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

This fact sheet, published by the Institute for Economic Justice, advocates for the adoption of agroecology to create just and climate-resilient food systems in South Africa. It contrasts agroecology—a bottom-up approach based on ecological science and traditional knowledge—with 'false solutions' such as GMOs and Climate Smart Agriculture (CSA), which the document claims reinforce industrial control and inequality. The text outlines how agroecology enhances resilience through local production, biodiversity, and the redistribution of power and resources to small-scale farmers.

• The document identifies several 'false solutions' to climate change in food systems that it claims maintain industrial control and inequality. These include the use of 'big data', precision planting, and genetically modified (GMO) seeds that falsely promise drought resistance and increased nutrition. It specifically criticizes 'climate smart agriculture (CSA)' as a superficial solution used by large agribusinesses to introduce industrial tools to small farmers via climate finance.
• Agroecology is defined as a bottom-up approach that combines ecological science with the traditional knowledge of millions of small-scale farmers and family food producers. It aims to establish food systems that are just, sustainable, and resilient by adapting production methods to the specific soil, climate, and socio-economic conditions of a given location.
• To achieve a just transition, the document argues that food systems must be transformed to address the root causes of vulnerability and power imbalances. This involves returning control of seeds, land, water, and knowledge to indigenous people and small-scale producers, while replacing industrial business-led trade with a solidarity economy based on local markets.
• The document details how agroecology builds climate resilience through specific practices: reducing reliance on chemical pesticides and fertilizers to protect soil and water, using diverse genetic seeds and animal breeds, and implementing water conservation techniques such as soil covering and the creation of water-harvesting structures.
• The text references 13 principles from the High Level Panel of Experts on Food Security and Nutrition (HLPE) of the Committee on World Food Security (CFS). These principles are categorized into three main areas: ecological sustainability (e.g., soil health and biodiversity), social and nutritional justice (e.g., co-creation of knowledge), and legal/economic justice (e.g., economic diversity and fairness).

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} }