The Story behind BODY&SOIL

Maria Schiffer traveled to Africa for the first time on her own in 2017. Until then, she hadn’t had much exposure to the continent but was eager to get to know it. As a photographer, she had the opportunity to shoot for magazines while also traveling to several African countries over the course of six months.

Without a plan and with great respect, she journeyed through South Africa, Rwanda, Senegal, Ghana, and Zambia. During this trip, she realized that the image Northern Europeans hold of Africa does not match the reality of the continent. This sparked the idea to present a new image of Africa to others. Maria created a cookbook about Africa. Cooking—because everyone understands food. Everyone has to eat, and through food, you can bring a whole continent closer to people. This resulted in a German cookbook: Eating with Africa (2020 DK Verlag).

In 2018/19, Maria traveled for her book through 10 African countries—without a car, guide, or hotel bookings—equipped only with her camera and curiosity. In each country, she worked across five different regions and cooked with 50 families, immersing herself in everyday food cultures. She selected the countries based on diverse vegetation zones, agricultural systems, and cultural food traditions.

When Maria held the finished book in her hands in 2020, she knew it was just the beginning of something larger. Throughout her journey, she asked farmers the same questions: What do you grow? What do you eat? What does daily life look like? Over time, a clear pattern emerged. Many subsistence farmers faced similar challenges, affecting not only their livelihoods but also their health and nutrition. This realization marked a shift—from documentation to actively seeking solutions and understanding how she could contribute to systemic change.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Maria encountered regenerative agriculture. After briefly studying conventional agricultural systems, she became aware of a deep disconnect between farming practices and human health. This insight led her to train as a holistic nutrition consultant and to develop a clear vision: a center in Africa that reconnects regenerative agriculture and nutrition, while reviving forgotten and indigenous food knowledge.

Eager to return to Africa, Maria had the opportunity to work with the Kara-Tunga Foundation in Karamoja, Uganda, from 2023 to 2024 as a creative consultant. She also led projects in apiary and grassroots research on cultural heritage that is being forgotten, which provided valuable new insights.

In 2025, BODY&SOIL became a program at RUCID (Rural Community in Development) Vocational Organic College, located 80 km from Uganda’s capital, Kampala. RUCID’s mission is to train “model farmers” and young people who then spread sustainable and organic practices within their communities. For over 30 years, RUCID has been strengthening Uganda’s organic movement.

Led this vision, the program focuses on creating practical solutions that can change the system, starting with school diets and educating youth and schoolchildren from soil to plate.

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