In its fourth CSI That Works breakfast on 25 June 2014 in Johannesburg, FirstRand Foundation shared its research findings collated from a desktop survey and several case studies on food security programmes entitled: the ‘South African Food Security Paradox’. FirstRand Limited chief executive officer, Sizwe Nxasana, expressed the view that ‘knowledge-sharing among public and private sector as well as civil society will enhance collective efforts to alleviate food insecurity in the country’.
 
“Food security is a multi-faceted challenge which is not simply a matter of ensuring that every citizen has access to food. A weakening economy, job losses and rising food costs undoubtedly exacerbate the plight of poverty-stricken households who already battle to maintain their daily food basket.  We need to draw from interventions designed to alleviate food (in)security and apply best practice to ensure that we effectively reduce the number of people suffering from hunger or malnutrition, as well as those who are at risk,” said Nxasana.
 
Key objectives of the research study included: 

• An assessment of the state of food insecurity in urban and rural areas and its implications on business, the economy and society;
• A review of government’s response and interventions to improve food security in the country;
• An evaluation of current initiatives promoting agriculture, food security and livelihoods; and
• The identification of emerging opportunities for high-impact corporate social investment (CSI) in eliminating food insecurity in the country.

Nxasana explained the importance of the research: “In order for us to create and implement sustainable solutions, we need to understand why chronic food insecurity persists for 57 percent of the population while South Africa produces adequate food to feed the entire population¹.
 
Improving the effectiveness of the of school feeding programmes will play an integral role in alleviating this burden as they give children from poor communities the opportunity to access food while simultaneously acquiring an education.
 
What is encouraging though, according to Nxasana, is that the high rate of urbanisation has not resulted in the decline of subsistence agriculture as a livelihood option for rural communities – an option that enhances access to food as well as the opportunity to earn an income². However, reliance on social grants to supplement livelihoods remains a stark reality in rural areas³  and urbanisation has put additional strain on housing, health and provision of energy, water and waste management services.
 
The research indicates that in both rural and urban communities, food gardens are still being developed as a means to contribute to household food security. But while most mothers and grandmothers are involved in food production, there are only limited skills training opportunities for women seeking to formalise their involvement in farming.

There are still many prospects for donors to partner with small-scale farmers on the food supply chain and to assist them with access to markets. And while government has made an immense effort to enact various pieces of legislation to address food security, major challenges in the agricultural sector still remain.
 
In 2013, the country’s total CSI spend amounted to R7.8 billion of which R468 million was allocated to food security and agriculture: 35 percent was channelled towards food relief and feeding schemes, 29 percent on subsistence farming, 18 percent of small-scale farming and commercial agriculture, 15 percent on infrastructure, facilities and equipment and two percent on various donations.
 
The research study revealed key learnings and proposed actions for the implementation of CSI interventions in agriculture and food security: 

• Shift funding from food relief programmes to training and skills development interventions;
• Promote initiatives that promote gender equity in agriculture and the food security sector;
• Support the design and implementation of educational programmes linked to community development;
• Support the use of technology in improving monitoring and evaluation of food security programmes;
• Engage in structured public-private partnerships to optimise impact; and
• Support small-scale commercial farmers linked to the business supply chain. 

“At the FirstRand Foundation, we recognise that the magnitude of the issue of food security demands effective public-private partnerships to pool resources and expertise, to increase efficiency in implementing programmes aimed at alleviating food insecurity in the country,” offered Nxasana.
 
Food Security panelists included Kelvin Glen, director of the Tiger Brands Foundation, Rob Small founder of the Farm & Garden National Trust, and Dr Danny Simatele from University of the Witwatersrand.

[1] South African National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (SANHANES-1), 2013.
[2] Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC). 2004. Food Security in South Africa: Key policy issues for the medium term. Position Paper. (http://www.hsrc.ac.za/research/outputDocuments/2394_DeKlerk_FoodSecurityinSA.pdf
[3] de Klerk et al., 2004. Food Security in South Africa: Key Policy Issues for the Medium Term. Position Paper: Human Sciences Research Council.