Gender Justice and Food Security in Cape Town, South Africa

Abstract

The food and nutrition challenges in Cape Town are complex and reflect historical legacies of colonialism and apartheid as well as the impact of contemporary neoliberal policy leading to extremes in socio-economic status. The right to food is enshrined in the South African constitution, yet there is an intersection between food, gender and injustice that prevails in marginalised communities in Cape Town, which is regarded to be one of the most unequal cities in the world and facing great social vulnerability. Rapid urbanisation, climate change, intensity of droughts and flooding, land speculation and shrinking quotas for small-scale fishing put pressure on the city´s food system and reduce citizens access to nutritious food. A survey of 1 060 township households from 2011 showed that 80% of low-income households in Cape Town experience food insecurity. It is now acknowledged that COVID-19 exacerbated food insecurity, and that the city has high levels of poverty induced hunger and a lack of effective response from politicians. In the post-COVID period, and with the ongoing global crisis, food prices have escalated sharply, affecting those that are the most vulnerable. At the tail end of unjust food systems are women and children, and furthermore, women-headed households are in general more food insecure than male-headed. This paper contributes to an important issue in gender research, namely the intersection between gender justice and food security. The case study is carried out in a coastal community on the Cape Peninsula of the Western Cape, South Africa where a majority of the population experience food insecurity and frequent hunger. We explore how women in the community engage in activities that can contribute to improving food security, their motivation for taking action and for advocating for just and inclusive food systems. The study draws on a methodology of co-creation of knowledge, which is embedded in a critical feminist research tradition and that addresses the lived experiences of people in the community.