From April to December 2025, the University, through the Department of Community Extension, will run a series on MUT Radio focused on topics that are all related to climate change and its effects on the food system. Climate change has a direct impact on agricultural productivity, can disrupt food supply chains, undoubtedly escalate food prices, and reduce food security for many households.
Professor Xolile Mkhize of the department said the main objective of the series is to close a knowledge gap that exists between small-scale farmers, other key actors in the agri-food-value chain, and communities. Professor Mkhize emphasized that these conversations are vital as coastal cities are under threat from coastal flooding due to climate change. This has been evident in the city of Durban with many alarming incidents.
Some of the topics that will be covered during this period are Food Production and Accessibility, Indigenous Knowledge, Local Innovations, Climate Change Implementation Plans, and Advocacy. An expert in issues around food and nutrition security, Professor Mkhize said the series will be launched in April 2025: “We decided to launch the series at this time because the livelihoods of many people and businesses are impacted by this reality… “There will be post-episode engagement to facilitate discussions on social media to involve listeners and encourage them to share their own experiences related to the topics that were discussed previously. There is a possibility of having monthly workshops following each episode to dive deeper into the topic, offering hands-on activities and collaborative problem-solving sessions”. The organisers of the series will also create a channel, such as a dedicated email or online survey, for ongoing feedback from stakeholders about the feature’s relevance and impact.