World Food Day October 2023 Edition

16 OCTOBER 2023

WORLD FOOD DAY

WATER IS LIFE, WATER IS FOOD Inside: HARVESTED RAINWATER FOR FOOD PRODUCTION | FOUR FOODS FOR BETTER NUTRITION | WATER MANAGEMENT | AGRI SECTOR UPSKILLING | SMART TECHNOLOGIES

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A DV ER T ORI A L OMNI AGRICULT URE

INNOVATION ANCHORED IN COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT Fostering the collective to create a more sustainable sector and contribute to solving food insecurity is the way forward for agriculture in Africa, writes MANDLA MPOFU, managing director at Omnia Agriculture

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frica will one day feed the world – and that day is fast approaching.

This isn’t just my opinion; it’s one that was shared earlier this year at the World Economic Forum’s annual meeting in Davos, alongside calls to protect and enhance the continent’s agricultural capabilities.

Through new technology, fertilizer innovation, the protection of biodiversity and, of course, creating the next generation of forward-thinking African farmers, we can be leaders in combatting the food insecurity that effects 2.4 billion people across the world.

It’s no secret that shifting agricultural ways of working will be central to solving Africa’s own chronic food insecurity. But we need to think bigger and recognise that with the right fiscal policies, technological and infrastructural

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development, and embedded sustainable practices, the African agriculture landscape can meet its enormous potential.

The theme for this year’s World Food Day has a keen focus on water, stating categorically that this precious resource is life, is food, and that no one should be left behind. At Omnia, our agricultural products are designed with resource scarcity in mind. Because if we want to prevent the one-third of all food produced being squandered globally every year, we need to ensure that our role in the agricultural supply chain minimises this terrible wastefulness.

That means producing biostimulants that enhance nutrient use efficiency and improve soil structure over time, providing the agri-tech solutions, such as irrigation scheduling that saves crops, and offering our farming partners

the satellite imaging technology to predict drought cycles, transform yield patterns and reduce the overall use of nutrients, water and pesticides.

DEVELOPMENT AND SUPPORT But our work must go beyond scientific innovation and help foster the collective to create a more sustainable sector. Through mentoring, budgeting, production planning, input financing, grain market assistance and simply maintaining regular in-person contact, we have seen the impact of this feet-on-the-farm approach.

This is what informed our most recent partnership with Afrika Tikkun, the transformative development agency whose name has become synonymous with purposeful, youth-focused work.

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OMNI AGRICULT URE A DV ER T ORI A L

THROUGH A TRAINING PROGRAMME FOR NEW FARMERS, WE AIM TO BUILD EMPLOYMENT ACROSS THE FULL AGRICULTURAL VALUE CHAIN. THE WORLD BANK’S FOOD SECURITY UPDATE RE

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Through a training programme for new farmers, we aim to build employment across the full agricultural value chain – from farming to packing shed to retail and distribution – stimulating local economies and helping build new infrastructure and restore existing equipment.

Images: Supplied

BUILDING SELF-SUFFICIENCY This will begin with practical skills (on-farm) training, including seedling and crop production, agri-construction, value-adding, and agri-processing. By working with the student population, we want to help make them the future leaders of farm design, retail, and distribution programmes – building a more holistic generation of farmers who recognise their importance in the sector.

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This initiative goes hand-in-hand with our initial sponsorship of R1.5-million to the Great North Business Incubator, which established the Zamdela Food Gardens project. With 10 community gardens already established, 120 people employed, and ongoing business and marketing training, the Zamdela team is helping to address food insecurity by instilling the values of self-sufficiency. Through such initiatives, we will continue to drive innovation, and support healthy, educated and resilient communities.

This renewed sense of purpose has become inextricably linked with our global strategy, providing us with a roadmap to our goal of enabling a positive impact on people and the planet.

OUR MISSION IS TO PROVIDE CONTINUOUS INDIVIDUAL SUPPORT AT A FARM LEVEL, ENABLING NEW FARMING OPERATIONS TO FACILITATE LONG-TERM GROWTH – SUSTAINABLY.

For more information: www.omnia.co.za

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A DV ER T ORI A L NES T L É

Celebrate World Food Day with Nestlé A journey towards sustainable living and nutrition with NESTLÉ

medical conferences, presenting our nutritional research and innovative approaches to treating or preventing medical conditions. The Nestlé Nutrition Institute fosters discussions among healthcare professionals and collaborates with institutions, such as the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University, creating valuable resources like the Global Nutrition and Health Atlas.

Guiding responsible consumption is a priority.

We offer information and services to help individuals make informed food choices as part of a balanced diet. This includes responsible marketing practices, nutrition education programmes, and initiatives such as Nestlé for Healthier Kids.

FOCUS ON THE ENVIRONMENT

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n the spirit of World Food Day, Nestlé is embarking on an enlightening journey towards a brighter, more sustainable future.

At Nestlé, we believe that good nutrition is fundamental to the health and wellbeing of every individual. A balanced diet should be accessible, affordable and sustainable, providing all the necessary nutrients and hydration required for a healthy life at every stage.

EMPOWERING BILLIONS THROUGH BALANCED SUSTAINABLE DIETS AND ACCESSIBILITY Nestlé’s commitment to nutritious and balanced diets is reflected in our diverse portfolio, catering to various life stages and needs. From maternal and infant nutrition to healthy ageing, plant-based products, and even pet care, we strive to make tasty and balanced diets accessible to billions of people worldwide.

We recognise that food and good nutrition are essential for individual wellbeing and integral to cultural identities and our planet’s health. Nestlé has taken a pioneering step by publishing the nutritional value of its entire global portfolio of foods and beverages using the Health Star Rating system.

This nutrient profiling system, used on front-of-pack nutrition labels in some countries, aligns with the Access to Nutrition Initiative’s objectives. Additionally, Nestlé is diligently reporting on the proportion of its specialised nutrition offerings, encompassing products from the Nutrition, Nestlé Health Science, and PetCare businesses.

Accessibility and affordability are paramount.

We are dedicated to helping consumers access

affordable, nutritious products by fortifying regularly consumed items with essential micronutrients that are often lacking in people’s diets.

We consistently improve the nutritional profiles of our products by incorporating more whole grains, proteins and fibres while reducing sugars, sodium and saturated fats – without compromising on taste. Our numerous plant-based innovations offer tasty, nutritious and sustainable options for consumers worldwide.

Lowering sugar and sodium content is an essential part of our mission to enhance the overall nutritional value of our products. We have pledged to reduce sodium in frequently consumed items by 2025, aligning with the World Health Organization’s Global Sodium Benchmarks. We are also actively exploring new sugar-reduction technologies to improve our products further.

Our Nestlé for Healthier Kids programme brings together efforts to support parents and caregivers in raising healthier children. It promotes healthy eating and lifestyle habits for children aged 3 to 12, spreading awareness about the importance of proper nutrition and sustainable living.

