Strengthening Small-scale Agri-food Systems to Enhance Household Food Security & Poverty Alleviation in South Africa 

Dear Stakeholder,   

The Human Sciences Research Council would like to invite you to a webinar titled: Strengthening Small-scale Agri-food Systems to Enhance Household Food Security & Poverty Alleviation in South Africa. Strengthening small-scale agri-food systems in urban, peri-urban, and rural settings in South Africa is a huge step towards achieving household food security and poverty alleviation in line with the goals of the 2030 National Development Policy.

The idea of ‘One Home, One Food Garden’ – a strategy widely adopted in the Western Cape and KwaZulu-Natal Provinces, Department of Agriculture’s small-scale initiatives to enhance food availability at the household level, is gaining traction nationwide. The initiatives come against the backdrop of various shocks, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, climate-induced hazards, and global economic recessions, that have disrupted food supply chains and have exposed acute food insecurity at the household level, widening inequality and deep-seated poverty among vulnerable households.

The small-scale household-level agri-food systems initiatives require support from government departments and non-state actors in the form of accessing finance, arable land, seeds, tools, fertilisers, and technical agriculture extension services. The HSRC HUB#3 (Equitable Food Value Chains) is convening and hosting a constructive engagement to explore plausible pathways of strengthening the concept of small-scale agri-food system initiatives at the household level in South Africa.

Everyone is invited to attend this important conversation led by two experts connected with the following topics: 

 • The role and contribution of small-scale food system actors in enhancing equity and food and nutrition security in South Africa’s food system (Dr Marc Wegerif) 

• Breaking the ‘red tape’ of municipal bylaws and policies for inclusive participation of small-scale food system actors in urban and peri-urban communities of South Africa (Prof. Mjabuliseni Cleopas Ngidi) 

• Facilitator:  Dr Sikhulumile Sinyolo (PHSB, HSRC HUB#3) 

Event Date: 11 February 2026

Event Time: 11:30–13:30

Venue: Virtual (Zoom)

Insert your Registration Link: https://zoom.us/meeting/register/sPc0-teZQGuvR-0LJ8Ny5A  

Event Enquiries: BMasamha@hsrc.ac.za