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“There is a pressing need for the informal sector to have a fit-for-purpose system. We cannot simply take private standards such as Future Farming or GlobalGAP and expect small-scale farmers to implement them. This will not be feasible, practical or effective. It is therefore important that we develop an entry-level system for small-scale farmers and the informal sector that is fit-for-purpose.”

This was the thrust of the argument made by Professor Lise Korsten, the Co-director of the DSI-NRF Centre of Excellence in Food Security (CoE-FS), during a recent webinar on “Strengthening Resilience in Nutrition and Food Security on the African Continent”, which was co-hosted by the National Research Foundation (NRF) and the CoE-FS.

Professor Korsten drew attention to the growing need to address food safety in the South African informal sector, and the gap between them and the formal sector. She put the discussion in context by explaining how radically the food system in this country is being disrupted by factors such as the war in Ukraine and the COVID-19 pandemic.

Difference between formal and informal sectors

“Due to all of these major disruptors, the informal sector is growing even faster in this country and across the continent,” Korsten explained.

“And as a result, our food systems require a new approach to food safety insurance.”

The CoE-FS co-director started by comparing the reality of the two very different systems at work in both sectors. The formal sector is highly self-regulated with governmental oversight, while export requirements are met through inspections and compliance with international standards.

“The supply chain goes from commercial farmers to packers or major processors, to distribution and big retail. Goods move along a virtual pipeline where minimal handling occurs within a hygienic environment before reaching retailers’ shelves where consumers purchase them with the perception that the product is safe. Formal supply chains are characterised by produce being in cold storage for extended periods while being highly controlled in effective cold chain management systems.”

The informal sector on the other hand works completely differently; it is unregulated.

“Smaller farmers’ produce is often self-harvested or picked by informal traders, who then move it immediately into the informal trade where it gets sold and consumed within a few days. There is no government regulation and far less basic hygiene compliance. Due to the lack of access to electricity and potable water, produce gets picked and sold within a shorter timeframe.”

“People in the informal sector are less aware of safety issues associated with produce. The most critical point of exposure is when produce is dipped or sprayed with water that originates from an unknown source. Washing produce with non-potable or contaminated water places the consumer at risk,” said Korsten.

Food safety in the supply chain

Korsten recently completed research for the Water Research Commission (WRC), looking at the impact of water quality and sanitation on three sectors: rural poverty, peri-urban settlements, and city centres.

The study found that people living in informal settlements are often exposed to food-borne pathogens (often causing diarrhoea) and consider this a normal part of life. Added to this, harmful chemicals in the food system and waterways continue to expose communities to high levels of antibiotics, pesticides, and many cancer-causing chemicals.

“Over half the world live in urban areas and informal settlements that simply do not have access to safe, clean water. They rely on what is available and affordable and have to function in an unregulated system where street food markets are vital sources of affordable food,” said Korsten.

“It’s critical to engage in the informal sector because if we continue to disregard it, there will be severe long-term consequences in terms of public health. The food system in the informal sector starts with contaminated water.”

“Keep in mind this water is being used to grow crops. So clean water and good sanitation and hygiene systems are essential building blocks in healthy, resilient communities. Without clean potable water, we cannot provide a food-secure world,” said Korsten.

She explained that the issues are deeper than just water security: “It’s also about soil health and re-emerging pathogens, of which COVID-19 is a good example. Plant health and animal health play an important role in human health. Food safety is part of that integrated context of environmental health.”

Antimicrobial resistance

Korsten, who is a professor in plant pathology, emphasised that “we cannot talk about food security if we cannot deal with the elephant in the room: the growing concern of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in the environment and our food system”.

The World Health Organization explains that AMR “occurs when microorganisms, particularly bacteria, change over time and no longer respond to medicines making infections harder to treat and increasing the risk of disease spread, severe illness, and death”.

“Where does it fit in?” asked Korsten.

“Well, we have pristine environments that are now highly polluted. Pathogens circulate in these systems. They carry AMR genes, and they have a huge impact on the planet’s sustainable development goals and our ability to meet those goals.”

Role of government

The South African government has a key role to play including regulatory bodies, such as the Department of Trade and Industry, the Department of Health and the Department of Agriculture Rural Development and Land Reform.

Korsten explained that “there is often a disconnect between these departments and that the overseeing or enforcement of basic standards or regulations is the task of environmental health officers who often operate in the formal sector”.

“But nothing is happening in the informal sector. Who is helping them, creating awareness and improving their environment? That’s why it’s so important that we join hands and address this together.”

She went on to speak about a project for the World Wide Fund on the Crocodile River where they looked at small farmers and studied the microbial standards of the food they produce and the quality of that water.

“This information is now feeding into important decision-making channels and, together with the more than 10 years of WRC-funded research, it is making an impact at higher levels where we can affect change. Not only are we taking it to the relevant local government departments, but we are cascading this information to the Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations and WHO so that it can make a global impact.”

“The point I want to make is that decisions are being made that affect our everyday lives and we, as scientists, need to feed our information into these systems. We need to develop a fit-for-purpose system for informal sectors that can work in the hands of the people. The world is asking ‘What is happening? Is there surveillance? Do we have training and awareness?’. All of this research feeds into decision-making pathways such as ministerial commissions and Codex standards helping us improve the system for all.”

“As the CoE-FS, we deal with food safety matters. We are working with the Department of Science and Innovation to create a knowledge hub so that the information that is sitting with us can feed into policy, governance, and regulations. That’s the only way we’ll be able to produce safer, more nutritious, affordable food for all. We are also interacting with other African scientists as we feel it’s critical to create an African Union Food Safety Policy Framework for the region to feed relevant, real-time information into the system and transform the food platform for Africa,” she said.

Watch the webinar in full here: