A food system just transition: insights from the beef industry

This working paper, developed by the Institute for Economic Justice (IEJ) and the East Cape Agricultural Research Project (ECARP), examines the beef industry in South Africa as a case study for a just transition in the food system. It analyzes how the industry's structure—characterized by a dichotomy between large-scale commercial production and smallholder farming—perpetuates socio-economic inequalities and ecological degradation, arguing that a market-led growth strategy is insufficient to address these systemic issues.

• South Africa's beef industry is characterized by a sharp divide between large-scale commercial operations and smallholder farmers, which mirrors wider agrarian inequalities in the country. Despite South Africa being the 11th largest beef producer globally, this status hides significant disparities in resources and market access.
• The beef industry faces significant socio-economic challenges, including precarious labor conditions for farm workers who suffer from low wages and a lack of bargaining power, while smallholder farmers are hindered by limited infrastructure and productivity issues.
• Intensive beef production in South Africa causes substantial ecological damage, specifically regarding the use of grain for feed and water consumption. Furthermore, climate change negatively impacts cattle health, which in turn threatens household incomes and food security, with wealthier farmers possessing better adaptive capacities.
• Current efforts toward a just transition in the beef sector are fragmented and insufficient. While regenerative grazing is a promising practice, it frequently ignores labor conditions, and the prevailing market-led growth strategies fail to resolve ecological concerns or deep-rooted inequalities.

APA

Bennie, A., Naidoo, L., Bowman, A., & Sandi, A. (2024). A food system just transition: insights from the beef industry. Institute for Economic Justice. https://iej.org.za/resource/working-paper/a-food-system-just-transition_insights-from-the-beef-industry/

Chicago

Bennie, Andrew, Lalitha Naidoo, Andrew Bowman, and Asandi Sandi. A food system just transition: insights from the beef industry. Institute for Economic Justice, 2024. https://iej.org.za/resource/working-paper/a-food-system-just-transition_insights-from-the-beef-industry/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Bennie |first1=Andrew |last2=Naidoo |first2=Lalitha |last3=Bowman |first3=Andrew |last4=Sandi |first4=Asandi |title=A food system just transition: insights from the beef industry |publisher=Institute for Economic Justice |date=15 July 2024 |url=https://iej.org.za/resource/working-paper/a-food-system-just-transition_insights-from-the-beef-industry/ |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{bennie2024food, author = {Bennie, Andrew and Naidoo, Lalitha and Bowman, Andrew and Sandi, Asandi}, title = {{A food system just transition: insights from the beef industry}}, institution = {Institute for Economic Justice}, year = {2024}, month = jul, url = {https://iej.org.za/resource/working-paper/a-food-system-just-transition_insights-from-the-beef-industry/}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }