We are delighted to announce that our MA Food & Development – delivered in partnership with the University of Sussex – is changing name to MA Food Systems & Sustainable Development to better reflect the content of the course.
The MA Food Systems & Sustainable Development engages learners with pressing contemporary social and environmental development challenges through critical reflection on how food systems operate and the outcomes they generate at local, national and global scales. The degree fosters critical and systemic thinking, equipping students with interdisciplinary perspectives, analytical skills, and practical tools to tackle complex sustainability and equity challenges related to food systems.
MA Food Systems & Sustainable Development Co-Convenor and IDS Research Fellow Lídia Cabral said:
“Since 2018, this course has welcomed students from around the world, each bringing diverse experiences of food systems and a broad range of interests in the sustainable development challenges they present, together with the pathways that can transform them. This diversity of perspectives has enriched the programme and encouraged us to place greater emphasis on positive examples of food systems transformation. Our graduates have gone on to pursue exciting careers across the food systems field. They work in local government, charities and international organisations, undertake PhDs and academic research, and contribute as practitioners and advocates for more sustainable and fairer food systems.”
Hear from our students
Want to get a better understanding of what the MA Food Systems & Sustainable Development can do for you? Hear more from some of our current students below about why they chose the degree, and what their current dissertation research is.
Verity Hobbs
I chose to study the MA Food & Development because I wanted to better understand how we can create more sustainable and equitable food systems. I have always been drawn to food through what I buy, grow, and eat, but I soon realised that while collective consumer choices can have an influence, they only go so far when shaped by the wider structures that determine how food is produced, distributed, and valued – with consequences for the health of the environment and of ourselves.
Studying part-time has enabled me to work with the wonderful Brighton & Hove Food Partnership, allowing me to put my learning into practice while continuing to develop professionally, seeing in real time how local solutions are applied to the wider food system.
A particular highlight of the course so far has been the Fairtrade, Ethical Business, and New Moral Economies module with Dinah Rajak, whose thought-provoking teaching encouraged us to critically examine historic and contemporary capitalism, consumption, and production. It was one of those rare “aha” moments that shifted the way I viewed the world around me and cemented that I was in the right place at a very crucial time in our society which perpetually feels at a tipping-point.
One of the most rewarding aspects of the course has been the way it encourages critical thinking across such a diverse range of issues. It has challenged me to see food not as an isolated subject, but as something deeply connected to climate change, sustainability, trade, and the social and political systems that influence our daily lives.
During my studies, I have enjoyed exploring areas such as agrotourism and seed sovereignty, which have further developed my interest in more resilient, community-led approaches, and the importance of supporting local economies within a globalised food system. This interdisciplinary approach is why I’m particularly excited to be part of the course as its name evolves to better reflect the depth and scope of what it offers: a critically analytical and solutions-focused learning environment that truly wants for a better, more sustainable future.
Madeleine Julé
During my BA in Media and Culture I developed a keen interest in environmental sustainability through various electives and volunteering opportunities. I was especially interested in the relationship between food and climate change and knew I wanted to study this further.
The Food and Development MA at IDS and University of Sussex really stood out as the logical next step after finishing my undergraduate degree due to its specialised focus on food. The course both broadened my knowledge of sustainable food systems as well as delving into the social inequalities and geopolitical barriers ingrained within them.
Throughout the year, I have developed a deep interest in food access and equality. This has informed my dissertation topic, which explores the interaction between GLP-1 RA treatment (medicines for weight-loss and diabetes) and individual food environments. Specifically, how enabling / inhibiting different food environments are for individuals on GLP-1 RA medication.
Will Giessler
I chose the MA Food & Development because it is uniquely focused on transforming structural issues within agriculture, global value chains, and government planning to create a more sustainable and equitable food system.
The opportunity to take modules from both IDS and the University of Sussex has been a great value-add to my experience as I’ve learned from faculty and classmates from both institutions whose diversity of prior experience and expertise have been critical to better understanding complex issues like food security.
Social and environmental injustices resulting from concentration of corporate power across the food system has been a theme throughout the course and this opened my eyes to the need to reorient the objective of the food system back towards facilitating equitable food security. The focus on bottom-up system transformation has inspired me to design my dissertation research around exploring the ability for ethical consumerism to drive sustainable agriculture initiatives within UK supermarkets’ supply chains.
Interested in studying the MA Food Systems & Sustainable Development with us?
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