Statement: SAHRC National Food Systems Inquiry

The Just Transition in the Food System network supports the SAHRC's inquiry into South Africa's food system but raises concerns regarding the absence of corporate testimony and the lack of provincial or local hearings to ensure the participation of those most affected by hunger.

• The SAHRC inquiry is driven by the paradox of food abundance existing alongside prevalent hunger in South Africa, the necessity of addressing structural causes of hunger, and the need to analyze how law, policy, corporate power, and communities influence food systems.
• The Just Transition in the Food System network argues that food systems must be organized to prioritize the right to food over profit and economic growth, specifically advocating for the needs of small-scale farmers, food traders, workers, working-class women, and civil society against the influence of agribusiness and large corporate actors.
• The network identifies two primary gaps in the inquiry process: the total absence of corporate actors on the testimony programme despite their significant influence on food systems, and a lack of provincial or local hearings, which may exclude the voices of marginalized people experiencing food insecurity.

APA

Institute for Economic Justice (2026). Statement: SAHRC National Food Systems Inquiry. https://iej.org.za/press-room/statements/statement-sahrc-national-food-systems-inquiry/

Chicago

Institute for Economic Justice. Statement: SAHRC National Food Systems Inquiry. 2026. https://iej.org.za/press-room/statements/statement-sahrc-national-food-systems-inquiry/.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |author=Institute for Economic Justice |title=Statement: SAHRC National Food Systems Inquiry |date=13 March 2026 |url=https://iej.org.za/press-room/statements/statement-sahrc-national-food-systems-inquiry/ |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{instituteforeconomicjustice2026statement, author = {{Institute for Economic Justice}}, title = {{Statement: SAHRC National Food Systems Inquiry}}, publisher = {Institute for Economic Justice}, year = {2026}, month = mar, url = {https://iej.org.za/press-room/statements/statement-sahrc-national-food-systems-inquiry/}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }