Cornmeal was a staple in Thelma Madzima’s childhood kitchen – that is, when it was available.
Ground maize, as it’s called worldwide, made up most of the meals in her Zimbabwe home. At breakfast, it was cooked into porridge, and for lunch and dinner, it was the main ingredient for Zimbabwe’s staple dish called sadza. Growing up, Madzima ate the thick, savory paste alongside stews, greens or meat at least once a day.
But when droughts struck, grocery store shelves were bare. Imported maize came with a steep price tag, so families resorted to rice or sweet potatoes as a substitute. The portion size of maize became smaller.
Droughts occur about once a decade. Now, they’re as frequent as every few years. And no rain means no maize.
“When a food is part of your culture and you don’t have it, it’s really difficult,” Madzima said. “I remember going to the store and there was just nothing.”
While she’s a fundamental biologist at heart, Madzima is passionate about engaging with farmers and people doing the hands-on work to bring food to the marketplace around the world. She envisions her work moving beyond the lab and into the fields to help the people who need it most.