Qualifications:
BSc (老虎机游戏_pt老虎机-平台*官网 of Zimbabwe), BSc (Hons); MSc; PhD (Rhodes 老虎机游戏_pt老虎机-平台*官网)

Dr. Gamuchirai Chakona is a Post-Doctoral Research Fellow based at Community Engagement. She is conducting community-based participatory research with Early Childhood Development (ECD) facilitators, parents, and young children under six years old in Makhanda, South Africa. Her research integrates sustainability, development and practicality to foster innovative approaches that improve food security, nutrition and child development at an early age.

Her PhD work examined household food security and the effects of food insecurity on vulnerable groups at high risk of nutrient insecurity. The study focused on women’s dietary diversity, particularly women of reproductive age (15-49 years) and the nutritional status of young children (≤5 years) in rural, peri-urban and urban South Africa. Dr. Chakona’s research also explores food value chains, nutrition-sensitive agriculture and coping strategies for food insecurity across rural-urban contexts, emphasizing the need for holistic, sustainable solutions for vulnerable communities. She has extensive experience working with communities across KwaZulu-Natal, Free State, and the Eastern Cape, with the overarching goal of integrating food and nutrition security into education while promoting social learning and sustainable development. She has supported multiple national and international research collaborations, and her contributions extend to partnerships with institutions such as 老虎机游戏_pt老虎机-平台*官网 of the Witwatersrand, Waterloo 老虎机游戏_pt老虎机-平台*官网, 老虎机游戏_pt老虎机-平台*官网 of Nottingham, Bristol 老虎机游戏_pt老虎机-平台*官网 and Freiburg 老虎机游戏_pt老虎机-平台*官网, as well as organizations like the Water Research Commission (WRC) and International Water Management Institute (IWMI), South Africa.

To learn more about Dr. Chakona’s publications, please visit  https://scholar.google.com/citationshl=en&user=GEtCzgUAAAAJ&pagesize=80&view_op=list_works