International research informs policy on SA’s agrifood system

International, collaborative research with an agricultural focus centred at the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN) is influencing policy to ensure a more diverse agrifood system in South Africa by mainstreaming neglected and underutilised crop species.

This research emerges from years of work by researchers in the Sustainable and Healthy Food Systems (SHEFS) programme, an inter-institutional project funded by the Wellcome Trust’s Our Planet, Our Health Programme in South Africa, India and the United Kingdom.

SHEFS researchers focus on the intersection of the environment, food systems and health, investigating food systems under significant pressure from various stressors, including demographic changes, shifts in dietary patterns, land use changes and urbanisation resulting in undernourishment and a rise in non-communicable diseases, leading to substantial economic losses and environmental degradation.

A policy brief developed by a consortium of researchers in the United Kingdom, South Africa, and Botswana laid out the challenge posed by the increasing demand for food, including inequities in household food and nutrition security, that is exerting pressure on food systems, which are already threatened by climate change, environmental degradation, and declining agrobiodiversity.

‘The narrow range of crops supplying global food requirements makes food systems and people more vulnerable to climate risks,’ said Tafadzwa Mabhaudhi, Professor of Climate Change, Food Systems and Health at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM) and Honorary Professor at UKZN who leads the agriculture theme of SHEFS.

‘Diversifying the food system with underutilised crops can increase agricultural income, promote agrobiodiversity (crop diversity), and supply diverse and nutritious food to tackle malnutrition, hidden hunger, and food insecurity under climate change, contributing to human and environmental well-being,’ he said.

The brief advocates mainstreaming underutilised crops into food systems to promote food and livelihood security and empower vulnerable communities economically and sustainably, transforming the food system into a more inclusive, healthy, resilient, and socially just one. This will also improve the socio-economic standing of women and youths and the marginalised within their homes and communities, particularly in rural areas.

In pursuit of enhancing the role of underutilised crops in food systems, authors say it is vital to develop a framework for actions and partnerships focusing on policy harmonisation, crop improvement, inclusive value chains, access to finance, and capacity strengthening and awareness building for underutilised crops. Researchers paid attention to the context of the need for agrifood diversification. They laid out the challenges to adopting and mainstreaming underutilised crops, including seed systems, seed production, utilisation, and marketing.

The potential of these crops under climate change is significant as many are nutrient-dense and highly adaptable to harsh environments, improving food systems’ resilience to climate shocks while transforming healthier, more equitable, and inclusive diets.

The actions taken over the coming years will be especially critical. A new initiative focusing on transdisciplinary research for impact is needed— one that integrates and applies the best and most promising underutilised crops, approaches, tools, and technologies.

This policy brief was co-developed with support from the Centre on Climate Change and Planetary Health and the LSHTM, the Centre for Transformative Agricultural and Food Systems at UKZN, the Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development of South Africa, the Water Research Commission, the Centre for Coordination of Agricultural Research and Development for Southern Africa and the Food, Agriculture and Natural Resources Policy Analysis Network.