Stellenbosch Food Security Projectblogs.sun.ac.za/fsi/files/2011/04/Stellenbosch-Food... · 2011. 8. 30. · vermitea Yes, used extensiv ely, particul arly in the conversi on stages

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SUSTAINABILITY INSTITUTE

FOOD SECURITY RESEARCH PROJECT

Stellenbosch Food System Strategy

Region-based Food Security, Agriculture & Sustainability | Imagining a new paradigm

Gareth Haysom - 06 June 2011

Stellenbosch Food Security Project

• Contents:

Background to the study

Case Studies and Research

Food System Strategy

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Key Research Questions and Motivation for the Study

This project aimed to focus on the 3 food security dynamics faced in SouthAfrica, with specific focus on the Stellenbosch region:

• Production related challenges: How to find ways to maintain and enhancefood production while seeking both to improve the positive side-effectsand to eliminate the negative ones?

• Access related challenges: What is the most appropriate way to increaseaccess to nutritious food in South Africa where millions of people areexcluded from this? What does this mean for Stellenbosch?

• Understanding of utilisation challenges: Appreciating the diverse aspectsof this within Stellenbosch and also some of the differences, who is eatingwhat, why and who is not able to eat what they wish?

What then are the implications for food security within the policy andimplementation contexts and what approaches should be adopted in order torespond to these challenges? What does it mean for Stellenbosch?

SI OSP FSI Submission ,2009

Urbanisation

Financial Crises

Demographic Shifts

Inequality

Ecosystem Decline

Peak Oil

Climate Change

Food Crisis

A New Development and Governance Paradigm?

Adapted from Morin, 1999 and Swilling, 2010.

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SI OSP Student Research and Case Studies

• 3 x Masters

• Research Projects and Multi Media work

• 6 x Detailed Case Studies

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And for Stellenbosch?

Mat & Family R1200/Week Audrey & David R565/Week

Pieter & Thelma R 89/Week

Nora R120/Week

Brendon & Anneke R310/Week

Natasha R510/Week

Food Patterns reflecting the inequalities within a small SA town

Pictures: L Meterlerkamp

Thesis | The Stellenbosch Food “Economy”…

53%

8%

7%

7%

6%

6%

4%4%

Cereals

Milk

Meat

Sugar

Vegetables

Fruits

Roots

Alcohol

Current consumption composition as percentage of total diet by weight

88%

10%

3%

Deciduous fruits (incl grapes)

Vegetables

Other horticultural

Food production contribution as percentage of total gross farm income

Schulshenk, 2010

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Export and the food economy?

• Flash survey with WC Sacco to identify where funds being requested ito loans are being used:

• Found that 80% of loans are being used for food purchases.

• What does this mean for the notion that export economy creates jobs – what type of jobs, what quality of jobs and who are the net winners and losers in this export economy?

Although commercial farmers in the Swartland may not have specifically conceptualised the challenges of sustainable development, the pressures of the polycrisis are reflected in many of the challenges these farmers are facing.

7 case study farmers demonstrated that a growing body of promising knowledge and practices is developing within the commercial agricultural sector in the Swartland.

The changes in approach addresses some of the key sustainability issues, including peak oil, ecosystem degradation, climate change and food insecurity.

This knowledge of how more sustainable and restorative agricultural practices can be applied to larger-scale farm systems in the Global South is likely to become increasingly valuable asset in addressing the core elements of the polycrisis.

Thesis | Farmer Learning Shifts: Changes in approach and philosophy

Meterlerkamp, 2011

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Farmer Learning Shifts | Changes in approach and philosophy

Indirect links between economic pressure on Swartland farms and the polycrisis Meterlerkamp, 2011

Case Study | Potential opportunities: An agricultural shift in the region

• Study was a first attempt to document some of the agroecological farmers and farms in and around Stellenbosch.

• It showed that there is increasing agroecological activity and innovations taking place in the region, but that these farmers are not benefiting from each other’s knowledge and lessons.

• A network between these farmers can become a powerful tool that could support them in their efforts - advice and support could come from such a network and it could also function to capture valuable knowledge and data.

