Abstract
INTRODUCTION: The presence of concurrent childhood stunting and adult obesity observed in poor, rural, former homeland communities in South Africa appears to be explained by nutrition transition, but the factors shaping rural food security are still poorly understood. Localized constraints and capabilities are often overlooked by food security policies, strategies and programs. Grounding food security data in local contexts is often a missing step in the diagnosis of food insecurity.AIMS: This qualitative study aimed to engage members of poor rural communities in generating a more grounded, localized understanding of food insecurity.METHOD: Members of South Africa’s poorest rural communities were asked to validate and interpret food production, consumption and nutrition data from a three-year, multidisciplinary food security study, with the aid of graphic presentations to overcome literacy barriers.RESULTS: Interpretations of food security research findings by communities revealed unique local experiences and understandings of food insecurity.CONCLUSION: Engaging people in the joint diagnosis of their food security challenges generates information on the environmental, economic and cultural conditions that shape experiences of hunger and influence nutrition outcomes, which are not always captured by conventional food security analyses. More inclusive and participatory research could support the design of more effective food security interventions in marginalized rural communities.
Highlights
The presence of concurrent childhood stunting and adult obesity observed in poor, rural, former homeland communities in South Africa appears to be explained by nutrition transition, but the factors shaping rural food security are still poorly understood
More inclusive and participatory research could support the design of more effective food security interventions in marginalized rural communities
Food security and social protection policies in South Africa have had some success in alleviating extreme poverty and hunger, but are failing to address chronic food insecurity in rural communities
Summary
The presence of concurrent childhood stunting and adult obesity observed in poor, rural, former homeland communities in South Africa appears to be explained by nutrition transition, but the factors shaping rural food security are still poorly understood. South Africa is a geographically and culturally diverse, middle–income country experiencing chronic food insecurity. While this is both a rural and urban problem, it is concentrated in rural, former homeland (native reserve) areas. This paper demonstrates one of the ways food insecurity be better understood through the participatory validation and interpretation of research findings It describes facilitated discussions with rural community groups of the results of a four-year study exploring the rain-fed and irrigated small-scale production in rural, former homeland regions of South Africa, entitled “Current rain-fed and irrigated production of food crops and its potential to meet all year round nutritional requirements of rural poor people in North West, Limpopo, KwaZulu-Natal and Eastern Cape Provinces.”. It describes facilitated discussions with rural community groups of the results of a four-year study exploring the rain-fed and irrigated small-scale production in rural, former homeland regions of South Africa, entitled “Current rain-fed and irrigated production of food crops and its potential to meet all year round nutritional requirements of rural poor people in North West, Limpopo, KwaZulu-Natal and Eastern Cape Provinces.” The aim was to validate quantitative food security data and to further ground the data in communities’ experiences and understandings of food production, dietary patterns and malnutrition in their own communities, giving a subjective, ‘insider’ perspective on the food security challenges faced by poor, rural South Africans
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