Minister John Steenhuisen confirms SA’s commitment to food control and flexibility at the UN Food Systems Summit +4 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
The summit brought together global leaders, scientists, producers, and civil society to assess progress on global food system transformation.
In his address, Minister Steenhuisen outlined several initiatives aimed at strengthening local food production and empowering communities to define their own food systems. “We are promoting localised food production, especially indigenous crops and livestock, which offer both nutritional and climate resilience benefits,” he said.
Ongoing government programmes are mapping indigenous crops and investing in research to uncover their agro-processing potential. Community seed banks are also being developed to ensure consistent access to quality seeds and to enhance agricultural independence.
He emphasized a renewed focus on breeding for resilience, particularly using indigenous livestock genetics. Strengthened biosecurity, advanced diagnostic tools, and the development of vaccines are central to the government’s disease prevention strategy.
Supporting smallholder farmers remains a priority through the Comprehensive Agricultural Support Programme (CASP), which provides financial aid, training, and infrastructure support. The Ilima/Letsema initiative’s “One Household, One Garden” model is also helping households combat food inflation.
Minister Steenhuisen further emphasized the shift towards sustainable and regenerative farming practices, including agroecology and conservation agriculture, to safeguard biodiversity and adapt to climate challenges.
On global collaboration, he noted South Africa’s active role with the G20 Food Security Task Force and the FAO to develop policy solutions for rising food costs.
