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The fact sheet outlines the necessity of a just transition in South Africa's food system, highlighting how historical land dispossession and corporate control have led to food insecurity and labor exploitation. It proposes a transition based on three pillars: equitable livelihoods, sustainable ecological production, and the right to healthy food. The document identifies barriers such as the influence of large companies and fragmented government policies, and provides a framework of principles and indicators to guide the transition toward a more just and resilient food system.

The fact sheet outlines the necessity of a just transition in South Africa's food system, highlighting how historical land dispossession and corporate control have led to food insecurity and labor exploitation. It proposes a framework based on three goals: equal livelihoods, environmental stability, and the right to adequate nutrition. The document identifies significant barriers, including a policy focus on energy over food systems and the dominance of corporate interests, and provides a set of principles and indicators to measure and implement a just transition.

The document outlines the necessity of a 'just transition' in South Africa's food systems, moving away from industrial models that marginalize small-scale farmers and workers. It identifies key barriers, such as the dominance of large corporations and a policy focus limited to the energy sector, and proposes a framework based on agroecology, fair livelihoods, and the right to nutritious food. The text emphasizes that industrial food production contributes approximately 18% of South Africa's greenhouse gas emissions and leaves the food supply highly vulnerable to climate change.

The South African food system is characterized by concentrated corporate ownership, policies favoring large-scale commercial agriculture for export, and high levels of food insecurity, with at least one in five households regularly food insecure. The current industrial model causes significant environmental damage through toxic chemicals and greenhouse gas emissions, while WTO-mandated open markets lead to a dependency on cheap, subsidized imports that undermine local production. The document proposes a just transition centered on the right to food, the implementation of a universal basic income grant, and the adoption of agroecology to address climate change, biodiversity loss, and soil degradation.

The document analyzes the current state of South Africa's food system, highlighting how industrial agriculture and trade policies prioritize large-scale commercial interests and exports over domestic food security. It notes that at least one in five households faces food insecurity, with black women and rural residents most affected. The text criticizes the role of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) in forcing market openings that lead to the import of cheap, low-nutrient food, undermining local producers. Environmentally, the current system is described as unsustainable due to excessive water use, toxic chemicals, and greenhouse gas emissions. The document proposes a 'just transition' based on agroecology, the redistribution of land and resources, and the establishment of food as a public right regardless of purchasing power.

Climate change is projected to increase temperatures in South Africa at double the global average, leading to water scarcity, reduced crop yields for staples like maize and wheat, and increased risks for small-scale farmers and marginalized communities. The document argues that a market-led response will exacerbate inequality and instead advocates for a just transition involving resource redistribution, agro-ecological practices, and a universal basic income grant to build resilience.

Climate change in South Africa is projected to increase temperatures by up to 3.5°C over 40 years, leading to water scarcity, yield pressure for maize and wheat, and increased vulnerability for smallholder farmers and marginalized groups. The document argues that a market-led response will intensify inequality and instead advocates for a just transition involving resource redistribution, agroecology, and social support systems.

The document analyzes the South African food system, describing it as a concentrated, corporate-led industrial model that prioritizes export markets over domestic food security. It highlights systemic issues including high food insecurity—affecting at least one in five households—and environmental degradation caused by large-scale commercial farming. The author advocates for a 'just transition' characterized by the redistribution of land, the adoption of agroecology to combat climate change and biodiversity loss, and the establishment of a universal basic income grant to ensure the right to food for all citizens.

The fact sheet analyzes the current state of South Africa's food system, characterizing it as a corporate-dominated structure that prioritizes exports over domestic food security and causes significant environmental harm. It highlights a crisis of food insecurity where one in five households lacks consistent access to food, particularly affecting women and rural residents. The document advocates for a 'just transition' toward agroecology, the redistribution of land and resources, and a shift toward a food system that treats food as a public good rather than a market commodity.

The document analyzes the South African food system, highlighting how a business-led approach prioritizes exports and large-scale commercial farming over domestic food security and small-scale producers. It identifies critical failures including high food insecurity—affecting at least one in five households—and environmental damage caused by industrial agriculture. The text advocates for a 'just transition' characterized by the redistribution of land and resources, the adoption of agroecological principles, and the establishment of a universal basic income to ensure the right to food for all citizens.

