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Independent experts nominated by country party
George Johannes Chirima
Title
Dr.
First name
George Johannes
Last name
Chirima
Gender
Male
Nominating Country
Date of Nomination
Discipline of Expertise
Desertification
Environmental sciences/ecology
Information technologies (including remote sensing and geographic information systems (GIS))
Statistics and demographic sciences
Other Disciplines
1. Statistical modelling 2. Remote Sensing
3. Land degradation and conservation
Thematic areas of disciplines: Natural Resources monitoring, climate change impacts crop yields
motoring and prediction
Geographic area(s) of field of experience (countries/regions): Africa and SADC region
3. Land degradation and conservation
Thematic areas of disciplines: Natural Resources monitoring, climate change impacts crop yields
motoring and prediction
Geographic area(s) of field of experience (countries/regions): Africa and SADC region
UN languages spoken
English
Geographical Focus
Congo, Democratic Republic of the
Mauritius
Tanzania, United Republic of
Zimbabwe
Zambia
Madagascar
Malawi
Mozambique
Seychelles
Angola
Botswana
Eswatini
Namibia
South Africa
Job function
Research Team Manager
Division
GeoInformation Science
Email
chirimaj@arc.agric.z
Telephone number
+27/12 310 2672
Work experience
Currently, I am the Research Team Manager Geo-information Sciences for the Agricultural Research Council (ARC), South Africa based in Arcadia, Pretoria. In recent times (7 years ago) I worked for the University of the Witwatersrand, Rhodes University, and the Kruger National Park. I have extensive experience in managing big research teams and projects. I have extensive practical research experience on issues covering land degradation, Spatial Ecology, Population Ecology, and on aspects concerning regime shifts in relation to large mammals. Although commonly acknowledged in marine systems, terrestrial ecosystems and agricultural systems are also changing into new states dominated by different conditions than used to dominate the system earlier. I also have extensive experience in helping communities and national parks
managers to cope with the new challenges, soil erosion and land degradation issues. I sit on two advisory government groups on the use and protection of natural and agricultural resources in South Africa. Regime changes and climate change deserve more focus than is currently the case. An improved understanding of the mechanisms driving these types of changes is therefore central to my research focus and experience. My key interest is understanding the non-linear processes and
drivers to regime changes and their related effects on land degradation, soil erosion, crop yields, wild population recruitments, distribution, and abundance through modeling. My general aim is to contribute to the restoration of abiotic and biological populations and communities.
managers to cope with the new challenges, soil erosion and land degradation issues. I sit on two advisory government groups on the use and protection of natural and agricultural resources in South Africa. Regime changes and climate change deserve more focus than is currently the case. An improved understanding of the mechanisms driving these types of changes is therefore central to my research focus and experience. My key interest is understanding the non-linear processes and
drivers to regime changes and their related effects on land degradation, soil erosion, crop yields, wild population recruitments, distribution, and abundance through modeling. My general aim is to contribute to the restoration of abiotic and biological populations and communities.
