Dr. Vandana Shiva will discuss food democracy on April 17 and 18

Vandana Shiva, Ph.D., known for her work as a leader in the food sustainability movement, will present a lecture, participate in a leadership workshop, and speak at a farm-to-table dinner during her visit to Kansas City.

Shiva will speak at 7 p.m. on Thursday, April 17 at Unity Temple on the Plaza. Her lecture, entitled “Cultivating Diversity, Freedom and Hope,” will address the diversity in nature and society. She will share what’s happening to seeds and food and how “Gardens of Hope” protect seed freedom and food democracy.

The cost is $15 for the general public and $5 for students. Shiva’s visit is hosted by the Cultivate Kansas City and the University of Missouri-Kansas City’s Environmental Studies Program and Architecture, Urban Planning + Design Department.

“We are pleased to host Dr. Shiva, who is one of the world’s leading experts in food sustainability,” said Caroline Davies, director of UMKC’s Environmental Studies Program. “How food is grown impacts our environment, health and communities. Dr. Shiva brings a wealth of experience and deep out-of-the box thinking to these issues.”

On Friday, April 18, Shiva is the guest speaker at a farm-fresh dinner at 6:30 p.m. at Johnson County Community College. The dinner is $50.

Headquartered in Delhi, India, Shiva is internationally recognized on issues of sustainability, development and agriculture. She is a physicist, environmental activist, ecofeminist, philosopher and author, as well as the founder of Navdanya, a nonprofit movement aiming to “protect the diversity and integrity of living resources, particularly native seed.” The movement also promotes organic farming and fair trade in India.

According to the website, assistance from Navdanya has helped set up more than 111 community seed banks and more than 5 million farmers have been trained in seed and food sovereignty, and sustainable agriculture in India over the past two decades.

Shiva has contributed – both intellectually and through activist campaigns – to numerous fields of study, including biodiversity, intellectual property rights, biotechnology, bioethics and genetic engineering. She has assisted grassroots organizations of the Green movement in Africa, Asia, Latin America, Ireland, Switzerland and Austria with campaigns against genetic engineering.

For lecture and dinner details, visit Cultivate Kansas City.