Over 15 million South Africans are facing food insecurity, lacking sufficient access to nutritious food. This is largely due to factors such as unemployment, poverty, inequality, and the failure of the food system.
Malnutrition-related child deaths are high, with over 1,000 children dying annually, a statistic that compares unfavourably with countries like Brazil and Colombia. Stunting, a significant indicator of chronic hunger, has remained stagnant at around 25% since the early 1990s, with other countries such as Peru making notable strides in reducing this issue.
Experts argue that the root cause of hunger in South Africa is not a shortage of food, as the country produces and imports sufficient amounts, but rather unequal access to it. While some South Africans enjoy abundance, millions struggle to afford a basic nutritious diet. To address this, the government must prioritise expanding the social grant system, extending the school nutrition programme, and reducing food waste. Additionally, ensuring access to land for low-income rural and peri-urban households is crucial. A coordinated strategy, similar to Brazil’s Zero Hunger initiative, is essential to tackling hunger.
Several measures could help eradicate hunger, including increasing child support grants, extending school nutrition programmes to cover weekends and holidays, and regulating food prices to make nutritious food more affordable. Additionally, the Government must focus on reducing food waste, which amounts to a third of all food produced in the country. To fund these initiatives, the government could explore raising additional revenue through measures such as a wealth tax. A dedicated Minister of Food should be appointed to lead efforts against hunger, alongside a national food commission to monitor and coordinate actions towards eradicating food insecurity in South Africa.