Fadzai Muramba, a Master’s student in the Department of Sociology’s Development Studies programme, recently participated in the 2016 Autumn International Scientific Conference on Food Security and Safety (FSaS 2016). The conference was hosted by the University of Johannesburg (UJ) in collaboration with the Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC), the Department of Science and Technology (DST) and the Agriculture Research Council (ARC). The conference aimed to bring together government officials, academia, industry, researchers, stakeholders and manufactures to discuss improving food safety, security and sustainability in Africa.

Students and researchers from Africa and beyond got an opportunity to share work linked to food safety and security, which included research on mycotoxins, indigenous plants, food labelling and climate change, while stakeholders and government representatives shared their concerns, especially in the face of the impeding drought in Southern African countries. Fadzai presented her research on the experiences of urban off-plot farmers and urban agriculture in Harare.

Fadzai says that the conference brought home the fact that food security is not just about the availability of food but the consistent access to safe, healthy and nutritious food. It is this holistic view of food security that she hopes to carry forward in her research, work and life.