Food Security In South Africa Research Articles

Food security and disability in South Africa: an analysis of General Household Survey data

Purpose We investigated the relationship between disability and food security in South Africa using data from the General Household Survey (GHS). Materials and Methods Regression models were utilised with GHS data (2014–2018) to gauge the likelihood of food insecurity (the dependent variable) among individuals with disabilities. Socioeconomic and demographic traits of the 2018 GHS sample were analysed. All estimates were weighted and represented nationally at the individual level. Results In this study population (32 187) of food insecure people, 9.64% are disabled. Food insecurity impacts more Black people with disabilities (91%) versus those without disabilities (90%), and disabled women (65%) versus nondisabled women (58%). Most reside in KwaZulu-Natal. Those with disability grants lower food insecurity odds, while child support grant recipients face higher odds. Household size and education are significant predictors, while marital status and gender are not. Conclusion This study data justifies the need for disability-inclusive food security programmes in South Africa, especially amid crises like COVID-19. Significantly, there is a nil data finding about people with eating/swallowing disabilities whose needs intersect with food security. This emphasises the need for inclusive data collection that operates within a food sovereignty framework to increase the visibility of people with disabilities.

The Influence of Education on Women and Food Security

The study analysed the influence of education on women and food security in South Africa. The methodological approach was a qualitative analysis using focus group discussions and an in-depth desktop review of relevant literature on the education system. The focus group discussions were about rural women's farming initiatives, looking at the influence of education on productivity. According to the study, educational level and farm productivity are directly correlated. The women in the focus group discussions mentioned that education and training were critical for food production and household food security. In addition, education is essential for women to imagine and implement strategies and opportunities to gain employment and move up the commodity value chain. Furthermore, a specialised curriculum in technical subjects at primary and secondary levels targeting girls was essential for establishing a strong foundation for them. Adult education, especially in primary education courses targeting women, improves women's agriculture participation. Since women are the custodians of smallholder agriculture, gender transformative approaches such as tailor-made financial and leadership support are also critical for the socio-economic development of agriculture in South Africa.

Addressing Hunger in South Africa: Food Aid and Food Security Programs for Needy Communities

Hunger in South Africa is a serious challenge that requires rapid and effective action to address its impacts. This research aims to explore strategies for alleviating hunger through implementing food aid programs and building food security in communities in need. The research method used is qualitative with a descriptive approach. The research results show that a combination of food aid and food security programs provides the best solution. Food aid can provide direct assistance to families in need, while food security programs aim to empower communities with the skills and resources to produce their own food. The importance of involving interested parties, including government, non-governmental organizations and the private sector, is highlighted in this research. Strong collaboration between various parties can increase the efficiency and positive impact of efforts to overcome hunger. This research makes an important contribution to understanding how best to address hunger in South Africa, providing a holistic and integrated view. It is hoped that the results of this research will serve as a guide for policy makers, humanitarian organizations and the general public in their efforts to combat hunger and improve food security in South Africa.

A drought monitoring and early warning service for food security in South Africa

In this paper we present an operational system for drought monitoring and early warning over South Africa-Lesotho. The indicators used for the alert issuance are based on meteorological, agricultural and hydrological indices, assembled by satellite and reanalysis raw data, to cover for all aspects of drought. The service is operationally updated every 10 days and has a spatial resolution of 10 Km. A severe drought period for South Africa covering the time period 2017–2020 was used to test the performance of the drought system. Our analysis indicated that the service is useful, providing sufficient warning on the onsets of and duration of droughts. Comparison of our results with a South African national drought service indicates a very good agreement in early warning messaging. The service is particularly user friendly and easily transferable to any region worldwide.

Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) cultivars physiological, biochemical performance and yield parameters response to acid mine water irrigation and soil physiochemical properties

This paper aimed to analyse the potato cultivar’s response to physiological, biochemical performance, yield parameters and soil physiochemical properties when subjected to quicklime (un)treated acid mine drainage (AMD) irrigation. A randomized design experiment was conducted with five water treatment levels: TW1; TW2; TW3; TW4 to TW5 replicated four times. The results showed that the quicklime treatment increased the pH of the AMD water, reduced the concentration of EC, NO3−, SO42− and ameliorated heavy metals. However, unsafe levels of heavy metals above the maximum permissible (WHO/FAO) levels were found in Pb, Mg and Mo for water (TW4 and TW5), while As, Cd and Cr for soils (ST4 and ST5) respectively. For potato tubers (TT4 and TT5) concentrations of As, Cd, Cr, and Pb were above the maximum levels. Stomatal conductance, chlorophyll content and yield parameters responded positively by increasing significantly on TW4 and TW5 treatments, but negatively (reduced) towards TW2 and TW3 treatments. A higher bioaccumulation factor was obtained for Zn ˃ Cu ˃ Mg ˃ Pb ˃ Mn, which was an indication of the contamination status of soil, with Zn being more concentrated than other metals. The findings indicate that quicklime-treated AMD is usable for potato irrigation with regular monitoring of heavy metal levels and strict observation of water reuse protocols. The use of this large source of ameliorated (AMD) water will go a long way in improving food security in South Africa and/or in countries where agriculture production is around mining areas.

Navigating the Complex Terrain of Food Security in Decentralised Systems: Insights from South Africa and Nigeria

Despite their substantial economies and populations, South Africa and Nigeria encounter significant challenges primarily due to constraints in accessing to agricultural input resources. The study adopts an interpretivist approach, which involves acknowledging reality and making meaningful contributions through qualitative research. As such, secondary data was collected and analysed thematically. This paper delves into the multifaceted nature of food insecurity, highlighted by historical factors, widespread poverty and unemployment, further exacerbated by escalating global food prices. The correlation between exorbitant input expenses and restricted agricultural yields and production, resulting in heightened food prices, is thoroughly explored. Additionally, the review critically examines the influence of climate change on the agricultural sector and its implications for the availability and accessibility of food in rural areas. The narrative in this paper emphasises the imperative of fairness, equity, transparency, and accountability in formulating sustainable strategies to combat these challenges. The paper advocates for contextually appropriate, evidence-based policy approaches, emphasising the significance of collaborations between research institutions and government entities. Such partnerships are crucial for developing efficacious responses to issues like drought, which necessitate comprehensive monitoring systems and mitigation strategies. The role of local government in fostering the growth of agro-based enterprises is underscored, illustrating how local processing of agricultural products can augment revenue, employment, and overall agricultural productivity. The paper also proposes policies to attract private sector investment, such as subsidies for farming equipment and fertilisers, and the development of climate-resilient agricultural technologies that integrate local indigenous knowledge. Lastly, the paper addresses the critical imperative of enhancing the resilience of supply chains against unforeseen disruptions, encompassing natural disasters and market fluctuations. This entails implementing risk management strategies, investing in infrastructure, adopting advanced technologies, and fostering collaboration throughout the supply chain. The paper concludes that such measures are indispensable for ensuring a stable and consistent supply of agricultural products, ultimately benefiting both producers and consumers and contributing to the overarching goal of attaining food security in South Africa, Nigeria, and similar contexts. Keywords: Food security, Rural livelihoods, Strategic policies, Vulnerable communities, South Africa, Nigeria

Household food insecurity in South Africa from 1999 to 2021: a metrics perspective.

To review and synthesize studies on household food security in South Africa. Systematic mapping review of metrics (methodological review). Electronic databases, including EBSCOHost, Scopus and Web of Science, were searched for studies and reports on household food security in South Africa, reporting household food security published between 1999 and 2021. Searching, selecting and reporting were performed according to the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses) statement. South African households. Forty-eight articles reporting on six national surveys (one repeated annually since 2002) and forty sub-national studies meeting the inclusion criteria were selected. Various metrics, with different recall periods and ways of categorizing food security levels, were identified. Surveys that used similar metrics showed that the percentage of South African households that have experienced food insecurity and hunger has decreased over the review period yet remains concerning. However, the multitude of metrics used to assess the different components and levels of food security limits the comparability of the results to evaluate the scope and scale of the problem. There is growing support for developing multi-variable approaches for food security research in sub-Saharan Africa. Future research should focus on finding the most appropriate combination of complementary metrics that would allow comparable data while holistically capturing food security and providing insight into the causes and consequences.