Highest Academic achievement and qualification
PhD in Statistical Modeling,Remote Sensing and GIS, Mammal Ecology, University of the Witwatersrand-RSA, 2009
MSc in Statistical modeling,Remote Sensing and GIS, Conservation Biology, Mammal and
Plant Ecology, Indiana University-USA, 2005
MSc in Statistical modeling, Remote Sensing and GIS, Conservation Biology, Mammal and Plant Ecology, University of Zimbabwe, 2002
MS.ED Master in Science Education, University of Havana,1992
MSc in Statistical modeling,Remote Sensing and GIS, Conservation Biology, Mammal and
Plant Ecology, Indiana University-USA, 2005
MSc in Statistical modeling, Remote Sensing and GIS, Conservation Biology, Mammal and Plant Ecology, University of Zimbabwe, 2002
MS.ED Master in Science Education, University of Havana,1992
Number of Publications
20
Publication titles
1. Mohamed AMA, Chirima, JG and Knight, J, (2017). Evaluation of kinetic energy and erosivity potential of simulated rainfall using Laser Precipitation Monitor, by Meshesha, et al. (2016)" Catena http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.catena.2017.04.021
2. George J. Chirima and Norman Owen-Smith (2016) Comparison of kernel density and local convex hull methods for assessing distribution ranges of large mammalian herbivores. Transactions in GIS vol. 21: pages 359-375 3.Chirima J.G., Owen-Smith, N, Erasmus, B.F.N & Parrini, F. (2013) Distributional niche of relatively rare sable antelope in a South African savanna: habitat versus biotic relationships. Ecography 36: 68–79
4. Zinhle Mashaba, George Chirima, Joel Botai, Ludwig Combrinck, and Cilence Munghemezulu (2016) Evaluating spectral indices for winter wheat health status monitoring in Bloemfontein using Landsat 8 data South African Journal of Geomatics. Vol.5 Pages 227-243
5. R Tswai, J Malherbe, C Dekker, ZE Mashimbye, EC Van den Berg, MAM Abd Elbasit, JG
Chirima, A Nyamugama, JP Nell, and V Nkambule (2016). PHASE 1 OF DESERTIFICATION,
LAND DEGRADATION AND DROUGHT (DLDD) LAND COVER MAPPING IMPACT
INDICATOR OF THE UNITED NATIONS CONVENTION TO COMBAT DESERTIFICATION
(UNCCD)
2. George J. Chirima and Norman Owen-Smith (2016) Comparison of kernel density and local convex hull methods for assessing distribution ranges of large mammalian herbivores. Transactions in GIS vol. 21: pages 359-375 3.Chirima J.G., Owen-Smith, N, Erasmus, B.F.N & Parrini, F. (2013) Distributional niche of relatively rare sable antelope in a South African savanna: habitat versus biotic relationships. Ecography 36: 68–79
4. Zinhle Mashaba, George Chirima, Joel Botai, Ludwig Combrinck, and Cilence Munghemezulu (2016) Evaluating spectral indices for winter wheat health status monitoring in Bloemfontein using Landsat 8 data South African Journal of Geomatics. Vol.5 Pages 227-243
5. R Tswai, J Malherbe, C Dekker, ZE Mashimbye, EC Van den Berg, MAM Abd Elbasit, JG
Chirima, A Nyamugama, JP Nell, and V Nkambule (2016). PHASE 1 OF DESERTIFICATION,
LAND DEGRADATION AND DROUGHT (DLDD) LAND COVER MAPPING IMPACT
INDICATOR OF THE UNITED NATIONS CONVENTION TO COMBAT DESERTIFICATION
(UNCCD)
Other activities
1. Registered Professional Natural Scientist: (SACNASP): Reg. Number: 400348/12.
2. South Africa Wildlife management Association.
3. Grassland Society of Southern Africa.
4. African Association of Remote Sensing of the Environment (AARSE); ID: 26921938.
5. Research Associate for Animal Plant and Environmental Sciences; University of the Witwatersrand
2. South Africa Wildlife management Association.
3. Grassland Society of Southern Africa.
4. African Association of Remote Sensing of the Environment (AARSE); ID: 26921938.
5. Research Associate for Animal Plant and Environmental Sciences; University of the Witwatersrand
Awards
1 Executive Member of the European Space Agency [ESA] Food Security Platform.
2. Member of the Group on Earth Observation Monitoring and Evaluation.
3. Appointed to manage a multi-million dollar project for India, Brazil and South Africa on enhancing agricultural capability in the Union of the Comoros.
4. I sit on the body that reviews the designs of the South African Earth Observation Satellite design EO-SAT 1
2. Member of the Group on Earth Observation Monitoring and Evaluation.
3. Appointed to manage a multi-million dollar project for India, Brazil and South Africa on enhancing agricultural capability in the Union of the Comoros.
4. I sit on the body that reviews the designs of the South African Earth Observation Satellite design EO-SAT 1
Organisation nature
Agricultural Research Council
Organisation street address
600 Belvedere Street, Arcadia
Organisation city
Pretoria
Organisation country
South Africa
Organisation website