Power and Governance in Agri-food Systems: Key Issues for Policymakers

The working paper Power and Governance in Agri-food Systems: Key Issues for Policymakers presents an analysis of the dominant and growing agri-food system in South Africa, focusing on power and governance as two key factors that critically influence system outcomes. Current approaches towards agricultural development (including food security) tend to under-theorise these issues and thus they may not receive the necessary attention from policymakers.

The paper presents a set of key findings and recommends a systems approach towards policy development, which requires the kind of joined-up approach that the current government structure does not readily facilitate.