Dalla Lana School of Public Health

The COVID-19 health crisis and its containment measures have glaringly exposed the interconnected structural weaknesses and vulnerabilities in global food systems, including Africa¹². Several development gains have been reversed, and the pandemic has exacerbated the challenges to meet the Sustainable Development Goals’ commitments to end world hunger and malnutrition in all its forms by 2030³. On the contrary, the situation has yielded unique and vital lessons to inform and guide the rebuilding of resilient and sustainable food systems beyond COVID-19. In particular, globally, there are rising calls for bolder and more ambitious actions to reorient and transform food systems to support human and planetary health⁴⁵. The purpose of this qualitative inquiry is to foster experience-based reflections (using focus group discussions and in-depth interviews) to explore the potential co-benefits of leveraging the food sovereignty and food security discourses towards sustainable and equitable food systems in Botswana and South Africa.

Food security is defined as the physical, social, and economic access to sufficient, safe, and nutritious foods that meet one’s food preferences and dietary needs for an active and healthy lifestyle⁶. On the other hand, food sovereignty emphasizes power and people’s right to healthy and culturally appropriate food produced through ecologically sound and sustainable methods, and their right to define their food and agriculture systems⁷. A sustainable food system is a food system that delivers food security and nutrition for all in such a way that the economic, social, and environmental bases to generate food security and nutrition for future generations are not compromised⁸. This project is, therefore, situated at the intersections of these three key concepts. While food security has been widely studied and incorporated into the global and national development agendas⁹¹⁰ the food sovereignty discourse is yet to be fully understood within the African context, particularly concerning achieving food security sustainability in food systems.

With its relatively diverse and robust economy, South Africa significantly contributes to the regional food basket and supports the feeding of many neighboring countries including Botswana¹¹. While regional cooperation is integral to advancing common interests between governments and Africa’s development in general, the unprecedented impacts of COVID-19 in South Africa compromised its capacity to support food security efforts both locally and beyond borders¹²¹³. Most importantly, the disruptions on both food systems highlighted the over-dependency of Botswana on South Africa for the supply of food commodities such as fruits and vegetables, dairy and dairy products, grains, and some meats¹⁴. In response, Botswana and other countries looked within and leveraged local resources, which fostered questions and dialogue on the potential intersections between food sovereignty, food security, and the sustainability of food systems. In Botswana, the priority is to reduce reliance on external sources by supporting local food systems and promoting local dietary diversity. South Africa, the country with the highest COVID-19 infections in the region, aims to recover and rebuild to feed its citizens and increase the export bill¹⁵¹⁶. This comparative case study is necessary for the analysis and synthesis of parallels between two neighboring countries with strong bilateral relations and common goals.

Alignment of co-benefits and the intersections of Health and Environments through Food Systems Change

Spotlight on references:

Deller SC, Lamie D, Stickel M. Local foods systems and community economic development. Community Development 2017;48(5), 612-638. Retrieved from: https://doi.org/10.1080/15575330.2017.1373136

Borghini A, Piras N, Serini B. Eating local: A philosophical toolbox. The Philosophical Quarterly. 2021 Retrieved from: https://doi.org/10.1093/pq/pqab039

Kasimba S, Covic N, Mostwagole B, Laubscher R, Claasen N. Consumption of traditional and indigenous foods and their contribution to nutrient intake among children and women in Botswana. Ecology of food and nutrition 2019;58(3):281-298. Retrieved from: https://doi.org/10.1080/03670244.2019.1598980

Systems thinking, a concept that has gained ground in food systems research recognizes the complexity and interdisciplinary nature of outcomes due to multiple contributing factors and their interactions. The evaluation of the associations between food security and food sovereignty in fostering sustainable food systems presents a unique opportunity to examine multiple issues and co-create practical solutions simultaneously. However, it is imperative to acknowledge that attaining co-benefits is often without conflicts hence the need for integrated, interdisciplinary, and collaborative approaches.

