Abstract
Globally, approximately one billion people benefit from contributions of wild foods to their food security and dietary diversity. Wild foods are known to be important in rural communities in terms of food and micronutrient provision, diversifying diets, reducing vulnerability to non-communicable diseases and overall health. However, the potential contribution of wild foods towards food security and dietary diversity in urban food systems has been largely overlooked. This study examined the contribution of wild foods to household dietary diversity in two towns in South Africa, based on a survey of 137 households. Household diets were quite diverse, with half (51%) having consumed ≥ 8 food groups, 39% consumed 6 or 7 food groups, and only 10% recorded ≤ 5 food groups in the previous 48 h. Wild foods were prevalent across the sample, with 62% of the households consuming them to some degree. Wild vegetables and fruits were the most common wild foods, consumed by 96 and 79% of the households, respectively. Although wild foods had limited significance on overall dietary diversity, they exhibited substantial contributions within particular food groups. For example, the consumption of vegetables and oil and fats was most prevalent among households consuming wild foods than those who did not. The findings show that wild foods could contribute towards diversifying urban diets at a micro-level, within particular food groups consumed, such as vegetables and fruits. Hence, wild foods are important in ameliorating the monotonous diets of some households and in turn promoting dietary diversity.
Highlights
Food security remains a topical developmental problem worldwide, despite the global efforts of halving the proportion of people undernourished [1,2,3]
This study demonstrates that wild food uses is prevalent in urban areas albeit being consumed less frequently
The majority of respondents perceived wild foods positively. This favorable perception accords an opportunity for promoting wild foods in urban food systems. This could be achieved by incorporating wild foods in local restaurant menus, events celebrating traditional food cuisines in urban areas and school curricula
Summary
Food security remains a topical developmental problem worldwide, despite the global efforts of halving the proportion of people undernourished [1,2,3]. More than 820 million people worldwide are undernourished, with the greatest proportions situated in developing countries [4]. Despite the lower prevalence rate of undernourishment in southern Africa, some countries are still battling with high income inequality and poverty, which frequently translates into inadequate access to food despite its availability. This is the case for South Africa, which is considered food secure at national level but not at household level [5]
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