From soil to stomach: the role of local food systems in household food security in South Africa

The local food system plays a major role in ensuring food travels from “soil to the stomach.” However, in South Africa, it is deeply rooted in exclusionary barriers that restrict the participation of small-scale farmers in the formal value chain. The majority of these small-scale farmers remain in the informal sector and are often disconnected from the mainstream markets. The paper aims to analyse the exclusionary barriers that hinder the participation of small-scale farmers in the formal value chain. The study adopted a Comprehensive Literature Review (CLR) to synthesise and integrate theoretical, grey and empirical perspectives, thereby providing a holistic framework for understanding systemic barriers that perpetuate exclusion. The study reveals that the local food system is not transformative or inclusive of the needs of all agricultural sectors, particularly those of small-scale farmers. Thus, the inability to address food insecurity is further exacerbated by exclusionary or systematic barriers that prevent small-scale farmers from entering formal markets. The study recommends the reformation of local food system policies to eliminate exclusionary and systematic barriers, thereby fostering an enabling environment for small-scale farmers to thrive in formal markets. This can create equitable and inclusive opportunities for small-scale producers to enhance household food security.