Hunger has increased across the board under South Africa’s Covid-19 lockdown – and new evidence indicates that parents, especially mothers, are giving their food to their kids. The National Income Dynamics Study – Coronavirus Rapid Mobile Survey (NIDS-CRAM) was published this week and shows that reported hunger among...

Civil society groups have played an important role in responding to the COVID-19 social crisis in South Africa. Examples include the “community action networks” in Cape Town and Gauteng, as well as similar initiatives in more rural areas, such as the Eastern Cape. They also include extraordinary crisis response efforts by...

On 11 June 2020, members of the Food Lab advisory board discussed how the impacts of the Covid-19 public health crisis has revealed the deep fragility of the South African food system. There has clearly been a disruption, presenting a period of deep uncertainty and change,...

“Understanding the complex and dynamic interrelationships between water, energy and food will enable cities to manage resources sustainably.” – Sandra Boatemaa, Centre for Complex Systems in Transition (Stellenbosch University). Systems-thinking means shifting narratives to include experiences that are otherwise overlooked. A circular approach accounts for the...