Even with South Africa’s population continuing to grow, experts and farmers say there’s no reason to worry that Mzansi’s people will outgrow its ability to produce food in the near future.
The South African population has experienced year-on-year growth for the past 20 years and, according to Statistics SA’s 2022 mid-year population estimates, now stands at 60.6 million people. Yet the country remains a food-secure country on a national level.
Professor Julian May, director of the Centre of Excellence in Food Security at the University of the Western Cape, says South Africa’s population growth in itself does not threaten food security in the country.
There is enough food to go around for everyone, May says, except maybe in years of drought, which he reckons may become more frequent in the future.
Furthermore, South Africa has an efficient transport system and is well integrated into global markets.
If food security is to come into jeopardy, it will rather be because of global events, poverty and inequality. “Although South Africa is far better off than other countries in terms of food security, the shocks of the Ukraine and Russia war is pressing consumers into a corner [amid an] already tight economic outlook,” May says.
“KwaZulu-Natal, the Eastern Cape and Limpopo have the highest prevalence of poverty and are therefore at risk of food insecurity as people are unable to afford food.”
Food production vs. access to food
According to the 2021 Global Food Security Index (GFSI), which measures 58 indicators that drives food security in 113 countries around the world, South Africa ranks the highest in food security out of 28 countries in sub-Saharan Africa.
Mzansi also demonstrated strength in areas such as food safety and the availability of micronutrients in the food.
But local experts in food security have long lamented household-level food insecurity that remains rife in South Africa despite farmers theoretically producing enough for the population to eat.
Mooketsa Ramasodi, director-general of the department of agriculture, land reform and rural development, previously said that food security does not only refer to the availability of food but the access and affordability of food in all households. South Africa might generally be a food-secure country, but it is characterised by food insecurities at a household level.
Pietermaritzburg Economic Justice and Dignity Group programme coordinator Mervyn Abrahams is also continuously stressing that South Africans’ inability to afford nutritious foods, and to raise children on nutritious diets, are causes for great concern.
“It is likely that child food poverty, under-nutrition, stunting, poor cognitive and physical growth, illness and poor health, inability to concentrate at school, struggles to function and adjust in society, will all worsen.”
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Farmers ask for future provisions
Farmers themselves also seem to believe that food security is something that South Africans don’t worry about.
“I do not think the rise in population should be something to worry many South Africans. We are already exporting commodities. The only thing that will remain a challenge is food prices that are determined by external factors, but in terms of food, we are a farming nation,” says Phaladi Matsole, a grain farmer in the Free State.
He is concerned, however, that government is not creating a conducive environment for farmers.
He reckons that, if only government could create an environment that is friendlier towards businesses, and if officials enabled more public-private partnerships and dealt with infrastructure, ensuring food security would become even stronger.
Saamtrek Saamwerk Northern Cape coordinator Sehularo Sehularo adds that government needs to act timeously and do more to assist farmers in dealing with climate change. “Climate change is real and it is affecting many farmers and farming communities.”
South African politician and member of the portfolio committee of agriculture, land reform, and rural development, Noko Masipa agrees and recently wrote that it’s time that the department of agriculture, land reform and rural development takes the safeguarding of small to medium-scale farmers, who operate under very difficult and harsh conditions of climate change and poor infrastructure to keep the country’s food secured, seriously.
He added that South Africa has no shortage of farmers, scientists and think tank capacity to produce food. “However, it lacks a coordinated state functioning authority to make things easier for farmers.”
Investment in food gardens welcomed
More and more South Africans are turning to their own food gardens for something to eat, mainly due to the rising cost food these days, and this is a positive step in the right direction, May points out.
“[We have seen] more food gardens established during Covid-19 lockdown and it does seem as if more South Africans are adding some component of self provisio to their food strategy,” he highlights.
He believes this needs to be supported, especially in areas where land remains underutilised.
Food waste to be prevented
In the meantime, organisations like FoodForward SA has been lobbying for manufacturers and retailers to channel unsold surplus foods to food-insecure South Africans since 2009.
In a separate development, the South African Food Loss and Waste Voluntary Agreement was also launched in September 2020 by the Consumer Goods Council of South Africa (CGCSA) in partnership with the national departments of forestry, fisheries and the environment, and trade, industry and competition. It commits food manufacturers and retailers to reducing food waste along the supply chain.
And on Mandela Day this year, Agri SA announced a new partnership with OneFarm Share and Hello Choice, a hunger-relief and food security platform that digitally matches farmers’ excess produce to registered beneficiary organisations through reputable distribution partners such as FoodForward SA and SA Harvest.
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