South Africa (SA) Harvest Head of Strategy and Marketing Cassandra Potgieter said the scale of the crisis remained severe. Potgieter said recent global food security reporting, followed by SA Harvest, estimated that hunger affects about 307 million people across Africa.
Potgieter said hunger on the continent is driven by multiple pressures rather than a single cause. Potgieter identified poverty, conflict, climate, high food prices, weak infrastructure, poor storage, food loss and unequal access to nutritious food as major factors behind the crisis.
Potgieter said the central question for food systems is not only whether food exists, but whether households can afford food, whether food can be produced reliably, and whether supply systems can move food to areas of need.
In SA, Potgieter said the contradiction is clear. Potgieter said SA produces enough food nationally, yet millions still struggle to access food while millions of tons go to waste. Potgieter described the problem as one of access, affordability, logistics and a wider system failure.
Potgieter said food security should be treated as infrastructure rather than as a narrow grant or affordability issue. Potgieter said stronger systems are needed to make responsible food donation easier and safer, while also reducing edible food waste.
According to Potgieter, SA produces 34 million tons of food, but 10 million tons go to landfill. Potgieter said progress will require stronger cold-chain systems and storage infrastructure so that food can remain viable and edible throughout the supply chain.
Potgieter also said support for community kitchens and small-scale producers would be necessary if food reaching communities is to provide real assistance. Potgieter said public-private cooperation would be critical because food would not reach people through goodwill alone.
Potgieter said a recent Human Rights Commission inquiry helped expose the pressure facing families, but added that policy and infrastructure now need to be translated into practical action. Potgieter said solutions include stronger donor relationships, food safety systems, logistics, warehousing, routing, data systems and trusted community-based organisations.
Potgieter said grassroots responses already exist, with community groups sharing pots, fuel and cooking resources. Potgieter said stronger support and formalised infrastructure could help close the hunger gap in SA and across the continent.
–ChannelAfrica–
