KNOWLEDGE HUB
Our Knowledge Hub is a living library of resources for food growers and activists. Here you’ll find research reports, practical toolkits, and case studies on agroecology, climate resilience, and policy advocacy. Whether you’re a farmer, educator, or activist, these materials will support your work in building just food systems.
RESEARCH AND REPORTS
Engage with tools that are designed to deepen the emancipatory praxis of grassroots activists. These tools connect policies, research reports and practical strategies to strengthen the base of the food sovereignty movement.
POLICY BRIEFS
Browse through key laws and policies shaping food systems. These briefs break down complex issues, highlight their impacts on communities, and advance alternatives rooted in the principles of food sovereignty.
CLIMATE RISKS AND SHOCKS
Examine how the intensifying rhythms of droughts, floods, and extreme weather disrupt food systems and livelihoods. By understanding these risks, communities can protect their livelihoods and strengthen the efforts to advance food sovereignty in the face of climate change.
THEORY OF CHANGE
Engage with the collective efforts that advocate for just and enduring change for both communities and the non-human kin who sustain life. Our Theory of change is guided by the principles of food sovereignty, a commitment to the commons and sheds light into the power that our strategies and actions have to transform food systems.
RESEARCH AND REPORTS
Engage with tools that are designed to deepen the emancipatory praxis of grassroots activists. These tools connect policies, research reports and practical strategies to strengthen the base of the food sovereignty movement.
POLICY BRIEFS
Browse through key laws and policies shaping food systems. These briefs break down complex issues, highlight their impacts on communities and households, and advance alternatives rooted in the principles of food sovereignty.
- DM 3: The Climate Crisis: South African and Global Democratic Eco-Socialist Alternatives (CH 9: The Climate Crisis and the Struggle for African Food Sovereignty Nnimmo Bassey) http://library.oapen.org/handle/20.500.12657/29462
- DM 3: The Climate Crisis: South African and Global Democratic Eco-Socialist Alternatives (CH 14: Deepening the Just Transition through Food Sovereignty and the Solidarity Economy Andrew Bennie and Athish Satgoor) http://library.oapen.org/handle/20.500.12657/29462
- DM 7: Emancipatory Feminism in the Time of Covid-19: Transformative resistance and social reproduction (CH 5: Women and Food Sovereignty: Tackling hunger during COVID 19 Courtney Morgan and Jane Cherry)
- Food Sovereignty as Emancipatory Feminism: https://youtu.be/wfT03mrprk8?si=IreUcyPW_lZqHXoR
- Toxicity, Biodiversity Loss and the Industrial Food System: https://youtu.be/uo8PyqHmzWs?si=RMaDvoYwFTozSZxh
- Closing the Loop: Food Sovereignty and Zero-waste: https://youtu.be/qr5MCUunuHw?si=to6–Oco4AbDy4ER
- The Oceans Commons: Risks and Challenges for Food Sovereignty: https://youtu.be/vNuTiQmp3y8?si=WZpjneP4sQP834BP
- The Water Commons and Food Sovereignty: https://youtu.be/QwwfSDF6YnM?si=K9PaYLRd8PTsbN6o
- SAFSC Next Food System Dialogues: Is the globalised industrial food system heading for collapse: https://youtu.be/r0vog-sykX4?si=LuStea6SA9GkP2b8
- Media Statements: https://www.safsc.org.za/category/media2/
CLIMATE RISKS AND SHOCKS
Examine how the intensifying droughts, floods, and extreme weather disrupt food systems and livelihoods. By understanding these risks, communities can protect their livelihoods and strengthen the efforts to advance food sovereignty in the face of climate change.
- Climate Justice Charter: https://cjcm.org.za/tools/category/636cf30c-bf23-4719-91e4-6b5cc21f9fff
- A Climate Science future for South Africa: https://cjcm.org.za/tools/download/ba8bfe7f-3dbe-4ef1-bf67-06ea870b663d
- Press statement: Climate Shocks, Flooding in KZN and the Loss of Innocent Lives. This is Not a Natural Disaster! – 13 April 2022: https://cjcm.org.za/media/releases/89532199-89c9-404c-a8a3-158bc7ba05c8/download
- DM 3: The Climate Crisis: South African and Global Democratic Eco-Socialist Alternatives (CH 1: The Climate Crisis and Systemic Alternative Vishwas Satgar) http://library.oapen.org/handle/20.500.12657/29462
- Tornado Destruction in Tongaat: Lessons for Disaster Management and Reconstruction: https://youtu.be/f3ITA7vZJ3M?si=8vLqMwFTvXTPhHuU
- What is Climate Change and How is it Affecting Us?: https://cjcm.org.za/tools/category/caac06d3-fd8b-4319-b477-db02fa0c63d6
THEORY OF CHANGE:
Engage with the collective efforts that advocate for just and enduring change for both communities and the non-human kin who sustain life. Our Theory of change is guided by the principles of food sovereignty, a commitment to the commons and sheds light into the power that our strategies and actions have to transform food systems.
LEARN THE PRINCIPLES & APPROACHES OF FOOD SOVEREIGNTY
What alternatives exist to the industrial food system? What principles, frameworks, and approaches guide transformative change?
This step introduces users to the core ideas behind food sovereignty, agroecology, and community alternatives that challenge corporate-controlled food systems.
