André Simon du Toit, agronomist with the University of Hawaii’s Soil Management Collaborative Research Support Program (SM-CRSP) project in East Timor, died of accidental causes in Baucau, East Timor on February 9, 2005.

Born in Kimberley, Republic of South Africa (RSA) on November 11, 1962, André obtained his B.S. in 1987, M.S. in 1992, and Ph.D. in 1996, all at the University of the Free State, RSA. In 1989, he joined the ARC-GCI at Potchefstroom, where he excelled in applying simulation models to practical production problems.

André adapted crop growth models to South African conditions, and developed software and methodologies to improve national crop yield estimates. He initiated national and international research projects; the most prominent, the Eco-Region Project, was internationally acclaimed for its work on integrated nutrient management for small-holder farmers in southern Africa. A firm believer in team efforts, André was an active participant in the International Consortium for Agricultural Systems Application (ICASA). He contributed two software tools to the Decision Support System for Agrotechnology Transfer (DSSAT) package. In 2001, he helped found the Global Change and Terrestrial Ecosystem (GCTE) Tropical Cereals Network.

In 2002, André du Toit came to the University of Florida, Dept. of Agronomy, to work on the adaptation and modification of software developed in South Africa to be included in DSSAT v4. He worked with Ken Boote and James W. Jones to improve the accuracy of simulation models to be used for climate change studies.

In 2004, Andre and his family moved to Baucau, East Timor, where he was the Watershed Agronomist in the Baucau District and also Chief of Party for the University of Hawaii’s SM-CRSP Agricultural Rehabilitation, Economic Growth and Natural Resource Management Project. Through participatory approaches, he involved farmers in villages and communities in the watershed to improve their well-being by listening to their concerns, understanding their constraints, encouraging their ingenuity, and motivating them to learn. To undertake this activity he worked in collaboration with members of MAFF (Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries), the USAID mission in Dili, other donor groups, NGO’s and universities. Economic growth and capacity building through improved agricultural productivity and practices were targets for Dr. du Toit in East-Timor.

André was a kind, conscientious, unpretentious colleague and friend, always ready to help and cross bridges where others only saw obstacles. He motivated others to explore new opportunities and take chances. He was a family man and hobby farmer, a person who is sorely missed by his family and colleagues in South Africa, the United States, East Timor, and from around the world.

He is survived by his wife Carin and two children, Hendriq and Simone. They may be contacted at PO Box 434, STRAND 7139, South Africa, or +27-761-420-852 or cdutoit@hawaii.edu.

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