Community Law Centre participates in food security conference

Shehaam Johnstone, a doctoral researcher with the Community Law Centre presented a paper on the intersection of multilevel government with food security Imperatives, during the 3rd annual conference on Critical Law and Governance Perspectives on Food Security in South Africa. The theme of the conference was “Exploring the Role of Policy-Makers and other Stakeholders.”

Her presentation focused on the complex frameworks for food security and how the structural arrangement in which state authority is distributed across three spheres of government results in unclear roles and responsibilities, and lack of accountability. Specific attention was drawn to tensions within spatial planning and land use management and how the different spheres of government ought to overcome these challenges.

The Conference was hosted by the North West University (NWU) and Konrad Adenauer Stiftung (KAS) and it took place on 18 and 19 June 2015. The purpose of the conference was to determine how governance tools and mechanisms impact food security. It aimed to look at themes which include the effect of current trade restriction policies on the local production of foodstuffs, the dumping of cheap imported produce from abroad, as well as regulatory policy and restrictions in general.

It was attended by a varying group of people with diverse interest and backgrounds, ranging from academics, activists, policy-makers, politicians, farmers, scientists and lawyers specialising in the field of food security.