How Can Africa Shape AI to Feed the Future? A Conversation with Iain Harris of Food Indaba 2025

 “What does AI mean for Africa? And what does it mean for our food system?”

This is the question at the heart of this year’s Food Indaba, running from 7–20 July 2025 across Cape Town. We recently spoke to Iain Harris, Event Project Manager of Food Indaba, here on 89.5 FM about what’s in store for this year's event, and why now is a critical time for Africa to interrogate, influence, and own its future with artificial intelligence.

From Recipes to Representation: Why AI in Food Matters

AI is revolutionizing everything from how we write emails to how we grow food. But Iain raises a sharp point: most AI models don’t understand Africa. Of all the data that trains tools like ChatGPT, less than 5% is about Africa, and only 3% of that is generated by Africans.

“That lack of data has a big impact on everything,” Iain explains. “If we don’t ensure representation in AI, our food system is going to continue to suffer.”

What does that look like in practice? It means AI struggles to create recipes using African ingredients. It means food distribution models don’t reflect on-the-ground realities. And it means we risk having solutions imposed on us by systems that don’t understand our contexts.

Food Indaba 2025: Bringing AI and Africa to the Table

This year’s theme is bold: Artificial Intelligence and the Food System. And the 2025 program is as diverse and ambitious as the questions it raises:

• Cooking & Chemistry Workshops for Kids (Ages 6–12) in partnership with Cape Town Science Centre, where kids will turn indigenous Cape plants into ice cream.

• Food Systems Walking Tours in Bellville, Langa, and the Cape Town CBD, exploring markets, waste systems, and food economies on the ground.

• AI & Food Entrepreneurship Masterclasses hosted by Oribi Works at Makers Landing.

• Full-day AI & Food Conference on Friday, 18 July bringing together thought leaders in ethics, policy, academia, and food systems.

• Free art exhibitions at Makers Landing and 16 on Lerotholi Gallery exploring the intersection of AI, identity, and food.

• Tea with a Farmer events at urban farms like Oranjezicht and Langa, connecting people with where (and who) their food comes from.

A Call to Action

Iain is clear: Food Indaba isn’t about having all the answers. It’s a platform to explore them together. “We’re not starting with answers. We’re starting with tools. And we’re inviting people into the process.”

From tackling waste in bulk markets to using public health data to fight malnutrition, the conversation is expansive, but deeply rooted in local realities. Whether you're a policymaker, a chef, a farmer, a teacher, or a kid tasting wild herbs in an ice cream cone, Food Indaba is about understanding the systems that feed us, and reshaping them with knowledge, tech, and care.

Why This Matters Now

The AI revolution is already here. But will it help or hurt our efforts to build a more just, resilient, and healthy food system?

As Iain reminds us, tools shape us just as we shape them. And with the pace of AI development moving faster than ever, Africa can't afford to be passive.

“This is a pivotal moment for those working to change the food system to learn what AI can do, and ensure that the valuable data they are generating becomes part of the models that represent Africa.”

Written by Ryan Growney

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