Dr Jessica Hutchings
Dr Jessica Hutchings (Ngāi Tahu, Ngāti Huirapa, Gujarati) is nationally and internationally recognised as a leader and researcher in Indigenous food systems and Māori food and soil sovereignty. She is a founding Trustee of the Papawhakaritorito Charitable Trust, which works to uplift Indigenous seed, soil and food sovereignty and Hua Parakore (Māori organics) through research, development and community practice. She lives on 12 acres as a Hua Parakore verified family food grower, has been a member of Te Waka Kai Ora — the Māori Organics Authority — for two decades, and is a widely published author.
Pātaka Kai: Growing kai Sovereignty
We face a biodiversity crisis and a climate meltdown. Our food systems are broken and our soils are depleted and our seeds are owned by corporations. The mainstream response to these crises drowns out Indigenous perspectives and solutions that offer pathways to ecological, cultural and socio-economic sustainability as well as a greater connection to our everyday lives. This presentation draws on two Marsden funded projects, Kai Atua: Food for Hope and Wellbeing and Seeding Hope: Indigenous Women’s led seed sovereignty. It presents both global and local examples of Indigenous led actions for Kai Sovereignty. The Mana Wāhine Declaration for Seed and Soil, was launched at Navdanya, India alongside Dr Vandana Shiva in 2024 and seeks to elevate the mana of Hineahuone across global rematriation movements. Operating outside of nations states, the Declaration is a Mana Wāhine call to action for our seeds and soil. Sitting alongside these global efforts are the inspiring diverse Māori approaches to kai sovereignty at place. This presentation looks across 11 case studies of Māori and Pasifika food growers and producers to understand how Māori food systems are shaping the future of food.
Kai Anamata mō Aotearoa
10–12 November 2026 · Motueka Memorial Hall