• It could also be an information hub for other farmers who wish to convert to more agroecological approaches - Farmers learn from others farmers …

• Database of these farmers developed and distributed

Kate et al, 2010

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Farm Farmer Contact Details

Location GPS Size Products Certification Held

Farm Details Labour External Inputs

Livestock Compost Mulch

Cover Crops & Green

Manures

Additional Techniques

Describe techniques

Permanent Casual Water Soil Type Structures Roads Irrigation External Inputs

De Zalze

Francois Malan

083 665 4537

De Zalze Estate Stellenbosch. Off R44

33'58'20S 18'48''58E

30 ha 70t Grapes, 30t Lemons, 20t Clementines, 1t mixed vegetables, Free-range Eggs

Organic but awaiting Demeter Biodynamic

Cows, Sheep, Chickens, Ducks

Yes - large manure component

Legumes and others

Kashurina Trees used in BD preps, BD preps used extensively, BD water activation

4 male When required

Dam on site

Sandy Soils above a Clay base

Main House Good Condition, mostly paved or gravel

Micro and Drip Irrigation

5000kg Chicken Feed per season, seed for Green Manure, Vegetable Seeds and Seedlings

[email protected]

Farm 502

Eric Swartz 723127195 Annandale Road off R310 Stellenbosch

33'59''16S 18'47''17E

10ha Beans, butternuts, small Japanese pumpkins, gem squash, corn, tomatoes, onions, cucumbers, peppers, basil and broccoli, cabbage, leaks, peas and kale

Oxen on Farm for Animal Traction and other agroecological activities

Yes, mostly own compost made with high quantities of oxen manure. Also uses Sanjeevac and Vermicompost

Yes, when affordable

Yes, a mix of N fixing and other crops. Also uses weeds as cover crops. Also plants green manures

Sanjeevac is one of main additions but also uses weeks and EM. Using animal tractions has also added dynamics to the farm and supports production

Sanjeevac is a mixture made from cattle urine, a small amount of dung, water and molasses. This is then fermented and applied to the plants and soil. Uses windrows and nature strips as homes for predatory insects.

2 male 3 females when required

Part of the Theewaterskloof irrigation scheme

A thin layer of sandy soil above a thick clay base. Soil is highly depleted

Law permits permanent structures, temporary pack shed, toilet and nursery

Very poor and eroded

Sprinkler irrigation

50l folio spray monthly and 50t compost through the year, 2l of EM per year

[email protected]

Spier Biodynamic Farm

Angus Macintosh

082 680 8978; 082 379 4391

In corner of the Spier Estate accessible off the Annandale Road

33'58''20S 18'48''04E

300ha[1]

Biodynamic beef, chickens, eggs, wine grapes, wine, vegetables (mixed) and Olives. Medicinal herbs and gogi berries

BD certification pending

Nguni and Bosmara Cattles, Broiler Chickens and Bushveld Chickens

Yes, large compost production site services the farm. Also uses EM vermicompost and vermitea

Yes, used extensively, particularly in the conversion stages in the vineyards

Yes, a number of different types used dependant on the need. Also use BD favoured plants as covers

Extensive use of BD techniques but also permaculture design in the vegetable garden. A number of natural remedies applied and Holistic Management applied in grazing regime

Holistic Management applied in grazing with small areas grazed for very limited time. Cattle frequently moved. Results are greater agro diversity and improved soil structure

8 male and 4 female

2 male Access to Theewaterskloof but harvest rainwater (150000l capacity), also have access to dam if required

Sandy soils but significant improvements already noted in vineyards and vegetable areas and grazed area improving gradually

Housing, pack shed, office facilities, additional housing, Geodesic nursery, abattoir

All in good condition, some paved

Yes, using most applicable irrigation for crop

BD preparations, molasses, compost, seeds and seedlings

[email protected]

Uitzicht

Johan Reyneke

021 813 3517; 083 659 1826

Off M12 near Stellenbosch

33'57''31S 18'45''08E

35 + 10ha

Wine and Grapes Demeter and others

4 Cows, 10 Geese, 20 ducks, 2 pigs and chickens

Compost produced on site with large amounts of animal manure. Vermicompost also used

