The University of Pretoria (UP) is proud to have been part of International Food Systems Research Week hosted at the University of Leeds, England. The event sought to enable research and innovation collaboration opportunities across strategic research, industry and priority policy themes. The Global Food and Environment Institute (GFEI) hosted partners from eastern and southern Africa.

The week, which was organised in collaboration with the Food Systems Transformation in Southern Africa for One Health (FoSTA-Health) programme, focused on changing food systems supply chains and regulation; and human, animal, environmental and plant health. Leeds University hosted associates from academia, industry and government, from South Africa, Zambia, Malawi and Tanzania.

“International Food Systems Research Week is where our community of world-leading research and innovation colleagues can collaborate with partners to foster opportunities across research, industry and policy, to create life-changing impact in our global communities,” said  Professor Nick Plant, Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Research and Innovation at Leeds University. “The global challenges facing our world, such as food security, can be solved only by viewing the system as a whole. Such a holistic approach requires strong interdisciplinary collaboration. We are delighted to continue and develop our partnerships with these leading experts and establish new interdisciplinary partnerships that can tackle global issues and drive change.”

Representing UP was Prof Esté van Marle Köster, Head of the Animal Science Department in the Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, and Dr Danie Jordaan, a lecturer in UP’s Department of Agricultural Economics, Extension and Rural Development. Their involvement was an indication of UP’s commitment to advancing research in food security and African food systems.

During the week, a variety of systems research from Leeds University was shared, including that of FoSTA-Health and the Food Systems Research Network for Africa (FSNet-Africa). These two programmes focus on food security and African food systems, and are carried out in partnership with UP and the Food, Agriculture and Natural Resources Policy Analysis Network (FANRPAN).

Among the delegates was Cheney fellow Cecilia Onyango, Associate Professor of Horticulture at the University of Nairobi in Kenya, who was introduced to Leeds University’s Cheney Fellowships Scheme through FSNet-Africa. The fellowship is designed to enable world-leading researchers to spend time at Leeds exploring new research ideas and building new collaborations.

“The Cheney fellowship will offer an excellent opportunity for me to work with colleagues from across multiple disciplines at the University of Leeds, starting now during International Food Systems Research Week,” Onyango said. “Furthermore, my work will connect to the Knowledge Equity Network to enhance collaboration opportunities with higher education institutions in Kenya – beginning with the University of Nairobi – with the aim of reducing inequalities and tackling global challenges together.”

Academics were able to plan FoSTA-Health research on supply chain regulation, trade and One Health in southern Africa, and progress work on food systems mapping and modelling. A tour of the University’s research facilities included the research farm and the Centre for Innovation Excellence in Livestock’s (CIEL) National Pig Centre.

“In a context of varied social and environmental challenges, there are competing priorities for food system change in eastern and southern Africa,” Prof Plant said. “Bringing together different disciplines and sectors is crucial for building evidence-based understandings of the implications of food system changes in the region. Food Systems Research Week is part of our ongoing efforts within the GFEI to build interdisciplinary partnerships for global challenge-led research.”

In light of the recent commitment from the UK government to strengthen science collaboration partnerships with South Africa, the week helped to identify opportunities for ongoing collaboration and a co-developed research agenda.