Policy options to transform food systems for affordable healthy diets in South Africa

Abstract

Current food systems fail to deliver nutritious and affordable diets, making healthy diets unaffordable for many South Africans. Moreover, South Africa does not have a food system policy but different policies that address specific components of food security. The study investigated cost-effective, feasible and adaptable policy options (‘no-regrets’) to transform South Africa’s food system for affordable healthy diets in South Africa. A systematic review using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines to identify publications addressing food systems' transformation towards affordable healthy diets. This was followed by another systematic review, which focused on extracting potential policy options to address South Africa’s food system. Lastly, 62 food system stakeholders were purposively sampled to participate in an online survey to vote for policies they perceived as essential for transforming the food system. Thematic analyses was used to analyse the qualitative data collected. Twenty food systems transformation reports were found and seventy percent of the reports focused on a global level, while 30% focused on Africa. In the online survey most participants preferred agricultural policy options accounting for 25% of the no-regrets policy options. The supply chain and governance policy options were the second most preferred with 20% each, with regulatory and education policy options ranked third and fourth, with 15% and 10% respectively. The financial and research, technology and innovation policy options were the least preferred by the participants with 5% each. Ultimately, the study yielded 20 ‘no-regrets’ policy options to transform South Africa’s food systems. The study concluded the transformation of South Africa’s food system to deliver affordable healthy diets has no simple solution. A complex, multi-dimensional strategy involving all food system actors is required.