Staff Profile

Qualifications:

• PhD Environmental and Water Science (UWC), South Africa
• Post Grad Diploma in Tertiary Education (MSU), Zimbabwe
• MSc Geoinformation Science and Earth Observation (UT-ITC), Netherlands
• BSc Environmental Science (BUSE), Zimbabwe

Research Interests:

Dr Bester Tawona Mudereri is an integrated expert in environmental modelling, machine learning, artificial intelligence, and geospatial science applications in agriculture and environmental management. Bester principally conducts data analysis and modelling to generate information used in concerted interventions to improve the livelihoods of communities in Africa. His other key research interests lie in the use of data science and geospatial analysis to better understand global change effects and socio-ecological systems. He is an active member of several professional bodies including the African Association of Remote Sensing of the Environment (AARSE), African Association of Insect Scientists (AAIS), the American Society of Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing (ASPRS), the Entomological Association of Zimbabwe (EAZ), Conservation Practitioners Association of Zimbabwe (CPAZ), Society for Conservation – Zimbabwe Chapter, Birdlife Zimbabwe, and Birdlife International

Publications:

2021
1. Mudereri, B.T., Abdel-Rahman, E.M., Dube, T., Niassy, S., Khan, Z.R., Tonnang, H.E.Z., Landmann, T., (2021). A two-step approach for detecting Striga in a complex agroecological system using Sentinel-2 data. Science of the Total Environment https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.143151. 
2. Mudereri, B.T., Chitata, T., Chemura, A., Makaure, J., Mukanga, C., Abdel-Rahman, E.M., (2021). Is the protected area coverage still relevant in protecting the Southern Ground-hornbill (Bucorvus leadbeateri) biological niche? Perspectives from ecological predictions. GIScience and Remote sensing https://doi.org/10.1080/15481603.2021.1883947 
3. Mtengwana, B., Dube, T., Mudereri B.T., Shoko, C., (2021). Modelling the geographic spread and proliferation of Invasive Alien Plants (IAPs) into new ecosystems using multi-source data and multiple predictive models in the Heuningnes catchment, South Africa. GIScience and Remote Sensing: https://doi.org/10.1080/15481603.2021.1903281 
4. Chemura, A., Mudereri, B.T., Yalew, A.W., Gornott, C., (2021). Climate Change and Specialty Coffee Potential in Ethiopia. Scientific Reports 11 (1). Nature Publishing Group UK: 1–13. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-87647-4 
5. Aduvukha, G.R., Abdel-rahman, E.M., Sichangi, A.W., Makokha, G.O., Landmann, T., Mudereri, B.T., Tonnang, H.E.Z., Dubois, T., 2021. Cropping Pattern Mapping in an Agro-Natural Heterogeneous Landscape Using Sentinel-2 and Sentinel-1 Satellite Datasets. Agriculture 11, 1–22. https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture11060530 
6. Kyalo, R., Abdel-Rahman, E.M., Subramanian, S., Nyasani, J.O, Thiel, M., Jozani, J.H, Borgemeister, C., Mudereri B.T., Landmann, T., (2021). Estimating maize lethal necrosis (MLN) severity in Kenya using multispectral high to moderate resolution data. Applied Geomatics. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12518-021-00357-4 
7. Nnzeru L.R., Tshikhudo, P.P., Mudereri, B.T., Moshobane M.C., (2021). Pest interceptions on imported fresh fruits into South Africa. International Journal of Tropical Insect Science https://doi.org/10.1007/s42690-021-00501-y 
8. Mugandani, R., Murewi,C. T. F., Chitata,T., Chipepa, F., Mudereri,B. T., Mwadzingeni, L., Mafongoya, P. L., (2021) Can the application of item response theory improve the quality of survey items for assessing human fingerprints on climate change?, Transactions of the Royal Society of South Africa, https://doi.org/10.1080/0035919X.2021.1964105
9. Muthoni F., Thierfelder,C. , Mudereri, B.T., Manda, J., Bekunda, M. and Hoeschle-Zeledon,I., (2021). “Machine learning model accurately predict maize grain yields in conservation agriculture systems in Southern Africa,” 2021 9th International Conference on Agro-Geoinformatics (Agro-Geoinformatics), 2021, pp. 1-5, https://doi.org/10.1109/Agro-Geoinformatics50104.2021.9530335
10. Moshobane M.C., Mudereri, B.T., Mukundamago,M., Chitata, T., Potential distributional of Jatropha gossypiifolia L. in South Africa with global climate change (2021). In Press South African Journal of Botany. 
2020
11. Mudereri, B.T., Mukanga, C., Mupfiga, E.T., Gwatirisa, C., Kimathi, E., Chitata, T., (2020). Analysis of potentially suitable habitat within migration connections of an intra-African migrant-the Blue Swallow (Hirundo atrocaerulea). Ecological Informatics 57, 101082. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecoinf.2020.101082. 
