Millions of rural South Africans could be lifted out of hunger and poverty if smallholder farming is taken seriously by the government, writes Zukile Majova, the political editor at Scrolla Africa and a small-scale farmer in KwaBhaca in the Eastern Cape.
Over 1 000 children in the Eastern Cape were malnourished last year, with 116 dying due to severe hunger-related conditions. Agriculture minister John Steenhuisen has set aside R1.7-billion to support over 6 000 small farmers and create 3 000 jobs.
Across South Africa, children are going to school hungry. In rural provinces like the Eastern Cape, the situation is so bad that some children are dying from malnutrition.
A 2023 report by the South African Human Rights Commission revealed a 27% stunting rate among children in the province. Over 1 000 children suffered from severe acute malnutrition, and 116 of them died as a result.
These are the children who rely on the R510 child support grant every month, but even that is not enough to feed them properly. The government’s own food poverty line is R624 per person.
This is not just a health crisis; it’s a national shame.
There is a way out
The only way out of this mess is through the land. More specifically, it’s time to train rural communities to become smallholder farmers. They don’t need massive plots or tractors; just seeds, tools, training and support.
For too long, land has been treated as a political weapon. Instead of using it to feed the nation, political parties fight over who should own it. That’s not helping the 15 million South Africans who go to bed hungry.
Agriculture minister John Steenhuisen is in a powerful position to do something real. As leader of the DA and the ANC’s main partner in the new government, he has both political clout and access to serious resources.
It’s time to use that power to start an agricultural revolution. Every available piece of land – from backyards to abandoned plots – should be made productive. Vegetable gardens, chicken coops, and mini-farms can feed families, create jobs, and turn around dying rural economies.
The idea isn’t new. It’s already happening in parts of the country. In Gauteng, the European Union has supported a project called Food Safety for Africa. Nearly 100 small-scale farmers have been trained on good agricultural practices through creative workshops using theatre and practical sessions. This is the kind of support rural people need: training that speaks their language and fits their lives.
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Overcoming the stumbling blocks
But training alone won’t be enough. Farmers also need access to markets, storage, transport, and most importantly, money.
In many parts of the Eastern Cape, farmers are losing cattle to disease because there are no vets to help. In Toleni village near Umzimvubu, over 40 cows died from what farmers suspect is bovine respiratory disease, but no one knows for sure, because it has not been diagnosed.
Infrastructure is another big problem. Poor roads and a lack of proper storage mean that even when farmers grow food, they often can’t get it to market before it spoils.
That’s why Steenhuisen’s first moves as minister matter. He has already allocated R1.741-billion to support 6,023 smallholder producers in all nine provinces. His plan is to create around 3 000 jobs in the process.
Another programme called Ilema/Letsema supports over 67 000 vulnerable households with food production. It has a budget of R448-million this year.
These are promising starts. But they must grow – and fast.
Right now, the government spends R9-billion a year feeding 12 million schoolchildren. Many of those kids leave home without breakfast. What if, instead of just feeding children at school, we helped their families grow the food themselves?
That would not only feed them but restore dignity, pride and purpose to communities that have been sidelined for decades.
Let’s be honest: hunger and poverty in South Africa are not just about money. They are about power — who has it, and who uses it.
Tools, training, leadership key to stop hunger
If Steenhuisen and the new government are serious about ending hunger, they must stop talking and start planting. The country has enough land. The people have the will. What’s needed now is leadership.
This approach would also help reduce political tension over land reform. Instead of blaming white landowners or digging up old apartheid wounds, let’s look to the future. Let’s use land to unite the country, not divide it.
South Africa’s agriculture sector already employs nearly a million people and generated exports worth $13.7 billion in 2024. That’s a sign of what’s possible when the sector is taken seriously.
Small-scale farmers have the potential to make an even bigger contribution if given the right support. They can feed their families, create jobs, and reduce South Africa’s massive food import bill.
To be clear, it won’t be easy. Many rural households don’t have much land. But sustainable farming methods and efficient land use can make even small plots productive. With the right tools and training, communities can grow more food, more cheaply, and more responsibly.
It’s time to stop waiting for the perfect land reform plan. Instead, let’s build from the ground up — literally. Let’s turn backyards into farms, unemployed youth into producers, and hunger into hope.
The success of the government of national unity depends on delivering real change. And few things would be more powerful, or more urgent, than a green revolution led by the people.
Let’s stop burying children who die because they were born into poverty. Let’s give them a future rooted in something that grows.
- Zukile Majova is the political editor at Scrolla Africa and a small-scale farmer in KwaBhaca in the Eastern Cape. The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of Food For Mzansi.
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