SECRET

AGRICULTURE, FORESTRY AND FISHERIES

AND
SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT

CABINET MEMORANDUM NO :

1 of 2013

DATE

27 August 2013

FILE NUMBER

FNS 01/2013

SUBJECT
Food and Nutrition Security

PURPOSE
To request Cabinet approval for the proposed National Policy on Food
and Nutrition Security, together with the Household Food and Nutrition
Security Strategy and the Fetsa Tlala Food Production Initiative.

3
3.1

SUMMARY
The National Policy on Food and Nutrition Security seeks to respond to
the many challenges related to food insecurity in South Africa, and is
supported by specific intervention strategies to tackle the challenges of
household food and nutrition as well as to increase food production.
The policy proposes integrated responses to the many challenges, and
further provides a broad framework in which the various social and
economic programmes of government and civil society can be coordinated.

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3.2

The Household Food and Nutrition Security Strategy and the Fetsa
Tlala Food production Initiative are inter-Departmental programmes
that seek to implement parts of the Policy. Further programmes
involving other Departments are also required to achieve all the goals
of the Policy, and the eradication of hunger by 2030.

3.3

The following Annexures are included with this memorandum.

Annexure A: National Policy on Food and Nutrition Security; Annexure
B: A Household Food and Nutrition Security Strategy for South Africa;
and Annexure C: The Fetsa Tlala Food Production Intervention.

STRATEGIC FOCUS OF THE MEMORANDUM

4.1.

Food and Nutrition Security brings together various economic and

social programmes of government. As an economic intervention it
seeks to align food production and land reform programmes to the goal
of poverty alleviation, economic development and employment
creation, especially in rural areas. It does so by promoting increased
support for smallholder and communal farmers, more equitable food
storage, processing, distribution and marketing mechanisms, and an
information system for managing food security risks due to natural and
other causes.

4.2.

From a social perspective, the Policy supports strategies to address

food and nutrition security at the household level. These include steps
to improve and expand food safety nets such as the National School
Nutrition Programme, expansion of the network of existing food
distributions, to support community nutrition development centres,
support ECD and food kitchens, provide nutrition education, and
promote food fortification.

4.3.

The Policy will be implemented through an integrated approach,

involving departments in the Social and Economic Sectors, and
supported by partnerships with civil society organisations and
participation in various consultative structures.
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4.4.

The Policy provides for the realisation of the Vision of the National
Development Plan (There is food on the table), and supports the New
Growth Path. The Policy could serve as a platform for the development
of a Food and Nutrition Security Act.

DISCUSSION

5.1.

South Africa has nearly 14 million people who are vulnerable to food
insecurity (StasSA GHS 2011), and the strategic objective of the policy
is to reduce, alleviate and eventually eradicate hunger and food
insecurity.

5.2.

South African agricultural policies and strategies still face the dual
challenge of addressing the domestic imbalances and injustices of the
past, while ensuring competitiveness of the sector on global markets,
which can be reconciled in the pursuit of food security.

5.3.

The food security and nutrition challenges are multifaceted and require
a nationwide, integrated and well-grounded system to manage. The
Policy outlines several factors that compromise food security, and
proposes responses to each of these.

5.4.

The Food and Nutrition Security Policy for South Africa therefore
provides for the following:
a) Expanding social safety nets to ensure household food and
nutrition security;
b) Improving nutrition information of the citizens, to ensure better
utilisation of available food;
c) Improving food production, and promoting effective processing,
distribution and marketing of food, with a special emphasis on
smallholder farmers;
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d) Regulating local and international trade of food to manage supply

and price fluctuations;
e) Managing food security risks through better information systems,
as well as research and development.
5.5.

The Food and Nutrition Security Policy will ensure the attainment of
international and continental commitments on poverty alleviation and
food security, including the Millennium Development Goals. It will also
provide a platform for South Africa in the SADC region on these issues.

IMPLEMENT ATION PL AN

6.1.

Food security is a multifaceted and multidimensional concept which

requires the inter-sectoral co-ordination of existing policies and
programmes. Government food procurement schemes should be
leveraged

to

link

agricultural

production

with

local

economic

development
6.2.

Various governmental structures are proposed to manage the

framework, as well as inclusive advisory and consultative forums at
national, provincial and local level. A Food and Nutrition Security
Advisory Committee, convened by the Deputy President, will oversee
the implementation and monitoring of the policy.

ORGANIS ATIONAL AND PERSONNEL IMPLICATIONS

7.1.

There will be a need to re-align the organisational and personnel

resources of the various Departments involved in Food and Nutrition
Security, guided by the respective strategies outlined in the Annexures.

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FINANCI AL IMPLICATIONS

8.1.

Implementation of the Policy does not need a major injection of new

funds; most activities are already being undertaken within Departments,
and re-prioritisation in terms of the Policy will ensure that they are
targeted for incremental growth. Funds for the recapitalisation of the
development capacity of the agriculture sector have already been
requested.

8.2.

Funds will also be required to expand the provision and build the
capacity of nutritional units, as a key component of the Household Food
and Nutrition Security Strategy. These will be bid for in terms of MTEF
processes.

8.3.

The major costs of the Policy involve co-ordination and consultative

structures, which will be managed within Departmental budgets.

COMMUNICATION IMPLICATIONS
The implementation of the Policy and supporting strategies and
interventions requires a sound institutional framework and active
political, administrative and technical support for the translation of the
goals and objectives into reality. Public awareness therefore becomes
crucial in mobilising role-players and as a cross-cutting issue this should
be led by GCIS with the support of relevant Departments.

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CONSTITUTIONAL IMPLICATIONS
Food security is integral to the Bill of Rights and other sections of the
Constitution. The Policy gives substance to these provisions and lays
the foundation for a Food and Nutrition Security Act.

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IMPLICATIONS FOR VULNERABLE GROUPS

The intentions of the Food and Nutrition Security Policy and the
supporting Household Food and Nutrition Security Strategy and Fetsa
Tlala Food production Intervention are to benefit the most vulnerable
sectors of society. Poverty and malnutrition affects mostly women and
children

and

beneficiary

targeting

will

be

prioritised

during

implementation.

12

SECURITY IMPLICATIONS
Food security and nutrition are increasingly recognised as being factors
in the attainment of national security.

13

DEP ARTMENTS AND P ARTIES CONSULTED, RESPONSES

AND COMMENTS
The Food and Nutrition Security Policy, the Household Food and
Nutrition Security Strategy and the Fetsa Tlala Food production Initiative
have been widely consulted within government and civil society. The
Economic and the Social Cluster of Directors General have considered
the Policy and related documents and have made inputs. InterMinisterial consultations have taken place to conclude on the roles and
responsibilities for Food and Nutrition Security.

14

RECOMMENDATION
It is recommended that Cabinet approves the National Policy on Food
and Nutrition Security, together with the Household Food and Nutrition
Security Strategy (led by DSD) and the Fetsa Tlala Food Production
Intervention (led by DAFF).

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OFFICI ALS RESP ONSIBLE FOR THE MEMORANDUM

I declare that the memorandum adheres to the Guidelines dated June
2013 provided by the Cabinet Secretariat for the drafting of memoranda.
The requirements in relation to electronic presentations were noted.
Name: Stanley Sizwe Mkhize
Designation: Deputy Director-General: Food Security & Agrarian Reform
Telephone: 012 319 6168
Cellular: 0822181725
E-mail: SizweM@daff.gov.za
And
Name: Mr Peter Netshipale
Designation: Deputy Director General
Telephone: 012 312 7662/7257
Cellular: 0835836364
E-mail: PeterN@dsd.gov.za

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HE AD OF DEP ART MENT

Name: Mr Mortimer Mannya

Acting Director-General: DAFF
Telephone: 012 319 7300
Cellular: 0828021992
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And

Name: Mr Coceko Pakade

Director-General: Social Development
Contact details: 012 312 7690/7647
Telephone: 012 312 7690/7647
Cellular: 0833957384

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AUTHORIS ATION FOR PROCESSING THE MEMORANDUM

MS BATHABILE DLAMINI, MP
MINISTER OF SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT

MS TINA JOEMAT-PETTERSSON, MP
MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE, FORESTRY AND FISHERIES

Is there a need for an electronic presentation to be done in addition to

the memorandum? Yes

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