Exploring Pathways Towards Just Futures in Unequal Food Systems

Abstract

Food systems express many systemic inequities and injustices that leave actors with varying capabilities to participate and benefit from food production activities. Many resilience studies therefore focus on promoting transformations towards more equitable and sustainable food systems. This study applied two complementary Future Study methods, namely Causal Layered Analysis and the Three Horizons approach, to case studies of small-scale, emerging, and large-scale farmers in South Africa. The study considered (a) how these actors frame persistent challenges they face in farming and (b) which pathways they feel can facilitate the desired futures they have identified. Separate workshops were hosted for the different actor groups, after which the workshop materials were transcribed, coded and analysed using qualitative content analysis. We found that small-scale farmers faced the highest number of unique constraints in their farming operations. A significant difference between these farmers and large-scale farmers is access to finance and farming equipment. Key issues for large-scale farmers are to overcome governance bottlenecks, such as port inefficiencies and bureaucratic processes, to secure and expand their presence in markets and the barriers to additional natural resources. Emerging and small-scale farmers also identified a lack of access to and decision-making power over the resources needed for production. Additional barriers for these farmers included a lack of recognition as farmers who were previously disadvantaged but equally capable of contributing to food production, resulting in their perceived exclusion from industry organisations and governance processes. To achieve their desired futures, all groups mentioned the improved functioning of public infrastructure, governance processes, better communication and knowledge sharing within the farming community as necessary changes. By examining the current, future, and transitioning options from different farmer group perspectives, this study provides a novel and relational view of the land reform project in South Africa that presents pathways towards a future that is co-produced and holds shared benefit to farmer groups.