The Affordability Problem South Africa faces a paradox: the country produces enough food, yet millions of households remain undernourished. The culprit isn't scarcity—it's economics. With unemployment at 33.6%, fresh produce has become a luxury. Cheap, highly processed alternatives dominate the diets of lower-income families, leaving children stunted and obesity rates climbing. Nearly 29% of children under five are stunted, while child obesity has almost doubled since 2016. "South Africa is not underfed, but it is undernourished," said Alef Meulenberg, Founder of Rhiza Holdings, a non-profit focused on agriculture and skills development in under-resourced communities. "We have many food programmes, but often the food provided is not sufficiently nutritious. We also cannot blame people for choosing cheap food when cheap food is what they can afford. If we want healthier communities, we have to make healthier food affordable."
Agriculture as Dual Solution Rhiza's approach moves beyond charity.
The organisation combines agricultural training with entrepreneurship development, enabling communities to grow, sell, and earn income from food production. Two operational farms anchor the work. Thuthuwa Farm in Diepsloot provides crop-production training and commercial farming exposure. Amathuba Farm in Orange Farm produces seedlings and vegetables—spinach, onions, broccoli, beetroot, and okra—with participants learning both cultivation and business fundamentals. The model extends to schools. Rhiza has developed vegetable garden programs that provide fresh produce while teaching children how food is grown. A companion youth agripreneurship program trains participants in organic production and entrepreneurship, equipping them to offer nutritious food options at competitive prices. "Growing food is only one part of it," Meulenberg said. "People need to understand the market, the customer, pricing and how to make the business sustainable."
Broader Systemic Change Meulenberg linked improved nutrition directly to long-term health and economic outcomes. "Better nutrition can mean less stunting, better brain and physical development and, ultimately, better educational and health outcomes," he said. He framed the challenge as systemic: "If people can produce food and earn an income from it, you are addressing two problems at the same time. Food security and economic security cannot be treated as separate issues." Innovation, he emphasized, need not be technology-driven. "It can mean finding better ways to use land, bringing young people into agriculture, connecting producers to markets and producing food closer to the communities that consume it." Meulenberg called for multi-stakeholder action. "Government, farmers, businesses, schools and communities all have a role to play. We need to produce better food, make it accessible and affordable, and create opportunities for people to participate in the food economy. If we work together, we can build a food system that not only feeds people, but gives them the opportunity to live healthier, more secure lives." These comments coincide with National Nutrition Week (October 9–15), themed "Creating Healthy Food Environments for Better Nutrition," and World Food Day on October 16, themed "Innovate today, Nourish tomorrow."
Why It Matters
For foodservice operators and nutrition-focused businesses, this signals a growing market opportunity: consumers in emerging economies increasingly seek affordable, nutritious alternatives. Local food production models that address both supply-chain efficiency and community economic participation represent a scalable pathway to expand healthy product distribution while building brand loyalty in price-sensitive segments.
For more insights and trends in the food and beverage sector, check out more articles in The Food & Beverage Magazine family of publications.
Written by FBM Publications Editors