a) Strengthening local economies and livelihoods

Eating close to home can create stable and reliable markets for local food producers and growers, thereby creating jobs and enhancing socio-economic opportunities and livelihoods¹⁷¹⁸. Individual economic emancipation can increase household access to diversified diets and social and health services and is necessary for national development¹⁹.

b) Climate Change Mitigation

South Africa remains a leader in food manufacturing and processing across the region; however, this industry often entails various non-environmentally friendly activities such as transportation and food waste that contribute to greenhouse gases (GHG) emissions and climate change²⁰²¹. Access to external markets can improve dietary diversity; however, it is imperative to prioritize local food systems to mitigate these practices. Moreover, food sovereignty emphasizes using traditional knowledge-oriented agroecological management practices for food production to promote environmental and knowledge sustainability and resilience from external shocks²²²³.

c) Improved food and nutrition health

While it is not clear that eating locally is cheaper, it can improve food access, especially when alternative non-monetary methods of exchange such as bartering are deployed²⁴. A growing body of literature suggests that some of Africa’s Indigenous foods, such as edible insects and wild plants, are highly nutritious and hence can enhance the nutritive value of diets²⁵. A case in point is the morama bean (tylosema esculentum, an underutilized wild bean predominantly found in South Africa, Botswana, and Namibia, which is a good source of various nutrients such as calcium, iron and B-vitamins and some phenolic compounds²⁶. Optimal nutrition is associated with productivity, reduced mortality and health costs and economic growth²⁷.

d) Social Justice and Equity

Several domains of food sovereignty and food security discourses uniquely align and interact in advocacy for social justice and equity. For example, food security supports everyone’s equitable access to safe and nutritious foods; this narrative exists in food sovereignty by centering local voices in food systems to enhance self-determination and equal participation²⁸. Social justice and equity in food systems boost a sense of belonging, nurture good governance and inclusive economies, and equitable access to health and other services²⁹.

Relevant conceptual theories, methodological tools, frameworks, approaches, gender and equity considerations

Spotlight on references:

Creswell JW, Poth CN. Qualitative Inquiry and Research Design: Choosing Among Five Approaches. (4th ed). CA, USA: SAGE Publications, Inc. 2019

Tobin P, Snyman R. (2008) Once upon a time in Africa: a case study of storytelling for knowledge sharing. Aslib Proceedings. Emerald Group Publishing Limited. 2008

This is a qualitative case study that involves:

• Review of existing secondary literature
• Comparative country mapping (Botswana vs South Africa) through in-depth interviews and focus group discussions.

In case study research methodology, a phenomenon is described or explained within its context using various data sources³⁰³¹. Dialogue and storytelling techniques draw upon the African cultural heritage and the oral tradition of sharing knowledge³².

The idea is anchored in the South African philosophy of Ubuntu (“botho” in Setswana) of ‘being self through others’, primarily to motivate the culture of collaboration and public engagement in public policy³³.

While this research might not explicitly and conventionally measure the co-benefits due to its qualitative nature; it can enrich the conceptualization process. To date, data on the actual and potential impacts of COVID-19 have been quantified and widely published by several key leading organizations. However, people’s lived experiences have not been fully contextualized and documented. This research, therefore, seeks to fill this gap to complement quantitative analysis by providing insights on food security, food sovereignty, and sustainability within the context of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The specific objectives here are to: 1) describe the history and sequence of events of how COVID-19 affected the local food systems in both countries; 2) examine causal explanations of food shortages and insecurity; 3) investigate the role of emotions, culture, and traditions in facilitating reactions, responses, and interventions in community-based solutions in addressing the COVID-19 crisis; 4) describe the knowledge creation process: to document how existing and new knowledge was utilized and positioned to foster meaning, perceptions, and understanding. This can also be achieved by a robust interrogation, creation, or validation of theories and hypotheses; and 5) evaluate and document the communities’ ideas and recommendations in co-creating lasting solutions.

