On 27th August 2025, South Africa convened a National Policy Dialogue on Food Systems Transformation towards One Health at the Agricultural Research Council’s VIMP Campus in Pretoria. Convened under the Food Systems Transformation in Southern Africa for One Health (FoSTA-Health) project, the Dialogue came at a critical moment when South Africa was grappling with a foot-and-mouth disease outbreak—underscoring the urgent need for integrated approaches to food, animal, and environmental health.
The Dialogue brought together policymakers, researchers, farmers, industry leaders, and civil society to deliberate on how South Africa’s food systems can adapt to meet health, sustainability, and development goals.
FoSTA-Health is a regional research initiative being implemented in Malawi, Tanzania, Zambia, and South Africa, led by a consortium of global and African partners, including Wageningen University, the University of Leeds, and Czech Globe, FANRPAN, Kulima, and national universities in the implementing countries. In South Africa, FANRPAN and the National Agricultural Marketing Council (NAMC) led stakeholder and policy engagement, while the University of Pretoria led the research component. Together, these institutions are co-developing plausible transformative pathways to inform development decisions that advance One Health outcomes.
In South Africa, the project placed particular emphasis on diet diversification through the beef and pork industries. Research explored the drivers of transitions in these value chains, examining how production shifts, consumer behaviour, and disease management intersect with nutrition, environmental sustainability, and economic development. Using future scenario modeling, researchers and stakeholders examined how the transformation of the livestock sector and dietary diversification could shape long-term health and sustainability outcomes.
The Policy Dialogue also highlighted the dualistic nature of South Africa’s farming systems, emphasizing the need to build inclusive models that ensure equity, resilience, and shared benefits across smallholder and commercial production. Discussions further examined the implications of livestock disease outbreaks, alongside issues of land use, water management, and balancing domestic food security with export markets.
The Policy Dialogue validated research findings, generated actionable policy recommendations, and strengthened partnerships across government, academia, and the private sector.
Importantly, it underscored the value of aligning research with South Africa’s national priorities, including poverty reduction, job creation, and environmental sustainability.
By convening this timely Dialogue, the FoSTA-Health project demonstrated the critical importance of linking research and policy in addressing immediate challenges, such as animal disease outbreaks, while shaping resilient, inclusive, and sustainable food systems for the future.