Mancoba Mangwe

Mancoba joined the team at DairyNZ in 2025, contributing his agronomy and animal science expertise to the Forage Value Index, Low-N Systems, and Resilient Pastures programmes.

His upbringing in Eswatini, where agriculture is the backbone of the economy, inspired his academic career. Mancoba has always been passionate about working alongside farmers and ensuring his research has practical, on-farm applications. This was reinforced during his time as a livestock extension officer and a season spent working on a dairy farm in Canterbury.

“Joining DairyNZ is my greatest career achievement so far,” says Mancoba. “It’s my dream job and was worth waiting for.”

He completed a Bachelor of Science in Animal Science at the University of Eswatini before working as a livestock extension officer. Mancoba then went on to earn a Master of Agriculture in Animal and Dairy Science from National Chung Hsing University in (Taiwan).

“While working in the dairy sector internationally, and if you are outside New Zealand, you know New Zealand is the best place to study dairy science,” says Mancoba. This inspired him to complete a PhD at Lincoln University, where he investigated the impact of different forages on milk yield, composition, and the environment.

After gaining his PhD, Mancoba lectured in animal science at the University of Eswatini before he was offered a post-doctoral position back at Lincoln University. During this time, he honed the practical skills that matter on the ground - planning and running research projects that deliver on-farm results, working closely with farmers and industry partners, and communicating findings through reports and publications.