THE FUTURE OF SOUTH AFRICA’S FOOD SYSTEM

Laura Pereira, research fellow, Centre for Food Policy, City University of London

This Saturday two-hour lecture considers the future of South Africa’s food system in relation to three main areas of concern: the nutrition transition which has seen both wasting and undernutrition in young children and increasing levels of obesity in older children and adults; the role of the private sector and market forces in the food system (four major companies account for 97% of sales within the South African formal food retail sector; increasing numbers of people buy food with social grants rather than produce food); and identified threats to the food system, including climate change, food waste, the scarcity of arable land and water and depletion of fishery stocks.

LECTURE TITLES

1. South Africa’s food system: what research currently shows

2. Transforming South Africa’s food system: leverage points and innovation towards sustainability

Recommended reading

Pdfs of the recommended reading are available on the Summer School website page for this course.