Career Profile
An academic and a quest researcher with extensive experience in soil survey, soil geography and land evaluation, land aggradation, soil health, environmental soil chemistry and soil-plant relationship. Lecturer for both undergrads and postgrads in the School of Agriculture and natural Resources (SANR) in soil fertility and productivity, soil fertility and plant nutrition, environmental chemistry, land and water evaluation, sustainable land management and Biostatistics and research methods.
My research focus: understanding the below-ground processes—particularly soil nutrient cycling and plant-soil relationships—to address soil health decline and land degradation, seeking to develop and evaluate practical rehabilitation strategies, such as biochar amendment and phytoremediation, for contaminated or degraded soils.
Currently serving as senator in the university and chair for the institution affiliation committee for the school. Previously served as head of Department (2013-2021) for department of Natural resources in the SANR. Before joining the university, served as Senior Agricultural Research officer and Programmes Officer at Copperbelt Research Station, in Mufulira.
Education Background
· PhD degree in Environmental Soil Science, Bangor University, Wales, UK.
· MSc degree in Earth Resources and Environmental Geo-Sciences with specialization in Land degradation Conservation and Rehabilitation; International institute for aerospace survey and earth sciences (ITC) Netherlands.
· Bachelor of Science in Natural Resources Studies, University of Zambia,
* Certificate in project management with University of Zambia
Publications
1. Mphande W, Bbebe N, Lichilo I, Mwale JT, Malunga MM, Simfukwe P, Chomba C (2025). Profiles of Herbicide Resistance In Sub-Saharan Africa. African Crop Science Journal, Vol. 33, No. 3, pp. 289 - 307. DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.4314/acsj.v33i3.5
2. Syampaku EM, Simfukwe P, Daka A (2025). Could maize commercialization be losing to climate change? A case study of Zambia. African Journal of Agricultural Research, 21(7), 473-482. https://doi.org/10.5897/AJAR2024.16779; https://academicjournals. org/journal/ AJAR/article-abstract/41080BD73447
3. Simfukwe P and Singoyi A (2025). Effects of Biochar and Cosmoroot on growth characterizes and yield of Soyabeans, Mulungushi University Multidisciplinary Journal (MUMJ), Vol 5, no 2. https://research.mu.ac.zm/research/index.php/mu
4. Simfukwe P, Shiompa M, Bulwilo V, Chipili C. (2023). Effect of Biochar on Soil Physical Properties, Growth Parameters and Yield of Soyabeans on a Five-Year Fallow. African Journal of Agricultural Research. Vol. 19 (12), pp. 1121-1130. DOI: 10.5897/AJAR2023.16547. ISSN: 1991-637X. http://www.academicjournals.org/AJAR
5. Mwansa, N Simfukwe P (2023). Assessment of Agronomic Performance and Yield of Maize (Zea mays) and Soybean (Glycine max) on Mushemi Sandy Loam Amended with Biochar in Kabwe District, Zambia. Researchjournali’s Journal of Agriculture. Vol 10, No. 1. https://www.researchjournali.com/pdf/6004.pdf
6. Simfukwe P, Syampaku ME, Daka A (2022). Accessing Future Mixed Beans Yield in Zambia under a Changing Climate Scenario. International Journal of Plant, Animal and Environmental Sciences 12: 175-186: DOI:10.26502/ijpaes.4490144
7. Mulonda, K., Indeche, A., Chabala, L. M., Kaluba, P., Simfukwe, P., Siatwiinda, S. M., Orek, C., Lelei, J. J., Canwat, V., Phiri, E., Määttänen, S. & Laitinen, E. (2022). Application of problem-based learning in higher education in soil and climate change studies in Sub Saharan Africa. HAMK Unlimited Professional, 16.06.22. https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi-fe2022061546651
8. Simfukwe P, Hill PW, Emmett BA, Jones DL (2021) Identification and predictability of soil quality indicators from conventional soil and vegetation classifications. PLoS ONE 16(10): e0248665. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0248665.
9. Simfukwe P and Bester, B.T. (2020) Agronomic Suitability of Biologically Produced PARP as a Source of Phosphorus for Maize Production. Agricultural Sciences, 11, 1033-1047. https://doi.org/10.4236/as.2020.1111067
10. Simfukwe P, Shitumbanuma V and Kalala D (2020) The benefits of biochar on soil nutrient retention and maize productivity, Mulungushi University Multidisciplinary Journal, Vol. 1 no. 1 https://research.mu.ac.zm/research/index.php/mu
11. Siazemo, MK. and Simfukwe, P. (2020) An Evaluation of the Efficacy of Botanical Pesticides for Fall Armyworm Control in Maize Production. Open Access Library Journal, 7: e6746. https://doi.org/10.4236/oalib.1106746
12. Jones DL, Simfukwe P, Hill PW, Mills RTE, Emmett BA (2014). Evaluation of Dissolved Organic Carbon as a Soil Quality Indicator in National Monitoring Schemes. PLOS ONE 9 (3): e90882. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0090882
13. Paul Simfukwe, Paul W. Hill, Bridget A. Emmett, and David L. Jones (2011). Soil classification provides a poor indicator of carbon turnover rates in soil. Soil Biology and Biochemistry 43 (8), 1688-1696
14. Brendan Reynolds, Bridget A. Emmett, , David J. Spurgeon, Ed Rowe, Robert T.E. Mills, Rob I. Griffiths, David L. Jones and, Paul Simfukwe (2011). Prediction and inter-dependence of stock and change of soil quality, function and diversity at a national scale and implications for ecosystem services, Conference paper, American Geophysical Union (AGU) Fall Meeting, San Francisco, CA, USA
15. Simfukwe, P (2016) Wastewater Production, Treatment and Use in Zambia, In Sustainable Livelihoods in the Green Economy, Karelia University of Applied Sciences Publications B, Article collections: 45. Karelia, Finland
16. Ng’andwe, P., Saramäki, K., Simfukwe, P., Chisha-Kasumu, E., Korhonen, K. (Eds.) (2016) Sustainable Livelihoods in the Green Economy, Karelia University of Applied Sciences Publications B, Article collections: 45. Karelia, Finland
17. Victor Shitumbanuma, Paul Simfukwe, Daniel Kalala, Belinda Kaninga, Brian Gondwe, Mupande Nambala, Stephen Kabwe, Geofrey Siulemba, Ndashe Kapulu, Obed Lungu and James Mutegi (2016). Integrated Soil Fertility Management in Zambia, The Zambia Soil Health Consortium, Lusaka.