The Biodiversity, Food Security, and Poverty Nexus in the Musina-Makhado Special Economic Zone of South Africa

Wild-sourced foods are entrenched among African women as a survival resource, with the potential to be expanded. Instead of optimising food security, current linear economic growth models in South Africa favour large environment-degrading projects, such as special economic zones and mining, that inc...

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Main Author: Catherine Maria Dzerefos
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Queensland University of Technology 2024-03-01
Series:International Journal for Crime, Justice and Social Democracy
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.crimejusticejournal.com/article/view/3246
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author Catherine Maria Dzerefos
author_facet Catherine Maria Dzerefos
author_sort Catherine Maria Dzerefos
collection DOAJ
description Wild-sourced foods are entrenched among African women as a survival resource, with the potential to be expanded. Instead of optimising food security, current linear economic growth models in South Africa favour large environment-degrading projects, such as special economic zones and mining, that increase the gap between the wealthy and poor sectors of society. The contentious Chinese-funded Musina–Makhado Special Economic Zone (MMSEZ) planned for the Limpopo province of South Africa is used as a case study in this paper. The MMSEZ case demonstrates the failure of an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) to consider alternative land use suited to a biodiverse economy and existing livelihood strategies. Notably, the availability of a popular edible insect, the mopane worm, was not surveyed at a time when it might have been visible. Despite a local and global interest in insect protein, this opportunity was not considered as a means to improve food security and income streams for local unemployed African women.
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spelling doaj.art-888d4d2c02c048fe904d0ba9845e500f2024-03-03T22:48:20ZengQueensland University of TechnologyInternational Journal for Crime, Justice and Social Democracy2202-79982202-80052024-03-01131142810.5204/ijcjsd.32463569The Biodiversity, Food Security, and Poverty Nexus in the Musina-Makhado Special Economic Zone of South AfricaCatherine Maria Dzerefos0https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6158-5039Tshwane University of TechnologyWild-sourced foods are entrenched among African women as a survival resource, with the potential to be expanded. Instead of optimising food security, current linear economic growth models in South Africa favour large environment-degrading projects, such as special economic zones and mining, that increase the gap between the wealthy and poor sectors of society. The contentious Chinese-funded Musina–Makhado Special Economic Zone (MMSEZ) planned for the Limpopo province of South Africa is used as a case study in this paper. The MMSEZ case demonstrates the failure of an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) to consider alternative land use suited to a biodiverse economy and existing livelihood strategies. Notably, the availability of a popular edible insect, the mopane worm, was not surveyed at a time when it might have been visible. Despite a local and global interest in insect protein, this opportunity was not considered as a means to improve food security and income streams for local unemployed African women.https://www.crimejusticejournal.com/article/view/3246biodiversity economyeiafood securitymopane wormsenvironmental impact assessment
spellingShingle Catherine Maria Dzerefos
The Biodiversity, Food Security, and Poverty Nexus in the Musina-Makhado Special Economic Zone of South Africa
International Journal for Crime, Justice and Social Democracy
biodiversity economy
eia
food security
mopane worms
environmental impact assessment
title The Biodiversity, Food Security, and Poverty Nexus in the Musina-Makhado Special Economic Zone of South Africa
title_full The Biodiversity, Food Security, and Poverty Nexus in the Musina-Makhado Special Economic Zone of South Africa
title_fullStr The Biodiversity, Food Security, and Poverty Nexus in the Musina-Makhado Special Economic Zone of South Africa
title_full_unstemmed The Biodiversity, Food Security, and Poverty Nexus in the Musina-Makhado Special Economic Zone of South Africa
title_short The Biodiversity, Food Security, and Poverty Nexus in the Musina-Makhado Special Economic Zone of South Africa
title_sort biodiversity food security and poverty nexus in the musina makhado special economic zone of south africa
topic biodiversity economy
eia
food security
mopane worms
environmental impact assessment
url https://www.crimejusticejournal.com/article/view/3246
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