The document outlines how climate change threatens South African agriculture through rising temperatures, water scarcity, and extreme weather, disproportionately affecting small-scale farmers and vulnerable groups. It warns that commercial expansion into grasslands and wetlands could increase greenhouse gas emissions and biodiversity loss. To mitigate these risks, the author advocates for a just transition of the food system, prioritizing food rights, equitable resource distribution, and agroecological practices over market-led solutions.

The Institute for Economic Justice (IEJ) reports that South Africa's economy continued to contract and shed jobs during the COVID-19 third wave in June 2021, with unemployment reaching record highs of 32.6% (43.2% expanded). The report highlights severe hardships, including 39% of households running out of food money in January 2021, and criticizes the slow rollout of the government's R500 billion rescue package, of which only one-third had materialized by February 2021. The IEJ identifies specific vulnerabilities in the construction, manufacturing, tourism, and informal sectors, as well as disproportionate impacts on women and children. It recommends a comprehensive set of policy priorities, including grant-based business support, extended wage subsidies, increased public infrastructure spending, and the reinstatement of the Social Relief of Distress (SRD) grant.

The author argues that international trade policy is shifting from a focus on economic efficiency and liberalization toward a 'multifunctional' approach. This new paradigm integrates goals such as climate action, labor rights, and national security as primary objectives rather than externalities. The transition faces national challenges, including the need to balance incommensurable goals and break institutional silos, and international challenges, such as friction with existing WTO rules and a growing divide between developed and developing nations' priorities.

The briefing assesses the prospects for consensus at the WTO's MC12 across seven agricultural domains: domestic support, market access, export competition, export restrictions, cotton, public stockholding for food security (PSH), and the special safeguard mechanism (SSM). It suggests that while a comprehensive agreement is unlikely due to divergent member positions, a positive outcome is possible regarding export restrictions on food purchased by the World Food Programme (WFP) and certain transparency improvements. For most other areas, the author anticipates the creation of post-MC12 work programmes rather than tangible decisions.

The author argues that a paradigm shift is occurring in international trade, moving away from the 'establishment' view of globalization as a tool for economic efficiency toward a 'multi-purpose trade policy.' This new approach integrates objectives like sustainability, resilience, and security directly into trade goals. However, this shift creates significant national challenges—including the difficulty of balancing incommensurable goals and overcoming institutional silos—and international tensions, as states increasingly prioritize unilateral action over World Trade Organization (WTO) norms. While developed nations like the US and EU lead this trend, developing nations remain skeptical of certain goals, such as labor standards, while viewing others, like food security, as long-standing priorities.

The briefing examines the tensions between WTO members over agricultural subsidies, public stocks, and export restrictions. It argues that for MC13 to be successful, the WTO must move beyond non-binding declarations toward binding commitments, specifically proposing an export restriction exemption for Least Developed Countries (LDCs) to ensure food availability during crises.

The document analyzes the deadlock in WTO agricultural negotiations regarding domestic support, public stockholding, and market access, while proposing three priority areas for Least Developed Countries (LDCs): reducing cotton subsidies, improving market access for cotton products, and securing exemptions from export restrictions.

The document analyzes the deadlock in WTO agricultural negotiations regarding domestic support, public food stocks, and market access. It argues that while global breakthroughs are unlikely, LDCs can focus on three achievable goals: reducing trade-distorting cotton subsidies, improving market access for cotton and its by-products, and securing exemptions from export restrictions on food and agricultural products. It also notes an emerging trend of informal dialogues within the WTO to link agricultural trade with sustainable development.

The briefing examines the tensions within the WTO's MC13 negotiations, focusing on the need for binding commitments over non-binding declarations. It highlights a proposed export restriction exemption for Least Developed Countries (LDCs) to combat food insecurity and details the deep divisions between developed and developing nations over domestic support and public stockholding of agricultural products.

The International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) provides free advisory and capacity development services to low-income governments and regional bodies to promote responsible private sector investment in agriculture. IISD focuses on creating legal frameworks that balance the benefits of foreign capital and technology with the protection of food security, land tenure rights, and natural resources. Their expertise includes developing model contracts for farmland investments, regional investment guidelines, contract farming templates, and policies for agricultural growth poles and zones.