Learning beyond the classroom - IMEL students visit the Philippi Horticultural Area

On 12 October 2023, postgraduate students of the Institute of Marine and Environmental Law attended an inspiring class visit to the Philippi Horticultural Area (PHA), in the Cape Flats. The PHA is a peri-urban farming area that supplies a significant amount of fresh food and vegetables to residents and retailers of the City of Cape Town. During the visit, students enrolled in Pollution Law, Natural Resources Law, and International Environmental Law modules learnt about the links between food security, water security and climate change from Nazeer Sonday, a small-scale farmer and chairperson of the Philippi Horticultural Area Food and Farming Campaign. The Campaign is seeking to protect the PHA from urban creep and extractivism that will threaten food and water security in Cape Town and beyond, particularly in a time of climate change. Students were enthralled by Nazeer's compelling and well-researched presentation. In addition, fellow activist for the protection of the PHA, Susanna Coleman, explained the significance of using innovative legal arguments to challenge environmental decisions-making that could be devastating for the PHA. Susanna explained that one of the PHA's arguments, related to intergenerational equity and the principle of public trusteeship, was inspired by the work of Associate Professor of the Institute of Marine and Environmental Law, Dr. Melanie Murcott, in her book, Transformative Environmental Constitutionalism. Melanie has been collaborating with the PHA for some years, and feel strongly that it offers a wonderful example of how struggles for social justice and environmental protection can be mutually reinforcing of one another. At the end of the visit, students thoroughly enjoyed a farm-cooked meal and purchased delicious fresh vegetables and herbs from Nazeer's farm. More information about the PHA is available here.