The informal sector’s role in food security: A missing link in policy debates?

Abstract

This paper aims to review what is currently known about the role played by the informal sector in general
\nand informal retailers in particular, in the accessibility of food in South Africa. The review seeks to
\nidentify policy relevant research gaps. Drawing on Statistics South Africa data, we show that the informal
\nsector is an important source of employment, dominated by informal trade with the sale of food a
\nsignificant subsector within this trade. We then turn our attention to what is known about the informal
\nsector’s role in food sourcing of poorer households. African Food Security Urban Network’s surveys show
\nthat urban residents and particularly low income households regularly sourced food from the informal
\nsector and we explore why this might be the case through an expanded view of access. We then consider
\nexisting evidence on the implications of increased supermarket penetration for informal retailers and
\nfood security. Having established the importance of the informal sector, we turn our attention to the
\npolicy environment. First we assess the food security policy position and then the post-apartheid policy
\nresponse to the informal sector – nationally, in provinces, and in key urban centres. We trace a
\nproductionist and rural bias in the food security agenda and argue that the policy environment for
\ninformal operators is at best benign neglect and at worse actively destructive, with serious food security
\nimplications. Throughout the paper we draw on regional and international evidence to locate the South
\nAfrican issues within wider related trends.