Two of these leaders will be present at this edition of Madrid Fusión Dreams Asturias: David Hertz, a Brazilian chef and social entrepreneur, and Elizabeth Mpofu, a Zimbabwean farmer and activist, will be in attendance. Despite coming from very different backgrounds, they have both become global leaders in building a more just, inclusive and sustainable food system.

Gastronomy as a tool for inclusion

Born in Brazil, David Hertz has redefined the role of the chef in society. His vision extends far beyond the culinary arts; he views cooking as a potent instrument for social change.

In 2006, he founded Gastromotiva, a pioneering organisation that uses gastronomy to generate educational, employment, and community development opportunities in disadvantaged communities. Through its cooking, nutrition and social entrepreneurship training programmes, Gastromotiva has given thousands of people the chance to break the cycle of poverty and regain their dignity through work.

He has expanded his work internationally through the creation of the Refettorio Gastromotiva in Rio de Janeiro, in collaboration with the Italian chef Massimo Bottura. This space combats food waste and promotes social inclusion by rescuing food that would otherwise be discarded and turning it into nutritious and creative meals for people in vulnerable situations.

Hertz's work has been recognised by the World Economic Forum, which named him a Young Global Leader, and by the UN, which considers him a benchmark for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 2 (Zero Hunger) and SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities).

The voice of smallholder agriculture and food sovereignty

Hailing from Zimbabwe's rural landscapes, Elizabeth Mpofu has championed food sovereignty and the rights of small-scale farmers. As a grassroots farmer, leader and founder of the Zimbabwe Smallholder Organic Farmers Forum (ZIMSOFF), she has played a key role in raising awareness of rural women's contributions to food production and environmental preservation.

In her role as general coordinator of La Vía Campesina, a global movement uniting over 200 million farmers worldwide, Mpofu has championed a vision centred on food justice, agroecology, and the protection of land as a shared resource. She connects food with human dignity and equity, arguing that true food security will only be achieved when communities have control over what and how they produce in harmony with nature.

Her leadership has been recognised internationally for contributing to more inclusive and sustainable public policies, establishing her as one of the most influential voices in the fight against hunger and the climate crisis from a peasant and feminist perspective.