Abdool Karim Safura, Kruger Petronell, Erzse Agnes, Rwafa-Ponela Teurai, Nyatela Athini, Lalla-Edward Samanta
Centre for the Programme of Aids Research in South Africa, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban 4001, South Africa.
Berman Institute of Bioethics, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 23231, United States.
Health Promot Int. 2025 May 13;40(3). doi: 10.1093/heapro/daaf070.
Covid-19 and South Africa's response to Covid-19 resulted in increased food insecurity and reliance on food aid. This study aimed to describe the functioning of the food aid system during South Africa's Covid-19 response. We conducted a mixed-methods study from August 2020 to January 2021 in South Africa. Data collection comprised of a desk-based review of private actor activities related to food aid during Covid-19; key informant interviews with food aid providers in both civil society and government, informal traders, and academia (n = 20); and a survey with HIV-positive women (n = 202). Interviews were transcribed and inductively coded. Data were analysed qualitatively using thematic analysis. Results showed that Covid-19, and the response, caused disruptions to food supply, specifically informal food economy and reduced incomes, resulting in increased reliance on food aid. While food donations increased, this did not meet increased demand for aid. Recipients of food aid reported low access to food aid and a mismatch between the contents of food aid parcels and their needs, despite aid providers outlining policies that considered nutritional and cultural acceptability of food parcels. Many participants indicated a preference for a food voucher or grant over food parcels. The paper highlights the unintended adverse consequences of the Covid-19 response on food insecurity. South Africa's food aid system was insufficient to respond to the needs of vulnerable groups during the pandemic. We recommend ongoing monitoring of interventions to identify and mitigate unintended consequences and the implementation of a food voucher system.
新冠疫情以及南非对新冠疫情的应对导致了粮食不安全状况加剧，人们对粮食援助的依赖增加。本研究旨在描述南非在应对新冠疫情期间粮食援助系统的运作情况。2020年8月至2021年1月，我们在南非开展了一项混合方法研究。数据收集包括对新冠疫情期间与粮食援助相关的私人行为体活动进行案头审查；对民间社会和政府中的粮食援助提供者、非正规贸易商和学术界人士进行关键信息访谈（n = 20）；以及对艾滋病毒呈阳性的女性进行调查（n = 202）。访谈内容进行了转录并进行归纳编码。使用主题分析法对数据进行定性分析。结果表明，新冠疫情及其应对措施对粮食供应造成了干扰，特别是非正规粮食经济和收入减少，导致对粮食援助的依赖增加。虽然食品捐赠有所增加，但这并未满足对援助不断增长的需求。粮食援助受助者报告称获得粮食援助的机会较低，而且粮食援助包裹的内容与他们的需求不匹配，尽管援助提供者概述了考虑到食品包裹营养和文化可接受性的政策。许多参与者表示更喜欢食品券或补助金而不是食品包裹。本文强调了新冠疫情应对措施对粮食不安全产生的意外不利后果。南非的粮食援助系统在疫情期间不足以满足弱势群体的需求。我们建议持续监测干预措施，以识别和减轻意外后果，并实施食品券系统。
