The Western Cape provincial government target stipulates that 50% of organic waste should be diverted from landfills by 2022, and 100% by 2027.

'Food is as complicated as life," said Kurt Ackermann, CEO of the SA Urban Food & Farming Trust, as he opened the Zero Waste Summit at the V&A Waterfront in Cape Town on 10 July, an event created by the Food Indaba.

Petro Myburgh, sustainability manager at the V&A Waterfront, Melania Ludwig, owner of Zero to Landfill Organics, along with Roberto de Carvalho, executive chef at the Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC), and Alison Evans, head of Waste Markets at the City of Cape Town, were panellists at the summit, hosted by Maverick Citizen managing editor Zukiswa Pikoli.

Prefacing the day's discussion, Pikoli spoke about the food justice landscape that included the eradication of food waste as a focus area, particularly in light of South Africa's hunger problem.

"Food justice emanates from the public health crisis - issues of hunger and noncommunicable diseases in South Africa," said Pikoli.

She cited the Union Against Hunger's reflections on food waste, where France's "Garot Law" requires large supermarkets to donate rather than...