Co-Creating Sustainable Food Systems: Social Justice

This is the sixth episode of the podcast series, co-produced as part of the Co-creating Change towards Sustainable Food Systems: Learning with Communities of Practice in Zimbabwe project.

This episode looks at social and environmental justice, and how achieving sustainability and resilience in our food systems requires us to address social and environmental injustices. It requires the empowerment of marginalised people, youth and women. Only then, can we really transform ‘scarcity’ into abundance, for all. We look at urban farming and urban gardens, which can significantly enhance food security and economic resilience for landless and under-employed urban households and communities, offering both a source of fresh produce and a means of income generation. We also discuss how transitioning from chemically-intensive agriculture to organic farming methods can enhance soil health, environmental sustainability and personal well-being. 

The podcast series, along with a website (see link below) and Stories of Change book (available for download on the website), have resulted from a collaboration between Dr Pamela Richardson (University of Sheffield) and three Zimbabwean organisations: Kufunda Village, PORET Trust and PELUM Zimbabwe. 

The production of the podcast series and book was funded through a Marie Skłodowska-Curie Research Fellowship, with support from the Institute for Sustainable Food, the Institute for Global Sustainable Development and the School of Geography and Planning at the University of Sheffield.

Both the podcast series and book will be freely available to all as an open educational resource.