Governance for food security under climate change: strategic shifts for the food retail sector in Brazil and South Africa

Abstract

Governance in the food system has become a key topic of discussion in light of the 2007-08 food price crisis. Of special importance has been the shift to include the role that non-state actors are likely to play in achieving food security under global environmental change (GEC). This paper aims to compare private sector food system governance trends in two emerging economies, Brazil and South Africa. It focuses on practices around adaptation, an area largely neglected in climate change discussion, yet a critical factor in coping with the societal consequences of GEC. This study identifies several processes, particularly within the retail sector, that could indicate mechanisms through which ‘good governance’ can be translated into practice.