South Africa's National Food and Nutrition Security Plan (2018-2023) was designed to address hunger, food insecurity, and malnutrition. However, the plan fell short of its goals due to various challenges. According to Andrew Bennie, senior researcher in climate policy and food systems at the Institute for Economic Justice, the plan was largely not implemented, and no budget was made available for implementation. The plan's failure to deliver on its objectives has raised concerns about the country's ability to address its "double burden" of malnutrition.
The plan's first strategic objective was to establish a National Food Security (FNS) Council to coordinate government and stakeholders. Although the council was established, it never met due to leadership changes and transition. The Department of Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation (DPME) attributed the council's inactivity to the transition period, stating that sub-committees were established and functional, providing technical monitoring and oversight of the plan. However, the lack of a functional council hindered the plan's progress.
The plan's monitoring and evaluation objective was to track its progress, but no unified evaluation took place. An evaluation in 2023 found that none of the five Objective 6 indicators met their 2023 target. The DPME disputed claims of a missing monitoring system, stating that other departments had existing systems monitoring food security and nutritional status. However, the lack of a consolidated tracking mechanism and fragmented departmental reporting hindered the plan's evaluation.
The plan estimated that R86.8 billion in funding would be required, but this was not secured. Departments relied on existing budgets, and the plan achieved none of its intended objectives that could be measured. According to the evaluation, leadership buy-in at the highest government levels was lacking, leading to a lack of political will for plan implementation. The DPME disputed this finding, stating that government departments were held accountable by the national executive.
The plan had 17 SMART impact objectives, but only 11 out of 65 strategic objectives were achieved by 2023. National government departments were resourceful, using existing budgets to execute aspects of the plan, but progress was slow, and the approach was fragmented. The volunteer-based nature of the council's role and absence of a structured recruitment process contributed to its inactivity.
Provincial governments faced challenges in implementing the plan, with most provinces in the early phases of establishing structures for implementation. The Office of the Premier in each province was seen as the most appropriate to convene and lead the implementation of the plan, but some provinces faced resistance or challenges in coordinating the plan. The Western Cape and Limpopo provinces faced specific challenges in replicating successful initiatives across municipalities.
Despite the plan's shortcomings, the DPME stated that findings from the evaluation continue to inform the development of a new plan. The department emphasized that provinces will continue to play a critical role in implementing the plan, and variations will occur due to factors such as context, capacity, and resources. The development of a new plan aims to address the challenges faced by the previous plan and improve the country's response to hunger and malnutrition.
Key points
- The plan's failure to secure R86.8 billion in funding hindered its implementation.
- The lack of a functional National Food Security Council and monitoring system hindered the plan's progress.
- Provincial governments faced challenges in implementing the plan, including resistance and coordination issues.
