Food Distribution Amid Covid Pandemic in South Africa

For developing countries, COVID has been challenging when compared to wealthy nations due to the relative shortage of vaccines and facilities. However, the greatest challenge of all has been the harm to food security. For countries in South Africa, access to food is becoming an increasing threat to life and livelihood that impacts a growing number of individuals.

The General Landscape

The general landscape regarding the food distribution situation in South Africa can only be described as grim. South Africa continues to experience food shortages. According to the 2020 report by Food Security and Nutrition in the World (SOFI), more than 1.5 billion people cannot save up enough money for a diet that meets the required amounts of essential nutrients. The report also highlighted that if unequal food distribution persists, South Africa is projected to account for the highest number of undernourished people, a title that no country wants.  

Measures Taken to Handle Food Distribution during COVID

Africa has come up with ways to alleviate the drastic impacts of COVID on food security. The South African Development Bank responded to the pandemic by introducing a robust public and private sector package called: Feed Africa Response to COVID-19, also known as FAREC. Research by Mohamed et al. (2021) indicated that FAREC aided 23 African nations in allocating money to existing bank-financed agricultural loans to cover farming activities. This action contributed to creating “green lanes” for unrestricted food flow and moderating food prices through targeted grain exports and food stock replenishment.

The epidemic has compounded market fluctuations in agricultural commodities, making investment decisions for food system stakeholders more challenging. The Bank has decided to focus on policy initiatives to enhance supply and food mobility, establish food security working groups in countries, and reinforce regional organizations’ coordination of cross-national operations.

What has CSWOI been doing to Help?

Though these measures are ambitious, they have not been enough for citizens to subsist. Long-term measures should also be implemented. CSWOI was established for this reason. We pay attention to the social needs of the people and their welfare. This has been proven by our provision and distribution of food parcels to South African families, especially during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Regarding our scope, the beneficiaries of our programs include children, women, and families most in need of food currently located in the Kempton Park, Rosefield, and Tembisa Communities in South Africa. We often distribute food parcels containing maize powder, vegetables, fruits, fish, sugar, tea bags, coffee, and milk. In the past, we have provided food parcels weekly for 500 women and their families alongside 500 children annually. Due to the pandemic, we were forced to reduce our numbers from 100 to 60 women and their families. Currently, little or no donations of food parcels have been received to CSWOI.

This is why we need your participation to support us in stabilizing the lives of others.