Current methods of food production threaten the environment and human health, and change is thus urgently required in South Africa’s food system. In a report, recently published by the WWF-SA, titled ‘Agri-food Systems: Facts and Futures: How South Africa can produce 50% more by 2050’, the organisation’s senior manager of the policy and futures unit, Tatjana von Bormann, details the changes needed to achieve a better food future for the country.
"In the past few decades, millions of people across the world have been lifted out of poverty. This has led to a rapid growth in the middle class, particularly in developing economies, with resultant lifestyle changes. These macro-trends are expected to continue to 2050, when a projected global population of more than nine billion will need to be fed through a food system that right now is fraught with challenges. These include accelerating climate change, rising input costs, ecosystem and resource degradation, shifting dietary preferences, social inequality, and resource constraints and conflicts.
Population and income growth, which are inevitably linked to a more resource-intensive diet and greater waste, intersect with environmental challenges to add further stressors within the fixed limits of planetary boundaries. Given these multiple drivers, food security cannot be understood in isolation; it has economic, social and environmental implications, and must be viewed within the framework of the intersecting resources of land, biodiversity, water and energy.
A complex system
In recent years, an effort to understand the boundaries and complexity of wide-reaching food systems has replaced the conventional thinking of food production that results from a simple, linear process supply chain. In this expanded understanding, all the components involved in the production, processing, distribution, consumption and waste of food, need to be considered.
The complex food system landscape is particularly evident in developing economies within the Southern African region. The ability of the already fragmented and underdeveloped food systems in Southern Africa to meet the needs of a growing population with rising income levels will be further compromised as the effects of climate change become more pronounced.
Denne historien er fra Farmer's Weekly August 2019-utgaven av Farmer's Weekly.
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Denne historien er fra Farmer's Weekly August 2019-utgaven av Farmer's Weekly.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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New farmers' seedling pitfalls
Inexperienced farmers may be tempted to grow seedlings from seed themselves, but they have much to gain by trusting a seedling grower at a nursery to perform this task for them instead
South African avocado production: a success story
Avocado production in South Africa has expanded markedly since the industry's humble beginnings over 80 years ago. From a small grove planted in 1938 in what was then Nelspruit, the industry has blossomed to seven million trees planted on 20 000ha. Dr Guy Witney, project manager at Great Brak Avos, spoke to Annelie Coleman about the country's avocado production.
Unlocking value through livestock exports
Exporting livestock might sound like a daunting business that's better left for big companies, but Gerrie Ferreira, who farms near Oudtshoorn in the Western Cape, has been doing it successfully for almost 30 years, sometimes in partnership with other breeders. He spoke to Glenneis Kriel about the huge potential this market holds, and offers some advice for farmers who are contemplating going this route.
An agribusiness's dedication to community upliftment
For agribusiness NWK, located in Lichtenburg, North West, corporate social investment is an important part of creating a positive influence alongside financial returns. Johan Bezuidenhout, NWK’s group manager of corporate marketing and communication, spoke to Annelie Coleman about why the company chooses to invest millions of rands in the area it operates in every year.
Empowering dreams, transforming lives
Since its launch in 2013, the Agri's Got Talent competition has revolutionised the lives of many farmworkers by unlocking their hidden talents and fostering a culture of empowerment. Glenneis Kriel spoke to various finalists about how the contest has changed their lives.
Foreign investment: agriculture maintains its appeal
South Africa remains a popular destination for foreign investors, despite an often negative outlook from its citizens. It is a gateway to Africa, and with its counterseasonal production to the Northern Hemisphere and favourable weather, local agriculture is especially well placed to attract foreign interest, bringing with it hope for rural communities
The real value and message of COP29 for SA agriculture
While the 2024 Conference of the Parties may have disappointed those who hoped for real progress, it's more important for South African agriculture to highlight its role in carbon mitigation
Improving efficiencies in feed and grain milling
Bühler, a Swiss-based company that provides solutions and equipment for various industries, including food and animal feed processing, has pledged that by 2025, it will deliver scalable solutions that will reduce energy, waste and water by 50% in the value chains of its customers.
Tips for better olive production
At an SA Olive Association field day in November, industry experts shared ways to improve olive production efficiencies, from soil preparation to harvesting.
More effort needed to protect vulnerable cheetah
On International Cheetah Day, commemorated every year on 4 December, emphasis was placed on the vulnerability of the species.
