Improving policy coherence for food security and nutrition in South Africa: a qualitative policy analysis
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Date
2018
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Springer Netherlands
Abstract
Like most other low and middle-income countries, South Africa must address a rising burden of diet-related chronic disease in a
situation of persistent food insecurity and undernutrition. Supply-side policy interventions are a critical component of action to
address the double burden of malnutrition. However, the food supply is governed by a number of different policy sectors, and
policy incoherence can occur between government action to promote a healthy food supply and objectives for economic
liberalization. We analysed the coherence of food supply policy content with respect to nutrition and food security in South
Africa, and conducted 14 in-depth interviews with 22 public and private sector actors to identify opportunities to improve policy
coherence across sectors governing the food supply. Drawing on Sabatier’s conceptualization of actors as influential in shaping
policy outcomes, we identified three coalitions of actors related to food security and nutrition in South Africa: the dominant
Economic Growth coalition, the Food Security coalition, and the Health coalition. Understanding the frames, beliefs and
resources held by these coalitions offers insights into the policy tensions faced by the Government of South Africa with respect
to the food supply. The analysis indicates that the current reconsideration of economic policy agendas favouring liberalization in
SouthAfrica, including the termination of most bilateral investment treaties, may present an opportunity for increased recognition
of food security and nutrition priorities in food supply policy making. Opportunities to strengthen policy coherence across the
food supply for food security and nutrition include: specific changes to economic policy relating to the food supply that achieve
both food security/nutrition and economic objectives; creating links between producers and consumers, through markets and
fiscal incentives that make healthy / fresh foods more accessible and affordable; increasing formal avenues for engagement by
Civil Society in nutrition and food security policy making; and including consideration of the nutritional quality of the food
supply in policy objectives across sectors, to create a framework for policy coherence across sectors relating to the food supply.
Description
Keywords
Food security, Double burden of malnutrition, Policy, South Africa
Citation
Thow, A.M., Greenberg, S., Hara, M. et al. Food Sec. (2018) 10: 1105. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12571-018-0813-4