applied to Challenges in the SADC  Region. In K E Mshigeni, et al. (eds.) Opportunities from Africa’s Bio-resources. Proceedings of the second International Training Workshop in Africa on the Zero Emissions Research Initiative (ZERI), Dar es Salaam, 12-24 April, 1998 ( 160-166).

Mshigeni, K E., A Critchley, O D Mwandemele, and F Molly, 2000.      Unrealised Wealth   in Africa’s Aquatic Resources, with special reference to the    development  of a marine centre of excellence in Henties Bay, Namibia. In K E Mshigeni, et al. (eds.) Revitalising Science and Technology Focus in Africa. University of Namibia, Windhoek.

Mwandemele, O D and K E Mshigeni, 2002. Science and Technology Focus in Africa: Innovations from the University of Namibia. In Proceedings of the Science in Africa Symposium, held 17-18 October 2001, Somerset West, South Africa, pp 193-199.

Ngwira, T N and O D Mwandemele, 2001. Teaching Quality Assessment as a means of Improving Regional Training Programmes. In Proceedings of a workshop on  Postgraduate Training for Improving Agricultural Production, Products, Food Security and Household Income in SADC Countries. University of Pretoria, SA, 26-28 September, 2001, pp 35-40.

Fabiano, E., K E Mshigeni and O D Mwandemele, 2002. University Science and Technology Education and Economic Development. In Savage M. and P. Naidoo (eds) Popularisation of Science and Technology: Some Case Studies from Africa. Commonwealth Secretariat, London. pp33-47.

Mwandemele, O D 2002.  Presenting the Faculty of Agriculture and Natural Resources  and the Vision of the Namibia University of Agriculture and Natural Resources (NUCA). University of Nagoya's International Cooperation in Agriculture, Vol. 1: 15-27.

Mshigeni, K. E., Mohamed, M. and O. D. Mwandemele, 2003.The Water Hyacinth Crisis in Africa: A Potential Socio-Economic Opportunity for Poverty Reduction and Sustainable Livelihoods. Editorial for Vol. 14, No. 3/4 Discovery and Innovation Journal.

Mwandemele, O. D. 2005. Development of an Agriculture Degree Programme at the Faculty of Science and Agriculture, University of The Gambia, FAO Project TCP/GAM/2905, an Expert report submitted to FAO, May 2005.

Mshigeni, K. E., L. Hangula, and O. D. Mwandemele, 2005. Nostalgic reflections from a visit to the Namib Desert in Namibia: A Biological, Ecological, and Palaeontological Wonderland. An Editorial: Discovery and Innovation Journal, Vol. 17 Nos.1&2:1-7

Mwandemele, O. D., K. E Mshigeni, P. Kosina and C. Kamburona, 2006. Challenges of domesticating wild plants: The case of the Devil’s Claw (Harpagophytum spp.). Discovery and Innovation Journal, Vol. 18 No. 3: 175-181

Gwanama, C., Kanyomeka, L., Mwandemele, O.D. & F. Mubiana (2009): Evaluating wheat cultivars’ performance for salinity tolerance in desert soils of the coastal areas of Namibia. Namibia Development Journal Vol.2 No.1:1-8

Awala, S.K., Nanhapo, P., Kanyomeka, L., Sakagami, J., Mwandemele, O.D., Iipinge, S., Izumi, Y., Suzuki, T., and Iijima, M. 2009a. Potential for rice cultivation in seasonal wetlands and Zambezi river flood plains in Namibia. Japanese J. Crop Sci. 78 (Extra Issue 1):　10-11.

Awala, S.K., Nanhapo, P. I., Sakagami, J., Kanyomeka, L., Mwandemele, O. D. and Iijima, M. (2009b): Rice production assessment in a saline affected seasonal wetland, Oshana, in north-central Namibia, Japanese J. Crop Sci. 78 (Extra Issue 1):　12-13.

Kanyomeka, L., Shiimi, E.M., Awala, S.K., Mwandemele, O.D. and Iijima, M. 2009. Seasonal variations in the performance of rice genotypes grown in North-Central Namibia: Proceedings of the 13th Agricultural Scientific Society of Namibia (AGRISSON) Congress, 1- 2 July 2009, Oshakati, Namibia: pp49 – 56 (Peer Reviewed Conference).

Suzuki T., Hiyama T., Kanyomeka L., Mwandemele O.D & M. Iijima, 2009:

Preliminary Results on Energy Balance of Seasonal Wetland in Northern Namibia: Towards the Water Use Assessment to Introduce Rice Cropping. Proceedings of the 13th Agricultural Scientific Society of Namibia (AGRISSON) Congress, 1- 2 July 2009, Oshakati, Namibia; pp 57 – 68 (Peer Reviewed Conference).

Awala, S., Nanhapo, P., Kanyomeka, L., Sakagami, J., Mwandemele, O.D., Iipinge, S., Izumi, Y., Suzuki, T., and Iijima, M., 2009. Performance selected Rice cultivars in seasonal wetlands and Zambezi river flood plains in Namibia. Plant Prod. Sci. (submitted).

Jia, L., Shigwedha, N. and Mwandemele, O. D. 2009. Use of Dacid-, Dbile-, Zacid-, and Zbile- Values in Evaluating Bifidobacteria with Regard to Stomach pH and Bile Salt Sensitivity. J. Food Science (On Line Journal): Vol. 75, Nr.1, M14-M18.

• PhD student supervision
• Rice selection/ adaptation research