Unlocking African Food Sovereignty: The Path to Food Security in South Africa

Unlocking African Food Sovereignty: The Path to Food Security in South Africa

Changing childcare demands due to COVID-19 lockdown regulations and household food security in South Africa

This study examined the effect of increased childcare demands during the COVID-19 pandemic on maternal work and household food security in South Africa. Descriptive and multivariate analyses were conducted with 1890 mothers using the National Income Dynamics Study – Coronavirus Rapid Mobile Survey (NIDS-CRAM) Wave 2. About seven out of ten mothers did not work (74.8%), and one-third (29%) had increased childcare demands, limiting their work opportunities. About half of the households experienced food insecurity (44%). Unemployed mothers who reported that childcare affected their ability to work had increased odds of food insecurity (OR = 2.20, p = 0.000). Household food insecurity was significantly related to maternal age, province and childcare effect on employment. This study established that mothers whose work was affected by increased childcare demands had higher levels of food insecurity. Therefore, we recommend implementing food security and gender equality interventions that promote change in childcare cultural norms.

Addressing food insecurity in Richmond area of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa: The role of cash transfers

Food insecurity is one of the national priorities in South Africa. Cash transfer programs are hypothesized to alleviate short-term deprivations, regularize consumption, and reduce the adoption of negative coping strategies. This study estimates the role play of cash transfers in enhancing food security in South Africa. The household food security access scale (HFIAS) was used to estimate food security status of 180 sampled households. An endogenous switching poisson model was used to examine how household food insecurity was affected by access to cash transfers. The findings indicate that the household food security was statistically significantly influenced by access to cash transfers, household head gender, access to finance, access to farm-based organizations (FBO), access to cooperatives, and agricultural training. As a result, this study recommends the South African government and other donor organizations to expand cash transfer programs among low-income households in rural South Africa. Access to cash transfers is a key component of achieving enhanced household food security.

Climate Change Impacts and Challenges of Combating Food Insecurity in Rural Somkhele, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa

Climate change poses immense challenges for food security in most developing countries. The extent to which residents are able to reduce their impact on food resources and adapt to climate change will have implications for their livelihoods. Although climate change research has explored adaptation strategies to mitigate the negative effects on food security, empirical work on how climate change affects rural household food security in South Africa has been limited. This paper examines not only how climate change affects food security, but also residential challenges in combating climate change and food security. This paper focused on the Somkhele rural community located in the uMkhanyakude District Municipality of Northern KwaZulu-Natal, an area affected by water scarcity induced by climate change. A questionnaire was used to ascertain the views of 424 households on the impacts of climate variability on food security and the coping mechanisms and challenges involved in secure livelihoods. The results indicate that climate change has affected agricultural productivity and the use of water in households, especially since 2015. Food security is shaped by unemployment and a lack of financial capital. The local government did not assist with the required infrastructure to obtain water. Good governance and reflexive approaches are required to take into account household livelihood strategies and indigenous knowledge systems to ensure that support against the impacts of climate change is relevant

The Threats of Climate Change on Water and Food Security in South Africa

Globally, water and food crises are exacerbated by climate change, population growth and changing lifestyles. These phenomena have resulted in escalating cycles of civil unrest and conflicts. In South Africa, climate change has led to increased temperatures resulting in numerous deadly heat waves and varying rainfall patterns contributing to deadly flooding in most provinces and droughts in others. These extreme climatic conditions significantly impact agricultural production and water insecurity nationally. Despite the strong impact of climate change on water and food resources in the country, there is less education and inadequate data to address the impacts of climate change, especially at local levels; information is seldom used in planning and decision-making while there is a lack of actionable planning to mitigate the impacts of climate change. Using a mixed method approach of data collection and related literatures, this paper explored the weaknesses in the current climate change mitigation programmes in South Africa in the context of water and food security. The finding established that while multiple policies, regulations, and programmes are designed to minimise climate change's impact on water and food resources, the policies lack coherency at the formulation and implementation stages and are fragmented across various departments and institutions. This paper recommends a coordinated approach to tackling climate change and investment in research that will better understand the country's climate programmes in addressing water and food security.