Transparency is key to building trust with our consumers. The Health Star Rating system rates our products based on various nutritional components, offering a comprehensive view of their healthiness.

As part of our commitment to a sustainable future, we are pioneering regenerative agriculture.

This approach aims to improve soil health and fertility while protecting water resources and biodiversity. We are planting trees, enhancing biodiversity, optimising water use and promoting sustainable farming practices, with a focus on collective and landscape actions.

Nestlé Waters is actively engaged in water stewardship efforts to conserve water resources globally. This includes saving water, protecting natural water sources, sharing knowledge, contributing to communities and certifying all sites to the Alliance for Water Stewardship Standard by 2025.

We recognise the urgency of addressing climate change and its impacts on water availability and biodiversity. Nestlé is working with partners throughout our supply chain to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Our goal is to achieve net zero emissions, with a particular focus on carbon reductions, removals and neutrality.

Nestlé is committed to creating shared value for communities, consumers and our planet.

As we celebrate World Food Day, let’s take steps together to nourish our world and promote sustainable living. Together, we can make a difference.

Visit Nestlé’s website for more information on our sustainability initiatives and commitments – Good Food, Good Life | Nestle ESAR (nestle-esar.com) NESTLÉ

SHARING KNOWLEDGE We are dedicated to advancing the field of nutrition through sharing our research with the scientific community. Nestlé Health Science hosts

WE ARE DEDICATED TO HELPING CONSUMERS ACCESS AFFORDABLE, NUTRITIOUS PRODUCTS

BY FORTIFYING REGULARLY CONSUMED ITEMS WITH ESSENTIAL MICRONUTRIENTS. 2

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F ROM T HE EDI T OR

WORLD FOOD DAY www.businessmediamags.co.za

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Picasso Headline, A proud division of Arena Holdings (Pty) Ltd Hill on Empire, 16 Empire Road (cnr Hillside Road), Parktown, Johannesburg, 2193 PO Box 12500, Mill Street, Cape Town, 8010 www.businessmediamags.co.za

EDITORIAL Editor: Lindi Botha Content Manager: Raina Julies rainaj@picasso.co.za Contributors: Carin Bosman, Lindi Botha, Mmatlou Kalaba, Florian Kroll, Ben Leyke, Maseo Nethanani, Endy Senyatsi, Elriza Theron Copy Editor: Anthony Sharpe Content Co-ordinator: Natasha Maneveldt Digital Editor: Stacey Visser vissers@businessmediamags.co.za

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SALES

Water is life, water is food

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he ability of a country to feed itself goes beyond just producing enough food. Food insecurity results from a combination of a lack of available food and the funds with which to buy it. A thriving agricultural sector therefore plays an immensely important role in food security as it provides a more stable supply of food than imports can, along with crucial job opportunities across a rural and often remote landscape. With greater value chains for agricultural inputs in place, household farmers are also in a better position to access the inputs they need to grow their own food.

Underlining this value is the Statistics South Africa (Stats SA) data showing that inadequate food intake is more prominent among urban households than rural households.

Up to 2019, Stats SA’s General Household Surveys showed significant improvement in food access over time. Unfortunately, the trend has reversed since the COVID-19 pandemic, with both the “hunger” and “limited food access” indicators worsening. If we couple this trend

Contents

Project Manager: Jerome van der Merwe Jeromem@picasso.co.za | +27 21 469 2485 +27 820 668 1496 Sales: Frank Simons

13 FOOD SECURITY Smart technologies and practices can make our precious water reserves go further

The drivers of food security are within our reach but must be prioritised

18 FOOD ECONOMY

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RAINWATER

MANAGEMENT

The solution to water supply issues is falling

Management Accountant: Deidre Musha Business Manager: Lodewyk van der Walt General Manager, Magazines: Jocelyne Bayer

from the sky

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DIET A new look at traditional staples for better nutrition

10 WATER MANAGEMENT Copyright: Picasso Headline.

No portion of this magazine may be reproduced in any form without written consent of the publisher.

The publisher is not responsible for unsolicited material.

World Food Day is published by Picasso Headline.

The opinions expressed are not necessarily those of Picasso Headline. All advertisements/advertorials have been paid for and therefore do not carry any endorsement by the publisher.

Lindi Botha Editor

15 POLICY

PRODUCTION Production Editor: Shamiela Brenner Advertising Co-ordinator: Johan Labuschagne Subscriptions and Distribution: Fatima Dramat, fatimad@picasso.co.za Printer: CTP Printers, Cape Town

with statistics on water availability – a required ingredient for food production – the outlook for food security becomes even bleaker.

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) states that freshwater resources per person have declined 20 per cent in the past two decades. Water availability and quality are deteriorating fast due to poor management, over-extraction of groundwater, pollution and climate change. If we continue on the current path, we risk stretching this precious resource to the point of no return, obliterating our ability to produce food.

As we observe World Food Day this year, we focus on the FAO’s theme of “Water is life, water is food”. We look at issues affecting water in South Africa, and how water can be better managed. We also feature new solutions to overcoming food insecurity. Ultimately, we all have a part to play in preserving water, lest we be left with empty glasses and plates.

Better water management begins

South Africa faces a food crisis rooted in an unsustainable and unjust food economy

19 NUTRITION How to get more bang for your meal buck

Read more about the gaps in the agri-sector that needs to be addressed to ensure stable food production continues.

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with knowledge

11 HUMAN RESOURCES Human capital investments will cement food security

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A DV ER T ORI A L M C CA IN S OU T H A F RICA

essential nutrients and fostering beneficial micro-organisms. Moreover, these practices fortify soil water retention capabilities and mitigate vulnerabilities associated with droughts and extreme weather events. They also actively promote biodiversity within farming ecosystems, creating environments that facilitate pollinators and natural pest control, ultimately boosting adaptability, resilience and output.

Potatoes grown on McCain South Africa’s recently launched Farm of the Future Africa, situated in Lichtenburg, North West.

POTATO POWER

Regenerative agriculture and the rise of South African food security.

By McCAIN SOUTH AFRICA

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outh Africa has made great strides in improving its food security score, rising from 57.8/100 to 61.7/100. While the country excels in food quality and safety, its weakest aspect, according to the 2022 Global Food Security Index, is sustainability and adaptation.

Research reveals that South Africa has effectively maintained a strong emphasis on food safety and the provision of nutritionally rich products for consumers. However, it faces challenges in safeguarding and managing its ecological assets, including agricultural water sources, oceans, rivers and lakes. Additionally, South Africa contends with issues related to inadequate food supply and production fluctuations, which have significantly impacted overall food certainty over time. Could the solution, at least in part, involve embracing the ever-humble potato and adopting sustainable agricultural practices to cultivate more of them?

POTATOES FOR THE WIN

leaving no room for doubt that a fundamental transformation in our food systems is imperative.

