College of Business and Economics | Annual Report 2024 51 Food Evolution Research Laboratory (FERL) Prof Hema Kesa Director POLICY AND PUBLIC ENGAGEMENTS AND ACTIVITIES The Food Evolution Research Laboratory (FERL) hosted several activities in 2024. FERL and the South African Chefs Association hosted a final Indigenous Foods Cook Off and sensory evaluation on 26 June 2024. Two further activities included the hosting of: Post graduate students from the University of Gastronomic Sciences in March 2024 Nine post graduate students and 2 Profs from the Department of Nutritional Sciences, Texas Tech University, USA from the 20-23 May 2024 On 11 September 2024 FERL hosted the Indigenous Food Seminar themed “Celebrating Indigenous Cuisine: Nourishing Community Wellbeing” FERL had numerous media engagements to strengthen their work and research. Some of these included: Newzroom Afrika: SONA 2024: FERL presented on SA feeding programme in Schools Randburg Sun: Mandela Day article: Soweto Urban (citizen.co.za): Foundation marks Mandela Day by championing health matters. SAFM Interview: 28th September 2024: Talk on “The need to decolonize South African cuisine” SABC News: 14 September 2024: FERLs research project on Indigenous Foods in South Africa UJFM: 10 September 2024: Talk on the seminar: “Celebrating Indigenous Cuisine: Nourishing Community Wellbeing” Radio 702 Interview: 5 November 2024- discussion on FERLs Extended Reality (XR) Technology projects and its impact on society. FERL - Food Evolution Research Laboratory - News - FERL - Food Evolution Research Laboratory RESEARCH Designing healthy and sustainable indigenous food experiences in South Africa through extended realities (Work stream 1). Completed in 2024: This study aligned to the following SDGs S: 2, “Zero Hunger - End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture.” SDG 3, “good health and wellbeing” -Ensure healthy lives and promoting well-being for all ages” and SDG 12 “Responsible consumption and productionTransitioning production and consumption patterns towards more sustainable practices” Promoting the consumption indigenous foods/crops in our communities. INNOVATION, SUSTAINABILITY, AI, AND SOCIETAL IMPACT Jars of Hope Project Now in its third year, the Jars of Hope project, initiated by the Food Evolution Research Laboratory (FERL) at the STH, expanded its efforts in 2024 by collecting baby products, educational toys, and nutritious ingredients such as soup mix, lentils, rice, and split peas. These items were used to fill the Jars of Hope, benefiting mothers and babies supported by the Hamba Bamba Funda Organisation (HBF). The donations were presented at a Mandela Day and Christmas day event held at the Meadowlands Welfare Centre in Zone 9, Soweto, under the theme “Nutrition Nurtures: Empowering Moms and Babies (0-2 Years).” As part of the initiative, thirdyear Gastronomy (Nutrition) students prepared multilingual nutrition education leaflets, which were distributed to the mothers. Hands-on demonstrations showcased how to prepare nutritious soups using the ingredients from the jars.
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