SOUTH AFRICA FOOD LOSS AND WASTE IN FARMING

The report examines food wastage at the primary production level in South Africa, identifying environmental factors as the primary cause of food loss and behavioural issues as a key driver of food waste. It highlights a critical lack of baseline data, with fewer than 40% of surveyed farmers measuring their waste. While farmers are motivated by financial viability and moral responsibility to reduce waste, they face significant logistical, financial, and regulatory barriers, including high transport costs and strict export standards. The document recommends the development of centralised redistribution contacts and validated waste-tracking tools to help South Africa meet SDG 12.3.

• South Africa wastes approximately 10.3 million tonnes of edible food annually, with an estimated 34.3% of food wastage occurring at the primary production stage.
• Environmental factors are the dominant cause of food loss, with 13 out of 15 surveyed farmers identifying them as the biggest contributor; specific issues include hail, frost, and pests.
• Incorrect pesticide use is a significant behavioural contributor to food wastage, often resulting from a lack of knowledge and training among farmers and workers.
• High cosmetic and aesthetic standards imposed by retailers and consumers lead to the rejection of edible produce, contributing to primary-level food waste.
• Logistical barriers, specifically high transport costs and a lack of reliable contacts for redistribution, prevent farmers from donating surplus food.
• Political instability and infrastructure failures, such as riots and loadshedding, cause significant food losses by compromising the cold chain and blocking transport.
• Regulatory requirements for exports, such as EuroGap and GlobalG.A.P. audits, as well as specific European import rules for citrus, increase financial burdens and lead to food being discarded.
• Financial viability is the primary motivator for reducing food waste, with 80% of farmers stating they are financially driven, though some also cite a moral responsibility to food security.
• There is a severe lack of baseline data on food waste at the farm level, as less than 40% of farmers measure their wastage, which hinders the implementation of behavioural strategies.

APA

Fourie, J., Engelbrecht, K., & Govender, P. (2023). SOUTH AFRICA FOOD LOSS AND WASTE IN FARMING. WWF South Africa. https://wwfafrica.awsassets.panda.org/downloads/food_loss_and_waste_report.pdf

Chicago

Fourie, Jorique, Kara Engelbrecht, and Pat Govender. SOUTH AFRICA FOOD LOSS AND WASTE IN FARMING. WWF South Africa, 2023. https://wwfafrica.awsassets.panda.org/downloads/food_loss_and_waste_report.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Fourie |first1=Jorique |last2=Engelbrecht |first2=Kara |last3=Govender |first3=Pat |title=SOUTH AFRICA FOOD LOSS AND WASTE IN FARMING |publisher=WWF South Africa |date=2023 |url=https://wwfafrica.awsassets.panda.org/downloads/food_loss_and_waste_report.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{fourie2023south, author = {Fourie, Jorique and Engelbrecht, Kara and Govender, Pat}, title = {{SOUTH AFRICA FOOD LOSS AND WASTE IN FARMING}}, institution = {WWF South Africa}, year = {2023}, url = {https://wwfafrica.awsassets.panda.org/downloads/food_loss_and_waste_report.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }