Global Forum on Food Security and Nutrition (FSN Forum)

Input made by the Food Security team in the Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development. 

Introduction: Urbanisation is an inevitable trend seen across the world, and it could be lessened by providing adequate livelihood opportunities and public services for rural populations, and by collectively building resilient agricultural sector in the face of climate change.

Urban and peri urban food systems could be improved by:

• Coordinating the role of different actors involved in governing urban food systems, this could be achieved by establishing the Food and Nutrition Security Councils that will stakeholders accountable.
• Peri-urban agriculture plays a role in generating food system conditions that can enhance food security thus the economy. However, this land is under considerable development pressure. It is therefore important for local government to pro-actively include food production and the food system in land-use decision making in order to strengthen urban and peri-urban food systems.
• Provision of adequate climate smart support and training to (peri-)urban farmers is also important in improving their production and they must be empowered with resources across the entire food systems’ value chains.

• Facilitating rural transformation, inclusive, sustainable and competitive value chains can be achieved through improving the following:

• Food and agricultural hubs in or near rural and peri-urban markets must be established to absorb the produce of household, smallholder and micro farmers and agribusinesses and agro-processors; and
• Market stimulation for smallholder producers to participate in local value chains
• Improved policy environment to enhance participation of small holder producers in local food value-chains.

• Community land and water food administration systems must be established to facilitate equitable access to quality water, energy, infrastructure, food safety for rural and urban communities.
• Balance should be maintained between domestic production and food exports to strengthen the food system and its resilience; and
• Food system aggregators must be established in the villages, rural towns and townships to ensure sufficient throughput of the products and services from schools in the villages, community production centres, household and smallholder producers at the desired quality on a sustainable basis.

In conclusion:

• Transformation of the rural economy is essential for growth, poverty reduction, employment creation and overcoming inequalities.
• Greater focus should on raising the productivity of smallholder producers as a way of increasing local access to nutritious foods.
• Focusing on local value food chains increases employment opportunities and reduces dependence on imports and migration to urban areas for job opportunities.