The long and short of stunting in SA: Why understanding the problem is important for policy change

HANDS-ON Experience Learning July 2026 | Issue 34

OPPORTUNITY

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Stop nutritional stunting of young children

THE LONG AND SHORT OF STUNTING IN SOUTH AFRICA WHY UNDERSTANDING THE PROBLEM IS IMPORTANT FOR POLICY CHANGE Over a quarter of under-fives in South Africa are too short for their age — and the figure has been hovering around the same level for about three decades. But stunting is more than a growth problem; it’s also a developmental challenge. In February 2026, President Cyril Ramaphosa opened a critical window to kickstart real action in improving how children grow, calling stunting “a massive crisis that demands attention and resources”. This type of clear political commitment is needed for policy change, as evidenced by countries like Peru and Indonesia, which have both brought down stunting rates significantly in less than a decade. Given the urgency with which stunting must be tackled in South Africa, strong strategic planning is necessary. For this to happen, the problem must first be well understood.

This learning brief is the first in an issue dedicated to unpacking the challenges of — and opportunities for — fixing early childhood nutrition, and looks at what multidisciplinary research tells us about the underlying complexities around stunting in South Africa.

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THE LONG AND SHORT OF STUNTING IN SOUTH AFRICA WHY UNDERSTANDING THE PROBLEM IS IMPORTANT FOR POLICY CHANGE

Issue 34 /// July 2026

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The long and short of stunting in SA: Why understanding the problem is important for policy change

Published on Jul 7, 2026

DG Murray Trust

Over a quarter of under-fives in South Africa are too short for their age — and the figure has been hovering around the same level for about three decades. But stunting is more than a growth problem; it’s also a developmental challenge. In February 2026, President Cyril Ramaphosa opened a critical window to kickstart real action in improving how children grow, calling stunting “a massive crisis that demands attention and resources”. This type of clear political commitment is needed for policy change, as evidenced by countries like Peru and Indonesia, which have both brought down stunting rates significantly in less than a decade. This learning brief is the first in an issue dedicated to unpacking the challenges of — and opportunities for — fixing early childhood nutrition, and looks at what multidisciplinary research tells us about the underlying complexities around stunting in South Africa.