Yes used extensively and cover crops also felled in situ to support this

Yes, with in situ seeding and re-growth

Full BD techniques applied. Animals form a critical part of the farm system

Focus on soil enhancement through animal integration. Simple working with nature as a philosophy

6 male and 2 female

When required

Theewaterskloof scheme and on farm rainwater catchment for BD preps & wine

Top 60cm sandy loam, 20cm gravel & clay base

House, 4 cottages, office building, tasting room and cellar

Good gravel roads

Guano and Seagrow, kelp and allowed quantities of copper and sulphur.

[email protected]

Electricity paid and transport(after 10 years given a house). Savings initiative in place

Villeria

Erick Zanzele

838 676 454

Kraaifontein area adjacent to Villeria

33'51''48S 18'44''33E

1.5ha lettuce, rocket, soup celery, potatoes, sweet potatoes, leeks, spinach, radishes, spring onions, carrots, beetroot, cabbage, cauliflower and broccoli

Afrisco Organic

29 goats, 7 Nguni cows, 2 bulls and 7 chickens

Compost made with cow dung and goat droppings, chicken manure and green manures – garlic is added for pest control.

Fertiliser tea. Harvests all his own seeds and keeps a small seed bank. Planting of metal, with its shiny side facing the beetroot roots to intensify its colour and give its leaves more vigour. donkey dung and pine needles mixture is used to keep moles away

Fertiliser tea made with green organic materials, chillies, garlic, coffee bags, teabags and cigarette butts and mixed into water and left to ferment. Erick also harvests all his own seeds and keeps a small seed bank. interventions include the planting of metal, like cut open beverage cans, with its shiny side facing the beetroot roots to intensify its colour and give its leaves more vigour. donkey dung and pine needles mixture is used to keep moles away

All Family, 2 sisters brother and brother’s wife

3 female when needed

Makes use of Villeria dam water

Predominantly sandy soils but self generated soil through a permaculture process in specific beds

Cement slabs from old chicken batteries for pathways on the land

Gravel road adjacent to the farm

Water from Villeria and biodegradable plastic bags

Annexure 1

Projects included in the study were categorized as follows, and the database is disaggregated as such.

1. Faith based feeding schemes

2. Faith based soup kitchens

3. Food garden development projects - community

4. Food garden development projects - individual

5. NGO run feeding schemes where corporations are key donors but play no role in process and simply donate food

6. Other faith based food projects

7. School feeding schemes to schools that cannot access formal DOE feeding scheme partners

8. Soup kitchens and other feeding schemes (NGO oriented – non faith based)

9. NGO food security work by organisations whose express brief is Food Security in Stellenbosch

Case Study | Food Security Interventions: Faith Based and NGO actions

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• Daily, in excess of 27 000 meals are being provided by NGOs, FBGs and other such organisations to the residents of Stellenbosch region.

• The scale of this intervention indicates both the high levels of food insecurity as well as the significant inequality in the Stellenbosch food System

Meals per day Projects Average per project

Paarl 13 343 33 404

Stellenbosch 9 014 31 290

Franschoek 3 166 19 166

Other 1 519 11 138

27 042 94 288

Food Security Interventions | Faith Based and NGO actions

0 5 10 15 20 25 30

School feeding

Food gardens - individual

Soup kitchens and other

Faith based feeding schemes

Faith based soup kitchens

Food gardens - community

NGO food security work

Amount of Projects Included in Sample | NGO & Faith Based Feeding projects reviewed


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0 2000 4000 6000 8000 10000 12000

NGO run feeding schemes incl PSFA

NGO food security work

School feeding excl PSFA

Food gardens - community

Soup kitchens and other

Faith based soup kitchens

Food gardens - individual

Faith based feeding schemes

Amount of Meals served per day | Meals served by NGOs & FBOs in Stellenbosch Municipal are per day


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Case Study | Understanding food utilisation habits: Lynedoch

33%

33%

7%

13%

13%

Self

Wife

Husband

Mother

All

70%

20%

5%5%

Supermarket

Local Farmer

Street Vendor

Local Shop

40%

60%

Ethos

Cost

27%

47%

27%

Protein

Fruit

Vegetables

Who Cooks?

Where do you buy?

Why Local/Seasonal?

What’s Lacking?

Lynedoch LSM distribution

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

R - R 1 000.00 R 2 000.00 R 3 000.00 R 4 000.00 R 5 000.00 R 6 000.00 R 7 000.00

LSM

LSM

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Lynedoch DDS

0.0

1.0

2.0

3.0

4.0

5.0

6.0

7.0

8.0

Vegetables

Dairy

Beef

Fish

Eggs

Chicken

Bread

Rice

Potatoes

Maize

Grains

0

15%

17%

18%

38%

12%Dietary Mix

Vegetables

Dairy

Protein

Carbohydrates

Grains

While Lynedoch is not a regular community, it does reflect a far healthier & diverse diet than most communities in SA, driven largely by 2 key aspects:

• Access to a farmer for fresh fruit and veg; and

• Access to gardens /allotments for access over the famine period each month

Thesis | The Stellenbosch Food System: Local Food Economies

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• Highlighted the conceptual and physical network connections between various local-food distribution initiatives, as well as the factors preventing and promoting their sustainability.

• Although a local-food distribution network exists in Stellenbosch, it is fragile and lacks defined conceptual connections.

• This in turn constrains the formation of physical connections and thus the food system’s progress toward sustainability.

• Current shared focus indicates that localisation already constitutes a practical tool in the growth of a sustainable food system; however, the network’s lack of social capital still needs to be addressed.

The Stellenbosch Food System | Local Food Economies

Landman, 2011

Enter the Food System Strategy

• A food system strategy is deemed to be a more appropriate response to the evidence emerging from the various research projects.

• The national and regional food insecurity challenges and the anticipated challenges associated with the polycrises demand a different approach to the existing strategies and conceptualisations.

• A Food Security only approach was deemed to be inadequate

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Ericksen, 2009

Food System Approaches

• Reviewed international food system approaches and identified 3 typologies:

• View Stellenbosch as a hybrid of all, taking most applicable aspects and adapting these to specific needs.

Municipality Led

Community/ Municipal

Partnership

Community Driven

Belo Horizonte -Brazil

Food Policy Council -TorontoFood Strategy -Vancouver

Food Policy Council -Portland & Multnomah County

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Approach

• The suggested approach is based on partnerships across sectors, facilitated by local government, with consumers and producers supported by clear alignment between state agencies and related bodies.

• The starting point is an acknowledgement of the fundamental weaknesses inherent in the existing food system that characterises Stellenbosch today.

Vision

• The ultimate vision of the Stellenbosch food strategy is of local consumers who can afford, choose and understand healthy and sustainable food – whose demand is met by profitable, resilient and sustainable farming, all supported by first class research and development.

Priorities

• In order to achieve this vision, five key priorities have been identified that systematically feed into each other to rebuild and adapt the Stellenbosch food system. These priorities in turn help to structure the strategy required to achieve this. These priorities are:

– Enabling and encouraging people to eat a healthy, sustainable diet;

– Ensuring an equitable, sustainable, and competitive food system;

– Reducing the food system’s environmental impact whilst increasing production sustainably;

– Reducing, reusing and reprocessing waste; and

– Increasing the influence and impact of knowledge, research and technology.

1. Enabling and encouraging people

to eat a healthy, sustainable diet

3. Reducing food system’s environmental impact

(increasing production sustainably)

4. Reducing, reusing and reprocessing

waste

2. Ensuring an equitable, sustainable, and competitive food

system

5. Increasing the influence and impact of

knowledge, research and technology

A Strategic Framework?