Adaptation to Climate Change and Impact on Smallholder Farmers’ Food Security in South Africa

If not adequately managed, climate change is predicted to have a large negative impact on smallholder subsistence farmers, posing a significant danger to household food security. However, the role of adaptive techniques used by farming households to reduce these negative effects and, as a result, their food insecurity status has not been sufficiently evaluated. This study explores the factors that influence smallholder farmers’ adoption of climate change adaptation measures, as well as their impact on household food security. Using an endogenous treatment-effect ordered probit model, agricultural households’ food security status is likely to significantly improve when they employ measures to adapt to adverse climatic conditions. The empirical findings also show that the gender makeup of the household, age, tropical livestock unit, and access to climatic information improve the likelihood of smallholder farmers adopting climate change adaptation measures. Based on the findings, this study advocates that governments and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) support smallholder farmers’ Indigenous adaptation options with various institutional, regulatory, and technological assistance, with a particular emphasis on female-headed households.

Institutional mechanism for policy coherence between climate change adaptation, disaster risk reduction and food security in South Africa

Institutional mechanism for policy coherence between climate change adaptation, disaster risk reduction and food security in South Africa

Institutional mechanism for policy coherence between climate change adaptation, disaster risk reduction and food security in South Africa.

Institutional mechanism for policy coherence between climate change adaptation, disaster risk reduction and food security in South Africa.

Land expropriation model in South Africa: A consequent impact on food security

The paper seeks to evaluate the land expropriation model and its effect on food security. Since the announcement by President Cyril Ramaphosa two years ago about land expropriation without compensation, the concern about how that will be implemented topped high in both political and academic debates. South Africa’s land issue has been topical for many decades and with little progress achieved in resolving the identified problem. This paper is conceptual in approach, and it uses literature to argue that land expropriation without compensation will threaten food security in South Africa. The paper concludes that land expropriation without compensation that will not consider threat to food security will not achieve intended justice for the people it intends to serve in the country.

Household Food Insecurity Status and Determinants: The Case of Botswana and South Africa

This study used a survey questionnaire to investigate the state and determinants of household food security in South Africa and Botswana. In South Africa, 1557 households in two District Municipalities within Eastern Cape Province participated in the study. In Botswana, data was collected from 506 in Southern Kanye, southeast District, and Gaborone households. The paper employed Household Food Insecurity Access Scale and Prevalence to investigate the state food security across the sample population. The Household Food Insecurity Access Prevalence was used to determine the characteristics of and changes in household food insecurity of the sample households. The linear and ordinal regression analyses were carried out to outline determinants of food insecurity in the region. Findings emanating from the current study show a high prevalence of food insecurity in both countries. Meanwhile, geographical location, household size, and socio-economic infrastructure emerged as common determinants of food security for Botswana and South Africa. The paper recommends state-mediated intervention to improve access to basic socio-economic infrastructure and address unemployment rates in both countries as key areas to improve food security status.

Regulation and remediation of the impacts of mine wastes on land and water in South Africa

A concerning phenomenon in South Africa’s mines is the huge quantities of waste generated by the mines. The problem is historical in that there was existing land and water contamination from previously generated waste, often from now abandoned mines, of which there are many. But the problem is also current, as mines continue to aggravate concerns about the hazards of mine waste for the health and well-being of people and the environment. South Africa has little arable land and water is scarce. Compromising these resources has implications for food security and access to clean water. There are processes that can ameliorate the harmful effects of mine wastes on environmental safety and food security in South Africa. These processes enable the evaluation of soil and water quality and the extraction of pollutants, such as heavy metals and metalloids, aiming to achieve land and water quality that is suitable for alternative and sustainable use of previously contaminated land and water resources. The implementation of such processes in South Africa relies on a legal framework that provides minimum standards and guidelines for land and water remediation. However, flaws in the legal framework impair functioning in the sector. Poor implementation and compliance with existing laws make matters worse. The effects show on the environment.

