The Republic of South Africa Achieving Food Security: What Prospects Lie Ahead? Challenges and Opportunities

Isabelle Tsakok

No 2504, Policy briefs on Agriculture Markets, Policies and Food Security from Policy Center for the New South

Abstract: A generation after the end of Apartheid in 1994, the Republic of South Africa is once again at a critical juncture in its long march to realize Mandela’s vision of a society that enjoys six freedoms: freedom from want, hunger, deprivation, ignorance, suppression and fear. While much has been achieved in advancing these freedoms, much remains to be done. South Africa today continues to grapple with substantial poverty and hunger, high unemployment especially among youth and deep inequities inherited from Apartheid. The government has yet to fulfill the promise of transformative land restitution and land reform. Facing the existential threat of climate change and a significant youth bulge, South Africa’s ongoing struggle can realize Mandela’s vision by seizing the golden opportunity offered by the AfCFTA’s continent-wide markets, while building on its considerable domestic assets such as strong public institutions and high-performing modern subsectors. South Africa’s success or lack thereof in building an inclusive, resilient, and high-growth economy serves as a test case for the strengths and limitations of relying on a market-oriented approach to redress deep socio-economic inequities.

Date: 2025-07
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