Food Security - Campus Management Forum

Food security for our students is a major concern of the Forum and a number of projects – planned last year but unfortunately delayed by the COVID situation – are now being initiated in this regard to coincide with the return of students to campus.

♦ Vegetable supplies from Ukulinga Farm

A large plot has been set aside at Ukulinga for the growing of nutritious vegetables, to be supplied to hungry students and to Shoprite Checkers for use in the Food Truck project (see below). This test project is separate from the Farm’s main focus on research support. However, the vegetable-growing initiative will be used to determine potential capacity to produce amounts to meet the target tonnage.

♦ Shoprite Checkers Food Truck

Shoprite Checkers has been approached to operate their Soup Truck, which dispenses soup and bread, on the Campus once a week.

♦ Food Sachet Distribution Depot

The Forum held promotion days to encourage students to use the Rise Against Hunger rice-soy sachets which are supplied free on request. Dietetics students devised recipes to enhance the sachet contents and these were demonstrated and samples handed out to students. Following this the Supply Chain Students Association undertook to set up and manage a depot to distribute the sachets to students, along with the necessary ingredients for the recipes. It is planned to approach local supermarkets to supply the dry ingredients and the Ukulinga project will provide vegetables. The depot is located in the Students Union.

♦ Vegetable-growing in Campus residences

The Forum, in conjunction with the PCRC, will be actively engaging with students living in Campus residences to encourage vegetable-growing projects both indoors and in suitable spaces outside. Competitions and other incentives will be launched to promote this project.

Food Security Task Team

Professor Albert Modi has been tasked with leading a University-wide initiative to ensure that all students are food-secure. A Task Team has been formed, comprising a staff member from the Student Services Division as Director, senior employees representing the four Colleges, Student Administration Services and the UKZN Foundation, as well as the Student Representative Council. Other stakeholders who will be encouraged to join the Team include Campus groups, College groups, student associations and external partners and/or funders.

Click to download:

* Food Security Task Team – proposed way forward

* Food Security Task Team Charter

* Food Security Task Team Intro Meeting 26.2.21 – agenda

UKZN World Food Day 2020

Professor Modi, assisted by a number of Forum representatives and other willing staff and students, organised a Symposium to coincide with World Food Day on 16 October 2020. Presentations on various aspects of food security were given by UKZN academics and professional services staff, and outside partners. The Day also included a Food Stand on the Campus which demonstrated healthy eating to students, provided a takeaway meal, and hosted a competition to encourage sensible food purchasing – “Stretch your NSFAS Rand”.

See the UKZN World Food Day video below.