Lay summary
A community innovator with 20 years of experience in community development and urban food systems design, I have an award-winning record of building and maintaining productive, high-quality relationships, working together with communities, stakeholders, local and central government to bring greater equity to kai systems in Aotearoa. I am passionate about whanau-led kai systems solutions. Food and nutrition insecurity disproportionately impact Māori in Aotearoa. These disparities have been highlighted in recent crisis events such as the COVID lockdowns and Cyclone Gabrielle. This award would enable me to undertake a research inquiry to explore with a range of similarly kai security-focused people and communities what is working (and not working) in activation of kai sovereign communities and explore with an urban marae-led community in Te Awa Kairangi how to bring sustainability and longevity to their local kai system and as a model for others.