Our dedicated farmers bear the brunt of these challenges daily. They stand on the front lines, confronting the adverse effects of climate change, extreme weather events and several other pressures, including pests, diseases, energy security concerns, escalating fuel and input costs and complex logistical hurdles.

POTATOES REIMAGINED Regenerative agriculture, in its essence, encompasses an ecosystem-based approach to farming that strives to enhance farm resilience, yield and quality by improving soil health and biodiversity, while reducing the impact of synthetic inputs. This method aims to foster increased production while upholding sustainability principles.

Specific techniques, such as cover cropping, crop rotation and reduced tillage, breathe new life into the soil, enriching it with

EXPLORING REGENERATIVE AGRICULTURE PUSHES THE BOUNDARIES OF AGRONOMIC RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT, PROVIDING A UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY TO ADVANCE KNOWLEDGE WITHIN THE FIELD. 6

OUTH AFR NS IC AI

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Potatoes, renowned for their nutrient-rich profile and versatile culinary applications, have long served as a cornerstone of South African diets.

They feature not only in fresh produce, but also in an array of frozen food products and appetisers, savoured at family mealtimes and in restaurants and other establishments across the country. The vegetable, abundant in essential vitamins, minerals and dietary fibre, constitutes a vital source of nourishment and satiety for a nation currently grappling with ongoing food insecurity and malnutrition.

In today’s reality, locally and globally, supply chains are stretched to their limits,

Unathi Mhlatyana, managing director, McCain South Africa, with a heart-shaped potato.

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NO SMALL POTATOES

In addition to environmental benefits, exploring regenerative agriculture pushes the boundaries of agronomic research and development, providing a unique opportunity to advance knowledge within the field and find innovative ways to bolster security of supply. This also creates employment and forges diverse career paths for local youth, aiding the expansion of South Africa’s agricultural industry, one of the nation’s largest economic contributors.

By fostering long-term farm competitiveness and climate change adaptation, farmer livelihoods are subsequently improved through increased productivity and profitability. This ripple effect extends seamlessly from agro-processing and retail to hospitality and food services, and even the dynamic informal economy, constituting approximately six per cent of SA’s gross domestic product.

Regenerative agriculture signifies an avenue of considerable promise as a way to enhance food security, promote sustainability and augment profitability within the South African potato industry. The adoption of these practices advances agricultural enterprises and signifies a commitment to addressing broader societal and environmental imperatives. As we delve deeper into regenerative agriculture, we find a path that not only strengthens the potato sector, but also contributes to a future where sustainable food production and environmental stewardship go hand in hand, nurturing the land and the communities it sustains.

For more information: www.mccain.co.za

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Harvested rainwater: maximising benefits for food production The solution to water supply issues is falling from the sky, writes ENDY SENYATSI

“We had a proper irrigation system when we started, pumping water from a borehole, but it was all stolen. Now we have to rely on water from the river, the quantity and quality of which is affected by rain.”

Seloana laments that water provision is a headache, but reiterates that they are fortunate their farm is situated close to a river, meaning they don’t need to invest in tanks for storing rainwater. However, with rainfall patterns becoming more erratic, funding for tanks will be needed to keep production consistent throughout the year.

Supplementing supply

Tanks for storing harvested rainwater can play a big role in ensuring continuous food production in poor households.

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R A IN WAT ER

ith inadequate water supply topping the list of challenges for both small-scale and commercial farmers, agriculturalists are hoping for more rainy days to enable them to bank harvested rainwater to see them through.

Since South Africa is a fundamentally semi-arid and water-scarce country, water security is of increasing concern. The problem is exacerbated by droughts, climate change, over-allocated water, low water quality and ageing infrastructure. Rainwater harvesting has therefore been identified by researchers as an alternative, improved water source, along with protected dug wells, boreholes and standpipes, for provision of water directly to households and farmers. As a result, rainwater harvesting will become a vital practice to keep people alive, especially as growing food demands will require more water to keep plates full.

The Water Research Commission (WRC) states that domestic rainwater harvesting has the potential to improve food security since rainwater tanks could provide water to keep

Gravity-fed irrigation from water tanks is an affordable way to irrigate crops on small or subsistence farms.

domestic food production for subsistence and small-scale farmers going right through the year.

Harvesting rainwater offers further benefits.

It reduces soil erosion, storm-water run-off, flooding, and pollution of surface water with fertilisers, pesticides, metals and other sediments. It is a superior source of water for landscape irrigation, with no chemicals, dissolved salts or minerals. As such, the WRC reports that as of the last census in 2010, 55 000 households were utilising a rainwater tank on site as their main source for water.

From rain to river Aspiring commercial farmer Fancy Seloana, from Ga-Mampuru village in Burgersfort, understands the importance of having access to rainwater to run a business. She plants a variety of vegetables on a three-hectare farm.

In 2012 she established Re ka Leka Primary Co-operative with 14 other women with the hope of penetrating the produce market, providing spinach, butternut, onions and sugar beans. Little did she know that a shortage of water supply would hinder the farming process.

“Understanding opportunities for collecting, storing and conserving water is vital for improving the contribution of agriculture to household food security.” – Nomakaya Monde

Idah Mamphindeni, environmentalist at sustainability consultancy ERM, states that rainwater harvesting is the best alternative to deal with inadequate supply of water. “We can only overcome erratic rain by harvesting every drop of water we get. If we use our own water supply in this way, it also takes strain off the municipality’s water supply.”

University of Fort Hare researcher Nomakaya Monde references a study he conducted in the villages of Khayalethu and Guquka in the Eastern Cape, where it was found that households relied on bought food as their main food security strategy since crop failure incidence was high due to erratic rainfall.

“Understanding opportunities for collecting, storing and conserving water is therefore vital for improving the contribution of agriculture to household food security, especially since 69 per cent of the area’s rain falls between October and March. Rainwater harvesting can therefore play an integral role in seeing them through the dry months.”

Water-wise practices Mamphindeni notes that when looking at food security, the changing climate should be viewed in terms of all the complications it brings, not just less water. “Farmers need to consider the crops they plant in terms of the water availability. There are those that can better cope with less water and so provide food even when tanks are running low.”

In addition to drought-resistant crops, research has also shown that moisture conservation practices can stretch harvested rainwater even further to provide better yields in food crops. Monde says that effective moisture conservation by mulching in croplands, and brush in rangelands, is vital. “Micro-catchments ensure the collection of the water, while mulch or brush reduces evapotranspiration, bringing far greater benefits.”

The study of rainwater harvesting for agricultural irrigation has become a crucial line of research with increasing relevance to ensure food security. The benefits are unquestionable, which begs the question: If you are not harvesting rainwater, why not?