We aim to foster gender equality and equity through the following:

• Adding a gender and stand-alone youth objective: “to assess the specific roles of women and youth in harnessing sustainable and resilient food systems” to spotlight their contributions, amplify their voices, and understand and address existing inequalities.
• Adopting a gendered lens in all research processes from idea conceptualization to data dissemination. For example, during the data collection, we plan for an intentional inclusion of both groups and will ask direct questions relevant to their realities and experiences.
• Where necessary, the focus group discussions will be age or gender-segregated to promote openness and freedom of expression.
• Prioritizing women and youth engagement for any opportunities such as research assistance to share knowledge and to enhance their economic status and skills.
• Disaggregating data to highlight any potential differences of experiences and perspectives.

Measurement of impact

Spotlight on references:

Williams V, Boylan AM, Nunan D. Qualitative research as evidence: expanding the paradigm for evidence-based healthcare. BMJ evidence-based medicine 2019;

24(5):168-169. Retrieved from: http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/bmjebm-2018-111131

a) Measurement of co-benefits

Qualitative research does not produce statistical measurement-based evidence but provides descriptive and conceptual findings. Qualitative findings largely characterized by people’s stories, perceptions, and opinions can help explain quantitative results³⁴³⁵.

This research will, therefore, provide unique insights on the interactions between food sovereignty, food security, and how both impact local food system sustainability. For this project it will be imperative to explore some of the following questions:

• How do strong local food systems influence food availability and access?
• Does consumption of locally produced or grown foods and indigenous foods improve climate change and human health?

b) Use of Results

These dialogues will harness and expand conversations on this critical topic. We hope that the findings will influence and guide researchers, development practitioners (government and non-governmental leaders), communities, policymakers, and different food chain actors (food manufactures, transport, and logistics, retailers, consumers etc.,) across the board. These results can also create unique shifts within policies and frameworks because of the emphasis on issues of collaboration, community engagement, and the integration and utilization of Indigenous and traditional knowledge in food systems.

Challenges/barriers and knowledge gaps that impede shifts towards healthier and sustainable food systems

Spotlight on references:

Lane HG, Turner L, Dunn CG, Hager ER, Fleischhacker S. Leveraging Implementation Science in the Public Health Response to COVID-19: Child Food Insecurity and Federal Nutrition Assistance Programs. Public Health Reports 2020;135(6):728-736. Retrieved from: https://doi.org/10.1177/0033354920959285

McLean R, Gargani J. Scaling impact: innovation for the public good. Routledge; 2019.

i) Methodology: While there seems to be a paradigm shift in public policy as evidenced by increased calls for holistic approaches through multidisciplinary collaborations, a lot remains to be done with regards to recognizing the value of qualitative research in food systems research. Qualitative inquiry is still questioned and less valued in some sectors.

ii) Integration of the Holistic/Co-benefits/Intersections lenses: Despite growing attention to the new concept of systems thinking, there is a lack of resources to guide the implementation process practically. The IDRC training and compendium guidelines enabled me to pragmatically reflect on some challenging implications of intersections in food systems, such as navigating the conflicts between the co-benefits.

iii) Scaling Science: The emerging study of implementation science promises to be a gamechanger in public policy by improving the translation of research evidence into concrete actions³⁶³⁷. However, more training is required to entrench this crucial principle in research thinking and practice. The IDRC training broadened my understanding of the importance of scaling impact for the public good. This aligns well with the goals of my research idea; during the pandemic, a lot of countries implemented some novel and productive interventions such as increased procurement from local farmers. Some of these actions can be sustained and scaled up post-pandemic. The choice of the research approach is an intentional effort to normalize qualitative inquiry and nurture the synergistic relationship between qualitative and quantitative methodologies. This research explores the intersections of three central themes in food systems in a way that underscores the importance of joint efforts and interdisciplinary techniques of understanding the co-benefits to enhance public policy.