By Faiez Jacobs
At the recent Klein Karoo Nasionale Kunstefees (KKNK) in Oudtshoorn, amid vibrant art and culture, conversations about food justice became unavoidable.
Youth dreaming of farming ancestral land but blocked by lack of access; artists sharing stories of hungry township children — these discussions reveal a painful South African contradiction: we produce enough food to feed everyone yet millions suffer hunger.
Hunger Amid Plenty
South Africa’s food crisis isn't due to scarcity — it's inequality of access.
Shocking statistics underline the urgency: 23% of children under five live in severe food poverty, facing chronic malnutrition (UNICEF, 2023).
Despite being a net exporter of food, with agricultural exports reaching a record US$13.2 billion in 2023, nearly 30 million South Africans remain food insecure.
A basic food basket for low-income households soared from R3,200 (2020) to over R5,000 (2024) — an increase of over 50% (PMBEJD Index). Clearly, food availability alone doesn't translate into food security.
Structural Barriers and Supply Chain Failures
Our food system is marked by structural injustices:
- 30% of food is lost post-harvest due to poor infrastructure.
- High transport and distribution costs keep rural communities food-insecure.
- Dominance of large-scale, predominantly white-owned commercial farms (35,000 units control over 80% of high-value agricultural land).
- Marginalised black smallholders, producing only 5–10% of food despite supporting 80% of rural livelihoods, struggle with financing and market access.
Equity ≠ Equality
True food security demands equitable access — affordable, geographically accessible, culturally relevant, and inclusive.
We must shift beyond equality towards equity: prioritising vulnerable populations, refugees, migrants, and rural poor, ensuring no one is left behind.
Land Reform and Agricultural Transformation
Land reform remains slow and inadequate, with only minimal redistribution since 1994. The government controls 14% of land, mostly idle or poorly managed.
Effective reform must urgently release under-utilised state land to aspiring black farmers, women, and youth cooperatives.
This requires transparent processes, comprehensive training, financing, and market integration.
Commercial agriculture, represented primarily by AgriSA, must transform its role.
Rather than perpetuating victimhood narratives around farm attacks or redistribution fears, white commercial farmers should embrace transformation proactively — becoming mentors, equity partners, and nation-builders.
Joint ventures, co-owned land equity exchanges, and mentorship programs pairing established farmers with black youth agripreneurs are crucial.
Nourishing our Future: Children and Youth
Malnutrition in early childhood has lifelong consequences. The National School Nutrition Programme (NSNP), feeding 9.6 million learners, is critical yet insufficient.
Problems like corruption, infrastructure gaps, and inadequate funding (less than R4 per child per meal) limit its impact.
Solutions are clear:
- Protect and expand NSNP funding.
- Introduce universal breakfasts in impoverished communities.
- Digitise supply chains to prevent corruption.
- Link local farmers directly to schools, strengthening rural economies through community-led procurement.
Youth empowerment through agricultural initiatives is equally vital.
Nearly 50% youth unemployment demands creative responses: agriculture clubs, college scholarships, apprenticeships, land allocations, and start-up funding for youth-led farming ventures.
Tech-savvy youth can drive innovation in hydroponics, precision farming, and sustainable agriculture, revitalising rural economies.
Building Climate Resilience
Climate change compounds food insecurity, already evident in increased droughts, floods, and erratic weather. Projections suggest African crop yields could decline by 18% by 2050 due to climate change, placing millions at greater hunger risk.
Climate resilience must become integral to agriculture.
Government, private sector, and civil society should jointly fund climate-smart initiatives: rainwater harvesting, improved irrigation infrastructure, drought-resistant seeds, and regenerative farming practices.
Safety nets, disaster insurance, and emergency support are essential to protect vulnerable farmers.
Transforming State and Supply Chains
For effective food justice, state capacity and supply chains require transformation. Inefficient governance and corruption slow down agricultural support services.
Transparent land audits, simplified grants and loan processes, decentralised decision-making, and robust anti-corruption measures are urgently needed.
Current food supply chains are dominated by a few powerful companies, disadvantaging small farmers and inflating consumer prices.
We need localised, democratised supply chains through community cooperatives, farmer-owned processing hubs, and local procurement policies for public institutions (schools, hospitals, prisons).
Additionally, reducing waste — currently one-third of all produced food — by improving storage and logistics infrastructure could significantly enhance food availability without increasing production costs.
Reimagining AgriSA: From Gatekeeper to Bridgebuilder
AgriSA, historically perceived as conservative and defensive, must evolve into a progressive nation-builder.
Its new role should unite commercial and smallholder, black and white farmers around common food sovereignty goals.
Practical actions include:
- Bridgebuilding: Form strategic partnerships with black farmer unions (NAFUSA, AFASA), establish a transformation council including women and youth representatives, and publish verified annual transformation reports.
- Land and Capital: Launch a Land Equity Exchange enabling land shares, equity partnerships, and mentorship for black agripreneurs. Facilitate 25,000 mentorship placements within commercial farms.
- National Nutrition Pact: Commit to providing 30% of school nutrition supplies from local small-scale farmers, launching a nationwide "One Farmer, One School" initiative, and expanding food-bank partnerships.
- Climate Leadership: Co-develop a Climate-Smart Farmer Fund supporting regenerative agriculture, water justice, and research in climate-resilient farming methods.
- Repositioning Farmer Identity: Shift from a narrative of victimhood towards becoming proactive nation-builders — employers, mentors, ecological stewards, and food justice advocates.
A Visionary Appeal
South Africa stands at a crossroads: either maintain an unjust status quo, perpetuating inequality and hunger, or embrace transformative action fostering inclusive prosperity.
Food justice demands bold leadership from government, genuine transformation by commercial agriculture, and active citizen participation.
Our nation’s freedom is meaningless if hunger persists amid plenty.
Now is the time for courageous, unified action: ending hunger, empowering youth, accelerating land reform, and building climate resilience.
From Klein Karoo’s festival discussions emerges a powerful clarity: every South African deserves not only food security but dignity and opportunity.
Let us nourish our nation's body and soul, turning talk into transformation, and hunger into hope.
Together, we must feed this nation — fairly, equitably, and sustainably.
* Faiez Jacobs is an activist at Food for All Activist.
** The views expressed do not necessarily reflect the views of IOL or Independent Media.