Engaging South African Youth for Sustainable Food Choices: CHOICE Open Promotional Activities on Campus
In February 2026, the CHOICE South African pilot organised a series of open promotional activities aimed at engaging university students in conversations about sustainable food systems and climate-conscious behaviour.
These activities took place on 18, 20, and 23 February 2026, within the framework of student events organised at the University of Pretoria and the University of the Witwatersrand. During these events, the CHOICE team participated with an interactive project booth, reaching more than 1.000 students.
The activities were organised by the University of Pretoria, the CHOICE pilot leader, and focused on introducing young people to the CHOICE project while encouraging them to take part in upcoming campaign activities related to sustainable food choices and food waste reduction.
Bringing CHOICE to Campus
Rather than organising a standalone event, the CHOICE team participated in existing university student events, where the project was presented through a dedicated booth designed to inform and engage students.
At the booth, climate experts from the University of Pretoria introduced students to:
- the overall objectives of the CHOICE project
- the goals of the South African pilot, which focuses on encouraging healthier and more sustainable nutrition choices among young people as well as reduction of food waste.Â
- the upcoming pilot campaigns, which explore how everyday food choices and digital habits can influence both personal health and environmental sustainability
Students visiting the booth had the opportunity to interact directly with the team, ask questions, and learn how their dietary choices and everyday habits can influence their environmental footprint.
They were also invited to share their contact details in order to participate in the upcoming pilot campaigns. These contacts will be used to form WhatsApp groups, which will serve as the primary communication channel for the campaign activities, allowing participants to receive campaign materials, data stories, and interactive content.
The activities created an open and accessible environment for students to explore how small changes in daily food choices can support both healthier lifestyles and a more sustainable food system eliminating food waste on an individual level.
Engaging Students Through Interactive Activities
To further encourage participation, the CHOICE team invited students to take part in the pilot’s baseline and pre-campaign behavioural survey, which measures current attitudes and behaviours regarding nutrition, food choices, and sustainability.
Participation was facilitated through a QR code, allowing students to quickly access the survey using their mobile devices.
In addition, partners distributed a CHOICE campaign factsheet introducing the next campaign and explaining how students could participate in the upcoming activities.
These engagement actions allowed the team to both:
- collect valuable insights about students’ current behaviours over food consumption
- build a network of participants interested in joining the pilot campaigns
Building on the First Campaign
The open promotional activities followed the pilot’s first awareness campaign, titled: “Use your feed to feed you – sustainably, culturally, and consciously.”
This campaign explored the link between digital behaviour and food choices, recognising that South Africans spend nearly four hours per day on social media.
The campaign encouraged individuals to dedicate a small portion of their screen time (just 5–10 minutes) to exploring content related to healthy and sustainable diets.
Through social media formats such as a short videos, and an infographic, the campaign aimed to:
- raise awareness about the carbon footprint of food
- promote healthier dietary habits
- inspire young people to use digital platforms as tools for positive environmental action
Next Campaign: Understanding the Individual Food Waste Footprint
The promotional activities on campus also prepared the ground for the second South African pilot campaign, titled: “Individual Waste Footprint: Every bite saved is a win for the planet.”
Launching in mid-March 2026, the campaign will focus on helping participants understand and reduce their personal food waste footprint.
Participants who registered during the promotional activities will join campaign groups through WhatsApp, where they will engage with data stories, behavioural insights, and practical tips for reducing food waste.
The campaign addresses a critical paradox in South Africa: while 43% of the population experiences moderate to severe food insecurity, the country also generates millions of tonnes of food waste each year.
Through engaging storytelling and behavioural nudges, the campaign will encourage participants to:
- reduce their household food waste
- reuse food and leftovers
- adopt better food planning habits
Join the CHOICE Campaign
The open promotional activities demonstrated the value of engaging students directly within their campus communities. By participating in university events and creating interactive spaces for discussion, the CHOICE team successfully connected with a large number of young people interested in sustainability. As the next campaign launches soon, students across South Africa are invited to take part.
Stay tuned and join the campaign! Because when it comes to climate action, every choice matters—and every bite saved is a win for the planet.
Learn more at the South Africa pilot page.
