South Africa’s food security has plummeted to its lowest levels in over a decade, as outlined in the South African Food Security Index 2024 compiled by economists at the University of Stellenbosch. Image: AI lab
South African corporates and Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) are playing a highly important role of alleviating hunger in South Africa as one in four children face hunger and food security in the country is at its lowest point in over a decade.
South Africa’s food security has plummeted to its lowest levels in over a decade, as outlined in the South African Food Security Index 2024 compiled by economists at the University of Stellenbosch.
The Index, which peaked at 64.9 in 2019, has dropped to a disheartening 45.3 in 2023, reflecting a serious surge in food insecurity across the nation.
Approximately 12% of children in South Africa (nearly 2.6 million) face hunger, according to Tiger Brands.
Sanjeev Raghubir, the chief sustainability officer for the Shoprite Group, highlighted that child hunger remains a particularly concerning issue.
“As many as one in four children are growth-stunted – a number which is especially alarming given the country’s overall level of economic development,” Raghubir remarked.
Disparities in food security manifest starkly across different demographics and regions. Findings reveal that one in four of the poorest households reported that children in their homes went hungry last year.
The report was released on World Food Day on Wednesday. The theme of World Food Day 2024 is, “Right to Foods for a Better Life and a Better Future.”
Providing a lifeline to many vulnerable people, here is what some companies and NGOs are doing:
Shoprite: Shoprite Group aims to make food affordable and accessible to its price-sensitive customers. It says it will continue to fight hunger by offering the lowest possible prices in our Shoprite and USave stores, alongside an extensive surplus food donation programme, a fleet of mobile soup kitchens, and community food garden initiatives.
Standard Bank in partnership with HelloChoice: OneFarm Share programme is a flagship initiative designed to sustainably tackle food insecurity and improve agri-food system resilience. Recently, the programme reached its 100 millionth meal milestone, an achievement that reflects the tireless efforts of South African farmers, donors, and beneficiaries who have partnered to feed the most vulnerable in the country.
OneFarm Share has facilitated the distribution of over 25 million kilogrammes of fresh produce across South Africa. These contributions have helped feed 1.2 million people on a regular basis, including children, families, and communities suffering from food insecurity. The programme’s success can be attributed to the collective 690 produce contributors, its core distribution partners including SA Harvest, FoodForwardSA and Gift of the Givers, and the generosity of its corporate, NGOs and Development Finance Institution donors.
Fair Cape Dairies and SA Harvest. It said this week was proud to announce SA Harvest as their exclusive beneficiary for donations of short-dated products, solidifying their commitment to sustainability and social responsibility. This partnership is an extension of Fair Cape’s sustainability pillars, which focus on three main areas: animal welfare, social welfare, and environmental welfare. World Food Day 2024 also coincides with SA Harvest’s fifth anniversary and its celebration of 76 million meals delivered and 19 million kilograms of food rescued.
Tiger Brands Foundation: Its mission to ensure that every learner in vulnerable communities has access to a warm and nutritious meal. The Foundation provides a hot and nutritious, in-school breakfast meal every school day to thousands of learners across South Africa. This programme complements the National School Nutrition Programme -a government initiative that provides breakfast and lunch to all learners in primary and secondary schools across the country.
The Tiger Brands Foundation, through its partnership with the Department of Education, works to improve malnutrition in South Africa’s school-going youth by providing a robust and quality in-school nutrition programme that includes breakfast and lunch, by 2035.
Afrika Tikkun: This leading youth development organisation, celebrates the success of its Garden-to-Kindergarten (G2K) and Agripreneurship Programmes.
At its five Centres of Excellence, each child receives between 1 and 3 nutritious meals a day depending on their registered programme. In addition, through the G2K initiative, an understanding of and love for planting vegetables is cultivated for children (aged 2-6 years) in the Bambanani Childhood Development programme. They are also educated about nutrition and the importance of healthy eating.
Moreover, through the Agripreneurship programme, young graduates are groomed to become future agricultural leaders by completing the 12-month training and inadvertently contributing to local food production. With a pressing need to address hunger, poverty, and food scarcity in the country, these young agripreneurs are a beacon of hope, having gained the skills necessary to foster food security and build sustainable micro-enterprises in the agricultural sector.
The Agripreneurship programme is currently operational in Diepsloot, Sasolburg and Empangeni in northern KwaZulu-Natal, with a total of 188 active candidates.
Yassir: In celebration of World Food Day, Yassir has donated food and essential groceries valued at R10000 to Ma Julie’s NGO, an organisation that cares for 43 children aged 0 to 5. This initiative is part of Yassir's ongoing commitment to giving back to the community and fighting hunger.
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