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A new look at traditional staples for better nutrition The answers to a cost-effective, nutrient-packed diet may be closer than we think, writes Lindi Botha

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alnutrition and obesity make odd companions, yet they go hand in hand when nutrient-dense food comes at a higher price than low-nutrition high-calorie foods. According to the Global Nutrition Report, 30 per cent of South Africans are obese, while 15 per cent have inadequate access to food and 6 per cent are malnourished.

Solving food insecurity goes beyond just filling hungry stomachs, needing to address nutrition as well. However, with research pointing to familiar foods, it appears that solutions are on our doorstep. We look at four foods that are light on the wallet but pack a nutritious punch.

Soya beans Although not new, the stigma attached to soya beans has left them at the bottom of the grocery list. South Africa produces nearly 2 million tonnes of soya beans annually, of which the majority are used for animal feed and only around 3 per cent for human consumption. Yet, the beans can go a long way towards ensuring healthy, nutritious and low-cost diets. They contain around the same protein content as meat – 43 per cent – and all nine amino acids that make for a complete protein. Other legumes, for example, contain a maximum of 24 per cent protein and only some of the amino acids.

Understanding this value, Jannie Cloete, founder of Oja! Farms, is aiming to make soya beans a staple at every meal. Started in 2017, Oja! Farms produces a range of products including dry beans, snack bars and beans covered in various coatings like chocolate and yoghurt.

The key, says Cloete, is in how the beans are processed. “Most soya bean products are made from the cake that remains after the beans have been crushed, and the oil and hull removed.

The resulting powders and flakes are rather unpalatable and have contributed to the negative stigma around soya beans.”

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Cloete realised that if the beans were processed differently, the flavour could be vastly improved. One of the obstacles to producing soya bean products is that the legume contains antitrypsin protein, which the human stomach can’t digest unless it is heat processed at 150°C. Roasting beans at such a high heat renders them dark, bitter and unpalatable. Cloete thus developed a process where the beans are roasted in a microwave whole, giving them a nutty flavour. “You can break the bean after it has been processed and the nutty flavour will remain, but if you crush it before, you get that metallic flavour that puts people off.”

Oja! Farms has rolled out a range of meal bars and dry soya beans that can be added to virtually any meal, since the beans are somewhat flavourless and take on the flavour of the rest of the dish. This means they can be added to anything from chakalaka to soups and stews to make an affordable, nutritious meal.

Moringa

Moringa has made its way up the superfood list over the last few years, and with more studies showing its benefits in a healthy diet, this tree presents a good case for solving nutrient deficiencies.

Moringa is often described as a miracle tree due to its impressive range of medicinal uses and high nutritional value, including vitamin B6, vitamin C, riboflavin and iron. Given these qualities, it is considered to have high potential in combating malnutrition.

Will Coetsee, managing director of Botanica Natural Products, has been running community upliftment projects in Limpopo since 2009, where moringa trees are cultivated and their leaves turned into food supplements.

South Africa produces nearly 2 million tonnes of soya beans annually, of which the majority are used for animal feed and only around 3 per cent for human consumption.

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He says that while animal protein is usually considered a necessity in addressing malnutrition, moringa has the nine essential amino acids in addition to containing 30 per cent protein, making the plant a good substitute for animal products.

The leaves can be dried and eaten as is, and if turned into a powder can easily be added to meals and drinks without altering their taste.

In a study conducted by the University of KwaZulu-Natal in 2017, children aged seven to twelve years old were assessed for food and nutrition status before and after receiving a moringa supplement. The study found that by adding just 3 per cent moringa power to a maize meal porridge breakfast, the intake of essential nutrients rose drastically. “At this rate the flavour of the porridge is not altered and presents an affordable method to reduce malnutrition,” says researcher Linda Ntila.

Coetsee adds that the relatively easy cultivation of the trees, and the fact that they are fully grown within only five years, bodes well for poorer communities to cultivate them on their doorsteps. “There is also a market for the leaves, which can be regularly harvested, resulting in both an income stream and a personal source of nutrition.”

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Bambara groundnut

The Bambara groundnut is a grain legume grown mainly by subsistence farmers in sub-Saharan Africa, but which has the potential to serve far more people if it can be commercialised, especially since it has the double purpose of being good for people and planet.

Knorr has been championing indigenous foods in their list of Future 50 Foods for a Healthier Planet. Dorothy Shaver, registered dietitian at Knorr, says that Bambara nuts are drought resistant, and can be cultivated in relatively poor soils and dry, arid areas. They are also nitrogen fixers, so they benefit the soil.

“They are a source of dietary protein, about 19 per cent, as well as 63 per cent carbohydrate and 6.5 per cent fat. Although they have a lower protein content than peanuts, bambara groundnut seeds are richer in essential amino acids such as isoleucine, leucine, lysine, methionine, phenylalanine, threonine and valine.”

The mature dry seeds are boiled and eaten as a pulse, ground into flour to make cakes and breads, and used as an animal feed.

Food group

Recommended meal composition

Actual meal composition

Vegetables

33 per cent

13 per cent

Starch

32 per cent

41 per cent

Dairy

15 per cent

10 per cent

Meat

12 per cent

26 per cent

Fats and oils

8 per cent

10 per cent

Source: Knorr study: Understanding the eating habits of the South African population

Milk As new trends focus on nut milks and away from animal products, milk’s prestige as a vital food source has dimmed. Nevertheless, since the beginning of time, milk has played an essential role in a complete diet, one that is not easily replaced by alternative foods.

When looking at the composition of milk, researchers recently discovered that the whole is greater than the sum of all parts. This complex interaction of nutrients in the dairy product is termed the “milk matrix”. Dietician Marinda Venter explains that the unique combination of nutrients and bioactive factors in milk, along with how they interact with each other in the dairy matrix, combines to produce the overall effect on health. “We’ve seen that the effect of one attribute is likely dependent on the combination of other attributes contained in the whole food.

This is why we can’t simply replace milk with supplements containing the same nutrients and expect the same result.

“For example, for some dairy products, the presence of salt and saturated fat can actually aid health, rather than work against it, as would be the case if that same salt or fat was consumed on its own.”

Milk and dairy products are broadly recommended as part of healthy eating patterns. The key role they play in human nutrition, health and development throughout life is generally attributed to their nutrient richness, since dairy is an excellent source of calcium, vitamins B2 and B12, high-quality protein and iodine, as well as being rich in magnesium, potassium and various fatty acids.

But since dairy foods come in many different forms, they all have their own physical matrices.

Venter notes that although cheese has a high micro-nutrient composition is more similar to that of yoghurt and milk than to that of butter when looking at protein, vitamins and minerals, in variable amounts. “Many people associate milk and dairy with calcium and bone building, but dairy offers much more extensive nutritional benefits and is linked to a variety of positive health effects. Research has shown that increased dairy consumption can protect against weight gain and obesity. It can also significantly reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes and associated cardiovascular disease. One daily serving of yoghurt is associated with a 10–15 per cent lower risk of type 2 diabetes.”

