College of Agriculture, Engineering
and Science (CAES)

Ms Muneiwa Rumani.

Master’s Study Aims to Optimise Bush Tea Production

Ms Muneiwa Rumani’s Master of Science in Agriculture (Horticultural Science) sought to assess bush tea’s water use and nutritional water productivity, addressing critical challenges such as water scarcity, poverty and nutritional insecurity in South Africa.

It formed part of a Water Research Commission (WRC) project on the water use and nutritional water productivity of bush tea, a herbal tea indigenous to South Africa that boasts medicinal properties.

Supervised by Professor Fhatuwani Mudau and Professor Tafadzwa Mabhaudhi, Rumani completed her honours and master’s studies at UKZN, publishing an article from her honours under Mudau’s guidance and two from her master’s study.

Rumani carried out her research on UKZN’s Pietermaritzburg campus, with quality analysis taking place at the University of Venda and the University of Johannesburg.

She aimed to consider how bush tea production could be optimised to improve nutritional quality and health in rural communities. Her findings revealed that bush tea enhances growth, even under water-limited conditions while preserving its nutrient profile; offering potential solutions for combating malnutrition in sub-Saharan Africa.

Rumani was proud of her determination and perseverance that resulted in her publications and expressed gratitude to her supervisors for their unwavering support. She expressed appreciation to her parents, her two sisters, relatives and friends for their encouragement. She thanked the WRC and the National Research Foundation for funding her studies.

Words: Christine Cuénod

Photograph: Supplied