Category: Okategoriserade

This is a blog post by Sanna Brithéll a master student in Environment, Politics, and Global Development and an intern at SLU Global, referencing her experiences on SIANI (The Swedish International Agricultural Network Initiative) and FOCALI’s (The Forest, Climate, and Livelihood research network) annual meetings 2025.

Did you know that there is a difference between agroecology and sustainable intensification[1]? Or that farmers in Kyrgyzstan not only carry the burden of providing food for the population, but also get subsidises from the state to use fertilisers? These are jut two examples of what was discussed that I thought were interesting out of everything that was brought up at SIANI’s Annual Meeting 2025. (By Klara Fischer, an associate professor in rural development at SLU, and Tatiana Stebneva, boars´d member at the Central Asia Solidarity Groups.)

The event started out with encouraging people to write down what organisation they represented on Menti.com. It was very clear, looking at the results, that the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU) had most of the votes. Paul Egan from SLU Global was even a part of the expert group discussion.

A picture of the Menti results from the question “what organisation/school/company are you representing” Photo: Sanna Brithéll

Apart from interesting speakers and networking, participants at each table were assigned to brainstorm ideas on what is needed or would be beneficial for the cause we are striving for; sustainable development. After we presented our ideas, we were given six stickers in two different colours. The red stickers were the most innovative and the green stickers the most important. I had the pleasure to get to present the most innovative ideas, alongside the others on the podium. This was because the group moderator thought I would be able to explain my own ideas, since most of them were selected.

The red arrows in the photo mark which ideas where mine. Photo:  Sanna Brithéll

We had an interesting discussion at my table. You can see me sitting to the right in a black t-shirt. Photo borrowed from SIANI’s website.

Helene Forslund, a speaker from the Red Cross, used the word “empowerment,” which I felt perfectly captured the atmosphere at SIANI. She discussed the significance of the term in a different context, supporting vulnerable communities. She spoke about the fact that when one enters such a community, their goal should be to empower the people and not to “lead them”. This means shifting the mindset from expecting people to look up to or follow you, to instead focusing on helping them build their own connections. Your role is to provide the roadmap that enables them to do so. Respect is essential for a successful collaboration not only in these situations.

Marie Stenseke, brought this up as well and put it out beautifully at FOCALI “Interdisciplinary is like a dish, we are not the same ingredient, but we should be able to work together”

FOCALI had ongoing themes brought up by different researchers. They emphasised the needs for collaboration, the importance of finding synergies and having the ability to present that to decision makers and others important stakeholders. So, it was only fitting when the “IPBES Nexus Assessment Report”. Even though it was a summary, I felt it was important and relevant to the theme of synergies, because that is what the report presents. I know this because I read and summarised the whole report myself, to later be present it for my colleagues at SLU Global.

It was inspiring and fun to be present on both events. I got a lot of insights during the two days I participated, not only on the things presented or discussed but also the culture of academia.

If I had to take away one key insight from these events, it would be the importance of “getting dirt under my fingernails.” As Marie-Clair Feller, a student at SLU Alnarp, put it: “It’s a bit strange to learn about agriculture without knowing how to grow a carrot.”

 

[1] Fischer, K., Vico, G., Röcklinsberg, H., Liljenström, H. & Bommarco, R., 2025. Progress towards sustainable agriculture hampered by siloed scientific discourses. Nature Sustainability, 8, s. 66–74.

 

 

 

 

 

Written by Marta Cefaro, based on her research for her Master’s thesis in rural development and natural resource management at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, in collaboration with Nelson Mandela University under the supervision of George Sekonya and Klara Fischer. Marta’s research is driven by an interest in the distribution of benefits within supply chains and the protection of Indigenous rights. First published on SIANI website.

Honeybush (Cyclopia spp.), a plant endemic to South Africa, has gained international popularity in recent decades for its health benefits, particularly as a tea. Linked to the Khoi and San peoples (Indigenous Peoples of southern Africa who were living in the area before Bantu-speaking agropastoralists), who hold traditional knowledge related to its use, honeybush has been a source of livelihood for generations. Despite their vital role in developing this knowledge, these communities are excluded from the commercial boom. Why? The answers are rooted in South Africa’s systemic inequalities.

Commercialization for whom?

Historically, honeybush was traditionally processed at home for household consumption or local sale, but since the 1990s the industry has shifted towards more formalized commercial structures. This shift has excluded local communities from value-added stages of production. Communities of traditional knowledge holders are only involved in the first stage of the supply chain: the wild harvesting of the plant. The harvested raw material is then sold to processing facilities where it is processed, packaged, and marketed. Without access to resources such as capital and technology, these communities are unable to process and market the tea themselves, leaving them with only a minimal share of the final product’s value.

The story of the Zoar community

The village of Zoar is located in the Kannaland Municipality in the Western Cape province of the country.  The story and challenges of commercializing honeybush in the Zoar community mirror the complexity of natural resource governance in rural South Africa. Within the community of Zoar, traditional leaders – who exist alongside state authorities in many rural villages of South Africa –  play a key role in the governance of honeybush. They claim control over who gets access to communal lands, where wild honeybush is harvested, and how the benefits from its sale are distributed. Community members who are not part of the traditional authority can only benefit from honeybush harvesting by selling their labor as wild harvesters during harvesting season.