Food security that ensures optimal volume and quality of nutrition does not need to come at a hefty price tag. While most superfoods require big budgets, South Africa has the ability to cultivate a range of products that fit the budget of even the lowest earning consumers. All it takes is a wider look at what is already available.

WHAT DO SOUTH AFRICANS EAT? 90 per cent are meat eaters 9 per cent are flexitarians 3 per cent are vegetarians 0.5 per cent are pescatarians 0.2 per cent are vegan Source: Knorr study Understanding the eating habits of the South African population

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WAT ER M A N AGEMEN T

More individual commitment required to preserve water Better water management begins with knowledge, writes CARIN BOSMAN, water resources scientist at Carin Bosman Sustainable Solutions

which is charged with the administration and implementation of the National Water Act 36 of 1998 (NWA), but also the responsibility of every person who uses water, or controls land over which water flows or under which a groundwater resource occurs.

A LACK OF GOVERNANCE AND UNDERSTANDING Although the DWS has been “a broken system” since 2019, it suffered severely under poor management during the decade of State Capture between 2008 and 2018. Thus, current officials are not very well versed in the provisions of the National Water Act, with the result that our system of formal water governance leaves much to be desired. There are numerous examples of poor interpretation of the legislation by the DWS, including the significant number of court cases lost by the department. From a food security perspective, the current overemphasis placed by DWS officials on protecting so-called “wetlands”, which are often not natural, at the expense of agricultural and other developments is of significant concern.

There is also a considerable lack of understanding among DWS officials with

It is only when we visualise our water uses and water losses that we can begin to understand what the management of water entails.

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Knowing how much water you use and lose in your home is critical.

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ater is an essential resource that is required for almost all human activities, especially for the production of our food. Human activities have the potential to affect water resources detrimentally, including via the waste we produce during the production and after the consumption of our food. Water resources and the users of these resources therefore require policing to ensure that appropriate management measures are implemented so that sustainable use can be ensured, for both current and future generations.

Water governance essentially entails who gets what volume of water, when and how, and who has the right to water and related services and their benefits. Water governance arrangements determine the fairness, equity and efficiency in water resource and services allocation and distribution, balancing water use between socioeconomic activities and ecosystems that support the human use of natural resources. Water governance is therefore not only the responsibility of the Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS),

regards to the importance of water conservation and demand management in ensuring a sustainable water future for everyone. This has led to a requirement by the DWS to submit a water balance in a tabular format, without a proper visualisation of the sources of water, and without even indicating losses of water to evaporation and seepage. This is concerning, especially since one of the biggest effects of global climate change will be on the water cycle, in that the movement of water through this cycle will be accelerated, with higher levels of evaporation, leading to increased severe flooding and droughts.

It is only when we visualise our water uses and water losses that we can begin to understand what the management of water entails, and that we will be able to identify opportunities to use water more sparingly and avoid water losses.

It is therefore of critical importance that every single user of water (and that includes you, the reader) should start implementing their own informal systems of water governance and conservation. This starts with knowing how much water you use, and where you can fix leaks or implement systems to use water more sparingly, so that there is enough water for everyone to drink, sanitise and grow our food.

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This brings us to a second scenario, in which human capital is central to building sustainable and resilient food systems. This more optimistic scenario depicts a situation where a focus on investment, innovation and new technologies on farms provides Africa with the tools to overcome productivity challenges and pursue agricultural development.

Realistically, we are likely to get a mix of the two, where the integration of human capital development in national master plans takes place in some African countries, while others are still pursuing the development of their agricultural systems without sufficient attention to skilled labour.

Opportunity knocks

Human capital investments will cement food security A concerted agricultural upskilling drive can help Africa build resilient food systems. By BEN LEYKA, CEO of the African Agri Council

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T HOUGH T L E A DERSHIP: HUM A N RES OURCES

rising world population, the global pandemic and the conflict in Ukraine combined with climate change impacts and increased inflation have disrupted food production, distribution, accessibility and affordability across the globe.

Vulnerabilities in global food systems have been exposed, fuelling further concerns about resilience and sustainability in the food and agriculture industry.

Nevertheless, Africa is well positioned to become the global bread basket. With 60 per cent of the world’s unused arable land spread across the continent, it has the potential to emerge as a major food supplier. African governments are prioritising agriculture on their respective development agendas, a shift that has been supported by increased access to technological innovations, and investments from the private sector and development partners.

Despite those positive developments, however, African food systems have been severely impacted by external shocks over the past three years. Why are African countries in danger of facing serious food shortages despite years of policy reforms, investments and vast unexploited land resources? Why is the continent’s food system so vulnerable to global shocks? How can Africa strengthen

its food systems with the clear objective of becoming a food exporter?

A tale of two scenarios There are two scenarios for forward-thinking policy analysis and development priorities to solve these problems. One is where African countries continue to develop their agricultural systems without sufficient investment in skilled labour. Food insecurity has been rising in Africa for several years despite increased investment in the agricultural sector. In this first scenario, we predict that the continent will still be unable to feed itself, leading to anti-government protests and unrest spreading across much of sub-Saharan Africa.

Ben Leyka To prevent this, arable land and investments must be supported by skilled labour.

Unfortunately, African countries have traditionally lacked a clear human capital development plan that supports strategically identified sectors like food and agriculture. Africa is the world’s most youthful continent, and its young people are its most precious resource.

Unfortunately, African countries have traditionally lacked a clear human capital development plan that supports strategically identified sectors like food and agriculture.

That said, the African continent has an opportunity to establish investment in human capital as a key priority on the continental development agenda, given the current global shocks. How might it go about achieving this? Firstly, the development of a “Made in Africa” brand and label that upholds an agreed continental quality standard will require dedicated technical training in agricultural schools and programmes for the purpose of export. Additionally, the integration of young people into agriculture is key to achieving sustainable food production. Increased investment in agribusiness incubation and accelerator programmes can create an environment for learning, growth and support.

Secondly, the majority of countries on the African continent will likely struggle to prioritise human capital development without financial support from external partners. To address this issue, the adoption of digital agriculture, combined with investment that is linked to technical assistance to enhance the relevant skill sets, can not only fast-track the development of African agriculture but also develop and upskill its workforce.

Thirdly, by “building back better”. So far, the persistence of a gap between policy reforms, implementation and monitoring has jeopardised agricultural investments as well as the successful transfer of knowledge, technology and skills necessary to achieve a zero-hunger continent by 2030. Whether African economies will be able to prioritise human capital in their development agendas or not will be determined by policy action taken now to address training and learning gaps. Human capital will play a pivotal role in enhancing the skill sets of Africa’s young population as well as in building resilient and sustainable food systems.

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Making every drop count to ensure South Africa’s food security Smart technologies and practices can make our precious water reserves go further, writes ELRIZA THERON

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F OOD SECURI T Y

ater and food form part of the absolute basic needs for a human to survive. Recent events across the globe, however, have shown how quickly food systems can become fragile due to external factors affecting water.

One of these factors is climate change, which has placed enormous pressure on available water resources, especially in agriculture. In a water-scarce country such as South Africa, it is imperative to make every drop count, because according to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the demand for water is expected to exceed availability by as early as 2025. In a 2022 report, the FAO also stated that approximately 90 per cent of the country is considered to be arid or semi-arid, and that the region’s low rainfall is aggravated by high annual potential evapotranspiration.

Even though only 13 per cent of our cultivated Chantel Arendse land area is equipped for irrigation, it accounts for 62 per cent of the country’s water usage. There is thus a huge responsibility on the agricultural sector to develop technological innovations that equip farmers with the necessary tools to improve their water-use efficiency. Thankfully, the industry is rising to the challenge.

Precision engineering Chantel Arendse, lead for plant biotechnology at CropLife South Africa, explains that plant biotechnology can reduce crop water usage by up to 25 per cent. “New plant breeding technologies, such as CRISPR (clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats), can minimise water loss by reducing water

absorption from the soil, enabling early flowering to limit water needed for growth due to the shortened life cycle of the plant. The technology also allows for developing crops with tolerance to prolonged drought conditions.”

Drones are another technology that can assist. CropLife International reports that drones use up to 90 per cent less water than spray carts pulled by tractors in fields because of targeted application of crop protection products, meaning the active ingredients are delivered exactly where they need to be on the crop, reducing any unnecessary waste.

Water smartly Prof Stephanie Midgley, a scientist at the Western Cape Department of Agriculture, notes that water reuse is becoming very important. “This includes the increased use of recycled water from industrial and household sources for irrigation, and also the reuse of wastewater from agro-processing for use in irrigated crop production.”

Ongoing development and innovation of low water-use irrigation systems and scheduling methods will further increase the water productivity of crops. Jovan Erasmus, an agronomist at irrigation specialists Netafim, says: “More producers are trying to understand their soil’s water-holding capacity within the root zones of their crops, as well as the efficiency of their irrigation systems to apply the crop’s water requirements within that zone. Experience has shown that precision irrigation massively contributes to water-use efficiency, saving up to 50 per cent.”

Shade netting is also being installed by farmers, further reducing water use. Midgely references a

recently completed project on quantifying water use in an apple orchard under shade netting.

Here it was found that water productivity expressed on a tree basis can be increased by around 15 per cent by using shade nets.

Salty solutions Other innovations include developments in saline agriculture, where food is produced in saline soils, using salt or brackish water. Although this has not been well established in South Africa yet, Prof Anthony Turton at the University of the Free State’s Centre for Environmental Management mentions that exciting new work is being done on constructed wetlands to improve crop yields under sodic conditions. He notes that Prof Stephanie Midgley it is still in the early stages of development, but that a patent has been awarded and the technology is being commercialised.

Prof Midgley recommends that South Africa learns from countries such as the Netherlands, adding that local research could yield big opportunities, especially in areas where saline groundwater is available and cost effective. “Solar-powered micro-desalination to agricultural water quality specifications can become a possibility.”

While striking a balance between efficient water use and producing enough food to feed the growing population is no easy task, farmers are stepping up to the plate by continuously improving their farming practices and incorporating new technologies in their operations.

“More producers are trying to understand their soil’s water-holding capacity within the root zones of their crops, as well as the efficiency of their irrigation systems to apply the crop’s water requirements within that zone.” – Jovan Erasmus W O R L D F O O D D AY

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P OL ICY

Government should prioritise the provision of farmer support services so that people who wish to farm can do so and successfully.

A path to food security The drivers of food security are within our reach but must be prioritised, writes MMATLOU KALABA, senior economist at the Bureau for Food and Agricultural Policy

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he resilience shown by the agricultural sector over the last few years, as the world faced tumultuous economic conditions, highlights the need to keep this industry afloat. While other sectors floundered, agriculture posted positive growth in its contribution to the GDP. However, the sector finds itself in a precarious position and, without urgent intervention, jobs, rural economies and food security are at risk.

Although the agriculture and agro-processing sectors have a broad footprint, with complex interlinkages with the rest of the economy, the key drivers in developing competitive sectors and boost private investment are very simple. These include a stable and conducive policy and investment environment, comprehensive infrastructure development and services including electricity, roads and water, and well-functioning Mmatlou Kalaba municipalities. We require comprehensive and effective farmersupport programmes, and full and effective

state services that bolster trade affairs, port authorities, veterinary services, biosecurity control, plant health and agricultural research.

Growth engine The National Development Plan clearly identified the opportunity for agriculture to be the engine of inclusive growth in rural and less developed South African areas and towns, where it is typically the biggest employer of labour and capital. This includes underdeveloped rural areas, especially former homelands, with a concentration of smallholder farmers and households. Our food system requires a portfolio approach that combines highly diverse value chains with a wide spectrum of producers linked to a range of formalised and sophisticated markets on the one extreme, and completely informal markets on the other. This approach has been incorporated in the Agriculture and Agro-Processing Master Plan.

Successful transformation will result in an increased number of smallholder farmers able to produce for local markets, ensure regional food security and, where possible and viable, link into formal

or tailor-made value chains and grow their businesses. Nevertheless, South Africa’s large, urbanised population and economically important international trade balance will still largely depend on the large-scale commercial farming operations of both white and black farmers and corporate agribusinesses such as fruit, sugar, poultry and egg producers.

The sustainable existence of a strong and healthy commercial sector is also vital for the bourgeoning smallholder sector, as the larger farmers create the critical mass of demand for research and technologies, input supply networks and value chains that will incorporate, expand and adjust to serve the smallholder sector better too if properly targeted.

Support and intervention To this end, government should prioritise the provision of farmer support services so that people who wish to farm can do so and successfully create their own livelihoods. They should provide tenure security, and support the sale and rental of land to ensure it is put to best use, and ensure that farmers in remote areas are also able to access farming inputs.

Support for public-private partnerships and the deepening of value chains to accommodate smaller operators is also vital.

The current energy crisis in South Africa is a clear illustration of the adverse impacts if the correct policy interventions and investments are not made. Consistent energy supply is currently the factor that will have the single biggest impact on future growth in the agriculture and agro-processing sectors, along with their ability to keep the nation food secure, and to create jobs and support livelihoods, especially in rural communities. The broader impacts of the energy crisis are starting to appear in critical indicators like food security. Looking at food price inflation for several countries, we see that in all countries except South Africa, food inflation rates started declining from April 2023, as much lower commodity prices started to enter the supply chains. In South Africa, the impact of lower commodity prices is not reflected in the food inflation rate yet.

While dealing with the shorter-term responses, targeted interventions and investments into the long-term development goals must be prioritised to address the dualistic nature of the agricultural sector, the slow progress in racial transformation, and the sector’s overall ability to make a real contribution to rural livelihoods and food security. Ironically, many of the required short- and long-term interventions are not mutually exclusive, and clear, decisive actions on low-hanging fruit in the short term can have lasting positive impacts with significant multiplier effects throughout the economy.

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A DV ER T ORI A L PREMIER F MCG

HELPING FEED THE NATION Premier’s purpose is to provide food products that make a difference in the everyday lives of its consumers and contribute to sustainable food security.

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ood security in South Africa remains a challenge with the World Bank estimating that over 60% of the population lives below the poverty line*. Premier’s products comprise a significant portion of the staple food basket, and Premier is committed to ensuring continuity of supply of those products to its loyal consumers.

We have aligned our sustainability strategy with several of the United Nations Sustainability Goals (SDGs). We apply focus on ensuring continuity of supply of our products on a fair and equitable basis, uplifting and empowering communities and managing our operations and resources to remain agile and resilient supporting, in particular, SDG 2 Zero Hunger, SDG 4 Quality Education and SDG 12 Responsible Production and Consumption.

SUPPLYING STAPLE AND NUTRIENT RICH FOOD

The conflict in the Black Sea region has driven up the price of critical inputs of imported grain over the past two years and continuous loadshedding is negatively impacting costs, compounding inflationary stresses on the consumer. Premier’s systematic focus on being a low cost producer in the Millbake category, through efficiencies and lean operations, helps contribute to sustainable food security in the region by promoting accessibility and affordability.

CORPORATE SOCIAL INVESTMENT It is with this philosophy that Premier aims to achieve its purpose, that its products make a difference in the everyday lives of its consumers. Our product donations of nutritious and filling staple foods have contributed to the alleviation of hunger and provided essential disaster relief in communities struggling to make ends meet.

Premier has brand ambassadors around the country who liaise with various non-profit organisations to provide meals and support to its communities. Partnering with charitable organisations that have an established infrastructure is an important focus of the Premier CSI strategy, assisting in reaching communities countrywide that need help the most. Premier CSI programmes have also benefited communities in eSwatini, Mozambique and Lesotho.

With a proud history of nearly 200 years, Premier has over 40 iconic brands serving the communities in which it operates. Premier’s main focus is on easy to consume, value for money staple foods. Known and trusted national and regional brands in the bread, maize, wheat, samp

and pasta categories offer consumers a wide range of nourishing, affordable products to choose from. In many instances, consumers will switch between staple food choices to ensure they can feed their families. All of the staple food products in Premier’s range are available in various pack sizes to accommodate differing budgets for each household. Premier’s products are formulated to nourish consumers through tried and tested recipes, which are fortified in accordance with health regulations.

Premier has an extensive manufacturing and logistics footprint in South Africa and in the neighbouring countries of eSwatini, Lesotho and Mozambique. It operates

13 bakeries, 7 wheat mills and 3 maize mills, one of which is the largest maize mill for human consumption in the southern hemisphere.

This infrastructure provides Premier with the Some CSI highlights of the past year include: capability to execute over 45 000 deliveries of staple foods every day, reaching the broader population street by street. Premier aims to ensure that staple foods are always readily available in both formal and informal outlets countrywide.

PROMOTING ACCESSIBILITY AND AFFORDABILITY Through our continuous improvement mindset, Premier seeks ways to reduce the impact of increasing input costs on its end consumer promoting food security. Poorer communities, who consume a large share of the total staple foods basket, suffer the most in the face of inflationary price increases.

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PREMIER F MCG A DV ER T ORI A L

PREMIER’S MAIN FOCUS IS ON EASY-TO-CONSUME, VALUE-FOR-MONEY STAPLE FOODS. OTHER COMMUNITY FEEDING PROGRAMMES

EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMES Premier’s educational programmes assist in uplifting poorer communities providing sustainable employment opportunities and assisting with the provision of long term food security. The Unemployed Disabled Learnership Programme, Snowflake’s Bake-for-Profit in partnership with Learn to Earn and the Yondla Ikamva holiday training camp for young learners are examples of our ongoing initiatives.

Premier participates in the Nelson Mandela Day initiative every year. This year we partnered with Ladles of Love by donating 7 500 loaves of bread to make over 62 000 Blue Ribbon sandwiches.

These were distributed to communities in need in the Cape Town and Johannesburg area. In association with the Soweto Kota Festival Premier donated 350 kotas to underprivileged school children and participated in Share More Meals with Love, a collaboration with Food Forward SA and shoppers. Non-perishable food items were donated, assembled into food boxes and distributed to those in need.

Over 53 000 meals were distributed by this campaign.

Other projects included a partnership between Super Sun Maize and Food and Trees for Africa.

Premier sponsored six school food gardens and worked with their kitchen staff to serve 7 000 meals and provide the schools’ feeding schemes with enough stock for three months.

The organisation aims to address food security, environmental sustainability, food education and urban greening.

“Our partnership with Food & Trees for Africa was a natural fit.

We both believe that knowledge is power, and we want to teach children about nutrition and why it is important” – Sibongile Mooko, Marketing Executive at Premier FMCG.

ENSURING BUSINESS SUSTAINABILITY AND FOOD SECURITY Responsible production and consumption is critical to Premier’s business sustainability and to regional food security. Premier recognises the responsibility it carries in providing nutrition for the communities in which it operates as well as managing the use of natural resources.

Worldwide unsustainable business practices have resulted in significant environmental degradation which threaten global food security and particularly the livelihoods of poorer communities. Premier has committed to reducing the use of non-renewable energy where possible, the waste it produces and to managing its water consumption optimally. In addition, Premier applies relentless focus on efficiencies to reduce the use of natural resources and the cost of production, improving affordability and helping to support our consumers.

Images: Supplied

Some environmental initiatives undertaken include:

PR E M I E R

For more information: www.premierfmcg.com * World Bank South Africa Report 2022

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F OOD ECONOM Y

South Africa faces a food crisis rooted in an unsustainable and unjust food economy, writes FLORIAN KROLL, researcher at the DSI-NRF Centre of Excellence in Food Security and convenor of the Food Imbizo and African Food Systems Transition Collective

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urveys show that the great majority of South Africans survive on staple diets high in starches, sugar and dangerous fats, unable to afford more diverse, nutritionally replete diets. In addition, industry is promoting increasing consumption of harmful fast foods and ultra-processed foods like chips, cookies, cool drinks, processed cheese and polony.

These factors are swelling an epidemic of obesity, hypertension, heart disease and cancer.

Stunting affects about one in four children under five, undermining health, cognitive development, education and employability. High levels of food insecurity and nutrition-related illnesses in South Africa are an indictment of our country’s political and economic strategy.

Liberal industrial policy favouring mineral resource extraction, industrial agriculture and global trade has presided over the collapse of local industries, increasing unemployment and poverty. Key sectors of the food economy – primarily food retail and processing – have become concentrated in a handful of mega-corporations that call the shots for farmers, fisherfolk and processors.

While boosting profits for shareholders and inflating executive salaries, this has excluded smaller producers and processors, allowing ever larger agribusiness ventures to dominate.

Yet poor people demand cheap food, thus reinforcing the trend towards mechanisation, processing and consolidation of the economy.

Food insecurity is therefore a critical and stubborn feature of South African cities that is transforming the countryside for the worse.

Moreover, rapid population growth, urbanisation and food industry concentration are converging with multiple crises including crumbling power, water and transport grids, biodiversity loss, soil erosion, pollution, resource depletion and climate change – creating a

The South African food economy must transition towards more sustainable, resilient and equitable ways of doing business.

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perfect storm for food economies already stretched to breaking point.

The climate factor Climate change is likely to impact food economies severely. It is not only that, according to projections by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, agricultural production and fisheries will be affected by Florian Kroll rising temperatures, extreme weather, droughts, plant and animal disease and shifting rainfall patterns; the value chains supplying food to large urban populations, entailing enterprises in processing, warehousing, logistics, and retail, are also vulnerable to increased costs and disruptions.

These could be caused by infrastructure attrition through flooding, increased losses, wastage and contamination due to heat extremes, and shortages of water for processing and hygiene.

Food economies also contribute to climate change through emissions from ploughing, vehicles and machinery, as well as coal-fired power stations and generators to run food processing and manufacturing, packaging, and retail release greenhouse gases that threaten to tear apart the fragile web of ecosystems and economies that sustain humankind.

The need for transition That the South African food economy must transition towards more sustainable, resilient and equitable ways of doing business is inescapable. The principles of agroecology – a social movement, people’s science, and approach to food provision rooted in ecological processes and local knowledge – present ways to mitigate and adapt to climate change while promoting social justice and economic inclusivity.

Agroecological transition faces many hurdles. Food industry giants must adopt more equitable and sustainable procurement, production and retail strategies aligned with agroecological principles. To create an enabling environment requires disincentives for concentration, more equitable supplier agreements, reforms in the country’s troubled land regime, better public market and transport infrastructure, social grant systems that facilitate informal traders’ participation, rapid transition to renewable energies and a local government mandate for democratic food governance.

As our current food economy is not geared towards this kind of transition, significant investment by the private sector, philanthropy and the state are all required to promote research and innovations enabling small-scale food producers, processors and retailers to participate equitably in the food economy.

The cost may seem high, but given the risks, can we afford not to transform our food economy?

IMAGES: PEOPLEIMAGES/ISTOCKPHOTO.COM, SUPPLIED

Transforming our food economy

It is the poorest and most vulnerable who will be worst affected. In a country as unequal as South Africa, increased food insecurity may well cause simmering social tensions to boil over into overt violence. Social upheavals will cost the economy dearly and could pave the way for populist politics that could exacerbate poor governance, undermining investment and economic growth. The bottom line is that food insecurity is not just bad for people, it is also bad for business.

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NU T RI T ION

influence the availability of nutrients to plants, which in turn results in the varying quality of food that we eat. “All in all, the healthier the plant, the more likely it will be to have balanced and sufficient nutrient levels. A healthy plant requires less pest and disease management as it will be less susceptible to attacks, thus fewer chemical inputs will be required,” she says.

While organic food is generally regarded as having a higher nutritional content, Lesur emphasises that meeting the food needs of the global population will require a balance between conventionally and organically produced crops to get maximum yields. “We have a growing nation to feed and growers need as many good tools as possible to support them. Every climate, soil type, crop and geographical location impacts production, and farmers need to take into consideration what works best where they are.”

THE CASE FOR MEAT

You are what you eat Not all food is equal, and differences in nutrition exist even between one carrot and another. Consideration should therefore not only be given to how much we eat, but also what, writes MASEO NETHANANI

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utrients are substances required by the body to perform its basic functions, says consulting dietitian at Dietitians24 Kulani Mtileni. Since the body cannot produce nutrients, they need to be obtained from food to provide people with energy and regulate chemical processes in the body. But where we obtain our nutrients can mean the difference between malnutrition, obesity and optimal health.

“If a food is calorie-dense, that usually means it is high in energy and low in nutrients like vitamins and minerals,” says Mtileni. “If the body does not use all of the energy that was consumed, it gets stored as fat, which could lead to weight gain, poor heart health and the Michelle Lesur onset of diabetes.”

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Farm to fork According to Andermatt Madumbi CEO Michelle Lesur, in today’s fast-paced world, it’s easy for growers and consumers to lose sight of the fact that the purpose of eating is to provide nutrition to our bodies. “Calorie-dense, nutritionally poor foods like cakes, cookies, pies and sugary drinks are the usual culprits to

avoid when looking at a healthy diet. But while vegetables are heralded as ‘must-haves’ for nutritional security, their inherent value is very much dependent on how the crop was farmed.”

When consuming fruit and vegetables, in addition to the food providing energy through calories, the body is also nourished with macronutrients, micronutrients, dietary fibre and other compounds such as antioxidants. “However, biology has a massive role to play in mobilising and solubilising nutrients,” says Lesur. “There needs to be a holistic approach to agriculture to get the maximum nutritional value from our food. Soil and root health are the foundation of a healthy crop, which necessitates incorporating beneficial microbes into the soil. These are well documented as enhancing nutrient availability in soils, unlocking key nutrients essential for growth.”

Lesur explains that the quality of the soil, the organic matter, and the biological food web all

The role of animal protein in a healthy diet has received significant attention over the last few years, and despite a move by wealthier consumers to plant-based protein, it still plays an important role.

Prof Hettie Schönfeldt, co-director of the African Research University Alliance, says that red meat provides essential fatty acids in notable quantities. She further refers to malnutrition that often arises as a result of a lack of animal protein. “The South African National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2013 noted that the prevalence of stunting in children increased to 27 per cent from 2005. Micronutrients of concern include vitamin A, iron and zinc, despite the mandatory staple food fortification with A, B-vitamins, zinc and iron since 2003. Animal-sourced food, including lean red meat, is a rich source of many of these critical nutrients.”

Concerns over the fat content of red meat have also been dispelled. “The fat content of red meat products has decreased during the last few decades due to consumer demand for leaner meat,” says Schönfeldt. “Eating lean red meat without adding high-energy condiments can limit excess energy and fat intake while still delivering the right nutrients.”

Information about the amount of nutrients in a food is usually easy to find on processed, labelled foods in the grocery store, but is missing from bulk and fresh foods like grains, vegetables, meat and fruits, making it difficult for consumers to make nutritionally sound choices. The key to maintaining good health is to balance macronutrients like carbohydrates, vegetables and fats to get a steady supply of micronutrients for optimal food security.

“The fat content of red meat products has decreased during the last few decades due to consumer demand for leaner meat.” – Hettie Schönfeldt W O R L D F O O D D AY

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