scholarly journals What are we measuring? Comparison of household food security indicators in the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa

2016 ◽  
Vol 55 (2) ◽  
pp. 141-162 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sheryl L. Hendriks ◽  
Corné van der Merwe ◽  
Mjabuliseni S. Ngidi ◽  
Christopher Manyamba ◽  
Mondli Mbele ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Food Security ◽  
Household Food Security ◽  
Eastern Cape Province ◽  
Eastern Cape ◽  
Household Food ◽  
Food Security Indicators ◽  
Security Indicators

scholarly journals Home gardens in the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa: A promising approach to enhance household food security and well-being

2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (9) ◽  
Author(s):  
Pelisa Ngcaba ◽  
Alfred Maroyi
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Food Security ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Home Gardens ◽  
Leafy Vegetables ◽  
Food Plants ◽  
Household Food Security ◽  
Eastern Cape Province ◽  
Eastern Cape ◽  
Household Food

Abstract. Ngcaba P, Maroyi A. 2021. Home gardens in the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa: A promising approach to enhance household food security and well-being. Biodiversitas 22: 4045-4053. The current study is aimed at documenting the diversity and composition of food plants cultivated and maintained in home gardens; and also assessing their role at enhancing household food security and well-being in the Eastern Cape province, South Africa. This study was undertaken in six villages in the province, between June 2014 and March 2016. Information on socioeconomic and demographic characteristics of the respondents, home garden practices, food plants grown and maintained in home gardens were collected by means of questionnaires and guided field walks with 129 respondents. A total of 32 edible plants belonging to 27 genera and 18 families were recorded. The main uses of plants grown and managed in home gardens were edible fruits or seeds (56.3%), leaves cooked as leafy vegetables (28.1%), edible bulbs, roots and tubers (21.9%), beverage, cereal, and culinary herb or spice (3.1% each). The most preferred species were Zea mays (64.3%), followed by Brassica oleracea (59.7%), Solanum tuberosum (58.9%), Spinacia oleracea (52.7%), Allium cepa (51.9%), Cucurbita moschata (44.2%), Capsicum annuum (38.0%), Cucurbita maxima (31.8%) and Daucas carota (31.0%). This study showed that home gardens can provide alternative sources of diverse and nutritious food to households, making home gardens an important agricultural resource for increasing food security in the province.

scholarly journals Determinants of Food Security Status amongst Smallholder Farmers Utilizing Different Maize Varieties in OR Tambo District, South Africa

2020 ◽  
pp. 133-139
Author(s):  
Ardinesh Kambanje ◽  
Amon Taruvinga ◽  
Abbyssinia Mushunje ◽  
Charles Mutengwa ◽  
Saul Ngarava
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Food Security ◽  
Food Insecurity ◽  
Smallholder Farmers ◽  
Household Food Insecurity ◽  
Eastern Cape Province ◽  
Eastern Cape ◽  
Household Food ◽  
Food Security Status ◽  
Maize Varieties

Maize is an important staple crop for poverty reduction and global food security in Sub Saharan Africa. Food insecurity can be combated through adoption of productivity improving technologies, which include improved maize varieties. In that endeavour, South Africa has promoted various improved maize varieties which include open pollinated varieties (OPVs), hybrids, and genetically modified (GM) varieties. Despite this, the traditional landrace varieties have also been dominating in the country. However, the household food insecurity problem in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa may signify a mis-match between maize varieties being promoted amongst smallholder farmers’ and their needs. It therefore necessitates a scrutiny of the food security status among users of different maize varieties, and the determinants of such food security. A cross sectional survey was conducted in Port St Johns, Mqanduli and Flagstaff in the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa. Data was purposively collected from a sample of 650 smallholder farmers using a structured questionnaire. Descriptive statistics, Household Food Insecurity Access Score and ordinal logistic regression model were employed to characterize, examine the household food insecurity status and the determinants, respectively. Fifty-six percent of the respondents were utilizing land race maize varieties, whilst 29% GMs, 10% combining GMs and landrace, 4% improved OPVs and 1% convectional hybrids. The average land area under maize was 1.09 hectares with average yields (t/ha) of 1.9, 0.5, 1.7 and 1.6 for GM, landrace, conventional hybrids and improved OPVs respectively. Fifty-five percent of households utilizing GM varieties and 61% of those combining maize varieties were food secure. The regression model showed that maize variety had significant influence on food security. The study found that GM maize, improved OPV, white maize and combination effects of GM maize was associated with reduction of household food insecurity. From the study, it can be put into perspective that use of white and improved maize varieties reduces household food insecurity. Therefore, to address household food insecurity, the study recommended targeting white maize varieties, especially GM white maize varieties which are highly productive and a positive influence on household food security.

scholarly journals Household Food Security Status and Its Determinants in Maphumulo Local Municipality, South Africa

2018 ◽  
Vol 10 (9) ◽  
pp. 3307 ◽  
Author(s):  
Primrose Ngema ◽  
Melusi Sibanda ◽  
Lovemore Musemwa
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Food Security ◽  
Food Consumption ◽  
Dietary Diversity ◽  
Binary Logistic Regression ◽  
Sampling Technique ◽  
Household Food Security ◽  
Binary Logistic Regression Model ◽  
Household Food ◽  
Food Security Status

Food security at the household level remains a major issue in South Africa and for many other developing countries, particularly those in Africa. As a means of ensuring food security in KwaZulu-Natal province, various food security intervention programmes were launched. Nonetheless, food security remains an issue among households in the province. This paper estimates the household food security status of the “One Home One Garden” (OHOG) beneficiaries against that of non-beneficiaries and assesses the determinants of household food security status in Maphumulo. A stratified random sampling technique was used to sample 495 households (including 330 OHOG beneficiaries and 165 non-beneficiaries). The status of household food security was estimated by means of a “Household Dietary Diversity Score” (HDDS). Additionally, a Household Food Consumption Score” (HFCS) tool was employed to supplement the HDDS. The results showed that food consumption patterns were characterized by medium (4.89) and average (4.22) HDDS for the OHOG beneficiaries and non-beneficiaries, respectively. Taking HDDS as a proxy for household food security, an independent samples t-test (Levene’s test—equal variances assumed) reveals a significant (p < 0.001) relationship between the sample means of the two groups. A greater proportion (65%) of the OHOG beneficiaries had an acceptable (≥35) HFCS level, whereas just over half (54%) of the non-beneficiaries fell in the borderline (21.5 to 35) HFCS level. The determinants of household food security status were elicited by means of a binary logistic regression model. The results revealed that education (p = 0.036), receiving infrastructural support (irrigation) (p = 0.001), and participation in the OHOG programme (p = 0.000) positively influenced the food security status of households, yet household income (p = 0.000) and access to credit (p = 0.002) showed a negative correlation. This paper proposes that government and developmental agencies, in their efforts to enhance food security through food security intervention programmes, should support households by investing in education and agricultural infrastructure, as well as giving priority to smallholder infrastructural irrigation support for households that largely rely on rain-fed systems.

scholarly journals Exploring Food Security and Household Dietary Diversity in the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (5) ◽  
pp. 1851
Author(s):  
Priviledge Cheteni ◽  
Yohane Khamfula ◽  
Gisele Mah
Keyword(s):  
Food Security ◽  
Food Consumption ◽  
Dietary Diversity ◽  
Household Food Security ◽  
Eastern Cape ◽  
Household Food ◽  
Binary Model ◽  
Food Security Status ◽  
Food Consumption Score ◽  
Household Dietary Diversity

Food security is one of the most severe challenges facing the majority of African countries. The objective of this study was to explore household food dietary diversity and food security in a rural area in the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa. A total of 296 household heads were randomly sampled to participate in the study. The Household Dietary Diversity Score (HDDS) and Household Food Consumption Score (HFCS) were used to identify the consumption patterns of the households and their food security status. Meanwhile, a binary model was used to identify the variables that had an impact on household food security. Findings from the Household Dietary Diversity Score (HDDS) revealed that 61 percent of the households had lower dietary diversity and were consuming at least three food groups, which mainly include pulses, milk, and cereals. The results from the Household Food Consumption Score (HFCS), however, showed that the majority of the households had adequate levels of food consumption. The binary model revealed that age, household income, access to credit, and gender are statistically significant in influencing household food security status in the study area. It can be concluded that household dietary diversity is not guaranteed by food security, as proven by the regression model. Therefore, the government should consider the impact of low income on food security and it should intensify efforts directed at helping rural households to reduce incidences of food insecurity.

Assessment of food security among households in Eastern Cape Province, South Africa

2018 ◽  
Vol 45 (1) ◽  
pp. 2-17 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ebenezer Toyin Megbowon ◽  
Abbyssinia Mushunje
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Food Security ◽  
Poisson Regression ◽  
Dietary Diversity ◽  
Eastern Cape Province ◽  
Eastern Cape ◽  
Food Groups ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Dietary Diversity Score ◽  
Household Dietary Diversity

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to analyze food security status and its determinants among households in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa. Design/methodology/approach The analysis is based on the General Household Survey which was conducted in 2014 where 3,033 households were sampled from the province. Specifically, this study examines the determinants of food security proxy by dietary diversity (24-hour recall) using descriptive statistics, Poisson regression. A frequency count of food groups consumed household dietary diversity score was used as the explained variable. Findings The descriptive analysis shows that, although 61.7 percent of households in the study area have a high dietary diversity score, however, food group giving micronutrients are less consumed as food groups having cereals (maize), beef, sugar and oil was mostly consumed. Results on the marginal effect of Poisson regression indicate that household head characteristics (age, gender, education, marital status, and employment status), pension receiving households and geographical location significantly influence household dietary diversity. Originality/value This study advocates for the intensification of rural development and food security programs, formal and informal education for household heads, female empowerment and dietary enlightenment for households in order to promote the consumption of diverse diets and more healthful food groups.

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