Exploring the determinants of indigenous leafy vegetables utilization as a development strategy for enhancing food and nutrition security in Alfred Nzo district, South Africa

Abstract

Indigenous leafy vegetables (ILVs) play a role in food security, health, and income generation. Most of these vegetables are a treasured source of vitamins and are frequently used as a supplement for staple diets. However, there are concerns regarding the determinants that condition the use of ILVs for different purposes among rural households. As much as South Africa is known to be food-sufficient at the national level, the same cannot be said at the household level. This is because some households, particularly in rural areas, have been battling with food insecurity and lacking means of earning a living. One way some rural households may seek to cope with the threat of food and nutrition insecurity is to include indigenous vegetables in their daily diets. Therefore, this study analyzed the determinants of the use of ILVs by rural households in Alfred Nzo District, Eastern Cape Province of South Africa. A sample of 106 rural households was considered using a simple random sampling method through a lottery technique, and cross-sectional primary data was collected using a questionnaire via face-to-face interviews. Household heads were used as units of analysis. The study used a multinomial logistic regression model to analyze the determinants for different uses of ILVs. Results revealed that the age of a household head, education status, nutrition, and health benefits from ILVs positively influence the households to use ILVs as an income or food source. Household size, gender of a household head, farm income, employment status of a household head, and seasonal production or availability of ILVs negatively influenced households to use ILVs as an income or food source. The results further revealed that the age of a household head, farm income, nutrition, and health benefits from ILVs positively influenced the households to use ILVs as a medicinal or food source. On the other hand, household size, education status, employment status of a household head, and seasonal production or availability of ILVs negatively influenced households to use ILVs as medicinal or food sources. The study recommends that South Africa use public governments to encourage and create awareness of the economic and social value of ILVs and strengthen the use of ILVs in the communities, particularly vulnerable communities, and groups. Key words: Consumers, development, Eastern Cape, food security, income, indigenous, nutrition, well-being