12. Mudereri, BT., (2020). Understanding Striga occurrence and risk under changing climatic conditions across different agroecological farming systems at local and regional scales. The University of the Western Cape. Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/11394/7396.
13. Mudereri, B.T., Abdel-Rahman, E.M., Dube, T., Landmann, T., Khan, Z., Kimathi, E., Owino, R., Niassy, S., (2020). Multi-source spatial data-based invasion risk modelling of Striga (Striga asiatica) in Zimbabwe. GIScience and Remote Sensing 57, 553–571. https://doi.org/10.1080/15481603.2020.1744250. 
14. Mudereri, B.T., Dube, T., Niassy, S., Kimathi, E., Landmann, T., Khan, Z., Abdel-Rahman, E.M., (2020). Is it possible to discern Striga weed (Striga hermonthica) infestation levels in maize agro-ecological systems using in-situ spectroscopy? International Journal of Applied Earth Observation and Geoinformation 85, 102008. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jag.2019.102008. 
15. Tonnang, H.E.Z., Balemi, T., Masuki, K.F., Mohammed, I., Adewopo, J., Adnan, A.A., Mudereri, B.T., Vanlauwe, B., Craufurd, P., (2020). Rapid acquisition, management, and analysis of spatial Maize (Zea mays L.) phenological data — Towards ‘Big Data’ for agronomy transformation in Africa. Agronomy 10. https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy10091363. 
16. Tonnang, H.E.Z., Guimapi, R.A., Anani, B., Makumbi, D., Mudereri, B.T., Balemi, T., Craufurd, P., (2020). PPMaP: reproducible and extensible open-source software for plant phenological phase duration prediction and mapping. Agriculture. https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture10110515. 
17. Mudereri, B.T., Kimathi, E., Chitata, T., Moshobane M.C., Abdel-Rahman, E.M., (2020). Landscape-scale biogeographic distribution analysis of the whitefly, Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius,1889) in Kenya. International Journal of Tropical Insect Science https://doi.org/10.1007/s42690-020-00360-z 
18. Mudereri, B.T., Abdel-Rahman, E.., Dube, T., Landmann, T., Niassy, S., Khan, Z.R., (2020). Potential of resampled multispectral data for detecting Desmodium-Brachiaria intercropped with maize in a “Push-Pull” system. ISPRS – International Archives of the Photogrammetry, Remote Sensing and Spatial Information Sciences XLIII-B3-2, 1017–1022. https://doi.org/10.5194/isprs-archives-XLIII-B3-2020-1017-2020. 
19. Aduvukha, G.R., Abdel-rahman, E.M., Sichangi, A.W., Ouma, G., Landmann, T., Mudereri, B.T., Tonnang, H.E.Z., Dubois, T., (2020). Sophisticated cropping patterns mapping in Kenya using vegetation indices and phenology from Sentinel-2 and Sentinel-1 radar backscatter data. Preprints 1–21. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202010.0517.v1
2019
20. Mudereri, B.T., Chitata, T., Mukanga, C., Mupfiga, E.T., Gwatirisa, C., and Dube, T., (2019). Can biophysical parameters derived from Sentinel-2 space-borne sensor improve land cover characterization in semi-arid regions? Geocarto International 36 (19): 2204–2223. doi:10.1080/10106049.2019.1695956. 
21. Mudereri, B.T., Dube, T., Adel-Rahman, E.M., Niassy, S., Kimathi, E., Khan, Z., Landmann, T., (2019). A comparative analysis of PlanetScope and Sentinel-2 space-borne sensors in mapping Striga weed using Guided Regularized Random Forest classification ensemble. ISPRS – International Archives of the Photogrammetry, Remote Sensing and Spatial Information Sciences XLII-2/W13, 701–708. https://doi.org/10.5194/isprs-archives-XLII-2-W13-701-2019. 
< 2018
22. Mukanga, C., Chitata, T., Mudereri, B.T., (2016). An analysis of groundwater quality in a water-stressed urban centre: A case of Gweru City, Zimbabwe. Water Practice and Technology 11, 329–341. https://doi.org/10.2166/wpt.2016.038. 
23. Mupfiga, E.T., Munkwakwata, R., Mudereri, B.T., Nyatondo, U.N., (2016). Assessment of sedimentation in Tuli – Makwe Dam using remotely sensed data. Journal of Soil Science and Environment and Management 4, 127–136.
24. Odongo, V.O., Mulatu, D.W., Muthoni, F.K., Ndung’u, J., Meins, F., Mudereri, B.T., van der Tol, C., Becht, R., Su, Z., van Oel, P.R., van der Veen, A., Onyando, J.O., Augustijn, D., Hulscher, S.J.M.H., Kitaka, N., Mathooko, J.M., Oting’a-Owiti, G.E., Groen, A.K., (2012). Land use and land cover changes in a tropical lake basin: the socioeconomic drivers and cascading impacts on hydrology and ecological system + PowerPoint. The 7th ESRI Eastern Africa User Conference (EAUC), 3-5 October 2012, Naivasha, Kenya. 20 slides.
25. Mudereri, B. T, Chirara, C., CHikosi, V., and Kamanda, M., (2009). “Threats to Blue Swallow (Hirundo Atrocaerulea ) Population in Sanyatwe Communal Lands of Zimbabwe.” Journal of Sustainable Development in Africa 10 (4): 345–356.