The Politics of Food

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• The production of indigenous vegetables

  

  This project seeks to investigate and document the production and market issues pertaining to imifino (indigenous vegetables) in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN). The main question is, in light of the convincing scientific data about the high nutritional content of imifino, why are these vegetables so difficult to access in the market place. The project aims to investigate the obstacles and opportunities faced by small-scale farmers who are cultivating these vegetables. The theoretical approach is informed by concepts from food sovereignty, food regimes, and indigenous knowledge systems. Using qualitative methods including participatory video, commodity mapping, and interviews, we document the best practices of these farmers and identify the market opportunities and constraints that affect their work.
         
  Additional Participants: Mrs. Fakazile Mthethwa, KwaBhoboza, Mtubatuba;Narendran Kumarakulasingam (PhD), American University, Washington D.C.

  Staff Members

  • Mvuselelo Ngcoya
  • Narendran Kumarakulasingam