Food security is something to chew on – Price

Many remember Ivor Price as a TV journalist with the SABC.

Last week, he was in Abu Dhabi speaking to an international audience to pitch the media start-up he co-founded four years ago.

Food for Mzansi is a digital first publication that was established to create a new face for SA and African agriculture, telling the untold stories.

His company was one of 20 media start-ups, including three others from SA, selected from across the world to be part of the first ever Global Media Congress (GCM).

Hosted by Emirates News Agency, the three-day event was conceptualised and convened to explore global trends in media, create a platform of media professionals from all over the world to network and provide workshops to understand and share new media techniques.

“Food security is mainstream. Food prices crop up in conversations all the time,” Price said.

“We live in a world where a war can serve prices spiralling. Africa has the most arable land left on Earth, Africa holds the key to food security in Africa, yet African countries are in a precarious state when it comes to their own food security.”

It’s a problem that’s exacerbated by youth unemployment and increasing climate change, yet the agricultural publications in Africa still reflected the needs and ideas of a Western readership, while the SA specialist agricultural media had yet to properly reflect the new face of the sector.

The result is a glaring lack of insight, he said, and no success stories about the new faces of agriculture.

“The continent needs a platform where unsung heroes can be represented and find kindred spirits.”

Food for Mzansi is doing this and finding new audiences in the process, overtaking century-old SA specialist publications.

“We need to change the narrative of Africa as one giant humanitarian disaster that’s waiting to happen. What we don’t need is more websites with company press releases and news releases from developmental agencies all talking about us.

“African food producers can talk for themselves; they have contributions to make to the discourse about African and world food security. They need a platform where they can learn about homegrown solutions to problems they might also be facing, learn about new markets or find potential business partners and opportunities,” said Price.

Coming to the congress, he said, had been an opportunity not to pitch for global investment but more the potential to highlight food security as a global problem and position Africa as an important player in the food security debate.

“Farmers in South Africa and Africa don’t get the recognition they deserve, perhaps it’s because of the past that people have all sorts of negativity, but it’s often unfair – and this is a wonderful opportunity to share that with the globe."

Held at the purpose-built Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre in the capital of the UAE, the inaugural GMC attracted more than 16,000 delegates over three days as well as 145 exhibitors from all over the world; media houses from Russia, China, India, Latin America and the UAE’s Gulf neighbours.

There were also media producers from Saudi Arabia’s Neom smart city to Dubai’s own film production companies; the Al Ain international film festival, public relations companies, new media academies and even the Abu Dhabi police force showcasing how technology can be used in the war against crime.

newsdesk@sowetan.co.za