Towards Zero Hunger: Bridging Global Lessons and Local Realities for SDG 2 Implementation in South Africa

Description

Page: 1538-1545

Shikha Vyas-Doorgapersad (School of Public Management, Governance and Public Policy, College of Business and Economics, University of Johannesburg, South Africa)

The article draws on a wide array of regional and international case studies to understand the country’s trajectory, exploring what works, what doesn’t, and why. Global experiences from India’s policy failures in tackling persistent malnutrition to Finland’s leadership in food security innovation offer important insights. Within the African continent, countries like Uganda, Nigeria, and Zimbabwe present instructive cases that reveal both systemic weaknesses and innovative responses. These lessons are particularly relevant for South Africa, where climate change, weak policy coordination, land inequality, and limited integration of knowledge that is indigenous and continue to challenge the effectiveness of food security interventions. The article utilises a qualitative desktop analysis approach to compile information. The review of available literature is considered to gather information available in the public domain. To assess and analyze the information, the article uses conceptual analysis and thematic contents were created to categorise information under various themes. The paper synthesises comparative findings to critically assess South Africa’s progress toward Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 2 by examining thematic areas such as climate resilience, agricultural policy coherence, gender inclusivity, indigenous knowledge systems, and governance. It argues that while strong policy frameworks exist, implementation remains constrained by fragmented governance, limited cross-sectoral collaboration, and socio-economic disparities. Through this lens, the article aims to bridge global lessons with local realities, offering evidence-based recommendations to strengthen South Africa’s capacity to meet the Zero Hunger target by 2030.