Speaking at the summit hosted at the UN Economic Commission for Africa headquarters in Addis Ababa, Steenhuisen outlined a series of strategic programmes aimed at empowering communities, enhancing food security, and supporting climate-resilient agriculture.

“We are promoting localised food production, with a clear focus on leveraging indigenous crops and livestock, which have both nutritional and climate resilience advantages.”

According to Steenhuisen, government is mapping indigenous crops across South Africa and investing in research to explore the agro-processing potential of underutilised plant species. The initiative is expected to improve nutrition security and stimulate local food economies. Community seed banks are also being established to ensure access to high-quality seeds and boost self-sufficiency.

In livestock, the emphasis is on breeding for resilience using indigenous genetic material. Steenhuisen highlighted ongoing investments in biosecurity, including the development of advanced diagnostic tools and vaccine research to prevent animal disease outbreaks.

Support for smallholder farmers remains a government priority. Through programmes like the Comprehensive Agricultural Support Programme (CASP), small-scale producers receive targeted financial aid, training, and infrastructure to improve productivity and sustainability. In addition, the Ilima/Letsema initiative is helping households curb rising food costs with its “One Household, One Garden” model.

South Africa is also scaling up regenerative agriculture, agroecology and conservation practices, which Steenhuisen said are essential for restoring ecosystems, improving biodiversity, and adapting to climate change.

Food safety and quality assurance are key pillars of the country’s agricultural development. “The South African Good Agricultural Practices (SA GAP) programme is helping farmers – especially smallholders – adopt responsible, market-friendly production methods that meet both domestic and international standards.”

He noted that international collaboration remains crucial. South Africa is working with the G20 Food Security Task Force and the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) to address global food price inflation and its impact on vulnerable households. These efforts include developing policy “baskets” focused on smallholder support, sustainable agriculture, and country-led planning, aligned with the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP) and Africa’s Agenda 2063.

The three-day summit gathers global leaders, scientists, producers, indigenous representatives, and youth to assess progress since the 2021 UN Food Systems Summit and drive forward transformative food system reforms.

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