Abstract
Food insecurity and environmental degradation are critical global challenges that require solutions bridging social equity and ecological sustainability. This research draws on Ubuntu, a Southern African philosophy centered on interconnectedness, empathy, and collective care, as a transformative framework for fostering compassionate community building and sustainable food systems. Ubuntu’s principles of mutual support and shared responsibility offer an ethical perspective for reimagining food security initiatives. The current state of food security, especially within charitable food systems, often faces challenges such as inconsistent resources, operational inefficiencies, and societal stigma around food assistance (SERVE-Helps, 2023). Moreover, many existing food security approaches fail to integrate ethical dimensions that address both social and ecological concerns, leading to fragmented solutions that overlook the root causes of food insecurity and environmental degradation (Gundersen & Ziliak, 2015). This study applies Ubuntu’s emphasis on compassion and collective action to explore how these values can enhance food distribution systems and contribute to ecological sustainability. Using a mixed-methods approach, this research combines quantitative surveys with qualitative observations in food pantries. Data were gathered on practices like food sourcing, waste management, and community engagement to assess how Ubuntu-inspired values manifest in daily operations. The findings contribute to the discourse on ecological sustainability by demonstrating how Ubuntu offers an innovative framework for addressing global challenges. By linking food security with ethical community practices, this study provides practical recommendations for policymakers, NGOs, and local communities on incorporating Ubuntu-driven approaches in food systems to create more inclusive and environmentally sustainable solutions.
Presenters
Gabriel AyayiaStudent, MS Environmental Science/Applied Ethics, Oregon State University, Oregon, United States
Details
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Theme
Economic, Social, and Cultural Context
KEYWORDS
UBUNTU, FOOD SECURITY, ECOLOGICAL SUSTAINABILITY, COMPASSIONATE COMMUNITY, FOOD SYSTEMS, COLLECTIVE
