UNDERSTAND THE SYSTEM
What shapes our food systems? What crises do communities face? What policies and structures influence our ability to claim and build food sovereignty?
This step provides foundational knowledge. Users engage with research, policy analysis, and evidence to understand the current food system and the challenges communities and households face
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 ABOUT 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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..
Engage with practical strategies and resources that are designed to empower communities to claim their right to healthy, culturally appropriate and just food systems.
- Food sovereignty for the right to food (activist guide): http://safsc.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/Food-Sovereignty-for-the-Right-to-Food-Activist-Guide-compressed.pdf
- Commons in the Everyday Blogs: https://emancipatoryfutures.co.za/blog/2025/october
- Commons in the Everyday Recordings: Day1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sy64dzDEFOA&t=20s
Day 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GNJx1h91wf0. - Peoples Planning for a Deep Just Transition: an Activist Guide
- Animation: The hidden story behind hunger (5 mins), https://youtu.be/AYHybn0QdYA
- SAFSC ASSEMBLY REPORTS: https://www.safsc.org.za/campaign-documents/
- Guidelines for setting up a forum: https://www.safsc.org.za/grassroots-organising-tools/
- Agroecology in South Africa: https://www.safsc.org.za/agroecology/
- Agroecology: What it is and what it has to offer: https://www.safsc.org.za/agroecology/
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.
Content to upload:
- Animation: Food sovereignty, lets feed ourselves: starting your own agroecology food garden (7 mins): https://youtu.be/OSCo5TZauso
- COPAC Agroecology Training Youtube Playlist: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLqVUxDeeDDmlEi_Mt52nHKXwLjOfy1oO7&si=2ZzuonGVRLtN-0wa
- Khanyisa Agroecology Training tools: https://www.safsc.org.za/agroecology/
- Food for Thought and Action: A food sovereignty curriculum
LET’S FEED OURSELVES THROUGH FOOD SOVEREIGNTY: HUB AND PATHWAY CASE STUDIES
This tool showcases hub and pathway case studies from across South Africa, highlighting how communities are organising to feed themselves through agroecology, solidarity economies, and democratic food system practices. It serves as a practical guide for activists, cooperatives, and community groups seeking to build their own food sovereignty pathways.
Content to upload:
- Case Study Activist Tool
- Seed Bank- Quzini Eastern Cape: https://youtu.be/evUBDOwgb2o
- Agroecology: Voices from Social Movements: https://youtu.be/-Km9Kv5UylU?si=3388nZLoM-vHT6U6
- Newsletters???
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 helps 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.
CREATE WORK THROUGH WORKER COOPS
Tools to help communities to form worker-led cooperatives that promote livelihoods and foster democratic workplaces.
FEED OURSELVES THROUGH FOOD SOVEREIGNTY POLICY
The Food Sovereignty Policy outlines a community-driven pathway to transform South Africa’s food system. It promotes agroecology, local food economies, participatory governance, and protections for land, water, and seed commons by placing control of food systems back in the hands of ordinary people.
THE PEOPLES FOOD SOVEREIGNTY ACT
Feed Ourselves Through Food Sovereignty is a democratic policy framework designed to move South Africa away from a corporate-controlled, crisis-prone food system. The policy promotes agroecology, strengthens community food systems, advances the solidarity economy, and centres people’s right to land, water, seeds, and nutritious food. It also supports participatory food governance, enabling communities—not corporations—to shape decisions about how food is produced, distributed, and accessed.
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 household, community projects, foraging initiatives, 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.
happening in coastal, veld and forests. Learn about ethics, indigenous plants, herbal remedies and food diets.
Build solidarity with 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 farming cooperatives, cooperative banks, fishing cooperatives, worker cooperatives, communal associations, land trusts, community-solidarity centered economic practices that prioritize local production, food processing, zero waste, community markets, 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 the networks of farmer associations, and their collaborative strategies for building food sovereignty across South Africa.