South Africa's National Food and Nutrition Security Plan (NFNSP) lapsed in 2023, leaving a significant gap in addressing food insecurity and malnutrition. According to Statistics South Africa's General Household Survey, 9.4 million South Africans went hungry in 2025, and 22% of households did not have adequate access to food. Furthermore, stunting affects 27% of children, and in the first nine months of 2020, over 450 children under five died in public hospitals with malnutrition as an underlying condition.
The NFNSP was first developed in 2012 by various government departments, research organizations, and universities. However, its implementation was hindered by a lack of clear budget and implementation plan, leading to a continuation of "business as usual" by responsible departments. The plan's coordinating council never met, and its replacement plan is still in draft, uncosted, and without a budget. Experts stress that the situation cannot continue as is, with urgent action needed to address the country's food security challenges.
Civil society was not involved in the creation of the first NFNSP iteration, leading to calls for food democracy and the realization of the right to sufficient and nutritious food under the Constitution. Union Against Hunger (UAH) co-founder Busiso Moyo noted that the government developed the previous policy under secrecy, excluding civil society. As a result, organizations like UAH are actively seeking to engage with the drafted NFNSP and make their grievances heard.
The draft NFNSP has several differences from the previous plan, including a clear mandate for municipalities, which will be built into their integrated development plans. The plan also proposes a monitoring, evaluation, learning, and impact assessment framework to track targets for 2029, 2033, and 2037. Additionally, it aims to build on existing programs and systems, such as South Africa's social grants, to address child stunting and nutrition.
UAH held workshops with civil society to develop key priority areas for the new NFNSP, concluding that the plan should prioritize childhood and maternal nutrition, land and agrarian reform, and food affordability. Moyo emphasized the importance of engaging with the private sector, which should be held accountable for creating a nourishing food system. However, the private sector has not been present during the consultations, posing a challenge to the plan's implementation.
Experts suggest that the government can ensure the private sector acts in a way that protects children's nutrition by expanding the list of zero-rated foods to include proteins. This could involve adding proteins like chicken and meat to the list to broaden its nutritional value. Additionally, the private sector should use nutrition as innovation, exploring ways to make affordable, biodiverse diets available to all.
The development of a new NFNSP is crucial to addressing South Africa's food security challenges. With the plan still in draft, experts stress the need for urgent action to ensure that the country can provide sufficient and nutritious food for all. The government must engage with civil society and the private sector to create a comprehensive plan that prioritizes the most vulnerable populations and promotes a nourishing food system.
Key points
- South Africa's lapsed National Food and Nutrition Security Plan has led to significant food insecurity and malnutrition, with 9.4 million people going hungry in 2025.
- Experts emphasize the need for a new plan that prioritizes childhood and maternal nutrition, land and agrarian reform, and food affordability.
- The private sector's engagement is crucial to the plan's implementation, but their absence during consultations poses a challenge to creating a comprehensive and effective plan.