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waste


system



• Guaranteed access to healthy food alternatives

• Zoning Regulations• Nutritional information –

behaviour change & communication

• Culturally Relevant Foods






waste


system



• Support the local food economy

• Facilitate alternative markets• Community supported

agriculture• Preferential procurement• School feeding schemes• Placing “food” at the centre

of development• Address Land Reform

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waste


system



• Encourage sustainable production

• Sustainable & Equitable Access

• Urban Agriculture






waste


system


knowledge, research and technology • Closing Metabolic flows/Loops

• Diverting “waste” foods to the needy

• Composting

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waste


system



• Equitable Knowledge Economy• Needs assessment,• Food Asset Mapping,• Community food assessment,• Land inventory

1. Enabling and encouraging people to

eat a healthy, sustainable diet



4. Reducing, reusing and reprocessing waste


system

5. Increasing the influence and impact of knowledge, research and technology

• Equitable Knowledge Economy

• Needs assessment,• Food Asset Mapping,• Community food

assessment,• Land inventory

• Guaranteed access to healthy food Alternatives

• Zoning Regulations• Nutritional information – behaviour

change communication• Culturally Relevant Foods

• Encourage sustainable production• Sustainable & Equitable Access• Urban Agriculture

• Closing Metabolic flows/Loops

• Diverting “waste” foods to the needy

• Composting

• Support the local food economy

• Facilitate alternative markets• Community supported

agriculture• Preferential procurement• School feeding schemes• Placing “food” at the centre of

development• Address Land Reform

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ImplementationResponsibility

• The greatest challenge in structuring such a body is that those responsible for facilitating the management of a regional food system strategy need to be able to act in the interests of the constituents/communities/voiceless within the region.

• As such, the group needs to be representative of the stakeholders within the region.

– Stage 1 – Conceptualisation and consultation

• Director of social development appoint a task team to initiate this process.

– Stage 2 – Structure and Leadership (12)

• 2 permanent municipal delegates

• 5 seats reserved for specific sectors

– NGO and Faith Based groups

– Organised Agriculture

– Food Retail Sector

– Organised Labour

– Stellenbosch University

• 5 seats would be available to broader stakeholder group volunteers/elected

– Stage 3 – Implementation

• Institutional and budgetary arrangements that facilitate the effective roll out of the proposed process would be just as critical to the long term viability of the proposed strategy.

Key organizational variables Variable Comment/Action

1. Leadership It is helpful to work with more than one recognised community leader

when dealing with food issues. When several leaders come from different

sectors (public, private, nonprofit), they need to be aware of each other‘s

orientations and work styles. Ideally, leaders can work together over a long

enough time to develop collaborative leadership, where tasks can be

rotated or delegated with relative ease.

2. Work styles of groups These can be seen across three somewhat-overlapping spectrums. One of

these goes from an emphasis on ad hoc responses to one on strategic

planning; another shows the relative emphasis given to specific projects

versus developing a process to pursue change; finally, the last ranges from a

project emphasis to a policy or policy-development emphasis. Experience

suggests that the more community workers pursue planning, process, and

policy, the more effective they will be.

3. Funding Virtually all other food system plans implemented internationally agree that

it is crucial to have funding for full- or part-time staff exclusively devoted

to food-systems work. Without this, staff time tends to be consumed in

dealing with other, more immediate issues of employment.

4. Administrative

approaches

The administrative approaches of key staff (and their location) are

important. In some cases, key staff are also key leaders. In others, they may

be different people. Administrative questions include the degree of

centralisation and the types of delegation preferred. Relations between

leaders and staff are of obvious importance.

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Implementing body structure

SFSS Chair

Municipal Seat

Municipal Seat

Organised Agriculture

Food Retail Sector

Organised Labour

Stellenbosch University

NGO/FBO bodies

Community Seat

Community Seat

Community Seat

Community Seat

Community Seat

Propose 7 permanent seats & 5community seats: either elected ornominated. Chair could be electedfrom 12 member group and needsto be supported by full time“office”...Or, Chair could be an appointeeresponsible to the 12 membergroup – seen as critical that aperson wakes up and worriesabout this. √ √ √

Key contextual parameters Parameter Comment/Action

1. Scale Need to find and show the area covered, plus its total population. These

affect the prospects for intervention (distances to be travelled to

meetings, numbers and types of people or organisations that need to be

involved, etc.).

