Policy gaps and food systems optimization: a review of agriculture, environment, and health policies in South Africa

South Africa faces the triple burden of malnutrition, high poverty levels, unemployment, and inequality. “Wicked problems” such as these require innovative and transdisciplinary responses, multi-stakeholder coordination and collaboration, managing complex synergies and trade-os, and achieving sustai...

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Autores principales: Hlahla, S., Ngidi, M., Duma, S. E., Sobratee-Fajurally, N., Modi, Albert Thembinkosi, Slotow, R., Mabhaudhi, Tafadzwanashe
Formato: Journal Article
Lenguaje:Inglés
Publicado: Frontiers Media 2023
Materias:
Acceso en línea:https://hdl.handle.net/10568/131668
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author Hlahla, S.
Ngidi, M.
Duma, S. E.
Sobratee-Fajurally, N.
Modi, Albert Thembinkosi
Slotow, R.
Mabhaudhi, Tafadzwanashe
author_browse Duma, S. E.
Hlahla, S.
Mabhaudhi, Tafadzwanashe
Modi, Albert Thembinkosi
Ngidi, M.
Slotow, R.
Sobratee-Fajurally, N.
author_facet Hlahla, S.
Ngidi, M.
Duma, S. E.
Sobratee-Fajurally, N.
Modi, Albert Thembinkosi
Slotow, R.
Mabhaudhi, Tafadzwanashe
author_sort Hlahla, S.
collection Repository of Agricultural Research Outputs (CGSpace)
description South Africa faces the triple burden of malnutrition, high poverty levels, unemployment, and inequality. “Wicked problems” such as these require innovative and transdisciplinary responses, multi-stakeholder coordination and collaboration, managing complex synergies and trade-os, and achieving sustainable outcomes. Through qualitative content analysis of national and provincial sector-based policies, we explored the interlinkages between the agriculture, environment, and health sectors in South Africa in the context of sustainable food and nutrition security and the extent to which these interlinkages are integrated into policy and planning. A systemic analysis of the review outcomes was performed to identify its main learning outcome, the status quo in the policy process. The nature of feedback loops was identified, and a leverage point was suggested. The review highlighted that policymakers in the agriculture, environment and health sectors are aware of, and have understood, the relationships among the three sectors. They have also made attempts to address these interlinkages through collaboration and coordination. Unfortunately, this has been met with several challenges due to fragmented sector-specific mandates and targets and a lack of resources for integrated solutions. This creates implementation gaps and unintended duplication of activities, leading to poor service delivery. Transitioning to sustainable and healthy food systems will only be possible after these gaps have been closed and implementation optimization has been achieved. Focusing on meta-level problem-framing, functional collaboration through transdisciplinary approaches, and integrated targets are critical to successful policy implementation and progressive realization of national goals related to sustainable food and nutrition security, unemployment, poverty, and inequality.
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publishDate 2023
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spelling CGSpace1316682025-12-08T10:29:22Z Policy gaps and food systems optimization: a review of agriculture, environment, and health policies in South Africa Hlahla, S. Ngidi, M. Duma, S. E. Sobratee-Fajurally, N. Modi, Albert Thembinkosi Slotow, R. Mabhaudhi, Tafadzwanashe food security nutrition security agricultural policies environmental policies health policies food systems collaboration coordination vulnerability unemployment poverty government legislation South Africa faces the triple burden of malnutrition, high poverty levels, unemployment, and inequality. “Wicked problems” such as these require innovative and transdisciplinary responses, multi-stakeholder coordination and collaboration, managing complex synergies and trade-os, and achieving sustainable outcomes. Through qualitative content analysis of national and provincial sector-based policies, we explored the interlinkages between the agriculture, environment, and health sectors in South Africa in the context of sustainable food and nutrition security and the extent to which these interlinkages are integrated into policy and planning. A systemic analysis of the review outcomes was performed to identify its main learning outcome, the status quo in the policy process. The nature of feedback loops was identified, and a leverage point was suggested. The review highlighted that policymakers in the agriculture, environment and health sectors are aware of, and have understood, the relationships among the three sectors. They have also made attempts to address these interlinkages through collaboration and coordination. Unfortunately, this has been met with several challenges due to fragmented sector-specific mandates and targets and a lack of resources for integrated solutions. This creates implementation gaps and unintended duplication of activities, leading to poor service delivery. Transitioning to sustainable and healthy food systems will only be possible after these gaps have been closed and implementation optimization has been achieved. Focusing on meta-level problem-framing, functional collaboration through transdisciplinary approaches, and integrated targets are critical to successful policy implementation and progressive realization of national goals related to sustainable food and nutrition security, unemployment, poverty, and inequality. 2023-08-17 2023-08-29T09:43:06Z 2023-08-29T09:43:06Z Journal Article https://hdl.handle.net/10568/131668 en Open Access Frontiers Media Hlahla, S.; Ngidi, M.; Duma, S. E.; Sobratee-Fajurally, N.; Modi, A. T.; Slotow, R.; Mabhaudhi, Tafadzwanashe. 2023. Policy gaps and food systems optimization: a review of agriculture, environment, and health policies in South Africa. Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems, 7:867481. [doi: https://doi.org/10.3389/fsufs.2023.867481]
spellingShingle food security
nutrition security
agricultural policies
environmental policies
health policies
food systems
collaboration
coordination
vulnerability
unemployment
poverty
government
legislation
Hlahla, S.
Ngidi, M.
Duma, S. E.
Sobratee-Fajurally, N.
Modi, Albert Thembinkosi
Slotow, R.
Mabhaudhi, Tafadzwanashe
Policy gaps and food systems optimization: a review of agriculture, environment, and health policies in South Africa
title Policy gaps and food systems optimization: a review of agriculture, environment, and health policies in South Africa
title_full Policy gaps and food systems optimization: a review of agriculture, environment, and health policies in South Africa
title_fullStr Policy gaps and food systems optimization: a review of agriculture, environment, and health policies in South Africa
title_full_unstemmed Policy gaps and food systems optimization: a review of agriculture, environment, and health policies in South Africa
title_short Policy gaps and food systems optimization: a review of agriculture, environment, and health policies in South Africa
title_sort policy gaps and food systems optimization a review of agriculture environment and health policies in south africa
topic food security
nutrition security
agricultural policies
environmental policies
health policies
food systems
collaboration
coordination
vulnerability
unemployment
poverty
government
legislation
url https://hdl.handle.net/10568/131668
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