Precious Waste
In Johannesburg, thousands of people sort and re-sell recyclables on a daily basis. Thanks to these reclaimers, who collect almost 90% of these materials, South Africa achieves a higher recycling rate than many European countries. However, despite these impressive numbers, municipalities and policy-makers often overlook this sector.
This conversation addresses an inclusive circular economy and how civil society can support reclaimers.
A conversation between Dr Melanie Samson (Senior Lecturer in Human Geography, Wits University) and Luyanda Hlatshwayo (African Reclaimers Organisation). Moderated by Dr Tanya Zack (Writer, Researcher, Policy Developer).
Planetary Design
This edition takes a closer look at the concepts of circular economy, wellbeing economy and degrowth as counter concepts to a currently linear economy. In this discourse, concepts from the global North most often don’t suffice and are reconfigured for Southern Africa.
The speakers present alternatives to this way of consuming and producing by telling more about their projects in design, asking questions around rethinking ownership and how design can better adapt to people’s needs and local conditions.
A conversation between Naa Obeye (director of Kali Etch), Vanessa Nsona (founder of Dorovee), Matthew Edwards (designer and co-founder of Big Circle Studios) and Simon Sizwe Mayson (changemaker, PhD candidate). Moderated by Thobile Chittenden (CEO, Makers Valley Partnership).
Urban Farming
The third and final edition of 2020 of the Sustainable Together talk series takes a closer look at the topics of food sovereignty and food security.
54% of South Africans are hungry or at risk of hunger. Hunger is a violation of human rights and has an impact on health, education and not least dignity. Urban farming initiatives make a big difference in providing families with fresh produce and the skills to continue growing their own food. Yet, they cannot solve everything.
The panellists speak about the concepts of food sovereignty and security and present (urban) farming initiatives and the role they play for civil society.
A conversation between Dr. Brittany Kesselman (researcher, Wits University), Moleboge Lekwane (Tshadilema), Dorah Marema (Ubuntu project / Seed Community) and Tshidi Molebatsi (Tshadilema). Moderated by Kate Gardner (British Council / REEL Gardening).
INDIGENOUS PLANTS FOR RESILIENT FUTURES
The project, ‘Decolonising food for health and sustainability’ by We Will All Eat, was part of the Sustainable Together programme in 2021.
The project recognized that being able to grow the indigenous plants that people have traditionally used for food and medicine can be one of the pathways by which communities enjoy greater food sovereignty and more control over their health. However, very few people hold such knowledge in urban centres. Therefore, the project sought to link people who have knowledge regarding the collection, cultivation and use of indigenous plants for food and medicine with communities struggling with food insecurity and poor health, in order to:
- Enable the sharing of traditional/ indigenous food and health knowledge with urban farmers;
- Build the farming/cultivation skills of community members using traditional/indigenous methods that do not rely on expensive inputs;
- Increase the knowledge of community members regarding nutrition and health, including the use of indigenous medicinal plants; and
- Support the promotion of the values that underpin traditional/indigenous relationships to plants, such as our inter-relationship with the natural world and the spiritual connection to plants.
The project involved two training sessions with community members in Ivory Park, Johannesburg, organized with the assistance of Moeketsi Monaheng of Midrand Solidarity Economy Educators & Communication Cooperatives (MSEECC). The first, on 27 February 2021, was a training on the cultivation and benefits of indigenous plants for food and medicine, led by John Nzira of Ukuvuna. The second, on 6 March 2021, was a session on the preparation of foods and medicines from indigenous plants, led by Siphiwe Sithole of African Marmalade. There were lots of demonstrations of plants, seeds, and dishes at both sessions, so participants could see, touch and taste the foods and teas.
We also held an online event, called ‘Decolonising our relationships with plants’ in order to connect with a wider audience beyond Ivory Park. This involved three expert speakers, Makhadzi Vho-Mphatheleni Makaulule of Dzomo la Mupo; Method Gundidza, of Earthlore Foundation; and Mvuselelo Ngcoya, of UKZN. The conversation was facilitated by Busi Dlamini, and is available to watch on the Goethe Institute YouTube page
The Booklet
A handmade booklet was created as part of the project to provide a small taste of the rich knowledge the trainers, speakers and participants brought to the project. The booklet is available in English, Tshivenda, isiZulu and Setswana, and contains texts by some of the facilitators and speakers on the sacredness of plants and the value of ancestral wisdom in building food sovereignty. Descriptions of some indigenous food and medicinal plants are accompanied by recipes and illustrations of the plants. In addition, we have included a poster on how colonialism disrupted, and continues to disrupt, people’s relationships with plants. This helps to explain the violent processes that deprived many people in urban areas of access to their ancestral knowledge.
While we ourselves are not indigenous knowledge holders, through this project we have attempted to provide a platform for those who are to share that knowledge with others.
We Will All Eat is a collective that seeks to broaden and deepen discussions on food and social justice in South Africa, in order to strengthen movements for food system - and broader social - transformation.