2. Landscape patterns Any work with an urban–rural spectrum suggests that landscape patterns

provide very little insights about the patterns of people and land use

important to local food systems. More useful descriptors and typologies

are required.

3. Population patterns These vary considerably between communities and even in reporting by

various authorative bodies. Certain areas may be dense, others mixed

while other areas may be dispersed, while area may be partly dispersed

but with an element of major population concentration. The question to

ask in connection with this parameter is what types of organising

approach these variations suggest.

4. Socioeconomic patterns These include the role and importance of the general economic structure

of the community (whether it is diverse and to what degree it is

autonomous), agriculture, various food enterprises, and social structures

(patterns of race, class, poverty,informality, culture etc.).

5. Food organisation

patterns

Need to examine such patterns in both food-system and other food-

related organisations in the community. One also needs to assess the

linkages among them.

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ImplementationCommunication and Reporting

• The process of developing a Food System Strategy is essentially one of Food Regime Change and as such, there will be net losers in this process. – Need to allow those that are currently excluded from the system, or those that are unable to

access the system fully, greater access

• Process would result in tensions, rumour and misinformation (either deliberate or perceived) and as such an effective communication and reporting strategy is essential.

• Structures need to be established, from the outset, to ensure effective anddeliberate communication.

• Variety of stakeholders from various communities, cultures and organisations who all have a vested interest in the food system:– Media and publicity specialist to develop a communication strategy for all external

communications

– Set of discussions with the key stakeholders identified in this process

– Strategy would need to be devised to formally report on both the process but also on the lessons learnt in order to debate and discuss these

Strategy Step Detail

Inform decision-making processes – High Level Detail, specifics in other detailed projects

Conducting a needs assessment that compiles information on food access, food production, diet-related health trends, and other information to illustrate the current state of the food system as well as to identify opportunities for improvements.

Will include deliverables such as:

Food asset-mapping, land inventories and databases, sets of maps, recommendationsoutlining collaboration with public, private, and non-profit partners, and policies for land access and lease agreements.

Conduct a Community Food Assessment. The end result would be a detailed framework for action supported by a collection of regionally focussed and applicable data sets.

Agreed actions and accountable role players

Conduct Food System Stakeholder Mapping – Part of Process Initiation and Stakeholder Identification

There are a variety of stakeholders within the food system. This strategy has identified a set of stakeholders but there are far more present in the various communities.

A full audit of all such activities needs to be conducted so that there can be necessary representivity through the strategy development process. The mapping process would need to work at a variety of levels, one would be to innumerate all known service providers.

During that process, new providers will be identified and these would need to be drawn into the process

Document Food Support

Providers

– NGOs/FBOs/ECDs/

The detailing of all groups working to support food access and production. This would include

all groups deemed to be active in promoting food security

Document and map Food

Service Providers

- RETAIL/SPAZAs/etc

This group is made up of all commercial food providers, both at the distribution and retail level.

Retail level to include all formal retail outlets as well as all informal traders.

This mapping would list occasional and seasonal retailers. Included in this would also be all

farmstall and farmers markets.

Groups would need to be recorded in accordance with the various categories in which they

operate.

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Adopt an interdisciplinary and

interdepartmental approach

Critical to the effective development of a Food System Strategy is to ensure that the silos

present in municipal structures do no undermine the adoption of the strategy. Leadership

must ensure that structures/systems are in place to ensure interdisciplinary & inter-

departmental collaboration.

Conduct Food Security Assessment

(FANTA) or similar

Food security includes three fundamental elements: adequate food availability, adequate access

to food, and appropriate food utilization/consumption. Separate indicators and data collection

methods are needed to assess each element, and comparative data are useful to inform

decisions.

This needs to be carried out for what would be deemed a suitable, diverse and

representative sample with the region

Conduct Full Regional Nutritional

Review

While costly, understanding the nutritional status of the community of Stellenbosch is a critical

part of the process of understanding the nature of the food security situation.