DEEP JUST TRANSITION AND CLIMATE JUSTICE
Explores the vision for a new food sovereignty commons system in the context of worsening climate shocks and failing globalised food systems. Food sovereignty is a systemic alternative to achieve climate justice and give us all power over the food system.
BUILDING FROM BELOW
Explore the approaches, ranging from community-led movements to civil society interventions, that challenge the industrial food system through the principles of food sovereignty and the commons.
COMMONS AND COMMONING
Explores how land, water, seeds, biodiversity, creative labour, energy, public goods, culture and the earth system provide life enabling systems as the basis to build food sovereignty commons systems through the practice of commoning.
AGROECOLOGY
Explore the science of agroecology, which are a set of farming practices that work with natural ecosystems, emphasizing biodiversity, soil health, and ecological balance to create resilient and climate just food systems.
AGROFORESTRY
Explore agroforestry’s role in strengthening communities and ecosystems, through the use of trees, crops and livestock to build resilient food systems. Through supporting biodiversity, and improving livelihoods, agroforestry empowers communities to reclaim their agency over their food and land.
ZERO WASTE AND LOCAL FOOD NETWORKS
Explore how communities, households and producers are forging connections through local markets, solidarity economy cooperatives and shared distribution systems to advance food sovereignty and challenge corporate controlled food systems..
FOOD SOVEREIGNTY FOR THE RIGHT TO FOOD
Engage with practical strategies and resources that are designed to empower communities to claim their right to healthy, culturally appropriate and just food systems.
BUILD THE PRACTICES OF FOOD SOVEREIGNTY PATHWAYS
What practical actions can communities take? What tools support organizing, training, and grassroots transformation?
This step provides hands-on guides and tools for on-the-ground work to build food sovereignty pathways in communities, villages, towns, cities and the country. It includes activist materials, technical resources, and thematic tools that strengthen community capacity to build food sovereignty. This section will be embed in the pathway building approach:
TRAINING MATERIALS
Explore resources and guides that are rooted in the knowledge and skills needed to build food sovereignty. These training materials are designed to empower communities, farmers, and allies to take action and drive transformative change from the ground up.
ACTIVIST TOOLS
Engage with practical resources, activist workshop guides, and strategic documents that support advocacy, campaigning, and grassroots organizing for a climate just food system.
ADVANCING FOOD SOVEREIGNTY THROUGH SEED SAVING
Learn about the innovative ways that communities are working to preserve local and indigenous seeds, protect biodiversity, and secure their right to shape and sustain their own food systems.
BUILDING PEOPLE’S POWER FOR WATER SOVEREIGNTY
Explore this guide that help community members to build their capacity to defend water rights, manage local water bodies, and ensure equitable access for all.
CLIMATE JUSTICE THROUGH LAND JUSTICE
Explore the intersection of land justice, stewardship and climate action to empower communities to build climate just food systems.
BUILDING A SOLIDARITY ECONOMY MOVEMENT
Resources that outline the practical steps to create cooperative networks, strengthen local economies, and foster collective ownership and mutual support.
BUILDING PEOPLE’S POWER FOR WATER SOVEREIGNTY
Tools to help communities to form worker-led cooperatives that promote livelihoods and foster democratic workplaces.
MAP, CONNECT & BUILD THE MOVEMENT
Where is food sovereignty already being built? How can communities join networks, share knowledge, and collaborate?
This step visually maps the living movement of food sovereignty in South Africa. It connects users to hubs, cooperatives, gardens, small-scale farmers, informal traders, and solidarity economy practices.
Explore visual guides to community projects, hubs and pathways that are driving food sovereignty across South Africa, and discover the opportunities to collaborate and make connections across the different regions.
Learn more about the spaces where emancipatory knowledge, training tools, and solidarity networks come together to support community-led food and climate justice projects.
Explore the small-scale gardens that empower families to grow their own nutritious food and strengthen the local food sovereignty movement.
Explore how farmers and food growers are practicing permaculture, agroecology and agroforestry, preserving local seeds; and maintaining community-centered food systems.
Stand in solidarity with fishing communities across South Africa that rely on the health and wellbeing of our oceans to protect peoples livelihoods, local ecosystems, and coastal food systems.
Examine the areas where water scarcity has had an impact on food producers, and has empowered communities to plan resilient strategies towards water sovereignty.
Explore examples of cooperative, community-centered economic practices that prioritize fairness, mutual support, and an ethic of care.
Explore the network of small-scale traders who distribute food locally and connect communities to indigenous, affordable, and culturally grounded food and medicine.
Explore local marketplaces that are central in building and strengthening producer-consumer connections, supporting food local economies, and providing growers a space to sell their produce outside of the corporate controlled food system.
Build reliable community-led financial institutions that provide fair access to credit, enabling the growth and health of cooperative development and resilient local economies.
Explore collective farming initiatives that empower farmers through shared resources, knowledge, and decision-making.
Explore the community of fishers who are working together to manage the commons and protect the livelihoods of their families, communities, coastal food systems and biodiversity.
Examine the democratically managed cooperatives where workers collectively manage, regulate, and control their work and the means of production.
Explore the networks of farmer associations, and their collaborative strategies for building food sovereignty across South Africa.