Policy Brief Towards Local, Democratic, Agroecological Food Systems

This briefing draws on a combination of interviews and participatory mapping events in Walkerville, Orange Farm and the West Rand regions of Gauteng and uMgungungdlovu District in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) between August and November 2020. It highlights findings and recommendations from a short-term project to source fresh produce from smallholder farmers for food relief efforts in these areas as part of the emergency response to the Covid-19 pandemic and the lockdown.

The project was implemented by GenderCC Southern Africa in Gauteng and the Land Network National Engagement Strategy of South Africa (LandNNES) in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) from May to November 2020, with support from Heinrich-Boll Stiftung (HBF) Southern Africa.

The policy brief provides an overview of the current South African food system, including the impacts of Covid-19, insights from project work on the ground, and actionable policy recommendations for diversifying and promoting greater agency in the food system.