I am Mr. Daniel Porkalpo Isdory from Tanzania, with a background in Agronomy and Soil Science. I earned my BSc in Agronomy in 2014 and MSc in Soil Science and Land Management in 2019, both from Sokoine University of Agriculture in Morogoro, Tanzania. Currently, I work as an Assistant Lecturer in Soil Science at the College of Agriculture, Sokoine University of Agriculture. My research focuses on soil genesis, classification, mapping, and land evaluation, with a particular interest in addressing soil degradation issues, such as soil salinity, to enhance agricultural land sustainability.

After completing my MSc, I was determined to pursue a PhD in Soil Science. In 2024, I applied for the CaReFoAfrica Scholarship to pursue a PhD at the University of the Free State (UFS) in South Africa. I am honored and grateful to have been awarded the scholarship to join the PhD program in Soil Science under the CaReFoAfrica project at the Department of Soil, Crop, and Climate Sciences at UFS.

My PhD research will focus on monitoring soil salinity and associated farming practices to combat salinity-induced land degradation in Tanzanian irrigation schemes.

I officially began my PhD studies at UFS on February 5, 2025. I would like to express my sincere gratitude to Prof. Linus Franke and Prof. Johan van Tol for their academic guidance and support during my orientation at UFS. I also deeply appreciate Prof. Franke and Sally Visagie for their tireless assistance during the university admission process and my travel preparations from Tanzania to UFS. The warm support from the department’s faculty and staff, including the postgraduate program coordinators, has been invaluable.

Thank you all for making this journey possible, and God bless you. Asante sana.