AgriCareers: Post-doc fellow redefines food systems research

When you think about the agricultural careers in Mzansi, everything sounds very practical and on the ground. But what about the many agricultural researchers who provide important data and information on our food systems?

If you are thinking about a career in academia, look no further than this post-doctoral research fellow who’s doing some cool research when it comes to food systems.

Brittany Kesselman is a research fellow at the University of Cape Town (UCT).

Hailing from the United States of America, Kesselman decided to continue her studies in 2005 in South Africa. She immediately fell in love with Mzansi, its people and cultures. “There’s something about South Africa, once you arrive, it is hard to leave.”

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What exactly does Kesselman do?

Kesselman’s work focuses on two things; mainly agroecology which is a kind of farming that works with nature, instead of trying to force nature to do what you want with it.

“The second focus is traditional and indigenous food systems, understanding the way people used to eat hundreds and even thousands of years ago,” she explains.

The work also delves into the kinds of food people used to eat in the past, where it was sourced, and how it was used.

“This is really useful for us to know now because people used to work within the limits of their environments in a way that we have sort of forgotten how to do.

“They were able to use really impressive knowledge of soils, plants and animals and even astronomy and weather patterns to find enough food,” she explains.

With climate change at our doorstep, it is useful to understand what people did in the past, she adds.

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A day in the life of a researcher

One of the greatest things about being a researcher is that no day is ever the same. There are always exciting adventures to embark on.

“I do a lot of reading, to understand what other people are doing research on and what we know already, and what other forms of research are out in the field.

“My kind of research involves people. So, I go out to where farmers are and I talk to them and I often do the tasks that they are doing to understand them better,” she says.

At times, she does interviews, solo or group interviews and Kesselman spends a lot of time observing people as well.

“I spent a lot of time observing different environments people are working, how the food they are producing relates to the climate and the environment.”

Kesselman believes there are so many ways to conduct research. It does not have to be in the academic space. Research is different for everyone, and you can be a researcher for government and non-governmental organisations; the possibilities are endless, she says.