Food Insecurity in South Africa: Readings and Resources
Compiled by Nicole Crowie
History of South Africa
Field, C. (2010). Have you heard from Johannesburg [Film; series of seven documentary films]. Clarity Films.
https://thoughtmaybe.com/have-you-heard-from-johannesburg/#top
Have You Heard from Johannesburg is a seven-part documentary series covering the 45-year struggle of the global anti-apartment movement against South Africa's apartheid system
Hanoman, J. (2018). Hunger and poverty in South Africa: The hidden faces of food insecurity. Routledge.
https://www.chapters.indigo.ca/en-ca/books/hunger-and-poverty-in-south/9781138223080-item.html
The book Hunger and Poverty in South Africa explains how the history of apartheid and specific laws have manifested high rates of food insecurity. The book also highlights food security initiatives that have been implemented in the past and evaluates why they were successful or unsuccessful.
South African History Online. (n.d.-a). A History of South Africa. South African History Online.
https://www.sahistory.org.za/article/history-apartheid-south-africa
South African History Online is packed with various information regarding apartheid. The website also outlines all of the many laws in place during and leading up to apartheid.
South African History Online. (n.d.-b). Bantu Education Act, Act No 47 of 1953.
https://www.sahistory.org.za/archive/bantu-education-act-act-no-47-1953
The Bantu Education Act, Act No 47 of 1953, is a crucial piece of legislation. It has created a wide generational education gap between the different race classes in South Africa. Through this act, African students received a lesser education compared to Whites
Thompson, A. (2018). What to Know About the Khoisan, South Africa's First People. The Culture Trip.
This article talks about an indigenous tribe in South Africa that was present prior to Dutch settlers arriving. The article highlights their culture and how they lived off the land.
Food Insecurity in South Africa
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Statistics South Africa. (2020). General household survey 2020.
http://www.statssa.gov.za/publications/P0318/P03182020.pdf
The 2020 General Household Survey contains information on the prevalence of household food insecurity in South Africa.
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The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification. (n.d.). South Africa: Acute food insecurity situation September - December 2020 and projection for January - March 2021.
http://www.ipcinfo.org/ipc-country-analysis/details-map/en/c/1153024/
This IPC report highlights how Covid-19 has increased rates of food insecurity in South Africa and estimates what the rates of food insecurity will be in March 2021. This report also provides interactive visuals that break down the different household food insecurity rates in the various provinces in South Africa.
Mosamaria. (n.d.). Mosamaria NPO Aids Ministry. Mosamaria.
Mosamaria is a faith-based organization that strives to curb the spread of HIV and TB in South Africa. Mosamaria provides educational classes, home-based counselling and testing. The organization also provides a community garden to improve nutrition.
African National Congress. (1994). The reconstruction and development programme (RDP). Aloe Communications.
The government created the Reconstruction and Development Program to address the social and economic problems the poorer people in the country were facing due to apartheid through a number of priority policy objectives (one being land reform).
Department of Provincial and Local Government and Independent Development Trust. (n.d.). Integrated Sustainable Rural Development Programme (IRSDP) and Urban Renewal Programme (URP). Independent Development Trust Programme Management Teams.
https://www.westerncape.gov.za/text/2003/isrdp_urp_championship_guideline.pdf
The Urban Renewal and Integrated Sustainable Rural Program was created by the government to integrate the existing institutions and food security programs to respond to the needs of the disadvantaged community more effectively
Department of Agriculture & Rural Development. (n.d.). War on Poverty Campaign. Republic of South Africa.
http://www.ard.fs.gov.za/?page_id=1224.
The government created the War on Poverty Program to work with households most affected by poverty and find short, medium and long-term solutions.
Department of Basic Education. (2016). Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation Department: Basic Education Report on the Implementation Evaluation of the National School Nutrition Programme Full Report. Republic of South Africa.
The government created the National School Nutrition Program to provide one meal to all school-aged children who sign up for the program.
Republic of South Africa. (2015). Comprehensive Rural Development Programme (CRDP). South African Government.
The government created the Comprehensive Rural Development Program (CRDP) to improve the development of rural areas by increasing access to essential services, increasing enterprise development, addressing insecure land tenure and access to productive land.
Department of Agriculture. (2002). The Integrated Food Security Strategy for South Africa Report. Republic of South Africa.
https://www.gov.za/sites/default/files/gcis_document/201409/foodpol0.pdf.
The government created the Integrated Food Security Strategy to integrate all the various food programs created through one domain to address food access, availability, adequacy, and safety nets.
Fetsa Tlala Integrated Food Production Initiative. (2013). Province of the Northern Cape.
The government created the Festa Tlala Integrated Food Production Initiative to encourage people in rural and urban areas to grow produce to increase food accessibility.
Overseas Development Institute (2005). Social Grants South Africa. Overseas Development Institute.
https://cdn.odi.org/media/documents/1688.pdf
The federal government provides social grants to individuals of lower socioeconomic status. The policy brief expands on the different types of grants and their success.
National School Nutrition Program (NSNP)
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Department of Basic Education. (2019) The National School Nutrition Programme (NSNP). Republic of South Africa.
National School Nutrition Program infographic. The infographic highlights the impact of the program in South Africa.
Department of Basic Education. (2016). Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation Department: Basic Education Report on the Implementation Evaluation of the National School Nutrition Programme Full Report. Republic of South Africa.
The government created the National School Nutrition Program to provide one meal to all school-aged children who sign up for the program. This report highlights the planning, monitoring and evaluation of the program.
Department of Basic Education. (2021-a). Provincial Menu. Republic of South Africa.
The various cycle menus available by province in schools enrolled in the National School Nutrition Program.
Department of Basic Education. (2021-b). Manual for establishing and sustaining food gardens in schools. Republic of South Africa.
A guide/manual published by the Department of Basic Education on establishing and sustaining food gardens.
Department of Basic Education. (2021-c). National School Nutrition Program Recipe Book. Republic of South Africa.
A recipe book for the meals served to students enrolled in the National School Nutrition Program.
Department of Basic Education. (n.d.). National School Nutrition Programme: 'Know How to Grow Your Own'. Republic of South Africa.
Visual chart created by the National School Nutrition Program that highlights information on how to grow different fruits, vegetables and herbs.
Okeyo, A., Seekoe, E., De Villiers, A., Faber, M., Nel, J., & Steyn, N. (2020). The Food and Nutrition Environment at Secondary Schools in the Eastern Cape, South Africa as Reported by Learners. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 17(11), 4038-4057.
A nutrition knowledge test created to evaluate the level of nutrition knowledge in high school students is available in the appendix of this article. The article examines the food and nutrition environment at secondary schools in Eastern Cape, South Africa. This article is available to StFX students through Novanet.
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National School Nutrition Programs seen elsewhere
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Chipalasa, M. (n.d.). Improving school meals and farmer's livelihoods through South-South Cooperation. Food and Agriculture Organization.
https://www.fao.org/partnerships/south-south-cooperation/stories/story/en/c/449393/
This article explains how other African countries have adopted national school nutrition programs after hunger rates have greatly decreased in Brazil. In addition, the Brazilian and South African school programs are being shared with African countries through the South-South Cooperation.
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Comprehensive Rural Development Program (CRDP)
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Republic of South Africa. (2013). Implementation Evaluation of the Comprehensive Rural Development Programme (CRDP). South African Government.
https://si-per.eu/siper-wAssets/repository/2013-363.pdf
The government created the CRDP to improve the development of rural areas by increasing access to essential services, increasing enterprise development, addressing insecure land tenure and access to productive land.