Innovative Approach to Researching Complex Problems: FERN & FoodSAMSA Host Webinar Series
On 18th September 2024, the Food Environment Research Network (FERN) Secretariat, in collaboration with the Food SAMSA Project, delivered the third installment of its webinar series. The event featured esteemed speakers, Nicole Holliday and A/Prof Peter Delobelle, who shared insights from their research efforts.
FERN, a key initiative of the MEALS4NCDs project, has hosted online sessions since 2019, with the most recent collaboration taking place in September 2023 alongside the FoodSAMSA Project. FERN was established to build capacity in food environment research across Africa, while the FoodSAMSA Project aims to address malnutrition through targeted improvements to the food environment in South Africa. Both initiatives focus on strengthening research capacities and regional networks in food environment systems and policy actions across Sub-Saharan Africa. The MEALS4NCDs and FERN projects are based at the University of Ghana, with FoodSAMSA hosted by institutions in South Africa.
The webinar primarily focused on the FoodSAMSA project titled “Food Systems Thinking in Food Environment Research”, which employed complex systems analysis and group model building to map the drivers and consequences of malnutrition in the Cape Town metro area. The research addressed both micro-level (individual/household) and meso-level (community/policy) factors. The methodology included three stages: individual stakeholder interviews, qualitative analysis to develop research codes, and group model-building workshops. These workshops produced causal loop diagrams, identifying the key variables impacting food security.
Challenges encountered during the research included time limitations, difficulties in pinpointing leverage points, and the absence of continuous community liaison. Moving forward, the project plans to refine its models, gather additional stakeholder feedback, and identify specific policy intervention points.
The project highlights the importance of Integrated Knowledge Translation, political champions, and fostering relationships to drive policy change. Additionally, it stresses the need for shared responsibility and local ownership in food security initiatives out.
The webinar attracted an enthusiastic audience of nearly 70 participants, with a significant representation from Ghana (38%) and South Africa (14%).
Nicole Holliday, a PhD candidate at Ludwig-Maximilians-University in Munich, Germany, specializes in public health nutrition with a focus on policy actions to improve food environments. Her research includes complex systems mapping of malnutrition drivers and public policy assessments in South Africa.
Peter Delobelle, with over two decades of experience in public health research, is an expert in non-communicable disease prevention and management in Sub-Saharan Africa. He is Chief Research Officer (A/Prof) at the Chronic Disease Initiative for Africa at the University of Cape Town and serves as Principal Investigator of the FoodSAMSA project.
Moments of the webinar are replayed below.