Addressing the challenges of food security and youth unemployment in South Africa through land reform policies

Akwasi Arko-Achemfuor

doi:10.21511/ee.07(3).2016.06

Abstract

South Africa’s past policy of apartheid has contributed to some of the socio-economic challenges the country faces today. Some of the challenges include grinding poverty levels, increasing inequality and unemployment among large sections of the population. The constitution of the country makes provision for property and land rights as strategies for addressing some of the past injustices, ensuring food insecurity and sustainable livelihoods. A number of polices have been drafted in this regard, but it is acknowledged that some of the policies that have been adopted by the government have not yielded the desired result leading to the fear that if the situation is not radically addressed may lead to unintended consequences. This paper assesses a number of polices, programs, approaches and strategies regarding land reform policies have that been put into place, most of which have not worked as expected including the fact that the youth have not been factored into most of these programs and policies. This article advocates for the youth to be factored into all land reform and food security policies and programs as a way of capacitating them and getting the youth to see agriculture as a career choice to ensure future food security for the nation, while at the same time addressing youth unemployment and rural poverty. Keywords: land reform, youth, food security, livelihoods, development, policy. JEL Classification: Q15, Q18, O2

Highlights

South Africa’s past policy of apartheid has contributed to some of the socio-economic challenges the country faces today
After the demise of apartheid, laws, policies and various approaches and strategies were put in place to address the land reform which was based on three legs, namely, restitution, redistribution and land tenure reform
All of these have had their successes and challenges, but there is the general consensus among large sections of South Africans that the implementation of the policies has not worked as planned

Summary

Introduction

South Africa’s past policy of apartheid has contributed to some of the socio-economic challenges the country faces today. The Department of Rural Development and Land Reform (2012) points out that the 1913 Natives Land Act left a trail of devastation among South Africa’s rural communities It adds that the impact of the Natives Land Act has consigned some 12 million South Africans to live in poverty in rural areas. Factor the youth into all land reform programs as a way of capacitating them and getting them to see agriculture as a career choice to ensure future food security for the nation, while at the same time addressing youth unemployment and rural poverty. As indicated earlier on in this article, land reform which comprises restitution, redistribution and tenure has not targeted the South African youth in most of the programs to ensure food security as the older generation of white commercial farmers grow older, as well as addressing youth unemployment most especially in rural areas

Research methodology

Background to the land question

The land reform policy

Progress made so far on land reform and challenges

Findings

Conclusion