What do you do?

I am the Sourcing Director of Grounded Ingredients, a social enterprise focused on scaling regenerative agriculture in Africa. We launched the business in 2021 with a small team. We focus on supplying high value, non-perishable ingredients from Africa to brands committed to responsible sourcing across the world. My role is focused on maintaining our impact goals in the agricultural sector, where my team and I work very closely with farmers, wild harvesters, agri-processors, researchers and governmental agencies to transition agricultural processes to more environmentally and socially responsible production methods. Apart from this, I also run my own consultancy, Endemic Cape, which offers specialist advice and project management services in the fields of palaeo-ethnobotany, restoration ecology and sustainable agriculture.

What excites you about your field?

I am inspired every day by the resilience and innovation I see in the ingredient value chains I work with. Whether that be on a rooibos farm in the Cederberg, or an ethical tea brand in Europe. I get to meet and collaborate with passionate people with a strong ethical drive to make the world better. My work also entails supporting farmers and agri-processors to implement regenerative agricultural techniques. It is extremely rewarding when this work starts to bear fruit. I have literally seen the people and land start to flourish more, and the difference is evident in empirical data. It gives me immense hope for the future. One of the big highlights of my work is that I get to be involved in the production of incredible food and cosmetic products. I get to taste a lot of amazing tea and have become obsessed with all the different tisanes of the world. Everybody! Drink loose leaf tea!

How did your PhD prepare you for your job?

I pursued as many collaborations and networking opportunities as I could during my PhD, even when it was not directly related to my specific research topic. I was able to connect with a wide array of researchers, farmers and governmental agencies. This wide network of exposure showed me how the gears of our economy around indigenous plant value chains worked and prepared me for the complexities of implementing alternative solutions in our country and continent. Due to the interdisciplinary nature of my research I have developed a very unique set of skills and knowledge that helps me analyse different environments and socio-economic systems across Africa. This has set me apart and made me uniquely qualified for my work.

In my private consulting capacity, my work is directly related to my PhD research, and I use the results and methods I developed in my thesis continually. My PhD taught me grit and perseverance, as in the real world many projects are not completed in a short timeframe, and it takes dedication to see things through.

Looking back, what advice would you give to current students?

We live in a world full of opportunities, but also massive systemic problems. Universities are a fantastic place to network and learn from as many people and organisations as possible that are thought leaders. Connecting with these innovators will give you a better understanding of how the world is configured and your potential place in it. I used my tertiary education to understand how my career could have an impact and I have tried to be strategic about how I developed my path to pursue the opportunities I identified.

There are very few opportunities nowadays you will fall into after graduating that will be a perfect fit. I tried my hand at many different projects following my PhD before I settled on the path I am on now. Don’t be disheartened at these seeming failures. Every different path I walked helped me understand better what made me tick. This allowed me to be strategic about how I built my career and business. Use your time at university to meet as many great minds as possible. You will always be grateful for this network later in your career.