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Fostering Innovation for Sustainable Food Security: The Southern Africa Food Lab

In: The Business of Social and Environmental Innovation

Author

Listed:
  • Milla McLachlan

    (Stellenbosch University)

  • Ralph Hamann

    (University of Cape Town)

  • Vanessa Sayers

    (Reos Partners)

  • Candice Kelly

    (Sustainability Institute, Stellenbosch University)

  • Scott Drimie

    (Southern African Food Lab (SAFL)
    University of Stellenbosch)

Abstract

This chapter describes the Southern Africa Food Lab (SAFL) as a proactive social innovation, and explores the challenges and opportunities encountered in setting up such an initiative. Food insecurity and hunger persist in urban and rural areas in South Africa, with high levels of reported hunger and persistent chronic and micronutrient malnutrition. The SAFL works to facilitate shifts towards an equitable and sustainable food system, by stimulating ongoing dialogue and collaborative learning among stakeholders, and enhancing the effectiveness, accountability and legitimacy of multi-stakeholder teams working on innovations in the food system. Key tenets of the Lab process include an emphasis on emergence rather than predetermined outcomes, creating spaces for personal reflection and authentic communication, and shared experiences of the system ‘on the ground’. Challenges include engaging the leadership of activist NGOs and community groups and to have sustained participation from senior public and private sector actors. Issues of unequal power, constrained resources and different perspectives on the balance between talking, listening and acting are likely to continue to surface and provide opportunity for reflection and innovative action as the process unfolds.

Suggested Citation

  • Milla McLachlan & Ralph Hamann & Vanessa Sayers & Candice Kelly & Scott Drimie, 2015. "Fostering Innovation for Sustainable Food Security: The Southern Africa Food Lab," Springer Books, in: Verena Bitzer & Ralph Hamann & Martin Hall & Eliada Wosu Griffin-EL (ed.), The Business of Social and Environmental Innovation, edition 127, chapter 0, pages 163-181, Springer.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:sprchp:978-3-319-04051-6_9
    DOI: 10.1007/978-3-319-04051-6_9
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    Cited by:

    1. Rodrigo Lozano & Maria Barreiro‐Gen & Afnan Zafar, 2021. "Collaboration for organizational sustainability limits to growth: Developing a factors, benefits, and challenges framework," Sustainable Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 29(4), pages 728-737, July.
    2. Littlewood, David C. & Kiyumbu, Wilkister L., 2018. "“Hub” organisations in Kenya: What are they? What do they do? And what is their potential?," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 131(C), pages 276-285.

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