Dialing up Critical Feminist Research as Lockdown Dialed us Down: How a Pandemic Sparked Community Food Dialogs in Cape Town, South Africa

The COVID-19 pandemic and its control measures had a devastating impact on household food security in South Africa. The pandemic brought existing food injustice patterns, such as spatial inequality, intersectionality, and the causes of food poverty to the forefront, especially for women. It also galvanized momentum in the people's agenda for solidarity and stimulated community members' calls for an overhaul of the existing commercialized food system toward hyper-localized, community-led solutions such as food dialogs and community kitchens. First and foremost, that meant talking about hunger and addressing its root causes. This paper reports on a co-research process on household food security during the pandemic in four neighborhoods of the Cape Flats. This study found that household food insecurity and the roles women play in food systems are significantly shaped by intersectionality: the consequences of being women, Black or Persons of Color, residents of geographies of social and economic marginalization within the city, and historically excluded from higher education. In this paper, we provide reflections on the co-research process from the perspectives of co-researchers, the project coordinator, and the project funder by applying a critical feminist framework and by answering the question: How can critical feminist research steer community-led action? Community members from the Cape Flats and five post-graduate students from a Berlin-based institute conceptualized this study and it was implemented by community researchers and projects partners in 2020. The paper highlights important aspects of the methodology, particularly the joint contextualization and sense making of findings by community researchers who placed food insecurity results in the context of their lived experiences. Based on their discussions, the co-researchers created visions for post-COVID-19 food environments, one of which is discussed in this paper: destigmatization of hunger. Hunger was described by co-researchers as a problem hidden by individuals and silenced by communities.

Whole-Genome SNP Characterisation Provides Insight for Sustainable Use of Local South African Livestock Populations.

Local cattle and sheep populations are important for animal production and food security in South Africa. These genetic resources are well adapted to the diverse climatic conditions and hold potential to be utilized in production systems subjected to climate change. The local beef breeds are well integrated into commercial livestock production systems with access to performance recording and genetic evaluations, while local sheep breeds are mainly utilised in smallholder and communal systems. The GeneSeek® Genomic Profiler™ Bovine 150 K SNP genotyping array was used to evaluate the diversity and inbreeding status of four indigenous (Boran, Drakensberger, Nguni, Tuli), two composite (Bonsmara and Beefmaster) and two exotic (SA Hereford and Charolais) beef breeds. The Illumina® Ovine 50 K SNP BeadChip was used to investigate five indigenous (Black Head Persian, Damara, Fat tail, Namaqua Afrikaner, Pedi) and three commercial (Dorper, Dohne Merino and SA Merino) populations. Although ascertainment bias was indicated by the low MAF (the autosome-wide proportion of SNPs with MAF< 0.05 ranged from 6.18 to 9.97% for cattle, and 7.59–13.81% for sheep), moderate genomic diversity was observed (mean Ho ranged from 0.296 to 0.403 for cattle, and 0.327 to 0.367 for sheep). Slightly higher levels of ROH-based inbreeding were calculated for cattle (FROH range: 0.018–0.104), than for sheep populations (FROH range: 0.002–0.031). The abundance of short ROH fragments (mean proportion of <4 Mb fragments: 0.405 for cattle, and 0.794 for sheep) indicated ancient inbreeding in both species. The eight cattle populations were categorized into indicine, taurine or Sanga subspecies based on principal component, model-based clustering and phylogenetic analyses, with high levels of admixture observed within the Drakensberger, Nguni and Tuli breeds. Within the sheep populations, a clear distinction could be seen between the dual-purpose breeds, the meat breed and the indigenous breeds. Despite directional selection practiced in the cattle breeds, genomic diversity was moderate with low inbreeding. The non-commercialized, indigenous sheep populations are more vulnerable with small effective populations. These results emphasise the value of genomic information for effective management to exploit the potential contribution of local genetic cattle and sheep resources in a changing environment.