Governance issues are further complicated by the overlap and competition between two different authorities: the local Communal Property Association and the village’s traditional authority. In rural villages undergoing land restitution, South African law permits the creation of Communal Property Associations (CPAs). These are legal entities that can be democratically elected by community members and their primary purpose is to manage communal land on behalf of the community. However, under customary law—recognized by South African legislation—land administration is the responsibility of traditional authorities, who have historically fulfilled this role in rural villages. This situation leads to an overlap between the roles of the two institutions and creates a permanent power struggle. In Zoar, while communal land has been transferred to the CPA, traditional leaders claim their role as decision-makers in local resource governance. This conflict raises questions about which institutions can be considered legitimate and accountable for local resource management, such as the one of honeybush.

Government solutions fall short

Confronted with such inequalities, the South African government has recognized the importance of integrating marginalized communities into the commercialization of biological resources, such as honeybush, through initiatives like Access and Benefit-Sharing (ABS) agreements. These agreements are intended to ensure that local communities receive a fair share of the benefits resulting from the commercial use of biological resources, particularly when traditional knowledge is involved. However, the implementation of ABS agreements faces significant challenges.

One of the key criticisms is that the negotiation process for ABS agreements often favors more powerful, organized actors, leaving out less-recognized communities or individuals. In many cases, these agreements are negotiated between the industry and traditional leaders, who may not represent and be recognized by all knowledge holders. This situation risks perpetuating inequalities within communities, as those with less access to power or resources are excluded from benefiting from the industry.

Inequalities rooted in the country’s colonial and apartheid history

A major issue with ABS agreements is that they do not address and challenge structural inequalities in access to resources such as land, capital and technology. By leaving power relations unchanged, they do not enable the development of community-based or -owned businesses.

The barriers to equitable inclusion in the honeybush industry are deeply rooted in South Africa’s colonial and apartheid history. These historical injustices have entrenched patterns of exclusion, through land dispossession and inequitable resource distribution, which continue to hinder communities’ access to the resources needed for meaningful participation in the development of a biodiversity economy.

A way forward

The commercialization of honeybush might offer economic potential for local communities in South Africa, but this can only be realized if deeply rooted inequalities are addressed. On one hand, reliance on traditional authorities for resource control and negotiations risks sidelining marginalized groups or individuals. On the other hand, mechanisms like ABS agreements fail to tackle the structural inequalities that underpin exclusion from the industry. A more inclusive approach to honeybush commercialization is needed – one that empowers communities through improved access to resources, supports community-owned enterprises, and ensures equitable governance structures.

This blog post was written by Mary Theodorah Ajal, Master’s student in Sustainable Food Systems at SLU.

Theodorah in one of the kitchen gardens in Uganda. Photo: Justin Kitibwa 

Returning to Sweden after 8 weeks of intense data collection/fieldwork in Moroto, Northeastern Uganda, is great. In October 2024, I received a Minor Field Study grant through SLU Global, financed by Sida, that facilitated my research and stay in Uganda. I travelled to Uganda in the first week of October 2024.

My journey to Moroto by bus was filled with wonder, curiosity, and surprises as we drew closer to the Karamoja region. The 7-hour journey from my hometown, Tororo, to Moroto, was a fascinating experience, with the bus making numerous stops to pick up passengers along the trading centers. The most surprising twist was when goats, chickens, sacs of charcoal, and big jerrycans of local brew were added to the bus. We, the passengers, livestock, and other items, got tucked together like peas in a pod, utilizing all spaces including the bus aisle space. It was a journey filled with unexpected discoveries!

I was welcomed and received by the Drylands Transform team of Uganda, Professor Denis Mpairwe, Dr Alice Turinawe, and Mr. Zachary Angella, who offered me valuable guidance during my fieldwork and stay in Uganda.

My research on Characterization and productivity of kitchen gardens and their contributions to food security and livelihoods in Karamoja covered six sub-counties (Nadunget, Northern Division, Loputuk, Katikekile, Rupa, and Lotisan) and 16 villages (Ariamawoi, Kalkalet, kamera, Katamukono, Kidepo, Lakalia, Longoroko, Matheniko, Moroto hospital quarters, Moroto junior quarters, Moroto prisons, Municipal primary, Nabuin, Nadiket, Nakapelimen, and Okilala), within a 40km radius in Moroto district. The study respondent categories included households, development partners/NGOs, government, Drylands Transform team, and Kitchen garden trainers.

It was interesting interacting with the households in the study and learning about their experiences with kitchen gardening and why they started. The commonest motives for household kitchen gardening have been food, income, motivation by government and development partners, leisure, and others because of their great passion for gardening.

It was also interesting to know what different participants considered a kitchen garden and what the development partners/NGOs and the government considered the most successful kitchen gardening approach.

My research also uncovered a diverse range of kitchen gardening approaches. Some development partners/NGOs considered backyard gardening the most successful approach, while others believed the Farmer field school was the most successful. I also came across a fascinating kitchen gardening approach that uses E-learning books about kitchen garden use and construction—an approach where tablets are given to tablet teachers. The community can learn about kitchen gardening with tablets by watching short clips and illustrations on step-by-step guides and the materials used. The community members touch on an area of their choice on the tablet, which then pops up on the screen with audio translated into Karamojong. This diversity of approaches was truly enlightening.

It was interesting to know that respondents in the study perceived and defined a kitchen garden differently; however, the definitions had similar components, such as the purpose of the garden, its proximity to home, its proximity to a water source, the techniques used, and its size.

Although learning about kitchen gardens was interesting and enlightening, I experienced some challenges.

For instance, my translator and I had to travel long distances by foot to locate kitchen gardens since it was a dry season and few households had them. This was physically demanding and time-consuming. I also experienced challenges with access to the field, especially when it rained. The roads were very slippery when it rained, so I postponed fieldwork until the sun shone brightly. Once, we crossed a flowing river to get to the next village, which was a risky and challenging task.

Walking long distances to locate the kitchen gardens. Photo: Justin Kitibwa

Sometimes even crossing flowing rivers. Photo: Justin Kitibwa

Moroto town is close to a military training school. Whenever the soldiers had their training, the gunshots and other sounds made by the military equipment were loud. It always felt like there was a war going on. I am glad that by the time I left, the gunshots never bothered me like before.

During my research in Moroto, I learned the importance of being flexible and having an open mind. These qualities facilitate learning and fact-finding and create room for innovation.

I learned the importance of a sound support system comprised of networks and relationships. This support system played a crucial role in my research process. Whenever I struggled with my research or on one of those low days, I contacted one of my networks or relations for help. Their guidance and support were invaluable in overcoming challenges and staying motivated. I travelled with my children to Uganda; my family took care of my children while I focused on the research.

Parallel with writing this blog post, I am now writing on my master’s thesis.

All in all, I would like to thank my supervisor, Prof. Ingrid Öborn, Assoc. Prof. Sigrun Dahlin, Prof. Agneta Hörnell, Dr Alice Turinawe, Dr Stephen Mureithi, and Prof. Denis Mpairwe, thank you for your continuous support and guidance for my master’s thesis. I want to thank Ms. Kitibwa Justin, who helped me with translations during the research, and Mr. Zachary Angelle, who coordinated all the fieldwork activities and ensured I was safe and comfortable while in Moroto.  Lastly, I would like to thank my family, friends, and colleagues for their priceless support. Thanks to SLU Global for the Minor Field Study grant that facilitated my travel and research activities in Uganda.

This blog post is written by Kerstin Scragg, teacher at Celsiusskolan in Uppsala. 

I have had the great pleasure to join SLU Youth Institute in Des Moines, Iowa, to participate at Global Youth Institute and the World Food Prize conference which focuses on future food security. We have enjoyed inspiring talks and lectures, participated in different workshops and our two Swedish high school students have presented essays at a round table conversation together with other students and experts in respective field.  I work as a teacher at a high school in Uppsala and this trip really started a year ago when I signed my class up to write the Global Youth Institute’s Global Challenge essay. The overall topic of these essays is the UN’s sustainable development goal 2, End Hunger. The students chose a country with food insecurity related problems, in addition, they described the food security situation in the country and explained what is currently being done to battle these issues. In the end, they handed their essays in to SLU Youth Institute where some were chosen to participate in one of three round table conversations, given at each campus. One, out of these twenty-five students at each round table conversation, was elected to go to the U.S. to present the essay and take part of the Global Youth Institute conference in Des Moines, so here we are.

At the Global Youth Institute in Des Moines, we have enjoyed several interesting talks and presentations by leading figures in the battle of ending hunger globally, such as the CEO at the African Bank, the United States Secretary of Agriculture, this years’ World Food Prize laureates and many more. One example of a lecture was when we learned more about deep space travelling and some challenges feeding the crew during these journeys. Another interesting lecture taught us how artificial intelligence, AI, can help women in agriculture.

What I find inspiring is how these, about a hundred teenagers, are at the very centre of it all. Whether it being the content of the talks or activities chosen, all is relevant and elaborated for these possible future researchers and policy makers and, despite the long days, seems to succeed in engaging them no matter the topic. It is truly luxurious to watch and take part in these days, which I am sure will shape these young minds for a long time. This is not only an important investment for the future but also a way to let these students know how much they matter.

We are probably all aware of some of the challenges that Swedish schools face, such as large class sizes, which leads to the fact that it can be difficult to challenge gifted students every lesson. During this conference students are just that, they are challenged both socially and intellectually. To me, seeing my student, along with the others, being stimulated and inspired by the activities and talks at the Global Youth Institute, has been the most rewarding part of the journey and I can only hope I get to send more students to Global Youth Institute in the future.

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SLU Youth Institute (SLU YI) aims to create interest among Swedish youth for global food security and to find sustainable solutions to the global challenges based on the UN Sustainable Development Goals. SLU Youth Institute is the Swedish part of many Youth Institutes coordinated by the World Food Prize Foundation. Read more at our Swedish website!