Food Security and Local Government in South Africa: The Role of Municipalities in a Food Systems Approach

Product Details:
Author(s):
Johnstone, S and
de Visser, J (Editor)
Year Published:
2026
Edition
1st Edition
Type:
Print | Soft Cover
Language:
English
About this publication
Food Security and Local Government in South Africa: The Role of Municipalities in a Food Systems Approach explores how municipalities shape the everyday reality of food security in a society marked by deep inequality. Drawing on constitutional law, international norms, and contemporary policy debates, the book demonstrates that legal, institutional, and fiscal frameworks are not neutral — they directly influence whether people can access sufficient food and live with dignity. Through clear analysis, it unpacks why widespread household food insecurity persists despite national food availability and highlights the structural barriers embedded within South Africa’s food systems.
Food Security and Local Government in South Africa stands out for linking theory and practice. Key features include a detailed examination of section 27 rights, an analysis of municipal competencies, and a critical reading of landmark cases such as Grootboom and Wary Holdings. The book draws on authoritative sources, including national food security surveys, UN Special Rapporteur reports, and AU declarations. It highlights practical entry points for municipalities, from planning instruments and partnerships to regulatory tools and area-based innovations, while also critiquing corporate concentration and systemic inequities that shape food access.
Food Security and Local Government in South Africa: The Role of Municipalities in a Food Systems Approach is designed for municipal practitioners, provincial and national policymakers, legal advisors, researchers, urban planners, civil society actors, and postgraduate students working in fields related to governance, development, constitutional rights, and food systems. It will also appeal to anyone seeking to understand how local government can meaningfully advance the right to food in South Africa, demonstrating how legal and policy frameworks translate into concrete, dignified outcomes for communities.
Content
PREFACE
ABSTRACT
ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS
CHAPTER 1: THE ROLE OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT IN FOOD SECURITY
1.1    FOOD SECURITY IN SOUTH AFRICA
1.2    DEFINING THE RIGHT TO FOOD, FOOD SECURITY, AND FOOD INSECURITY
1.3    LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND FOOD SECURITY
1.4    STRUCTURE OF THIS BOOK
CHAPTER 2: A NORMATIVE FRAMEWORK FOR THE RIGHT TO FOOD AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT INVOLVEMENT
2.1    INTRODUCTION
2.2    STATE OF FOOD INSECURITY AND THE DISTORTED FOOD SYSTEM
2.3    RIGHT TO FOOD
2.4    WHAT CAN LOCAL GOVERNMENTS DO TO ADDRESS FOOD INSECURITY?
2.5    CONCLUSION
CHAPTER 3: THE INTERSECTION OF MUNICPAL POWERS AND FOOD SECURITY
3.1    INTRODUCTION
3.2    SOUTH AFRICAN FOOD SECURITY POLICY FRAMEWORK
3.3    BRIEF OVERVIEW OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT HISTORY
3.4    DEMOCRATIC LOCAL GOVERNMENT
3.5    CONCLUSION
CHAPTER 4: MUNICIPAL PLANNING AND THE PRESERVATION OF AGRICULTURAL LAND
4.1    INTRODUCTION
4.2    PLANNING LAW AND PRESERVING AGRICULTURAL LAND
4.3    LEGAL FRAMEWORK FOR THE PROTECTION OF AGRICULTURAL LAND
4.4    CONSTITUTIONAL COURT’S JURISPRUDENCE ON MUNICIPAL PLANNING
4.5    SPATIAL PLANNING AND LAND-USE MANAGEMENT ACT
4.6    CONCLUSION
CHAPTER 5: MUNICIPAL SPATIAL PLANNING AND LAND USE FOR IMPROVED FOOD ACCESS
5.1    INTRODUCTION
5.2    SPLUMA’s DEVELOPMENT PRINCIPLES
5.3    SPATIAL DEVELOPMENT FRAMEWORK AND ACCESS TO FOOD
5.4    LAND-USE MANAGEMENT AND ACCESS TO FOOD
5.5    MUNICIPAL PLANNING TRIBUNAL AND ACCESS TO FOOD
5.6    CONCLUSION
CHAPTER 6: EVALUATIVE SUMMARY AND RECOMMENDATIONS
6.1    INTRODUCTION
6.2    MAIN FINDINGS
6.3    RECOMMENDATIONS
REFERENCES
INDEX
Interest / Benefit to
Lawyers
Academics
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Public