Understanding the disaggregated nutritional status is critical is planning adequate and

appropriate responses to the needs of the region.

Consider Implementing Belo

Horizonte-type programmes

Review and consider the adoption of specific Belo Horizonte programmes within the food

system. Focus on Nutrition and Securing Food Access are critical and this model offers

significant opportunities – feeds into national food security plans

Conduct Food Mapping Exercise

Following detail by Ericksen the food system needs to be mapped to enable effective and clear

understanding of the system and interaction between components within the system,

including other components of the system such as nature, threats, water, ,etc. Overlay of other

maps


Support the local food economy

Recognition that local food and agriculture are components of economic development, and removing barriers to successful food businesses.

Farmer support in financing, business planning, site assembly, marketing, and transition planning (Specifically land reform farmers).

Seek to support reintroduction of on-farm sale services to facilitate on-farm direct marketing through regulations that allow and regulate this (specifically land reform beneficiaries) and appropriate siting of, and long-term access to off-farm food retail locations.

Local authorities need to establish preferential procurement policies for local food businesses, including farmers, processors, caterers, food service providers and local food distributors.

Local authorities take the initiative to sponsor farmers’ markets and CSA pick-up sites, buy local food on an ad hoc basis for special events, and make public land available for land reform initiatives, community gardens & urban farms.

Partner with the local school feeding schemes (as long as this does not hinder the schemes) or higher education institutions to start farm-to-school programs, which include nutrition education, food-focused curriculum, on-farm visits, and school gardens

Reduce or reuse food waste

Food waste is an often neglected part of the food system, much of which is still fit for consumption (evidenced by the success of the FoodBank initiative). Need to work with all actors within the food chain to establish a Stellenbosch FoodBank.

Composting is the most common way to reduce food waste and provide valuable inputs to local food production.

Address land reform

Land Reform in the region provides great opportunities to support a local food system strategy.

Utilisation of municipal commonage is seen as being a far better intervention than the conventional South African route of direct land reform – this requires urgent attention and action.

A critical aspect of the land reform challenge is that of tenure and rights to the land of farm workers residing on existing farms – A regional approach to this needs to be developed and enforced

Consider food and other community challenges

Food is the proverbial “canary in the coalmine”.

Food needs to be viewed as a multi-departmental and multi accountability (public & private) issue. Food is not just something that sits within the domain of the Department of Agriculture or the Food Security Directorate, emergency food packages cannot be seen as the responsibility of Social Development alone and medication cannot be seen as only the responsibility of health service workers.

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Constitute a Food System

Steering Committee

It is essential that a body is convened and directed to take overall accountability for the entire management of the Food System.

Responsibility of managing the food system strategy needs to be carefully thought out, correctly resourced, effectively empowered, and led in a non- partisan and non-political manner.

Authorities need to appreciate that the primary role is long term food system sustainability and not immediate band-aiding of the food system.

A three stage process is proposed:

Stage 1 – Conceptualisation and consultation

Stage 2 – Structure and Leadership

Stage 3 – Implementation

Establish a Communication and

Reporting Strategy

Effective and clear communication of the process is essential.

Requires the establishment of an effective communication and reporting strategy to ensure that all in the region are informed and participate in the process.

Process …

This is a draft:

The intention is to provide a resource, informed by preliminary research, the would provoke a new and innovative way of understanding food security, the sustainability of the food system and the agricultural system.

The hope is that this will now be owned by the Stellenbosch community who will then imagine and craft their own food future …

Bio

regi

on

al L

imit

s

Tech

no

logi

cal L

imit

s &

Ch

ange

Mu

lti-

scal

ar D

ynam

ics Consumption

Institutionalisation

Design

Desire/Aspirations

Beliefs/Entitlement

Politics

Food System Dynamics and Conceptualisation

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Thank you

Documents

Stellenbosch Food Security Projectblogs.sun.ac.za/fsi/files/2011/04/Stellenbosch-Food... · 2011. 8. 30. · vermitea Yes, used extensiv ely, particul arly in the conversi on stages