TOWARDS A JUST TRANSITION IN SOUTH AFRICA’S FOOD SYSTEM

This fact sheet from the Institute for Economic Justice outlines the necessity and framework for a just transition within South Africa's food system. It argues that the current industrial food system is characterized by deep inequality, corporate dominance, and environmental degradation, and proposes a transition based on human rights, ecological stability, and equitable livelihoods.

• The current food system in South Africa is marked by severe inequality and corporate concentration. A small number of commercial farms control the majority of productive land, while millions of small-scale farmers lack access to land, support, and markets. Furthermore, a few large corporations dominate the agricultural trade, food processing, transport, and commercial markets, prioritizing profit over the human right to food.
• Labor conditions in the food system are precarious and exploitative. There is a trend of moving away from secure employment toward informal, precarious, and temporary work. Many farm workers are paid below the minimum wage, which is itself insufficient to cover basic family nutritional needs, and they often lack land security and equal healthcare access.
• Industrial food production is a significant driver of climate change and environmental damage in South Africa, contributing approximately 18% of greenhouse gas emissions. This system leads to water pollution and biodiversity loss due to monoculture farming and the heavy use of pesticides and chemical fertilizers.
• A just transition for the food system should be measured by three broad, interconnected goals: equitable livelihoods (improving income and security for marginalized workers and small farmers), environmental stability (reducing emissions and restoring nature), and the right to food and improved nutrition (ensuring diverse, nutritious food is accessible to all).
• Several barriers hinder a just transition, including a policy focus that prioritizes energy over food systems, the influence of corporate power on policy and consumer choice, and a fragmented government approach where different departments do not coordinate effectively. Additionally, the 1996 Agricultural Produce Markets Act is cited as having strengthened the role of the private sector over public interest.

APA

Institute for Economic Justice (n.d.). TOWARDS A JUST TRANSITION IN SOUTH AFRICA’S FOOD SYSTEM. https://iej.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/FactS-01-XHO-Towards-a-just-transition_Web_Fin.pdf

Chicago

Institute for Economic Justice. TOWARDS A JUST TRANSITION IN SOUTH AFRICA’S FOOD SYSTEM. n.d. https://iej.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/FactS-01-XHO-Towards-a-just-transition_Web_Fin.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Institute for Economic Justice |title=TOWARDS A JUST TRANSITION IN SOUTH AFRICA’S FOOD SYSTEM |url=https://iej.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/FactS-01-XHO-Towards-a-just-transition_Web_Fin.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{instituteforeconomicjusticendtowards, author = {{Institute for Economic Justice}}, title = {{TOWARDS A JUST TRANSITION IN SOUTH AFRICA’S FOOD SYSTEM}}, institution = {Institute for Economic Justice}, url = {https://iej.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/FactS-01-XHO-Towards-a-just-transition_Web_Fin.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }