Panel Discussion: Building More Sustainable and Juster Food Systems

Speakers

• Daliwonga Pantshwa Daliwonga Pantshwa, a father, an Agroecologist, Gauteng Coordinator at the South African Food Sovereignty Campaign, co-founder of Down2Earth Living Soil NPC. His activism is rooted at the intersection of climate justice and food sovereignty. He’s often found in the gardens, learning & sharing on natural farming topics such as soil regeneration, seed saving, ecological garden design, e.t.c. He has a running guest lecturer gig at the University of Stuttgart, Germany, where he co-researches Traditional Ecological Knowledge and emerging technologies in Southern Africa.

• Dr. Qinisani Nhlakanipho Qwabe Dr. Qinisani Nhlakanipho Qwabe, fondly known as Dr. Q, is a dedicated researcher and advocate for sustainable agriculture and rural development. Holding a PhD in Sustainable Agriculture, his expertise spans agricultural extension, food systems, and ecological sustainability. Dr. Q’s research delves into indigenous food crops, underutilized plant species, and sustainable food systems. His contributions extend to international conferences and publications, reinforcing his role as a thought leader. Beyond academia, Dr. Q champions food security through campus food gardens, fostering self-sufficiency and addressing hunger. His mission is to build resilient, sustainable agricultural systems for future generations.

• Hema Kesa Prof Hema Kesa holds a Doctorate and a Master's degree in Food Service Management, with a specialization in Community Nutrition, as well as an MSc in Food and Nutrition Security. She is the Director of the Food Evolution Research Laboratory (FERL) at the University of Johannesburg. Her primary research interests lie in food and nutrition security, particularly in understanding the dynamics of Nutrition Transition, promoting South African indigenous crops, and managing food waste in both schools and the hospitality sector. In addition to her academic work, Hema serves as a council member for the Nutrition Society of South Africa (NSSA), contributing to the country’s nutrition policies and initiatives. Through her work, Hema aims to bridge gaps in food security, advocating for the integration of traditional food systems and sustainable practices. She is deeply committed to fostering a healthier, more informed society, where technology and indigenous knowledge come together to address critical nutritional and societal challenges.

• Moderator: Inolofatseng Lekaba Inolofatseng is a knowledge worker with a colourful focus on epistemologies of the Global South, decolonial research and teaching methodologies, alliances between civil society and private property in creative placemaking, urban renewal governance and politics of power and place. Their equally important side quests are on solidarity cities, food sovereignty, reclaiming the use value of land, peri-urban spatial transformation, organisational development, and art-led activism. Their practice centers advocacy for economic systems change, liberatory Afrikan economics, and pluriversal ways of knowing; mobilising research techniques for social movements in MEL and transdisciplinary co-production of knowledge; building and maintaining organisational systems that decentralise power amongst practitioners; curating, speaking and moderating discussions on aforementioned topics; collaborative governance in civil society; writing and editorial work; guerilla gardening in peri-and-inner Johannesburg; general agitation of the academic industrial complex; and caring for their nephew and cats.