Jean-Marc Mwenge Kahinda is an Associate Professor of Water Engineering at the University of the Witwatersrand's School of Civil and Environmental Engineering in Johannesburg, South Africa. With over 20 years of experience in the water sector, he has established himself as a leading expert in water resources engineering and management, particularly in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region. His educational background includes: PhD from University of the Witwatersrand MSc (Eng) in Water Resources Engineering and Management from University of Zimbabwe BSc (Eng) in Mining Engineering from University of Lubumbashi (DRC) Professor Mwenge Kahinda's research focuses on the critical intersection of land and water management, with particular emphasis on sustainable practices that address land degradation in semi-arid regions. His work integrates hydrological processes, ecosystem management, and climate change adaptation strategies to develop practical solutions for water security challenges. He has pioneered research on rainwater harvesting systems, developing GIS-based decision support tools that have contributed to nationwide implementation of these practices in South Africa. Analysis of his recent publications reveals a strong focus on land degradation assessment in the Greater Sekhukhune District Municipality, utilizing advanced geospatial techniques and social-ecological systems approaches. His research increasingly incorporates remote sensing technologies (particularly Sentinel-2 satellite imagery) and multi-criteria analysis to understand the complex interactions between human activities, climate change, and land degradation processes in semi-arid environments. As an active academic, he serves as guest editor for the Elsevier Journal of Physics and Chemistry of the Earth and as an academic editor for PLOS Water. He regularly reviews for accredited journals and research reports in his field. Professor Mwenge Kahinda supervises PhD and MSc students across multiple universities and has extensive experience lecturing on water-related subjects throughout the SADC region. He organizes and conducts specialized training and short courses on water management topics. His leadership in multidisciplinary research projects focuses on securing and managing water resources through integrated approaches that consider both technical and social dimensions of water management challenges.








