For the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic, the DSI-NRF Centre of Excellence in Food Security (CoE-FS) hosted its first in-person Steering Committee (STEERCOM) meeting in November 2023.
From 14 to 15 November 2023, the members of the STEERCOM and the CoE-FS’s Management Committee (comprised of the centre’s principal investigators and core staff) met in Cape Town to discuss, among other agenda items, the CoE-FS’s sustainability plan, its annual Business Plan and the nominations for a new Scientific Sub-Committee (SCICOM).
The STEERCOM guides the work of the CoE-FS and consists of members representing academia, civil society, and the public and private sectors. Since 2014, CoE-FS STEERCOMs have involved internationally renowned scholars including, World Food Prize Laureate Professor Lawrence Haddad; the former chair of the High-Level Panel of Experts (HLPE) Professor Patrick Caron (now CIRAD); and Dr Mickey Chopra, the World Bank’s Global Solutions Lead for Service Delivery in the Health Nutrition and Population global practice. In November 2022, following a decision by the National Research Foundation (NRF) that an independent chairperson be appointed, Professor Mary Scholes was elected as chairperson of the STEERCOM.
Prof Mary Scholes was appointed as the CoE-FS STEERCOM chair in November 2022. Photo Ross Jansen/CoE-FS.
Professor Scholes holds the Research Chair in Global Change and Systems Analysis at the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits) and serves on the Council of the Academy of Science of South Africa. Joining Professor Scholes on the STEERCOM are:
- Co-chairpersons: Professors Anton Stroh/Barend Erasmus (University of Pretoria (UP)) and Professors Jose Frantz/Joliana Phillips (University of the Western Cape (UWC))
- Director Professor Julian May (UWC)
- Co-director Professor Lise Korsten (UP)
- Department of Science and Innovation (DSI): Rose Msiza (DSI representative)
- NRF: Dr Makobetsa Khati/Nathan Sassman (NRF representatives)
- Member: Professor Patrick Caron (CIRAD)
- Member: Bongiwe Njobe (Independent consultant)
- Member: Dr Joan Matji (United Nations Children’s Fund) – SCICOM chairperson
- Member: Professor Sagadevan Mundree (University of Queensland)
- Member: Professor Bocklines Bebe (Egerton University)
- Member: Dr Mickey Chopra (World Bank)
- Member: Professor Christine Foyer (University of Birmingham).
While most members joined in person, those unable to make the trip to Cape Town joined online. Below are some moments from the meeting:
related Articles
New book: “Resilience and Food Security in a Food Systems Context”
Resilience and Food Security in a Food Systems Context is a recently published, open-access resource which delves into why we…
Innovative thinking key to reducing malnutrition in South Africa
The panel included government representatives from agriculture, social development, health rural development and land reform as well as Yvonne Chaka…