The Socio-Economic Rights Institute (Seri) of South Africa has launched a report that unpacks the cause of South Africa’s food poverty crisis and looks at legal frameworks to strengthen food security. “People are not ignorant about nutrition, rather they are unable to access nutritious food and/or have to make strategic trade-offs,” it reads.
By Naledi Sikhakhane
Civil society organisations are calling for amendments to the updated National Food and Nutrition Security Plan to address and monitor affordability and food pricing and give people economic access to nutritious food. The report is titled Food for Thought: Reflections on Food (In)Security. Laws, Experiences, Interventions. In the lead-up to its publication, Seri embarked on a #FoodJusticeWeek, during which it shared the experiences and coping strategies of partner organisations to highlight the impacts of food insecurity.
“Seri stands in solidarity with communities around the country who experience hunger and food insecurity daily. Despite South Africa having the means to feed its population, millions still struggle to access sufficient and nutritious food,” the organisation said.
The report notes official statistics that paint a bleak picture. According to Statistics South Africa’s General Household Survey published in 2023, 23.1% of households nationally – more than one in five – report inadequate or severely inadequate access to food. A 2023 study commissioned by the then Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development and conducted by the Human Sciences Research Council found that half of all adults in South Africa are considered overweight or obese, while 69% of adults who are obese live in households that are food insecure and therefore have little choice in the food they eat and its nutritional value.
“The triple burden of malnutrition exists in the country, which happens when undernutrition, micronutrient deficiencies and overnutrition exist simultaneously in society. Despite this, it is estimated that 10-million tons of food are wasted annually in South Africa, which constitutes about one-third of all available food. A disconnect exists between available food and those who struggle to access their next meal. Like the rest of the world, South Africa faces critical questions about how to produce food in a just and sustainable manner,” the report reads.
The report recommends the drafting of national framework legislation, such as a “Food and Nutrition Security Act”, which will be in line with recommendations from United Nations General Comment No 12 on the Right to Adequate Food.
The report also asserts that South Africa’s National Policy on Food and Nutrition Security could help set out the roles and responsibilities of the different actors in relation to food security in South Africa, including an interdepartmental body with oversight responsibility.
Other recommendations include:
- Implementation of a universal basic income grant.
- The Department of Employment and Labour to monitor the implementation of the national minimum wage and develop effective enforcement mechanisms.
- Civil society organisations and organisations and unions representing those in precarious work to keep advocating for a living wage.
- The Department of Employment and Labour to monitor the working conditions of those in work, such as domestic workers and farm workers.
The research included case studies and anecdotes, including from a participant in a meeting in Slovo Park, who said: “This hunger thing, it’s changing our personality and it’s changing our humanity. We have become like animals among each other. For me to have something in my stomach I have to do anything so that I don’t go hungry.”
Article courtesy of Daily Maverick
South Africa could make use of its G20 presidency to support other African countries in building food security and raising the productivity of their agricultural sector. This dovetails with South Africa’s G20 priorities for agriculture and food security. To achieve this, South Africa’s focus as president of the G20 should be on four things.
Sharing knowledge about climate-smart agricultural practices and improving food security through increased trade are key. Increasing South Africa’s fertiliser manufacture and trade with the rest of the continent as well as nurturing agriculture incubators between African countries and developed nations, are also crucial.
Read more in Green Economy Journal Issue 70