Food Security in Southern Africa: A loaf in hand is worth two in the oven?

This briefing examines food security challenges in Africa, focusing on the impact of price volatility, the role of agricultural policy, and international initiatives like the G-8's New Alliance for Food Security and Nutrition. It highlights the gap between policy commitments, such as the CAADP's spending targets, and actual implementation, while discussing the tension between trade-led food security and national self-sufficiency.

• Sub-Saharan African countries are the most food insecure globally according to the June 2012 Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) index. Burundi, Chad, and the Democratic Republic of Congo are the lowest ranked, each facing a 60 per cent deficit in the calorie intake requirements of their populations.
• The Comprehensive African Agricultural Development Programme (CAADP) aims for food security by 2015 by requiring member countries to spend at least 10 per cent of annual budgets on agriculture. However, many governments have failed to meet this, with nearly 30 countries spending less than 5 per cent.
• The G-8 launched the New Alliance for Food Security and Nutrition to increase private capital flow to African agriculture and scale sustainable productivity technologies. G-8 economists estimate this initiative could lift 50 million people out of poverty over 10 years.
• African exports face barriers in developed markets due to regulatory standards, including sanitary- and phytosanitary-related measures and private standards from First World supermarket chains regarding issues like carbon footprints and preservatives.
• There is a policy debate regarding food self-sufficiency versus trade. While some, such as South African wheat farmers, argue for self-sufficiency indices to ensure availability during export bans, critics argue this reduces national income and purchasing power.
• To counter the impasse of the Doha Round negotiations, the African Union decided in early 2012 to establish a continent-wide free trade area, known as the Continental Free Trade Area, by 2017.

APA

Zunckel, H. E., & Botha, L. (2012). Food Security in Southern Africa: A loaf in hand is worth two in the oven? International Institute for Sustainable Development. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/iisd_tkn_perspectives_sept_2012.pdf

Chicago

Zunckel, H. E., and L.H. Botha. Food Security in Southern Africa: A loaf in hand is worth two in the oven? International Institute for Sustainable Development, 2012. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/iisd_tkn_perspectives_sept_2012.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Zunckel |first1=H. E. |last2=Botha |first2=L.H. |title=Food Security in Southern Africa: A loaf in hand is worth two in the oven? |publisher=International Institute for Sustainable Development |date=September 2012 |url=https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/iisd_tkn_perspectives_sept_2012.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{zunckel2012food, author = {Zunckel, H. E. and Botha, L.H.}, title = {{Food Security in Southern Africa: A loaf in hand is worth two in the oven?}}, institution = {International Institute for Sustainable Development}, year = {2012}, month = sep, url = {https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/iisd_tkn_perspectives_sept_2012.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }