From Introduction: South Africa has experienced an almost revolutionary change in her food position in the last 10 years, what was previously a "farm problem" of assisting the primary producer has now become a "food problem" and this is a study of the development of those factors leading up to such a change. It is an empirical study attempting to measure the production and consumption of certain selected foodstuffs and to compare them with changes observed in the population and the National Income.

This research report serves to explore how women living in Tembisa, the second largest township in Johannesburg, South Africa, create and maintain highly flexible and mobile personal networks, to maximize their access to financial and social capital in order to improve individual and household resilience to food insecurity. What are the strategies that are adopted, created and manipulated in the daily lives of the food insecure in an attempt to attain a semblance of food security for themselves, their households and their communities?

This dissertation discusses the concepts of Food Security and Food Sovereignty and the introduction of biotechnology into the international agricultural sector. It specifically focuses on the effects of the introduction of Genetically Modified seeds and Intellectual Property Rights. By discussing the effects of biotechnology and the concurrent implementation of neoliberal market-oriented economic policies, this dissertation aims to highlight international Food Regime developments during the last half century. In South Africa, the case study, these developments have bifurcated the national agricultural sector and strengthened the relationship between Agricultural Trans National Corporations and subsequent governments. This has led to the promotion of large-scale commercial farmers in the formal market sector, at the expense of the food sovereignty of smallscale traditional farmers in the informal market sector. A substantial portion of this discussion concerns the role and behaviour of the United States, as the dominant economic power post World War II. Strategic agricultural support given to individual nations during the Cold War, shaped the contemporary international Food Regime. In addition, the United States' Food Aid program (an attempt to resolve its overproduction) and its promotion of neo-liberal policies through supranational institutions have created an environment in which Agricultural Trans-national Corporations have emerged, consolidated and become increasingly influential. By embracing biotechnologies and lobbying governments to assist in their introduction and protection, these Agricultural Trans National Corporations have substantially altered the relationship between farmers and their crops. This dissertation analyses the South African agricultural sector in the light of the international Food Regime, taking into account its domestic legacy. A legacy characterized by: Centuries of discriminatory policies; a close relationship between the governments of the United States and South Africa; neoliberal friendly economic policies; the adoption and promotion of biotechnologies; Intellectual Property Right legislation; and a heavily bifurcated agricultural sector in which small-scale traditional farmers are effectively losing their Food Sovereignty. / Thesis (M.A.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, 2008.

Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2014. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This thesis attempts to evaluate the influence of the Second World War on the South African food position in the years 1939 to 1948 by studying a selection of specific foodstuffs and their availability on domestic markets during the war. The food control measures which were implemented were in a unique South African wartime context where both surpluses and shortages had developed, and the effectiveness of the implementation of these controls is evaluated. In regard to the surpluses of certain foodstuffs, the effect of relevant controls on new industrial development is discussed. The impact of public opinion on the Government’s agricultural policy during the war is also assessed, and account is taken of how this impacted on the decision not to implement a formal system of rationing, despite the severe shortages of specific foodstuffs. Leading on from this, it is important to the argument to acknowledge the racially segregationist policies of South Africa, and thus a part of this story will discuss the various reasons why a conventional rationing system would not have worked in the wartime context of the Union. This research seeks to open up a new vantage point from which to view the political position of South Africa after 1939 as its legislature and war policies reflected the country’s prevailing complexities in subtle ways. It was politics which largely determined the extent of food control and the agricultural policy which was followed. In exploring this, press coverage of the food control measures is utilised, as well as the use of austerity campaigns in mass publicity. These sources present a distinctive view of public opinion in political life and thus provide an atmospheric understanding of the national mood at a major point in history. Furthermore, the coverage of food campaigns illuminates ways in which food control and the acceptance of those measures were promoted in order to encourage compliance and participation by consumers. Of equal relevance was the position of agriculture as support for the Union war effort and the imposition of food controls as a catalyst for resistance by consumers. Discussion of these themes provide further understanding of the underlying tensions which were given impetus by the stresses of war and restrictions on commodities on the home front. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie tesis fokus daarop om ondersoek in te stel na die invloed wat die Tweede Wêreldoorlog op die Suid-Afrikaanse voedselsituasie gedurende die jare 1939 tot 1948 gehad het. Dit word gedoen deur te kyk na ’n aantal spesifieke voedselsoorte en hul beskikbaarheid op die plaaslike mark. Die voedselbeheermaatreëls wat geimplimenteer is, was uniek binne die konteks van Suid-Afrika tydens die oorlog aangesien daar beide ’n oorvloed van en ’n tekort aan sekere voedelsoorte was. Die effektiwiteit van die implementering van hierdie voedselbeheermaatreëls word gevolglik bepaal. Waar daar sekere voedselsoorte in oorvloed was, word daar ook gekyk na hoe die maatreëls van die regering nuwe industriële ontwikkelling waarin hierdie voedsel gebruik word van stapel gestuur het. Die invloed van openbare opinie op die regering se landboubeleid gedurende hierdie tyd word ook geassesseer, met klem wat geplaas word op hoe hierdie diskoers die regering genoop het om, ten spyte van ernstige voedseltekorte, van ’n formele rasioneringstelsel afstand te doen. Die Suid-Afrikaanse rassesegregasiebeleide is uiteraard ook hiermee verweef en vorm daarom deel van die argument oor waarom ’n konvensionele rasioneringstelsel waarskynlik nie in die Unie binne ’n oorlogskonteks sou werk nie. Die navorsing is daarop gerig om die politieke landskap van post-1939 Suid-Afrika vanuit ’n nuwe hoek te beskou, aangesien wetgewing en oorlogsbeleide die land se politieke kompleksiteite op subtiele maniere geaffekteer het. Politiek was ’n enorme oorweging in die ontwikkeling van voedselbeheermaatreëls en die landboubeleide wat daarna gevolg is. Dit word verder ondersoek deur te let op hoe koerante van daardie tyd die maatreëls benader het en hoe besparingsveldtogte deur die massa media versprei is. Hierdie bronne bied ’n unieke blik op die openbare opinie rakende die Suid-Afrikaanse politieke landskap en gee dus ’n indruk van die heersende nasionale gemoed gedurende hierdie belangrike tydperk. Verder belig die mediadekking oor voedselveldtogte in hoeverre die Suid-Afrikaanse publiek voedselbeheermaatreëls aanvaar en ondersteun het, sowel as die maniere waarop die publiek aangemoedig is om tot hierdie pogings by te dra. Eweveel van belang was die posisie wat landbou beklee het as ondersteunende maatreël in die Unie se oorlogspoging. Terselfdertyd het die voedselbeheermaatreëls ook ’n weerstandsbeweging onder sekere gebruikers ontketen. Deur na al hierdie temas te kyk, word dit duidelik dat die streng beperkings wat daar op sekere voedselprodukte geplaas is ook die onderliggende spanning wat daar reeds op ’n politieke front was verder op die spits gedryf het.

A Research Report submitted in partial fulfillment of the Degree of Master of Commerce in Economics in the School of Economic and Business Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand 2018 / The aim of this paper is to examine the relationship between foreign direct investment (FDI) and food security at the local municipal level in South Africa. This analysis is based on a cross sectional framework for 2016 and a panel framework over the period 2000 – 2016. Furthermore, the study utilized geospatial analysis. There is currently little to no literature deciphering the relationship between foreign direct investment and food security, in terms of the South African context. The contribution of this paper is to bridge the gap. The results show the importance of an equitable distribution of foreign direct investment, across various local municipalities in South Africa, as a means to alleviating hunger and food insecurity. More specifically, the paper has managed to highlight the fact that municipalities that receive a sufficient amount of foreign direct investment experience lower levels of hunger in comparison to the local municipalities that receive little to no foreign direct investment. / MT 2019

A dissertation submitted to the Faculty of Science, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, in fulfilment of requirements for the degree of Master of Science. October 2014. / The study seeks to establish how sustainable agriculture can improve livelihoods and consequently alleviate poverty in Topiya community of Mpumalanga Province. The study also entails an investigation into whether the Topiya community is food insecure, and in this instance, how sustainable agriculture can be embraced smoothly to improve the food security status of the Topiya community. The study also seeks to unearth whether raising rural agricultural productivity is sufficient to improve livelihoods or a more robust and multi dimensional approach is needed to improve rural livelihoods in general. A research instrument (questionnaire) was designed and administered to 19 households. The data is analyzed by way of frequencies and percentages. The results yielded by this study demonstrated that Topiya Community is food insecure and a plethora of factors such as but not limited to lack of adequate arable land, lack of farm assets, lack understanding of the concept of sustainable agriculture contributes to this. The results also pointed to the fact that an intrinsic understanding of what sustainable agriculture entails is of paramount importance for the concept to be embraced and achieve the objectives of improving food security and consequently alleviating poverty.

Thesis (MPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2009. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: See full text for abstract. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Sien volteks vir opsomming.

Masters of Art research report prepared for the Department of Development Studies, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, March 2017 / The current food system is contributing to the food insecurity of the urban poor. Local food systems and other food system alternatives benefit the urban poor in all four spheres in which the corporate food regime disadvantages them: accessibility, empowerment, sustainability and health. This research maps the overlap of poverty and types of agriculture in the City of Johannesburg to locate potential for urban farms to serve and benefit the urban poor. There are many areas where potential for food system alternatives is high, especially where smaller scale farms are growing vegetables in areas where there are many and mostly poor households concentrated over space. By engaging with farmers, from study areas in the City which meet at least some of these conditions, the research not only confirms that the potential identified in these areas is being realised and exceeded but suggests that the potential has been underestimated for all of the other areas of the municipality in which urban agriculture coexists with the urban poor. The combinations and variations of food system alternatives chosen by farmers, in the foodstuffs produced, nature of production and modes and channels of distribution, are evidence of the reciprocal influence of structure and their own agency. By reframing urban agriculture to recognize the diverse opportunities for farmers to do things differently, we can see that many are choosing to do so, and are thus making sustainably produced, healthy fresh produce locally available to the urban poor in ways that are accessible and empowering. / XL2018

People living in rural areas are continually losing their value, dignity, ubuntu and rural nature of livelihood. Agriculture in these areas characterises the nature of rural livelihood. Traditionally, people living in rural areas were highly dependent on their production from gardens for food, income (barter exchange), and other social activities. Nowadays, that motive and interest is no longer operating at its full potential, so to revive that history and nature, household (homestead) production, certain programmes were introduced to greatly improved the standard of living of the poor, and it has proved to have an impact as it has generated income, and created food stability and employment through the project. Home gardens are there and can be used as the method and the strategy toward improvement and development of the people around the world, more especial to developing countries. Certain programmes that are initiated for acting against the challenges faced by rural people have failed to materialise and operate on their fully potential. The Siyazondla homestead food production programme is the one of the programmes practiced by the government of South Africa to act against such challenges, affecting especially poor people. This study was aimed at assessing the role of Siyazondla homestead food production programme in food security and poverty alleviation in selected communities of Nkonkobe local municipality of the Eastern Cape. It took the form of a case study in Msobomvu, Ngcothoyi and Binfield locations. The Nkonkobe local municipality is demarcated into five major areas: Middledrift, Alice, Seymour, Fort Beaufort and Balfour. The study sample was collected from beneficiaries and non-beneficiaries of the Siyazondla programme. The sample size was 90 respondents, from which in one area, a 15 beneficiaries and anticipated non- beneficiaries were targeted. The target sample from each village was collected from 15 beneficiaries and non-beneficiaries. Many farmers from the study area benefited from the programme, though a limited number was targeted. Therefore, a probability sampling was applied and employed, where there were more than required number of beneficiaries of the programme and anticipated beneficiaries of the programme. The study was effectively and efficiently carried out and achieved with the use of personal interviewing of the recipients by use of questionnaires. The study was analysed by a computerised programme of analyses called SPSS v.2.1 and excel. The objectives of the study based on food security, poverty alleviation and reduction, and also improving nutritious status. The finding of the research clearly indicates the outcome of the programme on livelihood basis of the beneficiaries. Some of the objectives of the programme were achieved, such as food security and nutritious levels, whilst other objectives had shortcomings. The finding of the study also shows that programme, though had original benefits but also there are the anticipated and probable benefits of the programme Siyazondla, such as income, skill of farming, improving social status, and there are some possibilities when the programme is properly implemented. Though the majority of people are concentrated in rural areas, the programme on its own had shortcoming to meet needs of the whole population, as food insecurity, unemployment and poverty are taking its course. The programme on its own had shortcoming such as lack of adequate resource and as results, very few people benefited from the programme. Another shortcoming of the programme is the effectiveness of agricultural extension personnel to certain aspect such as marketing of farmers produce and proper monitoring and evaluation of the programme. Therefore, in the long run programmes of this nature are promising, there will be some development and improvement toward growth and better standards of livelihood. It is through this study that had to assess the structure, procedure, strategies implemented of the programme and impact of the programme to both beneficiaries and anticipated beneficiaries of the programme.

The purpose of this research was to investigate the impact of rural development projects on food insecurity and malnutrition at Siyazama food garden project in Sakhisizwe Municipality. The study followed a qualitative approach which included in-depth interviews of twenty-six (26) Siyazama food garden project members and four (4) municipal officials. The process of collecting data also made use of observations. Data was analyzed qualitatively, using thematic analysis of the content of the data, which employed an interpretative approach, resulting in a presentation of data, which is textual rather than statistical. The study found that the level of food insecurity and malnutrition in the studied area is still regarded as being high as most of the participants reported that they still have a problem in accessing all the vital nutritional elements which constitute a balanced diet. Also, the study also found that although most of the rural development projects like the Siyazama food gardening project have a profound effect in tackling food insecurity and malnutrition on household level, in South Africa there is a debate about the sustainability or such projects in solving this issue. The study found a number of challenges facing the Siyazama Food gardening project which include: theft, poor management, lack of support, lack of agricultural expertise and conflict amongst members. The study concluded by making some recommendations with to view of resolving the above mentioned challenges.