SIBHEKE EZINHLELWENI ZOKUDLA EZINOBULUNGISWA NEZIKWAZI UKUMELANA NESIMO SEZULU: I-AGROECOLOGY YOKUZIMELA NGOKWEZOKUDLA KANYE NOBULUNGISWA NGOKWESIMO SEZULU

The fact sheet advocates for agroecology as a holistic approach to building climate-resilient and just food systems in South Africa. It contrasts agroecology—which integrates traditional knowledge and ecological science to empower small-scale producers—with 'false solutions' such as GMOs and climate-smart agriculture (CSA) that it claims reinforce industrial control and inequality. The document outlines how agroecology enhances resilience through local production, biodiversity, and soil health, and aligns these goals with the 13 HLPE principles for food system transformation.

• The document identifies 'false solutions' to climate change that aim to maintain industrial production and control rather than implementing the deep systemic changes needed for just food systems in South Africa. Examples include the use of 'big data', precision planting, and 'climate smart agriculture (CSA)', which the text claims are used by large agribusinesses to introduce industrial tools to small farmers via climate finance.
• Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) are criticized for failing to solve complex problems like drought response and for trapping farmers in a cycle of using industrial inputs that pollute water and soil. Specifically, the document states that a certain drought-tolerant genetic trait approved in South Africa appears to be ineffective.
• Agroecology is presented as a bottom-up approach that combines the traditional knowledge of millions of small-scale producers with ecological science to create sustainable and just food systems. It promotes a 'solidarity economy' based on local markets and community wellbeing over profit, emphasizing the roles of women and youth in decision-making.
• The document details several ways agroecology builds climate resilience, including the use of diverse genetic seeds, improving soil health to capture carbon and water, and reducing greenhouse gas emissions by avoiding chemical fertilizers and pesticides. It emphasizes that local and traditional foods are more compatible with their environments and thus more resilient to climate variability and pests.
• The document references the High Level Panel of Experts on Food Security and Nutrition (HLPE) and its 13 principles for food system transformation. It notes that agroecological approaches provide more significant changes than 'sustainable intensification', particularly regarding food access, social equity, and autonomy.

APA

Institute for Economic Justice (n.d.). SIBHEKE EZINHLELWENI ZOKUDLA EZINOBULUNGISWA NEZIKWAZI UKUMELANA NESIMO SEZULU: I-AGROECOLOGY YOKUZIMELA NGOKWEZOKUDLA KANYE NOBULUNGISWA NGOKWESIMO SEZULU. https://iej.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/FactS-06-ZUL-Towards-just-climate-resilient-food-system_Web_fin.pdf

Chicago

Institute for Economic Justice. SIBHEKE EZINHLELWENI ZOKUDLA EZINOBULUNGISWA NEZIKWAZI UKUMELANA NESIMO SEZULU: I-AGROECOLOGY YOKUZIMELA NGOKWEZOKUDLA KANYE NOBULUNGISWA NGOKWESIMO SEZULU. n.d. https://iej.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/FactS-06-ZUL-Towards-just-climate-resilient-food-system_Web_fin.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Institute for Economic Justice |title=SIBHEKE EZINHLELWENI ZOKUDLA EZINOBULUNGISWA NEZIKWAZI UKUMELANA NESIMO SEZULU: I-AGROECOLOGY YOKUZIMELA NGOKWEZOKUDLA KANYE NOBULUNGISWA NGOKWESIMO SEZULU |url=https://iej.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/FactS-06-ZUL-Towards-just-climate-resilient-food-system_Web_fin.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{instituteforeconomicjusticendsibheke, author = {{Institute for Economic Justice}}, title = {{SIBHEKE EZINHLELWENI ZOKUDLA EZINOBULUNGISWA NEZIKWAZI UKUMELANA NESIMO SEZULU: I-AGROECOLOGY YOKUZIMELA NGOKWEZOKUDLA KANYE NOBULUNGISWA NGOKWESIMO SEZULU}}, institution = {Institute for Economic Justice}, url = {https://iej.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/FactS-06-ZUL-Towards-just-climate-resilient-food-system_Web_fin.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }