Publication: PLAAS Policy Brief 47
The South African food system is capable of supplying enough food for its people either through production or trade. At the same time South Africa faces a ‘dual burden’ of malnutrition. Persistent under-nutrition exists alongside rising rates of diet-related NCDs (e.g. diabetes, heart disease, and certain cancers). In this policy brief, Stephen Greenberg looks at the role of the highly concentrated corporate structure of the South African food system and looks at the kinds of interventions that are needed to ensure that poor people can have an adequate diet.
related Publications
Phase 2 – Agroecological initiatives in South Africa: Lessons and recommendations from three study sites – Synthesis report
Background to the study Low- and medium-income countries face several interlinked sustainability challenges. In particular, food systems must provide food and nutrition security, decent jobs and incomes, and adapt to climate change in a context where government budgets are constrained. Agroecological approaches are increasingly recognised as relevant solutions for ensuring ...
TAFS Policy Brief 2: Learning from Local Initiatives for Agroecological Development in South Africa
Synopsis Transformation of food systems in line with agroecological principles remains marginal in South Africa. In spite of numerous policies, plans and programmes, limited change highlights the weak budgets, segmented interventions and lack of coordination. These problems reflect the power dynamics in the prevailing food system, which is dominated by ...
TAFS Policy Brief 1: Transitions to Agroecological Food Systems in South Africa – Policy landscape and strategic opportunities
Synopsis for an agroecology transition in South Africa In South Africa, access to food and adequate nutrition is a right enshrined in the Constitution. Yet, hunger is rife and food access is a daily struggle for more than 14 million South Africans (23% of the population), with malnutrition in its various forms ...