In South Africa, low-income households face food insecurity while simultaneously battling rising obesity and poor nutrition. This is because cheap, highly processed food is often more accessible than fresh, nutritious alternatives.
According to Riza Babule, a non-profit organization that works with low-income communities through agricultural, skills, and entrepreneurship development, the problem cannot be solved with simple recommendations on choosing healthier food.
Aleph Meulenberg, founder of Rhiza Holdings, noted: 'South Africa is not starving, but it is undernourished.' He added that despite numerous feeding programs, the food provided is often insufficiently nutritious. In his view, people cannot be blamed for choosing cheap food if it is all they can afford. To create healthier communities, healthy food must be made accessible.
This warning came amid the National Nutrition Week from October 9 to 15 under the slogan 'Creating a healthy food environment for better nutrition,' followed by World Food Security Day on October 16 with the theme 'Innovate today, feed tomorrow.'
For Rhiza, part of the solution lies not just in distributing food, but in helping communities grow, sell, and earn income from it. In areas where low incomes and unemployment hinder maintaining a healthy diet, the organization uses agriculture to increase access to fresh produce and create economic opportunities.
The organization's programs combine practical farming with the business acumen needed to turn food production into a source of income. These programs include school vegetable gardens and youth agri-entrepreneurship. Meulenberg reported that they have developed models allowing schools to establish their own vegetable plots.
Furthermore, an entrepreneurship program was created where youth are trained in business related to organic and healthier foods so they can offer communities options that were previously unavailable at a similar price. This work includes Tutuwa Farm in Diepsloot, where participants are trained in crop production and introduced to commercial farming, as well as Amatuba Farm in Orange Farm, where seedlings and vegetables, including spinach, onions, broccoli, beetroot, and eggplant, are grown.
The ultimate goal is to move people beyond simply growing food and guide them toward establishing viable agricultural enterprises. Meulenberg emphasized that 'growing food is only one part of the process.' He added that people need to understand the market, the consumer, pricing, and how to ensure business sustainability.
This approach forms the basis of Rhiza's agri-entrepreneurship model, which combines agricultural skills with entrepreneurship, employment opportunities, and practical experience. According to Meulenberg, if people can produce food and earn income from it, two problems are solved at once: food and economic security, which should not be viewed separately.
School vegetable gardens aim to provide fresh produce while teaching children the process of growing food. Meulenberg noted that the benefits of better nutrition can extend far beyond the dinner table. He stated that improved nutrition can lead to reduced growth stunting, better physical and brain development, and ultimately—better educational and health outcomes.
Rhiza sees a close link between agriculture, nutrition, and innovation. Meulenberg clarified that innovation does not necessarily mean complex technology; it can be finding better ways to use land, engaging youth in agriculture, establishing links between producers and markets, and producing food closer to consumers.
He noted that the main task is to ensure that healthy food is accessible to everyone, not just those who can afford it. 'Food should nourish people, but it can also create opportunities. If we can make these two things work together, agriculture can become part of the solution to hunger, malnutrition, and unemployment.'
Meulenberg concluded that no single organization or sector can create a healthy food environment alone. He called for joint efforts from government, farmers, businesses, schools, and communities. '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 also gives them the opportunity to live healthier and more secure lives.'