Dr Jessica Hutchings

Dr Jessica Hutchings (Ngāi Tahu, Ngāti Huirapa, Gujarati) is a founding Trustee of the Papawhakaritorito Charitable Trust that works to uplift Māori and Indigenous food, seed and soil sovereignty and Hua Parakore (Māori organics) through research, development and community practice. She lives on 12 acres and is a Hua Parakore verified whānau food grower. She has been a member of Te Waka Kai Ora (National Māori Organics Authority) for the last two decades. Trained in Environmental Studies her work is often at the nexus of traditional ecological knowledge (TEK) and western science. Nationally and internationally recognised as a leader in Indigenous food systems and Māori food and soil sovereignty, Jessica is also a widely published author, including recent books, Te Mahi Oneone Hua Parakore: A Māori Soil Sovereignty and Wellbeing Handbook (Freerange Press 2020), Te Mahi Māra Hua Parakore: A Māori Food Sovereignty Handbook (Te Tākupu, 2015) Dr Hutchings has been working at the crossroads of Indigenous knowledge and environmental wellbeing for the last three decades. Dr Hutchings also holds a range of governance and leadership roles in the science sector in Aotearoa, New Zealand. For further information see Papawhakaritorito.